Chapter 4: Reunion

"Laffey, you really should not be doing this, especially while on duty!"

"It's fine...just takes the edge off, you know?"

"This is a bit beyond 'taking the edge off', hase. Javelin is right to be worried."

The sound of clinking bottles and rolling glass filled the bridge of the Eagle Union destroyer, a bleary eyed Laffey unsteadily gazing at the three other destroyers that crowded around her, Javelin and Z23 crouching next to her bed while Ayanami silently went about collecting the trash and other detritus scattered about.

"...Don't have a problem. Can stop anytime Laffey wants."

"Then you should. This isn't healthy, Laffey. And no offense but you're in dire need of a shower."

The Eagle Union destroyer just blearily gazed around the bridge, still hungover and fruitlessly rubbing at the bags beneath her eyes.

"...Does Laffey smell?"

"Like a bundle of wet laundry and cheap booze."

Z23's blunt statement caused the pale-haired destroyer to sniff her armpit...and promptly grimace, mumbling, "Laffey does kind of smell."

"That's exactly what we were telling you. Come on, we'll still be on patrol for another few hours, you can take a shower on my ship~! There's still warm water there, after all."

Nodding along with Javelin's offer Laffey rose on unsteady feet, Ayanami seamlessly cleaning up her messy and rumpled bedsheets-

-and an uncharacteristic gasp left the Sakura destroyer, drawing Z23 and Javelin's attention as she picked something up with a trembling hand, some kind of square piece of paper that Laffey snatched away just as quickly, holding it tight with her face wiped clean of any emotion.

"Laffey? What is that?"

The rabbit-like girl just shook her head, biting her lip as Javelin and Z23 looked at her with clear concern, Ayanami gently tilting her hands so that the other two could see what was held within...and the pair immediately understood what had caused such distress, as well as why Laffey would again drink herself to a stupor.

A large, well-worn photo of the old Azur Lane, right before the Sirens had entered the war. More specifically, it was of the evening the destroyers had all thrown a party, reveling well into the night and morning before the older battleships and carriers had put an end to it.

Property damage was high, reprimands were aplenty and most agreed it was the craziest, wildest, bestest thing to ever happen to the island.

If only most of the faces within weren't dead.

Laffey showing Unicorn and Nicholas her stash of booze, Z23 challenging Downes to some kind of competition or another, Javelin hugging Yukikaze and Yuudachi with unrestrained glee, Ayaname showing off her sword to Z1 and Z18...

Memories of a simpler time. A better time.

A solitary tear dripped down Laffey's cheek, Javelin quickly gathering the exhausted shipgirl into a hug as the other two looked on, completely unsure of what to say or do.

Assuming there was even anything to say in the first place. What words of comfort could they offer that wouldn't ring pathetically hollow? They were in a losing war and considering how no word had been heard from Enterprise or any of the others who had embarked on a last-ditch effort to combat the Sirens several days ago it seemed likely they too had perished.

The four lamented the fact that, despite being born as weapons of war, they had never quite gotten used to the mindset of fighting in one.

[This is Azur Lane, come in patrol squad 2, over.]

The radio suddenly crackled to life, startling the shipgirls out of their funk as Z23 immediately strode to the comm arrays, only taking a moment to acclimate herself to Laffey's controls as she responded, "This is patrol squad 2, hearing you loud and clear, over."

[Patrol squad 2, we have unknown contacts approaching your position at a distance of forty nautical miles. Fog cover has kept scout planes from getting a visual and we need you to check it out, be ready for anything, over.]

Glances were shared between the shipgirls as Z23 replied, "Understood, Azur Lane. Patrol squad 2 moving to investigate, over."

The comm snapped off as Javelin released Laffey, quietly asking, "Will you be okay on your own?"

"Yes. Laffey has a job to do."

While her three friends were obviously reluctant to leave they nonetheless hopped into action, skating across the waves back to their own vessels while Laffey tried in vain to rub the dizziness from her eyes, unsteadily approaching the bow of her ship as she hoped that it wasn't a Siren fleet...she was in no condition to fight. None of them were, they only had a fifth of the ammo stocks they typically carried and had no aircraft, submarine or battleship backup.

