Location: Ironblood headquarters
Shortly after the liberation of San Salvacion
Within the innermost sanctum away from the churning furnaces, gothic battlements, and idle deployment bays, an imperial hall found itself in important company. Rouge walls meeting velvet carpeting, the chamber behooved all, grand or subordinate, that they stood in attendance of Ironblood and of the Crimson Axis. Great windows captured the gripping sight of the nation's base of operations under a stormy sky, but here no uninvited eyes were present.
As Bismarck strummed her fingers, what she had to hear was for her ears only.
"... I see. Your expedition has done well. We have acquired data regarding weapons technology from the other world. Although all that has been gained are mainly what has been observed, the information is nevertheless valuable."
"Indeed," Prinz Eugen purred. "I have made sure that U-73 is already at work compiling her findings."
"Sehr gut," the battleship nodded, her tone like iron in spite of the news. "She will have all the resources she'll need to conduct her projects. I await considerable breakthroughs in the coming weeks. Replicating those weaponry is imperative if we are to cement our advantage over the Azur Lane."
"And I have no doubt that our desertion had already been noted," the heavy cruiser commented. "Speaking of which, has Dysnomia made any contact with us as of late?"
Bismarck frowned. "Not yet. But I have no reason to believe she will be… amused. We will be awaiting her next communique, whenever it will be, and whatever she has to say about our withdraw. Nevertheless, I doubt she will be so friendly to us now."
Eugen shrugged nonchalantly. "How unfortunate. It seems we'll have to find new acquaintances for future endeavors."
Bismarck leaned forward, resting her chin against her clasped fingers as she surveyed the reports one last time. "... Regardless, that is in the past now. You are dismissed. Await further orders."
With that, Eugen twirled around to depart. Bismarck watched as her lieutenant strolled through the door, stopping with one last teasing look. "You know where to find me…" she said before the door closed shut behind her. Though she could not see her expression, Bismarck could tell in Prinz Eugen's gait that she was satisfied.
Yet, a frown remained fixed on her own visage.
She rose from her chair, depositing the reports within a sanctum of drawers where so many like it lay. Their mission, to investigate unseen powers in guise of an opportunistic chance to fight their enemies and gauge new ones, now slept like so many other battles and encounters of the past. A momentous event considering the implications it held, yet it looked no different than the others in the archives.
She would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that taking advantage of those who offered their hand was deceitful. She rationalized the action with the desired outcome that came of it - the gains. But she wondered if the loss of a potential ally was worth it.
Just as she had wondered on that fateful day - the day the alliance shattered by the seduction of power and the fear that came without it.
Bismarck stepped out of the office whereupon she was immediately beset by the embrace of someone. A certain child-like someone.
She glanced down, her sharp expression immediately warming up. "Hello again, U-556."
"Hello to you too, Lord Bismarck!" the submarine replied. Her eyes glazed in joy at seeing the battleship.
A small smile manifested on Bismarck's face. "How are you?"
"Never better! So long as I get to see Lord Bismarck, my day is made!"
"That is good," the Ironblood flagship replied. Her hand made its way to the top of U-556's head whereupon the child giggled. The smile lingered; it tendered Bismarck's heart to see the submarine's glee.
But as the affectionate gesture ceased, U-556 did not let go. She remained clung to her to the battleship's confusion.
"... Are you not satisfied?"
The submarine shook her head. "Nuh-uh. I'm just happy to be back at your side again."
Bismarck's eyes grew suspicious. "Is something the matter?"
U-556 opened her mouth to reply but no words came out. They got stuck in her throat and Bismarck was quick to catch onto the unusual behavior. She never recalled witnessing her young friend hesitate before.
She knelt down to U-556's level, enticing her with her gaze but unexpectedly finding none in return from the submarine. Her joy had disappeared and in its place was a shamed frown.
Now she was worried. "... What happened? If there is anything of grave concern, share it with me."
U-556 diverted her gaze down, as if she found her twiddling thumbs and fidgeting feet more captivating - as if she wanted to convince herself of that. Her reply came delayed, like a piece of ill news that demanded the burden of its deliverer.
"D-do you remember how I asked if I'd meet anyone like you? Before we set off?"
Bismarck nodded. "When you wondered if there would be anyone like me for you to befriend. Yes, I remember." Then her eyes widened in a new realization, a connection ascertained from the possibilities to create an unpleasant truth. "... You found no such woman over there, did you? No new friend?"
