"Herr Kommandant, Lord Bismarck requests your presence."

The proclamation took a second to sink in, as I was sure I had misheard her for a second. I looked up from my work and stared at Prinz Eugen in confusion. "I'm sorry? I thought you said Lord Bismarck wanted to see me."

"That is correct. Lord Bismarck requests your presence," Eugen repeated, "and I wouldn't recommend making her wait."

"O-of course," I stammered, still trying to work out what I missed. "Please inform Lord Bismarck I will be there immediately."

Prinz Eugen nodded, saluted smartly, clicked her heels and left the office. I slowly got to my feet and shot a glance over to Hiei, who had been assigned as my secretary. "Did I miss an appointment?"

Hiei was way ahead of me, flipping through my schedule planner, both before and after today, to check to see if she had missed it. "If we did, we didn't write it down. Is it possible we forgot?"

"Bismarck?" I scoffed, "I doubt it. She's never had a face-to-face meeting with anyone since she's arrived. Well, a formal meeting, anyway. If she'd requested one, I'd remember it. Go ahead and clear my schedule for the rest of the day just in case this turns into an all-day meeting. Worst case scenario, I'm back in twenty and we reschedule everything."

"Aye, sir," Hiei said, promptly putting words into action.

While she was getting things ready, I quickly grabbed my officer's cap and headed for the door. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Wish me luck!"

"Good luck, Commander!" Hiei called after me.

I shut the door behind me to find Eugen still standing there in the hallway, eyeing me up and down. Eventually, she cocked an eyebrow and asked, "You're going in that?"

I checked myself as best I could and I didn't see anything wrong. No wrinkles in the uniform, no stains, everything buttoned up and in its proper place. After making sure, I fixed Eugen with an annoyed look and snapped, "Yeah, and?"

Eugen merely shrugged and looked away. "I mean, this is the leader of the Iron Blood calling on you, you don't think that warrants your dress uniform?"

"Well, which is it?" I snarkily replied, "Do I make her wait or do I come as I am?"

Eugen unhelpfully shrugged, "Your call. Your funeral if you make her wait, though." And with that, she turned and slowly strolled away. I did my best to swallow my anger and frustration and followed after her.

Eugen led me to the Iron Blood dormitories and through the halls of the main building. We had taken so many turns and passed so many empty meeting halls and briefing rooms, I was beginning to wonder if this all wasn't part of some elaborate prank on her end. Eventually, we entered into a courtyard, located in what must have been the middle of the complex. It was small, about the size of a modest kitchen, with small trees and some shrubbery making it seem even smaller. All around, the cold grey walls of the dorm towered above us, with the light of the midday sun filtering down through the trees. And there, illuminated by one of the few full rays of light, sat Bismarck herself.

Soft classical music, Mozart, I think, was being piped in from somewhere I couldn't see-probably speakers higher up the walls, lending a calming air to the small space. It certainly seemed to affect Bismarck, as she looked up, a contemplative expression on her face. That look, combined with the fact that she wasn't wearing either her fur-lined cloak nor her peaked cap, made her look decidedly less intimidating than she had in our previous, brief encounters. That was, however, until Prinz Eugen cleared her throat.

"Lord Bismarck, Herr Kommandant has arrived," she announced, and the contemplative look on Bismarck's face quickly vanished, replaced by that cold, aloof countenance I'd seen before.

"Danke, Eugen," she replied. "You are dismissed. Oh, and send Z23 in."

Eugen saluted smartly, clicked her heels together and headed off, but not before whispering "Good luck," into my ear as she passed. I tried not to let it show and simply smiled through gritted teeth. If Bismarck noticed any of that exchange, she gave no sign, instead gesturing me to step inside the courtyard.

"Guten tag, Herr Kommandant. Thank you for coming on such short notice. I hope Eugen didn't give you too much trouble."

"No, not too much trouble," I lied, deciding to keep things diplomatic. "I have to admit, I was surprised to get your request for a meeting. Is there something the Iron Blood needs?"

Her answer surprised me. "The Iron Blood? No," she shook her head. "This is a request of a personal nature. Please, sit, and I will explain."

If my curiosity hadn't been piqued before, it certainly was now. Why on earth would the Bismarck, leader of the Iron Blood, pick me of all people for something personal? We've said maybe ten words between us before today. In any case, I wasn't going to find out until I sat, so I took the seat opposite the one she had been sitting in.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I am asking you, and not someone within the Iron Blood," she began. "After the...incident with U-556, I had discussed things with some of the other Iron Blood ships, and it was decided that I should make more attempts to become...more sociable with people. Someone who won't pull punches when talking with me. After some discussion, it was agreed that you were the best candidate."

