Chapter Text
“Send it. The chamber has been closed.” Strength spoke firmly.
Zero waved her arm, sending the signal to the device that she had gifted to Friedrich.
“And now… we wait. Is the battle fleet ready?” Zero asked.
“Yes. The full fleet is ready to depart on your orders.” Strength spoke.
“Allow them to awaken first. Then send them in.” Zero said as she and Strength watched the modern day Fountain of Youth.
XXXXXVVVVVXXXXX
The girls had gathered around a bonfire that São had built on the edge of the beach. The device, seated next to Nakhimov, suddenly whirred to life, garnering everyone's attention.
“What is that?” São asked.
“It’s the device that is set to give us the code to unlock the stasis chamber. If it is activating…” Nakhimov spoke.
“Then the time has come!” São cried happily as she stood and snatched the device from Nakhimov, sprinting over to the terminal and dusting it off. Sure enough, a keypad had appeared and was awaiting input.
“Fancy… awaken the others. The time has come.” São announced firmly, knowing that the sea monster would hear her. She quickly typed in the long string of numbers, letters, and symbols that made up the encryption key. Once she did so, a second password popped up along with a new text box. She entered the password and watched as the black wall faded into crystal before the crystal wall shattered, opening the interior space and allowing São access to the interior of the stasis chamber, which she quickly took advantage of to run inside to help her friends.
The members of Azur Lane slowly made their way over, more nervous about the beings they had just unleashed upon the world as opposed to my return.
Just as Friedrich got to the mirror, she was embraced by Ulrich, who had been among the first to awaken.
“Welcome home, sister.” Friedrich said softly.
“I'm back. Sorry it took so long.” Ulrich replied as Fancy, Ganj-I-Sawai, and São exited the stasis chamber while everyone slowly came to.
“Have you found my meat?” Fancy demanded as she looked at São.
“I did not. Sadly there were no whales passing by during this time of year. But, I did go out and catch a lot of fish. The girls who came looking for the Captain set up a net in the lagoon to keep them all contained considering that you wiped out everything prior to going to sleep.” Sâo explained.
Fancy nodded and turned back around to enter the stasis chamber and grab my unconscious form with her tentacles before heading towards the lagoon.
“Now hold on, where are you taking my dear child?” Friedrich asked worriedly.
“I am continuing to watch my mate while I replenish my food supply. I took my eyes off of him for one minute and he was taken from me, only to be revived by the blood of a mermaid and the Fountain of Youth. He will not leave my sight again. Death is the only reward for those who attempt to take him from me again.” Fancy warned as she continued to walk towards the lagoon.
“She's… a little possessive, Friedrich. You'll have to forgive her… literally. I don't think there's any combination of people here who could stop her.” Ulrich whispered as Friedrich looked down at her hand.
“I heard that.” Fancy quipped without turning around. Friedrich decided to let it be and change the subject.
“I see you lost your ring.” Friedrich spoke softly.
Ulrich quickly looked down at her hand and began to panic.
“Where is it!? Don't tell me I lost my wedding ring!” Ulrich cried as she ran over to where I had been laying nearly three centuries earlier. She began digging frantically while São went into her cave, only to return several seconds later with a palm wood box.
“Ulrich. I had noticed that you lost your ring before the spire took you. I vowed to find it… and I failed. However… I have had nearly a century of practice making jewelry and I think I have created a suitable replacement for what was lost.” São said as she unveiled the two-piece ring.
Ulrich looked at the ring in awe as São brought it closer.
“May I?” The angel asked.
Ulrich nodded softly as São slid the bracelet onto her wrist before following it with the connected ring.
“This is beautiful, São.” Ulrich said softly as she hugged the angel.
Nakhimov and Kearsarge sprinted after Fancy, catching up to her as she laid my body against a tree right by the lagoon. Nakhimov and Kearsarge set about checking my vitals and conducting a full body and head scan to ensure that I was even capable of waking up.
One by one, the other members of Tempesta awoke and exited the stasis chamber, breathing in the salty air of the new world they had been transported to.
Hind bolted from the chamber as soon as she caught sight of my body resting against a palm tree.
Kneeling down in front of me, she placed my hand over her heart. Feeling my heartbeat, she rubbed her knuckles against my sternum firmly.
“Darling~ It's time to wake up~” Hind whispered as Fancy paused her feast to come and sit in front of me.
I grimaced softly and opened my eyes for the first time in nearly three hundred years.
“Oh my. It seems Ganj-I-Sawai did a bit more than just save your life.” Fancy said as she put her hand on my chest, her fingers flexing possessively, digging her nails gently into my flesh. My eyes had changed slightly, gone were my deep brown eyes, replaced by a swirling, bottomless crimson.
“I'm… alive?” I asked, my voice horrendously hoarse.
“You are. The mermaid saved your life. You scared me… I told you to never leave me alone.” Fancy said with a pout.
