AN: Just a little curiosity folks. In January this year the wreck of IJN Hiei has been found if you didn't hear it. Anyway, here is the new chapter. Enjoy!
Bismarck walked down the stairs and arrived into the saloon. She looked around. It was empty. Very empty. The cabin was empty. The ship was empty. Her heart was empty. It was a torture for her to be cut off from the one she loved with all of her soul. Now she was alone, bound to sail the seas without anyone on her side. Without anyone she could share her sadness with.
The worst was maybe the fact that Bismarck didn't know whether her captain is still alive or not. There was only one person who knew the answer: the fast battleship Hiei. Bismarck wanted to find her by all means. She wanted answers. Why did she come after them? Why didn't she make sure that she managed to sink her? Why was she alone? And most importantly: what happened to Heinrich? She'll find her no matter what.
Bismarck has already left the Equator and the tropics and now she was back in the Drake Passage. However now there was nobody to fear the storms together with her. She returned to the Pacific without any complications. As she was back near the coast of Chile she had to face a big question: Where should she go now? Where should she start the search? The Pacific Ocean is the biggest ocean on this planet with its 161 800 000 square kilometers. Where is Hiei? Where is she stationed? Or does she sail independently? No matter. If you put two ships to the sea sooner or later they'll meet. Bismarck didn't care how much time it will take to find the Fog's student council president. She'll find her no matter how much time it will take.
Bismarck sailed forward. She spent a whole week searching the freezing southern waters around the Antarctica, but she didn't meet anyone. Therefore she turned to the north where the weather became a bit friendlier. Many days passed without any special happening. She went through the places she saw not so long ago together with Heinrich. The western coast of South America, the Andes and the Galapagos Islands. But they just weren't the same. Bismarck stood on top of her superstructure each time and looked around with the saddest look a human being can imagine. She constantly felt as if a knife was stabbed into her chest. This lonely life had no point at all. She could only hope that her dearest one is still alive and well somewhere.
Well, Bismarck was not completely alone, the union cores of Kirov and Scharnhorst were with her on the ship but they… weren't the most ideal company especially because Scharnhorst was in inactive mode.
Now even the sea meant the loneliness for her.
Bismarck was woken up by a sudden radar contact to the northwest while she was around the Chilean-Peruvian border. Her sensors showed a cruiser on the horizon. She looked there and saw an approaching cruiser with a silhouette similar to Belgrano's.
"Who on earth are you?" she murmured. Then the cruiser fired her two forward three gun turrets. The shots bounced off Bismarck's Klein-field. "Are you planning to stand in my way? Not a great idea." the battleship clenched her fist in anger. Other Fog ships and everybody else who tried to block her path represented the solitude and the sorrow for her. In rage she fired back with everything she had and in mean time she gave full power to her engines. She wanted to finish this quickly. The eyes of the cruiser's mental model went wide as she saw this enormous thing rushing toward her. "What the hell is that?" Bismarck's bow hit the cruiser on its starboard side and she pushed her toward the Chilean shore 'till the smaller ship was lying on the edge of the rocky beach.
Bismarck walked forward to her bow deck and looked down. Down on the compass platform of the cruiser laid a young girl on her back shaking in fear.
"Who are you?" asked Bismarck in a neutral yet sinister voice.
"I… I'm the… cruiser Denver. From the East Pacific Fleet." replied the other girl in terror. What is going to happen now? Is she going to die?
Bismarck was also shaking but in her case it was because of the fury. "You tried to attack me right?" asked Bismarck in a more fearful tone.
"Please… I…"
"Please what? Spare you Denver? Why should I do that?"
"Please! They told us that an Atlantic battleship fought our pacific forces and nearly sank them! We've got orders to sink her if she shows up again! What could I do Bismarck, what could I do?" cried Denver. "What would you have done if you were me?"
"What?" whispered Bismarck. "If I was a blind bastard like you and the others I would have certainly destroyed you. But I'm not like that anymore thanks to someone! And that someone was taken or maybe even killed by your kind! So why should I hold myself back now?" asked Bismarck and she was already raising her hand to fire the fatal shot. Denver closed her eyes in horror while crying.
"Bismarck!" a voice shouted.
"What do you want Kirov?" asked Bismarck furiously from the core.
"If your captain was here, you think he would want you to do something like that?"
"Don't dare to speak about him to me!"
"You know what he would want! He would want you to spare her like you did with Scharnhorst!"
Bismarck looked again at the terrified Denver. She spent nearly a minute with just staring at her with blazing eyes. "Get off your ship?" she finally said.
"What?"
"I said GET OFF YOUR SHIP!" yelled Bismarck and Denver immediately stood up and jumped down to the shore.
"Go away!" said Bismarck with a commanding voice.
"What? Where?"
