Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In a world where magic users are hidden, there was a boy, he was emotionally abused and neglected.

He had been placed with that family, his biological relatives, supposedly for his protection, using wards based on blood, family, and protection.

The problem with the situation was the fear and hatred that the family held towards the target of the protection, and since two of them were of the blood of the target, and the third was married to one, and father of the other, meant it couldn't act, stressed the ward.

So the ward over the five years they had been present had become very stressed, stressed to the point that they were ready to snap at any time, with little provocation, and then it happened, a thief and murderer, one that had hit a few places before this.

Three died, and then, the wards snapped, and in the last gasp of the wards snapping while trying to fulfill its purpose, and catapulted The boy away randomly.

Unfortunately, combining the wards snapping like a twig, with three sacrifices, meant that not only was the boy sent away in an undirected manner but was sent away from the dimension.

Another side effect was that the neighborhood was turned into a giant crater.

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A hundred miles from Long Island an aircraft carrier with the words USS Enterprise on the side sailed with a woman on the prow.

The woman was tall with a good figure and long white hair. She was wearing a white uniform top, black tie, a gold-lined black mid-thigh length skirt, thigh-high stockings, and comfortable shoes. She wore long floor-length open coat with her ship designation on the bottom in white.

She was returning home after a minor mission, and beyond some minor chunk's off her ship's armor, she was currently riding on her ship for a bit of comfort when she heard a massive explosion, with a bright light, shifting her ship into her rigging she sped towards the explosion.

The sound and light looked nothing like any weapon she had ever seen.

As she approached the location, she started seeing a lot of really odd debris. It looked like a house had exploded on the sea.

Sailing through the junk she wondered what had happened to put a house a hundred miles out to sea only to explode. Then her eagle's eyes caught something. Something that had her zooming over to it after it snagged her attention, her white hair flying in the breeze.

A child, on a floating door. The child, a boy, who looked like he was between five and six was to her absolute shock, alive, and unharmed, even though it looked like he was at, or near the epicenter of the explosion. (EN2)

Taking the child into her arms she headed back to base, she felt the boy snuggled into her arms and mumble, "Mamma."

Shaking her head at the misunderstanding she knew the boy would know different once he awoke.

Unfortunately, she didn't know the entirety of the situation. The human mind can be a fragile thing, with the trauma of the murders he had witnessed, the magical backlash of the wards, and him seeing the platinum hair of his savior, and the protective feeling of him in her arms, rather scrambled his mind.

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Rushing to the NY City base, she barely took the time to dismiss her rigging before rushing to the infirmary.

A quick explanation later, had the doctor on staff, for the few non-ship humans on base, examining the boy.

Enterprise decided to start her after-action report from the mission she had been returning from when she found the boy while waiting for the report from the doctor. The boy had oddly enough awoken shortly after the doctor started examining him, and the man was questioning him. One of the questions made the boy point to her. She was startled by the mild-mannered doctor storming out in a tightly controlled fit of rage, leaving behind a cringing young boy.

Setting down her paperwork Enterprise followed after giving a strained smile, which was the best she could manage at the time, and opened the door to the side room just after the doctor entered. She was met by a blistering tirade that she had absolutely no idea that the man even knew those words, of course, she and most of the navy stationed at the various navel basses were treated by a completely different profession, and mechanics for their ships.

“What's the problem? I know I don't have much contact with you, but I know you don't normally lose your temper like this?” the Grey Ghost asked calmly.

“The situation is... complicated, and you will have to make a decision yourself.”

“Huh?”

“The boy you found has been the victim of long-term abuse and neglect, and his mind seems to have cracked from whatever just happened and latched onto you as his mother.”

“But... I'm...” Enterprise started confused.

“I know your not, the boy on the other hand, well, he's convinced you are, which poses a problem," the doctor said.

The aircraft carrier frowned. She got the implications of what the doctor was saying, the boy was almost broken, if she refuses the position the boy would break, as he would see it as being abandoned by his mother.

With a sigh, she moved to look at the window and said, "I don't know whether I can be a mother to him, I am a ship, a weapon made to fight sirens and to protect humanity, but... get me the adoption paperwork doctor. I'll try my best."

The doctor smiled, and muttered as she left the room, accidentally just loud enough for the ship in the room to hear, “Belfast was right, great warrior, soft heart.”

Enterprise blushed, she knew what her friend thought of her, but to hear it spoken by another was rather embarrassing.

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A week later the commander, was looking at a form in pure incomprehension. Enterprise, one of the most militaristic minded ships outside the Iron Blood, just submitted a form to adopt a child, one that according to the medical documents submitted with the paperwork had been heavily abused and neglected, and has no record of even existing until he was found.

And had already had him transferred to her current posting the cooperative anti siren forward base... that the factions STILL haven't agreed on a name even decades after it was founded.

The boy had even been moved to the sole base that is shared by every faction, and the one that he and Enterprise are permanently stationed at barring specific missions.

The rest of the information, complete with the mental issues, made him reach for his headache medicine.

He really didn't want to do this, but...

He reached for his pen and hesitated, then he made a decision. Quite frankly he thought this would be a disaster in the making, but there was no alternative for the boy, but he still hesitated.

He just felt that this would be a mistake for the boy.

He hoped the woman/ship won't screw this up if he agreed to it, or inflict her militaristic views on the boy too badly. Looking at his secretary for the day, Warspite he sighed and said, “Get me Enterprise please.”

As he watched the petite warship leave he pulled out some more paperwork.

“Yes sir,” the blonde ship replied.

A short time later the possibly soon-to-be newly minted mother walked in.

“You called for me sir?” the woman asked.

“Yes, I read your request,” the commander said calmly. “and I'm worried, about how you would handle being his parent.”

Enterprise opened her mouth but was interrupted, "Tell me, where would he live, your room is barely big enough for your minimalist needs, what about him? Will you be able to give him the comfort he will need? I know you're not heartless, but you tend to be... distant."

“I... I... I don't know, but... I feel I must at least try," the woman said while looking at the commander with eyes full of determination.

“Belfast is still acting as your maid correct?” the man asked calmly, not intimidated by the intense look in her eyes.

“Yes, why?” the aircraft carrier replied confused.

“Send her here, please.”

“Sir my...”

“Send her in.”

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Over an hour later, the busty maid left the office, and said, “Enterprise, the Commander is waiting for you.”

As she entered she saw the man in what many people would call the Gendo Ikari pose.

“Enterprise,” he started. “I have decided that if you agree to a few conditions, I will sign this, and you will be his mother.”

“Conditions?”

“You will need to move into one of the family quarters on base, along with Belfast. I know you will try your best, but she has a far less... militaristic mindset than you are, and can provide a counterpoint for you. You will also have to take a week off, unless some emergency happens of course, to both bond with him, and to obtain the necessary supplies, such as clothing and toys for him. Fortuitously Akashi carries a small supply of boy's clothing for the children of the families that live here. Lastly, I must have a list of at least six people that you trust to take care of the boy when you are on assignment." on the inside the man was smirking, such a list would be very easy for the woman, but he wanted to see who she would pick.

Easy as in most of the Azur Lane could be trusted with the boy's safety, hell, even most of the Crimson Axis could be trusted.

“Yes Sir, I'll have the list on your desk by noon tomorrow,” the woman replied, and turned on her heel and left the room.

Counting slowly back from five the man leaned back and smirked after signing the necessary paperwork.

