Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I close my book and gaze absentmindedly out the porthole window into the fog. To be honest I am a bit too excited and nervous to finish reading right now. Today, I will be reuniting with my father, who is the commander of Azur Lane. While we haven’t been together in person for a while, he has kept in touch with letters and the occasional phone call. He has recently informed that he has remarried and that he wants me to get to know his new wife with the idea that we can once again all live together as a family. My new mother is a kansen and I can’t help but wonder what it will mean to be brought up by someone who has never been a child. Well I am fifteen but I could hardly be considered to being an adult yet.

            As I go up on the top deck of the freighter that I have gotten passage on, I notice the captain was surrounded by a group of Iron Blood destroyer kansen. I knew what they were because I had read a kansen general guide before starting my trip. They seemed to be in a serious argument with the captain about some fault they had found with his ship. The captain was a decent enough man but could be stubborn and argumentative sometimes. Neither side seemed willing to budge.
            Suddenly, one of the destroyers, who had been turned away and listening to an earpiece, announced to the rest of the group, “I just received word that our flagship is in the area. I have already alerted her and she’s coming.” She flashed the captain a less-than-friendly grin. “So now you will have to explain yourself to her.”

            “Bring it on,” retorted the captain. “I won’t have some shipgirl telling me how to run my own vessel.”

            Suddenly out of the fog a ship appeared. It was one of the biggest battleships I had ever seen. Standing on its bow was a tall blond woman in black uniform. As the battleship got nearer, I made out her face. It was beautiful and fierce and her expression made her look even more terrifying. This was Bismarck, the flagship of the Iron Blood’s fleet. The pictures I had seen did not do her imposing form justice. Her cape made her seem big and intimidating. Her expression was hard. Even at a distance, I could make out her bright blue eyes which seemed to blaze with a cold fury. I felt a sense of dread and foreboding.

            In a single bound, she landed on the deck of the freighter. The ship dissolved into blue light and then reappeared on Bismarck’s sides as four mechanical sharks with gun turrets on top. She strode toward the captain with an aura of intimidation, her footsteps thudding heavily on the deck. Her voice thundered loudly and harshly as she berated the captain for giving her subordinates a hard time. The captain cowered before her as she continued to chew him out, even threatening to have his boat sunk.

            Now I have always been known as a timid and reserved lad who often got pushed around. But I had been reading up on how to be a stronger and more assertive person so that I could make father proud. For some mad reason, I thought I could tell this shipgirl off for going what I felt was too far with berating this captain. I wasn’t trying to bully her or use the fact that I was the commander’s son over her. I just felt that she coming down a bit harsh and ought to ease up a bit.

            I walked up behind Bismarck right after she had a break in her tirade against the captain. “Um excuse me. I think you are going a bit far. Surely you could just fine him…”

Bismarck spun around, her eyes blazing, her riggings rearing and snarling at this sudden intrusion. All the courage that I had mustered evaporated instantly as she glowered and spoke, “Who do you think you are that you can talk to me like that? Do you…have…any….idea……

I beheld a sudden and remarkable transition. Her face seemed to contort from anger to panic, the color draining from her cheeks. Even her riggings went from intimidating to sheepish. In a low voice she said, “Is your name Sean De Valera? The son of Commander Finn De Valera?” I nodded. Bismarck quickly turned back to the captain, who on his knees quivering in fear, and told the man that he will be hearing from Azur Lane later. Then she turned back and beckoned forward a cruiser kansen with twin ponytails who must have jumped aboard after her. The two conversed in a low voices which ended with the twin-tailed cruiser rolling her eyes and saying, “Really?” in a fed-up sarcastic tone. Bismarck whispered something else to her that sounded pretty sharp and the cruiser seemed to relent and walk towards me.

“Guten tag, I am Prinz Eugen,” she said. “Lord Bismarck wishes that the son of Azur Lane’s commander be carried by one of her own rather than this freighter. Please bring your things up on deck so that we may depart immediately.” I did not wish to take any further chances with Bismarck and immediately complied. The mechanical sharks that were on Eugen’s sides dissolved into light and a heavy cruiser materialized right on port side of the freighter.

“I can’t believe this was attached to you just recently,” I said in wonder, running my hand along the railing and gently tapping my foot on the edge of Eugen’s deck as we carved through the sea.

“Yeah, we kansen are amazing. You’ll get used to it.” Eugen dryly replied. To my amazement she took a hip flask out of somewhere on her person and started drinking while on duty.

“You seem pretty laid back,” I remarked, “how do you manage that working for a terror such that?”

Eugen gave me a tired look. “Sorry about Bismarck. She’s not usually like this. It has been a really bad day for her. Your father may be due back tonight but things got a little messy in his absence. This morning, it was hard to find everything we needed. Then there was that Siren Stronghold, we were supposed to take on today. That witch wouldn’t stop regenerating. It really was a long and irritating day for all of us. Then she hears about some captain getting insolent toward her fleet and well…you saw what happened.”

