Amagi hastened her pace, her poise set aside by the fear of being late as she hurried along the harbor. Waiting for her in front of the gate of the Royal Navy dorm were Yorktown and Enterprise.
"I'm so sorry, I slept in." Amagi apologized to them with a bow as soon as she arrived. "My internal clock has been all messed up since the operation."
"Don't worry, Amagi, I get it," Yorktown told her. The Kitsune regarded her with a bemused look, to which the carrier responded with an understanding smile. "It happened to me too; you'll get used to it."
"What's important is that you are feeling better," Enterprise added, noticing that even though Amagi had rushed there alone, she was showing no sign of actual discomfort. Instead, she looked in perfect shape.
"Thank you, both of you." The Kitsune let out a smile, still a bit ashamed because of her slipup. "By the way, wouldn't you happen to know where Akagi and Kaga are?" She inquired.
"Kaga was at the training bay earlier. About Akagi, we haven't seen her at all." Yorktown informed her. "We figured she'd be with you."
"When I woke up, she had already left; I thought she was already here," Amagi said with a pensive look on her face. Then realization hit her. Akagi had woken up early because she didn't want to be dragged to the party.
"She bailed out, didn't she?" Enterprise asked after noticing Amagi's annoyed frown.
"That girl… What am I going to do with her?" Amagi lamented. "I'll make sure to discipline her thoroughly later."
"Now, now, these kinds of gatherings aren't her thing; I doubt she'd have fun," Yorktown said.
"I suppose you are right," Amagi mused. "I just hope she isn't bothering Shikikan Travis again," she muttered, not entirely convinced of her own words.
"If she does, she's going to find a hard wall to butt heads with this time," Enterprise said. When Amagi tilted her head in confusion, she added, "South Dakota has placed herself in front of his office like a bouncer; she's dead set on not letting anyone disturb his work."
"I... cannot say if that's reassuring or concerning," Amagi grimaced.
"We can check on them later if you are so worried," Yorktown offered. "In the meantime, we should get in; the others have already started."
"Very well, then, let's."
When the three of them entered the building, they found Belfast waiting for them. The head maid ushered them toward the backyard, where the party was being held.
Amagi scanned her surroundings. She was used to the various tea ceremonies they held in her homeland, but she didn't know what to expect from an informal gathering such as this. She was expecting some kind of tea party, but then she remembered that the Brits used to have those in the afternoon, and this one looked more like an outdoor breakfast. The tea was still there, though, so a breakfast tea party? Was that even a thing?
Multiple elegant white tables were scattered across the garden, all of them suitably laid out with cutlery and high-quality porcelain plates filled with an array of delicacies she wasn't quite used to but couldn't wait to try out.
Most of those tables were already occupied. Groups of shipgirls sat at them, engaged in conversation. But despite the homely atmosphere, the mood didn't seem quite right. It shouldn't come as a surprise, though, as most of the Kansen present were METAs.
The few shipgirls of Azur Lane, mainly Royals, were doing their best at keeping them entertained, but their guests looked despondent, uncomfortable, or outright annoyed. Some of them were fiddling with the silverware absentmindedly, others were fidgeting nervously or shifting uncomfortably in their seats, like they were wondering what they were even doing here.
One of the few tables boasting a brighter atmosphere was the one at which Ayanami and Shimakaze were sitting with their friends, among whom was also Sparviero; they were also keeping a fidgety META destroyer she was unfamiliar with company, Amagi noticed. When the shipboy took notice of her presence, he turned to greet her with a wave and a smile, which she gladly returned before going back to scan her surroundings.
Hood and King George V were sitting at the same table as Queen Elizabeth META, listening quietly to her yapping. The fallen monarch looked like she'd just come back from a long journey and was regaling her compatriots with the tales of the hardships she had gone through during her travels with the Ashes. A similar interaction was taking place at the table beside it, with Dunkerque sitting with Algérie and La Gallissonnière, though this time the roles were reversed. The battlecruiser was the one trying to liven up the conversation, but with little success.
By now, all of the Ashes had had plenty of time—and private consultations with Bremerton—to clear their heads and come to regret their actions. Both the welcoming atmosphere on base and the presence of the Cinders helped a lot with that, but still, some of them were doing better than others.
For example, Queen Elizabeth and Sheffield META had integrated themselves rather well with their fellow Royals; the latter was serving at the tables, working harmoniously with the other maids, while the former was simply content with reveling in the long-missed routine of sipping tea, snacking, and chatting amicably all the while, something she had almost forgotten during their long time at sea through the timelines.
