The last adventures with Prinz Eugen. Volume 3.

No. 13 Chapter 18

Outside of the administrative buildings of the Headquarters Tristan walked along the promenade of the naval base to clear his head and to enjoy some of the nice weather. Passing the little stores the Shipgirls had made for themselves to learn to imitate human life he observed some of them with happiness. Some worked jobs as if they were regular humans while others met with other ships to eat and spend time together. It was exactly that which warmed his heart the most. It was not just groups of ships of the same navy that met. But in most cases it was ships from different navies that sat together and enjoyed their offtime together. Here it seemed it was truly possible for everyone to get along. A dream almost all of the girls had shared ever since they had become sentient. For as much as their duty and pride in their navies decided their outlook on the world. He could not imagine any of them having any satisfaction fighting the other. That he knew. For all the horrors they inflicted upon each other, every time they could they had tried to allow the other to surrender, turn away and leave or even try to save them after they had been nearly killed.
Tristan blinked away the sensation of growing tears in his eyes as he remembered the torn bodies of Royal Navy and Iron Blood destroyers he had helped to save. Shaking his head free of the horrible past he continued on and tried to focus on the present picture he got to observe. Beings allowed to live in relative peace.

A bit further down near one of the Royal Navy operated restaurants Tristan met a figure he had seen and not yet really had a chance to talk to alone other than the small chat they had this morning. Waving and giving her a kind smile he was pleasantly surprised to see Scharnhorst return the smile in her seemingly always stiff and composed way. "Good evening Tristan. How is this place treating you?" She asked him while offering to go on a bit of a walk onto one of the large piers that used to moor ships to the quay. Taking up her offer the Iron Blood fell into a relaxed step with the tall battleship. "Well things here certainly keep me busy. But otherwise I do enjoy the moments and chances like this one to reconnect with all of you." He answered her. "You are always busy." Scharnhorst observed. "Action and practice hones capability and effectiveness. That you adhere to your practice even when made to no longer apply it is admirable." Scharnhorst complimented him while giving him an understanding expression, disclosing what she actually meant. "I would like to inform you about your practice as well. The Doctor here has come to find the mark of work of the Iron Bloods engineers in almost all our riggings. Do not consider her an enemy for she is in a way like you. A good soul to us. Yet be warned for knowledge is power after all." She gave him her advice on a matter Tristan was not expecting to come up with her.

But before he could answer or ask further questions he was overtaken by the things going on as a second pair of heel clicks became audible on the pier. "Thee amaze me. What an astonishing sight to behold! Is thy heart not solely beating for me? Thee astonish me. Doth thee require me to bringeth thee a token of mine desire for proof of my affection?" The regal voice of one of the ships that Tristan could not understand and yet had come to greatly respect called out to Scharnhorst.
Looking up to the battleship as they turned to face the person that was joining them, Tristan could read from Scharnhorst's seldom expression of happiness that her delight of seeing Duke of York joining them was honest. "Not at all. After all you would not dare to imply that Tristan here would be someone you would want to challenge?" Scharnhorst greeted the pink haired battleship of the King Georg V class. "Folk as well versed as I in dealings with the mortal toils and contests would be a grand contender to face. Though that gent may not be as proficient in arte belli as our kind is." Duke of York retorted as she elegantly stopped in front of the two Iron Bloods, picking up Scharnhorsts hand while performing a courtesy before giving another slighter bow to Tristan. All while motioning her hand between them, regarding him respectfully as well. "Tis my pleasure to regard you once again, venerable and tall mortal." She smiled before returning more of her attention back to Scharnhorst. "Have you chosen a place where we want to eat yet?" The Iron Blood ship asked her former mortal enemy as the two began to walk down the pier again.

Thinking it to be the better idea to let the strange pair of friends spend their apparently already pre-planned evening together, Tristan did not follow them and let himself fall back to allow them their privacy and to get going back to his place and to by chance see Eugen as well. But this maneuver of his was keenly observed by Scharnhorst. "You are not getting the chance to slip away like that. You are invited for dinner and we both demand your presence." Scharnhorst almost laughed. " 't would beest a shame for thy to not attend a feast thee has't been invited to attend by kind mates." Duke of York added as she brushed a strand of her long hair behind her pointed ears while giving him her delighted smile as she slightly cocked her head forward, looking down on him in a gently yet clearly dominant way. Tristan knew he could decline the two. Yet he did feel honored that both would enjoy his company. "I suppose I have no chance but to yield to the great power of a royal knight and the most renowned of our battleships." Tristan played along as he performed an old fashioned courtesy to the two warships just as Duke of York had done. One granted him an approving nod while the other motioned him to return from his prostrated bow. "Alright you comedian. Come on we don't want to miss the reservation at the Royal Navies restaurant." Scharnhorst demanded in her all to familiar seriousness. "Thee stil strike me with thy odd acts. Thee nev'r seemeth to beest able to beest thy true self in presence of all but two kindred souls." Duke of York mused as the three of them continued on back to the Royal Navy restaurant.