Harry Potter & the Shipgirls

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (VII)

12 July 2014

Tsurugaoka Hachimangū, Kamakura, Japan

As Ehren watched, Mutti gave that Muramasa smug grin that she had seen on several of her aunt's faces last night. "Not at all, To-chan. Whatever we do here, you're of course invited. That said, I am looking forward to you showing my... our daughters the shrine complexes here."

Across from Colombe, Toku's cheeks visibly reddened. "It would be my honor."

Ehren felt her own cheeks heat. She knew that Mutti and Toku were romantically involved -- the blush deepened as the memory of how she had opened the door to see them together curled up in bed asleep the day of Toku's unplanned arrival in Moulbaix surfaced -- but those words had just opened a door that Ehren had been trying very hard not to think about.

Stepmother.

Claire, to her side hummed a fragment of Wagner's Lohengrin and Ehren felt the blood rush to her cheeks with a vengeance.

Claire---!
Spoiler: Troll Piano Strikes

She hastily took a sip of her espresso to try to get her expression under control. She desperately forced down the memories of Mutti and Vati hugging each other and kissing as they watched Elsa be escorted to the bridal chamber after her marriage during the third act of Lohengrin.

Unseen below the table, her fist clenched, digging her fingernails into her palm. An image of blond hair and gray eyes flashed through her mind before she got control of her emotions. Finally she forced a small cool smile on her blushing face. "It would be my honor, Tokunotakai."

Toku smiled as they walked outside "Unfortunately, the major religious festivals are in Kyoto at the Gion Matsuri this month. The alternative is Obon at Yasakuni Shrine in Tokyo but," the smile dimmed, "I would prefer not to do that."

Ehren blinked and asked curiously, "Is there a problem with Yasakuni Shrine?"

Toku nodded sharply as they waited for the crosswalk light to allow them to pass. "Hai. It... honors and enshrines the dead of our wars, including some whose actions dishonored Japan in the Pacific War. If I were to be seen there and recognized, it would imply support where such does not exist and shall never exist until certain kami are removed from veneration there."

Ehren frowned thoughtfully as they crossed to a tree-lined sidewalk running down the median strip of the main street between the Hachimangu and the seashore. "I... see. Let us not." She cast about for a change of subject and found it where she stood. "This is an unusual place for a sidewalk."

Toku smiled, "In fact, this is part of the shrine grounds. Wakamiya Ōji, or 'Young Prince Avenue' was built by the first Kamakura shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1182 as a prayer for the safe delivery of his firstborn son. This road where we stand was used for ceremonial processions as a sacred site."

The du Chastelers looked interested as Toku pointed to the south toward the bay where in the distance a red gate was faintly visible. "That is Ni no Torii, the second gate of the shrine. Further past it at the seashore is Ichi no Torii, first gate. When Norimune and I were presented for consecration five hundred and three years ago, we were ceremonially carried by the daimyos who commissioned us from Ichi no Torii up the sandō sacred approach road through Ni no Torii to where we stand today to San no Torii, third gate." With that Toku turned and began to walk underneath the cherry trees growing on both sides. "The current Ichi no Torii was built of stone in 1673 by Shogun Tokugawa Ietsuna and I helped consecrate it. The current San no Torii and Ni no Torii were built in 1934 of concrete, and again, I consecrated both."
Spoiler: San No Torii

With that Toku pointed at the third massive gate ahead. Ehren gave an impressed whistle, seconded by Claire. Ehren asked curiously as they waited for the light to change "There is a reason for the red color?"
Spoiler: Touring The Hachimangu

Toku nodded and gave Ehren a approving smile. "Indeed. It represents fire and the sun, and warns off evil spirits and bad luck. Beyond the torii is where the kami dwell."

Ehren rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "That is... gods, yes?" She frowned as the language spell made connections. "Although that is...not quite the concept."

Toku gave a serene smile, "The kami are the gods and spirits that inhabit the world around us. I am the kami of my blade, just as you and your family are the kami of your true bodies. And your mother and I serve Hachiman-no-kami, the Protector of Warriors who resides here, among other kami who are honored, although this is His primary shrine."

Claire spoke up. "That's funny, there are three bridges, but the two on either side are flat and the center one is arched?"

"Hai. During the days of the Shogunate, there were only two made of wood. The arched bridge was painted red and known as Akabashi, to be reserved for the Shogun's exclusive use while the flat bridge was for the common folk. The ponds to either side have their own story. They were dug in 1182 to honor the two clans who fought in the Gempei War. The one to the east is the Taira with the white lotuses referring to their colors. To the west is the Minamoto, with the red lotus blossoms reflecting both their color...and the spilled blood of the Taira that they defeated to claim the shogunate." Toku explained as they walked alongside the ponds.
--------------------

Suddenly a commotion sounded from their side and Claire turned to see a shiba inu dragging along a young man on its leash as it barked and wagged its tail wildly.

"Puppy!" The brunette piano promptly hustled over, knelt down, and began to pet the overjoyed dog as the owner apologized to Toku. "Who's a good girl, yes you are..." Claire said as she hummed happily while supplying ear scratches.

Colombe facepalmed and Ehren patted her mother on her back. "Everywhere I go, dogs love her. I don't understand it at all."

Ehren's lips quirked as a pair of poodles followed by a shih tzu made a beeline for Claire. "The saying about music charming savage beasts applies to her?"

"Oui. I swear every dog in the village and Ath know her by name. Every single time." The rapier smirked slightly. "At least she has retrieved a few strays who got lost."

"Ja." Ehren commented as she watched her sister finish petting the small pack of dogs.

"It's really good to meet you all, but I need to do my walk too. Be good boys and girls!" The piano said with a twinkle in her eye as she hummed happily before returning to Toku, Colombe, and Ehren.

Ehren leaned close to her Big Piano Sister. "What was that about Claire?"

Claire smiled happily, "They were lonely and wanted to make friends."

"Ach, so...."
--------------------

Toku eventually reached the 800-year old stone staircase. "Every morning, I sweep these steps during the third hour of the morning, before dawn, as part of my duties."

Ehren made a thoughtful sound as Toku and her mother climbed ahead of her.

Stepmother....

She did not know what to feel. Some part of her spirit viewed that word as a betrayal of Vati. And yet, Toku was a good person, and clearly cared for Mutti deeply. Mutti had thrived under Toku's care and attention, two parts of a greater whole, Ying and Claire both liked her.

But she was not Vati.

But Vati was dead.

Ehren blinked as they reached the top. Her mother and Toku had stopped dead with shocked looks on their faces. To her side Claire gave a shy smile and wave.

Ahead in the courtyard, an elderly and wizened Japanese monk in saffron robes was kneeling and feeding a small flock of pigeons with a handful of bread crumbs. His other hand held a plain wooden staff that supported him

He looked at the four tsukumogami as they stood there.

Eyes that were filled with both wisdom and power deep in their brown depths caught her gaze, sucking her into their knowing brown pools.

Automatically, Ehren snapped to rigid attention under the gaze of a superior officer's inspection.

To her side, Toku and Colombe spoke as one in an awed voice.

"Hachiman."

 

[darthcourt10]

Shinr

Horace Slughorn was looking at the Daily Prophet, Foreign News section.

Another boondoggle from Tokyo as Kyoto more or less turned the whole mess with the reserves to their favor, helped by some Tokyo officials getting caught red-handed trying to sabotage one of the reserves.

That one of the officials turned out to be at the center of a vast network of bribes, illicit favor trading and all sorts of under the table shenanigans (the unauthorized ones) was an icing on the cake.

Slughorn was no stranger to the game, and recognized the obvious scapegoat ploy, both for Tokyo to shift or mitigate blame, however futile that is, and for Kyoto to put a punchable face on the villain.

Scapegoat or no, Slughorn had to shake his head at the stupidity of this official, for you send deniable assets, not yourself to do the fieldwork.

Of course, Slughorn had little interest in what happens in the orient, it just that this article reminded him of his own personal stakes.

Ever since the collapse of Statute became a matter of when and not if, he was, for a lack of better word, dismantling his social network.

When the Muggles will arrive, they would have questions, very pointed and uncomfortable questions, to the Wizards in charge.

And to the Muggles he, a wizard with many connections to powerful, influential and in many cases just plain convenient people in the right places, will look like a head of an influential Wizard clique at best, a behind the scenes Webweaver at worst.

And so he worked, sending messages to his friends, associates, former students and the like, suggesting that for both of their sakes they should maintain a healthy social distance, to avoid implicating each other if worst comes to worst.

And then of course, a complication came in form of personal visit from Albus Dumbledore himself.

The Headmaster asked of his assistance and his connections, so that they could soften the inevitable fall of Magical Britain into the Muggle world.

And in return he will be shielded from the worst of the consequences, of course.

And so Horace Slughorn had a Damned if you Do, Damned if you Don't choice before him: Completely go to ground and hope to survive, or help Dumbledore for a chance to be on the right side of History.

A difficult decision he will ruminate on for a while longer.

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

Okay, all, the next Select snippet is supposed to be in the works, but there's been a bit of a snag. See, the Select snippets require me to get into a bit of an "oohoohoohahaha!" headspace to write. Unfortunately, with a personal project that I've been working on for literal years reaching a point of readiness that it's never truly been at before, all I'm good for is kind of a "wee, fluffy!" headspace. And I have several non-Select snippets that have been begging me to write them for a while now.
-----
When the bell rang for lunch, Minato all but sprang out of her seat on her way out of the classroom. Down the hall, out the door, walk along a little further, ducking past a hedge, was a small bench in a shady spot. She' found it at the beginning of the school year, and now more or less exclusively ate lunch there (except when friends asked her to eat with them. Then it was just rude not to). She thought it was a bit romantic, sitting alone surrounded by a halo of green growing things.

She knew, of course, that she probably wasn't the only one who knew of it, but it was still so easy to make it into her "secret" place.

That was probably why she felt so puzzled to find a large envelope—the kind for documents that weren't supposed to fold—sitting right where she usually did.

She looked at it, picked it up, turned it over in her hands. It was oddly heavy, and… she looked at it… filled rather full. Shaking it, the contents moved like paper. She opened the envelope, and pulled out a manga. It wasn't all stapled together in a magazine or anything, but it was a manga.

Huh.
-----

Heart pounding in her chest, Haruka burst out the door. How had she not realized "Ever Onwards" wasn't in her bookbag? Where had she even left it? She'd taken it out once today—couldn't remember any other time—a little hiding space for when she didn't want to deal with somebody.

She pressed down the guilt, she'd make it up to Yakumo, she promised, right now she had other concerns.

She ducked around the opening in the hedge to see some first year carefully inserting her work back into the envelope what what WHAT?

"Give me that!" she almost squawked, tearing it out of the girl's hand and hugging it to her body.

"Uh, okay," the first year replied a bit posthumously. "Are you the one who wrote that? Uh, super popular third year idol Tachibana Haruka-sempai?"

Haruka froze, then turned to gape at her. "Who calls me that?"

"Ohgi-sempai."

"Since when?"

"Well, our houses are in kind of the same direction, so I'm walking just a little bit in front of him a lot—"

"You know what? Never mind." Haruka turned her attention to "Ever Onwards." "I don't want to know."

She pulled the flap open. Were all the pages there? She thumbed through as quickly as possible, counting until she hit the final piece of paper and almost reflexively thumbed past it.

She paused.

Carefully, gingerly, fished a piece of note paper out from behind it.

"What's this?"

The first year sat up straighter. "A critique? Your art was really good, but I noticed some problems in the story so I wrote them down for you."

"Problems?" Haruka had poured her all into writing this! It was beautiful—perfect! "What kind of problems?"

The first year nodded solemnly, tapping a finger to her chin. "Well, let's see… First off, the idea of a world where everyone lives above the clouds on airships is cool, but the only purpose it seems to serve in the narrative is that everyone's scared of falling through the floor during the fight at the end. You could do a lot with a setting like that, like… money and food concerns. That's something to think about."

Haruka blinked.

"Then, the thing where the main character grows wings out of nowhere? It was cool, but if people have powers like that, why would everyone freak out seeing them? Is it weird mechanically somehow? Try to set up how weird it is a little earlier, maybe just something in the dialogue to suggest it."

Haruka opened her mouth.

"Third, you, uh… all your characters are kind of flat. They all have some kind of funny quirk, like the guy who likes hot dogs, but… that's about it. I engaged with the old captain guy, since he was trying to be the main character's dad, but, uh…

Haruka closed her mouth.

"Actually, come to think about it, that bit with him finding her in a box as a baby? What was that—

"What was your name again?"

The first year trailed off, looking up at Haruka again. "Hayami Minato, Sempai," she said, standing and bowing courteously.

Haruka looked the smaller girl up and down. "You have a very critical mindset, Hayami-san."

"I am a fan of shonen manga, Sempai," Hayami replied to the rhetorical question without missing a beat.

"…right." It was beginning to occur to Haruka that her kohai was just a card or two short of a deck. "Why did you decide to open this, anyways?"

"It was in my spot." She could feel her eyelid twitch. Her private little hiding place was lost to her forever.

Actually, more than that, why was she treating this so casually? The girl was actually looking up at the trees now, absentmindedly humming to herself. What was with her?

Haruka cleared her throat, and Hayami glanced back at her with a quizzical expression. "Did you need something else, Sempai?"

Part of her jumped up, trying to point out that the first year clearly didn't mean anything by it—something about her was just guileless, almost half-aware of her surroundings, like… she wasn't trying to be rude, she just didn't seem to completely understand what she was saying!

The other half, the one that drowned the first out with its roaring, wanted to do something to get a proper reaction out of her!

"Well, you see," she said, tucking "Ever Onwards" under her arm, "it's generally considered very rude to look at someone's work without permission."

"Ah, yes," Hayami looked aside, features actually flushing slightly. "I… I was curious, sorry."

