Hey guys, welcome back! I know it was unfair to go on hiatus for so long. I originally wanted to post chapter 13 on the first anniversary of this fic, but quite honestly, I didn't feel like writing because of school and my job. Though with a little bit of a break, I decided to pick things up again, and for that, I am genuinely sorry. Anyways, this chapter was written and scrapped multiple times before I decided on this one. As far as the plot goes, hoo boy, it's kinda wild and maybe weird? You'd have to read to find out. Fair warning, there is some profanity in this chapter for those reading this when they aren't supposed to. I know I've said that I'd change the rating to mature for more freedom but I don't plan to write anything explicit. I know this has been a long author's note, so let's get on with this chapter! I hope you enjoy it.
Not Home Sweet Home
"He looks just like you, see?" a woman handed a swaddle to her husband.
"It is just like looking in a mirror, well besides some tufts of white hair running through."
"It came from me you know."
"Yeah, just about the only thing he inherited from you, hopefully not that prickly personality I love so much though." his unintended comment irked her.
"You're playing a dangerous game here, Cromwell." she growled out in annoyance.
"I know that made you blush, you masochist.~" he retorted back with a teasing lilt.
"You're the masochist here..." she hmphed, gently taking the swaddle back from her husband. She hummed an unfamiliar tune as the mood shifted to that of a cozy one.
"So, have you thought of a name yet? It's been a few months and you still haven't thought of a name for him yet."
"Victor?"
"No."
"Vincent?"
"No."
"Uh, Virgil?"
"No, and what's with the v's?"
"Dunno, rolls off the tongue quite nicely in my opinion."
"Your naming sense is as terrible as ever, Edward."
"C'mon, there has to be one name you like in there?!"
"Shh! You want to wake him up?!" she motioned down to their yet-to-be-named son.
"Sorry, sorry. Those are all I had, just choose the one you like, I'll be fine with it."
She let out a frustrated sigh, she doesn't get him at all, yet he does perfectly with her, for all the wrong reasons.
"I'll go with Vincent, but we're shortening it down to Vince."
She looked down at Vince who's just woken up, he giggled as she put her head to his.
"You'll be a great man one day, Vince Cromwell..."
Holding cells...
A groan escaped Vince as consciousness came to him. His vision wavered as he took a sharp intake of breath, a dull pain in his ribs throbbed, probably a broken or bruised rib, he can't tell. Steadying his breathing, vision returned to him as he took a look around at where he was. It was probably the cells the Sirens use to hold prisoners. The air was damp with a heavy scent of metallic iron and copper lingering in the air. It was dark say for a dim blue glow that emanated from a line running through the wall. Around him, there were prone figures of... something, he can't tell if they're humans or something entirely different. Taking it in, he knows that escape would be a futile endeavor, so he sat with his back against the wall as he let his mind wander, hoping to pass the time.
"I just hope the girls are doing fine without me there..." he thought to himself.
"Speaking of, I need to find a way to contact them to tell them I'm fine. No need for them to jump the gun if I'm not in immediate danger. Though how do I do that?" he ran through many possibilities that ultimately led to nothing.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, he didn't notice the presence in front of him.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the lord dipshit of Azur Lane. Looks like Alpha finally did something besides sitting on her ass all day looking at numbers. So how goes it, enjoying your time so far in paradise?" Tester smugly said, her hands hanging through the bars. She was goading him.
"Hm? Oh, hi Tester, didn't see you there. How are you?" he asked in a polite, mocking tone.
"Tch, I should've kept my mouth shut if I didn't have to hear your grating voice. And don't act as if you know me!" she failed her own game before it started.
"I don't know you, it's just common human decency to ask when the last you saw of the person was them retreating with their tail between their legs. And you know, Purifier is a lot nicer than you are, and she likes my voice too. As an added bonus, she's much easier on the eyes compared to you." now smug grin worked its way onto his face, not the other way around.
"YOU THINK YOU'RE HOT SHIT HUH!? JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN BED THAT TRAITOROUS BITCH DOESN'T MEAN JACK SHIT TO ME!"
"I don't know about that.~ Seems like you took offense when I insulted your looks."
"I'LL MAKE SURE TO WIPE THAT GRIN OFF YOUR FACE AS YOU EAT THE FLOOR, YOU HEAR ME!"