Well, that did little to help with my confusion. "Why me, though? Why not someone within the Iron Blood, like Hipper or Gneisenau or even Parzival herself?"

Bismarck opened her mouth to answer when the sound of a destroyer politely clearing her throat interrupted us and we both looked over to see Z23 waiting patiently, serving tray in hand.

"Pardon the interruption, but Eugen said to come in," she said quietly. Bismarck smiled softly and nodded, beckoning the destroyer forward.

"Of course, please come in." Z23 quickly made her way to the table and set the serving tray down. On it was a tea kettle, a pair of teacups, sugar, cream, and a plate of Royal Navy biscuits.

As Z23 set things up, I decided to make small talk with her to avoid the awkward silence. "Hey, Nimi, how's the tutoring going?" I asked.

"Challenging as ever," she chuckled, "But Amazon's already noticing the uptick in their grades, so it's all working out in the end."

"Good! I've been getting the same reports from Amazon, and I have to say, I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Herr Kommandant. Although it's going to be strange when they won't need my help anymore…"

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. "I know what you mean. We're both in a profession where our success will inevitably end with us being out of a job."

"Quite so, Kommandant," she laughed. Her work complete, she tucked the serving tray under her arm and snapped to attention. "Will there be anything else, Lord Bismarck?"

Bismarck simply shook her head. Nimi saluted smartly, then spun on her heel and marched out of the courtyard. We both watched her go, and when I returned my attention to Bismarck, she was already looking at me with a smug smile on her face. "That's why."

"'That's why' what?" I asked, now completely lost.

"That conversation you had with Z23 just now," she clarified. "She was relaxed with you, nonchalant. Despite the differences in rank, she didn't act any differently with you than she would with someone like, say Javelin, for instance. With me, on the other hand, she is formal and stiff, keenly aware of the differences between our stations. The same can be said for almost any of the other Iron Blood ships, save Eugen. She has little problem expressing herself, as I'm sure you are aware, but even she views me as a leader. I wish to be able to set that aside, even for just a little while, to be able to set aside that burden."

"I see," I began slowly, taking in what she said. "What about U-556? You said that you enjoyed being able to set aside the burden of leadership and talk with her as a friend before."

She nodded. "I did. But as much as I enjoy our talks, she still very much looks up to me as more than a friend. A role model, perhaps? Hero worship? But not as an equal, not as someone who is willing to tell me what I need to hear, as opposed to what I want to hear."

I leaned back in my chair and pondered her words for a moment. She wasn't wrong, nearly everyone on the base viewed Bismarck with at least some small measure of awe. The fact that she so rarely appeared, and interacted even less only heightened that sense of wonder about her. Spotting Bismarck was akin to seeing a unicorn on base. That's unicorn: the mythical creature, not our darling little aircraft carrier Unicorn, by the way.

"I think I understand. And I take it you feel you would be…put on a pedestal with any of the other girls on the base?"

"Ja. Precisely."

I grimaced slightly and shifted in my seat before continuing. "I know how they feel. Everyone on the base views you with some degree of awe and fascination. In part because you don't get out and socialize all that often. Your...combat record...combined with your aloof nature has allowed people's imaginations to get the better of them and a myth about you has built up. And...if we're being entirely honest, I feel the same way. You're a legend around here, and I was genuinely amazed that you'd even sent for me." She did say she was looking for someone who didn't pull any punches.

Bismarck stayed quiet for several long, uncomfortable seconds, her expression glacial. With a resigned sigh, she slowly stood and fixed her steely blue-grey eyes on me. "I see. This gives me some things to think about. Thank you for stopping by, Herr Kommandant. Z23 will show you out now."

She snapped her fingers and Nimi appeared in the doorway, hands clasped behind her back. My jaw worked up and down for a minute, trying to find the words to smooth things over, but in the end, I decided to cut my losses and withdraw gracefully. "Of course," I nodded, "Have a good day, Lord Bismarck."

And with that, our first meeting ended in utter failure.

A week had passed since our first disastrous meeting, and I'd almost put it out of my mind when Nimi stopped by the office.