The submarine shook her head glumly. "She… hurt me. Called me bad things. Said how she hated me for who I was…"
The battleship found herself taken aback. Never in her life did she anticipate this moment, never a time in which someone like her could be cut so deeply. As kansen they were expected to fight, even prepared to die in their line of duty, to suffer loss. But some were too precious, too innocent to undergo such tragedies. She was rightly concerned for her Perzival's wellbeing as a child, but looking into her empty eyes Bismarck felt her own heart sink. She had sought the better in people and instead found a heart of darkness.
As the leader of Ironblood, she was also its guardian to all under her command. Their livelihood was her responsibility. It wounded her greatly to see the submarine so anguished before her. The feeling wounded her in a way many did not.
Bismarck spared no word as she unfalteringly held U-556 in her arms. The submarine allowed herself to be brought closer to her, closer to her heart from where she could release her emotions. The Ironblood leader did not know how to best perform the act, but she knew that she needed to do her best to comfort her friend.
Whatever the gains they made from the expedition, Bismarck vowed she would make it worth the loss.
A soft rhythmic step beat in the halls as Prinz Eugen roamed the main building. The world outside the command room had descended to banality with drab mellow walls that stretched and splintered off in near-indistinguishable branches. Were it not for practice and trained memorization one would find themselves lost in the corridors.
Thankfully for Prinz Eugen, she knew the path to the tavern all too well.
As she turned her corner, expecting an opening and not the unforeseen column of books as it nearly collided with her. Eugen hopped aside, the near-miss finally acknowledged by the other. "A-ah! Apologies, I wasn't paying attention!"
The heavy cruiser forgave her with a coy smirk. "The books are far from overdue, Z23. There is no need to hurry like so."
The destroyer looked away sheepishly. "P-point taken. I'll be more careful next time!" Z23 composed herself but as she took the first step to resume her journey, she found herself abruptly halted by a hand on her shoulder. Looking aside, she saw it was Eugen, anchoring her in place.
"Um, did you need something?"
The Ironblood cruiser tempted her with a smile. "... Why don't you join me for a drink? I find myself in a talkative mood."
A sleepy mood reigned in the local tavern as Prinz Eugen played with her mug, content on extracting as much contentment as she could from her drink. "Are you sure you wouldn't like a sip?"
Z23 looked away nervously. "No thank you! I appreciate the offer but-"
"Hmm." Eugen turned away, resuming her fixation on the swirling foam of her alcohol. "Still not ready I see. Though I promise you won't get any older. You'll be missing out on all the antics we get together~."
The destroyer sighed, wondering how she got herself stuck in this situation. Looking around, the bar was vacant in spite of the homely atmosphere where harsh industrial metal and regimented ceremony gave way to traditional wood and warm fuzzy lights, where discipline found a new home in which to indulge itself in leniency.
She looked but could not find a reason why she was invited to accompany the cruiser by the bar counter. "May I ask again why you brought me here?"
Prinz Eugen did not turn to look, only humming in evasive response. "Are you certain you do not wish to entertain yourself with beer?"
"I just said I'd rather not. I- I don't think I'll enjoy the taste."
"Is that so?" Eugen purred disappointedly. "It's rarely the taste that many enjoy it for, but rather the comfort it instills. And from the looks of things you look like you could use one."
Z23 blinked. "W-what do you mean?"
"You seemed rather tense ever since we concluded our commission," the heavy cruiser replied. "You were among the last to return but there was something more misplaced than your tardiness. And even after our return your focus seemed astray."
Suddenly her gaze slid over to the destroyer. "...Don't think I haven't noticed."
Z23 averted her face, hoping she hadn't noticed her gulping as she did. But the facade was flawed from the start; as much as she could deny or downplay it, Eugen's words held truth that she wasn't willing to divulge. It convinced the heavy cruiser as much as it convinced herself.
Prinz Eugen made no expression, only finally lowering her cup. "Care to share what's on your mind?"
The destroyer continued to avert her eyes, finding solace on her own two hands that rested idly on the countertop. She considered what words to choose yet she found her choice littered with doubt and uncertainty. But Eugen can be trusted with this truth… right?
Z23 took a slow breath. "Miss Eugen, about our last mission… How do you feel about the outcome?"
A vague hum. "We accomplished what was asked of us: gauge and observe our rivals' strength. Determine what it is that makes their world unique from ours so as to make it our strength."
But the Type 1936A destroyer remained dissatisfied. "What about the ships that had asked for our help?"
A shrug. "Not much we could have done unfortunately. The circumstances were against us. We did what was necessary by withdrawing."
Z23 wasn't sure what to say of this. In retrospect, she knew Eugen was right with the direction the war was taking, a course determined long before their involvement. Yet she could not bring herself to tell her this; she could also not bring herself to disagree with her assessment, to scold her for how wrong it was, to abandon their allies out of convenience.