“She seemed to get scared when she saw that I was the son of the commander. Is she afraid of him?”

Eugen laughed. “Not in the slightest. You could say, she’s the one who works the closest with your father.” And on saying that, she winked for some reason.

I sighed, “Fair enough for him I suppose. So long as I don’t have to live with her.”
            Eugen groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. For some reason, I got a sense of forboding.

Chapter Text

            The rest of the journey onboard Prinz Eugen’s ship happened without a hitch. After my last comment, Eugen apparently didn’t feel like making conversation and I had no idea what to talk to her about so we just stood in an awkward silence.

            Finally we saw the port. There were warships of all shapes and sizes resting in the harbor. The various shapes and designs of this multinational fleet captivated me and I was lost in thought peering at them all. Eventually, we pulled into dock and, to my surprise, a bunch of birdlike creatures lifted a gangplank up to Eugen’s hull. Standing next to them was a tall, slim, uniformed woman with short red hair. “Guten tag. I am the Iron Blood aircraft carrier Weser. I have been dispatched to look after you, until your father returns,” the woman said, introducing herself with a warm smile.

            I was confused. “Isn’t my stepmother about? I thought she would be here. Dad said that I would be meeting her here today.”

            Weser looked at Eugen who rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Your father was delayed on his return trip,” she replied nervously. “And your stepmother….well….you see your father was supposed to introduce you to her. Since, your father isn’t here, she feels it is too awkward to introduce herself to you, so she isn’t going to do that.”

            “What, you mean I can’t see her until dad gets back? But aren’t we supposed to be living together?”

            “Don’t worry, she’s made arrangements,” Weser grinned, coming off a little too cheerful. “I will be looking after you until your dad gets back. Now, while Eugen takes your luggage to your living quarters, I will give you a tour as you are a civilian, you will need to know where you can and can’t go.” She took my hand and began walking. I did my best to keep up while still feeling confused. Everything seemed to be moving so fast. As Weser walked with me, she pointed out various buildings in the base. Apparently, Azur Lane’s main base had once been a college campus that had been taken over by the military. It certainly felt like a college with girls clad in all kinds of getup walking about the place, doing any number of activities. It hardly felt like a military base at all, were it not for the copious naval armament about the place. Weser must have read my mind because she said; “Things are more peaceful around here with the UE finally gone. Although we believe that the Sirens are going to heat their war with us back up soon, so far things haven’t gotten too hot yet. Which is why you can come here now.”

Finally, we stopped at a small house that was set apart from the other buildings. “This is the Commander’s quarters, where you will be living.” Weser opened the door. The living room was decorated in a combination of Iron Blood and Eagle Union styles. There was also a portrait on the wall depicting a scene from Ireland. I stared at it curiously. Dad didn’t usually like to talk about his homeland, due to the troubled times of his teenage years. He had never really told me about them either except to say that those were bad times, but that they had toughened him. Weser must have noticed my staring. “Ah yes, your stepmother is quite patriotic and she believed in honoring your father’s nationality in addition to hers.” There was small piano and an elaborate desk among the décor. My mother must be a shipgirl of high rank then.

            Weser took me upstairs and opened a door to a small guest room with a bed, a dresser, and a bookshelf that contained a number of books on technology and history. “Your stepmother picked those out for you,” Weser smiled. “She asked your father about all your favorite things.”

            “But why won’t she meet me in person?” I asked. “Is she afraid of me or something?”

            “It’s not that,” Weser replies. “It’s just that she can be a bit awkward when introducing herself in an informal manner. In fact, she can be very awkward when it comes to socializing outside of military matters. She wants to make the best impression she can but without your father, she feels she can’t do that. Anyway, I will be meeting with you in the morning to discuss your activities during your time here. A Royal maid will be bringing you your supper shortly. Good evening.”

            She left me alone. I lie down on my bed and stare at the ceiling, not sure what to feel. Today, I had expected to meet my family. But instead, I am alone in a strange place surrounded by strangers. Although, perhaps…

            I jump off of the bed and leave the room. Maybe I can find out about my new mother other ways. I try the door to the master bedroom but it is locked. I go downstairs and try the desk and the file cabinet but it is locked too. Just as I am idly running my fingers over the piano keys, trying to figure out what to do next, my phone chimes with a new text. It is from a number I don’t recognize. It reads, “If you are thinking about trying to find clues to your mother’s identity, please forget it. Your mother has already been through here and dealt with any hints to her identity.”

            I noticed a spot on the piano where it looked like a picture once stood. I reply, “How to you know what I was doing?”

            The reply stated, “Your mother has hidden cameras in the living room and in vital parts of the house. She likes to keep important things monitored and secure. Also, I would like to point out that if you think you can wait for her to come back tonight, don’t. She is staying onboard her own ship until your father gets back. I know this is strange to you but it is just how she is.”

