[Azur Lane Shinano]

It seemed it was time to show Nelson-san how I speak to Bismarck-san in the other world. Seaport-hime opened the line between us again and Nelson-san went with me into the Abyssal's body.

"Bismarck-san. How can I help?" I asked.

"This is…" Nelson-san gasped. Of course, this is her world. I'm sure she misses it dearly.

"Frau Shinano. Forgive me for troubling you again, but Geryon found the anomaly. The data shows that it is now at the Atlantic HQ, or at least where it used to be. You said it's the main Siren Stronghold now, ja?"

"Hai. I will let your other self know as soon as possible." I nodded.

"Shinano…" Nelson-san reminded me.

"Ah, yes. May this one ask a favour?" I asked.

"Go ahead." Bismarck-san responded.

"Can you please find the remains of the Nelson-san and the Rodney-san of the world you're in and bring in whatever's left of them?" I requested.

"If we're able to find them, then ja." She nodded.

"Arigato. The connection is weakening now. This one wishes to not strain Seaport-Hime."

"Okay. Danke. Hopefully we can coordinate this better. On your end, you'll need everything to defeat the Stronghold and get to the anomaly. I wish you all luck. Oh, and tell Hood…"

"Hmm? Tell Hood what?" I probed at her hesitation.

"… tell her she better not die until I've had a proper talk with her."

"Hai. I shall." I smiled, knowing about her conflicted feelings for the Royal Battlecruiser. "I must go." I left the Abyssal's mind and Nelson looked at me.

"Thank you… if there's anything left of me or my sister, we can at least put her and myself to rest…"

"Have faith in Bismarck-san. She is far more dependable than she gives herself credit for." I assured her, making her look at me with eyes full of love. This poor shipgirl… she didn't know what she wanted. Now I think she does, and it shall be this one's duty to make sure she's happy from now on.


[Azur Lane Bismarck]

I went to speak with Herr Admiral about the developments.

"So… the anomaly is now in the worst place it could possibly be in your world?" He asked.

"Ja. Just our luck. The Sirens may have found a way to contain it, as well." I guessed.

"Well if that's the case, perhaps they're trying to get everything sorted out? They might just let our Bismarck, Akagi and Kaga walk right up to it?"

"That is a possibility, but the more unstable Sirens like Purifier and Tester may attack her anyway. Until then, we'll have to see what happens. On our end, as it will be a lot simpler, I have a request."

"Sure, Bismarck. How can I help?"

"I need to know the last known locations of Frauen Nelson and Rodney. Whatever's left of them as to be brought back here." I requested.

"Hmm… odd request. Well, Rodney is easy. Nelson's last known position is in the English Channel from when she and her sister got ambushed alone by Abyssals." He said as he looked through the files on his computer.

"Why would Rodney be easier to find if she was ambushed with Nelson?" I asked, confused.

He looked at me with a pause, "…You didn't know?"

"Know… what?"

"Rodney's here on the base. She's an Abyssal."

"Really? Which one?" I asked in surprise.

"According to the updated Abyssal files, she's… the European Little Sister Princess. She still looks quite a lot like herself, despite the more… revealing outfit." He showed me her picture compared to how she used to look.

"Hmm… I'll speak to her, then. Danke, Herr Micheal."

"No problem, Bismarck. Let me know if there's anything else."

I nodded and left to go see Rodney.


[Kancolle Bismarck]

We raced back to base after Enterprise. If her reckoning was right, it meant there was a Siren on base. Again. I prepared myself to kill another one and we all split up to hunt her down. Hood went with me immediately as Enterprise bolted straight to the lab, presumably to make sure Belfast was okay.

"Bloody Sirens… all espionage and subterfuge." Hood muttered.

"We'll find her, Hood… I can sense her…"

"You can? Where is she?" She looked at me.

"I can't pinpoint her exact location… but she's in the centre of the island. In the Command Centre." I looked towards the middle.

"Bloody hell… Commander! Respond!" Hood spoke into her radio.