The two French METAs, though, were the most uncomfortable out of everyone, and for good reason, one might add. After all, they did attack Le Malin and Lenin back then, almost traumatizing the Vichya destroyer in the process, so it was beyond their understanding how Dunkerque could be so amiable with them. The normal reaction would be to shun them; instead, she was treating them as if they were her actual friends, which was making it even more awkward for them to look her in the eyes.
Amagi pitied them. They didn't even get a chance to apologize that the destroyer and the icebreaker had departed for the Iris Orthodoxy, leaving them behind without closure and feeling even guiltier than before.
What they all needed was good news—something that could bring a bit of hope into their grim existences, and that's what today's gathering was about.
Its purpose was simple: to create a relaxing environment in which to break the news to the METAs. What news? That of the capture of the Siren base that would allow Azur Lane to produce new, uncorrupted bodies in which to transplant their Cubes, thus sparing them the inevitable end they'd meet at the hands of their late-stage Metamorphosis.
The Commander had decided there was no further need to postpone the announcement; he'd kept it secret because there was no guarantee they would succeed in the endeavor, but now that it was over, he could finally take it off his chest. He asked King George V to arrange the party in the Royal Navy dorm, then he appointed Yorktown, Hood, Dunkerque, Amagi, and Sparviero to be the ones to break the news to the METAs. Given their thoughtfulness and the fact that the five of them had just recovered from their respective conditions, they were the perfect choice to deliver the news to the recipients.
"Miss Ember is over here," Belfast said, prompting the trio to follow her through the tables.
"I'm sorry you got dragged into this, Amagi," Enterprise told her as they followed the head maid, her voice slightly shaky. "But know that I'm glad you are here. Having another Sakura will certainly put her more at ease."
"Don't worry about it, Enterprise; I understand," Amagi responded. "But I suggest you keep your expectations low; I promise I'll do my best, but if this Ember person is as troublesome as you say, I cannot guarantee that I'll be able to get through her."
"That's more than enough already," the carrier replied, grateful to the Kitsune.
The Commander's plan had one small issue. The METAs would have to be transferred to the Siren base, which meant living in close contact with the Antiochus. Even if temporary, there is no need to explain why that would be a troublesome arrangement. The METAs themselves didn't exactly accept Purifier's presence on base; they just didn't say anything about it for the sake of quiet living, and Purifier herself had made a habit to steer clear of them. There was no way to know how they would react when they found out that Ryan was also trying to revive the other Antiochus.
Not to mention the fact that they didn't know Aoste was the Creator. They knew about Anzeel, of course, but they believed he was just her assistant.
There was a choice to be made here: tell the truth or keep the travesty for as long as possible and hope they didn't clue in. In the end, the Commander had decided it was best to tell them directly instead of letting them find out on their own; it was the right way to repay the trust the METAs were putting in him and the Kansen of Azur Lane.
Enterprise agreed with that, but her bigger concern was how the most temperamental of them would react to such news. She was worried about one person in particular, that is, Ember. The Sakura cruiser seemed the only one still dead set on carrying on with Ash's goal, even if it was impossible, and she'd likely jump at the chance of murdering the Creator when it was offered to her on a silver platter.
That's how delicate the matter was. The news could very well make her snap on the spot, which was why Enterprise had asked Amagi to be there with them.
Would the motherly Kitsune be able to curb the temper of her fellow Sakura? Only one way to find out.
"Good morning. May we sit here?" Amagi cordially inquired as they reached the table at which said META was sitting.
"No," Ember stated curtly, not even turning to look at them. Back straight and arms crossed, her posture radiated annoyance and dissatisfaction.
Kindle and Hiryuu META were sitting with her, and their heads snapped on their comrade, incredulity and shock written on their faces.
"But of course. Make yourselves comfortable," Kindle said warmly to the new arrivals, gesturing to the empty chairs. "And please, don't mind her. She's in a sour mood today," she added, glaring at Ember.
"Isn't she always?" Hiryuu said, drawing a harrumph from the META cruiser. Belfast then took her leave, but not before giving a reassuring nod to Enterprise as the three sat at the table.
After getting on with pleasantries, they began eating. Amagi tried her best to use knife and fork to cut the sausages on her plate, chuckling awkwardly when she almost sent a piece flying. Enterprise offered to help her, but the Kitsune refused. Spurred by Hiryuu, she began taking the struggle as a challenge to overcome in jest, their impromptu contest drawing the hilarity of the others.