“Who are you?”

“I am her sister. I won’t be properly introducing myself yet either but rest assured I will be keeping an eye on you. My sister has always been awkward around informal introductions. In fact she once asked your father to come bring me to her to meet as sisters. Of course, this was the first time in our lives that we had ever truly met.”

I was somewhat taken aback. “Wow, I thought I had a distant family. At least Dad kept in touch with phones and letters.”

“I know what it means to be truly lonely. And I understand what you must be feeling right now. When I was finally brought among the other members of my fleet, I still felt lonely because all of my fellow shipgirls were so unfamiliar to me. But with your father’s guidance, I was able to make a few friends and I am sure you will too. So you can rest easy. Good night.”

I go back to my room feeling a bit calmer than I was before. Perhaps these shipgirls aren’t as strange as I thought. I might just be able to get used to all of this.

Chapter Text

The next day I awoke to a traditional Iron Blood breakfast, consisting of bread rolls with jam and a cup of orange juice. There was a note, which read, “I hope this is to your satisfaction. From your mother.” The jam was the same kind that my father would send to me along with his letters.

            After the breakfast, I made a decision. While I appreciated her thoughtfulness, I was still concerned about my mother being so strangely shy as to not wanting to introduce herself. I would try to find out what I can about my mother.

            I texted Weser asking her if she knew when my father would be arriving. She responded that he was estimated to return in about a day or two depending on the weather. Well then I guess that today I will look around for clues. I can’t spend my whole life being passive. I can’t let the people who have talked down at me be right.

            I leave the house and look towards a group of shipgirls who are congregating toward a building at the edge of the campus. It appeared to be some kind of maid café according to the sign. Prinz Eugen happened to be nearby and waved me over. “Hey there, looking for some fun?” she asked. “The Iron Blood café just reopened after a long hiatus. When there isn’t as great a need for us, we do activities like this to strengthen connections with the various fleets. It is a great place to meet many of the shipgirls who work under your father. Who knows? You might just meet your future girlfriend here.”

            “I’m a bit young for that.” I protested. I had never even considered a girlfriend coming here. I had never considered getting with anyone period.

            Eugen didn’t seem to give that any thought. She dragged me into the café. There were many shipgirls of different nations inside already. Iron Blood girls in maid outfits served their customers wearing the kind of outfits that I had only seen in manga. Some of those costumes were a bit much. Eugen noticed my blushing and smirked. “You better get used to it kid. Some of us like to show skin. Perhaps because most of us don’t have much contact with males.” She stands up. “I’ll see if I can get the attention of…”

            As Eugen moved away from her seat, she accidentally rammed hard into another shipgirl who was carrying a tray of drinks. The girl collapsed onto the ground and whimpered while getting covered in various drinks. “Oh Leipzig, not again!” Eugen groaned. “Here, let me get you cleaned up.” Eugen took the girl by hand and left me all alone at the table.

            While I was looking around and trying not to seem like I was staring, a hand appeared in front of me and placed a drink on the table. I turned and faced a tall blond woman wearing a sort of waitress outfit. She looked a lot like Bismarck but she was wearing glasses and the way she carried herself looked nothing like that terrifying visage I saw the day before. I looked down at the drink. It was one of my favorites, a caramel mochiato. I looked up to the stranger who was regarding me expectantly. “How did you know?...” I began.

            “I have an instinct for these kind of things.” She replied quickly. “So you are Sean the Commander’s son? I heard you were coming.”

            “Uh yes, who are you?”

            The woman looked away for a bit. Then looked me in the eye. At least I think she did because her thick glasses made it hard for me to make out her eyes. “My name is….you can call me Biscuit.”

            “Biscuit? That’s on odd name for an Iron Blood warship, isn’t it? What kind of shipgirl are you?”

            Biscuit looked shyly away and said in a low voice, “I’m a battleship. My vessel is currently undergoing repairs right now and I would rather not have you look at it.”

            “Oh okay.” I was trying to sound understanding. “If it’s embarrassing for you then.”

            “Now tell me about yourself Sean. What’s it like being a human boy? And what’s it like being the Commander’s son?”

            I blushed at this sudden onslaught of questions. I was not used to talking about myself so readily with a stranger. But she seemed nice. “Well, I was born and lived my first few years in New York. My dad worked on the harbor defenses there and commanded human ships and some shipgirls to engage Siren fleets that got too close. Mom died when I was seven. Dad had me stay with family friends while he got more into the war with the Sirens. But he always kept in touch. My father’s friend had a huge library and I spent most of my time reading. That’s why my vocabulary is more advanced than most. But I didn’t make any friends at school.”

            Biscuit smiled gently. “I know what that feels like. I hardly made any real friends myself until recently.”

            “Were you made to feel like to you didn’t belong? I know I did.” I sigh having drunk from the mochiato she gave me.

