[Gooooood morning, Azur Lane~! We're looking at a real killer of a day here on base with a high of 78 - that's a cool 25 to you non Union guys and gals - with a humidity of 43%, I suggest you find a way to skip your duties and-OWIE!]

[Please pay no attention to San Francisco's ramblings and suggestions of an offense that may lead to dishonorable expulsion from Azur Lane. Instead, rejoice that tickets are now on sale for the Muse Festival in three weeks time, discounts will be provided for military personnel and their families-]

[Gloucester, I was supposed to do this part!]

Tirpitz switched off her wake up alarm set to the local radio station, rolling out of bed before glancing to the side, huffing out a resigned breath at the empty bed right beside hers.

It seemed her words had once again fallen on deaf ears, the Ironblood woman idly stretching as she strode towards the dorm's shower, twisting on the water and allowing herself a downright luxurious five minute shower, one more minute consisting of icy spray as the Battleship kicked away the last vestiges of sleep before dressing herself for the day, just finishing pulling on her boots as the door burst open, a cheerful voice announcing, "Goooood morning, Bismarck~! Your faithful knight has come to…"

Holding back a sigh Tirpitz affixed U-556 with an apologetic look, softly intoning, "I told her to wait but it seems we were both behind yet again."

The Submarine was obviously crestfallen, sagging as her energy faded as quickly as it came, murmuring, "Oh. Guess I need to get up even earlier, huh?"

"With those bags under your eyes? You just got back from patrol, didn't you?"

"N-nonsense, I was just up late playing games with everyone-"

"Dame."

U-556 came up short, Tirpitz allowing herself a brief break from cool authority as she softly patted the Sub on the head, stating, "If my sister insists on forgoing the help of her trusted guardian then she deserves it not. How many times have you given her unconditional loyalty only to be repaid by an inability to serve?"

"But, but it's a knight's job to be there even if they aren't wanted!"

Wondering how her foolish sister had managed to earn the devotion of such a dogged comrade when she was intent on acting like Tirpitz had for the better part of a decade the pale-haired woman grabbed her itinerary for the day and gently guided U-556 out of the room, firmly stating, "Then I will relay your desires and not let them go unanswered this time. And you, young lady, must rest."

"But I-"

"Do I need to make it an order? Miss Vestal has been attempting to make up for lost time and is quite liberal in handing out light duty slips as of late…"

"Geh?!"

Sagging in defeat U-556 allowed herself to be guided towards where most of the Subs shared a dorm close to a massive pool, glumly stating, "Alright…I'll be counting on you to remind Lord Bismarck that I remain willing and able to engage in active duty!"

"Of course. Now rest-wait."

Glancing at the calendar on the wall Tirpitz frowned, the beginning of a foolish and spontaneous idea forming within her brain.

"U-556, do you and any of your sisters have any pressing matters to attend to this afternoon?"

"I think some of the Union girls have patrols but we've mostly been keeping ourselves entertained as everything is worked out. Why?"

Lips briefly quirking Tirpitz quickly laid out her idea, U-556 over the moon at the possibility as the taller Ironblood indulged in one final shoulder squeeze, turning on her heel and marched towards the mess hall, reflecting that it was fortuitous she had a 'day off' in which to properly chase down her sister.

While the new Azur Lane was coming along quite nicely there was stumbling and tripping aplenty in the day to day running, meaning many Sipgirls that weren't a part of Commander Curtis' staff had fluctuating schedules and responsibilities as fitting niches or duties were assigned.

If there was nothing any particular Shipgirl had to do on any given day they were more or less given a long leash that terminated at not blowing anything or anyone up. Not that Tirpitz considered herself one to laze about even if given permission and immediately began hatching a plan to correct her sister's self-destructive behavior.

Again.

"A most excellent good morning to you, Lady Tirpitz."

"We're not in court right now, Hood. A normal good morning will suffice."

The Royal Navy Battlecruiser gave Tirpitz a friendly wink and pleasant smile, stating, "Try the cantaloupe, it's delicious."