The mission was already a thing of the past, yet Z23 privately wished that was not the case. Before she knew it, her thoughts escaped her lips.
"Do you think we could have done something differently for them…?"
This time, no response from the cruiser beside her. Turning, Z23 caught Prinz Eugen's silent stare, her eyes cryptic yet profound. "I see," she murmured, turning back to her beer. "So that's what it is."
A silence fell like a wall between them. It kept the two divided but it was Eugen who tore it down to reach out to her. "... I'm sorry if there were some you grew close to during our stay. I had not known then but if I had…"
With a small sigh, Z23 reciprocated the offering. "Thank you for your concern. To be honest, I had never anticipated that I would grow to care about the few we met. Unlikely strangers, but seeing who they were compared to who led them… I couldn't help but pity and fear for them."
Eugen took a swig from her mug as if to agree. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. They were your friends then, right? Like sisters, it's only reasonable to worry."
Z23 was ambivalent, unsure whether she should press forward. To remember, to remind herself of the fresh past. No matter where she turned to, her mind wandered to the realm of hypothetical, haunting her with the myriad of possibilities.
"If only the burden of what-ifs or should-haves were as simple to forget," Z23 mumbled.
Putting her mug down, Prinz Eugen stared down with a wistful smirk. "If only…"
Prinz Eugen stared ahead, her eyes peering into something Z23 could not see. "If only it truly was easy to forget the things that could be. To forget mistakes made or verdicts unmade. It may even be desirable to simply forget those we care for, so as to be free of the weight. You look for anything to help, to soothe your pain. Medicine for the soul, you could say.
"But not everyone can forget. Some try, but cannot; others… they simply don't. Maybe they're afraid to leave anything behind. Who knows. I already have my way of dealing with this. How others choose to handle it, well… that's their problem.
"That includes you too, dear. It's all up to you how you wish to forget… or remember."
The talk ended with an abrupt hiccup. Gazing at her cheeks, Z23 saw that Eugen's were particularly flushed. The drink's magic had kicked in.
Z23 remained unsure what the cruiser meant by the words, part of her wondering if it was worth gleaming into. But following her gaze towards the drink, it slowly pieced together. Why she brought her here.
She glanced towards Prinz Eugen in a new light. Was this why she was so fond of the drink?
Like her, could she not absolve herself of guilt with detached rationale? Regret what could no longer be?
She nearly jumped when Prinz Eugen suddenly turned her head towards her. A coy smile was on her lips as she slid a bottle towards her.
"Here, why don't you try enjoying it with me for once?"
The destroyer studied the content with skepticism. "Um, what's this?"
"Sparkling orange juice. It'll suit you."
"I-is it?"
"Mmmmaybe~," Eugen snickered.
The destroyer's eyes bounced between the bottle and the heavy cruiser's teasing look, unsure whether to take the chance. On one hand, she was offered the honest truth; on the other hand, if it wasn't then Z23 would remember this for the rest of her day. Nervously, she made her choice.
"O-on second thought, I'll try it out later. I still have these books to return."
Prinz Eugen relented with a nod. "Very well. I won't be keeping you any longer."
Swiping the library stack from the countertop, Z23 began making her way out. But only after a few steps in, she stopped. She turned around; although they were alone, the destroyer felt she needed to leave her parting words for the cruiser's ears only.
"Prinz Eugen?"
She glanced up. "Hm?"
"... Thank you for talking with me. I was surprised by your honesty and I'll take what you said to heart. Thanks to you, I think I'll be able to relax more with the weight off my shoulders."
Prinz Eugen smiled. "Gern geschehen, little Nimi. Take care now."
Now feeling better, Z23 departed, the freed weight seemingly giving her feet speed as she marched out of the tavern. With the book stack in her hands and steps given new life, she set off refreshed and more eager to complete her mission.
From now on, she'll make it her mission to never forget the ones she'll never meet. Uncertainties that plagued her no longer anchored her with doubt. No matter how painful they could be, to forget the kind noble souls would be even more painful. So long as she remembers them for who they were, for what they did, they would continue to live on in her heart.
And maybe… just maybe when the war is over, she will share what she remember with her friends.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
HistoricHippos:
Hopefully better late than never to reintroduce the Ironblood ships that showed up several chapters ago before they took their sudden leave (see chapter 31). And this time an attempt to tie up some loose ends, namely what happened after they left and their following thoughts from what came of their brief venture.
Difficult part writing this (in my opinion) was the Prinz Eugen-Z23 part, particularly in trying to get the point across without making Eugen sound uncharacteristically talkative or philosophical. Maybe it's just the alcohol.