            “Your fellow classmates gave you a hard time didn’t they?” Biscuit said solemnly. “I heard rumors from the girls close to your father.”

            “Yes, they were true. Big intimidating people scare me easily. Not you though.” I tried looking her in the eye again but the glasses made it hard. “You’re not scary. Not like that Bismarck though, she fills me with dread.”

            “Um yes…she does sometimes have that effect on strangers.” Biscuit suddenly seemed nervous. “I noticed that your speech is more mature than others of your age.”

            “I did a lot of reading when I was trying to keep away from the bullies. They already saw me as a nerd so I tried to become stronger through intelligence. Didn’t really work out for me though.”

            Biscuit gave me a reassuring smile. “Well for the most part you won’t find that kind of trouble here. Just keep away from certain shipgirls.”

            As I continued with my drink, she asked me various questions about my hobbies and preferences. When she asked me about the sports I liked, I accidentally let slip that I enjoy woman’s sports. I immediately blushed at this because that had been one of the things I had been mocked about. Biscuit asked me why I liked it; I replied that I appreciated the energy and cooperation that comes from female sports. Biscuit appreciated my comment and told me that there was a tennis match being held today. Apparently her shift was just about over so she offered to take me to it. As we were leaving we ran into Prinz Eugen who had just come back from helping Leipzig get cleaned up. I told her how I had met Biscuit and that she was taking me to see a match. Eugen gave me a curious smirk and stood by to let us past. As we walked by, she patted my escort on the head and said “Have a pleasant time with the boy, Biscuit,” in a almost mocking tone of voice. Biscuit’s face momentarily became annoyed and stormy before subsiding.

            We left the bar and headed over to the sports quarter of the old campus. Many of the shipgirls that congregated there were from the Eagle Union. There was a match going on between who I found out later was an upcoming tennis star and a shipgirl. But it was the shipgirl who really got my attention. Short brown hair with one decorative braid. Bright golden eyes. Her body was sleek and toned in all the right places. Her movements were practiced and powerful. My eyes followed her every move. Biscuit seemed to notice my rapt attention. “Her name is Baltimore. She’s an Eagle Union heavy cruiser. She’s well regarded for her fitness and athletic prowess. I can personally vouch for that.”

            I nodded, enraptured by her. “She’s way out of my league. I haven’t had any luck with girls. They all consider me a dork and a nerd.”

            Biscuit patted my shoulder reassuringly. “Well here in Azur Lane, all kinds of things are possible. Baltimore is a truly kind and understanding girl. I would approve of you two hooking up.”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean you two would look like a cute couple.” Biscuit nervously backpedaled. “Of course, you are free to date whoever you choose here, provided you don’t interfere with anyone’s duties and you get your parent’s approval.”

            I nodded. Biscuit was a strange and awkward woman indeed. But she was warm and welcoming and not like the scary woman Bismarck at all. I decided to be straightforward. “Do you know the shipgirl my father married? Did you serve with her?”

            Biscuit seemed to freeze up momentarily. Then she replied slowly and cautiously. “I know her, yes. She….is highly regarded among the Kriegsmarine.”

“What is she like? Why won’t she meet me?”

“Because…this is all so new to her. She is well versed in matters of administration, technology, and battle. But other aspects of life are so unfamiliar to her due to her focus on the things she was meant for. It was only due to your father that she was able to connect better with her human side.”

“Sounds like she was lonely,” I replied.

“Yes, she was. She only had a couple of shipgirls who were close to being her friends back then. But thanks to your father, she was able to get on much better with others and now she has friendships with shipgirls from all the factions. However, meeting with other humans in casual situations is still a challenge.”

            I nodded, understanding what she meant. Although I have been able to hold advanced conversations with my teachers, I have always found it difficult to talk with people my age. So even though I hadn’t met her today, I have felt closer to my new stepmother.

Chapter Text

I awoke the next day to a smell from my early childhood. I went downstairs and found that Weser had prepared a plate of potato farels. They were cooked as well as they were when I was a lad.

“Thanks Weser! Where did you get these?”

“Your mother was able to get a hold of a supplier. Apparently, they aren’t sold that much outside of Ireland. She also researched the way you like them.”

“How did she find that out?”

“She got in contact with your father. He’s a lot closer now and could arrive either today or tomorrow.”

“That’s great. I hope I can finally meet my mother for real. And being with Dad again will be sweet.” I try to sound excited but really I am nervous. Dad and I are very different and I wonder how we can relate now that he has a wife as well. And said wife is so strange about not wanting to be near me until he returns?

“Does the base have a general library?” I ask, deciding that I need to read more about this kind of thing.

“Yes it does. We have one in the academic building. Thinking of looking something up?”

“Yes I would like to look of psychology of relationships between adoptive families.”