All under Ember's disdainful stare.
"Yorktown, I was told you were able to overcome your onset of Metamorphosis." Kindle addressed the carrier. "How are you feeling now?"
"Much better now, thank you, Kindle," Yorktown replied. "They were able to catch in time."
"I'm glad they did," the cruiser said. A melancholic smile appeared on her lips, her mind inevitably wandering back to Cinder. Her late leader, whom the carrier reminded her so much of, was still present in her and her comrades' minds. "And to think that you'd be treated by the creator of the Kansen in person. I'd love to have a chat with her one of these days."
"I'll make sure to arrange a meeting for you as soon as she's free of her duties," Yorktown said.
"Would have been nice to bump into her beforehand; she would have solved us a lot of issues," Hiryuu commented. "Alas, it wasn't meant to be," she added ruefully.
The mood plummeted once again, and an awkward silence fell between them. Yorktown, Enterprise, and Amagi shared a look, a subtle gesture that conveyed a silent exchange, but that wasn't lost on Ember's scrutinizing gaze.
"So, what's this all about?" She finally spoke up, narrowing her eyes at them in suspicion.
"What do you mean?" Enterprise inquired.
"Don't play dumb with me. My patience is running short," she warned, glaring daggers at Enterprise. Gesturing to the set table before her, she said, "Throwing a party to thank us for helping you? That's a nice excuse, but I don't buy it. You must have some ulterior motive to gather us here all of a sudde."
Kindle and Hiryuu didn't say anything this time. They could rebuke her again for her inappropriate attitude, but her reasoning was sound. They also felt the situation was a bit strange and were holding some reservations about the whole matter, so they were content to let the exchange play out.
"What makes you say that?" Enterprise asked, rubbing her sweaty palms. For some reason, facing Ember made her nervous; the guilt for what happened to Ash, added to the hatred the META harbored for her, made her abnormally uneasy in her presence.
Ember snorted. "You could have tried to be more subtle, but bringing Amagi here of all people? Did you think I'd hold back on you if it were a compatriot of mine? Do you really think I'm so easy to manipulate?"
"Takao-chan... No, Ember is what you call yourself, right? I assure you, I'm here of my own volition," Amagi intervened.
"Why? We might both be from the Sakura Empire, but I'm not your Takao; you and I have nothing to do with each other," Ember retorted, venom dripping in her tone.
Amagi put a hand on her chest. "Because I want to help, nothing more."
"Help who, exactly?" Ember inquired, narrowing her eyes at her.
"Everyone, of course. It took us so long and so many sacrifices to come together like this. I don't wish for conflict between allies, and now that my health allows me, I'll do everything in my power to prevent it," Amagi stated, holding her gaze with the most cordial but solemn expression she could muster. "With that said, there's something we need to tell you, all of you."
"Is this about the latest operation?" Kindle inquired.
The METAs knew about the capture of the Siren base, in which they didn't participate for obvious reasons, but they didn't know the ultimate end behind it outside of it being some kind of tactical endeavor wanted by the Commander. Kindle had been meaning to ask about it for a while, and now was the perfect chance.
"Not just that," Enterprise said. "We also wanted to explain in more detail what happened with the portal back then."
"Hah, it's about time you decided to tell us what's up with that," Ember scoffed. "We've been fighting for you since we came here, asking for nothing in return. It's the least you could do."
"And we are grateful for that," Yorktown intervened. "Believe us when we say that we've never taken your help for granted."
"We know, Yorktown; we never presumed otherwise," Hiryuu said.
"We're grateful for the chance you've given us; we truly are," Kindle added. "But now, please, Enterprise, we're all ears. No need to hold back."
Enterprise let out a breath. She shared another glance with Yorktown and Amagi, who nodded to her encouragingly.
"As you know, we went to the Original Timeline to find a way to repair Wisdom Cubes; there we met Dr. Anzeel, who told us about the Reality Lens," she began. "What we didn't tell you is that we were also looking for the Creator..."
"Go on," Ember said, not surprised in the least with the direction the conversation was going.
"We wanted to know more about the Sirens at the time, but we weren't sure we'd find anything concrete," Enterprise continued. "In the end, against all odds, we did it."
"Y-you mean…" Hiryuu stuttered.
"It's that man, Dr. Aoste," Enterprise stated. "He is the Commander's counterpart in the Original Timeline, and also the Creator."
More silence fell over the group, broken only by the background chatter coming from the oblivious Kansen sitting at the other tables.