The Kommandant responded, "I'm here, Hood. Did you find her?"

"Not yet, but Bismarck says she's most likely in the Command Centre, be very careful!"

"Roger. All ships, fall back to the Command Centre! Search every nook and cranny! She can't portal out of here unless she touches the ocean! This could be our chance to capture a Siren!"

All of us converged on the main building. Together, we stormed in and left some Kansen guarding the exits. Clearing the rooms one by one like Navy SEALs, the Kansen couldn't find even a trace of the Siren while I tried to focus to be more specific with her location.

I then opened my eyes and said, "Basement."

Hood looked at me, "This place has a basement?" She contacted the Kommandant, "Sir, the Siren is in the basement."

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, he replied, "Understood, all Kansen on land, fall in."

"Did you know there was a level below the ground, sir?" Hood asked as the Kommandant approached us.

"I… had heard rumours. There's no door to it and it's not in the official plans. Everyone look for some hidden entrance or a way in around the island. Maybe a cave or something we didn't know about."

He didn't sound so sure of himself. I kept an eye on him. He looked rather nervous.

By his order, some Kansen left to scan the beaches and rocks around the island while the rest inspected every inch they could with the Kommandant.

I felt myself drawn towards a bookshelf in the corner. Hood followed me over and I peeked behind it. Before she could offer to move it for me, I picked the entire thing up and moved it, dislodging a few books.

Behind it was the outline of a doorframe, a slightly different colour to the rest of the wall, as if it were just repainted.

Hood knocked on the wall next to it, making the usual solid noise, then knocked on the discoloured part, making a hollow echo sound. "A hidden door? Behind a bookshelf? It's that simple?" She asked.

"It may be simple, but nobody's found it until now." I argued. I kicked the door down and it was sent down a staircase. I called out, "Kommandant! We found a way in!"

"Good work, Hood and Bismarck." He replied with a worried-sounding tone. Was there's something down here he is scared of? Surely it's not the Siren unnerving him when he has half the base here with him?

He radioed, "All Kansen on the outside, keep looking for other entrances. Look for strange distortions in the rocks." He out the radio away, "Everyone else, on me." He unholstered his service pistol. At least he still wants to take point to protect us.

Hood asked, "Sir, wouldn't it be best for you to hang back? I very much doubt a .45 caliber pistol is going to do much to a Siren."

"Now what kind of man would I be if I told a lady to go first into a dangerous place? Stay behind me."

He was brave, but I couldn't help but feel something was off with him…


[Azur Lane Bismarck]

I tracked down Rodney, or European Little Sister Princess as she's called now, and got her attention.

"Frau Rodney."

The Abyssal froze and slowly looked at me. "You… know my name…?"

"Ja. I was asked to find you and what remains of your sister." I explained.

Rodney looked down and mumbled, "Nelson… I miss her…"

"I have a sister, too. I miss her dearly as well. I couldn't be there for her birthday this year, or for my own."

"What… do you want with our remains…?" She asked.

"I believe your sister wants to put her body to rest. I don't think she knows you still live as an Abyssal." I added.

Rodney gave me a sad smile and looked at her pale hands, "If you can call this living… though it warms my lifeless heart… to know she still exists… in some form…"

"Would you be up for going back to where you both sank to find her?" I asked.

"…"

"Frau Rodney?"

"If it brings her some peace… I will." She nodded after thinking it over.

After getting permission from Admiral Micheal, we set off for the English Channel. The rest of the Kriegsmarine asked to come with us, and they weren't about to take "nein" for an answer. We settled in on my ship and I headed for the Bering Sea.


[Kancolle Bismarck]

We headed down the ominous staircase, the under-barrel torch on the Kommandant's 1911 and the spotlights on our riggings lighting the way.

Seawater dripped from cracks in the ceiling. There must've been natural small cave systems carving their way into the island between ground level and the level below. In any case, the Kommandant warned us to be careful.