As he hit zero a knock on the door sounded, and when he granted permission to enter, a slightly sheepish aircraft carrier walked in.

The man lobbed a key at her with a smile, and said, “Family barracks, suite one-oh-eight.”

“Thank you, sir, I'll bring my... son, there as soon as I move my things in."

As the woman left he felt a shiver across his spine, almost as if he had signed someone's death warrant, but at the same time, he felt it was so much not his problem, that he couldn't bring himself to care... it was odd.

Shaking his head he left his office for the day.

It took only one trip for Enterprise to move everything she owned to her new quarters, after a trip to Akashi's store to obtain a suitcase. This was because her possessions amounted to a half dozen sets of clothes, most of which were her standard battle attire, and a decent amount of rations, that she mainly used now when she was busy with her own paperwork since Belfast tends to drag her to the cafeteria by her tie when she attempts to skip "proper meals".

Shaking her head at her new room, she wondered what she was going to do with all the room, as it was more than three times her previous room.

“This is rather... empty,” said a voice from her open door.

“You know I don't own much Belfast,” Enterprise stated blandly as she turned to her door.

At the door was another woman wearing a maid outfit. She was relatively tall with white hair, and a rather large bust.

“I know. I'm proud of you my friend,” the maid said.

“Proud?” the carrier asked confused.

“You didn't hesitate for more than an instant before adopting the boy. You have come a long way from the woman so battle-focused that you would go into battle with so much damage it's a shock that you didn't sink as soon as you hit the water."

Enterprise turned away and blushed before replying, “It was the right thing to do.” after she felt the heat leave her face she turned to her longtime friend, “Shall we go pick up my son?”

The other woman nodded and left with her friend. She knew that this would be good for the often overly serious woman.

Chapter Text

Harry was confused, what he knew, and what he knew were different, he knew the woman that brought him here was his mother, but he also knew that something about that was wrong.

The contradiction wasn't doing the last remnants of his concussion any favors.

Then the door to the infirmary opened and any doubts he had about his mother vanished as she walked into the room, followed by another beautiful woman.

“Harry?” the lead woman asked

“Yes mom?" came the reply, he, fortunately, didn't notice her flinch.

“We need to pick up some things for you since..." she paused and made a snap decision, that she would never directly lie to her new son. It would make things easier later when she can't tell him something due to it being classified. “Everything you owned was lost in the event that had you end up in the ocean, so we will need to do some shopping.”

“Yes mom, who's that?" he asked curiously.

The other woman stepped forward and curtsied, “I am the heavy cruiser, HMS Belfast, please, call me Belfast. I'll be living with you.”

“Umm, ok...”

“Let's get you checked out, and then some shopping.”

It was less than half an hour later that Harry was looking around wide-eyed. This place he was in, his mother had explained that it was a naval base, as well as what a naval base was, but it looked more like a festival. (EN) Ninety-five percent of people that he saw were female, ranging in physical age between nine and thirty. It was discovered very quickly that 'ship-girls' have either greatly slowed, or stopped aging processes.

They stopped in front of a shore with what looked like a handmade sign stating it was Akashi's store.

“Let's go in, Harry. Her selection of male clothing isn't the best, but she'll have catalogs for more that we can get shipped here,” the aircraft carrier explained.

The trio entered the shop, and Harry's eyes were immediately caught by the young-looking girl at the counter... the young-looking green-haired cat-girl at the counter.

Enterprise sighed and said to Harry, “let's get everything we need before waking her.”

Harry nodded and went to the clothes rack and looked at it in confusion before he picked out a shirt. The shirt selection made his new mother's eye twitch. The shirt was big enough to fit Harry like a tent.

Unknown to her, Harry was picking the sizes based on what he could remember wearing, clothes from a child nearly twice his weight, and several inches taller.

Enterprise looked at Belfast with a hopeless expression. She knew what she needed to do, but had no idea how to do it gently.

Belfast giggled as she moved to the boy. Gently taking the shirt out of the boy's hands she deftly reached into the rack and pulled out a couple of various sizes that looked much closer to his size, and handed them to him. "Try these on, after we find your right size we will decide on what ones to get, let us look for some pants next."

Soon enough the boy was lightly burdened by several outfits worth of clothing and was shooed into the dressing room and told to come out after trying on each size so she could check the fit. After a quick glance at Enterprise and receiving an encouraging nod, he proceeded into the room.

He found it odd that what he tried on didn't feel like he was trying to go through the neck hole of the shirt, and the pants didn't feel like they were going to drop right off. He discarded a few sizes immediately as he couldn't get them on and/or were uncomfortable.

Walking out he stood there.

“Looks like we have your current sizes, lets pick out what clothing you want and then see about some other things for your room,” Enterprise commented earning a wince from Belfast at her blunt manner.

He nodded and then walked towards the clothing rack, with Enterprise snagging the tags to use to buy the clothing, he passed by a display selling model ships, and he paused. His new mom waited as she was curious about what he was looking at.

Running his hands over the kits, a few seemed to call to him, pulling out a box, he looked at it, and then put it back, vague memories of his previous living conditions made him think that he wouldn't be allowed to buy much.

Enterprise snagged the box, and passed it off to Belfast to hide, she would buy it when the boy's back was turned and leave it on his new bed.

Harry, while choosing from the very limited selection, actually buying out what was available in his sizes, which still only netted him five outfits, was confused. Something was different from what he knew his life was like, but he ignored it, something that he was quickly becoming used to doing

After his clothing was chosen, and Enterprise picked up a catalog for later, she turned to Harry, and said, “Go pick out some toys and decorations, I need to pick some things out as well.

Harry frowned and put his hand to his head, something was wrong here, very wrong.

“Are you alright? A voice asked.

Turning he noticed the other woman, Belfast kneeling down to look him in the eye in concern, his headache got worse, but he controlled his reaction by dint of long practice. Long practice hiding his pain at least.

“I'm fine, just a minor headache,” he replied, not knowing what was wrong himself, something just isn't adding up, and he's not sure he wants to find out what.

Belfast frowned at the boy's back. She knew he was lying, it was more than a minor headache, and it didn't seem like the remnants of his concussion acting up. She decided to keep her peace for now. Let the boy come clean on his own, as pushing him might make things worse.

Picking out what caught his eyes, he frowned at the fact that the ship model that caught his eye was gone. The others looked interesting but didn't really catch his attention, though he could tell there used to be more. He did notice one that had the same name that was on his mother's coat, so he picked it up.

He noticed the maid picking up some toys as well. She probably thinks I'd like them as well, he thought.

Which caused another stab of pain, that he quickly dismissed. Don't think about it, just don't.

Harry walked up to the now awake cat-girl who looked at him in curiosity but held off his mother had obviously finished before him since she had a bag near her, and a box near her bag.

“All done for now?" Enterprise asked, and at his nod she checked out his selections, chuckling at the model of her ship. Taking in the amount she spent that day, which ended up being well over a thousand dollars, she didn't even blink. (EN) She had literal decades of paychecks just sitting in her savings account, since she lived on base, ate either issued rations or in the cafeteria, and just never had a reason to spend her paycheck.

Harry had no idea why that particular model made his mom chuckle but since she didn't seem angry at him, he let it go as some sort of inside joke.