“I think there are psychology books there, though most of them will likely be about warfare and PTSD. Now that I think of it there were a bunch of new ones that came in for girls who specifically requested them. They wanted to have a life after the war. Some of them even wanted to adopt children of their own.”

That sounded promising so after thanking Weser for the breakfast, I made my way over to the central academic building. When I walked into the library, I saw a massive selection of books. There were many shelves of blue books, a few shelves of yellow books, and one shelf of red books. I picked one at random and perused it. There were diagrams about angles and velocity and some machine code that I didn’t recognize.

“Ahem. Excuse me, could you put that back?” I look up at a grey-haired girl in a brown Iron Blood uniform who had coughed politely. “We would prefer to not look those unless we’ve been assigned them for skill training.”
“Are these for how shipgirls learn?” I inquire, closing the book. “I heard that they can learn differently from humans.”

“Well yes and no.” The shipgirl replied. “We do learn with conventional classes as well. But regarding our special skills, we need these special books to hone or refine our talents. However, once a book has been read by a shipgirl, it becomes useless to another, which is why I am grateful for you shutting it before I accidentally read it. No one knows why this happens.”

“Oh, I see.” I sheepishly put the book back on its shelf. “Could you direct me to the non-war books?”

“We keep those in the basement. After the stairs, take a left and the room should be on your right. I am Koln by the way. Nice to meet you Sean.”

            I went down the stairs and went through the door and stared. While there were books in the room I entered, there was also what looked like a big metal sculpture of a shark in the center of the room on a table. It didn’t look like any particular species and there were some gaps on top of its body, indicating that something had been removed. As I walked towards it, four lights lit up on its face where a pair of eyes should have been. The shark turned its head to face me and then it hovered off the table. It lurched through the air toward me, making a low growl like a crocodile. I froze, unable to move, as the thing closed the distance between us. It brought its nose right up to mine.

“Eisen! Sich legen!” Upon hearing this, the creature immediately retreated to its table. I turned around and saw Biscuit in her maid outfit from the day before. She turned to me concerned. “Did he do anything to you? I hope you weren’t too scared.”

“I’m fine,” I reply, albeit shaken. “What is that?”

“That was Eisen, the rigging of the heavy cruiser Prinz Heinrich. She named it because she is a playful sort. The reason it is here is that she thought she could teach him new things with the books, while his turrets were being repaired. However, she was called away which is why she asked me to check on him. Eisen may look scary but he is actually quite friendly. Go ahead and pet him.”

I nervously extend my hand and scratch the floating metal shark’s chin. The four glowing eyes flickered and the creature made a strange grinding noise. He gently nuzzled my chest. “See he likes you.” Biscuit reassured. “Anyway, Eisen can’t harm you because he can only perform acts of violence on command or against an apparent threat..”

Eisen settled back down on his table and went inert again. I breathed a sigh of relief. “I guess this is going be one of the things I am going to have to get used to.” I said, starting to relax.

“Well now that’s taken care of, what are you doing here Sean?”

“I thought I would read up on relating to step-parents. I had no books of that nature back at my boarding school and I heard that there could be books of that nature here.”

“I’m afraid you won’t find much use from the collection here. All of the books in this library were selected mainly for shipgirls use. Why don’t you come to town with me? A group of us are going on a shopping expedition and it would be a great opportunity to meet some more of your dad’s subordinates.”

            That seemed like a good idea so I agreed. Biscuit led me outside to a group of shipgirls gathered by one of the benches. While I didn’t recognize most of them, my heart skipped a beat when I saw that Baltimore was among their number. Today, she was dressed like a schoolgirl with a white button shirt and a short black skirt. Biscuit introduced me to the other two shipgirls: a carrier named Essex, and a light cruiser named St. Louis. They had been members of a fleet called Thunderbird squadron during the war with the U.E. Biscuit had apparently temporarily served as their flagship. Their time together, although brief, had created strong bonds between them and they remained in contact to this day. As we walked to town, I chatted with some of the others. For such close friends, it seemed odd to me that when I mentioned Biscuit, they seemed off as if they weren’t sure of themselves. Finally, I found the courage to walk alongside Baltimore. I wanted to chat with her but when she looked at me and smiled, I got really nervous.

            Biscuit pulled alongside me and started talking. “I say Baltimore, how’s your new training program going? Did the manual I provided help?”
            “Yes it did,” Baltimore replied. “That guide to fitness written for the Iron Blood Ground forces certainly helped with techniques.”
“Wonderful. By the way, Sean here has an interest in fitness studies. Perhaps you could share what you learned with him.”

I don’t recall telling her that I thought to myself but it didn’t matter because now Baltimore was talking to me about something I knew about. We chatted about the differences in Kansen biology and how their static sizes could still develop internally.

            As we were all lost in our various conversations, none of us noticed the men who emerged from the alley near a café walked up to us. When Baltimore and I looked up, our eyes met a couple of intimidating brutes with nasty sneers on their faces. Baltimore immediately pulled me behind her and lifted her arms into a ready-to-fight position. One of the men spoke in an oily voice, “Hey there babe. How about ditching that kid and have some fun with us?”