Faint lights lit the way much further down. Rounding the corner, there was a door with bright lights flickering from behind it as it escaped underneath and lit up the floor.

"She can't have…" The Kommandant muttered to himself. "No… no…"

"What was that, sir?" I asked.

"Nothing. Stack up on the door." He ordered while aiming his pistol at it. It seems he's trained his Kansen about military doctrine not usually applied to their expertise as they understood the order and took positions around the door. Hood stood in front of both the Kommandant and I and Cleveland got ready to storm in first.

Eugen put her hand on the door handle and slowly turned it to see if it were unlocked. When she learned it was, she nodded to Wales who was on the other side.

They looked at the Kommandant, who looked unusually nervous, and he nodded, "Breach."

"Breaching!" Cleveland yelled as she kicked the door into the room, right off its hinges like I did earlier.

The Kansen piled into the room and we saw her, the Siren that must've snuck in when the other two attacked the base.

"Freeze!" Cleveland ordered.

"Oh, what a bother. It seems you found me." Harmony said as she smiled at us.

"Wipe that bloody look off your face." Wales demanded, "Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in? You cannot portal out of here. Surrender to us, or we will subdue you!"

"How much trouble I am in? Oh, sweetie, I think you'll find I'm not the one who needs to explain themself." She retorted as she pressed a button to open up the wall behind me. "Did your Commander ever tell you about this little feature of his base?"

The lights came on in the next room behind her. Through the glass, we saw…

Was that…?

"Oh my God… it can't be…" Hood gasped.

The Commander stayed ominously silent.

"Oh, yes…" Harmony smiled, "Say hello to your Commander's standard-issue Azur Lane Kansen Scrapper!"

Nein… surely not…

"Commander!" Hood looked back at him, "You knew about this!?"

"I-" he stuttered, "I… I…"

"You'd better start bloody explaining right now!" Wales demanded.

"Yes, dear Commander." Harmony leaned forward on her rigging, head resting in her hands, "I'd LOVE to see you explain this~"

"Commander…" Cleveland looked at him, "You… never used that thing, right?"

"No. Of course not, Cleve. I'd never use it." The Commander answered.

"Then why is it still here, I wonder?" Harmony taunted.

"It's still here so the public doesn't find out how fucked Azur Lane High Command is. They made these fucking things to dispose of disobedient Kansen as they see you all as property. I decided that's bullshit and I abandoned this hellish contraption and tried to forget about it! I kept it secret so humanity doesn't lose faith in their last hole against these assholes!" He pointed at Harmony, "I don't don't what you're trying to start, Siren, but you're coming with us right now!" He yelled as he aimed his pistol at her.

"This version of your High Command… it's so disappointing…" Harmony stated.

Different versions? Does she mean…?

A flash went through my mind, as if a memory just unlocked itself. I saw another world… consumed by something…

"Version?" I asked while stepping forward. "Like the others that failed? The other ones you tested and fought alongside, only to die again to… whatever destroyed those worlds?"

Everyone looked at me while Harmony's cocky smile vanished. She asked, "…How do you know about that…? It's impossible for you to know…"

"What the hell are you both talking about?" The Kommandant asked.

As I remembered, I felt a familiar darkness creeping up on me. Thankfully, Shinano's phantom helped hold it back from taking me fully.

I saw how uncomfortable the Siren looked and how confused everyone else was. I knew Harmony wouldn't dare make a move with so many guns pointed at her so I stood between everyone.

"When I fought Observer, I used my Abyssal power to see into her mind."

"Stop it…" Harmony warned.

"Shut the hell up, Siren." The Kommandant snapped back, "Go on, Bismarck."

I nodded and explained everything I remembered seeing in Observer's mind…


[Azur Lane Bismarck]

On the way up the Russian coast, we approached the Bering Sea as I deduced that would be the fastest route to the Atlantic, and also because my vessel wouldn't fit in the Panama Canal. I had everyone stay inside where it's warm. Tirpitz gave me a lot of lessons on how to sail through freezing temperatures, combined with my own experiences in the Denmark Strait.

