Thaw out a Second Life

The Other Bismarck

Cold air transforms the surrounding area of the warehouse into a makeshift freezer. Scharnhorst META and Gneisenau META can withstand the current temperature where normal kansens would be trembling badly. The source being the certain battleship who's intensely staring at Bismarck META.

"You seem upset" Bismarck META speaks out

It should have been a normal afternoon coffee but everything is covered in ice and rime, even the coffee - except for Bismarck META's coffee which is still steaming hot.

"Akagi can sense something is wrong with me. Back then, she made me feel cornered" Tirpitz looks at her frozen coffee
"Not only are you in their territory, you're worried about Victorious" Bismarck META casually sips hers
"Their Bismarck keeps asking me if there's no META influence left. At this point, she's noticing something even if I'm shutting off my ability all the time"
"Not all the time......"

Bismarck META lightly shakes her cup and lightly exhales in relief as the heat never leaves the drink even with the ice thickening around her.

"Doesn't your ice powers act like a defensive mechanism?" Scharnhorst META reminds her first
"Even when you're inactive, it will create a protective layer around you. Cold air will freeze threats may it be kansen or Siren" Gneisenau META does the same
"It's true that I passively spread cold air around me when I'm asleep, but it acts as an extension of me. It will only freeze those I perceive as a threat, so it won't work on normal kansens right now"

Tirpitz stands up, primarily annoyed that someone has to point out the nature of her ability, so she only responds to correct them.

"It's not easy considering I have to remain focus to hold it back all the time" Tirpitz grunts and mumbles under her breath
"Even I don't like holding back, but you have to bear with it in your case" Scharnhorst META sighs
"This is just part of what you need to endure in exchange for a normal life. Well, mostly normal life....." Gneisenau META shrugs

Remembering she's living as a normal kansen without all her abilities as a META, Tirpitz eases her mood enough that most of the ice around them recedes.

"That aside, I'm only here to tell you not to attract too much attention" Tirpitz sits back down and speaks to Bismarck META
"I'm not attracting attention" Bismarck META crosses her arms
"......."

Tirpitz quietly slides a blurry photo of Bismarck META's rear view taken by the only reconnaissance aircraft that survived. The rest were gunned down, burned, and shredded by Geryon.

"They're beginning to investigate you. Knowing their Bismarck, she would be curious as to why another META showed up, especially if that META has Iron Blood technology"
"I'm aware no one must learn my identity, especially the Bismarck here" Bismarck META isn't even concerned at the photo
"I don't want to think what would happen if you two meet" Tirpitz clicks her tongue
"We shouldn't even be enemies. My goal is to protect your current life while she wishes not to lose you again"
"That would be nice if you two are referring to the same person"

As Tirpitz becomes upset again, the ice returns to cover every corner and form spiky protrusions in some areas.

"You are her now even if the body and consciousness are different, so stop turning our hideout into a freezer!" Scharnhorst META stomps the icy floor and cracks it
"Scharnhorst is right. You carried on their Tirpitz's life and did everything to remain normal in their eyes" Gneisenau META wipes off the rime on her shoulders
"I know that, but I constantly remind myself who I really am. Knowing my attachment, I'd get lost in this life and actually believe I'm their Tirpitz"
"......" Bismarck META's expression softens

A part of Tirpitz wishes to genuinely live her current life without worrying about her real identity. Of the three, Bismarck could guess the frustration and longing Tirpitz is restraining to herself.