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Harry's headache was getting worse, and it was taking everything he had not to show it as his mother and her friend loaded up a borrowed jeep with his new stuff. A new wave hit, and he staggered. Enterprise noticed immediately and scooped him up and placed him gently in the back seat.

“We'll be home in about twenty minutes, rest now," she said gently and caught Belfast's approving nod.

Harry passed out almost immediately as his headache spiked to an almost unimaginable level... not that any observer would know that.

To the two warships, it looked like he just collapsed from exhaustion.

The drive home was uneventful, and Enterprise carried her new son into his new room, and put him to bed, as she didn't want to wake him since he seemed so exhausted.

She decided to wait to put anything away so as not to wake him but put the model she got as a surprise gift on his side table.

She knew that she would probably need to get him more furniture later, but that could wait until he was feeling better.

Gently closing the door, she turned to Belfast who had arranged the bags neatly in the living/dining room.

“How is he?” the maid asked.

“Sleeping, it might have been too early to take him out, I'll have to apologize to him tomorrow,” Enterprise said with a sigh.

“No, it's not that. He was having headaches, and I don't think it's because of his injuries,” the other woman stated.

“What?” Enterprise said flatly.

“I didn't tell you until now because I was afraid you'd unintentionally push him before he was ready to talk. I don't know exactly what was causing it, but I was afraid that he would get worse if he was confronted.”

“I understand, I'll have to think about how to approach this. Now I have to make the commander's list."

Enterprise left the room, and sat at the desk in her new room thinking on who to choose for this, and decided to go all out, and make four lists, one for each faction, and placing the factions in the preferred order.

Taking a sheet of paper she started her list.

To Commander.

This is the list of people whom I would trust with my son as you have requested. I have chosen six from each faction and put the factions in my preferred order, contingent on individual agreeing.

Eagle Union:

Hornet
Baltimore
Vestal
Lexington
Cleveland
Shangri-la

Royal Navy:

Belfast
Queen Elizabeth
Prince of Wales
Vampire
Javelin
Illustrious

Sakura Empire:

Nagato
Atago
Akagi
Shinano
Ayanami
Souryuu

Iron Blood:

Friedrich
Nurnberg
Bismark
Prinz Eugen
Z23
Odin

These are the ones from each faction that I believe would be best suited to take care of my son should the worst happen to me, if they are unwilling, or unable to assume the responsibility, please use your discretion in choosing his new caretaker.

Sincerely,

USS Enterprise.

Nodding her head at the note, and double-checking her choices she forded the letter and placed it into an envelope. Noticing that it was past eight, she decided to turn in early.

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Unknown place:

“Well this is interesting, what do you think Observer?” a monotone voice asked.

“These readings are rather odd. I don't think I've seen this type of energy before, where exactly did you detect it?" Observer asked in her odd modulating voice. A voice that sounds like someone made an electronic voice and set it to randomly change pitch.

“Approximately one hundred miles from the Long Island Eagle Union base, a faint trace has been detected as moving from that base to the cooperative base.”

“... perhaps we should wait a while then maybe to see if you can infiltrate the base. You are one of the few of us that has never been seen on the front lines, so you shouldn't have too much of a problem if you are careful."

“We shall see.”

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Location: Undefined.

A pair of red eyes opens and mumbles, “Interesting, I wonder where this will go. Harry Potter, I will help you however I can, so as to make up for what my original did.”

The red eyes close again, resting until it could make amends.

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Harry awoke the next morning and blinked. The first thing he saw upon awakening was a model kit, the very one he originally wanted. He knew that his mother had bought it for him, and hid it as a surprise.

Smiling he put it down to work on later.

The ship that the model was of, would be important to him later.

HMS Vampire.

Chapter Text

It has been a month since Harry moved in with his mother, and the headaches had started to abate the third day, and now he no longer got them. He was constantly amazed by how nice most people seemed on the base... even Kaga who for some reason terrifies anyone that looks under ten, even when she's being nice. No, make that especially when she's being nice. (EN)

He was wearing a rather plain outfit of a black t-shirt, jeans, sneakers, and a waterproof backpack.

He still won't be in the same room as her alone, along with some others, not because they are mean to him, but something about them terrifies him.

Sitting on the pier he was about to set up his laptop to get a jump on the next week's schoolwork, he had no idea why he was so behind, but he was catching up fast when he spotted...her.

He had no idea why his attention was gripped by the girl. The girl was over twice his age and had milky white skin, black painted toes, and fingernails, short white hair, with a fang of blue hair on her right side, and slightly glowing blue eyes. (EN2)

She was wearing a black collar with a blue X on the front and what looked like a hook up for a leash, a white dress, that came to mid-thigh in front, and to the back of her knees in the back, thick white rings on her wrists, and a rather flat expression.

Something about her caught his eye and kept it. Packing his computer up again, he approached the girl.

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Dreamweaver frowned. She was sent here to find the source of the strange energy, but so far she has had no luck and didn't want to press her luck by trying to sneak into the base, as she was pretty much the only siren not well known by humanity.

She felt someone tug on her dress, and she turned to the source, and then looked down.

She paused, captivated by the young boy as their eyes met.

“I haven't seen you around before, can I help you with something? Granted I'm still trying to find my way around myself but...” the boy asked.

She gave a small shake of her head, still shaken for some reason she couldn't explain.

She was so shaken that she didn't recognize that the sensor module she had been given was pinging.

“Would you like to play for a while?” she was asked by the innocent boy.

She couldn't help but nod and found herself being dragged to the nearest beach.

Several hours later of making sandcastles and just being around him, she received a communication telling her to return, she made an excuse to leave.

“Will I see you again?” Harry asked.

“I hope so,” she replied softly in her monotone way.

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A week later, Observer was frowning. Dreamweaver seemed to be distracted. Her work was still being done, but something seemed off, so she looked at the recordings from when her fellow siren went to the base and noticed how she abandoned her duty almost as soon as she had met that strange boy.

“Purifier,” she started.

“What do you want?” came a cheerful and slightly psychotic voice.

“Kill this boy, he's an unnecessary complication.”

“Oh, okay! This will be fun!"

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A Day later Purifier attacked, and she started her attack in the center of the base, and a lucky shot disarmed Enterprise.

Enterprise's bow flew back and landed near her son.

“Sorry Enterprise, I have job to do, you'll live though.”

Enterprise cursed their location, this area was possibly the worse place for her to fight without her bow. Tall buildings and her bombs would probably kill her son if she used them so close.

Standing she moved in between the siren and her son, even though she knew it was fruitless.

“Sorry Enterprise, but orders are orders!” The Siren said cheerfully.

The siren looked like a woman that looked between eighteen and twenty-two. She had long light purple hair, gold eyes, and an athletic figure. She was wearing black and white mid-calf length boots, a short sailor-type top that exposed her stomach, and a pair of tight hot pants. She had hovering above her a large black with a yellow trim machine with three turrets, and two floating double turrets.

“Purifier, I won't let you harm him,” the carrier said purposefully.

“do you really think...” she started, and then was interrupted by a yellow bolt that slammed into her chest.

“What the... NO WAY!" she started confused and ended in a surprised shriek.

Enterprise looked behind her only to stop and stare.

Her son, a normal human, had her bow, with another shot already prepped.

“Well now, that's interesting...” Purifier stated, then she noticed her new sensor module acting up.

The odd energy that they had been interested in... was coming from that boy, the same one that had activated Enterprise's bow rigging.