As we passed the Kuril Islands in the Sea of Okhotsk, I half expected to see the Northern Parliament Kansen there to escort us, but then I once again remembered this isn't my world. I then became concerned about Russian human military forces giving us trouble. I scanned my radar constantly, so much so that Prinz became worried about me.

"Are you alright, Bismarck?"

"Ja. I'm just worried I may have gotten you all in trouble with international affairs."

"Russland is fiercely territorial, but even they had to concede the oceans to the Abyssals when their uprising began. It's going to take them a while to get their fleets back out here. Besides, Amerika already has their Pacific fleet patrolling around. They're likely to be a lot more willing to listen to us." She reasoned.

"I see… Perhaps we should've had Iowa or some other American Kanmusu with us…"

"We'll be okay, Bismarck. Relax. You need rest. We can control your ship for you for a bit."

"Alright then." I decided to listen and get some rest. "If Geryon senses something, or if anything else happens, come get me."

"Natürlich, Guten Nacht, Bismarck." She smiled as I went to my room.

I locked my room door and changed into my shorts and tank top again. I was about to lay down, but remembered something that I had put away months ago. I went to my wardrobe and looked under the clothes at the bottom. There was the box I'd put there. Opening it, I found it.

I held the plushie of Hood that she gifted me. It was far too cute to throw away, but too e,barassing to let anyone else see it. At the time, I found it a little strange and wondered why she'd given me it. But now?

Now I could see why. I'm such a dummkopf for not seeing it sooner. She really does care for me. Looking at the adorable face on it, my cheeks reddened as I held it close to my chest and went to bed.

It even still smells like her…

I started imagining what it would be like to actually have her here with me… my heart began to race…

Then I stopped because that's ridiculous and would never happen.

Nein. Definitely not.

It… would be… nice, though…


[Kancolle Bismarck]

Everyone was silent. Even Harmony. If looks could kill, she'd have slaughtered me.

"So… let me get this straight…" The Commander said, "You detected a seemingly unbeatable threat to the entire planet, and the best course of action you could think of was to turn on us to… what, train us to be better, and then must expect humanity to forgive everything you did to us and and suddenly fight alongside you?"

"And none among you thought about how bloody stupid an idea like that is?" Hood added.

Harmony scowled at us, "Is it? Do you really think humanity can be trusted with such technology just being handed to them? You'd wipe each other out the moment another war breaks out. You think nuclear warheads are anything more than glorified firecrackers to us Sirens? If we were to help you immediately, you'd turn on each other for the pettiest reason. It has happened countless times before and came disturbingly close to happening multiple times in the Cold War."

"That was…" the Commander tried.

"And then there's your corrupt Azur Lane. It is full of humans obsessed with power and money. It's all they really care about. It's part of why every Azur Lane base has a scrapper, even the Mediterranean HQ. The Crimson Axis was so concerned with the future of humanity they actually tried to join forces with us as they could see our technology is far more advanced. Of course, we were not yet ready to trust them with it, not while they were already at war with you." Harmony added. "If you trust them with our tech, then you're already a lost cause. We may as well just abandon you to your fate and let Them destroy you, that is, if you haven't already killed each other by the time They arrive."

We were all silent, even Eugen. None of us could argue against what she had said.

"And who are 'They'?" The Kommandant asked. "What is this threat, exactly?"

"If I told you that, you'd all wish you were already dead. To make sure we don't drive ourselves mad with logic paradoxes, we're programmed not to think about Them. They come from a place… outside of time and space. They cannot be stopped by any means we've yet seen. They can devour the surfaces of planets, leaving nothing left…" Harmony answered with a haunted expression, having seen it happen many times.

"How many times has this happened?" The Commander asked.

"How many times in total? We cannot determine. However, we have witnessed it 14,000,605 times. If we werenot programmed to not be able to take our own lives, we would have by now… It's all hopeless, but we are unable to stop experimenting…"

"Then we could make this the one we win." The Commander proclaimed.

