For the shipgirls stationed at Brest, the sight of an icebreaker was an odd one.
The highly specialized vessels were a much more common sight in the northern territories, where they'd usually be employed to open the way for merchant convoys and supply lines through the frozen waters of the Northern Parliament, usually with a fleet of Kansen escorting them.
Which was why the figure of the Lenin pulling into port was attracting so much attention.
After the fall of the Basilica and the loss of one of humanity's most important outposts in the Atlantic, those waters were now completely unguarded. For that reason, Azur Lane had opted to send reinforcements to secure them as the Iris Orthodoxy focused on rebuilding the outpost. It wouldn't even be two days after the tragedy at the Basilica that Brest, as the most important French port on the Atlantic coast, became something of a joint base, harboring shipgirls from all the major European factions.
Alas, it goes without saying that, during the missile attack that threw the world into turmoil, the base had also been targeted by the Sirens, but thankfully, it hadn't suffered any damage. Thanks to the number of eyes and guns they had on that speck of ocean, the Kansen didn't let the Sirens do as they pleased, intercepting and destroying the small fleet of warhead-carrying attackers before they could even get in range of the base.
Of course, the consequences of the global attack didn't fail to reach them as well. As everyone tried to get hold of the situation, the workload for the shipgirls in Brest had only increased, and the pace of the operation for securing the waters of the Atlantic was beginning to lag behind.
Which was why the extra pairs of hands were more than welcome.
On the docks, the members of the Le Fantasque-class were ready to welcome their sister, knowing well in advance that Le Malin was on her way. They also knew that she was being escorted by a small group of male Kansen sent there as reinforcements by the Commander of Azur Lane, which was the reason why a small crowd of shipgirls was forming at the docks.
Some of them wanted to welcome their friends, while others wanted to get an idea of who they'd be dealing with from now on; after all, they'd never met the shipboys, and they were supposed to work together for the foreseeable future.
"Soeur!" An excited cry arose from the destroyers of the Le Fantasque-class as Le Malin's unmistakable figure appeared aboard the icebreaker, waving at her sisters and comrades.
She eagerly jumped down the vessel, right as it disappeared into a flash of light and cubes, and quickly skimmed toward the pier.
Le Terrible and L'Indomptable all but shoved each other aside, both trying to be the first to get to hug their beloved sister, but Le Triomphant beat them to the punch, stepping forward to catch Le Malin in a bearhug as the other two glared up at each other.
"It's good to see you, Le Malin!" Le Triomphant said, perking up to the sight of a certain shipboy approaching them from behind her sister. "And you as well, Lenin! How are you doing?"
"Hi there," Lenin responded as he stepped on the concrete. "I'm fine, all things considered."
"How was the trip? And what about the expedition? Is it true that you went to another timeline? And what happened to the Ashes? We've heard that they are staying at the joint base; is that also true?" Le Triomphant began bombarding them with questions, but before they could answer, L'Indomptable interjected.
"Wait,Lenin?" She piped up, a frown appearing on her face. "The Lenin you told us about? The one who attacked you on your way to Azur Lane? That Lenin?!"
The shipboy completely froze, not knowing how to react to the irrefutable accusation.
Without waiting for a response, L'Indomptable stepped up to him, pointing an accusatory finger at his chest.
"You sure have some nerves to show your face here!" She hissed in his face. "Don't you have a semblance of shame after everything you've done?"
"Indeed," Le Terrible remarked. "Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"
Lenin began spluttering, trying to come up with a retort, but his throat went dry when he noticed the stares. Every Iris and Vichya shipgirl in the vicinity was glaring at him now, judging him, and he found himself unable to form a coherent sentence.
Before things could worsen, Le Malin intervened, placing herself next to him and grabbing his arm in a protective manner.
"L'Indomptable, Le Terrible, be nice to him," she berated her sisters, regarding them with a disapproving scowl.
Lenin's heart made a flip as she hugged his arm to her chest, shame and guilt now replaced with embarrassment.
"Huh?! But soeur, isn't he the one who crippled our Dunkerque? Why are you taking his side?!" L'Indomptable cried in disbelief as Le Terrible frowned.
"Soeur, wait, it's not that simple," Le Triomphant said, trying to assuage her sister's anger.
As the destroyers began arguing, a tall, busty shipgirl with long, white hair and curls stepped up to them from the small crowd.
"It's fine, you guys; there's no need to get so worked up." Algérie addressed them, drawing their attention.
"What do you mean, Algérie?" Le Terrible inquired.
"Dunkerque has already forgiven him. Even Jean Bart acknowledged him," she declared sternly. "Not to mention the circumstances... We can set aside old, pointless grudges."
"Hmpf, fine, if you say so," L'Indomptable harrumphed, still not entirely convinced.