"So I was thinking…" Haruka stepped towards her, looming as best she could with the centimeters she had on the other girl, "about maybe some recompense."

Hayami leaned back a little. "Mwirp?"

"I'm going to write another story," Haruka said. "And we're going to see what you think of that one. And then I'll keep writing them until we have one that you actually do like. How does that sound, my cute little kohai?"

"Are you… bullying me?"

Choking on her next words, Haruka gave the question a quick thinking over. "I… I don't think so?" she admitted—but maybe she would need another opinion—

"Okay, then. Sure!" Hayami smiled brightly.
-----

Nemo blinked, looking down at her hands as if she was trying to keep track of the conversation on her fingers. Yakumo shook her head in what Haruka hoped wasn't disappointment or amusement.

"You didn't think that one out at all, did you," Takumi noted.

"Just… shut up," Haruka groaned into her hands, because with Takumi, that was basically the equivalent of laughing his head off at her silliness.
-----

Not my best work, I'll admit, but I had fun writing it. The Select snippet should be out on Saturday, hopefully. Next scheduled snippet, Norihara needs advice!

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (VIII)

12 July 2014

Tsurugaoka Hachimangū, Kamakura, Japan
Spoiler: The Master Of The Hachimangu

"Hachiman" Colombe said in a shocked voice as she remembered this very monk beating her more than half to death in this very courtyard a century and a half ago. Old and long healed bruises from the duel that she had challenged him to began to ache in memory.

Beside her, Tokunotakai spoke as well in a voice of humble reverence. "Hachiman-dono."

The wizened Japanese monk stood and the pigeons that he had been feeding took wing to circle around him. He nodded once, and then silently gestured for them to follow him as he walked past the dojo where Tokunotakai had taught swordsmanship and bushido for generation upon generation to her students.

As if that gesture broke a spell, Hachiman's Blades walked together to follow their Master. Ehren blinked and then fell in alongside Claire. Instinctively, the young dagger spirit straightened her back and raised her chin. After all she was in the presence of someone worthy of her respect by all Toku's accounts.

They turned a corner and approached a small rustic tea house set in the garden. Toku's eyes widened as she divined the kami's intent, and bowed to him as he opened the screen to the waiting area. The Masamune spoke quietly to the others. "It seems that He wishes to give us a cha-no-yu. Ehren, Claire, please do as I do?"

Ehren nodded, then placed her dagger body in the offered rack alongside her mother's rapier and Toku's katana.

Inside they slipped on fresh clean tabi socks and then knelt. Ehren blinked at the sight in the viewing alcove. An arrangement of witch hazel and purple Chinese Bellflowers seemed to be in motion, while above it a simple circle was drawn in a single calligraphic brushstroke.
Spoiler: Ikebana

The dagger frowned at the scroll, for all it had was a simple inked circle. What does this mean?
Spoiler: Enso

Toku spoke meditatively in response to Ehren's unspoken question. "This is ensō. It represents enlightenment, strength, the universe, all encapsulated in the moment of time as the brush met the paper. The circle of rebirth, of time, of our actions, that is part of our striving for perfection. See how the circle is incomplete but strives to fill that gap as it cycles forward, rotating endlessly?"

Ehren frowned slightly as she examined the circle and flower arrangement. Time seemed to flow past as she pondered their meaning, Toku's explanation, her steps that led to this moment.

A click of a screen opening sounded, and Hachiman reappeared. He looked at them and nodded silently. With another silent gesture, he escorted them to the roji garden where a stone bench awaited.

Toku seated herself and then spoke quietly. "We shall purify ourselves at the basin when summoned by rinsing our hands and mouth. We shall now meditate upon the garden. When he returns we shall not speak until we enter the teahouse and are greeted individually."
Spoiler: Roji

Ehren looked at the small garden, with a stone lantern, natural stone stepping stones, and a white and pale gray rock 'river' flowing through it. She sighed slightly as she felt the peace and tranquility in each rock, in each branch, in each shade of green soak into her steel bones.
Spoiler: Hachiman's Chanoyu

Finally they rose as Hachiman appeared and proceeded in single file to the stone basin with the waiting dipper and flowing water from a bamboo tube. Ehren accepted without needing to understand why when Toku performed her purification the miko's T-shirt and jeans shifted to a plain red kimono. Her mother was next, and her clothing shifted to a matching red kimono. Then Claire purified herself, smiling happily as she wore her pink kimono.

Ehren rinsed her hands and mouth, feeling a tingle as the ice cold water caressed her skin, and her clothes shifted to a wolf-gray kimono.

Feeling as if she was standing outside herself, she walked slowly behind Claire to the teahouse. Somehow, she knew how to move in the strange outfit.

Once inside, she watched Toku take a seat on a low chair marked with a katana patterned cushion in front of a low table. Claire followed suit to sit upon her piano-embroidered cushion. Ehren then sat upon the dagger-patterned cushion to Claire's left, and her mother sat to her right.

As Colombe took her place, Toku waved her hand and the entrance door slid closed with a audible click of wood on wood.

With that, their host appeared from his entrance and bowed to Toku. "Greetings, Masamune-no-Tokunotakai. It is my honor to serve you tea today." His voice was that of a fond father speaking to congratulate a daughter, and Ehren's spine stiffened, for she understood the true meaning of 'A Father To His Men'.

Toku bowed in return from her seated position. "I am greatly honored, Hachiman-dono."

The Protector of Warriors gave the Masamune a pleased smile, and then bowed to Claire with a twinkle in His eye. "Claire du Chasteler. It is my honor and pleasure to welcome you to Japan."

Claire bowed as best she could. "Thank you for having me, Lord Hachiman."

Ehren felt a shiver of deep emotion run through her steel body as Hachiman bowed in greeting to her. "Ehren du Chasteler. I am pleased to welcome you to Japan."

Ehren bowed awkwardly from her seated position. "Vielen Dank, Herr (Thank you very much Mr
)Hachiman."

Hachiman then bowed to her mother. "Colombe du Chasteler. It has been too long since I had the chance to speak to you, My Blade. I am honored to serve you tea."

Colombe bowed, "Oui... I know your voice now. 1902 in the Congo, yes?"

"When you swore yourself to me, yes." The Protector of Warriors agreed with a nod and a twinkle in His eyes as he began to brew tea for His guests.
--------------------

Spoiler: Instructions

Ehren sipped the green tea in her bowl, raising an eyebrow at the taste. The eyebrow raised further as she contemplated the cosmetic crack in the bowl caused when the potter fired it that seemed to be a branching tree growing up the side.

She glanced at the others. Claire was humming happily as she finished her tea and then ate another of the small candies. Toku, past her was serene, with a calm smile. To the other side, Colombe seemed to have the years and toils fall from her, as Mutti had a shy smile on her face.

"My Blades, and My Grandchildren. No doubt you have wondered why I have called you here today." Hachiman spoke in that voice of quiet command.

Ehren nodded, and next to her Colombe spoke, "Oui, this was... unexpected."

"I wish to say to you all that I am pleased with your service. Although not all of you are sworn to My service, or shall swear yourselves to me, you have done well." He paused and gave Tokunotakai and Colombe a look that caused Toku to blush and Colombe to look away bashfully. "In the main."

Ehren flushed and felt a fire of pride fill her spirit at those words.

Hachiman looked at the two Blades. "My Blades, I wish for you, all three of you, to attend Kannazuki this year. Tokunotakai, Colombe, it shall be your task to insure that Muramasa-no-Norimune attends, for it is time for you three to speak with Me directly there."

Colombe bowed her head in a single motion with Tokunotakai. "Oui." "Hai."

"Claire du Chasteler. You have a gift of beauty and love and healing that is a mighty weapon for good. Continue to develop it and use it when circumstances call for you to soothe the wounds of those whom you meet and know. There are things for you to do here on Earth during Kannazuki, though." The Shinto deity said to the piano spirit.

Claire smiled happily and hummed a musical phrase as she nodded her head.

Hachiman turned to Ehren and the dagger spirit felt his gaze plumb the depths of her soul as he stared into her heart.

"Ehren du Chasteler. Honor is your name and honor is your very being. In the days ahead, you shall be stringently tested upon your understanding of true honor and faith. Prepare yourself, for your childhood is coming to an end, and the choices you shall make in the events ahead shall leave their mark upon you for all time. All necessary steps come with sacrifice as well as gain." The kami's voice was compassionate as he finished. "You also have duties during this Kannazuki if you follow the path ahead of your feet that you cannot see yet. Let your honor illuminate it."

Ehren bowed her head, feeling the weight of those words, encouragement and warning both, settle into her soul. She took a deep breath and then spoke the only words that she could say.

"Jawohl(Yes Sir), Herr Hachiman."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Checking her internal clock, Jintsuu frowned a bit as she looked out onto the darkened waves from where they were. She could see the three small cargo ships that they were to escort out on the water ahead of them as their crews for ready for the journey ahead. Even in the night, however, she could see how some of the crewmembers had features denoting them as being Yokai and a few were using their wands to help light their way as they secured their loads.

Part of her was still bemused about the whole thing as it still seemed like something out of a fantasy novel.

After a moment, the Light Cruiser shook her head and turned her attention to the boats themselves. Not one of them were larger than five hundred tons, the sort of cargo ship that once plied the waters up and down the smaller island chains that were part of Japan to deliver things like food stuffs to places such as the Izu Islands... or in this case, the Ryukyu Islands. All three had basically been abandoned, among others, in one of the ports as part of a ship graveyard. Thankfully, they had just been newly built when their owners left them in the Post-Blood Week shipping downturn.

Which was good as the Japanese government had bought all three on the cheap and turned them over to the Kyoto government two years before. It took people from both sides, but they managed to bring them up to full working order and the fact that it helped give some insight into enchantments that magicals placed on their ships was a bonus. Currently, however, all three ships had their holds stuffed with supplies, mostly bought by the Kyoto Government. Granted, what amused Jintsuu about that was that meant that various wizards and witches simply apparated around the country and bought rice, canned meat, tea, and the like.

That said, what was not amusing to either Jintsuu, or the non-magical government, was why that was the case. The fact that Japanese citizens had been abandoned left a sour, bile filled taste in everyone's mouth. From what she had been told, the Prime Minister himself had nearly had a fit, and after coming to Sasebo to give the mission personally, left with the expression he had wanted to kill someone. The fact that the name "Kotegiri" gave up in his mumbles left her with an expression as to how though he wished to do so.

Unclenching her fists as she noted Shimakaze raising an eyebrow at her, she let out a sigh, "I'm fine."

Scowling, the Destroyer crossed her arms over her chest, "No you're not, Ou!" Then her own expression darkened, "I'm not either."

At that, Jintsuu's lips twitched a little bit, "I heard as much from Arizona-San. She said that I should keep an eye on you in case we somehow, for whatever reason, stumbled across members of the Tokyo Diet."

Looking away, Shimakaze huffed, "Kaa-San worries too much."

Only humming, the Light Cruiser checked the time again before giving a nod, "We should be going then. Shimakaze-Chan, Nishikaze-Chan? I want you to form up ahead to scout." Both Shimakaze-Class members nodded and saluted before launching. She then turned to the smaller Submarine Chaser girls there, "Chachi-Chan? Chyonjuushi-Chan? Chgoyuu-Chan? Form up and keep a watch out."

Each of the three Submarine Chasers, CH-8, CH-44, and CH-50 saluted before they entered the water and took positions around the small cargo ships, Jintsuu following. As she came up alongside the lead cargo ship in the convoy, the Skipper smiled at her and saluted as well, "Good day, Jintsuu-Sama."

With a chuckle, she nodded at the old wizard, "And a good day to you as well, Captain Matsu." Glancing around, she hummed, "Thank you for having us."

Laughing, Captain Matsu shook his head, "Oh, trust me, we're happy to have you." He hummed a bit before pulling out a pipe and lighting it. At her raised eyebrow, he shrugged, "Been smoking since I served on the Shōhei Maru."

About to comment, Jintsuu remembered something and gave him a look, "I take it that you are not talking about the passenger vessel from the War."

Broadly grinning, the old wizard chuckled, "Nope, not at all." He gave a small shrug as he puffed, "Served on her proudly and fell in love with the sea... well, on her until she wrecked. One day, I hope to see her as a shipgirl."

Simply nodding, Jintsuu smiled back at him, "I think that when that day comes? She would be happy to see you."

Not saying anything, the Captain gave her a salute before walking off to bark orders and soon the small convoy headed southwards.

Thankfully, the seas were calm and there wasn't much Abyssal activity in the area that had been mentioned in recent reports. Which meant that the trip went relatively quickly and dawn broke as they came into view of the island with Jintsuu nodding as her floatplane went through the wards around it, '{We're nearly at Fushūjima.}'

From where she was, Jintsuu could see the distaste on Shimakaze's face, '{Do we have to call it that?}'

Jintsuu sighed and shook her head a little, '{Unfortunately, we do. Because that is what the island was named after all and has been for centuries... no matter how distasteful we might find it.}'

In reply, she got grumbles from the Destroyer before they quietened down and they continued their journey.

Meanwhile, on the island they were heading to, the Yokai woke and went about their day. Within one hut, Haruto sighed a little as he sat down before the small table that was there, "You know that I am fine, right? My injuries are all healed."

Beside him, Haruhime gave him a small look before she reached over and poked him in the side which got a small hiss, "Oh, I'm just sure that you are alright, Haruto-Kun." She then wagged a finger at him, "Not. Now, just sit back and let us handle things for you."

Yet again, Haruto sighed a little before smiling and kissing her cheek, "Fine, I'll give in."

Eyebrow raised, the red haired Kitsune smirked, "Good." Leaning in, she gave him a kiss which deepened a little before she pulled back, "We were scared though."

