29th September, 1941.
Two planes land in Moscow for a meeting carrying the leaders of the Eagle Union and the Royal Kingdom. Out of them step Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt along with their Kansen escorts, Queen Elizabeth and Enterprise, who had gone back to sleep in the real world to be here. She needs to meet with QE and Rossiya, who will no doubt be accompanying the leader of the Northern Parliament, Joseph Stalin.
Vice-Commissar Andrei Vyshinsky greets them and informs the Kansen that Rossiya is waiting for them in a different room. Enterprise and QE go to meet with her while the Prime Minister and President meet with Stalin.
QE looks up at the Carrier, "So, rumour has it that you have finally been woken up, Miss Enterprise."
"They'd be right, Your Majesty. Essex and her sisters along with New Jersey managed to wake up and find me. I don't know how, but now I'll be able to actually do something about this damn virtual hell." Enterprise answers.
Rossiya exits the building to welcome them, "Comrades! A pleasure to see you again in this new loop."
"Likewise, Rossy." Enterprise returns the pleasantry.
Rossiya looks down at QE. She takes off her hat and bows overly dramatically, "An honour as always to meet with a guest so esteemed as yourself, Your Majesty."
"Yes, yes. Shall we discuss Enterprise waking up?" The miniature monarch says, waving off Rossiya's sarcasm.
"Da. Come inside and we shall start planning a course of action." Rossiya puts her hat back on and opens the door for them. She makes sure nobody is around to eavesdrop and follows them in, locking the door.
Victory returns to her office, which has been rebuilt by Zero on the outside. Her antiques have been restored as well. She says to herself, "I suppose not everything is so bad…" She sits down at her desk and sees even the paperwork to do has been restored, "Nevermind…" she shakes her head.
Nelson walks in and looks unsure of herself. "Commander…?"
"What's up, Nellie?" Victory looks up.
"Well… um… since this is another loop… and we've been through so many so far and this is the first loop where we got together…" Nelson starts.
"Hm?" Victory says.
"Well… what if… we don't get out in time and it loops again, and everything we've done and said to each other, these feelings… and memories… they go away?"
"Well, all of yours will, but mine won't. But don't worry, Nellie." She gets up and walks to her. She gently puts her hands on Nelson's arms and says, "This time, we will get out of here, and our little relationship will thrive. Even if we don't, the next time we loop, I will do everything I can to make sure we're together quicker. Though, you'd probably have to give me pointers on how to tell you how I feel first, hehe…" she nervously chuckles at the end.
Nelson laughs and says, "Yes… I… I was quite a hard person to talk to, was I not?"
"Sort of, but it's… cute, in a way. I'm glad I finally caught on to your little hints. I feel so foolish for not realising in every past loop. I want to make sure you're happy…"
"Commander…" Nelson looks ant her and blushes. They slowly get closer and their lips touch. They decide to fully commit and they share a kiss for a bit.
After pulling away to catch their breaths, a very red Victory says, "Anyway, we'd better catch up on all this work. It may be pointless, but we still need to keep the Iron Bloods away from the Royal Kingdom and the Sakura Empire will be attacking the Eagle Union soon." Victory sits back down.
Clearing her throat, Nelson asks, "Shouldn't we warn them about the surprise attack?"
"Believe me, Nellie. I've tried multiple times. They never listen. Either the human higher-ups refuse to take the word of a centuries-old Kansen and the shipgirls themselves think they're invincible."
"I see…" Nelson sighs and takes half the stack of paper. She goes and sits at her own desk.
A knock on her newly repaired door grabs Victory's attention and she says, "Come in."
Bismarck enters the office. "Kommandantin. I have news you must hear from the real world."
Victory puts her pen down. She sits back and gives her full attention, "Go on."
"Observer Zero has taken control of Hood."
Nelson looks up from her work and Victory leans forward, "I'm sorry, what!?" The Commander asks.
"I don't fully understand how, but Zero has corrupted, or converted as she says, Hood's Cubes and she is now a Siren body and Zero has taken over her mind. She's using her to alter the simulation. She's the one who allowed Roon to not be affected by Strength's gravitational power."
Victory stands up, "She's… helping us?"
Bismarck responds, "It appears so, but I don't trust her. Wales and I are keeping an eye on her."
Nelson asks, "Does Hood not have any control over her body at all?"
Bismarck looks at her, "I do not not know, but she hit Wales when she tried to speak to her and even insulted her. She may not have any physical control over herself anymore, but mentally, I don't think Zero can handle all the emotion Hood is feeling. The Siren does not seem to be used to feeling any sort of emotion."