Lenin let out a sigh of relief, his nerves coming back to him. He tried to seek out Algérie's gaze to thank her, but someone else was ahead of him.
"A-Algérie?" Le Malin stammered, her eyes widening at the sight of the taller woman.
Algérie tilted her head in confusion, her expression softening. "What's wrong, Le Malin? You look like you've seen a ghost."
She blinked in surprise as Le Malin all but slammed into her, the shorter shipgirl wrapping her arms around her waist in a tight hug.
"Aw, Le Malin, I didn't know you'd miss me this much," the taller woman chuckled, reciprocating the hug after recovering from the surprise.
Le Malin sniffled, burying her face in her clothes and latching on to her as if her life depended on it. Of course, Algérie understood immediately that something was up. There was something more than simple homesickness in the destroyer's demeanor.
"Why don't we go inside? Then you can tell me all about what's troubling you."
Le Malin nodded. She broke the hug and began following Algérie with Lenin in tow, her sisters immediately flanking her as they all headed inside, navigating through the other Kansen mingling around them.
Seeing Le Malin's eagerness to be reunited with her sisters, Leviathan, Emperor, and Hermione decided to let her and Lenin go ahead of them to leave them some space.
Though, as they approached the docks, Emperor noticed someone as excited waiting for them.
"Someone's eager to meet her 'big brother,'" Hermione commented, drawing a chuckle from the male Kansen.
A purple-haired young-looking carrier in a white dress was waving excitedly at them with one arm while holding her "stuffed animal" in the other. Behind her, a taller, bustier woman, also dressed in white, and a blonde girl with long curls were patiently waiting for them to touch land.
"Big brother!" Unicorn ran up to Emperor as the shipboy jumped on the concrete. He spread his arms wide to catch her in a hug, lifting her up a couple feet from the ground and twirling her around as he held her.
"Unicorn! How are you doing, little one? Have you been a good girl?" He asked her with a smile after putting her down. "You didn't cause trouble for your big sister, did you?" He added, turning to greet Illustrious with a smile and a nod.
Illustrious chuckled at that and shook her head.
"She's been on her best behavior, Emperor," she said. "But she's been rather restless these past few days, knowing her big brother was coming," she added with another chuckle, much to the smaller carrier's embarrassment. "She wouldn't stop asking when you'd arrive."
"B-big sis…" Unicorn shrank, hugging Yuni to her chest and hiding her face behind her, eliciting another chuckle from Illustrious and making Emperor give her a reassuring headpat.
"Well, now I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere," he declared happily, turning toward his actual sister.
Chaser gave him a soft smile, strutting toward him before throwing her arms around his neck.
"I missed you, brother," she said as he returned the hug, a wistful undertone in her voice.
"Are you okay? You sound a bit down," he asked her, frowning in concern.
"I'm fine; don't worry about me," she said with a short sigh. "It's just that... a lot has happened these past few days."
Emperor raised an eyebrow at that. Now that he thought about it, the past few days had been like a blur to them. They didn't make a single stop and went straight for the Iris Orthodoxy; it was like they were cut off from the rest of the world. They already knew about the Basilica, of course; it was the reason they'd departed so hastily.
What else had happened while they were traveling?
"Tell me all about it."
"Miss Illustrious, it's good to see you in good health," Hermione said, curtsying in front of the carrier.
"You as well, Hermione," Illustrious responded with a bow of her own. She glanced furtively at Emperor, who was chatting with Unicorn and Chaser, then returned her gaze to the maid. "I hope your ship's been sailing smoothly," she added emphatically.
Hermione didn't miss the gleam in the other woman's eyes. She let out a soft smile and lightly cleared her throat. "Indeed, Miss Illustrious, it's only been fair winds and following seas since our last meeting."
Illustrious beamed. She closed the distance with the maid and grabbed her hands in her own.
"You'll be happy to know that your sisters have also been transferred here from Devonport; you should go say hi before getting back to work," she told her, making Hermione smile broadly at the news. "Also, I want you to tell me everything later, and don't you dare spare any detail," she added in a hushed tone, sending her a subtle wink.
Hermione couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips at the carrier's thirst for gossip; the news of her relationship with Emperor was sure to be the topic of many afternoon tea conversations for at least a week after that.
As the reunion between the Royal Navy Kansen went on, Leviathan had been eagerly scanning the docks around them with his gaze, trying to spot his lover's familiar figure. But much to his own chagrin, August was nowhere to be seen, and he was forced to interject in their conversation.
"Miss Illustrious, do you know where August is?" He inquired with a note of concern in his voice. "I was under the impression she was also transferred here. Did she go back to Wilhelmshaven?"
"I believe August is at the medical bay," replied Illustrious.
"What?! Is she injured?!" Leviathan blurted out, concern quickly turning into distress.
