The Sakura Empire festival is in a few days. Bismarck would normally be excited as it's one of the few occasions she can relax from her duty and spend more time with her younger sister. Right now, she's troubled, even slowly spinning and staring at her glass of red wine.
"What's on your mind this time?" Prinz Eugen asks while enjoying her glass of wine
"I'm afraid Tirpitz isn't fully free of the META's influence"
"Oh? What makes you think of that?"
Prinz Eugen freely swings her legs and relaxes her arm by the sofa with a playful smile slowly curving on the side of her lips.
"She was releasing ice and cold air in her sleep. Not to mention, she's been distracted, so I wondered if something's troubling her"
"Let me guess, Tirpitz says she's fine and there's nothing to worry about" Prinz Eugen takes a large sip
"Something like that, but this time I don't think she actually notices anything"
Bismarck gently lowers her wine glass on the table between them. She barely takes a sip of her wine since she's more worried than in a good mood for a drink.
"Is it normal for her to forget and change her preferences? Tirpitz has been acting like..."
"...She's someone else" Prinz Eugen continues
"..."
"Neumark keeps speculating it. Personally, I don't care because people change over time. You'd have to be the most stubborn person in existence to remain the same"
"That's true, but my instincts are restless..."
Someone like Bismarck believes only what's certain and what she could witness herself. It's only recently she starts being concerned and focused when her instincts keep alarming her.
"By the way, you've been occupied yourself recently. Did something catch your interest?" Bismarck briefly changes the topic
"Ah, it's nothing big...sort of. Wales is worried her big sister has been going out without telling much and no one knows who she's been visiting" Prinz Eugen shrugs
"I don't think King George V has the need to announce every time where she would go and who she would meet"
"It's annoying but she asked for my help since no one could outsneak me"
"That's true. You're rather cunning even if you drink a lot and slack off"
"That's a little harsh..."
Prinz Eugen proceeds to gulp what's remaining in her wine glass and exhale in relief.
"Victorious META's group hasn't shown up ever since the incident. No, it's more that they're laying low" Bismarck stares at her wine glass
"Two battlecruisers, one destroyer...and an unidentified battleship"
Prinz Eugen excitedly pulls out a picture from her left sleeves, mildly surprising Bismarck for a split second.
"Were you keeping that in your sleeves this whole time?" Bismarck blinks
"Let's focus on the important matter" Prinz Eugen slides the photo in the middle of the table
"A battleship with an enormous beast by its side..." Bismarck takes the photo
"It's a very elusive one since this is the known picture Azur Lane has"
While Bismarck senses it as a possible threat, Prinz Eugen's smile is more about being curious to meet the new battleship herself.
"They say it's similar to Iron Blood technology but we're not sure because it burned and melted every scout aircraft that approached her" Prinz Eugen shrugs with little care
"Victorious META is gone but a new META showed up. This might be problematic..."
"If she stays quiet and out of our way, she's someone else's problem now"
"..."
"Don't think much about this. We have to know who we are dealing first so no one can catch us off guard again"
Bismarck keeps staring at the blurry portrait of the unidentified META. The unknown kansen let the wind flutter her charred cape while the enormous rigging shading her snaps its jaws on one of the aircraft. Their only image is the rear view of the kansen who seems to be staring afar without a care.
"Don't think about backing out of the festival. This is a rare opportunity for you to get out of your desk and spend time with your sister" Prinz Eugen wags her index finger
"If it's a META with Iron Blood origin, I should personally investigate it"
"Entrust that stuff to Friedrich der Grosse. If it's tracking down prey, no one can escape the jaws of Iron Blood" Prinz Eugen assures her
"Still..."
"Loosen up for a day. After that, you're going to bury yourself in your duties again"
"You're right. Tirpitz seems to be looking forward when I told her I agreed to come..."
"She does? It's strange that she looked nervous and reluctant when you told her that"
Prinz Eugen tilts her head, recalling Tirpitz's exact reaction. Rather than brightly smiling, Tirpitz is slightly trembling and tightly clenching her fists. Bismarck couldn't notice it and might as well take it as Tirpitz just being initially surprised.
"Anyhow, it's good to see you relaxed once in a while. You usually looks so stiff" Prinz Eugen chuckles
"I've been reflecting on past events" Bismarck isn't affected by her teasing
"Does it include your little sister running off on her own only to get a sword to the chest and was at death's door again when you brought her back?"
"That was...an unexpected miracle. I know such things won't happen the second time, so I don't want to let this chance slide"
"Still, don't you find it intriguing she managed to survive even after her wisdom cube was beyond repair. Even Neumark said the fragment only kept her life at bay. It was like a spare battery" Prinz Eugen's mood becomes serious
"What are you saying?"
"I don't know if this is some miracle indeed...or there's something we're missing. Either way, it doesn't look like Tirpitz has the slightest clue anyway. Why think too much about it when you can just have a drink" Prinz Eugen refills her wine glass
Just as Prinz Eugen is about to think deeper, she immediately gives up on the thought and returns to her playful and laid-back behavior.
Unknown Beach...
Distant from both annoying kansens and even Sirens, Tirpitz makes her way to a quiet beach without anyone in sight. Each step she makes covers the soft sane beneath her with unmelting ice. Although she limits the range of the extreme temperature to a certain radius around her, it doesn't spare even a grain of sand.
"Damn it, Tirpitz! Stop turning everything into a mini Arctic"
Scharnhorst META rapidly rubs both palms as her breathe has become visibly white.
"Agreed. You need to learn self-control even if you're alone" Gneisenau META shakes her head at the spreading ice
"Why are you two here?"
Tirpitz doesn't bother to look at them and continues staring at the shore, her thoughts seemingly drifting for seconds.