“I’m not interested in your kind of fun so back off!” Baltimore retorted. The two men smiled and then returned to their alley. It felt like the feeling of ease had died. However, we soon came to the book store and I forgot about it briefly. I was able to find and purchase the books I needed and stood by the entrance to the bookstore waiting for the others.

            Suddenly, the door opened and I was grabbed and pulled outside. Two of the men from earlier were there and one clamped his hand on my mouth. “See, I told you he was the Commander’s son,” one of them grinned. “Now he’s going to have to cooperate no matter what.” Biscuit emerged from the store and stared in icily at the pair.

The other man started speak, “Now if you….” but Biscuit kicked his legs out from under him and then stomped on his head.

“You stupid maid! How dare you! I’ll gut him if you don’t back off,” yelled the man holding me and putting a knife to my throat.

“I have sworn to protect him. Ever since the day of my oath.”

“The what?” Biscuit closed the distance between us and grabbed the man’s knife hand. He released me and slammed his free hand’s fist against the side of Biscuit’s head, causing her thick glasses to fly off. I gasped when I saw the steely blue eyes of Bismarck. She had been my friend all along? Bismarck kicked the legs out from under the man and knocked him unconscious with a quick blow to the head. Then she looked at me with shock and uncertainty upon realizing what I had seen.

            Before either of us could react, a pair of tree trunk arms suddenly wrapped themselves around Bismarck. Their owner’s face appeared, a man with fiery red hair and scars on both cheeks. He grinned and bellowed, “My darling, this is where you’ve been! I’ve missed you so much. And Sean, how are you my lad?”
Yeah this is my dad all right.

Chapter Text

The walk back was awkward for the three of us. Neither Dad nor Bismarck spoke. Bismarck looked stone faced and Dad had a light smile that was mixed with a frown on his forehead. I was still trying to process what had happened. Many questions went through my head. Soon we arrived home and, without a word, I went to my room. I could hear the two of them talking while I lay on my bed, wondering what to think. Then there was a knock on the door and Dad rather sheepishly came in. He sat on the bed with me and then awkwardly put his arm around my shoulders and hugged me. Finally he spoke.

“I’ve missed you terribly. You’ve really grown so much.”

I hugged him back. I had missed him too. “Dad, about her…”

And I am sorry that you had to find things out the way you did. I had wanted to be there for your first meeting with her. If it weren’t for that storm, things would have gone a lot smoother.”

I gave Dad a quizzical look. “Why did you marry such a woman in the first place? I thought you kept everyone here as just friends.”

Dad sighed. “Well son, it’s a long story. Later I will tell you more of the details, but I wound up getting closer to her during the War with the U.E. One thing led to another and we both let each other’s guards down and well…..”

He smiled wistfully.

“The truth is that I was in denial about my feelings for such a long time. Deep down inside I needed this kind of intimacy. And Bismarck needed it too. For so long, she was married to her duty as the Iron Blood flagship so much so that she had little time for herself. You could say that I helped humanize her. She’s come quite a way since then. But she only really shows her more human side to myself, her sister, Prinz Eugen and a sub-girl called U-556. ”

“So when I met her….”
“You saw her in her work form. When she had to be the indomitable flagship of the Kriegsmarine in the face of those who would defy them. Most of the time she really isn’t like that. So she put on the mask of someone who is like a friend in order to get to know you better. I think she was playing by ear on how she was going to reveal things to you but that sudden attack happened.”

I nod. Though this woman is still strange to me, I understand why Bismarck chose to do what she did. And after everything Dad and her went through, I had to try and connect to her.

            Dad and I walked downstairs to the dining room where Bismarck was setting the table. She was wearing a simple black sweater and jeans. She gave me a sheepish look and said nothing. Dinner was a quiet affair. Dad most prattled about the random things that were discussed at the meeting he was at, occasionally taking a break to explain some things in lay terms for me. Bismarck would give occasional affirmations and comments that were two or three words. I had no idea how to keep up the conversation or add to it and towards the end Dad was starting to realize it. He started to ask me how my studies had been going and what I had been up to in the meantime. Bismarck quietly excused herself to do the dishes but remained in earshot and kept an eye on me as if she was studying us. When she was done with the dishes, Dad suggested that we all watch a movie. He popped an action flick in and Bismarck and I sat on both sides of him. I tried to feel close to them both but I had been away from father for so long and I still wasn’t sure of Bismarck so it just felt awkward. I know that Dad was trying to make up for his absence but everything seemed to so new and unexpected. After the movie was done I quietly excused myself and headed to my room.