Victory looks down and thinks. She says, "Maybe she's regaining control? Hood has always has had an indomitable about of willpower. Even when she sank, Wales reported that her ship fired off a shot as she went under."
"That… I can confirm." Bismarck responds.
Nelson pipes up again, "So… will she be able to get her body back? But even then, she'll still have Zero in her head, and she's a Siren herself now."
Victory immediately clarifies, "Siren or not, Im giving up on Hood, or any of you. Her abilities as one of the, may even prove useful. Bismarck, please keep an eye on her, and if you can find Wales, please try and get her here. I feel we need to talk about this."
"Jawohl, Kommandantin." Bismarck gives a salute and spins around making her cape swoosh around and she marches out.
Nelson shakes her head, "Bloody hell… poor Wales…"
Victory nods, "She's been through so much stress regarding Hood… first, she loses her, then gets her back, and now she's been assaulted by a Siren controlling her body. I have to talk to her…"
Bismarck transitions back to the real world and she goes to find Wales. She looks for her in the Siren stronghold and she hears someone crying. Another voice is trying to comfort her. She hangs around the entrance to the room and she hears them speaking.
She hears Daring say, "Let it all out, Lady Wales. Why would she do such a thing?"
Wales calms herself down a little and answers, "I… I don't know… is that how she's always felt…? Does she hate me for failing her after all? I… I just don't understand…"
Bismarck decided she can't just let her feel like this. "She does not hate you, Wales. She's not herself right now."
Wales looks up in surprise, frantically wiping her tears away, "B…Bismarck!?"
Daring asks, "She's not herself? Is that why she looks like that?"
"You need to leave." Bismarck orders the modern Destroyer.
Feeling challenged, Daring stands before her and says, "You do know I could end you by myself in seconds, Iron Blood?"
"Try it, child. See what happens." Bismarck stares her down.
"Daring!" Wales raises her voice. The Destroyer looks back at her. She says, "Leave us. Please."
"…yes, ma'am." The younger Royal replies and exits the room.
Bismarck sits next to the Carrier and says, "My apologies. She stepped out of line."
"It's alright… the youngsters are always a little too proud… now what did you mean? About Hood?" Wales looks at her.
"Hood is not in control of her body. Her Cubes have been corrupted by Zero. She's in her head and she's the one who hit and insulted you. Hood is trying to fight back mentally and she's already affecting her." Bismarck explains.
A spark of hope appears in Wales' eyes, "She… doesn't hate me? She's still fighting?"
"I believe so. It doesn't make any sense why she would do that to you. Even when I fought you, you both seemed inseparable."
"Yes… but… how did Zero get Hood's Cubes?" Wales asks her.
Bismarck sighs and stands up. She paces around and says, "That… that was my fault…"
"…What?" Wales stands up with clenched fists.
Bismarck turns to face her, "Before we fought, Zero came to me to offer a deal. If I sank Hood and gave her Cubes to the Siren, she would make sure Iron Blood would gain the power to win the Battle of the Atlantic. Obviously I had no idea the world we were in wasn't real. I… I recovered her Cubes after driving you off and give them to her as was the deal."
Wales stares at her and says, "… Zero said she couldn't lie…"
"She did not. She just phrased it as granting us power, when all she really did was show me an improved version of my own rigging. She said that if I made it back to Iron Blood, she would grant me it. I might have survived if she gave me it then and there. You can see where most of my hatred for Sirens came from when I was interrogating Alpha." Bismarck explains.
"So… it was you? You're the reason my beloved is now trapped in her own mind?" She approaches Bismarck and grabs her. She lifts her off the ground by her clothing and yells, "IT'S YOUR FAULT SHE IS NOW A BLOODY SIREN!?"
Remaining calm, Bismarck looks down at her. She nods, "It is, but I assure you, I will not rest until Hood has her body back, and Zero is either dead or contained."
Wales keeps her suspended in the air while she thinks. She wants to make Bismarck pay for doing that to Hood's Cubes, but then TB appears next to them in her hologram form.
TB says, "Prince of Wales, Bismarck was manipulated by Zero. She did not know what Hood's Wisdom Cubes would be used for. Now Zero controls Hood, and Hood needs your help. Both of you have the most powerful connections to her, so only you together can help her. Escalating this interaction any further will not help her."
Wales and Bismarck stare each other down until Wales slowly puts Bismarck back on her feet and lets go, then breaking down in tears while hugging her.
TB disappears as Bismarck hugs her back. She says, "I am so sorry, Wales… I promise I will do everything to get her back."
