From now on.....
The META group, especially Bismarck META, have quietly left the battle. The reluctance on Bismarck META gently passing the unconscious Tirpitz on Bismarck's arms still rings in the latter's mind.
"........"
It's impossible to ignore the silent grieving on Bismarck META's gaze as she slowly distances herself from her normal counterpart.
"She can finally rest and return to who she used to be....." Bismarck META turns away
"Are you truly fine with this?" Bismarck secures Tirpitz in her arms
".....My sister died a long time ago. I just wasn't able to let her go"
"......"
"Even if I don't want to get involved with her life anymore, I'll still be here if she ever needs me....and I hope she doesn't" Bismarck META glances at the unconscious Tirpitz
"You......" Bismarck's expression softens
"Don't look at me like that. I simply accepted her death and chose to move on. I gave back your sister. That's all there is to it....." Bismarck META slowly moves away again
"......."
"Don't lose your sister this time"
Bismarck META noticed the Royal Navy kansens approaching and chooses her parting words carefully. She tips off her cap and stares at Tirpitz resting in Bismarck's arms one last time before turning to the other direction.
"I hope you can live a long and happy life this time"
Even if Tirpitz can't hear her in her current state, Bismarck META leaves those words for her sister with a warm and gentle smile, seconds before she hurriedly takes her leave from the scene. She's worried she might get more sentimental and stay longer.
..........
..........
Ever since the issue with the group of the METAs is considered resolved and closed for now, Bismarck worries about Tirpitz now. It's been four hours since they returned to the base, but Tirpitz remains in a comatose-like state.
"What exactly happened, Bismarck?" Friedrich der Grosse sits beside her
"Bismarck META chose to move on and gave back my sister the only way she knows how"
"Give back your sister?"
"It's as if Tirpitz META never existed. Her lingering consciousness is destroyed, so this isn't a case of amnesia"
"The META and normal versions are - I think I have the gist of it, but to think Bismarck META will take the drastic measure of destroying memories rather than suppressing it"
"If it's just suppressed, then Tirpitz META will eventually resurface and she doesn't want that anymore. She wanted to be put to rest for good after all......."
Bismarck stares at the ceiling, still puzzled and lost at how someone who once wanted to take over the body now grew tired of her life and wished to pass on peacefully. The META counterpart had no fear or regret as her consciousness is slowly fading away, but there is a hint of sorrow in her smile.
"Restrict any information about Tirpitz META to ensure Tirpitz won't accidentally discover about her existence" Bismarck firmly orders
"Lock the information just in case, huh"
"If she finds out she was once a META, she might not handle it well and she'll recert to her METAmorphosis state"
"What makes you say that?" Friedreich der Grosse tilts her head
"My body is the normal counterpart but the wisdom cube is the META counterpart. It's that the META state is dormant after the META's consciousness got erased. Under extreme stress, she'll return to being a META and I don't want to ruin her new chance in life"
Bismarck imagines the initial state of Tirpitz META, a version twisted by the incomplete reanimation and controlled by desire for revenge. There's no guarantee it will be the mellowed out META, so Bismarck doesn't want to risk repeating the incident.
"If the META manifests again, it will alert Bismarck META and I'd be in conflict with her again. She willingly left Tirpitz in order for her to leave peacefully and I promised myself I'll keep her safe this time" Bismarck's hands tense
"Fufufu. You've grown into a protective and caring older sister"
"I'm both a leader and sister. Both requires me to be there for everyone"
"Right now, Tirpitz needs you to be there for her. You have reliable subordinates to delegate your duties after all" Friedrich der Grosse winks
"How will I talk to her? Tirpitz won't remember anything that happened even the incident a year ago"
"I think it's best to seek her opinion"
Friedrich der Grosse giggles while she stares at Victorious shyly peeking from a corner.
"Now then. I will leave the conversation between you two. I still have to take care of the paperwork"
Shortly after spotting Victorious, Friedrich der Grosse understands the situation and decides to leave the two as quickly as possible without giving Bismarck time to react.
"It's fine. Are you worried too, Victorious?"
Bismarck can only sigh at Friedrich der Grosse hurriedly dragging her feet away. She turns to Victorious and speaks with her, somewhat inviting to sit beside her at least.
"I'm worried too. It's just that I don't know how to approach her once she wakes up"
Victorious takes one reluctant step forward and musters enough courage to lessen the awkwardness by walking towards Bismarck.
"It will be different now, correct? Although Tirpitz is going to back to who she used to be, memories and traces of the META will remain. Not just the dormant wisdom cube functioning as her heart"
Bismarck lowers her gaze and stares at her hand, unsure about her feelings on the META leaving behind her wisdom cube to keep the body alive while the consciousness is destroyed rather than suppressed.
