"Mom...shouldn't you take a break after that?"

"No, I'll be fine. It's been well over a century since that day, and I got over it long ago."

Kurfürst shifted in her seat, her armor making the chair groan a bit from the weight, even if the chair was designed to take on the naturally heavier bodies of the shipgirls. She looked over to a clock, seeing the time it was before humming.

"Well, I suppose that's all we should talk about today. It's quite late, and I spoke through the entire first century of my life." She stood from the chair, readjusting the hat on her head.

""Aww...""

She smiled to the crowd, as most had groaned at the end of the stories. "Don't worry, tomorrow we'll pick up where we left off. The first century of my life was pretty uneventful compared to the second, so don't you worry about what we will be discussing next."

The recording had ended, and she gathered up her small list of things she took for the talk and waved the others off as they left. Some of the girls hugged her on their way out, and Soobrazitelny even gave her a "business card" that was just the address of her shop.

'That girl has a weird way of forming bonds with others...' Kurfürst smiled and put the card into her chest space, before leaving the room as the last one out. Closing the door as she did, she also saw the two people outside waiting for her.

"I'm guessing you two have more questions?" She had a hand on the door still, but gave her full attention to the two in front of her.

"Not exactly mother..." Bismarck had to crane her neck up a bit to look at Kurfürst's eyes, seeing she was several inches shorter than the behemoth of a Battleship. "Mostly, this is something Tirpitz here wishes to ask you, not me."

"Very well. What is it you needed Tirpitz?" Now that her attention was on the snow white Battleship, she seemed pretty fidgety and nervous.

"W-Well...I was hoping I could...c-could..."

Bismarck sighed. "She wants to stay over at your home for the night, and she also asked me to come along." Her mother's eyes briefly went to her, then back to Tirpitz as the Battleship had a blush of embarrassment on her face.

"I'm completely fine with that. I'll be leaving shortly, so gather what you wish to bring and meet me at the gates in half an hour." She let go of the door, walking off down the hall as she heard Bismarck drag Tirpitz away.

Naturally, there were a few girls still running around, seeing it wasn't exactly too late in the day to sleep. Many of them were preparing for it, and some offered short conversation for Kurfürst as she left the building.

The cool Hawaiian air brought a smile to her face. Her pink right eye glowing softly in the darkened base, illuminating the scattered light posts lighting up the streets and runway that were commonly used by men, cars, and ships alike.

The gate was still guarded, but by a new batch of soldiers this time around compared to before, as well as another girl who was leaning on the wall next to the gate. Her eyes have been tracking Kurfürst as she came into view, her bitter Lime colored eyes tracked her, and her slitted pupils almost gave her a predatory style.

Kurfürst stopped in her tracks, waving hello to the guards and turning to look at the base. She kept that for a few minutes before she heard the soft steps of tough heels slowly approach her.

"H-44, correct?" Kurfürst turned to meet her gaze, the woman being the same height as Friedrich, who was already two inches shorter than herself. "That's my Hull number, I prefer to go by my given name of Großer Kurfürst."

Her eyes glowed in the dark, just as Kurfürst's did. "I understand. I am Ulrich von Hutten, numbered H-41."

Kurfürst's eyes widened a small bit, processing what the woman in front of her said. If she was being truthful, then that would mean they brought back yet another of the H-class Battleships...

She looked her up and down, her figure being more lithe and streamlined compared to Friedrich, who was voluptuous and herself, who was stocky and well built. Her face had a roughly similar shape to Friedrich, and both had the same shade of hair and color of horns...

Kurfürst smiled and opened her left arm up. "Well, I see no reason for you to be lying about that. I'll always welcome someone new to the family."

Ulrich looked down to her outstretched arm, her expression not changing. "You wish to give me a hug?"

"That is what family does no?"

"I suppose so. It wouldn't hurt to enjoy this short moment." Ulrich walked forward and took in the hug, not putting much effort into giving one back, almost like she was awkward about it.

Once they separated, Kurfürst crossed her arms. "So what's your story then? I suppose you have your own two thoughts about the world right?"