"No, nothing like that; she's completely fine." Illustrious reassured him. "She's just taking over for U-556."
"Parzival? Why? Did something happen?" He inquired in confusion.
Illustrious let out a disheartened sigh, her face darkening slightly. "Come with me, if you please; you'll understand what I mean."
While that didn't help assuage the shipboy's confusion, it certainly piqued his curiosity.
"Alright, lead the way."
"Parzival…"
U-556 woke up with a start when August put a hand on her shoulder.
"Uh… Frau August? What time is it?"
"Tis time for you to take a break and get something to eat," August told her.
"Thank you, but I'm not hungry," said the sub, her shoulders sagging.
"You've been here all night and day, Parzival; let me take over," August said, her tone gentle but firm. "You need to go out, get some air, distract yourself... It's what she'd want you to do."
Those words seemed to get through the little sub, if only a tad bit.
"B-but… What if she wakes up while I'm not here?" U-556 protested meekly.
"I'll make sure you are the first to know if it does happen," August declared.
"You promise?" She asked August with doe eyes.
"I promise," August answered solemnly.
U-556 glanced at the bed she'd been sitting at for the past hours and at the person laying atop it, then her stomach growled in protest, and she cast her eyes to the ground in embarrassment.
"Alright… I'll go grab a bite," she relented. "See you later, Frau August."
August watched as U-556 left the room, head hung low, her stride devoid of her usual cheeriness. When the door closed and the shorter Kansen left the room, her poker face twisted into a crestfallen look. She sat on the now vacant chair, letting out a dejected sigh.
Laying on the hospital bed beside her was none other than Bismarck herself. The Iron Blood flagship had miraculously survived her encounter with the Original Sirens and had made it to the base right on time to be put on life support.
The term "life support," though, was an understatement. The machines she was attached to were literally the only things keeping her body from falling apart, which was why she was here at the Orthodoxy instead of back in the fatherland. In her condition, no one wanted to risk moving her. The top of her head, her disheveled hair, and her shut eyes were the only visible parts, while her nose and mouth were trapped by an oxygen mask. The rest was safely secured and encased inside layers of plaster, hidden out of sight below the covers, from under which a bunch of cables and tubes came out.
The sight of her dear friend and leader reduced to such a broken shell of her former self was enough to make August's heart clench.
Any attempt at healing the battleship was met with failure. The wounds she had received were strictly linked to her hull, which meant that until the ship was repaired, she simply wouldn't recover. The only problem was that the ship was currently sitting half-submerged and half-destroyed at the bottom of the bay of the Basilica, along with the Jean Bart, who was in much the same condition.
Attempts at salvaging both their hulls had already been made, but between the threat of the Sirens still running around the place and the most recent developments, the operation was encountering too many setbacks.
To say nothing of the delicacy of the process. Trying to salvage a shipwreck that was on the verge of collapsing under its own weight without further damaging it was already enough of a tall order; imagine doing it while also having to navigate through all the rubble and destruction. Setting up dredgers and cranes was almost impossible in those conditions. Nothing could be done until the place was cleared of the debris, but that was also something that required a lot more time, manpower, and resources—all things they were currently lacking.
August let out a disheartened sigh, trying to maintain her composure despite the bleak situation.
"This burden would be much easier to bear if you were here... Please, hurry up…"
Her train of thought was interrupted by the sound of the door slamming open and a voice addressing her from behind.
"August."
Her heart made a flip in her chest, and she sprang to her feet, turning around in a flash. Standing right before her, with his hand still on the doorknob, was Leviathan himself. His eyes lit up when his gaze settled on her, and her jaw went slack.
"Darling…" she breathed out in disbelief.
In the blink of an eye, they were in each other's arms, the built-up anxiety they had accumulated over the past few days dissipating in a matter of seconds.
They both remained silent for a while, simply reveling in each other's presence. She nuzzled into his chest as he soothed her back, both of them rediscovering the joy of being close enough to touch each other after what felt like an eternity apart.
"Forgive me for not being there to welcome you," August said after a while. "I'm ashamed to say that I completely lost track of time."
Instead of replying, he broke the hug to cup her face with his hands. He looked into her teary eyes and shook his head with a smile, losing himself in her gaze for a moment before planting a soft kiss on her lips.
"I was so worried when I heard of the Basilica," he said after breaking the kiss. "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."
"Fate has determined I came out unscathed from that whole ordeal," said August. "Alas, someone wasn't as lucky…" she added, turning to glance at the bed and its occupant.
"Bismarck…" Leviathan exhaled, following her gaze. "What's the situation with her? I thought they had officially announced her sinking, along with that of Jean Bart."