"I don't care! Go! To one of the cities! Or the Andes! Or anywhere! Go and live on the ridges of the mountains but do not try to rejoin the Fleet! Or stand in my way again!"
Denver turned around and started to run. Suddenly she heard a huge explosion from behind. Her vessel was lying in burning pieces, Bismarck blew it up. It was a very sad sight for her but didn't want to complain. She just wanted to get away as fast as she could.
Bismarck was staring after her for a while then with a deep sigh she turned around and left too.
"Why did you tell me that?" she asked from Kirov.
"Because… I just didn't want her to perish as she was already defeated." replied the Russian cruiser.
"Well well. Did you grow conscience for yourself?" Bismarck teased her.
"You can call it whatever you want. Besides I want you to find your captain as soon as possible."
"And why is that?"
"Because the sooner you find him the sooner I can get home to the Arctic to my remaining sisters."
"IF I find him." said Bismarck and cut communication between them.
After that Bismarck turned to the northwest. She thought it makes no sense to search for Hiei near America. Why would she stay in the East Pacific without any other Japanese Fog ships? She must have returned to the western or mid part of the ocean.
Therefore after crossing the Equator again she turned toward Hawai'i. She passed the enclave state of the USA from the east, far enough from the islands to not be detected by humans. But she found nothing. Wherever she looked she saw the endless water only. The sea was shining in vain it didn't cheer her up. Another two weeks spent with cruising between Hawai'i and the Aleut Islands brought no success. After reaching the long chain of islands near Alaska Bismarck turned back to the south and returned to the tropic zone.
Still nothing. No Hiei, no any other Fog ship. Bismarck spent most of her time on the bridge. Sometimes she went down to the saloon trying to find just a little peace. But she never succeeded. She constantly felt the pain and emptiness. One night she went down again to the place where she and Heinrich had so much happy time together. She sat before the organ and slowly placed her hands on the keys. She started playing Mozart's Lacrimosa. The painful chords of the Austrian master filled the air. When she finished it she looked at the top of the organ. There in a small box were her earrings. That was the last thing she got from him. Bismarck took it and looked at the jewelry. She placed it back after a few seconds; she just couldn't bear the sight of the memory.
She stood up and walked up and down for several minutes. Then she stepped to the CD player and pushed the play button. She sat down on one of the black answers and listened to some enchanting folk music. Bismarck was sitting there for a long time, it was already after midnight. Her "meditation" was cut in half by the beeping radar again.
Annoyed Bismarck went back to the bridge. From the darkness of the night emerged a smaller ship. By its size and structure Bismarck could tell that it was a destroyer. She analyzed its silhouette. It was a Yugumo-class destroyer. It was a Jap Fog ship! Maybe she can be more useful than Denver was.
Bismarck didn't hesitate; she turned her bow turrets toward the destroyer. She fired on its stern and shot the other ship's engine away with a single blast, so it couldn't escape. When the destroyer stopped Bismarck sailed beside it.
"Come out so I can see you!" shouted Bismarck. Nothing at first. "In other words: if you don't come out I'll send you to the coral without giving a chance!"
Two seconds later a dark, slim person run out of the bridge.
"Who are you?" asked Bismarck strictly.
"I'm the destroyer Fujinami." replied a frightened voice.
"Did you send out any distress call?"
"N-No…" Bismarck narrowed her eyes. "I swear I didn't!" repeated Fujinami.
Bismarck jumped to the destroyer's deck. Now she could see the Japanese mental model from closer. Fujinami was a young girl with raven hair, narrow eyes and she was wearing a knee long red skirt together with a black shirt.
"But you must know who Hiei is." said Bismarck quietly raising an eyebrow.
"O-Of course." nodded Fujinami.
"And do you know where she is currently as well?"
"N… No. I don't."
"How could I be sure that you're not lying?" asked Bismarck and walked closer to the other model. This scared Fujinami even more seeing how tall Bismarck is compared to her.
"I'm telling the truth!"
"You are from the Pacific Fleet and you don't know where your boss is? Interesting."
"I'm not from her fleet! She's the flagship of the 1st Oriental Fleet! I'm from the 2nd Oriental Fleet! I'm led by Nagato!"
Bismarck sighed. "Is it possible that you're not useful to me?" Her voice was one of the most sinister things Fujinami ever heard.
"Wait!"
"Hm?"
"I know that a few weeks ago she returned from the East Pacific!"
"Do you know why she was there?"
"No but…"
"Was she alone?"
"Yes. For the first time." said Fujinami.
"For the first time?"
"At first she was with her student council around the Galapagos Islands. Then she returned here but soon after she went back totally alone. She came back undamaged a few weeks ago as I said."
"Did you meet her?" asked Bismarck.
"Yes. I was patrolling south from Midway when she passed a few kilometers from me steaming to the west."
"Did you see any suspicious?"
"No." Fujinami shake her head. "Should I have seen something?"