"I knew it…" Ember exhaled.
"Ember…"
"I knew something was up the moment I caught you dabbling with that portal!" Ember slammed her hands on the table and stood up, cold rage and utter betrayal in her eyes.
Her outburst was enough to draw the attention of the others around them.
"We wanted to tell you sooner-"
"Bullshit!" Ember shouted, cutting Enterprise off. "You kept it to yourself because you didn't want us meddling with your affairs! You talk so much about gratitude and trust, but you never trusted us in the first place!" She let out a breath through her teeth, trying to get her anger under control. "And you know what makes me so mad about it? That you did the right thing, because in your place, we would have done the same!"
"We did it exactly because we knew you'd react like this!" Enterprise shot back, standing up on her feet to face her.
"Enty…" Yorktown whispered, trying to calm her sister down.
"And what exactly were you expecting us to do?! Take it in stride and act like nothing happened?!" Ember retorted. "It wasn't already enough to befriend our worst enemies! You had to bring here the source of all our sorrows! Not only that, but you let him walk around the place this entire time unsupervised and unpunished! What the hell were you thinking?!"
Everyone else around them was now sending them concerned looks. Even the maids were frozen on the spot.
"Ember, calm down; let me remind you that we are in no position to question their decisions," Kindle interjected, hands joined over the table, trying to process the news. "That said, there must be a reason you decided to tell us now, of all times; am I right, Enterprise? Would you kindly explain why?" She inquired, a sharp edge in her tone.
Enterprise let out a heavy breath at that. "Because we found a way to cure your Metamorphosis, and it involves them."
The pregnant silence that followed her words was deafening. It only lasted a couple seconds, but it seemed to stretch into eternity until Ember found her voice again.
"W-what did you just say?"
"You heard me," Enterprise said, then she turned to address the entire gathering. "Starting tomorrow, the METAs will be transferred in groups to the newly acquired base. There, with the help of Dr. Aoste and Dr. Anzeel, you'll receive treatment intended to help with your condition. The specifics of the procedure will be revealed later," she declared with the steadiest tone she could muster under the incredulous gazes of the other shipgirls. "That's all. Carry on." With that, she let out another sigh, and, tugging on her cap to hide the awkwardness lingering on her face, she went back to sit on her chair, as if she hadn't just dropped a bomb in the middle of a crowd.
And just like after dropping a bomb, chaos ensued.
A frenetic clamor rose up from the tables, the previously dignified atmosphere giving way to a tumultuous uproar as everyone began talking over each other.
"I-is that true?" Fortune turned to address her friends, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Sorry, Fortune, we were looking for a way to tell you, but we were beaten to it." Sparviero told her awkwardly.
"George, why wasn't I informed of this sooner?" Queen Elizabeth asked the Royal Navy representative.
"We were just waiting for the right moment, my lady. This kind of news is more palatable with a full stomach," George told her queen's counterpart without losing her composure.
Amidst all the commotion, someone began crying. Someone stood still, flabbergasted, and speechless.
"This isn't some kind of joke, right?"
"N-no, this is too good to be true…"
"Oui, mes amies; this is the truth, I assure you." Dunkerque said, reassuring the other two Vichya METAs.
Ember simply stood there, dumbfounded, looking at the shipgirls of Azur Lane trying their best to assuage her comrades' worries. Her legs felt like jelly as they almost gave out beneath her, forcing her to sit back on her chair.
She tried her best to process what was happening. "This is…"
"It's okay, Ember," Amagi said, addressing both her and the other two METAs at their table. "I know this might sound hard to believe; we went through the same thing, Yorktown and I, when we were told our health could improve. We too had lost all hope of recovering, but these people know what they are doing. Anzeel is a good woman, and Aoste is trying to make things right. I know forgiveness is too much to ask of you, but why don't you try giving him a chance? You can save your judgment for later."
As she talked, Amagi's hand came to rest on Ember's in a comforting gesture. The META looked down at it with uncertainty in her eyes, but the Kitsune could see a few cracks in her facade.
Ember pried her hand away, averting her eyes. Her gaze settled on her comrades around her, all of them reacting differently to the news, but ultimately in a similarly emotional way. With her mind being a spiraling mess of emotion as well, she took a deep breath to calm herself and finally conceded.
"Fine; for the sake of my comrades, I'm willing to do it," she begrudgingly said. Then, as she settled her gaze on Enterprise, her eyes narrowed. "But let me make myself clear; this doesn't change anything between us. I still loathe you."