“Observer, take a look at these readings and images.”

Observer looked at the reading and images in shock, then made a decision.

“Purifier, abort. This boy is too interesting to kill. We'll send Dreamweaver back once in a while to observe him since she already got close to him. Assuming she can do her job at the same time."

“Let me try something first, I want to make sure that him hitting me with that wasn't a fluke.”

Out loud the siren said, "Hey boy if you can hit me again, I'll leave."

Harry didn't respond, his focus was entirely on the one in front of him, and a flickering golden light in his eyes, as he let loose another shot, hitting the siren in the arm, blowing it off with a surprising lack of blood... before he fainted.

“Purifier!” Enterprise snarled.

Picking up her arm the siren responded, “I'm going, I'm going. Tell the boy his pale friend will be back once in a while to play!”

Enterprise blinked. The siren had attacked, then left with her obvious objective incomplete, and what did she mean by a friend?

Did Harry actually meet a siren and not tell her? Or did he meet one and not know?

And how the HELL did he use her rigging?

She needed answers... and the only one that might have the majority of them literally just flew away.

She'll have to check the security cameras, perhaps she might be able to find the siren... and figure out what to do.

But for now, she needed to get her son into the infirmary.

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Unknown Location.

“Dreamweaver.”

“Observer.”

“You will be able to continue seeing that boy, as he is the one that radiates that interesting energy, but you are to pass along any data you obtain...and you are to do your work properly.”

Dreamweaver ducked her head, as she thought about her performance the past week, then went back to her job, the faintest traces of a blush on her face.

Then a thought struck her, a bit of an experiment, one that should be safe for Harry. “Observer, since Harry seems to have the ability to use rigging, would you have a problem seeing whether we could adjust a wisdom cube to allow him to merge with a ship?”

Observer's eyebrows rose as she ran the question through her mind. It was an interesting concept. “Only if we make the ship for him.”

“I'll ask them if they figure out what I am, and don't shoot me on sight."

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Enterprise looked at the security footage, that was paused on the scene of her son meeting a girl. This wasn't unusual, despite many parenting books suggesting that boys tend to have trouble with being friends with girls, using odd words like cooties.

Back to the girl, Enterprise didn't recognize her... at all. But she did look a lot like someone she had met before.

The siren Compiler.

Watching the multi-hour interaction between the suspected siren and her son, she couldn't figure out why the siren was there, it was almost as if Harry had derailed her plans.

Just like with what happened with Purifier, although it seemed like Purifier was more told to leave and gave an excuse.

Sighing she decided to kick it up the chain of command, and so went to find the Commander after finding out that her son was just suffering from exhaustion.

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Several hours later, after explaining the situation to the Commander, she awaited his decision.

“Let me get this straight," the man started. For some reason, almost nobody, even his ship-girl wives, could remember his name anymore, so he was known just as 'Commander'. "Your new son spent several hours playing with a suspected new siren, and nobody noticed? And this attack was to kill him? And then he used your rigging, which caused them to back off, and say that that other siren would be back to play? Did I miss anything?"

“No sir, you got the situation correct.”

The man leaned back and pulled his white cap over his eyes. In truth, he was as perplexed on what to do as Enterprise. On one hand, it's a siren. On the other...

on the other...

He smirked.

“This may be a golden opportunity.”

“Sir?”

“When she shows up again, have her come here. Tell her she won't be harmed.”

“Sir, why?”

“After several decades of fighting the sirens, we know so little about them. Now we'll have one wandering about the base, so why don't we have someone supervise her and your son? We will explain to her that visits are allowed under two conditions, one we are warned that she is coming, and two that we have someone supervise to keep her out of areas that they don't belong."

“I see...” the carrier replied uncertainly.

“Don't worry, Harry will be fine, I'm just taking advantage of a happy coincidence, the observer will be told that it's a do-not approach unless he's in danger of she's invited' duty," the man reassured the still new mother.

“So, you're using her visits to ferret out any information you can get?”

“Exactly, and taking proper precautions with a visiting enemy is just common sense.”

“I hope this works out.”

The man just smiled.

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Dreamweaver was once again on the base a few weeks later looking for her... friend?

She really didn't know what that boy was to her, just that there was something almost magnetic about the boy, something that drew her gaze and mind to him. She also had Harry's new cube with her, only she was going to wait until she was discovered before offering it.

“Excuse me,” a voice stated from behind her.

Turning around she saw Enterprise and had a sinking feeling.

“The Commander wishes to speak with you before you visit Harry,” the strongest ship of Eagle Union stated.

She just nodded, slightly confused by how things were going, she was expecting to get attacked on sight if she had been discovered.

She was soon lead to a spare office, that the Commander was using for this meeting, both because it was close to the entrance to the base proper, and so as not to show a potential enemy where he spends much of his time.

Looking at him as he ordered Enterprise to shut the door, she saw a well-built man that looked in his late thirties, wearing pure white military fatigues with a white cap and black visor. A liberal amount of medals adorned his chest.

“So you're the Siren that played with Enterprise's son. You are probably confused as to why we aren't attacking you right now, and to tell you the truth, we won't as long as you accept certain conditions to your visits,” the man said sternly.

Tilting her head in confusion, Dreamweaver asked, “Conditions?”

“They're simple, and shouldn't pose any problems. First, warn us you're coming. Second, you will not harm anyone. Third, you will avoid any restricted areas. Lastly, you will be watched. These will be the conditions that you are required to accept if you wish to continue visiting Harry,” the man stated calmly.

“I accept, but there is something I wish to offer Harry,” the siren stated.

“And that is?” Enterprise asked.

Dreamweaver pulled out a box, and pressed a button, revealing what looked like an almost standard wisdom cube, although one that was more a turquoise color than that standard green.

“A wisdom cube?” the Commander asked.

“It has been calibrated for him and would be compatible for a ship we'll build him. Based on the fact that he could use Enterprise's rigging we theorized that he could use a wisdom cube if it is properly calibrated."

“This isn't like the black cube from the Orochi incident right?”

“No, that one was special in its own right."

Enterprise looked at the Commander for help, and he made a gesture to the ship that he's leaving it in her hands.

“Ask him next time," Enterprise said. At the siren's questioning glance, she explained, "I'll explain about wisdom cubes, and Kansen by then. (EN3) I want him properly informed before making such a decision."

Dreamweaver nodded, and asked, “Who's our watcher today?”

“I am,” Enterprise said, “It'll let me spend some time with my son.”

The siren just nodded and followed the other ship-girl out of the office.

“Interesting, very interesting indeed," the Commander stated as he stood up and left the room.

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Chapter Text

Bismark and her escort fleet pulled into the cooperative base, and the leader of the Iron Blood faction was annoyed. She had been called from some interesting siren research and asked by The Commander to come.

Looking at the damage she realized that they had been attacked, and wondered why she was asked to come a few weeks after the attack.

She then noticed, in an abstract way a young boy sitting on the docks with a laptop. She hadn't been to the base in half a year, so she was unaware of the newest resident of the island.

One of her escorts on the other hand had trouble tearing her eyes away from the boy to follow her leader.

Harry noticed them, and that they were heading towards the front door so chased after them.

“Excuse me!” he shouted and the group of women turned towards him.

“Yes?” Bismark replied.

“That door is closed, the hallway collapsed during the attack, I can lead you through the construction to where you need to go,” Harry explained.