"Lord Bismarck requests your presence," she announced, standing stiffly at attention. She was so adorable when she was trying to be overly formal. Which was honestly the only positive thing I took away from that proclamation. The curiosity and surprise I'd felt the first time I'd heard that statement was now replaced by anxiety and dread. I had no desire to be stuck in a small space with someone who I've offended. Especially Bismarck. That steely stare felt like it could melt the armor belt off a battleship and I could do without that if I could avoid it.

But, despite all of my apprehension and misgivings, I was still the Commanding Officer of Azur Lane, and if the leader of the Iron Blood requested my presence, then I felt duty-bound to oblige her. As much as I really, really didn't want to. With a heavy sigh, I stood, straightened my uniform and told Z23 to lead on.

When we arrived back at the courtyard, Bismarck was once again seated, cap and cloak gone, tapping a gloved finger on the table. The tea set had returned, along with two cups-one at her end, the other opposite her. She took no notice of us, seemingly deep in thought as Z23 waited for her to be noticed. After nearly a minute had passed, Nimi decided to loudly clear her throat, startling Bismarck back to reality.

"I have returned with the Kommandant, Lord Bismarck," she stated, snapping to attention.

"I can see that," Bismarck snapped, her expression hard for just a second. But to her credit, she caught herself, shut her eyes, and took a deep breath. When she spoke again, her tone was calmer, but you could still hear the tension behind every syllable. "My apologies, Z23. Thank you for bringing Herr Kommandant. You may go now."

Nimi smartly saluted, spun on her heel and quickly exited the courtyard. Part of me wished I could have gone with her. Now, it was just me and what seemed to be a very irritable battleship. As soon as Nimi had disappeared behind the courtyard door, Bismarck stood and walked slowly over to me. While I'm not a short individual by any means, she still towered over me, an impressive and intimidating sight, even without her rigging.

"Herr Kommandant," she began, taking a deep breath, "I would like to apologize for my...curt dismissal during our previous meeting. I asked you to pull no punches, you didn't, and I reacted...harshly."

A huge wave of relief washed over me. Maybe I hadn't screwed this up as badly as I thought. Maybe, just maybe, I had a chance to snatch a victory out of this yet. "Thank you," I replied, bowing my head to her. "Although I feel I should apologize as well. I should have been more...tactful in my appraisal of the situation."

A small smile graced Bismarck's face, going from stern ice queen to beautiful maiden in half a heartbeat. "Perhaps we should start again, from the beginning," she suggested, gesturing towards the table and chairs. "Tea?"

"I would love to," I smiled and together we took our seats. As I got comfortable, Bismarck poured us each a cup of the steaming hot liquid, while I examined one of the English biscuits that had been set out. "If you don't mind me asking, why tea and biscuits?"

"It was Hood's idea, actually," Bismarck casually remarked, an admission that certainly raised my eyebrows. "We correspond quite a bit."

"Hood?" I repeated, "I have to admit I'm somewhat surprised at that."

She dropped a sugar cube into her tea and added a splash of cream, slowly stirring it as she shrugged. "Our...tragic fates gives us something in common, but it becomes awkward to be around her for too long. Too many painful memories. At least, for me."

"Because it led to your destruction?"

She took a sip of the tea and sighed. "Nein," she shook her head. "Because I gave in to something I shouldn't have. I let my fear drive me, and sometimes, I feel that moment has defined me more than anything else."

I had read the reports filed by the Royal Navy after the incident and spoken with some of the ships about it, including Hood herself. The power Bismarck wielded at the time was magnitudes greater than anything we've ever been able to field. The fact that it was used against one of the Royal Navy's most beloved ships only added to the shock and horror. It was a moment that had shaken people to their core, something that managed to embed itself in the collective unconscious of both human and kansen alike.

My first thought was to agree with her, and then I remembered how well that had gone over last time. Instead, I opted to try a different approach. "Well, what can we do to change that?" I asked.

Now it was Bismarck's turn to raise an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Unless you are proposing time travel, there isn't much we can do."

"Not that," I clarified, although a part of me wondered at that moment if the Sirens had developed time travel. I quickly made a point to file that away for later and kept on my original train of thought. "I meant what you're known for. History is replete with people who made mistakes, who did the wrong thing, and redeemed themselves. There's no reason you couldn't do the same."

"And how would we accomplish such a task?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I would need some time to think things over, and to get to know you better. It wouldn't help for me to suggest you become a world-class dancer and then have you tell me you can't stand dancing."

"Actually, I rather enjoy dancing," she remarked casually.

"Oh?" Bismarck was rapidly proving herself to be full of surprises today.