"You… bloody better…"
"I will. Now, the Kommandantin wants to talk to you." Bismarck adds.
"Right…" Wales releases her and goes to a safe place to sleep. Bismarck finds her own place to switch as well.
Sheffield listens to Alpha as explains how to fully escape the simulation. The Cruiser asks, "So, you're telling me that our Cubes are already still in our real world bodies and all it takes it to fully leave this world is to transfer out all the data collected in here to them?"
"Yes. Hehe… all the experiences and memories made in this loop have to be extracted and moved to your real Cubes and then you can stay in the real world… Haha… But once you do… you'll never be able to re-enter this world unless you get into a pod and start all over again." Alpha adds.
"So the price to pay is being unable to help the Commander directly…" Sheffield says to herself.
"Quite the choice, no? Hehehehe…"
Sheffield leaves the Siren to inform Victory immediately.
Hood sits on the bed in the room inside her mind. She continues to look at the TV displaying what her real eyes are seeing. She can't make any sense of what Zero is doing on the main computer. She decides to see if she can talk to her to understand.
"Zero? May I talk to you?" She tries.
To her surprise, Zero appears again in her original form, the small girl with the plushie. She looks up at Hood and asks, "What is it?"
"I… I'd like you to teach me what all that means." Hood points to the TV.
"It is advanced programming. I am able to oversee every part of the simulation. Because it is virtual, I can observe every part with an undetectable camera, like this meeting between the flagships of the Allied Azur Lane factions." Zero says.
Her other self controlling Hood's body demonstrates. Hood sees and hears the secret meeting…
"What to you mean we may have a chance this time!? Everything we've tried just gets undone by Zero's coding!" Rossiya yells.
QE explains, "Like I have just finished explaining, we have managed to find a way to get out, if only partially. Whenever some of our members sleep, they are able to wake up in the real world. We just have to find out how to leave for good, and then we can start getting everyone else out and need this literally recurring nightmare."
Enterprise says, "When we escorted Victory and Nelson back to the Atlantic, we ran into Purifier. We were outclassed at first, as usual, but then out nowhere, my ship got a major upgrade for a while, as if I got my current real ship early, with the planes to boot. We managed to fight back against Purifier until Bismarck showed up to finish her. Someone had to have been on the outside making changes to the simulation's code to help us win, and then I assume Zero changed it back when everything returned to normal."
Rossiya looks at Enterprise and asks, "What was Victory doing in the Pacific?"
The Carrier responds, "Honestly I don't know for certain, but what she and Nelson said is that they did it by accident, and they came through a Siren portal. This has never happened in any previous loops. Maybe they found a way to use their tech?"
QE says, "If we have, I was not informed. The Commander explained it as some strange feeling she got. I can only assume the same person who granted Miss Enterprise her boost in power allowed the Commander to use a Siren portal. Perhaps she still do it, as she managed to make the rest of the journey back home with another one."
Rossiya hums in thought with her hand to her chin. "Hmm… maybe… maybe she can still do a lot more to help us… is she aware of the loop?"
QE says, "I don't think so. She has never given any hints that she knows, and I doubts she knows that we know."
Enterprise suggests, "Maybe she does know and wants to not burden any of you with it."
"That certainly sounds like her. Honestly, she's very often too kind and considerate for her own good. She's told all the rest about the simulation, but not about how it loops, which could also of course means that she herself just doesn't know."
Enterprise adds, "We're gonna have to be very careful on how we approach this. If we tell her and she doesn't know, it could cause her issues. You both know what she actually is, right?"
They both nod. She continues, "Alright, the other meeting should be wrapping up about now as usual. Rossiya, keep fighting Iron Blood. Keep as much heat off of Scapa Flow as much as you can. QE, find out if Victory knows about the loop. Considering what she is, it seems very likely, but we have to know for sure."
"Da, Comrade." Rossiya acknowledges.
"Of course." QE nods, "But what about the upcoming attack on Pearl Harbour?"
Enterprise winces, "I hate having to doom Arizona and Oklahoma like that every time, but if I change anything that massive, it could have drastic effects that would even further complicate things. Anyway, it's time to go."
They all stand and leave the room.
"Well… that was… enlightening…" Hood says. "Anyway, what does all that code mean?" She asks Zero.
The Siren starts to explain away what all the coding does. Eventually she takes on a different tone, similar to a child explaining why dinosaurs are cool. Hood swears she can hear genuine enthusiasm in Zero's voice, but doesn't say anything. She nods and pretends to understand everything like an encouraging parent would.
"Maybe you could teach me how to do all that like Wales can?" Hood asks.
