What happened to those days...?
Back then, my thoughts are usually to myself...until you came along. From time to time, I find myself letting these thoughts free and voicing them out to you. You may not understand all of my dilemmas and bitterness, but you're always there to listen.
"Tirpitz..." Victorious calls out my name
Unable to coexist with my metamorphosis, my abilities caused a negative reaction to my surroundings as if it's answering my subconscious thoughts.
"What did you do to me?!"
I'm still alive back then, before becoming a vengeful ghost, but I already bear resentment toward Bismarck who pressured and tricked me into making me undergo metamorphosis. I hated her so badly, that my mind went blank and everything...suddenly silent.
"..."
By the time I realized this, I succumbed to blind rage and damaged everything within my reach. Bismarck nearly lost her left arm from the direct hit of my subzero temperature. Expectedly, I didn't regret letting her know what I feel...yet I ended up turning away and fleeing without a second thought.
I just keep running.
It's strange. No matter how much I want to despise her, the thought of her still being my older sister crosses my mind. Every time that happens, my bitterness and grudge subside.
It always happens...
My heart cools down not because of my ability but at the thought I couldn't sense malice from Bismarck.
She has no bad intentions.
That's what keeps echoing in my mind. Everything Bismarck does is what she believes is for the best, but her motivation and interest are narrow to her goals. I'm not that ignorant and stupid, but I ended up blaming my nation and fled like a coward.
"...So you're here after all. I knew it"
It's been days...or weeks, but only Victorious managed to successfully track me down. How can she find me before the wolves sniff me out? Is it out of instinct or intuition? Whatever the case, she's all alone.
"Tirpitz..."
Before I say anything, Victorious gently calls my name again while I just holed up in the farthest north where there's nothing but snow and icebergs for miles. The ice surrounding me isn't from this frozen land but from my own. Even so, she steps barefoot without flinching or being harmed. I don't hate her or see her as an enemy, so this ice capable of freezing molecules couldn't touch her skin.
"It's alright" Victorious sits on her knees in front of me
"It's not" I couldn't look at her
"They say you lost control, but you and Bismarck just made that excuse"
"I don't know nor do I care..."
I just sit here not caring about my frozen surroundings while Victorious sits in front of me. She holds my hands emitting extremely low temperature and gently squeezes them between her two palms. Again, Victorious is completely unaffected by the side effects of my metamorphosis.
"META or not, my Tirpitz never changed from being a suicidal blockhead" Victorious gently pulls my hands close to her lap
"...Just go home already"
Ever since my metamorphosis, my mood and perspective aren't the same as my usual distant and indifferent self. I would now just tell anyone to "Get lost" no matter who they are, but my behavior becomes passive on its own when it comes to Victorious. My voice is soft no matter how much I try to shout at her and I can't even tell her to go away.
"Not without you" Victorious shakes her head
"Stop being stubborn. It's getting annoying..."
"You're the stubborn one, you icy blockhead!" Victorious scolds me
"Tirpitz, stop freezing your heart. You're not a walking popsicle, you know"
I keep forgetting how quickly she tends to catch on to my habits. She's right about what I'm doing right now. I'm suppressing myself, so I wouldn't be bothered by persistent emotions like confusion and regret. What I want is just to be myself without making effort for someone else or anything.
"I just want to be at peace. Whether it be life and...at my inevitable death"
It's the first time I realized I just want to live on my terms and die on my terms. For once, I don't want anyone to decide for me with how Iron Blood decided for me from the beginning. They're the ones who forced me into a life of solitude and bear this troublesome power.
"Is it what you want or is it what you only believe?" Victorious tilts her head
"..." I raise my head out of curiosity
"Tirpitz, you never thoroughly think about your desires...because you've become used to being apathetic. This conflict out in the open seas and Iron Blood rendered you numb...so your mind won't collapse"
Although I'm usually glad Victorious can distinguish the emotions in my words, sometimes I despise how perceptive she is. We've spent a long time together and fought together that she memorized even my minimal tendencies.
"If there's anything I want more than anything in the world, then..."
My initial wish is to die in a blaze of glory like any warrior desires, but that's not really what I want. Dying on my terms isn't my endgame either. Well, I would die sooner or later, but what I truly seek is not death...but something simple and perhaps close to wishful thinking.
...
...
The air clears of snow every time the sound of explosions ring and scatters in the air. It's the combination of battleship shells exploding, and dive bombers being swatted off the sky. Only the sound of flying shells whistling in the air and the whirring of aircraft overwhelms the howling snowstorm. Due to the power originally belonging to Tirpitz META, their area is mostly cleared out of hindering snowstorm.
"You came here yourself but you risk both of you disappearing!"
Victorious META angrily swings her right hand, commanding the aircraft to swarm over Tirpitz META who reduced the damages using the freezing air around her.
"You're the only one who's going to disappear!" I shout back at her
She's expending as many aircraft as she needs this time. Unlike before, she has no full control over the fragment in her possession, but it's still providing protection. This time, I'm serious about our battle because I truly intend to let this be the last.
"You're going this far even if it's not for her best..." Tirpitz speaks to Victorious META
Within the stretching landscape of endless snow, Tirpitz and Victorious META stare at a nearby frozen lake. Winter has subsided, so the blizzard falls silent in the process.