Looking down at the table, Haruto scratched the back of his neck, "Well... you weren't the only one that was scared there. I was pretty scared with what was happening myself to be honest. But..." He gave them all a smile, "At least we're alright and I already repaired our home."

Just nodding from where she was cooking some breakfast, Mie gave him a smile, "Hai, we're glad for that much at least." Cocking her head to the side, she gave a small smile towards Chikako who was beside Ichika as the smaller girl's fairies gave the other Light Carrier some work, "How are you doing, Chikako-Chan?"

The Nekomata blinked before turning to give her a smile, "I'm doing good, Mie-Nee-Chan. Nya... almost finished all the repairs too!"

Reaching over, the Healer gently rubbed her between her ears, "And you are doing an extremely good job of it, Chikako-Chan. I'm proud."

Head rocking back and forth, the newly awoken shipgirl smiled happily, "Thank you, Nii-San!" Lightly blushing, she looked down as the last of her fairies came back to her, "I like it that I am sort of like you. A Healer."

Expression softening, Haruto gave her a small nod of his own, "As am I, Chikako-Chan... and you are a great Healer for shipgirls already, though that is to be expected."

Placing some food in front of him, Hachimitsu snorted some, "Because of course she is! Not only is she named after the great smith Masamune as the name ship of her class... but she's got the best rolemodel as a Healer in you, Haruto-Kun! How could she be anything less with that."

A light blush on her face, Chikako, also known as the Masamune and nameship of the Masamune-class ships for the Imperial Magical Navy, shook her head, "I think it is more because of Nii-San. I want to be more like him..." A grin crossed her face and she wagged her fingers at the others, "But if you want upgrades, you should give me lots of rock candy!"

Unable to help herself, Ichika laughed as she took some food onto her own plate, setting another plate in front of Chikako, "I'll keep that in mind, probably those ones that look like gemstones especially." Getting a happy cheer from the Nekomata, she shook her head and took a bite with a hum, "Great food as always, Mie-Nee!"

Her twin smiled at her as she sat down as well, "Thank you, Ichika-Nee."

With that, they all began to eat various foods, though every so often Chikako would munch on an old metal can or other piece of metal to get enough to work on more repairs. Something that made Haruto rather amused because of the sight of the cute Yokai chomping on an old piece of metal and leaving a bite mark shaped just like her teeth. Granted, he was sad as to why she was awoken now... and was also reminded of the fact that she had barely left his side at all.

Though she was not the only one who hovered around him as the others did as well.

Shaking that off, he went back to his breakfast until Mikage asked him a question as she poured some evaporated milk into a glass for Chikako, "I heard that they're sending a convoy, Haruto-Kun? Is that true?"

Just holding up a finger, he gave a swallow and nodded, "Hai, that is what I was told. And it would be the first of many as two of them are loaded down with food like rice and such. The third as well... and a bit more."

Confused as she drank her milk, Chikako pulled it away which left a milk mustache on her face as she cocked her head to the side, "Munya? A bit more?"

Lips twitching at the sight, Haruto nodded with a chuckle of his own, "From what I have been told, the third one will have animals like goats for milk and meat. Chickens as well which can be raised for both eggs and meat as well."

Murmurs came from the other girls at that as they shared looks. New livestock? That... was a rather big deal. Because that meant more food for everyone as well.

Not understanding, Chikako blinked before shrugging, "I like chicken, Nii-San. It's good."

Reaching over, Haruto gave her a pat on the head, "You're not the only one, Chikako-Chan." Briefly, he paused a little and looked at each of the girls, "I... talked to some people. While they will be allowing for Yokai to slowly leave the Reserve, it is going to take some time. But they also said that there's the possibility of authorized, escorted visits to the mainland where Yokai can journey there and back."

Each of the shipgirls froze at that as that was an even bigger deal and they shared looks before turning back to Haruto. But it was Hachimitsu who reached over and grasped his hands, "That sounds wonderful, Haruto-Kun. Does that mean that we could..."

Slowly, Haruto gave a nod, "Meet my parents? Hai, that would be possible. And Otou-San and Okaa-San both stated that they want to see you three again, Hachimitsu-Chan, Mikage-Chan, Haruhime-Chan." He then turned towards the others, "And they want to meet you as well, Mie-Chan, Ichika-Chan... and especially you, Chikako-Chan."

Widening her eyes, the little Neko pointed at herself, "They want to meet me? Really, Haruto-Nii-San!?"

Chuckles escaped from him as he gave her a nod, "Hai, they do." A sigh escaped from Haruto as he shook his head some, "I am not looking forward to Okaa-San spoiling you however."

Happily humming, Chikako shook her head, "I don't mind as long as it is Obaa-San."

Facepalming, Haruto laughed, "Oh... I cannot wait to see Okaa-San's expression if you call her that. It would be hilarious."

The three Kitsune also laughed at that and he shook his head some while still snickering himself.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (IX)

13 July 2014

Shibuya City, Tokyo, Japan

Ehren adjusted the new dark blue yukata with silver carp patterns that she was wearing. The Teutonic dagger spirit smiled slightly as she walked alongside Claire down the street to the National Noh Theater.

Following their visit to the Hachimangu yesterday, Toku had suggested that they do some shopping in Kamakura which Claire and Colombe had eagerly endorsed. Shockingly enough, rather than terrorize the local music stores, Claire had elected to clothes shop for something to wear at the festival, which Ehren privately viewed as a sign of the Apocalypse. She noticed with interest that Toku was apparently well known around town as the tailors had greeted her by name with swift and courteous service.

The clear respect that her future stepmother was held in around town gave Ehren much to think upon. She had seen similar when Mutti had taken her shopping in the nearby village of Ath. With that in mind, she looked at Toku, now in a black floral print yukata as she spoke to Claire, who had colorful flowers covering her pink yukata.

Colombe joined them with four tickets in hand. "Aunt Kago came through with her ticket reservations." The rapier said, which jarred Ehren out of her private thoughts to focus on events. "They are for the final play she will be starring in."

"Which play?" Toku asked curiously as she looked at Colombe.

Ehren spoke up with confidence in her organizational skills. "Aoi no Ue. We shall have three hours before it begins."
Spoiler: A Walk In The Gardens

Toku smiled serenely. "Well, the Shinjuku Gyoen National Gardens are nearby. Shall we enjoy the afternoon there?"

Ehren looked at Claire, and the twin girls nodded enthusiastically as they chorused. "Please!!"
-----------------------

Toku smiled serenely as she watched the brunette head of her future stepdaughter bow as Claire happily petted yet another in the never-ending stream of dogs who had been appearing to make her acquaintance. To her side, Ehren photographed a bed of roses in the French Formal section of the gardens with a shy smile on her face.

The Mansamune leaned closer to her companion as they strolled leisurely through the symmetrical and orderly European garden that they had journeyed to after enjoying the Japanese garden. "I am glad that this was restored after the Pacific War damaged it so, Co-chan."

Colombe nodded slowly, looking at the symmetrical and orderly rows of flowerbeds, walking paths, trees, and hedges. "This reminds me of Versailles in 1722 To-chan. Papa had to attend Louis XV that summer, and I was part of the family trip then." Colombe's voice was contemplative and distant. "Marie-Claire met the Vicomte Gustave Visart de Bury et de Bocarmé for the first time at an evening concert. I can remember the two of them walking hand in hand, chatting and admiring the hedges and fountains as the servants trailed them." She sighed deeply with tears in her eyes. "I miss them both."

Colombe then chuckled self-deprecatingly and shook her head, "I confess that I spent most of my visit there in the hedge maze labyrinth looking at the water-spouting statues from Aesop's Fables and exploring as if I was Theseus seeking out the Minotaur." The rapier shook her head. "I was saddened to hear that Louis XVI had torn it out for an English-style arbor shortly before the Revolution."

Toku placed her hand on Colombe's shoulder and gently squeezed it as the rapier looked at the gardens with a distant gaze. "I can remember the first two statues as if it was yesterday. Aesop to the left with a roll of paper to map his steps and the inscription: Love, that slender thread might get you lost: the slightest shock could break it. Facing him, Cupid to the right holds a ball of thread like that Ariadne gave to Theseus as he speaks: Yes, I can now close my eyes and laugh: with this thread I'll find my way. I suppose in the end, when I walked into the Labyrinth of my life, I chose the thread to guide my turnings and discoveries when I wandered."

Toku nodded as they watched the two younger children crafting memories that they would carry with them forever. "You chose well, Co-chan. You chose well."
-----------------------

Spoiler: Aoi No Ue

Ehren watched with interest as the attendant spread the empty kimono representing the deathly sick Lady Aoi, the wife of Hikari Genji and daughter of the Secretary of State on the boards of the 400-year old cypress stage.

She was privately happy that the seats they had been escorted to had a small touchscreen to give subtitles for the Japanese dialogue. To her side, Toku leaned forward as the courtier announced that the family had invited Priestess Teruhi, the renowned miko who could call forth phantoms with the sound of her cherry birch bow.

The musicians on stage played an eerie melody as Priestess Teruhi performed the ritual to identify the phantom tormenting Lady Aoi.

As the melody continued, to her left at the end of the walk way for actors to enter the scene, the fabric curtain rolled up silently.

The figure that slowly emerged sent a chill like ice through Ehren's veins. A hushed stir rippled through the crowd at the sheer presence of the lead actress in the production

She knew intellectually that it was her aunt Kagotsurhue playing the part but...

Beautiful and elegant behind her noh mask of a beautiful woman, the spirit of Rokujō-no-miyasudokoro the wife of a deceased crown prince and a former lover of Genji, now spurned and abandoned appeared. Her scale-patterned crimson kimono rustled with her regal steps as she glided across the ancient hardwood like the evil specter that she was playing.

Then she spoke in tones of woe and regret, filled with desperate insane longing for a man and a status that had been cruelly ripped from her.

If I ride on the three carriages provided by the mercy of Buddha,
and if I follow upon the path of Buddha, could I escape through the
gate of this agonizing world?
I, who ride on a shabby broken carriage, will be able to go nowhere.
Ah, my resentment can go nowhere

Life is unstable like a wheel,
Life is agonizing like a wheel,
The wheel of karma keeps turning round.
My anguish goes round and round, the result of my actions in a
previous life.

Ehren watched enthralled as the phantom of the evil spirit, as dignified as the noblewoman that she was, expressed her hatred of Lady Ai for stealing Genji from her.

Oh, how reproachful!
So reproachful!
No matter how deep my grudge against you are, and no matter
how much you scream, you can be with the beautiful Genji or
make love with him as long as you live.
On the other hand, I, like a weed,
was abandoned by my dear Genji.
It is the same as if nothing had happened.
I disappear like the dew on a leaf.
How hateful you are at the thought of it!
Even in a dream,
I can't make love with him again.
Our relationship became an old story.
Thus my love grows more and more, and I shame myself while
longing for his shadow.
Or better yet,
I stand by your pillow with this broken carriage, and shall take you
away with me.
I shall take you away with me.

As Kagotsuruhe spoke the lines while beating Lady Aoi out of jealousy and dancing across the stage, a menacing terrifying undertone filled her demeanor and her character while preserving her aristocratic airs. Even not knowing Japanese, the breath caught in the throat of the enthralled Ehren as she felt the insane jealousy and spite for something that she once had before it was taken from her in Kago's masterful performance.

Suddenly, in the middle of her insane frenzy, Kago opened her kimono and Ehren gasped in terror as her heart pounded in time with the stamping of Kago's feet, turning the cypress planks into a fearsome drum. Next to her, Claire grabbed her hand and squeezed it as she soaked in the performance.

Kago then turned and retired to a corner of the stage with a kimono over her head as a Buddhist holy hermit priest entered as he was called by the commotion and the desperate pleas of the servants.

The courtiers explained that the evil spirit tormenting Lady Aoi was present, and the priest spoke of his spiritual power and understanding. He began to chant a sudra....

And then Kago stood.

Still covered by her scarlet scaled kimono she approached the priest and knelt.

She then slowly raised herself enough to look at him.

Ehren squeaked in terror and Claire gripped her hand tight for instead of the noblewoman's mask, the spirit was now that of a furious evil ogre.

The music began the wild pulsing rhythm of their spiritual battle.

Priest and Ogre dueled across the stage and up and down the walkway.

Back and forth they went as good battled evil.

The priest used his rosary against the wand the insanely spiteful and jealous ogre employed as they clashed.

Ehren's heart pounded like a drum as she sensed the mad obsession that the priest grappled with in the climax of the play.

Finally, the Kago-ogre calmed down and her stick was replaced by a fan as the battle ended. Now at peace, she rose gracefully like the crown princess that she was and exited the stage to wild applause as the play ended.

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

And now...

A thingy!
-----
"So, what did you want to talk about?"

Yumeno glanced up from her pasta, glancing at her old teacher before lowering her fork to her plate. Honestly, there was a part of her that was still trying to avoid the question. It was… uncomfortable, in its way. Confronting that it was there in the first place. But in the end, questions need to be answered one way or the other. And who better to help her work it out than Professor Mori?

So she steeled herself, folded her hands in front of her, and spoke.

"I have a patient… former patient, really, but…" Yumeno sighed. "I was her primary caretaker for several years, so I still feel a little like her doctor."

"You're attracted to her?" Professor Mori noted, gruff as ever.

"I—she's attracted to me," Yumeno confessed. "Looking back, I don't think she ever made much of a secret of it… But now that I'm not caring for her, she's… well, she's started dressing up."

"Got your number, did she?"

"Guess so," she shrugged. "I'm starting to think that… that maybe I am interested, just a little. But after being her doctor for so long, I'm still not entirely certain that this doesn't go against the spirit of the law somehow." Picking her fork up again, she poked at her spaghetti. "I just… need a second opinion."