Zero looks up at her again. Her eyes widen for what feels like the first time ever. She gets a new feeling. She has a sudden desire to teach her what she knows. She doesn't understand this feeling, but she doesn't dislike it. She nods.
Enterprise wakes up back in the real world after nodding off on the plane back to the virtual Pacific.
Essex returns with Bon Homme Richard. She approaches Enterprise and asks, "Hey, Enterprise… could… could you teach me how to…?"
"How to fight like I can now?" The older Carrier asks.
"Yeah… Bonnie told me about how powerful you are now… and I obviously can't be as good as you now, but I wanna be the best I can be." Essex says.
Enterprise smiles, "That's a good mindset, my friend, but there is something you should know…"
"Huh?" Essex listens.
"You're… not the same Carrier anymore. Your hull was scrapped back in the 70's. You have a new one to get used to again." Enty starts.
"A… new ship? Like yours!?" She gets excited.
Enterprise puts her hand on her shoulder, "I'm afraid not, Essex… your ship is now a Landing Helicopter Dock. An amphibious assault ship that launches helicopters, but no planes. Your missions would be very different from mine, so there isn't much I can teach you."
"Oh…" she looks down, disappointed. "Do I have… any real sisters now?"
"Well, Bonnie, for a start. She's a Wasp-class like you. Then there's Wasp herself, obviously, as well as Kearsarge, Boxer, Bataan, Iwo Jima and Makin Island, though I don't think the last two have Kansen." Enterprise explains.
"My… my other sisters… they aren't anymore…?" Essex asks with a shaky voice.
"Not sister ships, but like Yorktown and Hornet to me, they'll always be your Kansen sisters. Keep that in mind and you'll be okay. Besides, you can show off stuff they can't do." The older Kansen winks.
"Yeah… I guess…" the younger agrees.
Enterprise then gets closer and whispers in Essex's ear, "Just keep an eye on Bonnie."
"Huh?" She whispers back, "Why?"
"Her ship has been scrapped, and you said that she knows about my firepower. I don't trust her, but she's your sister so I'll not antagonise her. Just watch her for me, alright?" Enterprise requests.
"…yeah, got it…" Essex nods.
Enterprise nods back, "Thanks. Just be careful. I've seen Kansen lose their minds after having their ships scrapped." She turns around and goes back to what she was doing.
Essex goes to talk to Bonnie again as she seems to be her only current sister who was the same class as her before, and to do what Enterprise asked. She rounds the corner where she was and she sees a version of Bonnie that has pale skin, red eyes, and a maniacal smile. Essex blinks and she's normal again. "Uh…"
Bonnie looks at her innocently, "What's up, sis? Did Enty agree to teach you?"
"Um…" Essex shakes her head. Surely she's seeing things now. "I think I need to rest for a bit…" she walks past her and sits down, leaning against the wall. Bonnie shrugs and sits down next to her again. "Hey, Bonnie?"
"Yeah?"
"We have new ships." Essex informs her.
"Yeah, I know. Wasp-class, right? I bet she'd hate being in charge of us. All the work and responsibility she has now…" BHR responds.
"Yeah…" Essex chuckles. "She'd probably just shoot it or something. I can't imagine her being happy with her old bow being replaced. She spent a lot of time customising it."
"Maybe she still has it? Enty has hers still… I think… just updated." Bonnie says.
"Bonnie?"
"Yeah?"
"How did you know all of this already?" Essex looks at her seriously.
Akagi and Kaga kneel next to each other in front of a very annoyed Amagi, who hides her disappointment behind a smile. The two other vixens rub their heads where Amagi had just disciplined them. She says, "When will the two of you get along?"
"I'm sorry, Nee-sama…" Akagi says to her.
"I'm not the one you should be apologising to, Akagi. Flagship Nagato-sama has made you the leader of the First Carrier Division and one of her advisors. You should stop acting like a petulant child, grow up and realise that you represent the entire Sakura Empire. As for you, Kaga, I would have expected you to diffuse the argument, not escalate it." Amagi continues. "Calling your sister something you knew would annoy her is childish in itself."
Kaga looks down, "I know. My sincere apologies."
"Both of you stand and face each other." Amagi orders. Her younger sisters do so. She grabs their hands and puts them together. "Now shake hands."
When they both look away and refuse, Amagi gets a scary aura about her. She closes her eyes, smiles and casually sings, "Now. Shake. Hands." In an unsettling tone.
Scared by another physical discipline, Akagi and Kaga look at each other and Kaga says, "I… I'm sorry, sister…" she shakes Akagi's hand.