"I'll do so."

Grabbing a plate from the mess hall and visiting the buffet Tirpitz filled it with Hood's recommendation, a cup of coffee and pile of scrambled eggs to accompany it before letting her gaze sweep over the hall, lips briefly tilting into a smile as she saw the early risers or late workers mingling in the usual riot of personalities and schedules that not long ago would have seemed impossible.

After all, when would Z26, Bache, Comet and a collection of Azur Lane personnel be staring with such intensity at a game of what she believed to be Monopoly, cups of Oxy-cola, coffee and other beverages long forgotten, tucked away in a corner?

"Anything pressing on your itinerary today, Tirpitz?"

Rejoining Hood the Ironblood shook her head, replying, "Nothing concrete, it's an 'off' day. Although I was going to have a word with my sister."

"Oh? Another early morning?"

"One in which U-556 arrived a bit too late, receiving only disappointment and an empty apartment for her troubles."

Hood slowly closed her eyes.

"...Oh dear."

"Precisely. I don't know what has consumed Bismarck but if this is how I acted during the early years of the war then I regret that no one took me to task earlier."

"Hmm…would you object if I was to provide you with a helping hand and bit of company? I too just so happen to have an 'off' day myself."

Pausing for a moment Tirpitz slowly inquired, "You would be willing to spend your time doing so? I already recruited the Subs into an operation…"

"But of course! Lady Bismarck is my treasured friend as well, you know."

The Ironblood debated holding her tongue before giving in to curiosity as she asked, "While my sister spoke of you with both great admiration and regret how is it that you seem so willing to forgive her actions against you? Her descent into madness due to mistaken arrogance and the subsequent crippling would have-"

"Made anyone suspicious and resentful? It's convenient that I am not most people then."

Raising an eyebrow Hood elaborated with, "I spoke with Lady Bismarck during the siege of the Orthodoxy coasts, when we needed all guns that could be mustered, even my lame body a crucial asset…she is a woman cursed with a heart far too big for such a small vocabulary and position that demands ice and steel."

Unable to hold back the brief snort of amusement Tirpitz dryly stated, "That certainly sounds like her. So before the both of you perished…"

"Indeed. I believe the phrasing is that we buried the hatchet?"

Shaking her head in idle disbelief Tirpitz more sullenly remarked, "The both of you perished not long after, though."

"Alas…and I was the first to sink, with what you've told me I fear that our friendship - brief as it may have been - has caused her no shortage of grief carried over even today."

Hood tilted her head, curiously asking, "If you will permit a moment of bluntness and possible rudeness, Tirpitz?"

"Not the worst thing I've permitted."

"How have you acclimated so quickly and seamlessly to these current times? If you'll beg my pardon, much of what I'd heard of your reputation wasn't particularly flattering and even Lady Bismarck had referred to you on more than one occasion as 'fatalistic'. Yet here you are, having integrated seamlessly into the modern Azur Lane and acting as a guide for many of our sisters."

A wistful smile briefly pulled at the Ironblood's lips as she replied, "I believe it was because I was there to witness Commander Curtis' ascension and the changes he had already brought to the war…and even in my death?"

She quietly remembered her headlong charge towards the enemy, the calm and fulfillment that had filled her every fiber of being…and the hope she'd held for Humanity's future.

"I had believed that it was for a worthy cause, that my demise would bring us certain victory. You, my sister, so many of our other comrades?"

The Ironblood could only regretfully shake her head.

"How many perished when the war still seemed like a winnable affair? And how many fell believing that they had merely delayed the inevitable or that they had failed, only to return to a world that had moved on and changed drastically, with some comrades returned to life, others having survived and some permanently gone?"

Hood softly sighed, eyes drifting closed.

"Indeed. The Head Maid, Lady Warspite and Her Majesty have spent a great deal of time and energy trying to smooth things over for us as much as humanly possible and there still exists no amount of troubles and lingering feelings of guilt or inadequacy."