"Tirpitz has always been a gentle and caring person. That's why even as a vengeful ghost, she didn't want to destroy your ego and incarnate in your body" Victorious META sighs
"That's why you're doing it for her instead..."
"She understands that, so she's disappointed and upset with my selfishness. What choice do I have?"
"There's always another choice. You just gave up halfway through" Tirpitz shakes her head
"You're still young in terms of experience. Perhaps Bismarck pampered you in her ways. There will always be a time where you won't have a choice" Victorious META clenches both of her fists
"I'll die to accomplish my goal, Tirpitz. Even if it means a horrible death awaits me, I'll do whatever it takes to win and grant her wish"
The cheerful and energetic Victorious that she always knows is the complete opposite of the META standing beside her. That version of Victorious has become pessimistic and somewhat self-destructive. Victorious META has given up on herself, so she has little to no self-preservation left.
"Is that wish worth dying for?" Tirpitz only questions her
"Yes. This is what I have chosen..." Victorious META immediately confirms
"You don't care whether she forgives you, do you"
"I deserve to be loathed by her. Even if she curses me after I die, I'll still smile at her"
"..." Tirpitz falls silent
There's no need for Tirpitz to further confirm because Victorious META is truly certain about her goals. She's more than glad that she could and might die in the current confrontation with Tirpitz META.
"Don't bear a grudge against your Victorious. I used her to lower your guard because you trusted her. Even if you became distant and indifferent to the world, you remained attached to her"! Victorious META softly requests
"That's why you know it'll affect me if she betrays me..."
"I did try to help you remember warmth, but most of you are gone" Victorious META lowers her head
"Most. There's a bit of me that returned, but..."
"That's how far it will go. The Tirpitz who found warmth from a friend will never return"
"Yes. Even if you reassemble a broken plate, some bits will be lost forever" Tirpitz closes her eyes for a moment
She has come to accept the possibility of remaining incomplete, but she faintly smiles for a split second, reluctantly accepting how a piece of her at least returned.
"We initially hated each other because Tirpitz META wanted revenge while I wanted to die. Sharing the same body with her made me unwillingly peer into her perspective and vice versa" Tirpitz confesses her inner thoughts
"What did you gain?"
"Tirpitz META chose to die because it's the easy way out. At some point she came to a dead end and didn't struggle for another way. I think it's because Tirpitz META knew she was already exhausted...and came to accept her fate"
In Tirpitz's perspective, she would imagine Tirpitz META facing a war-torn sea with an expression twisting in lament and sorrow. Her eyes gaze afar, but there's only thick black smoke and floating shipwreck.
"Being denied at a peaceful end corrupted her personality. That was the vengeful and frustrated ghost living in me. To think she cried and clawed her skin when she remembered peace" Tirpitz shakes her head
"Huh. She remembered we were once friends. That I was her emotional support and I motivated her to keep on fighting..."
Victorious META bitterly smiles at herself, knowing Tirpitz META witnessed the similar life she once had before undergoing metamorphosis.
"Tirpitz META will choose to put both of us to rest. So long as we both exist, we will continue to interfere with your life and repeat the mistake" Victorious META casually smiles
"To go this far. Victorious META, you..." Tirpitz doesn't want to repeat herself
"My Tirpitz is the most important friend I have after all" Victorious META warmly smiles
"..." Tirpitz widens her eyes in silence
Even with the drastic personality change, Tirpitz sees her friend in Victorious META. It genuinely surprises her that the original Victorious still lingers within the equally suicidal Victorious META. Tirpitz couldn't deny that warm and confident smile as the one she always treasures the most.
"You won't have the opportunity to apologize to your Victorious, so I'll just have to do it in your stead. My Tirpitz wouldn't apologize out of pride" Victorious META faintly chuckles
"Do as you wish..." Tirpitz lightly sighs
"You know, I really wish it didn't have to be this way..."
Just as Victorious META sorrowfully confesses one of her regrets, the sound of aircraft exploding midair and helplessly crashing in flames beneath the freezing water snaps her back to reality.
"You just won't budge at all!"
Every highly explosive bomb and the shock of torpedoes directly strike Tirpitz META, the freezing air, and solid ice break. Just before she can land a follow-up assault on the shattered area, Tirpitz META would simply regain her full protection in mere seconds. It frustrates Victorious META it's no different from an endlessly regenerating block of ice.
"I don't want to live this way, Victorious. You know I'd be miserable for the rest of my life. Why can't you just let me rest in peace?"
A single swipe of her right hand and the freezing air shut the engine and blade of the incoming dive bomber aircraft. Some of the aircraft shatter in bits as they helplessly fall from the sky while the others only lose some pieces as they crash.
"Kkh!"
Fighter aircraft catches her off guard from behind. In the last second of defense, Tirpitz META shields her face with her forearm. Although the rapidly firing bullets hit her, they shatter upon impact on her skin.
"You wanted to live, so I'm doing everything I can to accomplish that. Since you're too soft to destroy her life, I'll do it myself!"
"Unlike you, I know when to stop. Rather than struggle pointlessly, I learned to accept how it is"
"That's just being weak-willed because you chose the easy way out without considering how it will affect others. You're as selfish as I am!"