Bismark blinked at the boy and nodded. "Very well, I need to go to the main meeting room, I have an appointment to meet Enterprise and The Commander."

“Ah, sorry Miss Bismark, I was asked to look for you, and lead you to the secondary meeting room, the main room is currently buried. Follow me, please,” Harry replied politely, trying to keep his eyes from straying to one of the escorts as if she was a magnet.

As Harry started leading, Bismark grabbed the arm of one of her group and whispered into her ear, "What's wrong with you? You keep staring at the boy."

“I don't know, I just feel... drawn to him,” came the woman's reply.

“Just don't let it affect your job,” the Iron Blood's leader replied resignedly. “And remember, he's underage.”

She really couldn't berate the other ship much, after all, she was one of The Commander's wives, and it would be hypocritical to berate her for falling for someone.

The group was lead through a maze of passageways since the base had been severely damaged by the attack.

Bismark called a halt to examine the damage, in a part that wasn't currently being worked on and frowned.

One of her companies was the last one to be contracted to work on the base, and the contract was very specific on how the inside walls were to be, a layer of armor an inch thick, and drywall over it.

What she was seeing, was a distinct lack of armor. In fact, it looked like the contractors just put up drywall, and left it at that.

She now knew why The Commander asked for her presence or at least part of the reason.

She was going to take the cost of repairing and refitting the base out of the hide of those contractors, as well as a full investigation of every contract they have ever done, and possibly execute them for treason. (EN)

Heading to the meeting room she looked at any damage that she had passed, and was growing increasingly angry, not that she showed it.

She wasn't an engineer for bases and other structures, but even she could see where shortcuts were taken and substandard materials were used, or in one case, how it looked like material was taken from one place, to be used in another, weakening the structure.

She noticed that the boy seemed increasingly nervous around her, so she forced herself to calm down, at least until she could find the ones responsible, and asked a question to try and lighten the mood, "How does a kid like you know your way around the base so well?"

“Mom works here, and I'm allowed to come and go as long as I don't interfere with the base operation," Harry replied, and then noticed where they were. "Here's the secondary meeting room, have a nice day Miss Bismark."

“Just Bismarck kid. You five are dismissed until I am finished."

Looking at how the boy grabbed the hand of one of his and almost dragged the much larger woman away, the battleship chuckled, and before entering the meeting room she motioned another of the escorts over and told her to watch those two.

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At seeing both Enterprise and The Commander there she started off by saying, "I saw the damage, and you will be assured that the contractors will be punished, and be forced to not only refund the money but pay for the base to be refitted properly. Unless there is something else?"

Enterprise nodded, and decided to speak, with The Commander watching. “I want to ask you to keep this next part... off the record, and is the reason why we asked you to come here in person rather than sending you the report.”

“I had wondered about that, and if it is interesting enough, I'll agree.”

The carrier knew that was probably the best she could get, and opened a laptop she had on the table, and pointed the screen at the other woman, and pressed play.

At the end Bismark's eyes were wide.

“Did he really...” she started.

“Yes,” Enterprise replied.

“Did that siren...”

“Yes.”

“Is that all you have to show me... off the record?”

“No," Enterprise replied, and showed another video, of both Harry's interaction with the first siren he met and the meeting they had with her.

“... … … huh,” Bismark started. “I would like to take a look at that cube if he accepts it, and his ship.”

“I was hoping you'd say that if only to make sure it's safe, and to make sure we can repair it if something happens to it."

Bismark was contemplative. She doubted the sirens would make the ship too advanced, but the data would be invaluable anyway. She paused, and held up a finger while she received a call, a few minutes later, she was chuckling, and then a full belly laugh at an idea she had.

It was funny, simply because if it worked, it would benefit everybody involved.

“Tell me Enterprise, how does he get along with all the factions?”

“My son gets along well with almost everybody he meets, although Kaga, for some reason, terrifies him, why?”

Bismark froze at hearing the phrase 'my son' but soldiered on, since she didn't mean him harm, and her idea would give the boy more allies than any other situation when he grows older.

“If he accepts that cube, and the ship, he would likely be pressured to joining the navy, correct?” Bismark asked cautiously.

Enterprise winced, then replied, “Probably, why? I don't think I'd be comfortable in him joining the Crimson Axis.”

Bismark gave Enterprise a feral smile. “Good, because my idea is one that would benefit both the Azur Lane and the Crimson Axis.”

Enterprise lifted an eyebrow at the large battleship.

“What if... we assemble a fleet with him as the flagship, one ship from each primary faction? Officially he could a neutral anti-siren reinforcement fleet and goodwill ambassador."

“and unofficially?" asked an intrigued commander, at Enterprise's look, The Commander explained, "I'm not going to force this on him, I will give him a choice when he reaches the correct age, but I could see the use of such a rapid response unit."

“I know there are times we need to pass on messages outside of usual channels, so what if we use that status he has to accomplish it? For example, if Harry has a message from Enterprise to me, and Z23 is in on the plan, and they meet on the open ocean, Harry could greet her openly, and slip her the message, and she would pass it on to me.”

Enterprise was deep in thought at the idea, it would make Harry indispensable to all sides, and make him safe from all but the sirens, and the sirens seemed to be disinclined to kill him as well.

“I can agree to that, but this doesn't seem to be your usual plan,” Enterprise said.

“One of my ships seem to be drawn to him, and he to her. She was acting almost like that siren was to him, and so I feel she would be a good choice for the Iron Blood representative. As to the idea of not being like me... let's say I see something special in him, beyond the ability to use rigging."

“And who is she, and how is she acting towards my son?" asked the woman with narrowed eyes, and Bismark started relaying what her subordinate told her.

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Back to a few minutes before the meeting.

.

As Harry grabbed the ship's hand he said, "Let's go exploring." As he grabbed the hand of the one he had been drawn to.

The woman let herself be drawn along as she had wanted to spend time with him as well, not even noticing the destroyer that was following them.

The trio soon ended up on a grassy cliff overlooking both the base and the ocean. The once pristine and white buildings of the base were currently blackened, gray, and broken.

On the other hand, the view of the sea from it was magnificent.

Harry sat down and patted the grass next to him, the woman decided to follow her comm... boy's suggestion.

Why did she almost think of him as her commander? She just met him, but she... shaking her head at the confusing thoughts, she listened to the boy speak, he wasn't saying anything important, just listening to his.. what was his mane again... oh he hadn't told her.

“What's your name?” the woman asked.

Harry blushed. He had forgotten his manners, and he replied, “Harry, Harry Potter, what's yours?”

“KMS Odin,” came the response.

Odin was a relatively tall woman with a good, but not overly curvy athletic figure, short white hair that was tied in a bun behind her head, with waste length parts hanging from the front of her head that ended in pink tips.

She was wearing a breastplate of black metal that was slightly molded to her bust, two silver belts around her stomach, and an armored skirt with black leggings underneath. A pair of armored high-heeled boots, black with silver highlights, and a large cross on the front of the top of the boots adorned her feet. A black cap with a silver cross adorned her head, and due to the heat, she had her black and silver coat tied around her waist.

Odin shook her head. Getting attached to anybody wasn't like her. There was a reason why she was distant to everybody because she was concerned that getting attached to anybody would cloud her judgment and lead to more of her comrades dying.

Then she looked at the boy again, who was next to her, and she felt that resolve beginning to crumble.