The Shipgirls shared a quiet moment of contemplation…and they both jolted as a cry of triumph echoed through the cafeteria, Bache standing on her chair - not really adding much to her height - as she proclaimed, "Numero uno destroyer and now numero uno game master, right here~!"

A clamor of both congratulations and protest arose from the table, Hood and Tirpitz blinking at the clamor before shaking their heads in amusement.

"Some seem to be adjusting better than others."

"That they do."

Finishing her meal Tirpitz deposited her dishes before rejoining Hood, the Battlecruiser playfully offering her arm as the Ironblood rolled her eyes, nonetheless taking it and guiding her out of the mess hall just as the morning crowd began to pour in, Tirpitz taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air and finding it agreeable, their eyes drawn towards the coastline as a low rumble reached their ears, the Bakunawa launching a projectile into orbit on a column of fire, the latest in a long series of satellites as the Royal Navy Shipgirl mused, "How different from the Azur Lane of old this one is, wouldn't you agree?"

"That I would."

While the old island had its fair share of charm and memories - it would be a rare Shipgirl indeed who would say they preferred this one over the old - Tirpitz doubted any would disagree that it was far grander in scale and majesty.

Much of the coastline aside from a few purposefully selected spots for leisure had been covered in sprawling docks and manufacturies, gargantuan cranes like metallic beasts of war dominating the skyline while heavy gun emplacements and radar stations in concealed bunkers liberally sprinkled the terrain, the island a hive of activity in those areas even in the morning hours as the pair watched a clutch of thirty young men go running by, their DI loudly singing, "Three years ago my brother died last two my lover fell~! In the Starfall everyone was killed on that we must not dwell~! But we'll never leave the blue we'll never say farewell~! AZUR LANE DEPLOYS~!"

The group sang it back in chorus as Hood watched in idle bemusement, remarking, "Popular humor as of late seems to have become…a bit darker."

"It's been dark times. That people can joke about it at all is a sign that we might recover from it."

Their walk continued, the new Azur Lane a perpetual cauldron of ambient energy and purpose that still felt somewhat alien to most of the Shipgirls. While none of their kin felt remotely ready to call the base 'home' it was hard to deny the almost tangible force that ran throughout the island, a constant and unceasing phenomenon that invigorated and drove them to perform to the best of their ability.

…Or perhaps it was the fact that the Human personnel provided a boost to morale and competition. Even on the old Azur Lane there had been a minimal amount of overlap between Shipgirl and Human duties, even if they began to gradually erode those borders by the end of the war. Here? They were integrated in a way that was inescapable and present, no clearer evidence needed than the game they had just witnessed in the mess hall not more than a few minutes prior. Everything about their situation was now new and exciting, perhaps the greatest example being the secretaries that helped Alexander run the whole show, speaking and interacting with countless Human representatives and being given leeway to make their own informed decisions.

The world was changing and so was their role within it, Hood and Tirpitz looking out over the expansive training grounds where their sharp eyesight revealed hundreds of sweaty recruits performing a variety of calisthenics, Purifier and her lesser kin striding up among the struggling ranks and calling out encouragement or creative insults, all while sporting massive grins or predatory smiles upon more typical skin tones even if they retained their sharp yellow eyes.

…It might have seemed rather comical to have a bunch of slight of frame young women and girls running DI duty on men potentially many times their height and weight and it had indeed been called out by a few of the more skeptical recruits.

Which prompted the Purifiers to dole out a few enthusiastic beatdowns with their unnatural strength that quickly instilled discipline within the ranks. But by far the strangest new paradigm was that some of their sisters had joined in on the events as well. Smalley and Stanley had taken to leading several CQC exercises while Kurst and Minneapolis were no doubt directing wilderness survival lessons, the mixing and matching of personnel a work in progress but nonetheless promising all sorts of interesting tactical applications moving forward.

"It's almost overwhelming, isn't it?"

"It's…odd. I never had much inclination to consider or think about the future overmuch, yet now it seems like the most practical application of my talents, to think and apply myself to the betterment of the world."

Tirpitz lightly shook her head in idle bemusement.