Victorious META couldn't hold back her frustration and yells at the top of her lungs. With a swing of her hand and a dive bomber squadron swarm above Tirpitz like savage vultures.
"Why did you have to die in front of me? It's because you couldn't even kill yourself without the inconvenience that I'm this frustrated at you!" Victorious META continues to berate her
"..."
Tirpitz META lets her voice out her frustrations while sliding away from torpedo bombers on both sides. One torpedo narrowly misses her left foot by a few centimeters, making her heart stop for a moment. After a few seconds of distraction, Tirpitz META realizes the dive bombers are in position.
"Nngh!"
Anti-aircraft guns tears through two dive bombing aircraft, sending them into a fiery explosion and being swallowed by black smoke. Since not all pesky aircraft could be rid of, Tirpitz META concentrates on freezing air above her and shields her head with her left forearm.
"...!"
The sound of repeated explosions echoes even from a distance, just enough for a hurriedly approaching Victorious to overhear muffled explosions.
"Idiot! Don't just rush by yourself. There's a blizzard, you know" Alabama catches up to her
"Tirpitz...is fighting by herself. If I let her be, she'd take out both Victorious META and herself" Victorious begins to panic
"I know that, but you'd get shredded if you try to get in between them" Alabama grabs both of her shoulders
"Alabama has a point. You mustn't rush without thinking of the dangers ahead"
Bismarck and other Iron Blood ships arrive, observing the blizzard ahead. Even they could overhear the muffled explosions from dive bombers landing a direct hit and shells.
"Aircraft can't go past that barrier. It's a clear indication they don't want any interference" Peter Strausser shakes her head in dismay
"Even if we manage to reach them, how do you intend to stop them? Most likely, Tirpitz META is the one fighting" Graf Zeppelin frowns looking at the blizzard
"I'm guessing they'd shoot anyone on sight" Prinz Eugen chuckles
"I still have to interfere. If Tirpitz META intends to settle this one last time, Tirpitz's body might not withstand the fighting"
Bismarck clenches her right fist, concerned yet cautious of Tirpitz's current state. They don't know how long the fighting has been going on or what state Tirpitz's body is currently in.
"I get it you want to stop Tirpitz, but they're fighting to the death" Graf Zeppelin looks afar
"Should I blast it with Herteitr's Rolling Thunder?" Odin raises her hand
"Not an option" Graf Zeppelin answers
"This is quite troublesome. They made sure no one can interfere in their duel" Peter Strausser lightly grunts
"If we keep waiting, it might be too late..."
"Then how do we get in there? Barging in might get you shredded" Alabama scratches her head
"I don't think that would stop her..." Prinz Eugen points in the direction of the blizzard
"Whaaaa!" Alabama shakes her head in extreme shock
Victorious, who is supposedly sitting beside her, is now rushing toward the direction where the two METAs continue to clash.
"Victorious-" Alabama tries to follow after her
"Don't" Bismarck grabs her shoulder
"Bismarck?! She'd get herself killed stopping two suicidal idiots"
"Other than me, Victorious is unharmed by the META's blizzard. It's an instinct just like how I could withstand it a year ago"
"Bismarck..." Alabama partially calms down
"Victorious aside, King George V snuck out earlier, you know?" Prinz Eugen turns around
Peter Strausser sneaks a glance, her sharp gaze more displeased at the missing knight than the reckless aircraft carrier.
"Eugen and Graf Zeppelin with me. Alabama you're with me as well. Strausser, you lead and try to pinpoint any vulnerable spot to strike it without restraint " Bismarck moves forward
"You're going after that carrier" Odin raises an eyebrow
"If Victorious can open a path on her side, then I will take that chance. I intend to directly interfere with their conflict"
"Two suicidal METAs and two more suicidal not-METAs" Prinz Eugen whispers to herself and chuckles
"Take this seriously, Eugen" Peter Strausser gently reminds her
"I am. It's just that Bismarck shouldn't expect this to end peacefully. A dead META possessing her sister rushed with a genuine death wish. Neither is going to stop until one of them dies"
Prinz Eugen stares pitifully at the raging blizzard in front and all around them. Her quiet stare has her thinking that the blizzard is meant to force out any interference rather than protect herself, a META who seeks death alongside the source of her bitterness.
Meanwhile...
Renown and Repulse META stare at each other in awkward silence while Hunter META blinks in confusion and is nearly dumbfounded.
"Haa...haa..." King George V heavily pants
The knight's uniform and cape that symbolizes her status and glory, much like a lion displaying its main, is both slashed and torn from what's clearly a struggle. As for her saber, it's chipped and cracked. Struggling further would shatter it completely and risk further harm to herself.
"You strayed away from Bismarck and the others trying to get inside yourself. What are you up to?" Hunter META speaks first
"My intention, you ask? It's to prevent casualties before it's too late. This is something I must do separately from Iron Blood"
Despite the visible injuries, King George V wipes away the dirt on her cheek with the side of her index finger. As the proud and valiant knight she is, she straightens herself and lifts her visibly damaged blade, insisting on struggling further.