"And you settled on the teacher you learned all this from?" Professor Mori took a sip of his water, examining the liquid under the light. "Well, you're pretty much the first girl who's asked my permission to fall in love."

"Professor!"

"Not even my own daughter. That… that one was rough." Giving the exasperated Yumeno a look of amusement, the professor chuckled. "This patient. What does she mean to you?"

Yumeno looked down at her lap. "Well… she's my friend. I helped her out of a bad place, and… honestly, I feel like she admires me a little overmuch for it. She can be a bit of a handful, once she gets it into her head to do something…"

"Not what I meant."

"Huh?"

"Spend time with her, Norihara-kun," Professor Mori, punctuating the sentence by jabbing his finger at her. "More than you are now. Try to get a feeling for what's between you."

"So, you're saying…"

"I'm saying that you have a chance at something good, girl. Don't leave it by the wayside."

Yumeno nodded quietly. They would probably come back to this topic later in dinner. The question was a difficult one, after all. But for the moment, just a little it of the roiling in her stomach had subsided.

So for now, she took a bite of her spaghetti.
-----

This one came out... short. Maybe I'll do something unscheduled a little later. As for scheduled next time, there's this character named Dana that I haven't done anything with since I created her.

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

Something unscheduled happened.

You all remember Francine "Frankie" Linnet, right? The one new Select girl who takes a pacifistic approach? There, now I've told you. Here you go!
-----
Franky had become oddly comfortable with being guarded, as strange as it felt to say. Not the kind of guarded where she tried to draw a shell around her to block out the things that hurt, but the literal kind, with a Shipgirl following her around keeping watch for anything that would try to do her harm. After that night behind the convenience store, and as weird things had kept happening around her, she could understand why they would want to keep an eye on her.

She liked it best under the eyes of Hiei and Oboro. Hiei because she was the first friend that she'd made here in Japan. Oboro because she hadn't tried to offer up any words of empty condolence—just listened to her sorrows and held her up as she cried. There were other girls, who were around less or she didn't interact with as much, but those were the two she was the most comfortable with.

Having Mutsu walking along beside her, though, was an extremely novel experience.

"You're… sure you want to leave the babies alone with Hiei and Jane?" Franky attempted

The battleship shrugged. "I can take a little time away from them," she pointed out. "And Hiei and Jane can take perfectly good care of them. I hope."

Franky nodded, more to herself than anything. There was probably something more to Mutsu's decision than taking some time away from the kids. She probably would have brought them along if there weren't the danger of something crazy happening. Maybe it would come up in conversation…

"Anyways, I wanted to get to know you a little better," Mutsu continued. "You spend a lot of time around the girls, after all."

Ah. It came up.

Resting a hand on the railing, Franky examined the stairs leading up to her apartment thoughtfully. "What were you curious about?"

"Well, your father, for one thing. He was at the base when… that happened," Mutsu tapped her fingers together, "but other than that, I haven't really heard anything about him."

Oboro hadn't said anything? That… held an odd kind of relief. Like some vague celestial law was satisfied by their conversation being and remaining private.

"Well, he tends to be busy, so I can't say you'll be able to talk," Franky mused, starting up the steps, "but I guess we can see if he's home?"

"Lovely," Mutsu smiled. "Considered what you have to deal with regularly I'd expect him to at least be in better communication."

You'd expect that, Franky thought bitterly, hiding the way her mouth twisted by biting down on one of her fingers. Mutsu gave her an odd glance. "Well, like I said, he's busy," she laughed, and walked down the row of apartments, three doors away from the end—

She paused.

Turned around.

"Actually," she said brightly, "maybe we could talk about it over ice cream? I'd like some ice cream."

"Huh?" Mutsu asked, perplexed.

"Hey, I ironed things out with that club full of living musical instruments last night," Franky pointed out, trying to take the battleship's hand and guide her away from the apartment. "What did you call them? Something-gami? I'm gonna have to get all these yokai down—maybe you could help me with that?"

She pulled, and Mutsu didn't move. She pulled again. Not a budge.

Franky looked up at the battleship, and followed her gaze towards her apartment door. Specifically, to the sock that had been haphazardly stuffed into the door handle. Dad must have been trying something different tonight.

Something snapped.

Suddenly feeling the air go cold, Franky glanced back up at Mutsu. The battleship was smiling, calm, restrained, perfectly still, yet something. Something in the very core of Franky's being was absolutely certain that there was a giant fanged turtle snarling behind her.

Mutsu walked forward, quickly, firmly, pulled the sock out of its place and dropped it disdainfully, and wrenched the door open.
-----

I was going to write that forever ago, when I was better at things, but I just never got around to it. Here it is now.

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Dishes all done and the table cleaned, which he was not involved in doing at all much to his chagrin, Haruto sighed as he looked at the others, "Guys? I'm fine trust me." Rotating his shoulder, he shook his head, "I just have some bruises left."

Crossing her arms, Hachimitsu frowned at him as her tail swished behind her, "Be that as it may, you are still recovering! And we'll make sure that you take it easy until we are satisfied with it!" She wagged a finger at him, "As the Americans say, 'No ands, ifs, or buts about it!'"

Somewhat confused, Chikako looked behind her where her tails were, 'Butts? What does Onee-Chan mean about my butt? Or does she mean hers?'

Meanwhile, Mikage gave him a small smile, "Onee-San is right, Haruto-Kun. What you need more is rest to recover. Everyone is fine for now and from your training? They can handle the small stuff and only bring you for the large things."

Pressing herself against his back, Haruhime grinned, "So let us pamper you a little!"

With a soft sigh, the Healer looked around and saw that the others were in agreement, "I'm not going to get out of this, am I?"

Soft smile on her face, Mie shook her head, "No, you are not, Haruto-Kun. We'll make sure of it if anything else."

Grin on her face, Ichika let out a bark of laughter, "So just lay back and enjoy us nursing you!"

Blinking, Chikako reached into her pocket before pulling out a nurse's hat which she placed on her head followed by a Nurse's cloak around her, "Nurse Chikako reporting! Willing to take care of Haruto-Nii-San!"

Each of the girls cooed a bit at that as she saluted, with Haruto coughing as he looked away, 'How devastating...'

However, moments later a shiver went down his back as Mikage gained a smirk on her face, "You know... didn't the two of you have nurses onboard, Mie-Chan? Ichika-Chan?"

Both Inugami shipgirls blinked at that before thinking it over. Grins appeared on their faces and they shared looks with the three Kitsune as their tails wagged and they spoke as one, "Why yes, yes we do!"

Needless to say, Haruto shifted a little with a small blush, mainly due to the image that put in his head of his girlfriends in nurse outfits. Something that they knew about, obviously, from the grins that they gave him, 'I'm going to die...' Then he gave an internal shrug and chuckle, 'But I suppose that it would be a good way to go at least.' It was then, however, that the Healer noticed that all the Yokai paused and their ears swivelled to the door, "Someone coming?"

Frown on her face, Mikage nodded, "Hai, someone is walking up to the hut now..." Her nose twitched a bit and she relaxed as did her sisters, "Ah, I think that this is for you."

Confused, the teen got up from the table and walked to the door, reaching it just as someone knocked from the other side. Opening it, however, his eyes widened at the sight of who was there, "Otou-San? What are you doing here?"

Hiashi gave him a small smile as he nodded at his son, "Haruto-Kun... can't an old man visit his son?" Looking past, he gave another nod to the three Kitsune, "Good morning, Haruhime-San, Hachimitsu-San, Mikage-San."

Each of the Kitsune nodded back and bowed slightly, though Hachimitsu gave him a smile, "And a good morning to you as well, Hiashi-San."

Moments later, however, she joined her sisters in blushing at the older wizard's next words, "Hiashi-San? Or should you call me Otou-San as well?"

Glancing at Haruto, Haruhime cleared her throat, "Perhaps in time."

Still confused, the Healer moved aside and motioned him in, "Please, come in, Otou-San." Once the wizard was inside, Haruto looked at him and noticed the tired expression in his eyes. For once, his father looked every bit of his years and the teen's own expression softened, "How are you and Okaa-San doing?"

Lips curling into a sad smile, Hiashi shook his head, "We are doing... as well as can be expected as we lost our first born. Your Okaa-San cries a lot and is still grieving, but... we're slowly getting better. We shall always miss him, and grieve for him, but in the end, he died years ago."

Clencing his fists, Haruto shook his head before taking a breath and letting it out. Then he pulled his father into a hug, "I'm sorry, Otou-San. I... I should be there and..."

Just returning the hug, the older wizard shook his head, "No, my son. You have your own responsibilities right now, though your Okaa-San might one day come by for a visit just the same depending on how things happen in the next little while." Pulling back, Hiashi clasped his son's shoulder, "I'm proud of you, because you are a true man."

Only nodding, Haruto didn't say anything else, but guided him to the table where he sat down at it. Reaching over, Mikage took the older man's hand in hers and smiled, "It is good to see you again, Hiashi-San."

With a chuckle, Hiashi smiled back at her, "And much the same with you as well, Mikage-San. It has been some years, though you are as beautiful as ever as are your Nee-Sans." At that, a light dusting of red could be seen on all three of the Kitsune's faces, though a moment later he continued, "Though I will admit, to go from an 'Onee-San' to my son to his girlfriends? Well..."

Needless to say, the blushes deepened at that and Haruhime looked away, "W-well, Haruto-Kun has grown up to be a fine man, and a good credit to you. The type of man that we... truly like and found we love him."

Rather than say anything, Hiashi simply chuckled again before turning to the two Inugami, "You must be Mie-San and Ichika-San, Haruto-Kun has told me much about you."

It was now the two Inugamis' turn to blush, though Ichika glanced at her boyfriend, "Hopefully good things."

Lightly laughing, the older wizard nodded, "Oh yes, very good things. Though his Okaa-San is looking forward to grandbabies with cute ears and fluffy tails. Hopefully not too soon, however." Once more, all the blushes deepened at that, even Haruto's. However, Hiashi's attention was grabbed as he felt a tug at his sleeve and turned to find Chikako looking at him with a thoughtful expression, "You must be Chikako-Chan... is something wrong?"

However, Chikako shook her head before frowning, "Um... no... But, you're Haruto-Nii-San's Otou-San, right?"

Slowly, Hiashi gave her a nod at that, "Hai, that is correct, he is my son."

Tilting her head, the Neko blinked before humming, "Um... does that mean that I can call you Ojii-San?"

Eyes widening, Hiashi stared at her for a second or two before laughing, "So honest!" Reaching over, he stroked her between the ears, "Yes, you may call me Ojii-San."

Head tilting from side to side, Chikako purred a bit, "Nya... nya... Nyaaaa~" Opening her eyes, she smiled brightly at him, "Okay, Ojii-San!"

Only shaking his head, the old wizard smiled, 'Aoi-Chan will love meeting and spoiling her.' Seeing the bemused expression on his son's face, he turned back to Haruto, "Now, I came by to check up on you, Haruto-Kun. Your Okaa-San is a bit worried after everything that has happened, but as I told her, you were very likely being taken care of by the others."

Smirking, Hachimitsu snickered a bit, "Despite how much he has problems with it."

Lightly chuckling, Hiashi gave her a smirk back, "I can imagine."

Pouring some tea into a cup, Mie handed it over to him, "Um, here you go, Hiashi-San. Hopefully it is good."

With a small nod, he took the tea and sipped it before raising his eyebrows, "It is quite good, thank you." Glancing at his son, Hiashi smirked, "Very good choice."

Ears burning a bit, Haruto internally sighed, 'Otou-San... please stop...' Wanting to change the subject, he cleared his throat, "Have you decided to join the Kyoto Diet, Otou-San? Because you are here..."

Not much to his surprise, however, Hiashi shook his head, "No, I am staying with Tokyo until the very end. Someone needs to turn off the boilers, turn out the lights, and lock the doors after all when it is over." At their nods, he hummed a bit as he took another sip of tea, "That said? I do have friends with Kyoto just the same, and I have heard of some things that they are doing."

Frowning, his son nodded, "Such as bringing in food today as well as livestock such as goats?"

Only humming, Hiashi smiled a little, "Hai, it has apparently been in the planning for some time now. One of the breeds, I have been told, is Nubian goats which produce a lot of milk. Hopefully, it makes your job a little easier... though I have been told that there's other things in the works as well, some of which involve you."

Rapidly blinking, Haruto pointed at himself, "Me? What could involve me?"

Eyebrow raised, the blue haired Kitsune nodded, "Hai, I am wondering myself, Hiashi-San." Furrowing her eyebrows, Mikage glanced at her boyfriend, "Nothing that I have heard about, anyways."

Hiashi shook his head though at that, "It is nothing concrete as of yet, but has to do with how the Statute will fall. One of the ideas is to have a number of No-Maj doctors, interns, and nurses come here to learn from you, Haruto-Kun, in regards to Yokai health. Because the island is isolated enough that no one should notice if they do." With a hum, he smiled a bit, "Which is why I brought a desk for your office up in the fort, a rather nice polished wooden one, and one of those very comfy No-Maj leather chairs."

Amused, Haruto snorted a bit and crossed his arms, "Like the one that you have in your office, Otou-San?"

Now grinning, the older wizard laughed a little, "Hai, like the one that I have in my office. I believe that Miyata Naomi-San has been giving it the eye recently after I told her that it is extremely comfortable, especially after a few enchantments." Shaking his head, he hummed, "I even allowed for her to sit in it and she seemed quite surprised. Walked off muttering something about her Otou-San as a matter of fact..." Then, Hiashi shrugged a little, "Say what you will about the No-Maj, their furniture for the office can be extremely comfortable."

Both father and son shared a look before laughing at that as it was one of the thing that got the older of the two mutters from the various others due to not using 'Proper Wizard Furniture' in his office.

