Petals of Soliloquy: Distant Echoes

A Royal Fate

My eyes clear up everything around me. I suddenly find myself standing on top of the water with Shinano by my side.

"Just where are we?"

"This is an alternate universe, one where I found you in, Shikikan."

"You mean I'm a different person?"

"There is much to explain but this version of you didn't seem very lucky."

I witness a raging war between what appear to be Siren ships and a unified Azur Lane.

"Reinforcements have arrived!" Jack shouts as the ships continue to wail away at the Siren fleet.

"Onward! Charge!" Bismarck shouts as she and the other shipgirls quickly weave into the distracted fleet and begin destroying them from the inside out, boarding some of the Siren ships before blowing up their internal mechanics.

"Heads up, Siren air force just above our heads!" Eugen shouts as she fires her AA guns, taking out some of the peskier ones targeting her. That's when she, Zed and Bismarck hear something oddly familiar, the sound of screaming air sirens...

"Wait... What the hell?!" Bismarck shouts as she looks up and sees none other than a group of stuka dive bombers!

"What are our planes doing here?!" Zed asks, but then she sees the source- Ironblood reinforcements! "Looks like help has arrived!"

"We can always appreciate some help." Jack chuckles as Ironblood battleships begin aiding the Royal Navy. "ALL SHIPS, SHOW THEM NO MERCY!"

"Heads up, looks like the Sirens are calling for their own reinforcements!" Bismarck shouts as she spots another group of Siren ships. "Girls, let's engage those!"

"That's me?!"

I see myself commanding one of the giant battleships but I appear to have a cane in my hands.

"What in the world happened to me?"

"I didn't look deep enough into it but apparently you had been wounded by the Sirens on one occasion."

More reinforcements from both sides emerge. My alternate self realizes this very quickly...

"Man, these guys aren't giving up!" Jack mumbles. "What the hell?! They have MORE?! Wait... They're not targeting us!"

"They're targeting US!" Bismarck shouts as she spots another fleet of Siren ships, out to destroy the Ironblood reinforcements!

"All ships, provide support for our Ironblood allies!" Jack shouts as most of the Royal navy redirects fire on the attacking Siren fleet.

"Quickly!" Zed shouts as she, Bismarck and Eugen move to focus on that fleet while Georgie and the others wipe up the last of the main fleet.

"That takes care of them, now to get those guys!" Hood shouts as she and the others quickly trail the ironbloods and provide covering fire.

"Oh no! They've sunk our carriers!" Zed shouts as she realizes that this Siren fleet has already taken down many of the Ironblood carriers.

"They've already taken down some of our heaviest battleships!" Wales shouts. "We need to give it all we got and bring the hurt!" She yells as the girls continue to rip into the Siren fleet mercilessly.

"Oh man, this almost reminds me of that last battle." Jack chuckles as he watches the Siren fleet get devastated. Eventually the Siren fleet has been reduced to nothing but a few battleships and a destroyer.

"Any last words?" Bismarck taunts. "Nothing?"

"I swear." Georgie chuckles. "Once they realize that they've been beat, they turn into cowards. They're probably begging for-" Georgie gets cut off by one of the Siren battleships firing a wayward shot before the Royal Navy and Ironbloods annihilate the last of the Siren fleet, and the girls are about to celebrate until suddenly an explosion is heard and smoke is seen coming from somewhere in the Royal Navy.

"The commander's flagship has been hit! I repeat the commander's flagship has been hit!"

"Ouch... Just like that? Blown away by a lone Siren ship?"

"As I said before, this version of you didn't seem to have the best luck, both out in the battlefield and outside of it."

"What do you mean?"

"This version of you seemed to struggle with the fact that there were other girls flirting with him..."

"That does sound a bit like me... With Akagi... Bismarck... Tirpitz... Whatever happened to them when the flash went off?"

"Not even I know... For now let's leave this parallel universe for now and return to what we can technically call home..."