Keeping those morose and worrying thoughts to herself Laffey engaged her ship's engines, quickly accelerating to combat ready speeds as she closed her eyes, rabbit ear extensions wriggling as she tried to see if she could interpret anything useful from her ship's radar-

-and doubled over as her head had another pang of pain course through it, the destroyer groaning as she heaved out a quiet sigh, fruitlessly knuckling her eyes in a vain attempt to do away with the ache.

"...Need coffee."

Resigning herself to a long hangover - not even shipgirl metabolism could handle so much booze in such a comparatively slim body - Laffey once more focused on the concealing wave of fog roiling over the ocean, trying in vain to discern if there were threats approaching them.

For a time there was nothing on the radio or radar, the four destroyers warily keeping their eyes peeled for any sign of danger or enemy presence-

[Azur Lane patrol squad, this is Azur Lane taskforce 1 and 2, please respond, over.]

-and stiffened for a moment before Z23 quickly responded, [This is patrol squad 2, Azura Lane taskforce 1 and 2 are you approaching twenty nautical miles northeast of our position, over?]

Laffey felt a wave of relief course through her as what had been Enterprise's calm tones was replaced with Prinz Eugen's teasing accent, stating, [Such professionalism, little sister~! You needn't keep up such a strong front, feel free to be glad that your big sisters are back and say it thusly.]

The pale-haired destroyer leapt down from her ship's deck, skating across the waves towards the wave of fog as she heard Z23 sigh in exasperation at her fellow Ironblood's japes...even if she just as enthusiastically took to the water, wishing to greet their sisters back from what was hopefully mission success.

Shoukaku was next to hog the radio, happily informing them, [Apologies about the radio silence, dear sisters...but we wished to avoid attracting attention on the return home. On that note we should be clearing the fog cover any minute now. Don't panic once you see what we're escorting, it's actually quite the boon, over.]

The quartet of destroyers closed ranks to no more than a few meters apart from each other, exchanging confused glances even as they continued onwards, relieved at the sight of Tirpitz, Vampire, San Diego and Belfast breaching the wave of concealing mist looking only a little beat up and battle-scarred...and as one the four paled, eyes widening as they looked up.

Utterly dwarfing even the aircraft carriers it was being escorted by the titanic vessel was clearly of Siren make, sporting weapons, sensors and what looked like aircraft launchpads across its gargantuan hull, none other than a similarly modified Warspite taking up the rearguard position.

"W-w-what is that?!"

"It makes even a Siren supercarrier seem tiny…"

"Do...do you think that's the boon miss Belfast was talking about?"

Laffey kept her silence as they watched the ship smoothly navigate the surf with an ease and grace that belied its size, the distant figures of their fellow sisters skating towards them as Vampire lead the pack, eager to greet her fellow destroyers.

"Vampire, I'm so glad that you're-OOF!"

Javelin was cut off as the gothic-styled shipgirl slammed directly into her, engulfing the purple-haired destroyer in a tight hug as she stated, "I-I am more glad than mere words can suffice to describe that thou are all unharmed...the mission was, was…"

They all instinctively understood what the ruby-eyed girl was saying, knowing the stress that must have been placed on her shoulders. The raid on the Siren storehouses - while not outwardly described as such - had been considered the one, singular chance they had at turning the war around and was considered extremely high risk. Being the sole destroyer of the group that had been available to depart on a moment's notice there had been a lot of pressure associated with the task.

Laffey didn't say so with words, merely adding her arms to the group hug as Ayanami and Z23 joined a moment later, both shipgirls typically the more reticent sort. Even if that resilience had waned along with their numbers, placing more emphasis on the here and now rather than their images.

"Is the big ship yours, Vampire?"

"Not quite, Laffey. Have you been drinking again?"

Enterprise's stern words coincided with her skating up alongside the destroyer huddle, the Eagle Union girl's eyes briefly averting themselves in a vain attempt to hide their bloodshot appearance.

"...Not much?"