Akagi replies, "I apologise… as well…"
"That's better. Kaga-san, Nagato-sama wishes to see you." Amagi orders.
"Hai, Nee-sama…" Kaga walks away quickly.
"Akagi-san… what am I going to do with you? You're so powerful and I'm so proud of you, but you're too headstrong. You have to calm down and know when you are needed and when you're not needed." Amagi says.
"Nee-sama…" Akagi tries.
"Ah, ah. No excuses. You both set fire to the port during your little fight. You must both pay for that. Kaga-san will get her punishment after Nagato-sama has finished talking with her. Come." She grabs her wrist and pulls her along.
"Ah! W…wait!" Akagi pleads.
Bismarck walks to the Scapa Flow interrogation rooms with Victory. She asks, "Two new Sirens to question… which one first?"
"I thought I'd let you decide on that one. I don't quite trust myself in interrogation by myself anymore, especially after what that Arbiter did to my base and my girls. I'll need you to take over again if I start losing it." Victory replies.
Bismarck suggest, "I say we talk to Lurker first. From the records I've found on the outside, she had some part in creating Strength."
"Very well. She's in Room 1." Victory gestures to the first door.
Bismarck enters first and stares down the Submarine Siren, who instantly stiffens up. She's not used to being looked at. Feeling uncomfortable, she starts sweating bullets when Bismarck stands in the corner glaring at her before Victory follows her in. The Commander sits down at her chair silently.
After a few seconds of uncomfortable silent tension, Victory starts, "Now then—"
Lurker suddenly blurts out, "PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I'LL TELL YOU WHATEVER YOU WANT!"
Victory stares at her, "Oh… okay then. What's the deal with Strength?"
The cowardly Siren answers, "She… she's one of the latest generation of Siren Arbiters… she's able to rewrite the rules of simulations on the go unless an Observer blocks her access."
"Go on." The Commander orders.
"Her ability in the real world is redirecting incoming projectiles and making close-range targets feel too heavy or light to attack her."
"What makes her tick? What's she scared of?" Victory asks.
"We aren't programmed with fears… we kinda develop those as we go… Considering how you captured her, I'd assume her fear is that crazy fake Kansen of yours." Lurker answers.
Victory looks confused, "Fake?"
Bismarck chimes in, "Roon doesn't exist in the real world. I'm guessing that's why she's so unhinged."
"I see…" she turns her attention back to the anxious Siren. "So… Is there any way to get out of this world? One of my most trusted girls already has information from Alpha but I'd like to hear it from a Siren who hasn't completely lost her mind."
"Yet." Bismarck adds.
"Um… well… you need to transfer your mental data to your Cubes as they're already still in the real world, and Zero managed to fuse Hood's fake Cubes with her body…" the Siren rambles.
"Hold on… explain that further. Fake Cubes?" Victory asks.
"Yeah… uh… Hood's real Cubes were replaced by the ones created for her in here… with the artificial memories. All your Cubes hold the memories of before you were put into the simulation for the first time, but your fake Cubes overwrite them. To fully wake up, your Cubes have to be overwritten by the data you experienced in here." Lurker explains.
Victory struggles to understand but Bismarck puts her hands on the table next to Lurker and looks down at her, "So you're saying we can still remember our real lives, but in order to fully wake up, we have to erase those real memories?"
Intimidated, Lurker nervously nods, "Y…yeah…"
"Is there any way to fully reconnect with our real Cubes without wiping them?" Victory asks.
"N…not that I know of… the more technical stuff only the Arbiters know… and Zero…" the skittish Siren answers.
Bismarck looks at Victory, "I'd say it's time to grab Roon and talk to our very own Arbiter."
The Commander nods. They both exit, leaving Lurker unsure of her fate. Upon leaving, Victory gets a call on her radio. "Yes?" She speaks into it.
"Honourable Mistress, Miss Wales is asking for you in your office." The voice of Sirius replies. She was tidying up Victory's office while she and Nelson were out.
Realising she must've forgotten, Victory responds, "Oh, bloody hell, of course. Thank you, Sirius, please tell her I'll be right there." She turns it off and looks up at the Battleship next to her, "Bismarck, can I trust you and Roon to interrogate Strength without me?"
Bismarck salutes and nods, "Jawohl, Kommandantin. I'll keep Roon reeled in."
"Thanks, Bis. I'm counting on you!" Victory runs out.
"…Bis?" The Battleship whispers. She's never called her that before.
Bismarck shrugs, then orders Roon to the building and they both enter Strength's interrogation room…