Laughter dying away a little, Hiashi sighed and shook his head, "Leaving that aside, for now, I have also been told that, perhaps, some of those No-Maj surveyors will be arriving in a few days to go over the island. Something about infrastructure improvements though I don't know what. I do know, however, that they will be bringing top soil to the island as well as some sort of fast growing grass to anchor it. Other than that..."

He just shrugged and Haruto considered what he had been told, "That... does sound good. Not quite sure about the No-Maj doctors, mind you. And it is not because they might not be good, but that they might not listen to me due to my age, Otou-San. Still... I will try to help out as I can."

With a hum, Hiashi smiled at him before they continued their conversation.

Eventually, however, he did get up to leave and walked out the door still chatting with Haruto. Coming to a stop, Hiashi looked out over the sea with a sigh before nodding and turning to his son, "Haruto-Kun? I left the furniture in your office to set up as you please... But do this old man a favor? Don't make him worry too much."

Softly smiling, Haruto gave him a hug, "I'll try my best."

For a few moments, Hiashi returned it before sighing and pulling back. He did glance to the hut though, but knew that the various shipgirls were talking inside before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Part of him was amused that Haruto glanced at the hut in a little panic before turning back to him and he lowered his voice, "As you asked, I brought them for you. Are you sure about this?"

Taking a deep breath, Haruto let it out with a sigh, "Hai, I am, Otou-San. Now with Kyoto in charge, I don't need to worry so much. And I can do this freely."

A proud smile on his face, the older of the two handed him the box, which was stuffed into a pocket hurriedly, "I suppose so, and you have both mine and your Okaa-San's approval, though she does want to come and visit to meet them all first."

Bowing slightly, Haruto smiled, "I would not mind that at all, Otou-San. And neither would they."

Just clapping him on the shoulder, Hiashi said his goodbyes and was soon gone leaving Haruto there. Taking a deep breath, he could feel the weight in his pocket before nodding and turning back to the hut. After all, he had a bit of planning to do...

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A.N.-Just to point the chronology out, this is some backfill that takes place just before The Kingsport Raid. Sequel to A Pint At The Three Broomsticks

A Plot At The Three Broomsticks

The Three Broomsticks, Hogsmeade

July 11th 2014

Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot! - English Folk Song
Spoiler: The Three Broomsticks

The Floo Portal flamed green and Delilah stepped out. She brushed soot from the shoulders of her Auror's robes and surveyed the room. Her lips quirked as she saw Madame Rosmerta approaching.

"Hello Miss, I am Auror Delilah de Breuil, I believe that I am expected for a private party?" The chestnut haired Muramasa revolver spoke with a smug smile.

"Oh yes, Ms. De Breuil. Professor Sprout and Professor McGonagall are waiting for you." The barmaid replied happily.

Delilah's smile grew broader and warmer, "They are, are they? Well I shouldn't keep them waiting. As for my drink, Bearsark Brown Ale if you have it on tap."

She stepped through the door to the private room and her face lit up with a smile at the two elderly witches present. "Sergeant Pomona Sprout, Corporal Minerva McGonagall, as I live and breathe! You're looking well."

"Major!" The pair of Hogwarts Professors turned from their conversation and stood from their chairs to hug Delilah.

Delilah returned the hugs happily. "Sergeant Augusta Longbottom's letter inviting me to this party said that she was coming too. Is there a problem?"

Pomona shook her head. "No problem. She's dealing with the Ministry, and probably had a meeting run late on her. So, Major, you haven't changed a bit since V-E Day."

Delilah chuckled and took a seat in the offered chair. "Actually it's Colonel de Breuil these days for the MACUSA Corps of Aurors. That said, to my old comrades in arms, my name is Delilah. You know my skill in getting into the deep end of the shit. As for my looks, well back before The War, I had a little accident with temporal magic that froze me as I am." The well-rehearsed lie about her true nature fell smoothly off her lips with only the normal minor pang of regret that she could not tell the truth to old comrades from World War Two. "So I heard something about professors from the barmaid?"

Minerva McGonagall nodded as she picked up her pint glass of stout. "Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts and Transfigurations Professor, Maj-- Delilah."

Pomona chimed in. "And I'm teaching Herbology as well as head of Hufflepuff House, Delilah."

Delilah nodded as behind her smile her brain worked in overdrive. "Well done and well deserved for both of you. I contacted Captain du Chasteler, but she couldn't make it because of pending legal difficulties."

"Legal difficulties?" Pomona spoke curiously.

Delilah nodded, and pulled out a clipping from the New York Ghost describing the ICW's clearing Colombe. "She is the notorious rogue, scapegrace and blackguard --- in the eyes of the ICW --- Colombe du Chasteler. I first ran across her in 1927 when she fought off a Scourer attack in Louisville."

Minerva whistled as she read the clipping's list of Colombe's colorful career. "That explains why the crazy Frenchie carried around that pigsticker of her. Spirit of that rapier, who knew?"

Pomona then read it and her eyebrows raised. "Also explains why she was so damn good in a scrap if she had that kind of experience." The tubby witch gave an awed whistle at the list of charges dismissed. "Definite trouble magnet."

Delilah barked a laugh as her own pint of stout appeared. "You have no idea. None whatsoever. Never arrested her, but got involved in trying to contain a fair few of her messes after The War as an Auror. Although generally it was not her fault and she just kicked over a rock to expose some seriously filthy laundry that the powers that were wanted to throw her in the same pit as the coverup."

Delilah then leaned forward and rested her hands on her knees. "You two saw the photo of our team going into Verdun, right?" Grimaces and nods answered her. "Right. I owe Colombe a favor for dragging me in on that before that blew all the way up so we could prevent it from eating the Statute of Secrecy and France to boot. Her daughter Ehren, the blond girl I was talking to, is going to need schooling in magic. She has the Talent, as you might guess considering her mother."

Minerva frowned, "Wait, Captain du Chasteler had a child!?"

Delilah sighed. "It is a bit complicated. Turns out that entities like the tea set who married that Japanese battleship can have children. Normal baby delivered after nine months, but they come with the item that they are the spirit of, like Colombe's rapier manifesting at birth. Ehren's the spirit of a dagger," Delilah's lips twisted, "specifically a SS-Ehrendolch," Delilah raised a hand as she continued, "and she hates the Nazis more than I do. Which is saying something. She views her birth and origin as something to atone for even though she is innocent of their crimes."

Nods and grimaces answered her words as Deliah rubbed her temples. "Anyway, she's going to need schooling for the Talent soon. Beauxbatons is out because her mother blew up her bridges spectacularly back when she was a student and the ghost of at least one headmistress would want Ehren's head for what Colombe did in 1724. I'm an Ilvermorny alumna, but MACUSA would go apeshit if they found out she was nonhuman. Durmstrang is... no and hell no the way they favor the Dark Arts, Ehren would explode there. That leaves Hogwarts. I was wondering if there is any way I can get her invited for schooling as a First Year. I owe her and Colombe a fair amount and will be paying the out of country tuition out of my own pocket, of course."

The two witches looked at each other and finally Minerva nodded. "You have her address?"

Delilah breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll give it to you both along with my address, and arrange for the needed shopping trip for school supplies. Ehren's a good girl, bit over-serious, straight-laced, a workaholic, and very very Prussian, but her heart is in the right place. She... also can masquerade as human and has gotten some home tutoring in magic from her mother and a few others, including myself. Plus, well she came through Verdun, so she's got the talent and just needs the experience." Delilah shook her head with a small smile, "Just be warned, she won't go looking for trouble or injustice generally, but she won't walk the other way either. She has very definite ideas about her morals and doing the right thing no matter what, like her mother."

Pomona grinned and then extended her hand to Minerva. "Two Galleons says that she is Sorted to Hufflepuff."

Minerva shook hands with a matching grin. "I'll see your two and say Gryffindor."

Delilah laughed as the door opened to allow Augusta Longbottom to enter. "Don't look at me, I was Sorted into Thunderbird. Hello, Sergeant Longbottom. Good to see you. Just to let you know as my mother may have told you, I'm Delilah to my friends."

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

So, for those who didn't remember who Dana is (which is probably most of you, if I'm being honest), towards the beginning of this thread Ku-Tan (the Black Princess) created an Abyssal designed without the ability for combat, which remembered a girl of maybe six-to-eight years old. That is Dana. And now.
-----

"Ruri?" The battleship in question looked down in surprise at her younger sister. The island's single Da-class reached up and tugged on her hands agitatedly. "Do you know where Nemo is? I can't find her anywhere?"

Ruri knelt down, humming thoughtfully. The Twin Princesses' territory wasn't especially large, so there weren't many places that she could be. That was unless she was on the mainland with Takumi, but Ruri hadn't heard anything about that. Then again, it's not like people told her everything.

"You know," she said, "I can't say I'm sure. Maybe someone else knows?"

"Renata!" Dana chirped.

"Why her?"

"Just 'cause!"

Ruri smiled and ruffled Dana's hair. "If you say so," she chuckled. Dana squawked indignantly and tried to smooth her hair out.

It occurred to Ruri a minute later that Renata might be on the mainland as well. "So, Dana, why were you looking for Nemo in the first place?"

"I wanted her to read to me," her little sister explained, swinging the hand that she held back and forth.

"You know, Nemo's not the only one who can read you," Ruri pointed out.

"Yeah, but Nemo's the only one with any books," Dana pointed out, "and she gets really grumpy if you touch them." That, Ruri reflected, could sometimes be true.

"Well," she said mischievously, "she doesn't have to know that we touched them." Dana's aghast look left her stumbling back cackling.

"Hey girls!" Riri suddenly said, and Ruri turned to notice the cruiser had drifted up behind the two of them, "what's going on here?"

"We were looking for Renata," Dana said, the last minutes scandal almost immediately forgotten.

"I think she's sleeping on the tanker somewhere, why?" Riri asked, scanning the water absentmindedly. Ruri noticed her 'looking for pufferfish' face, and waved to get her attention, giving her a sharp negative shake of the head when the cruiser looked up at her. Riri pouted, and Ruri gave her the "this-is-how-unimpressed-I-am" stare.

Dana didn't notice a thing. "We need to ask her where Nemo is," she explained.

"Makes sense," Riri nodded. "But you know what? There's another thing you could do."

"What?"

"Ask me where Nemo is."

Dana's eyes bulged. "You know?" she whispered reverently.

"Sure do," Riri crouched solemnly beside her younger sister.

For a moment, they stood (or crouched) there like that, looking at each other.

"Weeelll?" Dana demanded, and Ruri turned her head aside so that she wouldn't be able to see her holding a giggle back.

"Well what?" Riri replied in a mystified tone of voice.

"Where's Nemo?"

"Oh, is that what you wanted? You should have just asked me."

"I diiiiiid!"

Riri gave her a suspicious look. "Is that so?" Before Dana could open her mouth again, she patted her on the head. "Nemo's on the mainland," she explained. "You know, with Takumi."

"So that is it," Ruri nodded, satisfied (and, if she was honest, slightly relieved) to have her suspicions confirmed. "No one said anything to me about it, so I wasn't sure."

Dana looked back and forth between the two. "Who's Takumi?" she asked.

"Uh, Takumi is Nemo's boyfriend," Ruri explained. "We told you about him before, didn't we?"

"Yeah, but I forgot," Dana replied matter-of-factly. "What's a boyfriend?"

Ruri and Riri shared a look.
-----

Dana was left uncertain as to the exact mechanics of "boyfriends" and "love" and the other words that Ruri had hit Riri on the head for saying in front of her. She was, after all, only a young child, who had no experience with anyone outside of her immediate family.

There was only one thing that she was sure of.

This "Takumi" person, whoever she (no, wait, Ruri had insisted that Takumi was a "he") was, was the reason that Nemo was not at the island reading to her.

Takumi the boyfriend was some kind of big-sister-thief, and that could not stand.
-----

Next scheduled snippet--we return to the Select--or rather... to the Stabbies. Who are ready to stab.

... sounded better in my head.

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (X)

13 July 2014

Azabu Tansumachi Tenryoan, Roppongi Grand Plaza Second Floor, Tokyo
Spoiler: Dinner With Aunt Kago

Colombe sipped the whiskey that she had ordered with her Kobe Beef Filet Mignon. "This is a fine blend indeed. I shall have to see about purchasing several bottles for Delilah, Lucius, and Duke to enjoy."

Across from her Kagotsuruhe nodded with a neutral expression. "Speaking of, how are Delilah and Jacklyn?"

Colombe snorted and leaned back in her chair slightly. "In a word, busy in the case of Del. According to her last letter she is acting like a one-armed paper-hanger while keeping MACUSA from melting down. They have finally realized that the Statute is on its last legs and are starting to panic. Jackie is... Jackie. She took Father on a sea cruise, which got somewhat interrupted by the crisis at Verdun."

The Sword of Hopelessness cocked her head at the well-concealed spike of remembered terror from Colombe, Ehren, and Tokunotakai. That was expected from Norimune's account plus what she had read in the magical papers. The even more well concealed spike of sad determination and pain from Claire was unexpected, though. "Norimune mentioned the sea cruise and her new tan when she came back to Japan. She had several good things to say about Jacklyn too... and you two."

Colombe blinked. "She did?" The rapier spoke in a shocked tone as beside her Toku cocked her head curiously.

Kago chuckled sardonically. "Oh yes. Decent in a fight and not as much a bitch as I had thought, which for Norimune is praise."

I... see." Colombe snorted. "I'll give her that she's no coward and honorable enough in her own way. I'll even admit that she did not intend to willingly abandon Mother and I, but...."

Toku murmured, "Old wounds have not healed fully."

"Oui. Exactly." Colombe finished before taking a bite of her steak. "Thank you for recommending this restaurant, Aunt Kago."

Kago chuckled hollowly, "At least your visit tonight has been less memorable than Delilah, Jacklyn, and Ying's visit to here."