"Hey, she's serious...for real" Repulse META whispers to her sister
"We can't fight her, but she won't back down" Renown META is troubled by her stubbornness
"So long as she remains breathing, there's no problem, right?"
Annoyed and impatient since the two other two are reluctant to push back a wounded King George V, Hunter META loads her sniper rifle and points right at the battleship's knees.
"Hey, hey, you're serious about shooting her?!" Repulse META flails her arms
"I'm forcing her to stop in her tracks. If words are useless, then we'll settle it in a practical way" Hunter META is certain about her decision
"Why are you hindering us? You're allowing your comrade to die"
"This is what she chose since the beginning. At the very least, stopping uninvited guests is the least we can do" Repulse META frowns
"You're wasting your time with me. Bismarck and the others will reach Tirpitz first" King George V smiles confidently
"They won't make it in time, but you're a different case" Renown META responds this time
"You're smart for a knight. Before they could reach Tirpitz, you'd find your way in and interrupt them" Hunter META adds
"I don't find pleasure in taking advantage of injured prey. That's why you shouldn't make me waste a good bullet to force you into permanent retirement"
(She might land a permanent injury on my legs, but they won't let me pass no matter what happens)
King George V isn't ready to risk her career and duty as a proud knight, so she couldn't move an inch. Hunter META's unrelenting glare is locked towards her alone, so she could guess she wouldn't hesitate to shoot her if it means stopping her.
"Huh?" King George V hears a faint whistle in the distance
"Them again...No, this is different" Hunter META lowers her rifle
"Oh boy..." Repulse META moves back a few meters
"...?!"
Right before she could react in time, King George V could only widen her eyes in silence as several highly explosive shells pierce through the air and snow, landing two direct hits on her while the rest completely misses.
"Nngh..."
The raw power directly hitting her immediately sends her nearly collapsing on the surface water. King George V remains conscious enough to keep her chest from the water by pushing her forearm on the surface even if her knees have succumbed.
"That's one way to tell someone to back off" Renown META scoffs
"It's effective though. I didn't have to waste a bullet on something trivial" Hunter META immediately accepts it
"Still, I didn't think, she, of all people, would show up" Repulse META tilts her head
(She? There's someone else?) King George V thinks to herself
"If someone like her had to interfere, then the ending is settled then?" Renown META looks at Hunter META
"Until this blizzard subsides, we must witness what they will choose"
Hunter META turns around but still carries her rifle near her with the finger away from the trigger. She lowers her guard not because she's relaxed but because the situation has robbed her of further interest or anything requiring her effort.
Inside the blizzard...
Victorious META moves two meters back while covering her bleeding forehead and briefly observing her damaged flight deck. She has expended more than half of her strength, but her opponent is still standing with enough energy to drag on their battle as far as she desires.
"Why can't you just sacrifice one version of yourself? There are countless timelines out there, so why value someone who's already dead?"
Victorious META lowers her hand, unfazed by how much blood stained all corners of her palm and fingertips. Blood continued to flow out the left side of her head and drip from her chin, but physical pain is nothing compared to her extreme frustration.
"Just stop already!" Victorious META screams
She twists left and right dodging the rain of shells directed toward her. One is about to land a direct hit, but she swings the back of her hand in an act of desperation to defend herself. Just as she manages to deflect the shell at the cost of scalding her skin and numbing her hand, the wound on her left side spills more blood.
"This version of me was happy until a year ago. I realized this timeline is close to ours, so Tirpitz META would exist here as well. Another failed 'me' whose incomplete transformation would claw at her with anguish and madness" Tirpitz META holds the gaping tear right near her neck
"Imagine being rendered a pitiful animal lashing out at everything, unable to die because of survival instinct. To only march forward until their last breath" Tirpitz META then stares at the tear on her right forearm
"That's how you see yourself, huh" Victorious META takes a deep breath
"My body couldn't adapt to the rapid metamorphosis, so it left me in a state of constantly recovering. Why do you think I wanted to die so badly?" Tirpitz META couldn't smile
"All this time, you ran out of options and gave up entirely. You thick icy blockhead...you chose the easy way out after all..."
Seething in both rage and frustration, Victorious META bites her lower lip and tightly clenches both her fists so that blood seeps out between her fingers.
"Bismarck was warned I wasn't ready to undergo the experimental method, but I took the risk because I thought I don't care anymore...but...I was proven wrong like a slap in the face..."
Tirpitz META lowers her head and stares at her shaking hands with deep cuts and tears on her body part, gritting her teeth in self-loathing.
"That's why I'll put myself out of misery for good...and you with it!" Tirpitz META prepares to attack again
"Our fate is inevitable, huh..."
Victorious META tightly holds her partially numb arm and it doesn't need any gestures from her for the aircraft to launch.
"Grr!"
Tirpitz META opens fire at the same time. Just as the shells fly in the air and one fighter narrowly misses a shell as it shifts its body diagonally.
"...!"
Bullets pierce through some of the shells and one of them narrowly misses Tirpitz META's head. Instead, it only manages to wound her left eye as Tirpitz META lightly slides her body to the side. It may be just a wound, but the wound is enough to damage not only the skin but her eye as well, rendering her right eye the only functional eye left.
"You-!"
