"I swear, even in training exercises you're gonna be getting injured left and right." Vestal was cleaning Azrael's wound, looking quite pained herself having to deal with both a deep slash wound and a burn wound that layered on top of one another.
Azrael smiled before wincing from the pain of the cleaning. "It's bound to happen Vestal -ow!- considering who I am."
"Still, I wish you would be more careful."
"Hey, don't blame me, blame my sister if you want a face to yell at."
On the sidelines, George sat watching the process. She followed what Wales told her and stuck with Azrael into the infirmary, looking to make sure she's okay after the fight. It took about ten minutes in total, but Azrael was finally finished getting the wound cleaned. Thanks to her slight regen factor though, the wound was already sealing, but the scar will remain in it's place.
"Hey George, check it out. Looks like I got clawed by a bear eh?"
George wasn't smiling at her little joke. "Can you please take this seriously? That scar is so damaging to your face..."
"You think so? I think it adds to me."
"Pray tell, how does it do so?" George crossed her arms under her chest, looking at Azrael and expecting an answer.
What she didn't expect was that Azrael was gonna pull a fly one, and she quickly approached George fully intent on showing her what she meant. George was getting a bit heated as Azrael grew closer with the ever so teasing smile on her face.
"Come on George, it makes me look fiercer, tougher, stronger." She got to George, wrapping her arms around the Battleship's waist and pulling her close as she tried to pry away.
Azrael leaned close, whispering into George's ear. "Who doesn't like a fierce woman hm? I'm sure you'll love that."
Separating from the reddened battleship, she turned to Vestal, who had a small smile of her own seeing the infamous Eugen flirting still present in the future. "Well Vestal, I'm sure this is good now?"
"Yes, you're cleaned up and your natural healing is closing it better than I could now. I just want to ask you to lay off the deadly mock battles if you can."
"No promises."
She gently took George's hand and led her out of the infirmary. From the middle of her right cheek down her neck, nearly to her collarbone, was three scratch marks of the scar, digging down into her flesh lightly.
She knew she would get a nasty scar, but this was quite a big one that was going to be annoying to cover up...if she decides to cover it at all.
"Hey George, should I cover this wound?"
"It stains your face, but...it does have the charm to it." George remarked her statement, using the chance to look closely at the scar and see the dark burnt flesh that still sat there.
...
"Can I...?"
"Yes George, you can touch it."
George gently took her finger and brushed the wound, feeling weird that she was technically touching the soft under flesh of a person's neck, but fascinated at the same time from the rough feeling of the burnt tissues. She took her finger away after a few seconds of feeling it. "You aren't hurt now right?"
"Nope, even when you were brushing it with your finger I didn't feel it."
"Good, also, the main fleets should be arriving any minute, so I have to go look presentable...unfortunately."
Azrael did a double take. "Wait, they're coming today?"
George only nodded to her as she walked off, leaving Azrael alone. The thought that she can finally see everyone again after all these years...that's worrying considering how confused they'll be on how Eugen and her are the same but different.
"Ah well, at least this scar will help me stand out from her."
——
"We welcome you here your Majesty."
Queen Elizabeth herself was standing on the docks, looking around the base and at her fellow arrivals. "This place is...adequate for our purposes still."
"We kept it this way in the case of a peace being achieved again. We have Azrael to thank for this." Wales was the one who credited her, but that was the next subject she wanted to ask.
"I have heard that name in your report, where is this Azrael individual?"
Wales turned around, pointing out her sister King George. "She would know her latest known location your Majesty."
"Huh? Oh...the last I saw her was when we split ways after I stuck with her to the infirmary."
Ships from many different factions crowded the seas, some shouting greetings and some hugging it out as they haven't seen each other for a long while. Many were told that this peace was only capable through Azrael's assistance and convincing of the major powers to join forces again, but the question still remained.
Where is she right now?
...
George clamped here hands, catching the attention of many as she stood tall. "Attention! I do believe you all wish to know where Azrael is correct?"
She heard many shout in agreement.
"Well, I know where she is right now, and I guarantee you'll be surprised." She spread her arms wide and looked around. "She's actually hiding here right now!"
...
The many eyes darted around the port, not seeing a single sign of a supposed Prinz Eugen lookalike. Eugen herself was also present, but she was already known as the present one...now all they had to do was find the future one.
Wales came up to her sister, tapping her shoulder. "Are you seriously not letting them know where she is?"
"Don't tell me that, find Azrael and ask her about this decision." Wales sighed at her sister's response, going back to the Queen and apologizing for the turn of events.
Elizabeth was disappointed, but decided to put that aside and have the short meeting she was planning with George. "George! I need you to take us to a private place to discuss things."
"Of course. Wales, can you watch over them until things are settled?"
Wales nodded to her sister, who left with the Queen to take her to a private garden. Several Maids followed after the duo, leaving Wales with York to wrangle the crowd and possibly help find where Azrael was hiding.