"Großtante Kago, was ist mit Ihnen passiert?" Ehren asked as she looked across the table at her great-aunt.

"Apparently a Yakuza hit squad tried to kill them and had to be fought off. The restaurant was severely damaged in the fighting and had to be closed for repairs briefly." Kago explained with schadenfreude in her posture.

Toku winced and pinched her nose. "Fudo-nee was part of that, was she not?"

A nod answered her.

"I shall have to apologize to Fudo-nee then, since the fight she got into that I chided her about was not her fault. For a refreshing change." Toku said with a sigh.

"You see why I like her; don't you Aunt Kago?" Colombe interjected with a smug smirk.

Another nod answered her as Kago replied. "It is a refreshing change of pace from the norm, yes."

At the far end of the table Claire hummed a happy little melody as she perused the dessert menu. "Mother, they have chocolate cheesecake! Can Ehren and I get some pleeease?"

Colombe visibly crumbled under the onslaught of Pleading Daughter Eyes (mahogany-brown Piano and steel-blue Dagger variety). "I suppose... If you two eat all your dinners."

She then studiously ignored the victory celebration from the Junior Du Chasteler end of the table.
-----------------------

Outside as they walked to the nearby train station through the neon lights of Roppongi after sunset, Colombe smiled. "This is certainly quite a scene, is it not?"

Toku nodded. "I was unaware that it was so... energetic. Although If I were to go to a club, I would prefer the local jazz club near the Hachimangu."

Colombe gave her lover a smile, "We can certainly do that while I am here, To-chan. It has been a while since the 1920s, but I remember a few things." She then looked back. "Girls, did you see anything interesting?"

Claire smiled, "I would like to go to Toku's club and listen to the band, especially if it is live, Mother. How about you, Ehren?"

The dagger pouted slightly and then nodded finally. "I suppose I can go along with you both. Even if it is Unkulturelle Musik."

Colombe chuckled, "My daughter the musical Puritan. If you would prefer to not go and instead sit and read, I shall not hold it against you."

Ehren blushed, then looked at Claire. "I'll go, Mutti."
-----------------------

Jazz no Izumi Nightclub, Kamakura

Now changed from her yukata into an Art Deco 1923 dark green dress, Colombe walked out of the hotel. She looked over at her girls, now dressed in the black and white dresses that they had met the Malfoys in, and grinned happily. "So, ladies, ready to paint the town red?"
Spoiler: Colombe's Dress

Claire smiled shyly, "I hope that they have a good band."

Beside her, Ehren looked curiously at her mother's dress. "Where did you get that, Mutti?"

Colombe shrugged. "New York, 1923 or so I recall. To-chan mentioned wanting to take in some Jazz so I packed it just in case that developed."

A voice from behind her sounded. "Berries! Aren't you a choice bit of Calico, Co-chan?"

Colombe turned and stared in shock at the Japanese flapper in a dark red dress. Toku gave her a serene smile, twirled. "I've been going there for decades. Now, let's cut a rug, Co-chan!"
Spoiler: Toku The Flapper


"Where'd you get that, To-chan?" Colombe asked as Toku grabbed her arm and began to walk her down the street from their hotel. behind them, Colombe's daughters followed with smirks of amusement on their faces.

"Oh, this old thing? I've had it since 1926. Captain Uehara sent me it for my birthday along with my first Lady Chastity novel, Co-chan. He was the Assistant Naval Attache in London then."

"I... see," the stunned rapier replied, "I never thought of you as the type."

"Most people don't," Toku said as her smile faded slightly, "I keep my private life private, but I want you and your family to know about this side of me too. As for the rest, who would expect a Miko and a National Treasure of Japan to dance the night away a few times a month in a jazz club?"

With that she nodded to the doorman who bowed them through.
Spoiler: Jazz No Izumi Nightclub

Claire nodded happily and tapped her heels to the beat as Ehren cracked a small smile.

Colombe got a smug smile as they claimed a table near the dance floor. "Well, To-chan, let's show these youngsters of mine what the Roaring Twenties were REALLY like."

Toku matched her smile as they headed out to the dance floor as the live band started up Louis Prima's Sing, Sing, Sing. "Hai, Co-chan!"

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Island in sight, Jintsuu and the others tightened their formation around their convoy to the Reserve. Lips curling downward into a frown, the Light Cruiser narrowed her eyes a little even as Shimakaze shaded her eyes with one hand, "Ou! The island really is bare..."

Slowly, Jintsuu gave a small nod at that, "Hai, which makes sense as it is a coral island." A hum escaped her and she looked towards the Southeast where Kikaijima was, "I can see some coral terraces, so the island is likely rising as well."

Head cocked to the side, the Destroyer shrugged, "As fast as Kikaijima?" At the look of surprise, Shimakaze huffed a bit, "Read it in an old book and thought it cool because it's fast rising!"

Chuckling, Jintsuu shook her head, "Probably not that fast, and Kikaijima is only rising..." Pausing, she checked a few things on her phone before nodding with a bemused look on her face, "About two millimeters a year."

Just blinking, Shimakaze only gave a half motion of her shoulders before continuing to frown at the island, "Still bare." Glancing at the ships, her frown deepened, "Will there be enough food for the goats and stuff?"

Also looking at the ships, the Light Cruiser shook her head, "There should be for now at least until the top soil gets shipped in with fast growing grass seed and maybe sod." At the confused look, Jintsuu shook her head, "From what I have been told, some of Kyoto's wizards will be taking grass dug up in construction sites and bringing them to the island to take root. It will not be quick, but..."

Shimakaze only frowned at that before turning back to the island as they got closer to it and narrowing her eyes as more details became apparent. A grimace appeared as she got to see the town ahead of them with her voice dropping to a quiet whisper, "It looks like one of the refugee camps..."

Like the Destroyer next to her, Jintsuu had been there since close to the beginning of the war. She could remember the shanty towns built up by refugees fleeing devastated parts of the coastline including the Ryukyu Islands. With so many people, they had to be shunted somewhere and often they built homes out of whatever scrap they could find. Some shelter, no matter how bad or how much of a death trap it could be in case of a fire, was still shelter from the elements.

Part of the orange wearing shipgirl internally shuddered as she remembered one such camp where several thousand died in a fire that swept through. It reminded her far too much of the state Tokyo was in after the firestorms resulting from the Great Kanto Earthquake. Especially as she was one of the first responders... and one of those combing through the still smouldering wreckage for any survivors, finding families clutching each other in their deaths.

Shaking off those memories, Jintsuu took a deep breath and let it out, "Hai, it does resemble them, Shimakaze-Chan." Eyes trailing along the coastline of the small harbour that they were entering, which was more a large cove than anything, she grimaced, "But things should improve, and the surveyors will be arriving in the next few days to survey the island and see what they can do."

With a small nod, Shimakaze frowned, but did not comment on things.

Instead, the two shipgirls, as well as the others, simply watched as they pulled closer to the pier. Part of them noted the Cabin Cruiser that was tied up further in, but didn't say anything about it though Jintsuu did remember one part of the reports she had read before heading out. In particular that the Healer assigned to the Reserve had just such a boat, which made her nod. At least, it seemed, someone actually cared. Over the radio, she could hear through static the "Harbour Master" talking to the ships, 'Hmm... they must be using old walkie talkies for that...'

She trailed off and blinked though as she noticed three Oni pulling along a contraption along with a Jorogumo. It looked like someone had taken the axle bed from an old military truck, added a wooden platform, and then placed a boom style crane on one end using a tree trunk stripped of bark. Beside her, Chachi blinked as she looked at it with a small smile, "That's so cool!"

Only blinking, Jintsuu nodded some, "It is, I suppose." Slowing, she waited as the first boat pulled up to the pier and cut its engines and the crew threw ropes to the Oni above. Said Yokai caught the ropes, quickly wrapping them around their arms before digging in their feet and pulling the boat to a halt with pure muscle, which made all the shipgirls raise their eyebrows in surprise. Continuing to watch as the Oni reeled in the boat before tying it off, she gave a small nod, "That... is impressive."

Humming, Shimakaze grinned, "Ou!"

Just a few minutes later, they watched as the Jorogumo on top of the makeshift crane grabbed the steel handles that went into the wood and shifted the entire log around until it was above the stern of the boat, lowering it down. After they placed bags of rice onto the platform, the spider woman pushed the handles down to lift the cargo up and then moved the whole thing to the side before setting it down. Almost immediately, various Yokai began to offload the cargo onto carts that were to the side.

Inside her head, Jintsuu did a few calculations before nodding, 'Even with the leverage she has, that has to be about... two or three tons, yet she's barely even bothered.' Hearing her Captain comment after he shuddered, she pressed her lips thinly, 'Hai, with strength like that, no wonder they were feared fighters.' As they passed the boat for the floating dock, Jintsuu glanced at the rope and blinked as she realized why it looked thinner than she expected and raised an eyebrow at the Jorogumo, 'Spider silk... of course.'

Moments later, the shipgirls stepped onto the floating dock as they dismissed their rigging. Hearing a chuckle, they looked up to find a child-sized being looking down at them with a slight smirk. Across most of the visible body were overlapping scales and on the knees, which were drawn up and actually were above his head as he crouched, were what looked like tiger paws, "Good day, I'm Asuma, the Harbour Master."

Bowing a little, Jintsuu smiled, "I am the Light Cruiser, Jintsuu. Accompanying me are the Destroyers Shimakaze and her sister..." She introduced the rest of her floatila, who all bowed as well, before giving the Suiko a smile, "Would it be possible to speak with whoever is in charge here?"

Eyebrow raised, Asuma shrugged a little and jerked his thumb towards the distant fort, "The Aurors from Kyoto and such are over there. Bit of a walk, mind, but not that long of one."

However, just a few seconds later he blinked as Shimakaze frowned at him, "We're not talking about them! We're talking about those really in charge, Ou!"

After a few blinks, he grinned and showed sharp teeth in his mouth though it was somehow friendly, "Well now, isn't this a surprise?" He gestured to a nearby Kappa, who rushed off, "We'll get everyone together for this, but they'll likely be meeting in the clinic as it has the most room. If you'll follow me?"

Just nodding, Jintsuu began walking along with the others though she noted that there were various Yokai looking at her with guarded expressions. Something that, she had to admit, hurt. Even worse were the children giving them scared, suspicious looks. It took everything for her not to clench her hand into fists tight enough that one would have likely heard steel under strain. Instead, she used every bit of self-control and kept an eye on the others.

The younger looking shipgirls didn't seem to notice, but the Light Cruiser could tell that the two Destroyers did. She could also tell it angered them as well, not at the Yokai, but why said beings were acting this way. Meeting their eyes, Jintsuu gave Shimakaze and her sister a slight nod, the two shipgirls nodding back. It did not take them long to reach the clinic thankfully and they observed the slightly rough built place before nodding. Obviously, those who built it had done so with every intent to making as nice a place as possible.

Upon entering, however, they froze at the sight of Haruto, who was looking over some lists, and Chikako... and mainly at the sight of the Nekomata shipgirl who had also frozen. Meanwhile, not noticing the reactions, Asuma frowned, "Haruto-Sama! What are you doing here!?" When the Healer turned to him, the Suiko frowned, "You should still be resting!"

Lightly laughing, Haruto rubbed the back of his neck, "Well... I had to do something. And I convinced the others to let me go and do some inventory, as long as I don't actually do anything strainulous. Something that Chikako-Chan is here to stop... Chikako-Chan?" Realizing that the little Neko was quiet, he turned to her to find that Chikako was staring at Jintsuu, "Is... something wrong?"

Swallowing, Chikako looked at him, "Haruto-Nii-San? They're shipgirls..."

Eyes widening, the Healer turned to the visiting shipgirls. Slowly, Jintsuu bowed a little to him, "Hai, I am the Light Cruiser Jintsuu of the Sendai-Class." Pausing for a second or two, she continued, "Before you ask, I can see that she too, is a shipgirl." Quickly, she added the next bit at seeing the Suiko stiffen, "But we already knew about Yokai being shipgirls."

That took a slight bit of tension out of the room, but Haruto looked at her with a frown, "You do know?"

A small smile on her face, Jintsuu hummed, "That is correct, yes. In fact, we have several secretly training in Yokosuka at the moment while keeping them out of view to prevent... issues with certain groups which could cause problems if that knowledge became known to them."

Everyone relaxed a slight bit more at that before Asuma grinned a bit, "Good to know."

Just sitting in a chair, the Healer gestured for the others, "Take a seat then, the others shouldn't be too long."

Before anyone could say anything though, Chikako took a deep breath and bowed, "I-I'm Chikako, also the Repair Ship Masamune, the nameship of the Masamune-class Repair Ships, nya."

Only grinning, Shimakaze nodded at her, "Great to meet you, Chikako-San! I'm Shimakaze, the fastest Destroyer and the name ship of my class!"

If anything, that seemed to take yet more tension from the room and soon they began chatting a little, if avoiding the elephant in the room.

Roughly a half hour later, everyone was gathered in the Clinic. Some of the Yokai were still... unsure, to say the least about their secret being known, but there was nothing for it. Hachimitsu, Haruhime, Mikage, Mie, and Ichika had rushed there and were silently watching the other shipgirls, who simply nodded at each one of them as they entered while introducing themselves. Sitting in a chair, Iwao gave them all curious looks, though still slightly on edge, "You wish to see us?"

With a nod to the other shipgirls that had come with her, Jintsuu bowed a little, "Hai, that is correct. I was given the order to speak with you away from the others that came from Kyoto. Firstly, to give apologies on behalf of the JMSDF that we were not there to protect you over the course of the war. Whether we knew of your existence or not, we feel that is still no excuse."

Just rapidly blinking, Ayane glanced at the other stunned Yokai as well as Haruto before clearing her throat, "W-well... thank you?"