This doesn't Tirpitz META who rushes through the countless bullets and swarm of dive bombers. It costs her bullet holes in her right arm and shoulders, but Tirpitz META manages to grab Victorious META by the face.
"You and I will put this grudge to rest once and for all!" Tirpitz META shouts
Using her wounded right hand, Tirpitz META pulls the arm back and forms a shard of pointed ice at her fingertips, targeting Victorious META's heart.
"Damn it! You really...will give up everything just for this chance"
At that moment, Victorious META's thoughts flash an image not from her imagination but from her memory instead. It's Tirpitz META before her metamorphosis - the exact memory of when she dragged her by the sleeve when the stubborn ice queen refused to enjoy the beach.
"Yes. This should...end with us...to put this struggle to rest for good..."
Victorious META does the same by summoning the wisdom cube fragment at her fingertips and preparing to unleash an energy of pure chill much like a condensed blast.
"Tirpitz!"
A moment of peace overwhelms the two in the next five seconds of their conflict. They both reach each other at the same time, striking right where they intend it to be.
"..."
A blade of ice pierces through Tirpitz META's heart and out to her back, landing a sure mortal thrust to her vital spot. As for Tirpitz META's attack, the attack reaching the core causes her to disperse her construct. In the end, she resorts to piercing her hand right to Victorious META's chest, destroying her heart as well.
"..." Victorious META gladly embraces her
"...Idiot" Tirpitz META sighs
"You should know giving my life to you...is the greatest joy I could dream of"
"So wished to be killed by me. What's...wrong with you?"
"I should ask the same thing..."
Victorious META gently wraps her arm around Tirpitz META even if the latter's hand pierces right out of her chest. Neither has yet to fall and rest for eternity, but they continue to stand and speak with each other.
"Now you have achieved your revenge, nothing is holding you back, anymore...right?" Victorious META faintly smiles
"Yes..."
"There's no other choice, so you wanted to end everything. You don't want to close this story like a sane person would do. Instead, you tossed and burned the entire thing...right here"
"...Yes"
Tirpitz META repeats her response and pulls out her arm from Victorious META's chest, exposing the visible hole of her final and mortal blow to serve as their conclusion.
"I would gladly meet my end at your hands. It's all I ever wanted...ever since you chose revenge" Victorious META embraces her with both hands
"You don't have to repeat it..." Tirpitz META faintly sighs
"I wanted to at least cherish our only moment of peace...before you devour me after all"
"Aaah...I wanted to live a little longer, but this isn't such a bad thing. I get to fulfill my promise in the end" Victorious META weakly laughs
"..."
Tirpitz META has little strength left with her heart destroyed and the fragment where her consciousness resides...is broken in half from the strain of the battle. Still, she remains conscious and breathing much like Victorious META.
"I wanted to apologize to the Victorious here for everything I did. Not just for using her but letting you choose this end...but I'm sure she will have to accept reality in the future"
"...Perhaps" Tirpitz META has little strength for long replies
"Take care of her...so she wouldn't repeat my mistake"
"That's..."
Tirpitz META couldn't accept or reject her request. Instead, she weakly moves her arms and gently wraps them around Victorious even with a sword still stuck in her chest.
"Hopefully, I would be a worthy sustenance for the future to come"
Victorious META just leans on Tirpitz META, fully embracing her without any resistance. She's in complete bliss, spending the last few minutes of her existence openly hoping sir could be of use as if it's her way to atone for her selfishness.
...
At the same time, Victorious shields her eyes with her right arm, forcing herself into the blizzard pushing her back. The temperature doesn't affect her, but the wind pressure is keeping her from rushing to interrupt the battle.
"Victorious!" Alabama calls out to her but she's far too behind
"..." Bismarck forces her way
"B-Bismarck?!" Alabama shakes her head and blinks several times
Just like Victorious, the wind pressure is forcing her back and delaying her further. Unlike Alabama who can barely move a meter in two minutes, Bismarck musters every ounce of her physical strength to lessen the distance between her and Victorious.
"Victorious-" Bismarck shouts at the top of her lungs
"I must...get there...in time..." Victorious couldn't hear anyone
The wind howling and whistling drowns out anyone's voice and any noise, so she could only focus on stopping Tirpitz META from killing both herself and Victorious META.
"I can't lose her...no matter what..." Victorious' heart races
"Victorious!" Bismarck tries calling her out
Even if Bismarck is slowly lessening the distance between her and Victorious, her voice is still not enough to reach her.
"Damn it!"
The sudden yet brief increase in wind pressure pushes back Bismarck by two steps while Victorious slowly disappears from her view.
"Tirpitz!"
The view is still unclear, but Victorious calls out in desperation at the smallest chance her friend would hear and pause even for just a few seconds. Tirpitz has always stopped to look at her, so she believes Tirpitz would be altered by her presence.
...
Victorious strongly believes Tirpitz would consider if she's present, but after struggling to push the wind from forcing her back, her ears catch the sudden silence within the center of the blizzard.
"..."
It's completely peaceful and there's little snow and wind hindering her. Silence fills the air because the instant she catches a glimpse of the light, her lips part but couldn't utter a single word.
"..."
The two ships in front of her couldn't utter a word. Neither of those two ships notices her presence in the slightest.