"The future holds an unbelievable amount of possibilities and it would be a disservice if I failed to chart a worthwhile course."

A sudden giggle from Hood snapped the Ironblood out of her introspection, the Royal Navy woman teasingly stating, "You know you cut quite a dashing figure when you take charge like that, Dame Tirpitz~."

Lowering her cap slightly in embarrassment at her companion's teasing Tirpitz kept her silence, their walk continuing for a pleasant fifteen minutes before they arrived at the Commander's office, both of the Shipgirls straightening themselves before knocking on the door, the entryway swinging open and revealing a harried but nonetheless welcoming Charybdis, the maid ushering them in as she stated, "A very good morning to you, Lady Hood, Lady Tirpitz. May I be of service to you in any way?"

"We were hoping to speak with Bismarck, if at all possible."

"It may be a few minutes, Lady Bismarck is in the middle of a final review. Would you care for refreshments while you wait?"

"That's quite all right, Charybdis. Thank you for the offer."

It was a sign of how busy things were that the maid didn't insist on getting them something, instead hurrying over to a desk where she and her fellow maids were answering a bevy of phone calls, the rest of the room a scene of controlled chaos as the command staff carried out a range of tasks from plan review to logistics finalizing, Hood resisting the urge to smile as she saw Z46 sitting on Chen Hai's lap, the Empery carrier patiently explaining the process of some task or another to the Destroyer as she diligently wrote down a series of notes, Shoukaku and Casablanca pushing their workstations together as they went over a shared task, the pale-haired Carrier making a comment with a teasing smile as the Union Carrier pinked in mortification.

"Busy as usual…"

And at the center of it all was Alexander himself, talking over the phone with a mildly annoyed expression as he stated, "No, this obviously doesn't take into account social, political and religious infighting. We're basing our models off of raw numbers and geographical data, not whether a bunch of people think their prophets are divinely mandated to rule and a bunch of other people think it's bullshit."

A pause, Alexander's expression darkening.

"And that's your job. I'll give you direct lines of communication with the Maid Corps and the QRF operating near the Red Sea but I am not authorizing Shipgirl deployment directly onto the mainland to act as religious representatives for whatever scheme you think will work. Or did you forget that they're all women and don't cover their faces?"

Tirpitz and Hood paused, glancing at each other as the Ironblood - despite the obvious intensity of the situation - failed to hide her smile.

It seemed that Curtis had taken after the late Commander rather well, if he was so fiercely trying to protect them from deployments that were…suspect, to put it nicely.

"Glad to hear it, figure out a way to solve this problem and if it needs to be dirty then convene a meeting between the admiralty and myself, don't go trying to have Azur Lane get mired in some kind of weird religious mission when we're trying to stay as apolitical and neutral as possible. Yeah, talk to you later."

The Aloadae hung up his phone with more force than was strictly necessary, complaining, "What a dick. He could have just asked for more support instead of spouting all this bullshit...Hermione, send contact info for the admiralty's office and the Asia Maid Corps branch to Abi Kabar, clever bastard is probably going to need it, knows he's going to need it and just wanted me to be the one to authorize his needing of it instead of admitting he needs it."

"Of course, Commander. May I inquire what he-"

"He wanted Richielieu, Jeanne d'Arc, Suffren, Painleve and whatever other Iris Shipgirls he could get his hands on to head to the Middle East and help facilitate negotiations between the Royal Navy and local tribes, since they share a close enough common faith. Which is bogus for a whole slew of reasons, he just threw out a bad option to get me pissed off and ready to compromise."

The pale-haired maid paused in her typing, hesitantly asking, "So…you let yourself become upset due to his words and manipulation?"

Now the Aloadae openly smirked, lacing his hands behind his head and reclining in his chair.

"Yup. Because now he might be so kind as to tell others how to 'rile me up' or try that trick again on something actually stupid rather than necessary. Then I can surprise them and force them to admit to their mistakes or misdirections. Oh, hey, Hood, Tirpitz."