Simply nodding, Jintsuu reached into her pocket and pulled out several boxes, "We have also brought some gifts for you as well that should help you out on the island." Opening the first, she nodded towards Asuma and Iwao before pulling out a large device with what looked like a phone headpiece on top, "This is a Marine VHF radio, one of the higher strength ones which means that you'll be able to contact any shipgirl patrol as needed. We'll also be giving you solar panels as well as batteries and a generator for it." She then reached into another box and pulled out a case that she snapped open and turned towards the Headman, "This is a satellite phone, which also comes with a solar panel for charging. That way, if there is an attack or such by Abyssals, you can contact us on the mainland and we'll come running as fast as we can while also sending forces from Okinawa."

Eyebrows raising, the Headman looked at her before taking the satellite phone out, "This... must have cost quite a bit."

When he looked at Jintsuu, however, the Light Cruiser smiled a little, "We look at it as making sure that all of you are as safe as can be. Better to have it and never need it, than not to have it when you do. Besides which, we're not taking any chances. They are also easily hidden if you need to do so."

Gently, Asuma took the box and glanced at Iwao and the others who nodded. The Suiko gave her a small smile, "Thank you for that, Jintsuu-San. This takes quite a bit of worry from our shoulders."

The Light Cruiser only smiled back, "That's why we're giving them. It is our job to protect our nation and all the people that reside there." Understanding what she meant, they all smiled and gave her nods before she took a box from Shimakaze and opened it to reveal a number of walkie talkies, "These are also Marine VHF radios, though less powerful. They'll still send out a single far enough that one of the listening stations should catch it." Another box was opened to reveal other walkie talkie like objects, "These are actually military grade handheld radios. Since the military has been upgrading, there's a large number and we've been shifting them out to communities such as yours so that they can have a communications network available."

Taking one, Asuma glanced at Haruto and gave a nod, "Haruto-Sama? You should take one just in case we need to contact you for a medical emergency elsewhere on the island."

On Haruto's face was a thin smile, "Hai, that would be extremely useful."

For the next fifteen minutes, Jintsuu went through the various things that came with them, including the chargers and the like. She could tell, however, that the Yokai were stunned at what was being given to them and what it meant, something that saddened her. Yet, at the same time, Jintsuu was gladdened that they were finally being given the support that they did, desperately, need.

And, she could tell, they were glad as well.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (XI)

14 July 2014

Lantern Kamakura Hotel, Kamakura, Japan
Spoiler: The Butterknife Morning After

Colombe smiled smugly at Ehren and Claire as she handed bottles of green tea to her girls. "There you go, caffeine doses for the lazy slug-a-beds."

Claire yawned as she took hers and popped the top. "Thank you Mother." She covered her mouth as she yawned again then continued, "how did you wake up so early?"

Beside her sister, Ehren gave a surly glare in the direction of the mid-morning sun before she grimly drank her morning wake-up beverage.

Colombe grinned smugly, "Mother's little secret. An ancient and noble technique developed over three centuries of late nights and early mornings. Did you enjoy the jazz club?"

Claire nodded happily as she smiled. "Oh yes, it had such energy and life. Even if I had trouble trying to foxtrot." Hr smile faded, "I'm just not a good dancer since I'm so heavy on my feet."

Colombe gave her daughter a gentle smile and ruffled her brunette hair, "it is OK, dear. You have trouble dancing just like Kasuyu has trouble playing piano and I cannot sing that well. You had fun and that's what matters. Or you could be like Ehren and have trouble with mornings before coffee..." She finished with a teasing smirk at the Prussian Zombie as Claire giggled.

"Mutti!!" Ehren wailed as she shot a look of betrayal at her mother.

Colombe then gave Ehren a hair ruffle. "There there, just a little teasing of my youngest. You enjoyed yourself a bit once you unbent enough to dance, ja?"

Ehren blushed visibly as she finished her tea. "I did a little. It was certainly energetic." The sound of Colombe's phone ringing interrupted what she was going to say next.

Colombe grabbed her phone. "Allô!"

Tsukiakari responded, "Hello Colombe. Master Harry and I are back in Yokosuka, and would like to meet you now if you are free."

Colombe's smile lit her face up. "Most certainly, where and when do you wish to meet myself and the girls? I can call Toku to come along too."
-----------------

In Harry's house, Tsukiakari leaned back in her chair with a smug smile on her face. "How about the statue of the Kaigun-Gensui in Mikasa Park in two hours? I will be there along with Juuchi, and some other friends of Harry. You are in Kamakura, yes?"

Colombe spoke. "Oh yes, but I have made transport arrangements to get us there. It will be myself, my daughters Claire and Ehren, and Tokunotakai. If you would be so kind as to make lunch reservations, it would be appreciated."

Tsukiakari chuckled, "I'll handle things. It will be good to see you again, and in less trying circumstances."

"Oui, certainement! I shall start the ball rolling here and see you in two hours. Adieu." Colombe said before ending the call.

Tsukiakari looked over to see a giggling Kensho with wet hair flee the bathroom with a grinning Harry in hot pursuit with a towel to dry her off. The kyo gunto shook her head fondly. We shall need all two hours to get ready, it seems. She fingered the coupon for a new piano lounge that she had just gotten in the mail and hummed thoughtfully.

With that she punched in a number on her phone. "Hello, Catherine! Can you make it to Mikasa Park in two hours? The young lady you wished to meet will be there with her family."

"Merci, Tsukiakari."
-----------------

Meanwhile in Kamakura, Colombe smiled and looked at her daughters as they entered her room at the hotel. "You should make yourselves presentable to meet Msr. Potter. He is someone we need to put our best foot forward for, after all."

Ehren frowned slightly at the tone in her mother's voice. "Mutti, are you trying to match-make us?"

Colombe bit her lip and spoke thoughtfully. "In a sense, I suppose. That would be one way to have the debt I owe Ian and Lyra redeemed, by having my blood bind to their family line. However, that is only if there is attraction and affection between you and him. I shall never have either of you act as a pawn or a token in a loveless marriage. Papa gave my sisters the private right to approve of the choices that he arranged for them and insured that not only high birth and breeding, but also quality of character was paramount in their spouses. I can do nothing less than he did for my daughters."

Ehren then stood up and hugged her mother. "Thank you, Mutti. It is greatly appreciated."

Claire chimed in, "Yes, thank you Mother."

Colombe hugged back. "Now I shall just notify Toku-chan of our plans. Expecto Patronem!" She waved her hand and a white dove formed from thin air in front of her. "Notify To-chan that we shall be meeting Harry Potter and friends in two hours at Mikasa Park in Yokosuka for lunch after we meet him and his family. I plan to depart in half of an hour in the rental car that I arranged and would appreciate her advice as to how to get there."

The dove flew out the window and headed to the Hachimangu as Colombe turned to her wardrobe.
-----------------

Mikasa Park, Yokosuka, Japan
Spoiler: A Friendship Carried Forward

Colombe parked the rental van and looked over her shoulder at the girls in the back seat. "Yes, we are there now. I told you that I was not lost and would get us there."

Ehren's lips twitched as she unbuckled herself. "Just by taking the 'scenic route' through Yokohama, Mutti. Just as intended, ja?" The dagger's tone was deadly dry. "I have already texted Tsukiakari that we have finally made it to the park."

Claire laughed musically and Toku giggled as Colombe pouted. "Not my fault that the signs were confusing!"

"There there, Co-chan," Tokunotakai said as she opened the passenger-side door, "better late then never and I would have done equally poorly if I were to drive around Belgium for the first time."

Colombe subsided and hopped out, and began to walk toward the looming bulk of the most famous pre-Dreadnought battleship in existence. "Now where...AHA!" She pointed to the bronze statue of Admiral Togo Heihachiro. "There they are!"
Spoiler: Harry's Escorts

At the base Colombe could see a messy haired young man speaking to a smiling silver haired girl a few years older with her hair covered by a sailor hat and dressed in a nice black and dark blue dress. On the other side was a short haired brunette Japanese girl in a white and green dress with a happy smile on her face as she held Harry's hand. Her aunt Juuchi was leaning against the statue's plinth with a smug smirk, while a plainly dressed European woman with hair of bright gold smiled gently as she spoke with a young child with messy silver-gray hair who was pointing to the Mikasa. Finally Tsukiakari was returning to the group with her arms full of cones of shaved ice.

Colombe stepped forward and curtsied in greeting. Her hands found the sides of her dark green belle epoque silk dress from 1894 automatically as she had been trained in her long-distant youth. Her crystal blue eyes met Harry Potter's green eyes as she spoke with deep emotion. "Bonjour, Monseuir Harry Potter. I am Marchioness Colombe d'Aubigny du Chasteler-Muramasa, and a close friend of your great grandparents Ian and Lyra Potter whom I was greatly honored to know."

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

"Any luck yet?"

Pyrrhus forced down a sarcastic reply, doing his damnedest to hold his attention to the sealed window. "Don't distract him," the old man's voice came from behind them—it was creepy how he did that. "Whatever it is that Miss Diehl did to the window cannot have been simple."

"Grrrr!" Maculatum screeched from somewhere behind him. "I knew that she was a creep! Just wait, when I get my hands on her I'll… I'll… I'll use her bones for potions ingredients!"

"Quiet!" Pyrrhus snapped, and she subsided, still muttering horrible threats under her breath.

"I still say we should try blasting our way out again."

"Because that worked so well the last time we tried it."

Perez jogged into the room. "Any luck on this end? We're not getting anything over by the front door."

The group was silent, which Pyrrhus found an odd humor in. "No," he repeated.

Perez groaned, rubbing his eyelids. "Lovely. Does the discipline look African to you? I don't think that it's an original spell."

"Hell if I know. It's just too complicated to deal with," Pyrrhus grumbled.

"What about those talismans?"

Maculatum scowled. "I swear that one tried to eat me." Perez blinked in confusion. "It did! I swear it did!"

Pyrrhus ground his forehead against the door. "Look, could all of you just let me focus?"

A loud ting resounded down the halls and into the room. Perez hopped in place, alert, then frowned.

"Okay," Pyrrhus sighed, finally accepting that he wouldn't be able to get anything done until these idiots left him alone, "what was that?"

"That was half the signal that they'd gotten the door open," Perez replied. Pyrrhus rolled his eyes.

"Maybe they got bored and decided to mess with your head."

Perez shook his head. "No, they wouldn't. Not with something like this. Something has to be wrong."

The old man looked up, eyes glittering with a dangerous light. His wand was out and raised before Pyrrhus could even see him move.

He never got the chance to use it.

One moment, Pyrrhus was standing, head beginning to turn towards the door. The next, he was flat on his back, bleeding from a hand wound. Everyone was down on ground, injured or dazed. And there were girls. Girls everywhere. With swords. Maybe Pyrrhus got hit on the head or something? He cast about for his wand—there, just a few centimeters from his hand, if he could just reach—

Then his arm was crushed against the floor by one girl's foot. He looked up at her, a short thing with glasses and sky-blue hair. She knelt beside him, foot still holding his arm down, and held out a bloodied knife. The moment it broke his skin, pins and needles rushed down his spine with such intensity that he seized up.

"Hey, everyone! I think this is the guy!"

The girl let him up, distracted by the call. He grasped, fumbled for his wand, brought it up with a shaking grasp, waved it, and nothing! What was going on?

The girls were clustered around the place where the old man had fallen. The girl who had just cut his chest was… shuffling in among them?

"Yeah, looks like the description. Hey Junsui, you tag this guy yet?" There was the sound of blade slicing into flesh. "Okay, then. Someone go get Honjo, get her to check. And… Fudo fell out in the hall, right? Someone check on her, I think this guy got a spell off."
-----

Phoebe sat down across from DuBois, and folded her hands on top of the table. "Well," she said quietly, "Charles Roth was indeed sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife, Anna McKay."

Benio glanced away. Across the room, McKay had balled herself up in a corner. Reiko was sitting next to her, just in case anything happened. The jorogumo caught Benio's eyes and gave her a quick nod.

"Got anything else?" Tatsuya asked, leaning forward.

"Interestingly enough," Phoebe nodded. "Apparently, the original examination of the body concluded that her injuries had been caused by a wild animal of some kind. A new coroner was called in later in the trial, and determined that the murder weapon was a kitchen knife." DuBois coughed, and she shrugged. "Odd mistake to make, but there were other, more subtle details—from the way the defense went about things, you'd almost think he was trying to prove Roth guilty. But the most fascinating thing…"

She leaned forward, pressing her fingers together in front of her mouth. Benio wasn't sure if she knew it or not, but she looked like she was copying the one famous character from the one famous anime.

"Well?" DuBois asked.

"One of the clerks, an older gentleman, recognized the name McKay as related to a civil case more than ten years before Anna was killed." Phoebe's eyes gleamed darkly. "I looked in to it. Turns out, Mrs. Olivia McKay was the defendant—The paternal aunt and uncle of Anna McKay sued for custody."

As the shipgirl continued talking, Benio sat back and enjoyed the gleeful sensation of being a character in a detective novel for a change.
-----

The blue-haired girl named Junsui was somehow suppressing his magic. That much the old man was certain of. She stood off to the side, holding the bloody tanto that was her true body away from herself—perhaps that was how it worked. As long as her blade had tasted your blood, she could prevent you from performing magic. Absolutely useless in many situations, but uniquely suited to dealing with wizards and mages… From this angle he couldn't see her maker's mark. Interesting.

That was the sole indulgence he allowed himself, being surrounded by blades as he was.

This was what Diehl has sealed the house for. Or maybe it was for the aurors who would be inevitably arriving. And with the young yokai (he's seen it's kind before, the distinction was easy to make) contributing some kind of teleportation block… this was going to be difficult to get out of.

"Fudo okay yet?"