"And how exactly do you suggest we do that, human?" Harmony hissed.

"If our intel on you lot is accurate, your Arbiter, Temperance, doesn't agree with her peers, yes?" He asked.

"You're not wrong, I suppose."

"Well, if we could sit down and talk with her, perhaps we can find another way? Together?" He proposed.

Cleveland whispered, "Working together with Sirens? Are you going crazy, sir?"

"I can hear you, Kansen." The Enforcer quipped, making the Union Light Cruiser freeze in place and shut up.

"So what do you say, Harmony? We perhaps a change is what's needed in this endless repetition?" The man offered his hand.

After thinking at over, which doesn't take a long time for Sirens with their supercomputer brains, and she smiled. She reached out and shook on it, "Deal. I'll let Tempy know you want to speak with her."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Commander." Wales said.

"Me too." He nodded.


[Azur Lane Enterprise]

"Thank God she wasn't in here." I said as I hugged Bel gently in the lab.

"Enty, I may need help from time to time, but I'm not made of glass." Bel assured me with a joking tone.

"I know… just… I worry for you, you know?" I defended.

She gave me a kiss on my lips and winked, "I know. Thank you. It's just been us in here."

"'Us'?" I looked around and saw a blushing Akashi and a completely unphased Leonardo Da Vinci. "Oh… sorry…"

Akashi gestured one of her massive sleeves towards the wall with oath rings displayed, "Nya?"

Blushing, we both looked at Da Vinci, who shrugged.

"Eh, once you've seen Littorio kiss every girl she meets, you get used to seeing it." The Sardegnan inventor explained as she kept tinkering with Bismarck's new arm. Looks like she's finished adding the upper arm and shoulder to it.

"Enty…" Bel said as we heard her stomach grumble, "I'm getting the most terrible cravings… let's go to the cafeteria…"

"Okay. Let's go." We were about to walk out, but then in came walking a Siren.

Wait, what?

I drew my bow and Belfast aimed her cannons, along with Da Vinci with Akashi hiding behind a table.

The Commander raised his hands, "Stand down, E!"

"Commander!?" I exclaimed, stood in front of Bel, "What the hell is going on here!?"

"I'll explain everything, E. Just stand down." He ordered.

The three of us slowly put away our riggings, keeping our eyes on the Siren. "This better be a damn good explanation, sir." I warned.

"Da Vinci, is Bismarck's arm ready?" He asked.

"Sì." She quickly responded.

"Bismarck, if you're ready, go with her and the arm to Vestal."

"Jawohl." It seemed she was ready. The two of them left with the arm. I could swear the Siren gave a little smirk when they left.

We all sat down and the Commander then proceeded to fill us in on what has happened and why one of our sworn enemies wants to help us.


[Azur Lane Prinz Eugen]

I made my way to the new Iron Blood bar, trying to ignore Wales calling out to me. She's made her point, I get it. I'm not rising to her bait anymore.

"Eugen!"

Nein. Now she just has more ammunition for her insults.

"Eugen, wait!"

Just ignore her, like she did me.

"Eugen, stop!" She grabbed my arm.

I looked back at her and yelled, "Was!? More insults!? Do you feel offended by my offer to you!?"

"What? No, I—"

"Don't pretend! Don't lead me on! Is it an apology you want? Then I'm sorry for Hood, I'm sorry for driving you off! Now leave me alone! I've had enough!" I pulled away and began to storm off-

"PRINZ EUGEN!"

She… made me freeze? Just by using my full name? I slowly looked back at her.

"You're really going to have a drink with an injury like that?" She asked.

I looked down to my bleeding side. Verdammt… looks like my self-applied bandages have come undone… I took a hit for her during that fight…

"Why did you take that hit for me? I never asked you to."

"I don't know… I much prefer seeing you get hit…" I lied.

"You're coming with me to get it sorted." She grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the base hospital.