“Let's play a bit, he said, and then noticed the destroyer on the phone, and after she hung up he said, why don't you join us in a game.

Z23 simply shook her head, it was good to see Odin smiling. She then looked at the boy, who felt a lot like The Commander, although at least to her, a lot less so, although it looked like to Odin, it was much stronger.

Frowning she contacted Bismarck.

“Bismark, Odin is acting strange... so you noticed? She's acting similarly to him as most of us do to The Commander. Do you want me to step in? Yes? Wait, no? Why? I'm not questioning your decision but... I see... such a force would be handy at times. I'll continue observing. Z23, out."

Putting away her communicator Z23 looked at the boy who was getting the older ship to play some childish game.

Soon after Harry had to stop playing to finish his homework, with Odin helping him it would take far less time.

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Currently in the mini-conference.

“and that's what was reported to me, as well as Z23's observations,” Bismark finished.

“So... we should probably look for Kansen who react to the boy for the fleet? Unless of course they are needed elsewhere,” The Commander commented.

“Is there anything else?" Bismark asked. At receiving a negative reply she continued, "Then let's adjourn the meeting... and I'll see you, tonight Commander."

with a smirk she waltzed out of the room, and decided to find the kid who was taking one of her battlecruisers, then she would spend time with her husband, it's been too long, as they live on different bases.

Chapter Text

“That was Bismark's Idea?!" a young-looking blonde woman said as she reacted to the plan Enterprise told her for Enterprise's son.

“That's correct,” Enterprise said over the radio. “Bismark is going to be pitching the idea to the Sakura Empire.”

“The problem is, trying to find a ship that will join him like that.”

“That may not be much of an issue, especially for the Royal Navy.”

Queen Elizabeth's eyes narrowed as she replied, “Oh?”

“My son lives with me on the cooperative base, so he'll probably meet most if not all the Kansen eventually. As for the Royal Navy... during the first shopping trip, my son was drawn to a certain ship model, so I would request, if she's not doing something important, and you agree to the plan, that you send HMS Vampire to the base.”

“I don't have any objections to the plan, but Vampire? Are you sure? She's a nice enough girl, but she tends to creep people out, or be a little too enthusiastic, I still remember the nurse uniform incident, although she did do a decent job of it.”

“I'm sure, please send her.”

“I have no problem, I'll tell her to head there after her patrol ends, in about two weeks, but are you sure he'll agree to this?.”

“Thank you, even if it doesn't work out, she and my son could always use more friends, and yes, I believe he will, after all, he seems to be drawn to them as they are to him. I believe that when he finds out that he would be able to spend as much time as he wants with those he will be drawn to will be more than enough to convince him," Enterprise stated confidently. She liked Bismark's idea and thought that the position would be good for her son when he got older, plus the fact that almost everyone he'll get to know is part of a navy meant that the chances of him joining anyway were quite high.

This caused Elizabeth to start laughing and reply before she ended the call, “so could we all, so could we all.”

She then set a different frequency, and made a call, "Vampire, after your patrol, you will be reassigned to the cooperative base, and if things go well, a long-term assignment that won't be patrols."

“Yes ma'am.”

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“That should be two down for the fleet, now to speak to my son before the siren arrives to visit again.

She walked to their quarters, where she knew her son was waiting, and she hoped that it would go smoothly and that school had covered the material already. That would be ideal. That way she could skip to the really awkward part of the conversation. Finding her son playing a video game wasn't that big a surprise, as he had been working hard on catching up on his schooling, and had almost done so in under three months, something that she was proud of, and she suspected that he had been getting a bit tired of schoolwork since it was summer.

“Harry I have bit an issue off long enough, we need to talk," she said with a calm she really didn't feel as she sat at the table and waited as he paused his game, and nervously sat across from her.

“First of all, you are not, in any way, in trouble. Next, have your studies spoken of Kansen yet?" she asked, and grimaced as he shook his head. "Right, simple version. A Kansen, or as they are often referred to as ship-girls, is a girl or woman merged with a warship. There are two types, the first is using an already existing girl or woman who is compatible with an object called a wisdom cube and activating it on board a ship, which merges them. The second type is taking a ship, and preparing it, and then using the power of the cubes to generate a human body. Neither method is truly superior to the others although the second method tends to create Kansen that act a bit less... human than the first. Do you follow me so far?"

At Harry's hesitant nod, she continued, "I'm sure sirens have been covered correct?" at Harry's head shake she sighed, though she supposed that would be high school material. "Sirens appeared sometime in the 1940s and proceeded to wipe the floor with humanity's best fleets. Kansen were developed to fight them. The reason why I am speaking to you of this now... is that that one white-haired girl you played with on the beach? She's a siren." at seeing her son stiffen up, she continued, "we have decided to let her continue visiting, with supervision." she watched her son visibly relax, and then got to the true meat of the discussion.

“The reason why we are explaining this now instead of later is that they made an offer, one that I am leaving as your decision. They made a wisdom cube, compatible with you, and are building a ship to go with it. If you do agree, we would, when you are old enough extend a special offer, and by we, I mean the leaders of the four primary factions."

“An offer?” Harry asked, his head spinning with the information dump.

“You would lead an anti siren strike force, a full fleet with your ship as the flag if it qualifies, with you in command regardless. One ship is guaranteed to be in the fleet.” (EN)

“Ummm... what about my siren friend?" Harry asked, "And who?"

“Don't worry about your siren friend... she wouldn't have made the offer unless she was expecting this... and we can't seem to keep them dead, we have sunk most of the intelligent ones multiple times, and they always come back. And the one that's chosen? Odin of course. Just a warning, you will need to have more coursework to compensate your future role if you agree."

Harry's eyes widened, as he connected the dots of compatible, and being drawn to the woman. Harry's eyes twitched sideways to the model that he was drawn to those months ago.

“She's on her way after she finishes her patrol,” Enterprise stated with a small smile as she caught his glance.

“Oh," Harry mumbled, his headache that was coming more and more infrequently hit, as well as a wave of doubt, but he responded anyway, "I'm going to accept, both offers." His decision made, the headache vanished.

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Inside the boy's psyche, a cupboard existed, and inside was a beaten boy in too large worn clothing. He had been there all along, and tried to tell Harry that this is wrong, and had been ignored. This last time though, he had not only ignored this part of his mind but had gone against it.

The boy faded slightly.
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“The courses you need will be sent to you a couple at a time, so as not to overwhelm you,” Enterprise said, smiling at her son.

“Yes mom,” the happy boy said.

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Two and a half weeks later, HMS Vampire pulled into port, she was wondering why she had been requested to come here.

“Probably to have more patrols,” she mumbled to herself.

She was a young woman with long mid-calf-length white hair tied in a twin tail style with red ribbons, red slit pupiled eyes, and cute fangs. She had a slender figure without many overt curves.

She was wearing a rather scandalously short black dress, whose hem only reached mid-calf, and had the sides bare except for some strings keeping the front half of the dress top connected to the rear. She had black stockings connected to a garter, and her feet were adorned by a pair of three-inch heeled shoes.

Shaking her head she noticed the ongoing repairs to the base, which was odd since it was only rarely attacked.

And then she saw... him. A boy, no more than seven years old. He was leaning against one of the posts of the pier.

She only vaguely noticed Belfast hiding a smile, and a camera. Enterprise would have been there but there was a minor problem with the Iron Blood and she was sent as support.