"If by not much you mean enough that you're clearly hungover then, yes, I would believe you."

The bunny-haired girl wilted at the carrier's admonishing tone-

-and blinked as, in a gesture that was admittedly rather awkward, Enterprise gently patted her on the head.

"Hopefully you won't need to keep drinking yourself into a stupor, Laffey. We might have a solution to things."

The destroyers instantly perked up, turning to Vampire and asking, "The mission was a success?!"

"...Mostly? Thy question is honestly rather difficult to answer properly."

"You mean this ship isn't yours?"

Ayanami's confused inquiry was answered by an amused Shoukaku as she arrived with a spray of water and ornate fabric, snapping her fan outwards as she stated, "Not 'ours', Ayanami. But rather his."

It was Z23's turn to look bewildered, Prinz Eugen heading off her inevitable question with, "Why don't you four have your ships fall into formation and then we'll introduce you to the newest shipboy~?"

Four identical and equally adorable tilts of a head.

"BOY?!"

"Explain what the fuck you meant by I could give Warspite any command and she would obey. What's this shit about power for obedience?"

"It's quite self-explanatory, really. I fail to see what there is to misunderstand."

Alexander gritted his teeth as he skimmed over the various screens provided by the ship - his ship - that ran heavy with technical blueprints of a dozen-and-a-half technologies and inventions, any of which could boost humanity's survival chances by a healthy margin.

"Explain it to me anyway, if you'd be so magnanimous?"

The sarcasm and animosity was either unrecognized or ignored, Observer Zero resting her currently corporeal back against the male's much larger one as she stated, "The Wisdom Cubes are devices that contain information in its purest, most energized form. Attempting to access that information allows a fraction of it to manifest and take form, what you all refer to as 'shipgirls'. Consider them a pupae-like form of us Sirens, beings that have vast potential contained within those shallow shells."

Alexander looked more than slightly nauseated by the idea but held his silence, the Siren calmly continuing her explanation with, "You were constructed from the knowledge of many Wisdom Cubes at once, now containing their sum knowledge and power. By imparting that very same knowledge and strength to another you bind them to you, as that gifted intelligence and power is yours and yours alone. The arm cannot defy the directives of the brain, if I was to dumb the situation down to its most basic and most broad."

The Siren gave the disgusted male a curious stare, blandly stating, "I do not understand your reticence on this matter. It is natural for Sirens to follow the directives of those above, I have told you this many times. And even setting aside such self-evident matters…"

Alexander felt the svelte and chilled skin of the Siren brush further up his spine, fingers ghosting over the metal implants lacing his skin before delicate fingers and feminine curves pressed into both his neck and shoulder.

"Humans are nothing if not creatures consumed with hormone-driven lust and amorous inclinations. You could request of those 'shipgirls' any sexual act you desire and they would be unable to defy you. Have you not already lusted after them in the past?"

Alexander's elbow yet again found only empty air as it was aimed towards the Siren's face, the male's lips peeled back in a snarl as he retorted, "Those shipgirls have been the saviors of humanity for years, Siren! They're not some cheap whores meant to slake some random guy's lust just because he had the misfortune to be turned into some all-powerful freak!"

His outburst didn't seem to affect the Siren in the slightest as she reappeared some distance away, head tilted slightly as she asked, "So why must it be a terrible thing for you to consider them as attractive and worthy of amorous intentions? Rather than consider them mere means of sexual release, why not think of them as partners? Much of human culture and folklore paints love as the most powerful of motivators...could you not love them?"

Alexander rubbed his temples, sighing in defeat as he asked, "Why do you even care? You want me to lead humanity into some kind of better future, right? Have all sorts of cryptic trials set up to achieve that goal? What does me fucking the shipgirls have to do with that? Shit, if you want me to be an effective leader you should be telling me to avoid having emotional hangups!"

The Siren languidly shrugged, responding, "Do living things not fight all the harder when they protect offspring and kin? And this is not a conventional war you will fight in...you will need the help of each and every single one of the Wisdom Cube offspring if you wish to be victorious. What harm is there to having physical relations with them if it will inspire you all to fight harder and faster than ever?"