Both women blinked, surprised at the abruptly casual address after seeing him so ruthlessly carry out the role of Commander of Azur Lane. But that did seem to be in character of what Tirpitz remembered of the man. Once her sisters had broken through his wariness and worry he'd been nothing but amicable.

"Good morning, Commander. I apologize for the suddenness of our visit but was wondering if we might make a request of you."

Irreverently waving a hand the man replied, "If I can have it done, sure."

Tirpitz squared her shoulders, hands laced behind her back as she said, "May we borrow my sister for the rest of the day? U-556 was looking for her this morning and was disappointed to find that she had departed early. Again."

The room briefly quieted, even Hood seeming a bit alarmed at the sheer bluntness of the request. But Tirpitz knew the Commander and more than that she knew it would cause Bismarck to sit up and pay attention, her sister staring at her over the edge of a monitor with an expression halfway between anger and horror.

It was no secret that U-556 was the shadow of the Ironblood flagship, her bold proclamations of loyalty known to practically everyone…openly admitting that Bismarck was avoiding her?

Chen Hai and Casablanca gave the blonde looks of mild disappointment, Akagi raised an eyebrow, the maids awkwardly glanced at each other, Maestrale uneasily shifted in her chair and even Helena seemed a bit judgemental, the rest of the command staff absent on other duties but no doubt they would have their own reactions to the news.

And just as she expected Curtis was quick on his feet, casually remarking, "Well you're in luck, Bismarck has some duties I need her to take care of around the base."

A very quick, very brief flick of his eyes towards Helena and Maestrale - alongside a brief blip of mental communication that could be dismissed as a figment of their imagination - had the pair rapidly typing on their computers, printing out a collection of papers that they quickly stapled together and deposited on the fuming Ironblood's desk, Alexander smiling as he said, "Those need to go to Akashi in engineering for signature - and make sure you review them for any kind of weird items she slips in - then visit the dorm and attend the Submarine fleet meeting at four PM, ensure they stay on topic and get a workable patrol and exercise schedule settled before the day is over. We've been lagging on a proper place for them outside of sporadic patrols and I don't trust them to be entertained by the novelty of the base for much longer. And a bored submarine is a dangerous submarine, as Albacore has so insistently proven on more than one occasion."

While the latter half of the statement held more than a bit of resigned annoyance Tirpitz wasn't about to argue, she and Hood snapping off a salute and curtsy as Biamarck tried for one last desperate attempt at avoiding the problem.

"Commander, I still have plenty of duties to perform here that-"

"Are being handled quite well by Akagi and Helena, everything will be done just fine."

While the Carrier's eye twitched and one of her tails spazzed briefly - hinting that this was an abrupt division of labor - Helena merely smiled and nodded, as if this was totally normal.

"I don't-"

"There's the option of making this an order, if it will make you feel better."

Despite the innocuous words yet another icy silence descended, Tirpitz torn between frustration at her sister's obstinance and regret at having things go this far. Commander Curtis had very seldomly been forced to make anything an order with the Shipgirls, his reputation, glowing reviews by their sisters that had survived the latter days of the war and general affability making them perfectly happy to go along with his designs.

"...Very well, Commander."

Gathering her material and rising from her desk Bismarck snapped a quick salute and swept past Tirpitz and Hood without so much as a backwards glance, both Shipgirls sharing an exasperated look before quickly leaving the office with nods of gratitude, the atmosphere one of bitter awkwardness as the flagship glacially announced, "Is there a reason you felt any particular need to embarrass me in front of our entire command structure?"

"Your insistence on isolation and devoting every waking moment of your life to making up for perceived past crimes was tolerable when it was merely yourself that suffered, I take exception to this state of affairs when it begins to affect others."

"And it's your responsibility to police each and every-"

Hood gently placed her hand on Bismarck's arm, the genuine and inoffensive gesture immediately causing the Ironblood to sigh, tiredly remarking, "It's appreciated, but I don't need your help."

"Because you're capable of handling this burden by yourself, or because you don't wish to inconvenience others?"

