Thaw out a Second Life

Doubting a Life

The Sakura Empire festival is in a few days. Bismarck would normally be excited as it's one of the few occasions she can relax from her duty and spend more time with her younger sister. Right now, she's troubled, even slowly spinning and staring at her glass of red wine.

"What's on your mind this time?" Prinz Eugen asks while enjoying her glass of wine
"I'm afraid Tirpitz isn't free of the META's influence"
"Oh? What makes you think of that?"

Prinz Eugen freely swings her legs and relaxes her arm by the sofa with a playful smile slowly curving on the side of her lips.

"She was releasing cold air in her sleep. Not to mention, she's been distracted, so I wondered if something's troubling her"
"Le me guess, Tirpitz says she's fine and there's nothing to worry about" Prinz Eugen takes a large sip
"Something like that, but this time I don't think she actually notices anything"

Bismarck gently lowers her wine glass on the table between them. She barely takes a sip of her wine since she's more worried than in a good mood for a drink.

"Is it normal for her to forget and change her preferences? Tirpitz has been acting like......"
".....She's someone else" Prinz Eugen continues
"........"
"Neumark keeps speculating it. Personally, I don't care because people change over time. You'd have to be the most stubborn person in existence to remain the same"
"That's true, but my instincts are restless......"

Someone like Bismarck believes only what's certain and what she could witness herself. It's only recently she starts being concerned and focused when her instincts keep alarming her.

"By the way, you've been occupied yourself recently. Did something catch your interest?" Bismarck briefly changes the topic
"Ah, it's nothing big.....sort of. Wales is worried her big sister has been going out without telling much and no one knows who she's been visiting" Prinz Eugen shrugs
"I don't think King George V has the need to announce every time where she would go and who she would meet"
"It's annoying but she asked for my help since no one could outsneak me"
"That's true. You're rather cunning even if you drink a lot and slack off"
"That's a little harsh....."

Prinz Eugen proceeds to gulp what's remaining in her wine glass and exhale in relief.

"Victorious META's group hasn't shown up ever since the incident. No, it's more that they're laying low" Bismarck stares at her wine glass
"Two battlecruisers, one destroyer.....and an unidentified battleship"

Prinz Eugen excitedly pulls out a picture from her left sleeves, mildly surprising Bismarck for a split second.

"Were you keeping that in your sleeves this whole time?" Bismarck blinks
"Let's focus on the important matter" Prinz Eugen slides the photo in the middle of the table
"A battleship with an enormous beast by its side....." Bismarck takes the photo
"It's a very elusive one since this is the known picture Azur Lane has"

While Bismarck senses it as a possible threat, Prinz Eugen's smile is more about being curious to meet the new battleship herself.

"They say it's similar to Iron Blood technology but we're not sure because it burned and melted every scout aircraft that approached her" Prinz Eugen shrugs with little care
"Victorious META is gone but a new META showed up. This might be problematic......"
"If she stays quiet and out of our way, she's someone else's problem now"
"......."
"Don't think much about this. We have to know who we are dealing first so no one can catch us off guard again"

Bismarck keeps staring at the blurry portrait of the unidentified META. The unknown kansen let the wind flutter her charred cape while the enormous rigging shading her snaps its jaws on one of the aircraft. Their only image is the rear view of the kansen who seems to be staring afar without a care.