"Tirpitz will wake up restarting as her normal self without recollection of what transpired. She won't even remember her META counterpart ever existed"
"That icy blockhead of a META......." Victorious's fingers fidgets
"Do you miss her?"
"Something like that, I guess. I spent three months not knowing I've been talking to her and when she finally confessed, she ran after her sister just to die for good. I wanted to scold her more!"
Victorious then switches from sorrowful to pouting and nearly fuming in frustration, and Bismarck gently smiles because Victorious hasn't lost the energetic part of her.
"Bismarck, I don't think I can talk to her yet when she wakes up.....so I won't be visiting for a while" Victorious informs her
"Why?" Bismarck is mildly surprised
"I want Tirpitz to see me as my normal self again. Knowing her, she'd get worried if she sees me gloomy and awkward. I want to greet my friend again with the same smile like when I first dragged her out to spend time with me"
"Take your time. I know it's hard to process right now as a close friend" Bismarck lightly nods
"How about you as her big sister?"
Victorious still finds it awkward to be casually talking to Bismarck, but she sits beside her knowing it's difficult for both of them.
"Wjen I saw my META counterpart grieve and shed a tear, I don't want to lose my sister again. That's why I came to accept this is a new life for Tirpitz even if she doesn't know it"
"......" Victorious stares at the ceiling light
"After everything that happened, this became a lesson on what I must not do. I'll guide Tirpitz this time and ensure she won't undergo METAmorphosis or at least trigger her dormant wisdom cube"
"We're the only ones who knows while Tirpitz will live never knowing what happened....and I think that's for the best" Victorious sighs in exhaustion
"........."
Bismarck doesn't respond, but she silently agrees on keeping Tirpitz unaware of the past events to keep her life as peacefully as possible.
_________________________________________________________________________
The aroma of coffee and tea lingers in the air as steam from both cups faintly rises. The atmosphere between Bismarck and King George V is calm yet somewhat tensed. In the middle of the table is neatly filed documents and spread out photos of Bismarck META's group.
"They've gone quiet. Bismarck META is elusive, so it's difficult to tell" King George V shrugs
"There isn't a trace of the META remaining. My sister has returned to normal, but the matter regarding your involvement....."
"I didn't take sides with anyone. My intervention is only limited once the issue between them escalated"
"Bismarck META managed to intrude one of your bases because you help her bypass detection. However, that ended when Victorious was kidnapped and this sparked the META to confess her identity"
"I admit that escalated before I could notice. By the time I did notice, flames erupted and Tirpitz was nearly grilled"
King George V shakes her head when she could never forget how bright flames erupting from a distance illuminate the area and draws everyone's attention.
"Why did you agree to cooperate despite knowing her goal?" Bismarck straightens herself
"I believed that was the least painful option. Nothing would have been resolved if Tirpitz chose to run away or end herself" King George V replies with no hesitation
"She still ended herself, but she did it in a way she could rest in peace"
"Bismarck META chose to accept how her sister died a long time ago, but she's still grieving. It's difficult for her to let go in a short amount of time...."
"Even after some time now, she would be unlikely to meddle with Iron Blood. She vowed to never involve herself with Tirpitz's life unless she's in danger"
"She returned your sister by giving up her own....."
Only Bismarck is present when the issue has been resolved, but King George V imagines what transpired in the blizzard. By the time it ended, Bismarck META is holding an unconscious Tirpitz while she chooses to observe even when the other ships are heading to the area.
"Bismarck META's group isn't hostile to kansens, so they won't be a threat even if their whereabouts are unknown" King George V brushes their presence aside
"......." Bismarck stares at the photo of her META counterpart
"Do you want to speak with her again?"
"We never had a proper conversation since we always fought. She only bid her farewell last time and left shortly....."
Back then, the situation isn't suitable for a proper conversation since Bismarck META accepts yet mourns for letting her sister rest for good.
"Are you going after her?" King George V lightly tilts her head
"No. I have business with other nations and to also watch over Tirpitz"
"That's true. I don't plan to track down Bismarck META either, but I'm quite curious on what she plans next"
"In my opinion, it's best not to meddle with their group right now. I have a duty to focus as a leader and you have a duty as the leader of the Royal Knights" Bismarck humbly advises her
"That much is true too. Wales is often worried about my plans, and I don't plan to further worry her" King George V chuckles
King George V willingly sets aside her curiosity for the time being seeing Bismarck returning to her relaxed and composed self. More importantly, one her sister's have been worried ever since the whole situation with Bismarck META started.