"...Fuck off already, I'm busy."

"As you wish. I shall stand ready to offer my advice and insights, should the day come when you realize that heeding them would be wise."

The Siren vanished and blissful silence fell over the bridge, Alexander heaving an exhausted sigh as he rubbed his eyes, thoughts in complete disarray at the Siren's words and subject matter.

"Seriously, what the hell is her issue? Yeah, the shipgirls are all 10/10 but the idea that they would ever actually like having sex with me is hilarious. No matter how friendly we may become I'm a goddamn Siren now...getting off on a dick belonging to the race that sank so many civilians and comrades probably isn't a thing most would find erotic."

Shoving those thoughts away Alexander focused on the more pressing issue, such as what the fuck he was supposed to do once they arrived at Azur Lane.

Would he be locked in a research cell for constant experimentation? Be greeted with open arms? A firing squad? Anything in between?

...He just didn't know.

[Multiple 'Shipgirl' signatures approaching, four unknown. Adopting defensive measures-]

"Stand down, Rigging. For future reference, check with me if any new shipgirl signatures come close before taking defensive measures."

[Understood. New procedures put into place.]

The sound of heeled and booted feet could be heard echoing through the confines of the hallways, his improved hearing easily able to pick up the echoes long before the new arrivals became visible, as well as their conversation.

"Y-you said he's a male Siren?! But they've only been women like us in the past!"

"Indeed, Javelin. But his circumstances are quite unique. He was a member of the crew of humans who were offloading the Wisdom Cubes we stole until a Siren attacked, forcing him to detonate the charges designed to keep them out of enemy hands and, well…"

Javelin and Belfast's words were expanded upon by Enterprise, the carrier stating, "Through means neither us nor he are entirely certain of he was changed by the destruction of so many Wisdom Cubes into a Siren-like creature, this vessel included."

Belfast finished the explanation with, "While he has taken great strides in aiding us - even going so far as to repair Warspite when she was on the cusp of death - we're still unsure as to his ultimate loyalty, or whether those goals will change over time. For the moment afford sir Alexander Curtis the benefit of the doubt, if you would."

The man in question gained a humorless smile, quietly muttering, "Well, better than what I hoped for…"

A voice that carried a distinctly Ironblood accent spoke up with, "Trust a Siren? That is...much to ask."

"C'mon, Z23! How bad could he be if he helped Lady Warspite recover?"

"He may be a saint, or he may be a deceiver. I, for one, shall keep my eyes open for any hints of duplicity."

"And maybe not as good as I wanted it to be."

Heaving a quiet sigh to himself Alexander buried himself in trying to parse through the gargantuan lexicon of Siren terminology and engineering feats once again, grimacing at the headache that constantly assailed his skull as he did so. True, they were happening less and less often as well as less severely but having his skull split apart everytime he needed to inquire after a certain theory or practice - which was ALL the time - made for quite the exhausting study session.

"Sir Alexander, may we have a moment of your time?"

Belfast's calm tone echoed through the bridge as the male closed the screen he was working on, rubbing his temple as he turned to stare at the collection of shipgirl's that made their appearance...and forced himself to remain calm, Observer Zero's corrupting ideas wriggling in his stressed and scattered mind like nefarious and cancerous growths.

Far more than before he was struck by Belfast and Enterprise's beauty, mature and buxom forms accentuated by their respective outfits, the Eagle Union woman's skirt in particular highlighting her thighs while the metal choker around the Royal Navy shipgirl's tender throat brought to mind thoughts of submission and domination.

...And the destroyers, less outwardly 'womanly' than their older sisters but nonetheless attractive to unbelievable degrees, were just as dangerous to the young man.

Vampire he was already familiar with, but the newcomers he recognized as Laffey, Javelin, Z23 and Ayanami were new faces who had never met him in person while, just like the rest of the shipgirls, he knew of them through their exploits in defense of humanity.