“Comrade Commander. Your vital signs are strong, and a general improvement to what your medical chart indicated before your disappearance. Welcome back, sir.” Nakhimov spoke flatly.
“Nakhimov? Did… Soyuz finally let you out of the lab?” I asked.
“She did. I have done quite a bit of legwork in decrypting the mirror sea generator you were carried out of. We can discuss more later. For now, I am… happy to see you have returned.” Nakhimov spoke with a slight smile.
I looked back at Fancy and Hind, pulling them close and kissing their cheeks.
“I'm sorry for worrying you.” I whispered.
Fancy gently pushed me back against the palm.
“You have no need to render an apology. You tried to save us. I heard your final orders to clear the beach. So… I did. Just… not in the way you expected me to, my captain.” Fancy said softly.
“Was there a different way to interpret that?” I asked with a chuckle.
“Yes. I devoured seven hundred men, thirteen ships of the line, seventeen small boats, twenty schools of Bermuda Chub, three coral reefs, and a whole host of other items in the wake of your death. According to a voice I heard in stasis… this island has been a dead zone for nearly three centuries because of me.” Fancy admitted.
I couldn't help myself. I had to laugh. I reached out to rub her belly to make a joke about eating non-food items when movement within caught my attention in addition to the rapidly spreading blush on her cheeks.
“What…”
“I'm with child, James… our child… surprise.” Fancy admitted softly.
My jaw hit the sands of the beach.
“I don't know how… but… I am carrying our child.” Fancy said, softer still.
“But you told me you couldn't…” I stammered as I pulled her closer.
“I… didn't think I could.” Fancy said as Kearsarge and Nakhimov came over to scan her body.
“You are Fancy, correct?” Kearsarge asked.
“I am…” Fancy answered.
“Are you feeling any kind of pain or discomfort right now?” Kearsarge asked.
“Not particularly? Should I be?” Fancy asked curiously.
“Yes, actually. You're full term and fully dilated. You could give birth at any moment.” Nakhimov spoke, drawing the attention of the other Tempesta members who had all come down to check on me, seeing me awake and moving.
Hind was still reeling from the reveal of Fancy's pregnancy as the other members of Tempesta surrounded us. Even Whydah seemed intrigued.
“Birth?” Fortune asked.
“Fancy is pregnant?” Amity demanded.
“We're having a baby?!” Dolphin cried.
I sat there stunned. It felt like minutes ago I had just been hit by cannon fire and condemned to die on an unmarked beach in 1751. Now my lover was pregnant and ready to give birth in the present day, as evidenced by the appearance of Kearsarge and Nakhimov.
Fancy nodded and stood, cradling her stomach as she walked out into the lagoon until her waist was covered by the water. With a small grimace of discomfort and a single, powerful flex of her core, a small cloud of bright red blood dispersed in the water before being washed away by the current. Fancy reached down into the water and stood up holding a pale white child with black hair to match mine. A few seconds passed before the cries of a child could be heard. Fancy turned to me and smiled an unusually serene smile as she held our child to her breast. The small child latched on immediately once Fancy moved the dress material from her nipple. For once, it seemed Fancy had nothing else on her mind. Not hunting. Not fighting. Not mating. Just… our child and the feeling of providing nourishment for such a small, adorable creature.
Kearsarge and Nakhimov slowly approached Fancy and explained that they wanted to check the baby for any complications. Fancy absentmindedly allowed it so long as the child remained within her grasp.
Ulrich, who had come to show me the ring São had made her, stopped dead upon seeing the child. She looked at the child, then at Fancy, then at me.
“I have no clue how this happened. I was sure she had said it was impossible.” I defended myself prematurely, still in utter shock with everything else going on.
Ulrich shook her head and came over to me, hugging me tightly and burying her face in my neck.
“Don't you ever do something that stupid ever again. I swear to god, next time the fountain of youth won't save your ass from me.” Ulrich spat as she refused to let me go.
“Fountain of Youth?” I asked.
Ganj walked over to me and knelt down in front of me so that I could see her behind Ulrich.
“Yes, Captain. The fountain was real. The device and the fountain resided on the same island.” Ganj explained.
“So that fountain I saw?” I asked.
“It was real. The water no longer flows, as you were fed the source.” São spoke as she approached.
“What does that mean for me?” I asked as I rubbed Ulrich's back.
“It means you are immortal, my dear James. The mermaid made it so.” Fancy spoke as she knelt down next to me.
I turned to look at Ganj.
“I tested the waters myself. If you had drank from them before your unfortunate date with a lead ball, you would have healed miraculously and continued the fight. But, since you had already been gravely wounded, the water would not have worked. I introduced a few drops of my own blood to bring you back to life.” Ganj admitted.
“Your blood?” I asked.