"Jean Bart's in the room right next to this one, brother; you were so eager to reunite with your beloved that you didn't even spare her a glance," Emperor announced as he stepped into the room, making Leviathan and August turn to acknowledge him. Behind him were Illustrious, Chaser, and Unicorn.
August quickly composed herself, making sure there was no sign of tears in the corner of her eyes, then turned to regard her lover's brother.
"Well met, Emperor," she said with a courteous nod.
"Good to see you as well, August," he responded, solemnly taking off his hat. "I'd love to say the same to your flagship, but given the circumstances... Would you mind shedding some light on what happened?"
August breathed through her teeth, trying to compose herself in anticipation of having to recount the infuriating events that had transpired.
"Very well, then."
What could have been an occasion for the shipgirls to show the two shipboys around the base had become a walk of enlightenment as they recounted to them the most recent developments, those they had missed during their travel: the siege at the Sanctuary, the coordinated attack on humanity's leaders, the decision of the Commander...
The only thing they were missing was what was happening with the two flagships, and after August's quick explanation, the male Kansen found themselves frowning in thought.
"Let me get this straight," Emperor began. "You are telling us that before most of them got turned into stains by the Sirens, your brass decided to halt the salvage operations for the Bismarck and the Jean Bart?"
Illustrious nodded dejectedly. "Initially, it was decided to keep their survival hidden to avoid media attention, but then they said there was just too much going on to waste resources to save just two ships; flagships or not, it was more convenient to scrap them…"
Emperor threw his arm in the air in disbelief. Of course that's how it was. With their hulls reduced to nothing but piles of steel well below the waterline and the human bodies unable to do anything, Jean Bart and Bismarck's spot on the priority list must have gone down quite a bit, so of course it was more convenient to declare them "sunk" and be done with it.
"So, they just gave up on them," Leviathan mused, kneading his temple with his hand, still trying to wrap his head around the fact.
"Fate truly has a bizarre sense of humor. The order was issued right before the ballistic attack, and now the heartless dignitaries who pushed for it are dead," August declared. There was a hint of malice in her tone, but it was quickly replaced by dejection once again. "Since then, Richelieu and Friedrich have been trying to get things moving, but with the crisis we are facing, it's only gotten harder to secure supplies and manpower; at this point, it might just be too late for them…"
Silence fell over the room, the mood plummeting as the shipboys let her words sink in. They simply didn't know what to say; the only sound heard was the constant beeping of Bismarck's cardiac monitor, at least until Emperor piped up with another question.
"How did they make it here from the Basilica if their injuries were so serious?"
For some reason, which made the shipboys frown in confusion, the shipgirls' eyes settled on Chaser, making the poor girl flinch. The light carrier had remained silent the entire time, spacing out.
"Why, it was all thanks to Chaser," Illustrious spoke up, moving beside the blonde carrier to nudge her on.
"What do you mean? What did you do, Chaser?"
"When the monster that almost killed us all disappeared, we thought there was nothing we could do to save them, but then she stepped in," August explained, turning to Emperor next. "She did something similar to what you did for that Vichya battlecruiser that time," she added, referring to Dunkerque.
"Indeed, she called forth the holy light and enveloped them in its brilliance," Illustrious supplied in delight.
Emperor's eyes slowly widened as realization dawned on him. He turned to the shipgirl in question right as a blush came to her face.
"Is that true, Chaser? You've mastered Wisdom Crafting?" He asked her.
"N-no, I… I didn't do anything…" she stammered, trying her best to avoid his gaze.
"That's not true, Chaser," Illustrious said with an encouraging smile. "You saved both of them. Bismarck and Jean Bart are still alive only thanks to you."
Chaser pursed her lips and hung her head.
It was like August said. Right after the Worm-type left the Basilica, right as the Kansen present were mourning their comrades' inevitable loss, she had used her power to save them… or at least to prevent them from biting the dust.
It wasn't something she had just pulled out of nowhere. She was the first shipgirl to actually start learning Wisdom Crafting, after all. She had been practicing with Emperor since the beginning, well before they arrived together at the Azur Lane joint base. But because of the lack of progress and everything else that was happening, she had to put her training on hold.
She didn't know if it was the spur of the moment caused by the avoided near-death experience or just the post-engagement adrenaline rush—maybe a bit of both—but the sight of the two flagships breathing their last breaths right in front of her and the sight of her comrades despairing around her had been enough to reawaken the memory of everything she had learned.
Not knowing what to do, she'd just focused on the memory of his brother, particularly on his power, taking inspiration from the stasis chamber he'd used to heal everyone's injuries so many times; her Cube had done the rest.
As one would have expected, the result had been far from perfect; her craft only looked like a pathetic imitation of Emperor's sharp and perfectly refined contraption. It had worked only by sheer luck, and she knew it.