Hood's gentle inquiry had the flagship glancing away, unable to bear the earnestness displayed and finding it much easier to meet Tirpitz's frustrated one instead.

"The former."

"You have walking proof at your side that you are not incapable of tackling every challenge that comes your way and ensuring it doesn't blow up in our faces and you have the gall to pretend you are some indomitable soul?"

Grimacing at the reminder of her crippling of Hood - but not one to take anything lying down - the blonde readied herself for another argument-

"Ladies, please. Regardless of who needs who's help why are we insisting on retreading old ground when we could instead be enjoying a pleasant day in each other's company?"

A tender and not entirely comfortable silence descended on the pair of Ironbloods, even though they couldn't argue with Hood's conclusion. Instead they strode through the base without much in the way of conversation, their journey eventually depositing them in the industrial district of the base with several foundries running at full steam, one of the rectangular structures rhythmically releasing deafening booms as the industry inside shaped some colossal feat of engineering, likely a part of a ship's engine or some other component as they instead went to one of the smaller buildings, more of an office than it was foundry as Bismarck marched inside, prompting an immediate meow of panic as Akashi shoved something inside of her sleeves, wildly staring at the Ironblood flagship before stammering out, "H-hey there, nya? Didn't expect to see you here so soon! Why are you here so soon-"

"You need to sign these…although I suppose it wouldn't hurt to run a brief audit of your current operations."

"A-audit?! We need several days advance notice to properly, uhh, erm…I mean sure, there's no worry what so ever, go ahead, nya?"

Tirpitz sighed, wondering if there was any way Akashi could be more suspicious as Bismarck narrowed her eyes, lips parting to no doubt offer some kind of scathing or demanding comment-

"Akashi, what's the hold up? If we don't have the budget all messed up and falsified there's going to be a lot of questions and the Commander-oooooh."

Bismarck turned with all the stately majesty and threat of a cannon barrel, affixing Leonardo, Adalbert and Yubari with a death stare, the trio of Shipgirls stained with machine oil, soot and awkward expressions as the air turned more than a little tense with their abrupt entry.

"...Do go on about this falsified budget, I would love to hear more about it."

Prinz Adalbert nervously laughed as Leonardo and Yubari - being of smaller stature - had immediately taken cover behind the taller and broader girl, seeming to wilt before Bismarck's approach, Akashi taking the opportunity to escape…and went limp as the flagship Ironblood snagged the back of her neck, very much like a kitten as Bismarck dropped her next to the three engineers.

"And you're not leaving until I get the answers I want."

"A bit harsh, would you not agree?"

"I would wager not harsh enough."

Bismarck's irritated comment had Hood quietly laughing behind her hand, the four engineers still stuck in an improvised dogeza that they clearly weren't in any hurry to abandon, Tirpitz shaking her head at the scene.

In some ways Azur Lane was exactly the same it had always been. Although the fact that the amount of money flowing through its coffers had been vastly increased was a cause for both concern and celebration.

"Unbelievable…we already have a functioning autonomous force and battlesuit technology, why were they trying to build an upscaled bipedal version?"

Hood shrugged at the blonde's irate words, clearly just annoyed at the whole conversation and wanting to vent a bit before adding her own comment of, "They've never been ones to shy away from an aesthetically striking design, remember 'Patriot Bot'?"

"I much rather wouldn't."

Chuckling at Bismarck's grumbled response Hood inclined her hat slightly, stating, "Unfortunately this is where I shall take my leave, do try to take care of yourself, please?"

Wrapping the flagship Ironblood in a friendly hug Bismarck looked as if the action physically pained her, nonetheless replying, "I…will try to the best of my ability."

"Well in that case I suppose it's for the better you have so many looking after your health! Until next time, Tirpitz."

"Enjoy your afternoon, Hood."

The Royal Navy Shipgirl departed into the afternoon sun, both Ironblood women resuming their march to the submarine dorms as the blonde abruptly stated, "You don't need to spend so much of your time and energy chasing me down, sister."