Ulrich nodded. "Yes, I was built upon the same principles that were birthed from you. You carry upon your shoulders the weight of not only your birth country, but the entire world at large as it's one and true protector."

"That I am, even if that job has taken a lull lately."

"Indeed...from that however, they sought to weaponize another figment of our people. You are the one who carries Germany's power and future on your hands, like the powerful father of a family who guides his children. Friedrich is the mother who tends and cares for all in her way, granting strength for those that believe they have none."

Kurfürst could hear how each word rolled off her tongue, and she could almost see the praise she held for her two H-class sisters. Ulrich, even if she herself doesn't seem to know it, really does look up to Friedrich and Kurfürst as examples of what to be.

"Ulrich, you said you were built upon similar ideals right? What is it that went into your construction?"

The girl almost seemed to deflate, her expression falling a small bit. "I...I was built upon our Hopes and our Regrets. I symbolize everything we wish, and everything we failed at."

"...I see." Kurfürst didn't wish to push further, knowing first hand what she meant by that, especially because of the Great War.

Even if she said nothing, she gently laid a hand on Ulrich's back, which made the Battleship look back up from the ground and into Kurfürst's eyes. They said no words, but Ulrich just gave her a small smile before they heard more steps approaching them.

"We're ready mother! Tirpitz had to gather her console!" Bismarck had nothing on her, while Tirpitz had a small bag slung over her shoulder.

Ulrich was about to leave, but Kurfürst grabbed her hand and prevented her leave. "Ulrich, I would like to invite you to my home for the night."

"You wish to invite me? Why exactly do you want to allow me to your home?"

Kurfürst gently smacked her head, making Ulrich hold her head. "Why else? You're my sister, and I wish to enjoy sometime with you."

Looking to the other two, and seeing the smile and the nod from Bismarck, Ulrich sighed and agreed to Kurfürst's request. The group of four exited the base and took the walk to her home, several people saying hello to them, besides Ulrich, who scared them away with her blank stare.
——

Click

"Welcome to my humble abode girls, take a seat and I'll get some refreshments." Through the now open door, Bismarck simply waltzed in without a care, Tirpitz quickly following her sister while Ulrich thanked Kurfürst and entered.

The two Bismarck classes went up the stairs to set up Tirpitz's console, seeing as the girl is quite the big player of video games. Ulrich looked around the home's living room, taking in the rustic design of the interior. "This is...not quite what I expected."

"I grew up a peasant girl Ulrich, I'm most comfortable in this environment." Kurfürst soon started to take the armor off of her, and within a minute was down to her skintight black wear.

She turned to look at Ulrich, but found the woman staring at her, more specifically, her body. She could see how Ulrich's eyes traveled from her legs to her arms...then her breasts where they lingered the longest.

"Something catch your eye sister?"

"Ah...apologies, it just surprised me. I've never seen you with your armor off, and...well I never would have believed you to be like this."

Kurfürst sighed. "Trust me, I wasn't always like this. I prefer my new form now, but it was quite strange to get use to having such large assets in your later life."

She went to the kitchen and grabbed both herself and Ulrich a small can of oxy-cola, a wonderful drink that the Shipgirls found delicious, while humans found them repulsive. She sat on her rocking chair and took a sip, a content sigh escaping her mouth as she put her drink down.

"Well Ulrich? Is there anything you wish to speak about?"

"Not really, I never even expected to step foot here tonight." The battleship was looking almost cold footed under her elder sibling's gaze.

Kurfürst simply nodded and looked back to her fireplace. "That's fine, I suppose we can watch TV then?"

"I have no issue with that."

"Fuck!"

Ulrich looked up the stairs, a brow raised as she stared up them. Kurfürst just sighed, knowing exactly what was happening up there. "Tirpitz! Dodge towards him, not away!"

...

"It worked?!"

"Uhh..." Ulrich was completely lost, but if the look Kurfürst was giving her was to be read right, she wasn't going to explain.

She promptly shut herself up. 'Do we H-class all have that weird trait to us?'