"Brother, it's not like that... I didn't… I just…" She tried to speak as her shoulders began shaking. Her voice cracked, and tears began filling her eyes. The shame hit her all over again as she began sobbing. "I could barely stop their bleeding... I couldn't even keep it up until the end. I passed out on our way here."
Emperor was quick to close the distance and wrap her in a comforting hug.
"Oh dear, oh dear. Gorgeous," he said softly to her as she wept.
She clutched his clothes tighter. "I-If I'd kept practicing, maybe... I could have done something more. Instead, my mess-up almost killed them…"
"No, you did great, Chaser. You have no idea what you've accomplished. You copied the power of another Kansen—my power—something no one's ever done. You should be proud of yourself!" He said, trying to cheer her up.
"R-really? You are not disappointed?" She asked him with a sniffle, partially calming down.
Emperor wrapped her arms around her waist and lifted her up, spinning her around playfully and eliciting a yelp from her.
"Of course not; how could I? I'm proud of you!" He exclaimed with a radiant smile.
Through her tear-streaked face, Chaser managed to let out a smile as he set her down. "I… I… T-thank you, brother." She hugged him again, but then remembered that there were other people in the room. A soft blush came to her face, and she quickly wiped away the tears from her eyes before lightly clearing her throat. "F-forgive me for such a disgraceful display, everyone. If you'll excuse me, I'll go refresh myself," she announced before scurrying away in embarrassment, much to the amusement of all those present.
Once Chaser was out of earshot, Emperor turned to ask, "Illustrious, how long has she been like that?"
"Since that day," Illustrious replied honestly. "We've tried talking to her, but she always said she was okay."
"We owe her a lot for what she's done, but no one could get through her," added August. "Until now."
"She's going to be all right, brother," Leviathan told him. "She just had a lot on her mind."
"I know, thank you," Emperor said after taking a breath. He was glad he was able to address the issue afflicting Chaser so soon; the longer she'd keep things bottled up, the worse it was going to be for her. "Anyway, we should start thinking about what we can do to help here; where's Richelieu?"
"I believe the Cardinal's busy with a meeting at the moment, but I don't think she'll be able to receive you; she's too busy trying to keep the Orthodoxy from falling apart again," Illustrious told him. "She spends the little free time she has at her sister's bedside; we barely even see her."
"Well, it seems we'll have to rely on you to point us to where the job needs doing," said Emperor. Then his gaze turned to Bismarck's unconscious form, and something came to his mind. He shared a glance with Leviathan before adding, "But first, we'd like to send word back to our brothers at Azur Lane and ask a few questions in turn; can you point me toward the communication room?"
"Of course, it's right around the corner," Illustrious replied, gesturing toward the door. "I'll show you the way."
And with that said, they walked out of the room, leaving August alone once more with Bismarck's unconscious and unmoving form.
"I look forward to working with you once again, Miss Sheffield," Hermione said with a bow to her fellow Royal Maid, who responded with a hum of approval and a nod.
The reunion with her fellow maids had been quick and concise. Once she finished reporting to Sheffield, who was acting as the head maid for the members of the delegation, Hermione would start working immediately. After all, even outside the Royal Navy, they were supposed to uphold the image of elegance and dutifulness they were so renowned for.
That said, even someone as strict and diligent as Sheffield didn't have the heart to get in the way of a reunion.
"Sister!" As soon as they were allowed to fall out, Charybdis didn't hesitate to catch Hermione in a warm hug, immediately followed by their other two sisters.
"It's so good to see you, Charybdis," Hermione said, reciprocating the hug. "You too, Sirius, Dido," she added when it was their turn. "I was so surprised when Illustrious told me about you; I was totally not expecting to see you all here."
"We were as surprised as you, sister," Sirius said. "We weren't expecting Queen Elizabeth to send us here as part of the delegation."
"Her Majesty?" Hermione tilted her head in confusion.
"Indeed, it was sudden, but it was her idea," Charybdis supplied.
"I initially thought that she wanted to get rid of us," Dido said, a shadow crossing her face for but a moment. "But then she said you'd be arriving soon and that it'd be a nice surprise to show up," she added with a smile.
"She also said that you could probably use a break from always being around that... erm, bloke of your master... I believe those were the words she used," Charybdis said sheepishly.
Hermione chuckled at that, but then realization dawned on her.
"So, it's true... Her Majesty has already gone back to Devonport," she mused, and much to her chagrin, her sisters confirmed her words.
As they explained to her, it turned out Queen Elizabeth had rushed to Brest with all the shipgirls that were at the Basilica during the attack, trying to get there as soon as possible to stabilize Bismarck and Jean Bart after Chaser's miraculous intervention. The port was the closest coastal base to their location, so it was only natural that they moved there.