Belfast shook her head as Vampire made a beeline to her friend's son, and nodded, it looked like her friend was right, that model was a sign.

It was a good thing Vampire was called here for just this reason, or she would get in trouble for not reporting in, she would've anyway except Belfast had her covered. Dialing the commander's office, she said, "Commander, Belfast here, Vampire has arrived, and I think we can mark her added to Harry's fleet. Yes, she made a beeline to him as soon as she saw him. Right, I'll report any problems. When is Odin supposed to be transferred here? A few months? Right, I'll send pictures, by the way, who won the pool that was started a week ago as soon as the idea started to circulate? BISMARK!? Well congratulate her on the guess for me, will you? Add me to the pool for the Sakura Empire girl, Say... Kasumi? Reno for the Eagle Union. Thanks, bye."

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Meanwhile, a conversation similar to the one that took place weeks before between Enterprise and Queen Elizabeth was taking place between Nagato and Bismark.

Bismark had just finished explaining her idea, and the reasons behind it, and the fact that she had already decided on who's going, and was waiting for her ally's response.

“Interesting idea, one that I can get behind, and you forgot another thing about this idea.”

Bismark raised an eyebrow at that comment, and replied, “Oh?”

“If he does a good job as a goodwill ambassador, he'll be popular enough to make protecting him and defeating the sirens during a siren incursion a higher priority rather than national rivalries."

“A point I didn't consider actually," Bismark replied, then she smirked that her idea was even better than she thought, "so what's your answer?"

“I'll set up a rotation of those I can afford to have transferred to an independent command. Any idea who should be sent?”

“Not... really. So far we have Odin, and I put a bet down randomly on Vampire, but other than that, no real clue.”

“Hmmm... I think I'll start rotating vanguards first, since a main fleet ship is already decided, and your guess still has a question mark next to it," Nagato responded thoughtfully. "I must thank you for having such a wonderful idea, and I'm hoping it will pan out, Nagato out."

Bismark hung up the line on her end and started looking through the files, and was wondering who to place a bet on next, when she got a call, she listened for a few minutes, then hung up. Taking a picture she pinned it next to two others on a corkboard. Two ships were selected for the fleet, and one that the exact position would be unknown, not a bad start.

After her shot in the dark was a success the leader of the Iron Blood faction decided that she would place a bet for each of the other factions.

She really didn't have anything else to deal with at this point anyway, besides Odin being distracted, almost like a lovesick teen thinking about her crush.

She would have expected it more of Prinz Heinrich, to be honest, she's a bit of a ditz.

Shaking her head she started browsing through the files.

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Vampire was wondering why she was drawn to a kid like this, and why she hasn't gotten in trouble yet for not reporting in immediately.

She also wondered why she was allowing a kid to treat her to a drink on the beach... and felt that she would need something stronger before the day was out, and was just glad that while she looked underage she really wasn't, even if she tended to, a lot of the time, act her physical age.

“You know,” a voice sounded, startling the destroyer. Turning she saw Belfast with a camera in her hands. “You are the third ship to react like that, and we had an idea that you would be able to stay near him, well actually it was Bismark's idea.”

“Oh? The destroyer asked cautiously.

Belfast explained the situation and the idea.

Vampire looked at the woman next to her, in a slight shock. She was being offered a relatively important position, or at least it would be in time and trusted enough by Enterprise herself to join her son's fleet. Belfast forgot to mention who else so far has been 'chosen", only that Harry would be getting a ship.

She also forgot to mention that he would be the first-ever 'ship-boy' and that the cube and ship were of siren manufacture.

The fact that she was technically the first he was drawn to was a bit of an ego boost to her.

Looking at the boy coming back with their iced teas, she leaned back on the sand, and thought a moment, although she knew in her heart that the decision had already been made.

Sitting up to take her iced tea she casually said, “So, got room for a destroyer in your fleet little commander?”

Vampire wished she had brought sunglasses as her new commander's face lit up like the sun.

“So, who else is in this fleet? I know there's me, and you as the little commander, whatever ship you'll get, who else has been dragged into this?” Vampire asked.

“Just Odin so far,” Harry responded. “I'm also starting to study some of the easier things I'll need.”

“Like what?” Vampire asked curiously.

“Mainly rushing through regular school, so I can get to the more relevant stuff.”

“hmmm... well it's a start, too bad the fleet will be a bit understrength, with only having one of us from each main faction, and yourself.”

Belfast frowned at that comment and realized that she was right, but they couldn't add another without upsetting the balance they were creating. That worried her for a bit, but she put it out of her mind, for now, she didn't envision them sending him out for at least a decade, so they had time.

Turning her attention back to her friend's son, she smiled, Harry certainly was happy with his new friend.

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Chapter Text

It had been three months since he had met Vampire, and now Harry was traveling on Vampire's ship along with Odin, on the outskirts of a minor Siren incursion that had occurred on his way to the Sakura Empire. He felt safe because he truly believed that the sirens wouldn't target him.

He was right. They wouldn't intentionally target him.

On the other hand, leaning on the railing when a stray torpedo detonated nearby is a bad position to be in.

He sunk quickly, as he had hit his head on the side of the ship and was too dazed to swim.

“Harry!” Enterprise shouted.

“Kid!” Purifier, who had met with Harry a few times, and kinda liked him, also shouted.

There was also a heavy cruiser present that unconsciously tried to reach out for the sinking boy.

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Harry's magic wrapped around him, keeping him alive well past where the lack of oxygen and the water pressure would have killed him.

Landing on the 'sea floor' he had no idea what was in store for him.

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'Waking up,' Harry was sitting on what appeared to be a dark crushing void. Looking around he saw the silhouette of a man. The only part that seemed to be even partially defined was a pair of red glowing eyes.

“Mind if I sit down next to you for a bit?” the being asked.

“Sure, but where are we?” Harry asked.

“Your mind, and we only have a little time. You are now on the bottom of the ocean, and your magic is quickly running out. I can help you survive if I put all my remaining energy into it, but you will have to accept my help."

“Who are you, and how would it help me survive?”

“You may call me Riddle, and I am the last shreds of good that was in the soul of the man who killed your birth parents, and as to how?" the figure reached into Harry's coat and pulled out a cube he routinely carries. "with this."

“How can my Wisdom cube help? It would need a ship.”

Harry couldn't see it, but he could feel the figure smirk as it replied, “this mental landscape is identical to where your body is.” The figure put his hand on the 'ground' and suddenly large blue bands started lighting up. (EN)

Harry's eyes widened as he realized what he was looking at.

A ship, a Siren ship, damaged and sunk, but potentially salvageable with the cube's power.

“What about you?” Harry asked.

“I am just a fragment of someone who should have died, please, allow me this opportunity to repay you for some of the hurt I caused you.”

Harry nodded and whispered, “Thank you.”

the figure faded away.

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The small soul fragment started channeling what was left of its magic, along with Harry's into the cube that the real-life Harry had on his person.

It wasn't enough. Oh, it would activate the cube, but it wouldn't be enough to bring the ship up and convert it. Then the soul fragment felt it, the remains of a protective spell, and 'grabbed it' throwing what power it had remaining in as well.

The protection spell acted unpredictably, turning a slight chance of success... into a certainty.

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Within the spell, there existed an imprint of a young redheaded woman the imprint saw what was happening, and how the fragment was trying to save her son and knew that it most likely wouldn't be enough. The protections needed to be brought to full power, but without any blood relatives, and without any love, it was impossible...

but...