"Tir...pitz..." Victorious blinks several times
"..." Tirpitz META doesn't say anything
"..." Victorious META is the same
The utter shock renders Victorious speechless and her shaking knees instantly meet the surface water. What unfolds in front of her is Tirpitz META piercing a hole in Victorious META's chest with her bare hands and Victorious META thrusting a blade of ice into Tirpitz META's heart.
"...You're warm..." Victorious META embraces her
Some areas of Victorious META's body begin to crack from her leg to her cheeks. Blue particles from her destroyed wisdom cube evaporate from those cracks and escape in the air only to vanish shortly after it leaves her body.
"I'm sorry for everything I did. I caused so much trouble and pain for you and your friend, but...I don't regret anything" Victorious META looks at her normal version
"You..." Victorious is finally able to say a word
"Don't look at me like that. I didn't do anything on a whim. Even dying right now is something I chose for myself. That's why I don't feel bad meeting my end here...because a part of me will still live on..."
Victorious META slowly loosens her arms around Tirpitz META and takes at least two steps away from her. Her lips couldn't loosen her blissful and warm smile - truly embracing her fate with open arms.
"I came to accept reality and my fate a long time ago. I wish you could do the same in the future..." Victorious META briefly looks at her disintegrating hands
"Victorious!" Bismarck manages to push herself out of the blizzard
"You didn't make it in time...but everything's settled the way you want to believe it"
In mere seconds, most of Victorious META's left arm and her right hand have both disintegrated.
"You wished to die a sinner" Bismarck frowns
"It is my fate" Victorious META continues to smile
"Not even speaking to ur regret..."
"I don't regret anything. To die right now is my greatest joy...and the only way to quell her desire for revenge"
The left side of Victorious META's face fades into nothingness, leaving her at least three minutes or so from completely vanishing from existence.
"Bismarck, it was painful to accept the path of selfishness and a sinner, but I was willing to endure it all for my friend. Just as you would give your life for Iron Blood, I would disgrace myself for the happiness of my friend. That's all there is to it..." Victorious META gazes at the sky
"I won't become like you. At the very least, you taught me to never become you..." Victorious steps forward
"Hahaha...I'm glad I won't have to worry about making a sinner in this timeline"
"Still...I hope you find peace in death. You've suffered as much as Tirpitz META" Victorious shows compassion in the last moment
"That's right. I was...once like you. Someone who tried to see goodness in everyone. That's why I know...Tirpitz is a kind and gentle person...so I wanted her to have a friend..."
Victorious META keeps gazing at the sky with faint sunlight peeking through the thick clouds. As she's at peace with everything, she slowly closes her eyes as the rest of her body breaks apart and disappears in mere seconds.
"..."
In her last moment of consciousness, Victorious META takes a deep sigh of relief, finding content that she offered what's left of her for Tirpitz META. At the very least, in her final moments, Victorious META sheds a single tear in her right eye as she remembers the exact moment Tirpitz META learns to smile and her hugging Tirpitz META out of sudden joy. After everything, she treasured the memory as she completely vanishes from the world.
"Your story came to an end. As for me..." Tirpitz removed the sword lodged in her chest
The bright glow in Tirpitz's eyes faintly dies out, making it the regular version speaking this time. She looks at her sister and friend, somewhat speechless at their enemy finding peace in death, satisfied dying as a "sinner" just to fulfill her promise.
"I have faith...you won't be like her. That's why..." Tirpitz begins to stagger
"Tirpitz!" Victorious rushes to catch her
"That's why I...will always be on your side...no matter what you choose..." Tirpitz gently embraces her
"Don't worry. I'll never leave you alone...just as you were always there by my side. You...are the first friend I've ever known" Tirpitz's vision begins to sway
"Don't talk anymore..." Victorious gently asks her
"I did my best to keep on living because I still have you. That's why...Tirpitz wouldn't die. I would keep on living..."
"..." Bismarck quietly listens
"Bismarck...no, sister, I did my best, didn't I?" Tirpitz gently smiles
"You certainly did...and I'm proud of you. That's why don't push yourself anymore...and leave the rest to us" Bismarck approaches her
"Is that so..."
"Yes. You fought with everything you've got and gave Victorious META peace in her final moments. My sister, you stood and fought with all your might. That's why you must always stand proud" Bismarck gently pats her on the back
"That's all I wanted to hear..."
Darkness creeps from the corner of Tirpitz's vision until not only her vision fades. She could hear them calling her name over and over again, but their voices drown out incoherent noises and her consciousness immediately shuts off everything.
(I couldn't hear her voice anymore. Is it because...)
Just as Tirpitz is about to close her eyes, she thinks about the "other her" who falls completely silent. This only leads her to quietly think about whether she continues to exist or vanishes without properly saying farewell. Tirpitz could only think if the other one chooses to vanish without telling anyone as she finds satisfaction in ending her revenge and leaving the painful existence she's trapped in.
"It's cold and quiet, but it's filled with loneliness. So this is..."
In Tirpitz's mind, she could sense herself embracing the clear blue water and letting herself sink beneath the frozen surface. Although there's sorrow and guilt lingering in her heart, Tirpitz quietly accepts everything - both the present and the future. She's satisfied believing that her struggle to cling as much as possible would have meaning by the next time she wakes up.