And after spending a couple days recovering, the queen decided to appoint Illustrious as her representative before departing for her homeland, sending the rest of the delegation after returning to Devonport. That's when the sisters of the Dido-class were assigned to the base, with Sheffield as their supervisor.
It was a bummer, but she should have expected that, Hermione thought. She was hoping to take the chance to ask the queen for her blessing for her relationship with Emperor, but she knew that catching her in time before she departed was a tall order.
But whatever, that would simply have to wait. Meanwhile, she'd get to work with her sisters again. Seeing them after so long, she couldn't help but smile at her queen's thoughtfulness. She was already looking forward to her stay in Brest, and she couldn't wait for them to meet Emperor.
"So, how was it? Serving a male Kansen as your own master?" Sirius asked her excitedly.
"Is it true that he's a womanizer and that he's made advances to Her Majesty herself in the past?" Dido's question took Hermione by surprise, earning her a sheepish chuckle as she fondly remembered their first meeting with the shipboy.
"Don't be impatient, you two," Charybdis gently reprimanded them. "I'm sure we'll have the chance to meet him."
"Indeed, I'll get you acquainted as soon as possible." Hermione smiled at her sisters' eagerness. "And rest assured; while it's true that he can be a bit enthusiastic at times, Master Emperor is a complete gentleman."
"You cannot imagine how glad it makes me to hear you say that, Hermione!"
The voice belonged to no one else but the aforementioned shipboy, who could be seen walking into the hall of the building through the front door.
"M-Master, you've already finished your business?" Hermione asked him, quickly composing herself from the surprise.
"Indeed, I just finished speaking with my brothers back at Azur Lane, and I bring great news," he said with a telling look. "But first, won't you introduce me to your gorgeous sisters?"
"O-of course, Master; as you know, these are my sisters," Hermione said, gesturing toward the three of them. "Charybdis, Sirius, Dido, this man is the person I'm currently serving under."
"Ladies," Emperor said, tipping his hat to them. "Looks like our meeting was fated to happen sooner than expected."
"It's an honor to meet you, Lord Emperor," Charybdis said solemnly as the three of them curtsied elegantly to him.
"You might already know this, but he is actually Miss Chaser's brother…" Hermione added.
"Indeed, I am; though, I couldn't help noticing that you've neglected to add an important part to your introduction, beloved…" Emperor trailed off as he shuffled closer to her, wrapping an arm around her midriff. "Let's fix that."
Hermione's heart skipped a beat as she felt Emperor bring a hand up to her chin. He delicately moved her face so that she was looking straight into his eyes, then leaned in to kiss her. She stiffened in surprise, but then she melted into the kiss. It was just a tender peck on the lips, but it lasted enough to drive the point home.
Of course, all that happened under her sisters' incredulous eyes. Charybdis had her hands clutching her heart, trying to calm the fluttering in her chest, while Sirius and Dido were doing their best now to gawk at the display, blushing hard as they covered their gaping mouths.
When the two broke apart, Emperor had a sly grin on his face, and even if it took a couple seconds, Hermione's mind resumed working.
"M-Master… W-what are you doing?" She began stuttering and spluttering in embarrassment.
"Why, I'm just expressing my enthusiasm, beloved," Emperor said, feigning nonchalance in a teasing manner. "And rehearsing for when we announce our engagement to the whole Royal Court."
"W-we can't possibly show such a display in front of Her Majesty!"
"Why not? Your sisters seem to enjoy it."
"We need to pay attention to the time and place when doing something like this…"
By now, Hermione's blush was creeping all over her face and neck, and she was trying her best to compose herself while also trying to avoid her sisters' gazes boring into her.
It took her a second to realize that she was just encouraging him by playing into his teasing, and that only made her more flustered.
Luckily, Emperor knew when a joke was getting too far.
"So, all kidding aside, ladies, this is how things stand between your sister and me," he announced with a more serious tone. "I hope it wasn't too much of a shock for you."
"N-no, of course not, Lord Emperor," Dido stammered, shaking her head vehemently. "We were just surprised, that's all."
"We didn't mean to offend you; please believe us…" Sirius blurted out, much to the man's amusement.
Feeling more awkward than ever, the maids turned to their calmer and more collected sister in search of a way out of the awkward situation.
"Um, Lord Emperor, we were about to head to the cafeteria; would you like to join us for some tea?" Charybdis offered.
"I wouldn't dream of butting into your precious catch-up time more than I already have," Emperor replied. "But since it's going to be a while before I get a one-on-one talk with the Cardinal, I'll take you up on your offer."
"Is this about the good news you were talking about, Master?" Hermione inquired curiously.
"Correct," Emperor chimed with a smile. "I'll tell you all in front of a nice cuppa..."
"Is that true?! We can heal her?!" U-556 exclaimed.