"Unfortunately for you, I don't consider it much of an expenditure at all. And I am by no means the only one who feels that way, all that remains is for you to accept that and stop wallowing in the past."

She was quick to hold up a hand, concluding, "We've said our individual pieces, sister. I'd rather not have the rest of our day be filled with a repeat of what we've already stated."

"Convenient of you to feel that way with the last word firmly in your court."

"If it will make you feel better then by all means, speak."

A brief smile tilted Bismarck's lips before she merely shook her head, responding, "I'll take the high road, if it's all the same to you."

"So be it. I hope you have enough energy and enthusiasm to withstand the Sub's attention."

"I'm more concerned about wrangling them together, I doubt they'll be all that excited to sit down and suffer through a meeting such as this…"

"Oh I wouldn't worry about dragging them together into one room."

Giving Tirpitz a perplexed look at the idle comment the rest of their journey passed in companionable silence, the dorm that housed the Subs oddly quiet as Bismarck strode inside, heading towards the common room to no doubt call the Shipgirls together-

"HAPPY LAUNCH DAY!"

-and froze stiff as a statue as a blast of noise and congratulations washed over her, dozens of enthusiastic cries sounding out as several streamers of hastily cut and braided paper rained down from above, Tirpitz not bothering to hide her smirk.

"...What?"

"Happy launch day, Lord Bismarck! It's February 14th and we couldn't let this day go by without some kind of celebration - even though that was probably your plan - so we threw our own!"

U-556 boldly approached, shoving a bottle of Oxy-Cola into the stunned woman's hands as she announced, "So we're going to party and you're the guest of honor!"

"...What?"

Before she could properly contemplate or process any of what had just happened Bismarck was pushed into the crowd of Subs by an eager U-556, Tirpitz openly smirking at a plan having gone off without a hitch.

"Thank you for taking time out of your day to do this, Dace."

"No worries, figuring out times when I may get to blow things up is always fun~!"

The torpedo-obsessed Sub happily signed off on the patrol schedules before handing Tirpitz the files, the Union Shipgirl abruptly yawning as Tirpitz gently pushed her towards the dorms, stating, "Go ahead and get some sleep, I'll help clean up."

"Thanks, Miss Tirpitz…ya know, you're not even close to the icy gal everyone says you used to be."

"I've been getting that a lot. Good night, Miss Dace."

Stumbling towards her room Tirpitz couldn't help but smile, a few of the other Submarines not even making it that far and camping out on couches or sofas, Surcouf quietly giggling as she draped blankets over their out cold bodies.

"I guess I missed out on most of the fun, didn't I?"

"It was quite the party. I tend to forget that most Submarines have the energy, temperament and enthusiasm of children while their minds can be a fair bit more mature."

She cast a wry glance to where Oxy-Cola had been liberally mixed with whiskey and other hard liquors, many of the Subs starting a variant of 'Beer Pong' in the water that consisted of tossing torpedoes into cups. Armed torpedoes.

It now made much more sense to the Ironblood why the pool was made of reinforced materials.

"Heh heh, you should see your sister out there, for 'Ironblood' you ladies can be pretty soft and sweet, can't you?"

"While we tried not to advertise this we endeavored to exhibit those traits towards our enemies and only our enemies. What I won't speak to is our success in that pursuit."

"Regardless, your help is appreciated~!"

Surcouf planted a quick kiss of thanks on Tirpitz's cheek, the busty Sub remarking, "The little ones can get pretty rowdy and a second set of helping hands means a lot."

"You are often responsible for looking after them?"

"Yup~!"

The Iris Sub emphasized her admittedly bountiful body, proudly stating, "Big Sis Surcouf, can you reach the top shelf for me? Big Sis Surcouf, what movie do you want to watch? Big Sis Surcouf, I lost my favorite pair of goggles! It's a busy time but it's worth it for the little ones."

A more gentle and somewhat melancholy smile graced the woman's features.

