Nimbus Child I: Games of War

Past 3

There was a new child in their midst.

Scharnhorst and Gneisenau had brought her, the little shy blonde with heavenly blue eyes.

Bismarck was small, maybe around three years appearance wise and hiding behind the two older ships, doing her best to meet Kongō's eyes but losing every time when they flicked away.

Kongō thought it to be adorable.

She had been through her final retrofit by now, officially classified as fast battleship and mental model fully grown, her clothing changed to embrace her heritage a bit more: "Who have you brought me, you two?"

"This is Bismarck", Scharnhorst patted the ship's shoulder while her sister held a little hand in hers, "she's our new flagship."

"According to Admiralty" went unsaid. If flagship was a position the little one would strive for in the future, she had to earn it in a way the fleet would accept.

At the moment, that position belonged to Scharnhorst.

Kongō rose from her chair, went over to them and kneeled down in front of Bismarck with a soft smile: "Hello, little one, my name is Kongō. It is very nice to meet you."

Bismarck blushed under the attention, clearly not intentionally unfriendly, but her mouth was sealed shut.

The fast battleship didn't mind - a child's trust had to be earned as much as that of an adult - and rose back to her feet: "A very endearing child, Scharnhorst, Gneisenau. If I may, who is her caretaker?"

Scharnhorst laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head: "All of us, kinda. I know it's unconventional, but we're gonna raise the Bismarck's together."

"Unconventional does not equal bad", Kongō said, ever present smile on her face, "a well chosen route can be an untraveled one."

Especially if you were suddenly handed a child without being remotely in a paternal mindset.

Kongō knew that the wolfpacks raised "their" young in a group effort simply because there were so many in a relatively short amount of time and wondered whether the surface ships would manage it as well as they did.

"Thank you very much", Scharnhorst answered, giving a slight bow to her elder, "it's relieving to hear this from someone like you."

"Someone like her", huh? Kongō wondered when that had happened, when such statements became the norm.

There had been no clear moment, she supposed, it had gradually happened until her elders became the ancients and Kongō suddenly was an elder herself.

"But of course", she said, shaking her head, "there is no need for thanks, however; I've stated a mere fact."

"Still, it helps", the blonde then leaned down to the much smaller one, "see, Bissi? Miss Kongō is really nice, isn't she?"

Bismarck... wasn't sure about that? She was pretty and hadn't hurt her, but everybody who Bismarck didn't know was scary.

Pouting, Scharnhorst ruffled Bismarck's hair, the little ship looking displeased but not complaining: "OK then."

When she rightened herself again, Kongō's and Bismarck's eyes met for a moment, causing the battleship to blush again and look somewhere else.

Yeah, that was really adorable.

"Scharnhorst", Gneisenau said, reminding the others of her presence.

She didn't say anything else, but the ship in question understood immediately: "Right, sorry. Lady Kongō, thank you for your time, but we have to go now."

Kongō nodded: "Of course. It was pleasant to see you three."

After that, various ships brought Bismarck to "playdates" with Kongō various times.

She never really knew why, assumed that it was because they were sortying and needed someone to watch the child who wasn't busy with a horde of young ones - cruisers had taken a liking to Kongō anyway, so it wasn't as if she didn't have experience with kids.

Still, she didn't know why they had decided to come to her of all people. Why not someone who was more or less officially retired like Mikasa?

Oh well, Kongō thought while sipping from her tea and watching Bismarck play with a cat plushie, it can't be helped.

Bismarck looked like she was around six or seven by now, was still very shy, but had built enough trust in Kongō to be comfortable around her.

"Do you like cats, little one?"

"Mhm!", she beamed, holding her plushie close, "I have one that looks just like him!"

"My really? What's their name?", Kongō put her cup down and folded her hands in her lap.

"Oscar!"

"And what is this one's name?", she nodded towards the stuffed animal.

Bismarck blushed a bit: "That is... also Oscar."

Was she embarrassed about the two being named the same? What nonsense: "To have two Oscars... that does make me a bit jealous..."

"I'm not giving him away!", Bismarck said, real fear and determination in her voice.

Kongō blinked once, twice, thrice, stared, then had to cover her mouth with the back of a hand to suppress an honest laugh that wanted to escape: "I didn't mean it like that! Keep your Oscars, I couldn't take care of them anyway."

That made the battleship furrow her brows: "Why not?"

"I have three younger sisters and two fleets to take care of - I simply do not have the time."

Bismarck looked into Oscar's face, even more confused now.

Not enough time for a cat she could understand, but she didn't understand how there wasn't enough time for a plushie?

"Not even a plushie?"

Kongō supported her cheek on a hand, placing the elbow on top of the table: "I never had one. I wouldn't know what to do with it."

Now she looked at the fast battleship as if she had just told the biggest, most obvious lie in the history of ever: "You never had a plushie???"

"No, never", Kongō replied, amused.

Bismarck was at a loss for words. A total one. She just... huh??

Kongō smiled into her hand: Adorable.

"...I'll give you a plushie", the other mumbled.

"Hm?"

"What's your favourite animal?"

"I don't have one."

That was another culture shock. How could someone not have a favourite animal!?

"Miss!?", Bismarck exclaimed in absolute distress, making Kongō laugh.

She never got the plushie. She only got to pat Tirpitz' head.