To Thaw a Lost Heart

Foe Behind a Friend

Forced inside a blizzard with Victorious META, the regular Victorious' hands shake as she couldn't even touch Tirpitz. Not due to the chill she emits but at the gaping and fatal wounds on her body. Normally, Tirpitz wouldn't have survived, but the power of the META is using every ounce of its strength to keep the injuries from actually killing Tirpitz. Just a few minutes ago Tirpitz is still in full health and the utter disbelief of seeing her at death's door again renders Victorious speechless and her body trembling in fear.

"I don't understand what this is all about? I can't even think of hurting Tirpitz!"

Victorious is well aware that she's outmatched by a future version of her with little morals, but she stands with the full intention of fighting her head-on. It's impossible for her to just ignore her META version trying to kill her friend.

"Your goal is to remind Tirpitz of emotions and get rid of her condition, right?" Victorious META stretches out her hand

The other fragment of Tirpitz META's wisdom cube faintly glows on Victorious META's palm much like an alluring light putting Victorious in a few seconds of trance.

"To you, the ghost is a threat to your Tirpitz's well-being, and you're right about that"
"What do you want?" Victorious couldn't take her eyes off the glowing fragment
"We can help each other because we both want to save our Tirpitz" Victorious META slowly approaches her
"Help you? You tried to kill my Tirpitz, and the other one called you a traitor!"
"I won't deny I played a hand in her....unwilling revival, but she promised me. It turned out she wanted to die all this time, so she refused to be saved or even revived"

Victorious META slightly bends her fingers wanting to squeeze the fragment within her palms but couldn't forget that it's part of the deceased Tirpitz META. She's upset and frustrated, but she couldn't bring herself to violently lash out or shout.

"My Tirpitz lied to me. I hoped she would choose to live just as she promised only for her to seek permanent rest. How can she give me false hope.....like that?" Victorious META briefly shifts her gaze in another direction
"You're angry because she wants to die?" Victorious blinks in disbelief
"I lost some of my allies, so I became afraid to lose a friend"
"No wonder that ghost couldn't think straight. You brought her back even if she didn't want to"
"You would do the same"
"No, I wouldn't!" Victorious fiercely rejects
"....I forgot how difficult I am"

Seeing it's impossible to persuade her, Victorious META shakes her head out of frustration and annoyance at her normal version.

"Victorious, you're the clingy one and you would never respect Tirpitz's wish to naturally die. I know I didn't....." Victorious META lowers her head
"What's gotten into the future me?"
"I want to make it right this time"
"Make it right? It doesn't look like it after killing your Tirpitz twice and tricking Bismarck into fusing them"
"It was.....unforeseen because I never thought her consciousness would persist all this time"
"Then....."
"We can save both of them, but you need to trust me"

When Victorious META takes a step forward, the normal Victorious immediately takes a step back. The latter is naturally wary of the person who nearly killed Tirpitz without hesitation.

"What do you intend to do?" Victorious swallows her breath
"I can help return Tirpitz's normal life. Don't you want her emotions back and to remove the fear of accidentally killing someone?" Victorious META stretches out her hand
"I....I want to, but"
"Face it. I'm your only chance in saving Tirpitz. Iron Blood and everyone else can't help you"
"I know you're me, but you're different than me" Victorious takes another step back
"That's true, but you don't have much of a choice right now. I'm your only chance of getting rid of the ghost and reverting what Iron Blood did to your Tirpitz"
".....That would mean I'd be betraying Tirpitz"