"I should probably stop before she does keep her word."
He put both his hands up as if to surrender with a smile on his face, Tester tsked, still looking visibly irritated.
"So, what is it that you need? No sarcasm, I'm asking this time."
"Alpha needs you to run examinations, though I don't see how you are different from any other human. I am to be your escort, if you try anything, I'll mount your spine on my wall. Though, you seem the type not to do dumb shit in a situation like this."
"I would like to keep all of my spine intact, makes it easier to, ya know, live?"
"We'll see how that will work out for you."
He wasn't resigning himself to this fate, but it was to play along for now until he can contact the Kansens. Letting out a sigh, he put his hands up as Tester opened the door. She bound his hands together with a thin wire, though deceiving it was woven with metal fibers not found on Earth. Following behind her, she punched a complex code into a keypad unlocking the door with a hiss. Up a ramp, they took a turn into an empty and silent corridor. Vince wondered what time it is right now and how long it has been since he was captured. The entire walk was silent, only a few Sirens were around in some areas, hurrying with something. Finally reaching an unassuming door, Tester loudly pounded on the door.
"Tester, I'm not in the mood. Just leave him by the door and you go on your way." Observer's voice said through the door.
"Whatever, just don't kill him, Empress' orders." with that she left.
As Tester's footsteps faded, Observer stepped out of the room and quietly led him inside. It was a spartan room, a bed occupied a corner and another had a small kitchenette. The middle of the room had two couches facing each other with a simple coffee table in the middle, Vince assumed it was only there to hold meetings. Screens and panels took up the remaining wall, unrecognizable data and footage was being analyzed. Observer pointed to the couch, he obliged, swallowing some fear as it rose. She took the seat facing him, and for a while, no words were passed between them. He'd only seen her up close a few times, and those weren't pleasant experiences in the least. This whole civilized persona wasn't fitting of her, he thought. By this point, she'd thrown an insult at him, but her face remained as placid as ever.
"Uh, h-"
"Are you happy, living the life you live?" Observer interrupted before he can finish his thought.
"What?"
"I'm asking, Vince Cromwell. Are you satisfied with your current situation? Being ignorant of your own identity?"
"Of course I'm not happy being here." he stated the obvious.
"Still, I wouldn't trade Purifier's life just to save my own. And what's the part about being ignorant of my identity?"
"For the entirety of your existence, you known for a fact that you're human. It's further solidified that your father was human, yet you never knew who your mother was. Have you never questioned who your mother was?"
"What do you know about my life?! My dad died when I was five and my mom never gave a damn to look for me, why should I care now all of a sudden?!"
"Quite a tragic story without an end... And you don't even know that you're not fully human."
"If you're comparing me to the likes of you, I'll never be like you."
"Oh, but we are more similar than you'd like to think." before Vince can react, he was strapped to the couch as a needle descended from an opening in the ceiling.
Unable to resist, it drew a small vial's worth of blood, another needle came down by Observer's side. She let the device draw blood from her without much hassle. She took the vials and put them into a terminal by one of the screens. Billions of genetic information, decoded in seconds.
"As you can see," Observer enlarged the screen "you and I share similar genetic patterns. Meaning you're half-human, half Siren."
Vince looked at the image for a very long time, so much so that image was forever burned into his mind. He can't be one of them... She couldn't have altered it to trick him in such a short amount of time.
"So that's it, huh? The shams up? I was some sick experiment to see if I turn out any different from the rest of us, right? And you think I'll join your side now to undo all the work I've put in for the last 15 years of my life?" Observer shook her head, more of in a pitying way.
"No, you weren't some experiment or an accident, Vince. You were born out of the forbidden love of two very, very selfish and foolish individuals. You are the product of me and Edward's love. Don't you get it?" she firmly held his face as they looked at each other.
"Are you saying... You're my mom?" he asked, barely above a whisper.
"Yes." a simple reply before she embraced him.
I've read many AL fics where the Commander wasn't human sometimes, and I wanted to take my spin at it. Tell me if this is too far-fetched, if anything the other plot point of him being an artificial creation works as well. Though this fic's original goal was to make Purifier seem like a good Siren, I've also chosen Observer to redeem herself as well. Anyways, it was good to be back to this and hopefully, the next chapter doesn't take uh... like 8 months to update. Cya!