(Remaster) The Ship of the Tempest

Words of Warring

"Rare to see you this time of night, especially for a beer."

"Just want it for the occasion."

"What occasion?"

"A little talk, nothing much."
——

Soon enough, Graf Spee was leaving the small and still setting up bar that was meant to give the Germans a little taste of home despite being the world away from it. It was a lovely gesture to the times, and many were helping to get it up to spare.

Now though, everyone was asleep or closing out for the night, Spee was lucky to have caught the current bartend, Thüringen, before she closed out.

Walking through the empty streets, she made her way to the end of the streets, where a familiar figure was leaning against the rails, staring out into the Ocean with a longing gaze. Her footsteps caught her ears, and Z73 met with her gaze without much light actually in them.

Spee handed her one of the beers, before leaning against the railing as well, popping off the cap and putting it down. "So...start talking."

"This an interrogation?" Z73 smiled at her and popped her cap too, taking a long swig before stopping for breath. "Mmh...sorry, I wanted to lighten this mood a little."

"I don't really care for that, I'm focused on what I want. Why the hell are you being so meek and weak all of a sudden?"

"...You mean you haven't heard it?"

Spee's eyebrow went up, and Z73 shook her head before looking back out to sea. "When we last fought, you were saved by Purifier after she blasted me away from you."

"That much I know, but why is that important?"

Z73 took another sip, her eyes going down to her free hand, which was wound tight into a fist. "She burnt a hole through my rigging, melted the core of it to scrap. If I have any blueprints to speak of, I could be repaired, but thanks to my bastardized history..."

"...You can't be repaired." Spee looked surprisingly alarmed at the sight, learning that crucial information. "So, the minor injuries and breaks are fine, but that hole is just too much?"

"Yeah, I'm now riggingless and being forced into retirement thanks to it all. What's a Kansen without her rigging, but a human trying to be something they can't?"

The two went quiet for a time, Z73 continuing to stare out into the waves with a distant glance. Spee next to her was quiet as she pondered her words, eventually, sliding her beer closer.

"Hm? Don't want it?"

"I don't think I need it."

Z73 chuckled and took the bottle, not minding having another bottle right about now. "So...that answer your question?"

"...Only a little." She stood up from the railing, instead leaning against it with her arms crossed. "How's this suppose to make you all down in the dumps? You've gone through worse haven't you?"

"All those other times, I had my rigging there to prove my worth. Now that it's gone, I don't have a damn thing to be besides my name."

...

"So...you came all this distance just after getting your ass kicked. Come on then, get your revenge and finally put me down." Z73 turned to stare Spee in the eyes. "That's your life's work isn't it? Then claim your prize Adapter."

She downed the last of that second bottle as well, putting them aside as she turned to face Spee. She gave a lopsided smile before closing her eyes, readying herself for the inevitable.