Passing by the communication room, Leviathan and Emperor had contacted their brothers back at Azur Lane. They wanted to quickly check on them after finding out about the attack on the Sanctuary, but they also wanted to receive an update on Freedom's undertaking with the Commander in the Original Timeline. They learned about everything: Anzeel, Aoste, the Reality Lens... The others didn't spare any detail.
In turn, they had told them the truth about Bismarck and Jean Bart's "sinking."
It didn't take them much to consider the possibility of using the Reality Lens to bring both flagships out of their current coma, and Leviathan hadn't wasted time returning to August to give her the good news.
And of course, August was quick to share the news with the U-boat.
"It's true, Parzival," August confirmed.
The two were inside Bismarck's hospital room. The sub was unable to stay away from her unconscious friend for too long and had returned to her side after only a very short break.
"T-then, we need to hurry... We have to prepare her for the transfer... and we need to tell the others…" U-556 began pacing back and forth in anxiety, struggling to organize her thoughts as a myriad of things came to her mind all at once.
August called her back to reality by placing a hand on her shoulder and making her come to a stop.
"Calm down, Parzival; you know that we can't move her," she told the shorter Kansen. "We only risk making things worse."
U-556 balked, looking at her like she'd just been betrayed.
"But then how are we going to do this?!"
"There's a way. We can have this… Reality Lens brought over and have her operated here," August explained.
"But... how long is it going to take?"
"However long, it's the only way to have her back with us…"
U-556 turned to glance at Bismarck's unmoving form, her heart bleeding for her.
"She's only been like this for a few days, she's strong, she won't surrender to fate so easily," August told her reassuringly, to which the sub simply nodded weakly. "Come now, we should retire for the night, and you need to sleep in a proper bed."
"I... I want to stay here a little longer," Parzival said hesitantly, to which the carrier raised a stern eyebrow. "Just five more minutes, Frau August, then I promise I'll go to bed!" She pleaded with the taller woman.
Looking into her eyes, August noticed a spark of life flickering in her ruby irises, something she hadn't seen in the submarine's gaze in quite some time.
"Very well, then," she relented, gently patting her on the head. "But if I find you asleep in here tomorrow morning, there will be consequences," she added sternly.
U-556 nodded vehemently, and after bidding her good night, August took her leave.
Having decided to give the little sub some space as she and August discussed things, Leviathan had been waiting outside the hospital room all the while, leaning over the wall in the hallway.
He perked up to the sound of the door opening and saw August smiling softly at him as she left the room. He pushed himself off the wall and walked up to her, spreading his arms invitingly, and August promptly leaned into him as he caught her in a warm, comforting hug.
The two of them just stood there for a few seconds, leaning into each other, partly for relief after hearing the good news and partly still trying to make up for lost time.
"It seems like things are looking bright, for once," Leviathan said, breaking the silence.
"Indeed, they are, darling. Your brother's got his wish come true, and my flagship's heading for a recovery," August responded. Then a sultry smile made its way onto her lips. "The situation calls for a… celebration."
"Mmh… Did you have something in mind?" He asked her, matching her tone.
"I was assigned a room in the guest dorm; it's not exactly as grand as my suite back home, but it's comfy enough for the two of us," she said. Then she leaned into his ear. "And all my hallmates are out on sortie," she whispered, letting the implication hang in the air.
Instead of replying, Leviathan leaned in to catch her lips in a passionate kiss, his hand eagerly wandering down toward her backside. She grinned, pleased with the reaction her words elicited from him, but before he could reach the soft flesh of her buttocks, a haughty, shrill voice reached their ears.
"Ugh, you've just arrived, and you're already all over her…" They separated to glance over to the side, where none other than Deutschland herself had just rounded the corner. "Are you really so pent up that you can't even keep it in your pants for a few hours?" She grumbled at him, arms crossed, chin held high.
Leviathan rolled his eyes, and August suppressed a smirk as they separated to regard the new arrival.
"Good to see you as well, Deutschland," he said sarcastically, crossing his arms.
"I can't say the same about you, lowly- ahem... I would have much preferred if my schwester had come in your place, but alas, things rarely go our way," Deutschland declared, cutting herself off as she approached the two of them.
Leviathan raised an eyebrow at that. It seems the cruiser was trying to work on her abrasive personality; either that, or she hadn't forgotten what he'd done for her sister.
"Is this her way to say hello?" He pondered. Last time, the two had departed on relatively good terms, so it wasn't implausible.
"What are you doing here, Deutschland? Have you come to check on Bismarck?" August inquired.
"B-but of course," she quickly responded. "Did you think I came here just to say hi? It's just a coincidence that I happened to pass by while he was here."
"I was right, then," Leviathan thought. He wondered if the shipgirl was having trouble making new friends at the base and had come seeking the company of the only other person she was relatively close to outside of her Iron Blood comrades—him, of course.