"That's... okay," Enterprise breathed out, feeling dejection in the deepest part of her core.
"And if that's all, I'll be taking my leave," Ember added, standing up.
"Wait, we still need to discuss the arrangement…" Enterprise called her.
"Do it with Elizabeth," Ember responded, waving her off. "Also, you can go ahead and put me at the end of the queue. I'll gladly give up my place in line to the others."
With that said, she began walking away without even looking back, leaving the commotion of the party behind.
"Stay still, dammit!" L'Indomptable bellowed as Lenin dodged another one of her attacks.
"You wish!" The shipboy responded, vaulting over another round of torpedoes.
He landed right next to her and spun around, readying a punch, but the shipgirl raised her shield. It met his gauntlet midway, absorbing the impact and dispelling the shock of the blow. Then she aimed her single barrel at his face and fired. Lenin was quick to duck, evading the shot by a hair; even blank, taking a shell from up close would still hurt like hell. L'Indomptable followed with a thrust of her lance, but he had already stepped back, returning to a safe distance.
Lenin smirked. By now, he had figured out her weakness: she was slow, or at least not as fast as her sisters. With her bulky rigging, she was throwing away the natural advantage her class gave her. He had noticed this almost immediately and didn't waste time exploiting it. While he still wasn't as fast as her, he was certainly agile enough to be an annoying opponent for her. So, he adopted the classic "fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee" strategy, staying just out of reach of her lance but close enough to allow him to counter as soon as he spotted an opening. Still, his nimble movements made it easier to dodge her attacks, but the "sting like a bee" part was where he was having more trouble, as the shipgirl was able to defend herself quite effectively with her shield.
At least being locked on the defensive and being unable to score a proper hit on him was slowly starting to get to her.
"You are so annoying! How are you so persistent?!" She barked at him in anger.
She also had quite a temper, apparently, and of course, he would be sure to take advantage of it.
"I used to spar with my brothers every day before this whole mess started," he shot back. "Compared to them, you are not even good as a warmup."
"Why, you..." she seethed, much to his own satisfaction.
"Control your anger, L'Indomptable," Leviathan intervened from the side. "He's just trying to rile you up; don't let it get to you."
Lenin gawked at him, eyes wide in betrayal. "Why are you helping her, brother?!"
"Because this is also training, and I'm a fair and impartial ref," Leviathan responded matter-of-factly. "And you shouldn't get distracted."
The man's warning was enough to make Lenin return his attention to his sparring partner, who was charging him with her whole rigging. He only had enough time to raise his arms and guard himself with his cestuses from her shield bash. The impact was enough to send him skidding a few feet backward, leaving him achy and slightly dazed.
"Hah! Serves you right!" She taunted him.
"You little shit!" Lenin snarled, then charged her again.
After that scene at the cafeteria a couple days before, Leviathan, as promised, had put them through the wringer. He had them undergo the toughest training routine the two had ever experienced, and by the end of it, they were so exhausted they didn't even have the strength to glare at each other.
One would think they would have learned their lesson, but the following day, another similar scene occurred: a misunderstanding caused by Le Malin saying something along the lines of having "slept" with Lenin, which caused L'Indomptable to snap for the second time. The situation devolved into another fight, which prompted Leviathan's intervention again; as expected, he didn't hold back this time either, disciplining them with another hellish drill.
But of course, good things only come in threes. Although this time, it was admittedly Lenin's fault. When the Vichya destroyer heard Emperor call him "Teddy Bear," she didn't miss the chance to harmlessly tease him, to which Lenin replied with a not-so-flattering epithet. Soon, they began throwing insults at each other, but this time, before they could start throwing hands, someone suggested they settle their grievances with a match, and they both agreed.
All under Leviathan's strict supervision, of course, with blunt weapons, blank rounds, and all.
"And... halt!" Leviathan interjected after glancing at the pocket watch he was using to time the duel. "Step back and take a breather, you two."
The two shorter Kansen glared at each other but ultimately complied, lowering their guards and falling back toward the pier where the taller shipboy was standing.
"Well? Do you feel like you've had enough?" Leviathan asked them as they climbed onto the concrete.
"Absolutely not; I've got plenty of energy to spare," the destroyer said, glowering at the icebreaker.
"You can't even hold your weapon upright," Lenin scoffed.
"I won't rest until I've put you in your place," she retorted.
"I give you five minutes, tops."
"Tsk, you won't even last two when we get back to it."