            Later that night, I felt thirsty and went to get a drink. While I was in the kitchen, my eyes fell on a picture on the wall. It was an ordinary cargo crane that was on the docks of the main harbor. I was curious as to why this seemingly mundane piece of hardware would get a picture. There was nothing distinctive or scenic about it. As I looked at it, I heard someone walking into the kitchen. It seemed Bismarck had the same idea and was looking at rather awkwardly. I decided to make an effort to connect. “That’s a curious picture,” I said, “is there any particular meaning behind it?”

“Oh, that,” Bismarck replied, “that crane was quite significant to both your father and myself.”

“Really what was it?”
“I tried to throw myself off of it.”

“Oh.”

An awkward silence pervaded the room. I wasn’t sure how to respond. Bismarck continued.

“You remember the my nation was the first to fall to the UE. The Kriegsmarine were scattered and we were trying to save what people we could. After a string of failures, I had gotten so despondent that I considered myself unable to live up to the ideal of strength that befitted my name. I thought that perhaps the fleet would do better without me. But your father came upon me that night and managed to talk me down from that crane. It was the first time in my life that I broke down and cried. The first time I expressed my vulnerabilities to another.”

She looked me in the eye and rested her hand on my shoulder.

“He helped me realize that I was more than just a ship, more than just an ideal. When I was with him, I felt truly human for the first time. And, well, one thing led to another.”
She paused and gazed at me slightly abashed. “I am sorry for the way I deceived you. I panicked without your father being there and I thought you were afraid of me.”

I understood the feeling. I had often tried to do the right thing only to panic and do something silly instead, which hadn’t earned me many friends and had made me a target on a few occasions.

“I get it,” I replied, “and, I don’t hate you. I think I just need time to get used to the idea of you, that’s all.”
Bismarck look relieved. “That’s all I can ask. Thank you. Goodnight.”

I went to bed feeling a little better now. Though there was still progress to be made, it felt like things were heading in the right direction.

Chapter Text

It has been a week since I found out that Bismarck was my stepmom. Our relationship is still pretty awkward. We don’t hate each other but I feel it difficult to get a read on her feelings sometimes. Even though the oceans have been more peaceful than they have for a while, both her and Dad still have plenty of work to do. Dad has been doing better at reconnecting with me. He has had the three of us occasionally do activities together to get us talking more but results have been mixed.

            I had also been trying to figure out how to get Baltimore to really notice me. I wasn’t going to impress her physically so I thought I would try to attract her with a poem. I wanted to write something that would show that I appreciated her looks and that I wanted to get to know her better without coming across as creepy.

            One night Dad announced that the three of us would be heading to a conference in Berlin. We would be traveling onboard Bismarck’s own shipform. I was a little unsure about this. After all, I had briefly rode aboard Prinz Eugen for a day but this time I would be spending several days riding on the extension of someone who I still felt awkward about.

            We arrived at the docks after breakfast. Tirpitz, Weser, Prinz Eugen, and a couple others I wasn’t familiar with were there as well. According to Dad, there was increased Siren movement in the area we were heading through so the extra protection was necessary. I thought about asking Weser some advice, since like Baltimore she was an athletic tomboy, but she was focused on attending to her planes. My father was calling me over to Bismarck’s hull so I didn’t really have a chance to talk to anyone.

            The battleship was as intimidating as it was when I first saw it. As Dad led me through the halls, I felt something strange. It was a feeling like nothing I had ever experienced. It felt organic in a way I couldn’t quite describe. Dad must have sensed something off about me when we arrived at my room.

“People on their first trips on board shipgirl hulls always do feel a little off. You’ll get used to this and hardly notice when it happens frequently. Just remember that this thing is connected to a living mind.”

Father stopped by a door that marked with loud warning colors. “This is where we will go if fighting occurs and the situation forces her to convert her ship into rigging. The Sirens may not be as active now but they are still a threat. Oh, and here’s where you will be staying. Let’s hope for a peaceful voyage, eh?”

I tried not to think to hard about being in a potential fight as I entered the cabin. It was plain but comfortable as befitting a battleship cabin. Dad left to go on deck and I sat on the bed for a while thinking about how to show Baltimore my feelings. I heard a ship’s horn and felt the ship move. So then I decided to come on top deck. Father was off on one side gazing at the sea and Bismarck stood at the center of the bow, her eyes fixed forward. I thought I’d try not to disturb her but she spoke.

“I trust the cabin is to your liking?”
“Yes thank you.”

“Good.”
An awkward pause lingered between us. I tried to think of another subject to talk about and my gaze fell upon her cannons.

“Those aren’t your traditional cannons right? I heard that historically, your main cannons were double barreled but these are triples aren’t they?”

Bismarck turned and smiled. “That’s correct. These batteries are Prototype Triple 381mm Guns. During the war with the U.E., the Royal Navy gave them to me as both an upgrade and as a sign of forgiveness.”

“Do you get on well with them?”

“For the most part. There are still moments of tenseness but your father helps smooth things over well. By the way, have you been thinking more about Baltimore?”