"I saw a lot of them sink during the war and never got used to hearing fewer and fewer voices ask for my help. A second chance like this is more than I ever hoped for. Come to think of it, I should probably stop by Richelieu's place more often and be a bit more diligent in my prayers, hmm…"

"I'll leave you to your thoughts and tidy up the pool, then."

"Sounds like a plan~! Don't worry about getting everything, just stray glass or stuff like that, they'll clean out the rest themselves."

Nodding in understanding Tirpitz carefully tucked away the folders and strode out onto the pool area, only finding a few bits of trash that needed immediate disposal before gazing at where Bismarck - forced into a black bikini by the insistent Subs - dozed on a sunchair, U-556 snuggled deep into her chest and both women sporting relaxed and at peace expressions.

It was enough to make Tirpitz wish she had a camera ready. Instead she grabbed a nearby towel and threw it over the pair-

-only to come face to face with one of Bismarck's icy blue eyes, staring at her with an unreadable expression…and a soft sigh escaped her sister's lips.

"One moment, I need to put this one to bed."

"I'll be waiting."

A few minutes passed as Tirpitz perused the folder for any mistakes or edits that needed to be made, eventually snapping it shut as Bismarck slowly sat in front of her, still garbed in the bikini which was rather telling of her distracted state of mind.

"...You had this planned from the start, didn't you?"

"Actually I was at something of a loss until I spoke to Hood this morning and Commander Alexander was quick on his feet when shifting around assignments."

"You mean you mentally offered him a suggestion."

"In not so many words."

Bismarck once more fell silent, apparently lost in thought as Tirpitz allowed it, not willing to push when it was clear her stubborn sister was finally arriving at some semblance of a conclusion under her own power.

"She spoke to me, you know. U-556."

"And what did she say?"

"...That she would like to wake me up in the morning and eat breakfast together when schedules allow."

The pale-haired ironblood had to bite back a small smile at that, wryly amused by the fact that U-556 had gone with the more innocent but ultimately more effective tactic. It was too much for her sister to immediately change her attitude and mindset…but a small step in the right direction was a start.

"Well I wouldn't wish for you to be tired for your first breakfast, shall we depart?"

"Yes, let's."

Not receiving any thanks for her efforts - and certainly not expecting any - Tirpitz merely smirked, idly commenting, "It seems you've taken to the Subs stylistic choices as well, I never would have imagined you doing so."

Tilting her head at the comment and glancing down a rare and admittedly adorable yelp accompanied the blonde realizing she was in an admittedly tight swimsuit, hurrying off to find her clothes as Tirpitz could only shake her head.

The day had turned out to be quite productive after all.

[Gooooood morning, Azur Lane~! We're looking at a real scorcher of a day here on base with a high of 90 - that's a cool 32 to you non Union guys and gals - with a humidity of 31%, I suggest you find a way to skip your duties and keep cool after yesterday's nice weather-OWIE!]

[As unfortunate it is that I need to repeat what every other Royal Maid has stated you should not be derelict in your duties. Those who do are insects and need crushing-]

[Sheffield, stop being mean to me and everyone on the base, how are you carrying out your midget queen's will by being a total bitch-hey hey hey, take it easy with the pistol!]

A loud bang sounded out over the radio accompanied by a panicked yelp from San Francisco before Tirpitz sighed, shutting off the morning 'broadcast' just as her dorm room burst open, U-556 grandly proclaiming, "Rise and shine, Lord Bismarck! Your loyal knight is here to escort you to the mess hall~!"

Holding her breath Tirpitz glanced to the side-

-and was treated to the comedic sight of U-556 leaping onto Bismarck's bed, a light grunt leaving her sister as she sleepily mumbled, "My dear knight? Please remove your knees from my stomach…"

Tirpitz relaxed and smiled, leaning back into her bed's embrace.

It really was a new age, wasn't it?

Proof that I'm actually telling the truth when I said that there was more to come with this story?! Impossible!

Jokes aside it was actually pretty fun to write this first afterstory, props if you recognize the inspiration for the new Azur Lane enlisted theme song.

Next up on the docket is a long overdue Emile chapter, I neglected the poor dancer for quite some time.