“Mermaids can grant wishes as they see fit… even their own. When I knew the water wouldn't save you… I wished for your resurrection and survival. That wish infused my blood with the ability to make my wish come true. You are alive and well because my blood was used to strengthen the waters of the fountain of youth.” Ganj spoke softly.
“Is… that why I have a really strong craving for meat right now?” I asked.
Ganj turned away.
“There may be side effects to consuming the blood of a mermaid… perhaps you should feast on whatever your lover can provide you right now. It would do you well. Not to mention… you haven't taken a proper meal since before we arrived on this island nearly three centuries ago.” Ganj answered as she walked towards where Amity was, watching as a portal opened to a separate space and spit out both the perfectly preserved U-47 and a literal mountain of gold and gems. 47 ran over to her vessel and quickly went about performing diagnostics to ensure the preservation.
Kearsarge and Nakhimov came back to me upon hearing the issues with the Fountain. After being scanned, I was met with the results.
“She speaks the truth. Your body shows no signs of decomposition. Each cell that dies is replaced by an exact replica at the exact rate of cell death. You have effectively stopped aging, and considering the tales we've heard of your grievous injury, it seems that your body now responds to trauma by rapidly accelerating cell regeneration locally. You are functionally immortal. Death is not a fate that should befall you.” Kearsarge spoke, barely willing to believe her own analysis.
“This is way too much right now. Fancy has given birth, I'm somehow alive, we're here in the present day, unless Nakhimov and Kearsarge have come back in time as well… and I'm fucking famished…” I complained as Fancy opened a small puddle near my hand and revealed a nice fresh chunk of sea dragon meat.
“It is still raw, James. But here is something to hold you over.” Fancy said softly as she approached with our child.
Without a second of hesitation, I tore into the raw meat, allowing the blood to pour down my chin and neck as I devoured a long extinct monster. The sight repulsed Kearsarge and Nakhimov, who had been taking steps towards me to help cook the meal in question, only to be stopped by my carnivorous appetite.
Fancy smiled as she sat next to me.
“My~ It seems you truly were famished~ So tell me, did it sate you better raw than cooked?” Fancy teased as Ulrich and Hind surrounded us. Soon, everyone who had come to the island in search of me was nearby, watching as they tried to figure out how to proceed with the introduction of a bunch of pirates from nearly three centuries in stasis.
My meal was interrupted by São bringing over a blue haired woman.
“São? Who is this?” I asked, swallowing an exceptionally tender chunk of flesh.
“This is an unarmed brigantine by the name of Mary Celeste. She is a ghost ship with quite a unique set of circumstances.” São explained.
I wiped my mouth as Fancy handed our unnamed child to me so she could go and wash herself off.
“I see. Well, hello Mary. It's nice to meet you.” I spoke politely.
“Hello, Captain. I… was hoping you'd have room in your crew for another member such as myself. I may not have cannons to fire, but I can haul goods and I can defend myself.” Mary admitted.
I waved my hand.
“The more the merrier. I have no qualms about it. And if São vouches for you, then we have absolutely no problems. For now, however…” I said as I turned to my child. It was a girl with thin black hair. She had eyes just like her mother with a brown ring around the outside. She couldn't see very well, but something told me Fancy knew just how to help her adapt.
“Hello, little one.” I said softly as Ulrich and Hind crowded closer.
“I'll… allow this. Just know… I want one of my own too.” Ulrich admitted as she poked the child's tiny body, only for the baby to grip her finger with an iron grip. After a few seconds, Ulrich was free.
“Quite a strong little one.” Ulrich said with a chuckle.
“I wonder if she has tentacles like her mother.” I teased, only for my joke to be answered by a thin black tentacle sprouting from my child's back and wrapping itself lovingly around my forearm.
Everyone present gasped.
I chuckled again.
“Looks like that's a yes.” I said as Fancy returned to my side.
“James. Our child… she needs a name.” Fancy spoke bluntly.
“Well… I was thinking of incorporating the name of the deceased captain of your vessel, Henry Every. So… how about Hattie? Derived from Henrietta.” I offered.
“Hattie. Hattie. I accept this name. Our daughter… Hattie.” Fancy repeated softly as she cuddled up close to me, playing with our daughter's tiny hands.
Before we could do anything else, I heard alarms sound from Kearsarge's vessel.
I looked at the Android and waited for her report.
“Environmental disturbance encountered. Multiple Mirror Seas detected. Large formation of Mass Production vessels expected. Orders?” Kearsarge asked.
I smiled.
“Tempesta… trim your sails and prepare for war. Everyone else, battlestations. We defeat this foe and make way for home!” I yelled, sending girls scrambling in all directions.
“Sir, if you'll come with me…” Kearsarge started.
“Negative, Kearsarge. I'll be commanding this battle aboard my flagship. Time to show these Sirens just what I brought home with me.” I said as I followed Fancy down the beach to where her pitch black vessel had surfaced from nearly three centuries underwater.