(Remaster) The Ship of the Tempest

Bright Light, Long Shadow

"Bismarck...you know I can't do this."

"You must do it, it's inevitable that you'll have too, and you can't run forever."

Z73 gulped her worries down, staring up at a building that she had been in before, but didn't do much with at first. That building is one that she dreads having to enter again, and the reason is obvious...

It's the dorm section for the Destroyers...her sisters.

"Bismarck, I-I can't. You know how I am with this!" For once, Z73 was looking apprehensive and worried, and it wasn't even over a life or death situation.

Bismarck sighed and gently put her hand on Z73's back. "Listen, I know you've been separated for many years, and you don't feel comfortable with this at all. If I'm to take a shot in the dark, you don't want to face them because they all forgot about you, is that right?"

...

The silence was all she needed, and she bent down to get on her knee. "I had a similar situation with Tirpitz. Many forgot about her, and she resented me for a long time because of that, and refused to do anything with me. It took...a very long time, but we rekindled and now share a bond I am happy to admit is fixed and loving once again."

She smiled at the Destroyer. "Besides, everyone is inside and ready to receive you. They forgot about you, or some even never knew you existed at all, but they're all ready to rectify the mistakes made by the men who owned us nearly a century ago...the question is, are you ready to rectify that?"

"I..." Z73 looked down, this entire thing rolling over in her head as she contemplated.

Why the hell was she so scared of just going to see her sisters? She's danced with death, fought Sirens, and went through what was essentially the entire Sakura Empire...and she draws the line at a family reunion?

"...I'm a fucking pansy." She took a deep breath and steeled herself, her mask hung around her waist as she didn't need to worry about wearing it here. "Alright Bismarck...you've convinced me. Let's go and see my sisters."

The Battleship smiled and stood. "Then go ahead, they're all yours. I'll leave you too it since I'm not apart of your family...enjoy the hugs."

"Right...hugs..." Z73 shook her head and focused, heading towards the building and grasping the handle of the door before slowly opening it, looking inside.

All gathered around the table in the central room...was the rest of the Destroyers, all the "Z" named girls gathered, and now all staring at her. Z73 froze up as she looked at them, nervously smiling and chuckling.

"This...looks like an intervention..."

...

She was getting extremely worried, until one of the girls stood up, probably the most childlike one in terms of appearance, yet the oldest of all of them, Z1. "Z73...we met already, seeing as you rushed past me a few weeks ago and nearly made me spill my coffee."

"Uhm...right..." Z73 looked away, a little red to her cheeks. "Sorry..."

It went silent again, and Z1 walked up to her and hugged her in the midst of that silence. Her eyes flashed red for a moment, before she calmed and realized that she was simply hugging her...which felt so familiar.

"That was weeks ago, I don't care about that anymore. All I care about right now...is getting to know my sister that I foolishly forgot about."

Z73 didn't say a word, but she slowly returned the hug, her mind recalling back to when she disguised as Enterprise and was embraced by Hornet and Yorktown. This was so much like it...no, it was the exact same.