But for now...
—————
"This base has grown a large number of members quickly. I'm sure this garden will remain private for only so much longer." Elizabeth remarked about the garden that George took her to, and she was correct as it technically wasn't a private area.
George was sat across from her, sipping a cup of tea. "It is a gorgeous place, and with the lack of activity in this part of the base due to everyone's arrival, it's perfect for us."
"Now, how have things been here on the base for you?"
George smiled. "This never was to talk goals was it? You wanted to catch up with me."
"Of course I do, I haven't seen you in person for some months now. Is it unbefitting to wish to speak to you in private like we have in the past?"
"Of course not your Majesty."
Elizabeth pointed around her, with a small pout. "And stop with the 'Majesty' part! We rule the Royal Navy as equals, and I'm fine with you calling me Elizabeth!"
"...Very well Elizabeth."
"That's better!" She sat back down and crossed her arms, smiling to George.
George chuckled as she saw how Elizabeth acted, before grabbing a biscuit and eating it slowly and elegantly.
"Do you still have that sweet tooth of yours?"
"I can't help it Elizabeth. I love to eat and sweets are my favorite."
"We need to ween you off them one of these days..." she shook her head, looking to the two maids that came with them into the Garden.
The rest went into the main building itself, leaving Belfast and Curacoa.
"Now...about this Azrael person."
"What is it you would like to know?" George still stay upright in her seat, but raised an eyebrow to question her.
Elizabeth looked out to the harbor, where many still sat and idled. "Is it true that she is Prinz Eugen from the future?"
"It is, she had the evidence to prove it, plus the battle against the future Enterprise to prove it further."
"I see, and what of her location? This peace seemed to be only possible thanks to her efforts, where is she at then?"
George looked out to the harbor, smiling as she looked back to Elizabeth. "Most likely close by. She tends to be quite the sneaky character."
"If I may intrude, I have met her many times, and her presence seems to vanish when you take your eyes off her for even a moment." Belfast put in her words, giving Elizabeth some thought.
"Curacoa, have you met her yet?"
Curacoa shook her head. "I'm afraid not your Majesties. She tends to stay around a portion of the base I don't attend too regularly."
"That's a shame..."
...
George put her tea cup down empty, where Belfast went to refill it before being stopped by George. "Alright, I do believe I have done this long enough."
"George?" Elizabeth was just confused.
George stood up, gently dusting off her uniform. "This little game with Azrael down there, she suggested it too me and I decided to play along."
Elizabeth's eyes narrowed. "What kind of game are you speaking of?"
George looked at her with a slightly neutral face, before a smile broke. "Well, it's a bait and switch we decided to play. I would trick everyone while George would stay somewhere private and eat."
...
"But...you just-"
She interrupted Elizabeth. "Referred to myself in the third person? I promise you Elizabeth, I did not."
George cleared her throat a few times, with the other three watching her like hawks.
"Ahh...Ahh...there we go." Her voice suddenly changed as she coughed, making Belfast put down the tray quickly and point her gauntlet's secondary gun at her. "Who are you, false King George?"
The false George smiled to her. "Relax Belfast, you tried this before and I gave you my coat when your uniform was soaked, remember?"
"Wait...Azrael?!"
The false George grabbed her hair and pulled it off, revealing a shining head of silver hair. "That's correct! Now before we continue, can you hand me a wet wipe Belfast?"
They were all stunned into silence, making Azrael sigh and pick up one herself. She wiped at her cheek and some of her neck that was left exposed out of George's uniform, wiping the make up that covered her scar. "I'll admit, this was quite enjoyable seeing how everyone was fooled by me, even George's own sister.
"What...how...?"
Azrael chuckled as she walked over and gently closed Elizabeth's mouth. "You'll catch flies 'Elizabeth~'."
She set the wig down, taking out the red contacts that she saved after disguising as Taihou. "Now, any questions?"
...
"I'll take that as a wait for reboot."
—————
After sometime, they did indeed become responsive again, and she was bombarded with questions, which she answered one at a time in an orderly manner. She eventually left the garden, going to her room to change out of the outfit she borrowed from George.
Speaking of which...
"Ahem!" George was roused from her nap as Azrael stood over her, wearing her signature coat again.
The battleship was sleeping after having watched a show. She didn't wish to attend the arrival since she was more hungry than usual, and so Azrael suggested her idea that would work for the both of them.
George was able to sleep and eat, and Azrael had a helluva fun time tricking them all.
Now that Azrael was changed, she opted to rest alongside George. The fight from earlier still being a toll on her stamina.
"Alright George, you can leave if you want. I'm gonna stay and rest myself."
"I'm sure I would like to stay here if that's fine with you Azrael."
Azrael looked at her, eventually giving way to a small smile. "I don't mind. Let's enjoy the solitude your Majesty~."