I was a little taken aback that she would know what was on my mind so easily but I suppose it wasn’t to hard to guess, what with me watching Baltimore at her practices.

“I wanted to get her attention with a poem. But I’m not sure how to properly convey my feelings in a way that shows admiration with coming off as creepy.”

“Well, I read a lot of classic poems from my nation’s history. Perhaps when I have a break in my meetings we can talk about romance?” Bismarck gave me an awkward smile that was trying to be keen without seeming too keen. I was still unsure about how much I was willing to talk with her about feelings.

            Suddenly, her face sharpened and she looked past me. “Sirens are in the area!” I heard the roar of planes as they were rapidly launched from Weser. Father appeared on deck barking orders into a radio to the other shipgirls. The massive turrets rotated a little to starboard and tilted upwards. I could hear the drone of unfamiliar aircraft, which could only be Siren jets. “Sean, get to the chamber now,” my dad yelled.

            I ducked into the hallway of the battleship just as I was hearing the first sounds of gunfire. Thankfully there were emergency lights that guided my way to the chamber. The room itself consisted of a couple rows of chairs with over the shoulder seat belts. There was a screen that depicted the battle that was going on outside. I saw that Prinz Eugen and the other forward shipgirls were no longer riding atop their ships but were engaging the Siren mass production vessels in their rigging forms. They were making easy work of the mass production Siren ships. Then out of the smoke, I saw multiple strange humanoids walking across the water. They must be humanoid Sirens. Their rigging was larger and more alien looking than the shipgirls fighting on our side. As I stared, Dad ran into the chamber and sealed the door behind him. “The battle is getting really hot, so Bismarck is going to convert to her rigging form,” he said strapping himself in, “so get ready to feel really tight.”

            Before I could ask, the walls of the chamber glowed blue. I suddenly felt my whole body being squeezed. Then the sensation was over as quickly as it had begun. I looked at the screen and noticed how everyone seemed bigger. We were at the same level as Eugen and the others. The room seemed to pitch and lurch as the view of the screen weaved from side to side. Dad seemed to notice my bewilderment.

“We’ve shrunk lad. Bismarck has converted her ship into rigging to become a fully actualized shipgirl, to draw on her fully power and to give her full maneuverability. This chamber is the only safe place passengers can go to when a shipgirl takes on this form.” He put his hand in an oval. “Right now we are about this high.”

Upon taking this in, I ask, “What happens if the hull gets breached in this part?”

Dad gave me a grim look. “No one has ever found out since shipgirls rarely take on passengers. And quite frankly, no one ever wants to find out.”

I nod and try to focus on the battle that is on the screen. The shipgirls in front were weaving side-to-side spraying rapid cannon fire to try and land a direct hit on the humanoid Siren. I felt a sudden sense of focus and then saw a massive salvo headed from our location. I also sensed something else, a surge of emotion that wasn’t mine. The feelings I felt were concern and worry. The concern part felt like I did when I wasn’t sure which move to make in a strategy game and was unsure if I was using my resources properly. And there was a feeling of protectiveness, like I had felt, once when I futilely tried to stand up for a classmate. But there was power here, surging towards those emotions.

            These were Bismarck’s true feeling. Her pure feelings brought through her hull. The things she had tried to express to me with awkward statements were now coming clearer to me during the battle in which she held me in her hull.

            A jolt brought me back to reality, as the Siren, although heavily damaged, had closed in on Bismarck. Claws emerged from the Sirens battered rigging to grapple at Bismarck’s rigging in one last, desperate attempt to stop Bismarck. The whole room shook violently as my stepmother fired her cannons at point blank range. The Siren’s body disintegrated in blinding fire. It was over. Bismarck barked orders to the rest of the fleet to resume formation. The room glowed blue again and this time I felt myself being stretched everywhere. Then everything was normal again.

“Well that was a bit exciting, wasn’t it?” Dad nonchalantly got up. “I will have to write a brief report about this. Why don’t you go up and see how she’s getting on?”

            I walked up on deck. There was still the smell of gunpowder and fuel and the damage that the ship had taken in its rigging form had been transferred in the form of dents scrapes and burn marks everywhere. Bismarck herself stood among it all, her uniform slightly scuffed but otherwise unaffected. She immediately tensed up when she saw me.

“Are you alright? I didn’t anticipate that one would get that close. I’m sorry…”

“It’s alright. Dad wasn’t scared so I wasn’t scared that much either. It was kind of exciting actually. And I knew you were doing your best.” I replied.

Bismarck’s shoulders sagged with relief. She smiled calmly at me.

“You know I think I will take you up on your offer. Maybe if we can find some time…”

“I will gladly help you in courtship plans. Since your sixteenth birthday is in three weeks, perhaps we can devise a long term strategy that can get Baltimore going out with you around that time.”

I nodded. Then I hugged her. She stiffened a little in surprise and then hugged me back.