"..."
As soon as she slowly closes her eyes with a faint smile etched on her face, her very being could hear and sense the sound of a cracked object shattering painlessly. She smiles full of content knowing a gentle hand carefully father's the pieces in their palms.
"Everything's going to be alright. No one will hurt you ever again..."
Tirpitz isn't certain if it's her imagination or not, but she overhears Tirpitz META's voice calmly assures even if she couldn't even face her while standing in front of a dead tree in winter.
Guten nacht...
A solemn voice whispers to her and even when Tirpitz has lost consciousness, it's as fingertips gently touches her cheeks. It's hesitant and somewhat bitter, but more than anything, it's upset and grieving.
Two days later...
King George V, with a cast for her left arm and bandage covering her left eye, hands over the report to Queen Elizabeth. It's part of the process to directly report to her and she does so the moment she regains consciousness. Other than her, Prince of Wales and Howe stiffly stand behind their eldest sister.
"You should have let Howe or Wales submit the report" Queen Elizabeth pouts
"I cannot pass the responsibility to my sisters. As the one to personally witness it, I must detail the events myself" King George V shakes her head
"Her Majesty is naturally worried about your state. Iron Blood towed you back and they thought you stopped breathing. You had us extremely worried"
Belfast, who's faithfully standing beside Queen Elizabeth, personally expresses her worry, not just emphasizing the queen. Even now, King George V ignores her fresh wounds and sets back to work as soon as she can walk.
"You will have to spend the next two weeks on vacation leave" Queen Elizabeth points at her
"W-what?! B-but, your majesty" King George V nearly drops her jaw in surprise
"No excuses! You will have to fully recover before returning to your duties as a knight and a flagship"
"Please reconsider. There's still so much work to be done especially the trouble Duke of York caused while I was away" King George V nearly stutters
"I said no excuses! Your health is more important than your duty to me" Queen Elizabeth stomps her feet
"Orders are orders, dear sister" Howe sighs
"We don't want you to push yourself either" Prince of Wales nods
"I...I..."
King George V wishes to protest further, but her loyalty and admiration for the queen keep her mostly quiet.
"You can rely on us, sister!" Howe gives a thumbs up
"Don't worry. We'll keep an eye on Duke of York while you're on vacation" Prince of Wales faintly smiles
"You two..."
It's expected the two would also wish for her to fully recover from her last battle before returning as the proud leader of the Royal Knights.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot to ask! Your report stated an unseen battleship dealt a blow that knocked you out" Queen Elizabeth snaps her fingers
"That's correct, your majesty. It was the firepower of a META, but she skillfully hid her presence" King George V immediately regains her calm and collected composure
"Iron Blood never found traces of this extra META as they all fled from the scene even before the blizzard vanished"
"The other METAs haven't appeared since. Considering, even Iron Blood didn't encounter them, they're less likely to be recuperating" King George V places her hand behind her back
Prince of Wales and Howe stare at each other in shared concern with the METAs helping Victorious META vanish without a trace and suddenly quiet. As Victorious META is more an ally than a leader, they know very well those METAs would act toward a different goal again.
"About Victorious..." King George V reluctantly asks
"Victorious wishes to extend her stay in Iron Blood. As she has a valid reason, I allowed her" Queen Elizabeth proudly puffs up her chest
"Her majesty admires the loyalty of a friend, so it's her way of saying she could stay until Tirpitz fully recovers" Belfast giggles
"B-Belfast!" Queen Elizabeth stomps and flails her arms
"I'm truly grateful for the queen's compassion and kindness"
King George V immediately bows even if her muscles and limbs are still sore from her unhealed injuries.
"A-anyway, I accept no slackers just because you and Victorious helped resolve the issue with Iron Blood" Queen Elizabeth clears her throat
"Your majesty, if you allow it, I would like to pay a visit to a friend while on mandatory vacation" King George V raises her head
"A friend? Of course, you're welcome to spend time with a friend! Such a thing needs no permission from your queen"
"Thank you"
As soon as King George V keeps on kneeling with her head lowered, Prince of Wales notices the one second of bitter sadness in her older sister's gentle smile. This puzzles her since King George V is suppressing her inner thoughts in the presence of the queen.
Iron Blood territory...
Tirpitz only regained consciousness a few minutes ago, yet she's quick to flee from the room she's resting to sit by the beach near the base. On her hand is a letter initially folded into three and behind it is the envelope she opened it from.
"I'm going to get an earful from Bismarck once she finds out I escaped the infirmary, but it's not like I'm worried about that..."
The letter is her handwriting, and she continues to thoroughly word by word, cherishing the contents with deep sentimentality. While the wind gently blows past her, Tirpitz's focus is solely on the letter, so she couldn't detect the angry footsteps heading toward her.
"Tirpitz, you big dummy!"
Only now, Tirpitz raises her head and realizes Victorious is screaming at her running towards her at top speed that her undeniable chest rapidly bounces.
"Victorious..." Tirpitz tilts her head in curiosity
Before Victorious can reach her, Tirpitz immediately folds the letter she's only halfway through and inserts it back into the original envelope. She nearly panics at the thought Victorious would see at least a few words within the letter.