"I still view you as an ally, so I'd rather keep your involvement with Bismarck META between us. So long as it doesn't repeat" Bismarck clears her throat
"That I can promise you. I don't wish to cause problems for anyone since the issue has been resolved albeit....not the in the way you're hoping"
"This is the best outcome......"
"We just have to make the best out of situation, huh....." King George V stares at Bismarck META's photo
"It's not just Tirpitz. This is a second chance for me to prevent a terrible outcome for the two of us. Whatever mistake in their timeline - it won't repeat here"
"........."
King George V is uncertain whether Bismarck's word is indeed set in stone for the future since there are still unpredictable circumstances. She keeps her thoughts to herself and stirs her tea cup and stares at all the photos of the METAs alongside Bismarck META.
Somewhere........
One week after the last incident with Bismarck META, Tirpitz's life remains normal, but she's a bit restless from the confusion and sorrow she couldn't understand. Her thoughts tend to drift once in a while, often finding herself staring at the sea.
"What is this sense of nostalgia.....?"
Tirpitz asks herself while she continues to stare at the sea, and her thoughts briefly imagine an empty plain of snow.
"Tirpitz, are you spacing out again?"
Victorious repeatedly pokes Tirpitz's cheek and pouts, upset that her friend isn't paying attention while she ends up babbling to herself.
"I'm sorry. There's just something that crossed my mind"
"......." Victorious intently stares at her
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm still not used to you not being grumpy and expressive" Victorious sighs
"Huh?"
"Don't mind it. This is how you normally act and how you've always been"
Realizing it's only confusing Tirpitz, Victorious jokingly brushes it aside and even playfully slaps Tirpitz's shoulder, but the latter still finds it unusual.
"Tirpitz, are you really okay now? They said your wisdom cube might not have fully recovered and your head....." Victorious moves her hands in all directions
"Neumark confirmed my cognitive chip isn't damaged and it's functioning normally"
"I-I see. That's good....."
"I can't help but feel a part of me is missing. It's like one moment and it's there and in the next moment.....it's gone"
"You're longing for something hard to understand again"
"You're right. I'm thinking of something abstract again" Tirpitz gently smiles
"........."
Victorious is grateful that Tirpitz is the reserved yet gentle friend she always knows, but she becomes quiet when she could never forget the META counterpart who started as a revenge-driven ghost and ended as someone who accepted she can never truly live in lies.
"I almost forgot. I'm curious about Bismarck META"
"Heh?" Victorious skips a beat out of anxiety
"I overheard Bismarck talking about it with Friedrich der Grosse and it sounded serious so I never asked Bismarck about it"
"Bismarck META is another version of Bismarck but depressed. No one knows much about her because she's elusive and no one has spotted her for a while"
Victorious feigns ignorance and keeps her knowledge in general, but it's the truth how Bismarck META tends to be elusive and rarely meets other kansens.
"For some reason, I kind of want to meet her. Just out of curiosity to what kind of person she is" Tirpitz lowers her gaze
"Please don't try" Victorious hastily responds
"Huh?"
"I mean she's not friendly to kansens and really hard to find!"
"Bismarck won't like me going off on my own anyway....." Tirpitz scratches her cheeks
As far as she and Bismarck know, Victorious is one of the few people who closely witness Bismarck META grieving even as she reluctantly leaves Tirpitz in their care and leaves to stay out of her sister's life as much as possible.
"It'll just make her sadder if you meet her anyway....." Victorious mumbles to herself
"........" Tirpitz stares at the sea again
"Geez! You're spacing out again and not paying attention to me!" Victorious pouts in jealoustu
"Sorry. The sea is vast and when I stare at it.....it brings a sense of freedom
"Well, the calm sea is a beautiful sight....."
As much as Victorious wants to scold her for constantly being distracted and looking away from her, she holds back the pity and sadness as she couldn't say much to explain Tirpitz's confusion and longing.
"Don't be too down. I drag you out of your room to relax" Victorious grabs Tirpitz's hands
"......"
"Enjoy your day! It took me a while to find this quiet beach, you know"
"We're both so different which made me wonder how we get along"
Tirpitz gently smiles, chuckling at the regular thought of their opposite personalities. Victorious is both assertive and cheerful which proves to be the best trait to deal with Tirpitz's stubbornness.
"And here we are, the best of friends" Victorious spreads her arms
"That's kind of exaggerating....but whatever makes you happy" Tirpitz scratches her head
"You can be a dummy sometimes, but you're my dummy!"
"Hmm?"
For about a second, rather than looking at Victorious in a beach, she briefly catches a glimpse of a "darker Victorious" on a plain of snow. Tirpitz rubs her eyes and quietly sighs in relief.