She nodded emphatically. "Oh, yes. None of that modern sort of thing, mind you. But slow dancing, waltzes, minuets, that sort of thing. Gliding around a gilded ballroom, nothing but you, the music, and your partner." She leaned back and sighed happily. "It is something I do miss dearly."

"Maybe that's something we could look into, for the future." Before I could get any further, Bismarck scowled and shook her head.

"Nein, nein," she said dismissively, waving her hand. "We're much too busy to spend time on such frivolities. We're at war."

"Doesn't mean we shouldn't take some time off," I countered. "If you push yourself for too long without a break, you'll burn out. Or worse."

"Very well," she relented with a sour look on her face. "Perhaps, in future," she stressed, "I could look into something like that." She took another sip of her tea before asking, "And you, Herr Kommandant, what do you like to do for fun in your free time?"

"Reading, mostly. Build the odd model or two, nothing like what Mikasa's able to put together, but I think I do alright. Used to play the piano."

"Why did you stop?"

I shrugged and took a sip of my own tea. Coffee's more my speed, but this blend was rather good. "A few reasons. When I was assigned to command this base, the electronic keyboard I'd had got lost in the move, and with everything going on I'd never had the time to order a new one. Or the space for a traditional piano. That, plus even if I had one, I still more than likely wouldn't have the time."

Bismarck nodded, but I couldn't help the smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "You know, someone gave me some good advice recently. Something about taking time off, lest they burn out?"

Well played, Bismarck. I chuckled and held up my hands in mock surrender. "Point made. There's still the matter of finding one. Or space for one."

"Consider it something to look forward to in future," she smiled cryptically before moving the conversation along. "What sort of music did you play?"

"Classical stuff, mostly. Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin."

Her smile broadened. "I love those composers. And what was your favorite piece to play?"

"Moonlight Sonata," I couldn't help but smile as I heard the music begin to play in my head. "It's actually both my favorite to play or listen to."

"Have you ever played for anyone before?"

"Not really," I shook my head. "At least, not in any kind of actual performance. I guess incidental performances when I lived with roommates or my family."

"Tell me about your family."

"Well, there's Mom and Dad, of course, and I have two sisters. One older, one younger." I paused, the pain tugging at my heart as I remembered my older sister. "Well...had an older sister."

Bismarck's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a look of shared loss and longing. "I'm very sorry, Herr Kommandant. When did she…?"

"About five years ago. We both loved the sea, and while I went into the military, she became a merchantman, and in due time, a fine captain in her own right. The convoy she was a part of was ambushed by Sirens, and her ship took a fatal blow. Survivors' reports stated she was still getting crew into lifeboats when the ship went under." I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly, trying not to flounder under the rising tide of familiar grief. When I reopened them, my eyes met Bismarck's and there was a moment of mutual understanding.

"Again, I am truly sorry for your loss. But at least you knew her, grew up with her. I feel I failed Tirpitz, never having known her before...my return, after she had been through so much."

I set my teacup down and reached across the table, taking her gloved hand in mine and giving her the best smile I could muster. "What's important is that you're here with her now, and you can begin to make up for lost time."

She didn't reply, instead, smiling that sad smile back at me and nodding slowly. We continued to slowly lose ourselves in each other's eyes until Z23 cleared her throat. At that sudden return to the present, we quickly released each other's hands and attempted to act as though nothing had happened, despite the growing blush on both of our cheeks. Nimi also looked confused and flustered, unsure of what she just walked in on.

"S-sorry to interrupt uh...tea time," the destroyer stammered, "but there's an urgent message for you, Herr Kommandant, from one of the patrol fleets. Possible submarine activity."

I quickly grabbed my cap and got to my feet, giving Bismarck an apologetic work. "Sorry to duck out so quickly, but I'm afraid duty calls."

Bismarck smiled softly and shook her head. "I understand, Herr Kommandant. A commanding officer's life is never a quiet one for very long. But when you do get a quiet moment, perhaps you would care to join me for tea and biscuits once more?"

"Absolutely. Auf Wiedersehen, Lord Bismarck. Victory to you."

"Auf Wiedersehen, Herr Kommandant. And victory to you." I smiled and gave Bismarck a sharp salute before turning and following Z23 back out into the base. And as much as I should have been thinking about response forces, which ships to send, and any other strategic or tactical planning, all I could think about was seeing Bismarck again. Which, as it happened, would occur much sooner than either of us had anticipated...