The imprint had an idea, Harry had forged a bond with someone he now considered a mother, if the other side of the bond accepted the burden of maintaining the protections, then the warship that Harry calls a mother could power the protections to full power.

So it followed the faint bond to the mother.

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One second Enterprise was watching the place where her son of nearly a year sank beneath the waves and was prepared to physically throttle whoever sent that torpedo, and the next she was floating in a void with a translucent redheaded woman in front of her.

“Who are you?” the warship asked.

“I'm an imprint of Lilly Potter, Harry's birth mother, but we have little time to save him," came the woman's response.

“How? He sank minutes ago, and nobody can get down there in time to rescue him.”

The woman faded slightly with a grimace and responded, "You'll have to take my words on faith, as I currently don't have the time or ability to demonstrate what I'm about to say. When I died I placed a special magical protection on Harry, a protection that had started to fade when he had been placed with my sister, and after she died started fading faster. Currently, a force is trying to use the protection to save Harry, but it currently probably wouldn't be enough."

“So...?” Enterprise started only to be interrupted.

“I'm getting there, I propose that I link the protection to you as his mother, to bring it up to full power.”

Enterprise only needed a second to decide, Harry had grown on her.

“I accept.”

The woman nodded and vanished in a flash of light, and the warship felt something attach to her in a metaphysical sense, and then she snapped back to reality to see Purifier blasting one of her own ships.

Turning toward the Siren she was about to say something scathing... when she felt it.

The sea was quaking, and at the location where her son sank, a bright green glow started to form.

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The specter that was trying to help Harry was giving up hope, there just wasn't enough power to do what needed to be done, and then it happened.

A surge of power ripped through the protections, and into what he was trying to do. And as he faded, he smiled.

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Harry found strength that he didn't believe he had as he pulled out the cube he always carried with him for luck, and vaguely noticed that it was shining like the sun. Standing in the grip of his new strength, he felt the power grow, and the 'ground' beneath his feet start to shake and rise, and blue glowing bands appeared on it.

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Back on the surface Vampire was crying her eyes out, she thought she had already lost someone that had quickly become important to her, then she saw the glow, and felt her commander coming closer.

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In the Siren, main base sensors were going wild, and Dreamweaver along with all the others not on a mission was trying to figure out what happened.

Dreamweaver had no idea that her friend had been close to death.

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Enterprise purifier pulled up next to Enterprise after she had finished obliterating the mass-produced ship that had misfired the torpedo, and staired at the glowing spot, a spot that was glowing brighter every second, and then it happened.

The prow of an enormous ship broke the water and then fell down, showing a thoroughly wrecked Siren ship of an unusual configuration, with Harry standing on the bow, with a brightly glowing wisdom cube floating between his hands.

Then his voice sounded loud and clear.

“Hope of Darkness, ENGAGE!”

The ship burst into bright green cubes that proceeded to slam into Harry.

When the cubes had settled he was encased in black armor with glowing blue Chevrons on it, on his left arm there was an aircraft carrier landing strip, in his right hand a black bow, and on each shoulder were a set of triple-barreled main guns.

Purifier corrected herself, badly cracked and chipped armor, a nonfunctional landing strip, a bow that would be lucky to get off one shot before shattering, and a pair of main gun sets that were twisted and bent into non-functionality.

Harry fell face first and started to sink again when the Siren grabbed him and bulled him into a princess carry.

“Let go of my son Purifier," Enterprise demanded.

“I'll bring him back," she started and as Enterprise aimed her bow at her she continued, "Harry's ship is choc-full of Siren tech, so who better to fix it, and make sure the cube is working properly than us?"

Enterprise grit her teeth, the Siren, as much as she didn't want to admit it, had a point. Even she could see that, based on how his battle form looked, that the ship needed to be almost rebuilt, and who better to make sure the cube worked properly than the ones who made it.

“Vampire goes with you.”

“Let me check.”

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Dreamweaver's communicator started beeping, and looking at who it was she slammed a hand on the receive button, and shouted, "What do you want Purifier? We're trying to find out what the massive energy surge that happened near your... loca... what did you do Purifier?"

“Wasn't me. One of the Mass-produced ships accidentally detonated a torpedo too close to the ship the kid was on."

Dreamweaver was about to tear into Purifier when the other Siren continued, "kid was knocked overboard, and then, a few minutes later comes back up in a massive light show with a huge ship, one of our advanced ones, that he promptly engages. He requires serious repairs and to see if the cube is working right, so I'm bringing him to base A2-9-98, and Enterprise is demanding to send Vampire as well."

Taking a deep breath Dreamweaver calms down and replied, "Take him and Vampire to base B9-0-81, as we are about to abandon it anyway."

“Understood, see ya,” Purifier replied.

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“Yo, Vamp, Get your ass over here, we're gonna get your commander's ship fixed up!" Purifier shouted then opened a portal to the designated base.

Vampire engaged to make herself more compact for the trip and followed after Enterprise sent her a message, “follow, then report everything when you get back.

Sending an acknowledgment she followed the Siren.

Only to emerge in a deserted base. She could tell that it was a Siren Facility, but it looked abandoned.

She also saw Purifier slapping Harry upside his helmeted head.

“Kid wake up!” she said hitting the helmet hard enough to make it ring.

“Whaaa...” Harry started to say groggily.

“You need to deploy your ship so we can start working on it, and then the medical bay for you.

With a word, Harry managed to deploy his ship, which immediately sank to the bottom of the dock. The machines in the dock were quick to retrieve it and move it to a drydock.

“Yo, Vamp, I'm moving the kid to the infirmary, you're welcome to join us. You'll have free run of the place, it's being decommissioned after this anyway.”

Vampire nodded and followed the Siren.

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Dreamweaver frowned at the ship being repaired at the base. It was... not what they had intended for Harry, but they could make it work, first, they had to replace much of the tech they didn't want the Azure Lane or Crimson Axis to get a hold of.

Observer moved behind her to observe what Dreamweaver was doing. She started nodding in approval of what the other Siren was doing... until she saw the error message.

“Dreamweaver, why haven't you disabled... that?”

Dreamweaver looked Observer in the eyes, and replied, "I can't. It seems to be locked in place, the best I can do is a password lock it, I intend to have each of Harry's fleet, along with myself need to enter a password to allow him to use it."

Observer frowned and reread the error message, and nodded. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it would probably prevent it from being used.

The rest of the replacement parts were... better than what the other factions had by a decent amount, but were multiple generations below Siren state of the art, and were actually just about the minimum tech they had in storage that would fit the frame.

She then noticed a second screen with a hull that looked similar, except it was lacking the WMD that was once on the Orochi.

“What's this? A sister ship for him? Specs are much lower. Ah, based off of our regular Siren ships, not the advanced models, how do you plan on making the Siren personality?"

With some keystrokes, Dreamweaver brought up another file.

“Well, now, that is an interesting idea and would try and make use of resources we have laying around. Do you think she will agree?"

“A high probability, to be able to return to service and help her comrades again, even as part of an independent fleet would be a big draw, if not, there's always this setup," Dreamweaver replied while bringing up a different file.

“Go for it, the Arbitrators have decided to lighten much of our restrictions in light of the interesting data.”

Dreamweaver nodded and continued her work.

End chapter.