"What's the matter? You look like you saw a ghost" Victorious pokes her cheeks
"I thought I was looking at a gloomy version of you standing on snow. It's strange but I don't remember seeing you with darker clothes....."
"META...." Victorious mumbles under her breath
"Victorious?"
"You might be staying up late again, and that's a bad habit!"
"You're right. I tend to sleep late recently because of that dream of being on the beach"
"I wonder if that might have been her dying thoughts......"
While Tirpitz is briefly distracted with describing her reoccurring dream, Victorious wallows in the sorrowful memory of Tirpitz META accepting her last seconds of consciousness and leaning on Bismarck META as she closes her eyes.
"There's no need to wallow about a dream. Let's go shopping in town instead! You're not the type to wear cut dresses, so you can just carry all my stuff"
"I....I still have things....to worry about....."
Tirpitz is reluctant to act like a pack mule for Victorious. In fact, Tirpitz doesn't want to imagine having to be forced in a commercial district following and carrying Victorious'd shopping bags.
"You shouldn't bring your worries on your vacation because you're with me and I want you to relax as much as possible. It's a terrible habit to stress over nonexistent things. Well, a lot has happened that definitely didn't involve, so-"
Victorious turns around for a moment, saving her index finger, but when she turns to face Tirpitz, she realizes her friend quickly leaves her side and disappears in a mere minute. The idea of being like a butler instead of going for a vacation has Tirpitz disappear from her line of sight before she can even finish talking.
"Tirpitz! I'm going to handcuff you next time!"
Victorious kicks the sands and shakes her fists high up in the air with only the birds around her hearing her curse at the sky and her missing friend.
"Good grief. I'm not good with crowded places but I'm friends with someone as lively as her"
After successfully leaving Victorious behind, Tirpitz sighs in relief after leaving the beach area and being somewhere at a port close to the beach.
"She'll certainly go after me and force me anyway, so I have to find some place to hide until she gets bored"
Tirpitz doesn't waste time idling around out of the fear Victorious will find her in mere minutes. She hastily leaves her spot and tries to move further from the beach as much as possible.
"Uhm.....excuse me"
While Tirpitz is deciding whether to go left, right, or straight ahead, a girl's shy and gentle voice distracts her for a moment.
"Hmm? What's the matter?" Tirpitz turns around
"S-sorry. You just looked like someone. It's just that your uniform is white when I remembered it being black. I mean the person I'm reminded of wears black version of your uniform!" The girl waves both hands in a panic
"Black version of my uniform? You mean Bismarck? She's my older sister, so I suppose that's natural....." Tirpitz snaps her fingers
"Y-you're Bismarck's little sister! I want to meet Iron Blood's famous Bismarck, but meeting the little sister is fine too!"
"Uh......"
Tirpitz nearly takes a step back, startled at the white-haired girl fidgeting and flailing her arms in excitement.
"Maybe I can learn about Bismarck from you since you two must be close!"
"Uhm.....who are you anyway? You look like a kansen. Eagle Union or Northern Parliament?" Tirpitz guesses from the girl's black and white uniform
"I'm a humble aircraft carrier from Eagle Union. My name is Bon Homme Richard. It's a pleasure to meet you, Tirpitz"
The girl with smooth white hair and friendly blue eyes clears her throat as her introduces herself with a warm smile and an observant gaze.
"I didn't even tell you my name....." Tirpitz is slightly wary
"I'm a big fan of Bismarck, so I would know her little sister is Tirpitz. Besides, I think most people know that already since she only has one little sister"
"Well, you're kind of right" Tirpitz scratches her cheeks
"Why don't you tell me about yourself too? I would like to hear about you too. I could learn a thing or two about Bismarck since you two are close!"
"We're not that close-"
"Nonsense! After all, I bet she'll do anything to protect you....after everything that happened"
Bon Homme Richard behaves as a cheerful and friendly girl, but her response slips for a split second and displays an excitable smile instead.
"I really want to know more about Bismarck. You see, I'm kind of a fan and I even saw her before. If I get to know you, perhaps I'll meet her again!"
"......" Tirpitz is baffled at the girl's admiration
"After all, I heard Bismarck is a protective older sister"
The liveliness and innocence in Bon Homme Richard's eyes sharpens a bit, but Tirpitz senses the change in tone when referring to Bismarck as being an older sister. Tirpitz doesn't sense hostility, so in her perspective, Bon Homme Richard is merely being enthusiastic and awkward at the same time. She views the admiration of Bismarck as natural due to her older sister's fame as a mighty leader and fighter to other nations, but the young white-haired aircraft carrier has another interest.