Leviathan peered intently at them as they bantered. Save for a few bruises here and there, they looked mostly unscathed. He was expecting them to end up much worse, but luckily, he had made it so they wouldn't go too overboard with the mock battle. How did he do that, considering that they both seemed so eager to beat the shit out of each other? But by threatening them with the prospect of personally joining the battle himself.
The notion was enough to scare them both into holding back, with Lenin knowing full well what his brother was capable of and L'Indomptable not wanting to end up dangling by his chains like a sack of potatoes again.
Ultimately, though, his goal was to tire them out and make them so exhausted they wouldn't have the strength to keep arguing, while also allowing them to unload their accumulated stress. It's what they needed, in his opinion, with the situation being what it was. He only half-succeeded, though, as the two of them still seemed to have plenty of energy to spare despite their shortness of breath and their sweat-beaded faces.
"We'll have another go in a minute," Leviathan said. "But this time, it's going to be you two against me."
Lenin froze at that. "But you said-"
"I know what I said. But it seems to me that you two haven't learned your lesson," Leviathan said. "Maybe working together will help you iron out your differences."
At that moment, Leviathan's eyes settled on the figure of August von Parseval approaching the bay from the sidewalk. His lover had a look on her face, and when she gestured for him to come closer, he complied.
"I'll be back in a moment. You two take a minute to recover your breath and think well about whether this is actually worth it," he told them before leaving.
Lenin watched him walk away, and as soon as he was out of earshot, he turned to L'Indomptable.
"Listen, I don't know about you, but I'm sick of this," he told her. "When my brother gets this serious, he usually doesn't pull any punches. We should really stop here if we don't want to end up in the infirmary."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you suggesting exactly?"
"Let's put this all behind us; let bygones be bygones," he suggested with a serious tone. "Or at least pretend like we don't want to tear each other to pieces, at least in front of him."
"Tch, fine, a truce is acceptable," she reluctantly agreed. "But don't get me wrong; I still don't like the idea of you orbiting around Le Malin."
"Ugh, will you get off my ass already? I'm not trying to hit on your sister! How do I need to tell you?" Lenin said, exasperated.
"You are unworthy of standing by her side, whether as a friend or otherwise," L'Indomptable scoffed. "Algérie and the others may think differently, but after what you did, you still have much to prove before you can be considered redeemed. Until then, I won't accept you."
Lenin had to suppress a snarl at that. He lowered his gaze as he seethed in repressed frustration.
He tried his best not to snap at her and to keep his emotions under control. So what if L'Indomptable didn't like him? Sure, her words hit him deeper than he wanted to admit, but Le Malin's opinion was the one he truly cared about. That's what he had to remind himself; as long as she didn't tell him to get lost herself, he wouldn't just step away because a self-entitled brat talked down to him.
"You know what? Fine, I don't care," he said, waving her off after recovering his composure. "As long as we don't have to suffer Leviathan's discipline any longer."
"Something we can agree on…" the destroyer said, her gaze settling behind him. Leviathan had just finished with August and was now approaching them.
"Hey, brother, guess what? We've come to an understanding." Lenin turned to address him. "We won't cause any more trouble, so there's no need to keep this up…"
But they both fell silent when they noticed Leviathan's troubled expression.
"Never mind that," the taller shipboy declared. "Something came up; we need to go."
"What? Why?"
"There's a whale that needs hunting."
AN: I just wanted to say that just because we are getting a machine that is capable of reviving the Sirens—ahem, the Antiochus—the Kansen won't suddenly become immortal. By now, I've it made abundantly clear that the Kansen essentially have a soul inside their Cubes, and that it can't exist without a body. When the body dies, the soul leaves the Cube and can't come back, even if you put it in another vessel.
Yes, to have an even more marked line between the Kansen and the humanoid Sirens and to make our shipfus feel closer to humans, I've made it so that Anzeel basically created an actual new life form with free will on top from the Cubes with her tampering. After all, the Cubes do resonate with humanity's hopes and dreams, right?
That's why, when a Kansen dies, it's forever, and there's no respawn gimmick in this story, while the Antiochus, as already explained, resemble more extremely advanced androids and can exist with their memories as programs inside their Cubes, which is why they can come back with those memories if inserted in another body.
As for the METAs, they'll be able to change their old, corrupted bodies into new ones because it wouldn't be like dying. What Anzeel is going to do with them will be more akin to a Cube transplant.
I hope I didn't confuse anyone with this, but I felt the need to do it. There are some things that can't be explained in the story without making it feel unnatural.
Next Chapter: Collision Course