…

Which made it slightly more than painful when they visibly recoiled, Z23 and Ayanami even stepping in front of the others as if to shield them from harm, Belfast setting a comforting hand on their shoulders as Vampire quickly interjected, "At ease, sisters...sir Alexander is indeed, erm...frightening? But he is quite polite nonetheless!"

Sending the ruby-eyed destroyer a grateful nod and smile - which for some reason caused her to blush and avert her eyes - he stood from his chair, calmly and smoothly walking towards the newcomers while trying to hide his internal panic and exhaustion.

...Except he belatedly realized that given his new height, build and appearance that slow, gradual pace likely made him seem incredibly frightening, especially since the destroyers in particular barely even reached his waist.

"The perfect height for them to orally service you, yes? Humans do seem to enjoy finding unconventional uses for their genitalia…"

Observer's words were yet again less than appreciated, Alexander fighting back a scowl as he slowly crouched before the new arrivals, trying for what he hoped was an assuring smile as he reached out a hand for a shake.

"I remember you being a part of the group that helped evacuate the Virginia coastline when the Sirens hit it eight years ago, Laffey. I never would have made it out alive if you hadn't sunk that Siren destroyer in the nick of time with a beautiful torpedo volley. It's years after the fact...but thank you."

Whatever the shipgirls had been expecting from him it obviously wasn't that, shocked blinks and bewildered stares being passed around as the bunny-themed shipgirl stared at him like he just grew another head.

"Laffey remembers saving the...the Pioneer? You were on it?"

"That I was."

Continuing to stare at him the destroyer merely tilted her head in an adorable expression of bewilderment, quietly stating, "Laffey...isn't thanked by people she saves very often."

A delicate, tiny hand placed itself in his far larger palm, the destroyer's rabbit-themed headpiece jostling in a way that made it seem natural as she distantly stated, "It feels...warm. And nice."

Briefly reassured by the fact that the group of four destroyers didn't seem quite so wary anymore at Laffey's relaxed body language Alexander took a moment to look at them as a group-

-and frowned, beginning to note a worrying trend among the shipgirls he'd been encountering.

He hadn't noticed at first - being far too preoccupied with his own baggage and trying to figure out just where he stood among the hierarchy now incredibly important to his survival - but as he had taken the occasional moment to watch them as they made their way to Azur Lane uncomfortable realizations had been abound.

Even before he'd had seemingly infinite knowledge dumped into his brain he'd recognized what shellshock or just simple exhaustion looked like, both from seeing -and being - a wartime refugee and later working long, hot shifts in the sun.

The shipgirls were rife with it.

Oh, they tried to hide or minimize it, certainly...but his ship had sharp eyes and ears, he'd spotted more than a few 'stolen moments'. Prinz Eugen slumped against her ship's rails, playful disposition gone in favor of tired leaning against the metal. Belfast pausing in a task for a few seconds, staring off into nothing before violently shaking her head, resuming whatever it was she had been doing. Shoukaku staring out into the ocean with a thousand-yard stare, face slack and bereft of imperial majesty. Saratoga and Lexington, idly flipping through a collection of old concert albums, posters and brochures with expressions that could only be described as listless and forlorn, Alexander keenly aware of the fact that they hadn't performed any kind of show for...many months now.

The list went on and on, such obvious and alarming warning signs all the more present in the four destroyers.

Bagged eyes, rumpled clothing and unless he was very far off the mark…

"Laffey...are you hungover?"

The shipgirl stiffened, bloodshot eyes averting themselves as she evasively replied, "Maybe?"

Enterprise sighed at the scene, Alexander frowning before turning to the motionless Rigging, asking, "Rigging, do you have any means of curing alcohol poisoning? That won't alter or affect Laffey's body beyond what it was before the drinking?"

[Affirmative. Dispensing resource.]

Z23 and Javelin yelped as they spotted the Siren mechanical monstrosity hover towards them, one of the tentacles depositing a small glass of light blue fluid into Alexander's hand, the male offering it to Laffey as he said, "Here, this should help with the headache and other side effects."

Hesitantly accepting the liquid the destroyer tentatively sniffed at the concoction, Z23 doubtfully inquiring, "You are not actually going to imbibe that, are you?"