"Never mind it! Anything else?"
"She disappeared on the horizon after that and since then we didn't met. That's all I can say! Believe me!"
Bismarck was watching her for a bit. "You know what? I believe you." She saw the sigh of relief on Fujinami's face. "However, maybe you understand that I can't let you go and tell anyone anything about me."
"W-What?" asked the scared Fujinami.
"Tut mir leid." (I'm sorry.) said Bismarck and reached for Fujinami's face. As she touched it the world went black for the destroyer. A few minutes later she regained her consciousness. She felt as if she was carried. She tried to move but she couldn't. What? What is that? She became a simple union core. She is on an unknown place and Bismarck is holding her in her hand carrying her down a stair.
"Where am I?" asked Fujinami.
"On my ship. And you'll be my guest until solve a little problem. Don't worry you'll have companion." said Bismarck as she arrived to her ship's saloon. She walked to the box where the cores of Kirov and Scharnhorst were stored.
"Girls, say hello to your new fellow, the destroyer Fujinami." said Bismarck as she opened the box and placed Fujinami in it.
"For how long do you want to keep me here?" asked Fujinami.
"As long as it's necessary." replied Bismarck and closed the box. Slowly she walked back to the bridge. She was alone again with her thoughts as she sailed on. Then she heard something. Ah, the CD player is still on. A loudspeaker on the bridge was connected to it. Some kind of a Mediterranean track just ended. Then the sorrowful hits of a violin, a double bass and a guitar sounded. It was the same song she heard together with Heinrich shortly before he went missing. She heard the voice of the singer.
By a lonely prison wall,
I heard a young girl calling:
Michael they have taken you away,
For you stole Trevelyn's corn
So the young might see the morn,
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay.
Low lie, the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing,
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry.
By a lonely prison wall
I heard a young man calling:
"Nothing matters Mary, when you're free
Against the famine and the crown,
I rebelled, they cut me down
Now you must raise our child with dignity."
Low lie, the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing,
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry.
By a lonely harbor wall
She watched the last star falling
As the prison ship sailed out against the sky
For she'll live and hope and pray
For her love in Botany Bay
It's so lonely round the fields Of Athenry.
Low lie, the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing,
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry.
Bismarck stood there and listened. The song ended and it was silent again. She just stared. She couldn't move or do anything. Then she felt as a drop of tear streams down on her cheek.
A few weeks earlier, Hiei's POV
Hiei looked behind her ship many times until she left the Strait of Magellan far behind. Is she followed? No. Nobody was after her. She gave a small, satisfied, evil smile as she stood on top of her conning tower. Looks like she can be sure that she sank her. Not as if she had doubts, her opponent was in a very bad condition after she fired her super gravity-cannon on her. Great, the Fleet no longer has to worry about that renegade neither she. This made her happy especially because of… her "little secret". Hiei turned around and walked inside her pagoda shaped superstructure. She went climbed the stairs and arrived to her bridge. On the back side of it there was a door. She opened it and stepped into a windowless empty premises lit by an elegant chandelier.
Well, the room was not totally empty. On its floor there was a big futon, a Japanese mattress. A person was lying on it. That person was a human. And that human was a European had dark blonde hair and blazing blue eyes which were closed now. He was still unconscious. Surprisingly it worried Hiei a bit. It would be pity if he couldn't bear her shot. She walked to him. Leaning over him she ran an analysis. Alright, no problem he is alive.
Hiei then knelt down on the futon, carefully took Heinrich Wenzel's head and placed it on her thighs. Resting her hands on either side of his face she continued her readings. Heartbeat normal, breathing normal, blood pressure normal, body heat normal. Everything is okay. She just has to wait for him to wake up. She was observing him, his face, his lineaments, and his physique. He looked just so… handsome. Not to mention still pretty exotic with his western look.
Suddenly Hiei noticed that Heinrich tried to open his eyes. However as he was still very weak he could only open them partly and his sight was not totally clear. Despite of this he still noticed the female figure over him. Who are you? Wait! Are you H…
"Welcome on my board Wenzel-san." said Hiei with a flirty smile. "I'm sorry that you had to arrive amidst so dramatic circumstances. But I hope you'll enjoy your stay."
Heinrich's mind could barely register the words. It was impossible for him at the moment to react and soon he lost consciousness again and closed back his eyes.
Hiei was watching him again running her hands through his hair. "What could it be like?" she thought. Little by little she leaned forward. Oh my, she is so close now. She leaned fully forward giving him a kiss on the lips. She kept her mouth locked on his for a few seconds enjoying the sensation which was way better she thought it will be then she pulled back. Hiei looked at the ceiling with a satisfied grin growing on her face. Oh yes, this will be great! With him she can be even more powerful! Who knows? Maybe she can be more than just a flagship.