"What's the matter this time? You're being broody again"
"Bismarck is doing her best to be a good older sister...not knowing who she is actually talking to"
"Do you feel guilty?" Scharnhorst META stands beside Tirpitz
"Maybe. Her warm smile isn't for me but to the Tirpitz she thought she saved"
More than guilt, Tirpitz is experiencing inner confusion that she could only stare blankly at the peaceful horizon.
"I promised to keep this life, but I can't stop thinking about how they're looking at the wrong person"
"Their Tirpitz is dead. Nothing's going to change that" Scharnhorst META's gaze shifts to the ground
"Besides, this is your chance of redemption and a new start" Gneisenau META tries to comfort Tirpitz
"You know, they're going to eventually find out" Tirpitz sighs
The ice around them slowly dissipates from how the temperature is starting to be warm again and the ice spreading on the ground retreats to Tirpitz's side.
"Not if you tell them that. You're not feeling guilty to tell them, are you?" Scharnhorst META grabs Tirpitz's shoulder
"Don't touch me"
Calmly threatening Scharnhorst META, Tirpitz actually delivers by slightly knocking back Scharnhorst META and a cold gust of wind sweeps by her hand, instantly covering her gloves in ice.
"Tch. You're still moody as ever" Scharnhorst META looks at her hand
Thankfully enough, the ice vanishes in mere seconds from hardening on Scharnhorst META's hand as Tirpitz is only warning her and not actually hostile.
"I don't like deception and lies, but giving it up means I'm breaking a promise"
"..." The two sisters look at each other
"I don't know what went through her mind when she decided to let me replace her even after I became a revenge-filled ghost upon fusing with her wisdom cube"
Tirpitz shakes her head but couldn't get rid of the memories when her consciousness used to be drowning in revenge and blind rage - becoming a "Beast" the enemy once thought her to be.
"I won't let this life be destroyed. That's why I can't let them find out" Tirpitz takes a deep breath
"Then why are you still brooding here?!" Scharnhorst META stomps her right foot
"I need some time alone and away from Iron Blood"
"Still with the Lone Queen attitude, huh" Gneisenau META crosses her arms in disappointment
"Staying in Iron Blood isn't as easy as you think. I feel like I'm being watched and I can't tell which one of them"
Tirpitz complains more under her breath since she doesn't have the strength to argue or even raise her voice no matter the version.
"Even someone like me needs some peace and quiet" Tirpitz sighs
"Still, if you keep doing this often would make them suspicious. The next thing you know is you're being followed" Scharnhorst META warns her
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
"You need therapy with how much you're burdening yourself" Gneisenau META calmly suggests
"It's not like I can just confess about replacing a dead version of me and feeling bad about lying"
Just imagining it and how horribly it will end, Tirpitz immediately sets the thought aside.
"Ah, I almost forgot. Iron Blood spotted an unknown META recently. They couldn't take a clear picture of it because a giant beast keeps hindering them-"
"..."
"Oh..."
Just from now Scharnhorst META and Gneisenau META nervously glance at each other, Tirpitz realizes the answer to her question. She slaps her own face, somewhat embarrassed.
"How long will Iron Blood figure out there are two Bismarcks since the Bismarck here would recognize Geryon" Scharnhorst META clenches her fists
"It should be fine for now. Bismarck META is elusive and rarely makes an appearance" Gneisenau META assures her
"That's fine until Bismarck decides to actively search for the unknown META" Tirpitz waves her hand
"Then we trust you can divert Bismarck's interest somewhere" Scharnhorst META scoffs proudly
"Huh?" Tirpitz stands up in shock
"Bismarck completely trusts you, so she wouldn't be aware you're covering for Bismarck META" Gneisenau META adds
"Huh?"
Tirpitz backs away by two steps, puzzled at the additional task - to be specific, a headache she has to be responsible for.
"We can't have two Bismarcks meeting each other" Gneisenau META explains
"The Sakura Empire feast is in a couple of days. Since Bismarck is taking it lightly now, you can derail her attention"
"As much as I don't like additional work, none of us can afford to have those two meet"
It only takes a moment for Tirpitz to accept it albeit a bit upset and annoyed at the two.
"Tirpitz, you don't want to admit it, but you were glad about this second chance, right?" Gneisenau META rubs her chin"
"What?" Tirpitz frowns
"Victorious isn't trying to mess with your life again and the incident caused the Bismarck here to fix her relationship with you"
"It's true that I'm glad to remember how Victorious was once a naive but caring person but I still have my doubts on Bismarck. This is the first time to see her act like a kind and caring older sister"
Just not too long ago, Tirpitz couldn't forget how she and Bismarck talked over coffee since the latter acting relaxed and enjoying the moment are the complete opposite of what Tirpitz observed.
"Bismarck has only one sister and she nearly lost you twice, so she doesn't want to make the same mistake again" Scharnhorst META pats her on the back
"No matter how hard she tried to hide it, Bismarck cared about the well-being of others and wished to create a future with everyone"
"She's idealistic and stubborn as ever, but she has always been kind and caring to others. That's why I know she'll never forgive me if I tell her the truth"
Tirpitz clenches both of her fists and the heavy feeling gripping her chest causes her freezing ability to spread ice on the beach again. She wants to forget the recent moment with Bismarck showing her awkward yet gentle persona when she's not busy with her duties.
(I can't risk losing this chance...to protect their happiness...)
It started with Tirpitz believing she must do what she can to avoid repetition of her tragedy in the current timeline, but their genuine smiles worry her more than it brings her comfort. Even if she has brief moments of actually enjoying her new life, she lets guilt distract her from her true purpose.