(Remaster) The Abyss Calls Out

Auric Fear

"So many...all dead?"

"Afraid so."

Queen Elizabeth was hearing the grim news of Seattle's fate by Warspite, who stood as strong as she ever did, if her tightly wound fists weren't to betray what she was truly feeling. The news hit many hard, with the fall of the city, the death of hundreds of thousands...and the true death of a Shipgirl.

Seattle had rushed to the aid of her city, and perished alongside it.

"Very well...Warspite, assure that the Royal Navy gives highest honors we can for the girl. It's the least we can do for our Allies."

Warspite bowed and left the Queen be to reflect on the news she was given. The destruction of a large city, the deaths of countless, and the death of one of their own...it was a shattering loss to morale, and to their hearts.

What she took heavy notice of was the state of the group on Warspite's words, and how uneasy they were. Javelin and Helena seemed to act cheery to play off the shaking and the tear lines they had on their cheeks.

Kirishima was silent, not saying a word even as she gave Seattle's corpse to someone else. She gave her condolences and simply left, yet no one dared to stop her with the vacant look in her eyes.

Then the most worrying of all, Bismarck.

"Bismarck...what did you see to cause you to be like that?" Elizabeth questioned to no one in the room, staring out the window at the setting sun.

All this within a single day...what kind of monsters did this to Humanity, and what did they want?
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"No...no..."

Bismarck tossed and turned, faced with a nightmare strong enough to rouse even her. Her sister was sat nearby, eyes clearly tired and drooping, but never daring to leave as she gave her sister all the comfort she hoped she needed.

It was...disheartening to see her older sister acting like this. Not once did Tirpitz ever see her sister collapse, falter a few time she did, but never fully collapse on herself.

Yet, whatever she saw or experienced in the ruins of Seattle changed that within hours. Bismarck jumped at every little sound, she looked out of it whenever she was left in silence, and now she was plagued with nightmares so severe that even Vestel's sleep medication wasn't helping her all that much.

"It's only a dream Bismarck...you're safe..." she rubbed her knuckles, trying her best to calm her and finding little success in it

So many times had Tirpitz felt helpless in her life, and every time she was led back on a fair and worthy life by her elder sister. Each time she lagged behind and felt like a shadow, Bismarck took her hand and guided her into the light to stand as her equal.

She could never repay such kindness, not in a million years, but what she could do was assist her elder in her time of need, and such a time was now. "I'm right here sister...I'll always be by your side..."

"I'll always be by your side..."

"I'll always be by your side..."

"SHUT UP!!"

She clawed away, backing further from Tirpitz...no, the monster wearing her sister's face. It had a smile so sweet, so innocent, that she almost felt compelled to accept her.

It only made it more horrifying that this monster was acting so much like her, and so she did the only thing she could do...run. Standing quickly from the floor, she slammed the door open, bolting down the halls in a panicked frenzy to escape whatever Hell she entered.