"I've been looking all over for you, but you snuck out of your room! You're supposed to rest!"
"Ah, right. You're Victorious..."
"Tirpitz? Is something wrong? You sounded like you don't know me..." Victorious swallows her breath
"Sorry about that. It's just that my memory has been foggy ever since I woke up..."
"T-thank goodness. For a moment, I thought you suddenly had amnesia. That would have broken my heart!" Victorious wipes the sweat off her forehead
"Don't scare me like that!" Victorious lightly hits her
"..."
Tirpitz's smile is rather bittersweet than a fond one, but her gaze remains focused on the nervously laughing Victorious while the left hand holding the letter is on her back.
"What's that?" Victorious quickly notices Tirpitz's arm
"It's nothing" Tirpitz takes a step back
"Let me have a look"
"I said it's nothing" Tirpitz grunts in annoyance
"..."
It's rare for Tirpitz to be visibly upset at Victorious, so the latter immediately shut her mouth and stops bothering her further. She gets intimidated quite easily and lowers her guard since Tirpitz usually doesn't react to her whims.
"A-anyhow, how are you feeling? The whole problem is solved. I mean your META version passed away in peace...but you still need to recover most of your lost emotions" Victorious fidgets
"I feel...strange. I feel uneasy being quiet now that it's a bit lonely now..."
"Silly icy blockhead. You're not lonely, you know. Besides, your popsicle of a condition is gone when the META vanished"
Victorious grabs and lifts Tirpitz's arms, but not before Tirpitz inserts the letter in her pocket. There's no restraint keeping her extremely low body temperature in check and squeezing her hands is now filled with warmth.
"My head still hurts a little, so I feel like there are gaps in my memories. I guess it's the side effect of suddenly losing an alternate version of me fused all this time" Tirpitz stares at the sky
"That's alright because you're still my Tirpitz!" Victorious places her hands on her waist and confidently grins
"Your Tirpitz..." Tirpitz forces a smile
"Her majesty said there's no rushing going back home, so I can stay as long as I'm needed here. That means I can be here for you and help you recover the missing parts of you" Victorious excitedly spins
"I keep forgetting that you're excitable and loud. I hope this won't change this time..."
Tirpitz gently pats her on the head several times, but she smiles fondly this time while Victorious tilts her head in mild confusion.
"Your mind is wandering again..." Victorious puffs her cheeks
"Sorry. Victorious META is gone for good...but I somehow miss her"
"Don't tell me you prefer her now" Victorious grabs Tirpitz's cape
"It's not that, so stop pulling my cape. I just can't forget how she completely changed because I chose the easy way out..."
"Whatever happens here won't be like our META versions. I don't want my Tirpitz to be a vengeful ghost and I certainly don't want to be a horrible person" Victorious lets go of the cape
"I know..."
While she's busy straightening the wrinkled part of the cape, Victorious furrows her eyebrows since she could easily notice Tirpitz being somewhat uneasy and solemn. The enemy has been defeated and Tirpitz is free from her condition, yet it appears Tirpitz hasn't fully moved on.
"Tirpitz, I want to avoid becoming like our META versions. That's why you have to promise me if you ever give up, don't try to hide away your suffering and get yourself killed in front of me" Victorious lifts her pinky finger
"...I promise to never make that mistake" Tirpitz grabs her pinky finger with hers
There are a few seconds of hesitation, but Tirpitz firmly makes her promise and goes along with the typical gesture of securing a promise with someone important.
"Great! Since I'm in a really good mood right now, I'll make us some tea" Victorious claps in glee
"Be sure to get back by three or I'm dragging you by the collar again!"
Victorious points at Tirpitz's face right before she turns away and excitedly hops from the scene, reflecting her usual childish joy and enthusiasm.
"Her experimental black tea...tastes kind of gross though" Tirpitz softly laughs
As she's speaking from experience, Tirpitz shudders a bit remembering drinking every drop of the horrible tea to keep Victorious happy and couldn't taste anything for the next five days.
"If only it doesn't exist as a stored memory. Your memory..." Tirpitz's expression softens
Tirpitz drops her shoulders and carefully pulls out the mildly wrinkled letter from her pocket. She does what she can to straighten it with her hands and stops when she flips to the back.
"Fur: Mich. Why would you ever write that...? Still, I'll just read the rest back in the room before it gets damaged"
Rather than return it to her pocket, Tirpitz secures it within her hand as she walks away from the beach out of worry it might get a tear or be wrinkled further the next time she inserts it.
"Let's properly have a long and meaningful conversation some other time..."
There isn't a single person present in the area other than her, but Tirpitz stops in her tracks for a moment and turns around a bit. Her eyes glow a shade of icy blue when her tone changes to somewhat excited and surprised.
"Ah, right. You're eavesdropping with their help"
Still, there isn't anyone present for her to speak, but she warmly smiles knowing her words do reach without a shred of doubt. It's why her expression remains bright as she's genuinely looking forward to it in person next time.
...Right, dear sister?
One Story Ends, Another Starts Anew...
Note: One-shot Epilogue next weekend. Timeline would be five days after the last part (one week after the whole fiasco with Victorious META).
Also, Alabama or someone from Iron Blood was supposed to get offed at some point...