Ayanami nodded decisively, murmuring, "Could be poison."

Alexander offered a wry expression, asking, "If I was going to attempt to murder one of you don't you think I would try something a little more subtle than doing it in front of a bunch of witnesses?"

The destroyers blushed at his comment, obviously not having thought that far ahead as Belfast's lips quirked in what might have been a smile, stating, "I believe in this instance the beverage is safe for consumption, if you so wish to imbibe it."

Enterprise held her peace and didn't speak against his goodwill, Laffey shrugging after a moment and carefully sipping at the liquid...before her eyes widened, quickly knocking back the glass as she held it out to the floating Siren.

"More please."

"EH?!"

Unable to keep from smiling as the three other destroyers revealed their disbelief in a variety of volumes and ways he instead glanced towards the other shipgirls, Belfast and Enterprise staring at him blankly for a moment...before both nodded in gratitude, going back to watching the suddenly energetic and animated destroyers as they pestered Laffey as to what it was that tasted so good about the drink, the Eagle Union shipgirl seeming much more at ease than she did moments ago, lips upturned in a nearly imperceptible smile at her sister's antics.

Warspite was sulking.

She didn't like the fact that she was sulking. It was a wasteful, childish act that served to do nothing other than waste valuable time and energy.

And yet there she was, well onto her fourth day of consecutive, internalized misery as she kept to herself with only the barest of interaction with her sisters to while away the hours.

...That, and the constant sensations and emotions that were not hers being felt across the fragment of Wisdom Cube implanted directly into her body.

That, more than anything, made the Royal Navy shipgirl feel...dirty. That a Siren was so easily accessing her mind and emotional state. Yes, Alexander Curtis himself struck Warspite as someone she could respect and even be somewhat friendly with, his decision to destroy the Wisdom Cubes and Sirens through one last act of defiance in particular was something admirable...but he was no longer entirely Alexander Curtis.

Whether he was aware of it or not - and Warspite was nothing if not certain her sisters hadn't noticed - there was a presence alongside his own, an alien mind that nonetheless felt familiar and influenced his from time to time, or at least attempted to impart its will onto his brain.

The idea of her mind being left bare and exposed was enough to leave the shipgirl squirming with foreign discomfort.

…

And she didn't even want to get started on the alterations made to her vessel! Everything was so...new?

Controlling her previous form had been as easy as moving her body, the engines her legs, gun batteries her fists and radar dishes her eyes and ears...the 'upgrades' were taking some getting used to, albeit not necessarily in an unpleasant way.

She could see farther, move faster and her guns felt like they could pluck the stars themselves right out of the sky...most noticeable was the bevy of shield arrays. Previous attempts to adapt the Siren technology onto her body had always felt greasy, like a slimy bit of clothing she was forced to wear. These new ones? As easy as adopting a guard stance with her sword, metal composites responding to each and every whim like an enthusiastic and loyal pet.

…

The petite woman sighed, staring out over the cresting waves as she saw Javelin and her friend's destroyers swing into formation, ashamed at how nervous she was to see them and reveal her altered appearance.

"And what will her Majesty think, now that I am like this?"

The blonde's mind kept flashing back to the moment when Curtis had given her orders in that delicious, commanding voice and her body had responded without thinking, without hesitation. It had just felt so right, so satisfying to hear and obey those words, the rush of emotion and release downright narcotic as she carried out his instructions...so much so that she had actually felt a bloody bit of arousal as she stood at attention.

She growled low in her throat, glowering at the waves before huffing out a sigh, narrowed eyes boring into the hull of the colossal Siren ship.

"It seems I'll need to keep a close eye on you, Alexander. While your human side may be on ours, that other poses far too much of a risk. And before I am any slave or subject of yours, I am my Queen's sword. Her will be done"

…

"And it is NOT, as that succubus of an Ironblood always hints, because you have an incredible ass!"

In regards to a question if this story was inspired at all by Chronicles of the Siren War it was inspired in the sense that I read it and was like, 'hey, a story about a pretty serious war going on sounds cool, I wanna do a spin on that' and then made my own thing.