He glanced at August with an inquisitive look, and his lover, as if reading his mind, responded with a smirk, confirming his silent question.
Then he remembered something.
"Actually, you've come at the right time, Deutschland. Your sister asked me to give you something," he remarked, glancing at August once again and winking at her. This time it was the carrier's turn to frown in confusion.
"Oh, a present? As expected, my beloved schwester is so thoughtful!" She perked up, her gaze softening as excitement crossed her eyes. "Come on, hurry up, and hand it over," she said, pretentiously beckoning him forward with her hand.
Leviathan fought to suppress a smirk as he leaned down to her height and caught her in a hug.
Deutschland's mind stopped working for a second. The cogs in her brain strained against each other as she tried to process what was happening. By the time it rebooted, he had already straightened his back and lifted her up, her feet dangling above the floor.
"W-w-w-w-what the hell do you think you are doing, you horny bastard?! Unhand me this instant! Isn't August enough to satisfy your urges?!" She tried to struggle against his grip, but her arms were stuck against her body, and she could only kick her legs in the air, flailing like a fish out of water.
"Do you hate me so much that you'd reject a hug from your own sister?" Leviathan asked her, half serious.
Deutschland stopped thrashing about, her eyes widening in realization. Torn between her pride and her longing for her younger sibling, she remained speechless and went limp in his arms.
Seeing as though she seemed to have calmed down, Leviathan said, "Spee said you could use some unconditional affection and asked me to deliver it for her, so don't resist it; let it happen."
More silence followed his words, and finally, Deutschland, not wanting to make her beloved sister pass as a liar, relented.
"Oy, I can't hug you back if you hold me like this, imbecile," she grumbled.
Leviathan put her down and released her at that, allowing her to wrap her arms around his torso in a hesitant but genuine hug.
"Do not misunderstand; I'm hugging my sister, not you, and only because she wanted this," she grumbled without meeting his eyes, to which the shipboy simply shrugged internally.
"My, tis such a lovely and unexpected sight-" Whatever comment August was about to make was cut off by Leviathan grabbing her and unexpectedly dragging her into the hug, his frame and arms wide enough for him to embrace and hold both women together against him.
"Spee said it's for both of you," he announced, much to the surprise of both shipgirls. "She figured you'd be blaming yourselves for what happened to Bismarck, and she wanted to make sure you understood that it wasn't your fault."
The two shipgirls stiffened into his arms, his words hitting the bullseye. On instinct, they leaned into each other and into him, their pride preventing them both from voicing their true emotions.
Deutschland kept fighting with her inner self, gritting hard her sharp teeth and grasping the man's cape tight with anger and frustration, but she managed to calm down when August's arm wrapped around her shoulder, deepening the hug. She could feel the other woman trying to steady her shaky breath as she also tried to control herself.
In the end, they simply stood there, sharing a moment of weakness together but content nonetheless. Despite the initial rluctance, Leviathan didn't mind that either. He was used to comforting people; he'd had plenty of time to practice with his brothers.
Soon, the awkwardness of the situation began setting in, and Deutschland decided she'd had enough. She extricated herself from the group hug and took a deep breath, her face beet red.
"Okay, that's enough! I'm the mighty Deutschland, and there's a limit to how low I can stoop to indulge you over-affectionate buffoons," she declared haughtily, trying to maintain a semblance of pride.
"Are you sure you don't need more?" Leviathan asked her, barely able to contain his amusement.
"Phooey, I don't need your affection! I just didn't want to disappoint my schwester by refusing your offer, that's all!" She exclaimed, not really looking him in the eyes as she said it. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go pay my respects to Frau Bismarck. You two can keep canoodling all night for all I care."
And with that, she strutted away, leaving Leviathan and August finally alone for the rest of the night.
"So, do you think she's finally approved of me sticking around?" He asked her.
"If you consider that no one's ever seen her accept any kind of demonstration of affection outside of Spee's, I'd say you're on the right path," she said. She leaned back into him again, releasing a content sigh. "Ah, they both have grown so much. Truly, asking you to help them with their plight was my best decision."
"Outside of trying—and failing—to make me submit to your will, you mean?" He asked her, raising a smug eyebrow at her.
"That was merely a miscalculation on my part, darling," she asserted sternly, glancing away from him in disdain at the reminder.
"Yeah, and look where that's led us," Leviathan retorted, snorting lightly as he held her close. "So, what were we saying? Your room, right?"
And at that, August's frown turned into a sultry smile. She took her lover by the hand and guided him toward the dorm, eagerly anticipating the night that awaited them.
AN: As the title preluded, hugs and wholesome stuff today. And confirmation about something I've been foreshadowing for a while.
Next Chapter: More Haste, Less Speed