"Why do you care about my injury so much…?" I asked her, embarrassed at my own outburst earlier.

"Because I care about you, you stupid Cruiser." She admitted.

I looked at her with wide eyes, "You… do? Then… why did you ignore me?"

"I wasn't… I wasn't ignoring you, Eugen… every time I look at you, you're all I can think of. I had to look away to stay focused on the attack."

I began to become smug again, "Ah, so I live in your head rent-free?"

"Only because I live in yours." She turned it around on me.

"Well, then. Perhaps we can both…"

"Both what?" She looked at me.

"…Nevermind." If I had actually said perhaps we can both live together rent-free she'd never let it go.

She took me into the hospital and saw that Vestal was busy with Bismarck and Da Vinci, so Perseus and Eagle gave me medical attention.

"Oh? Is it your first time seeing my bare midriff, Wales~?" I tried to tease her as I moved my outfit for Perseus to see my injury.

"Hopefully it won't be the last time~" She whispered into my ear and winked, reversing it on me and making me blush. Verdammt, I think I really have met my match…

"Please demonstrate proper etiquette, Wales." Eagle muttered as she prepared some anaesthetic, making the pair of us laugh nervously.


[Kancolle Bismarck]

As the day turned to night, I opted to stay with Hood from now on as she can keep me grounded in reality. My new arm needs some getting used to as well. She tried to give me the bed but I refused and slept on her sofa. I woke up first and assumed Hood wouldn't mind if went to the bathroom to shower before her as she was still asleep.

I stripped down and inspected the connection of my new arm to my shoulder in the mirror. Professional work. Clean and no pain, though it does feel strange. Having fingers again is so much better than a cannon that could've gone off by itself if I felt too stressed. I was about to start running the water when the door that I forgotten to lock swung open.

I looked and saw a half-asleep Hood there, who had forgotten about me being here, having already stripped down int he bedroom, staring back at me.

It took 5 slow seconds for her to register what was happening as we stared at each other's forms up and down before she went bright red and slammed the door shut. Another few seconds of silence and I started the water running.

In the shower, the water felt so much better than when I was human… perhaps due to being an Abyssal. It felt soothing, so much so that it helped me calm myself quite quickly and let me think about why Hood stared for so long.

Then I realised why.


[Azur Lane Hood]

Good Lord…

I sat on the bed trying to dispel these thoughts that flooded my mind.

Is that what Biscuit looks like as well, minus the artificial arm and pale skin?

Those beautiful curves… oh, stop it, Hood…

I must've embarrassed her so much… how could I have forgotten she was here? Her hat is hung up right next to the bathroom door! Bloody hell! I'm supposed to be respectful! Why did I stare so much!?

It couldn't be… could it?

After a while I heard the shower turn off and I scrambled to put my gown on. Bismarck came back out in towels and sat on the other side of the bed, our backs facing each other.

"So…" she said, "…that just happened…"

"Yes. It did." I replied.

"You seemed… very enthralled by me…" she deduced.

"I just…" I tried.

"It's because I look like her, ja? Your Biscuit?"

"Bismarck, I…"

"It's alright. You probably thought I was her, naked in your bathroom, like a dream, only to realise it was real and it was me instead, ja?" She guessed.

Bloody hell, she was exactly right. I looked down and admitted, "…aye. I'm so sorry."

"…It's okay… If you want, I can get dressed and leave before you're out of the shower." She offered, "We can never speak of this again, if you prefer."

"That… may be best… Thank you." I agreed. I stood and went in, not looking at her. I may have washed my body, but I couldn't wash out my mind. I had to remind myself she isn't Biscuit and she has her own love back home. My heart just wouldn't slow down no matter how much I tried to tell myself it wouldn't work between us.

When I was finished and left the bathroom, true to her word, she was gone. She left a note on the bed saying, "If you DO want to talk about it, let me know tonight. If not, we'll pretend it never happened. No pressure."

I most certainly didn't want to at that moment. That night, however…