"At… but… the… where…"

"Well, she's finally moved on from adjectives," someone noted brightly. "That's… probably a good sign?"

The blade who asked the question groaned.

More footsteps. Sharp, quick ones. Several of the blades surrounding him pulled away…

… revealing a familiar face.

"Yeah," the voice set a dull ache in his shoulder. "That's him alright." A hand reached down, seizing him by the collar and pulling him upright. "Let's get out of here."

The old man banished the thought that he would not be getting out of this one. He just needed to be clever.
-----

Spoilers: He wasn't clever enough.

Well, this is what happens when you try to write a snippet at two in the morning. If no one minds, I won't be going into the exact nature of our dear old bad guy's demise, since I don't think I could make a satisfactory one without going seriously ITG. This is the last we see of him, and just a little bit closer to finally closing this mess out. Next scheduled snippet, back to Haruka and Minato.

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

eagle109

Everyday Living with a Refugee Youkai: The Case of Satou Ryoutarou

*Footsteps sound as a camera followed a young and rather tall Japanese man down the hall of an apartment complex, his body language all but radiating nervousness that shook the tattered duffel bag hanging off of his shoulder. His clothes was mostly nondescript, an olive green jacket provided by the JGSDF over a red plaid button-down shirt and faded blue jeans with a few holes, the rolled sleeves of the jacket making him look even younger than his already boyish appearance. Pausing before a door, the young man closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, and then let it out slowly before unlocking it. Shoes shuffled as crew and tenant switched to indoor slippers, and then the camera switched to a short overview of the apartment - hall, bathroom, kitchen, and the main living space with some basic furniture. Curtains were pulled to the side to reveal the lights of Tokyo Tower, shining as ever in the night, a breeze brushing messy bangs as the sliding glass door and screen was opened. For several moments, the young man stared at the glittering metropolis with wondrous awe before heading back inside.*
Spoiler: The apartment

Off-screen female narrator and subtitles: Can you tell us your name, and a bit of your background?

Ryoutarou *off-screen*: M-my name is Satou Ryoutarou. I'm 20 years old, my mother Shinafuji was a j-jorougumo and my father Satou Yuuichi was a normal human. So... I guess that'd make me a jorougumo-hanyou. Or maybe a tsuchigumo-hanyou? No, jorougumo-hanyou, yeah. I used to live in one of the Reserves in Aomori Prefecture before the Statue's fall, but my actual hometown was Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture.
Spoiler: Satou Ryoutarou

Narrator and subtitles: How did your parents meet?

*Ryoutarou fiddled with the bathtub and shower knobs, sheer delight on his face at seeing actual running water and being able to change the temperatures on a whim. More than once steam covered the camera lens, much to the cameraman's mild amusement as a cloth was shown to wipe the lens several times. Chuckles can be heard softly from behind the camera. Another cut, this time of him putting away some toiletries and clothes into the drawers, and then browsing on his new laptop.*

Ryoutarou *off-screen*: My parents always said that it was love a first sight. Father had been leaving a late shift from the butcher shop he worked at when he spotted Mother lying unconscious in the alley next door. "She was thinner than a needle," he used to joke, as well noting that it was a miracle he even spotted her because of how hard it was raining. He took her back to his apartment and nursed her back to health over the course of a week. Mother had told him she had no place to live, other than being kicked out of her old home. That was technically true to a degree, as she had fled her mountain home after reaching maturity, namely because of the in-fighting between her siblings and her mother, who truly lived up to the old dark reputation of jorougumo.

*Cut to Ryoutarou reading the manual for the microwave, mouth silently moving as he fiddled with the buttons. Another cut to a bowl of udon spinning in the microwave, Ryoutarou watching with open interest, and then a shot of him slurping down the noodles loudly.*

Ryoutarou *off-screen*: Since she had no government documentation, Mother obviously couldn't get a steady job, so she lived on scraps from the restaurants and convenience stores, and what little change she got from recyclables. She always complained about how wasteful people tended to be with food, so we'd sometimes end up with rather interesting meals, like leftover beef stew over udon instead of rice. Somehow, she got along with a small vagrant community that lived under one of the flood channel bridges after leaving her mountain. They never cared what she was, if they ever knew, only that they were glad she was able to supplement their meals with the occasional fish she sometimes caught.

*Cut to the jorougumo-hanyou surrounded by textbooks, sheets of paper filled with what look like academic questions while a frustrated look crossed his face as he struggled with some of the questions. The next cut is of him steadily sewing a patch onto his duffel bag, narrating real time.*

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: Father found out about Mother's true nature by accident. She wanted to repay him back for his kindness, as well help ease his financial burden, so she took inspiration from the story about the crane returning the favor.

One of the producers asking off-screen: The one where the crane repays her savior - either her husband or the elderly couple - by weaving cloth with her feathers?

*Ryoutarou nodded, finishing up the stitches neatly before cutting the thread and returning his needle, proudly revealing the team logo of the Rakuten Eagles covering what was once a patched hole.*
Spoiler: Rakuten Eagles logo

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: *He proceeded to get started on another hole, this time with a piece of a black fabric scrap.* She basically cobbled together a loom and wove in the room Father gave her, and somehow figured out some natural dyes that worked with spider silk. There was a street market near his apartment that gathered every Sunday, so she was able to sell her silk cloth there. While her tie-dye patterns and designs were simple, Mother said that her customers couldn't deny the quality of her fabric and so she'd sell out often, which made her happy. The extra money supplemented some of their needs, especially as she's a carnivore, even with Father sneaking out the shop's leftovers home.

Producer *off-screen*: So how did your father find out your mother being a jorougumo?

*Cut to Ryoutarou watching a live game of the Eagles playing against the SoftBank Hawks, eyes glued to the screen and fist pumping when a base was taken by an Eagle, hissing and softly booing when the Hawks would score.*
Spoiler: SoftBank Hawks logo

Ryoutarou *off-screen*: Father came home early one day, and she was in her jorougumo form.

Producer *off-screen*: That had to had been uncomfortable for her, given the sizes of most apartments and how large mature jorougumo get.

Ryoutarou *off-screen*: *wryly chuckling* You have no idea. It was like something out of a contortionist's nightmare/dream from how she described it, where Mother would use her back legs to draw silk out of her spinneret while her front legs and hands worked the loom. Father accidentally walked in on her when he heard the loom clacking away, so lost in her work. She had finally figured out how to actually weave patterns with her dyed silk.

Producer *off-screen*: And then?

Ryoutarou *off-screen*: She was ready to bolt out the window, but Father simply smiled and said that dinner that night was going to be Yonezawa beef.

Producer *off-screen*: *impressed whistling* Wow.

Ryoutarou *off-screen*: Wow, indeed. A big name customer had put in an emergency large order that day, and because the boss was so happy at the bonus the customer gave, the boss allowed the employees a portion of Yonezawa ribeye as well let them leave a bit early with their own bonus.

Producer *off-screen*: So she stayed because of that?

Ryoutarou *off-screen*: No. She stayed because Father told her he didn't care if she was a jorougumo, only that she was one of the most kindest person he's ever met - Father had met with the vagrants she used to hang out with, and they sang praises of her helping them. Well, that, and apparently Father was a bit of a legs man.

Producer and crew: *Good-natured laughing in the background.*

Narrator and subtitles: How did your family wind up in one of the Reserves?

*Cut to live Ryoutarou, sitting at his table with a solemn look, hands fidgeting.*

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: Blood Week. *He bit his lips, face downcast.* We were just about to return home after spending time on the beach when the shells started falling. Mother and Father were trying to help other civilians back to safety, but when the Abyssals sent their land forces, she took on her spider form and set about trying to slow them down with her webbing. The most I could remember was the screaming of both civilians and the shells landing with explosions around us. Unfortunately...

Producer *off-screen*: ...she ran out of silk and exhaustion took over.

*A sharp nod, eyes wet, fingers tightening.*

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: Father had been shielding me from some of the shrapnel that got thrown about, but one explosion sent both of us flying, and while I had no medical knowledge back then, I knew that the blood coming from his mouth and the loud crack from his back wasn't good. Mother was barely able to reunite with us before Tokyo's Aurors caught us, once the shipgirls drove off the Abyssals. The group quickly Portkeyed us away, leaving Father behind. "He's going to die anyway, not worth the trouble of calling in no-maj medical attention," I can clearly remember from one of the Aurors...

*Wet eyes blinked, the young man staring off into the distance, lost in memories for a moment.*

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: I think... it was small mercies that the leader of that particular group said that it'd be faster on the paperwork if Mother and I were kept together after they took us. Probably because they were already stretched thin as it was due to Blood Week, maybe some bit of compassion from her on not wanting to separate parent from child, or maybe she just didn't care because we were simply "monsters" in her view. Who knows. Life in the Reserve I was in was... hard. Not as harsh as some of the other places, but it wasn't a life of luxury either. Mother did her best to keep the two of us going. We were lucky in that we had a good sized stream flowing through our Reserve, so she shared whatever fish she caught with everyone else. While the silk she produced was of lower quality, due to Mother not getting enough of her normal amount of protein, it was greatly appreciated by a lot of the adults when it came to clothes. I think both things was what most likely helped ease off much of the worries the other youkai parents had, because we were all surviving together - no point in holding grudges because of reputations. If I had to approximate it, it's probably similar to the conditions as described of Manzanar or Heart Mountain. Maybe.

Producer *off-screen*: You mean Houston-san's book and Takei-san's Broadway musical Allegiance.

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: *He nodded.* Correct.

*Cut to Ryoutarou awkwardly sitting in front of a loom due to his long legs, muttering on having to redo several rows, and "by Daikokuten-sama's name, how did Mother figure this out without going insane?" as he carefully drew silk from the spinneret on the inside of his left wrist before winding it on to a spool. The loom wasn't that large, but it still took up a good portion of the living space despite the other furniture having been pushed to the side, demonstrated by the cameramen getting rather creative on finding decent enough angles for their shots. The heaviness of the video equipment is apparent from the slight trembling of arms by those holding the cameras above their heads. The laptop is precariously perched as close to the desk's edge so he can watch weaving tutorial videos. Slowly, the length of white cloth began growing, centimeter by centimeter, his rhythm getting a bit more steadier.*

Producer *off-screen*: What did the children do?

Ryoutarou *off-screen*: When we weren't home schooled by our parents on our natural abilities and some basics, we were taught by the other adults on the upkeep. How to thatch the roofs properly so the rain wouldn't leak through. How to lash a door and walls together with rope so that they wouldn't fall apart under harsh winds if we didn't had nails. How to identify which plants were safe to eat, safe to use for medicinal purposes, or to avoid on sight. I think us kids in our Reserve got really lucky, come to think of it.

Producer *off-screen*: How so?

Ryoutarou *off-screen*: Iruka-jii-san, a mujina, somehow put together a basic radio and we were able to pick up local transmissions - he dabbled as a radio operator and had to enchant it so as to be able to get better reception through the wards, yet despite the static it worked pretty well. One of the slots was a teaching program, so us kids were still able to get our education, even if it was no-maj stuff. We were also able to pick up news broadcasts. It... kind of became a way for us to escape, to pretend that we were still living outside, if only for a bit. Like hearing about new shipgirls' appearances, the state of the rest of Japan, and other world events. The Aurors were none the wiser, as whenever they'd come around for inspections, Iruka-jii-san would disguise the radio as a family altar. He was that good.

Producer *off-screen*: But nothing of the magical world?

Ryoutarou *off-screen*: None of the adults wanted to risk using anything to catch any news from the magical world, and I vaguely remembered the wizarding wireless being vetoed - whatever spells Iruka-jii-san did on the no-maj radio was apparently pushing it a bit. What we knew of the magical world was from what the Aurors would often loudly complain whenever supplies came in or when they made their rounds, as well the tossed newspapers that got snitched from their trash pile before it got reused as kindling or something else. Even then, our parents told us to take everything what the Aurors said with a grain of salt.

*Cut to Ryoutarou carefully testing how well his walls would react to his climbing, ending with him looking down at the camera from the ceiling. Then, a cut to that of several slices of spam sizzling on a pan, Ryoutarou beating eggs in a bowl before drizzling it over the spam.*

Producer *off-screen*: So, is the radio how you became an Eagles fan?

Ryoutarou *off-screen*: I was already one before Blood Week, courtesy of Father. *A snort of laughter.* Although Mother went bongo for the Hanshin Tigers after she had escaped from her mountain, so you can imagine the arguments between them when it came to the playoffs.

*More background laughter, one crew member loudly declaring loyalty to the Orix Buffaloes.*

Producer *off-screen*: Did it get bad, in the Reserve?

*Cut to a solemn-faced Ryoutarou, red-brown eyes staring nowhere again before he blinked back to the present, mouth grimacing slightly.*

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: We... came seriously close to a major flu epidemic one year. If it wasn't for a sarugami who happened to have a medicine degree from Tohokudai, there would've been a lot more cases. The poor sarugami, Katsunaga-sensei, and Hisame-san, a yuki-onna who got her nursing degree from Hokudai, ran themselves ragged on making sure fevers were under control, as well making do with the medicine, medicinal herbs, and what-have-you to make sure we were properly hydrated and not severely sick. Never mind the volunteers also making sure we weren't spreading it any further. One of Katsunaga-sensei's brothers was able to grow oranges, so that and most of us children having had our vaccinations from before helped eased things somewhat, as well the face masks Mother wove for everyone. It was still rather touch and go at times. With no running water and the stream as our primary source... *He gestured at the kitchen's direction.* We always boiled it, because none of the adults wanted to risk any water-borne parasites or diseases, and we didn't want to push poor Hisame-san any more than necessary - the ice she created was strictly reserved for the summers or those of us with major fevers. By the time I left the Reserve, I could barely remember what a faucet even looked like, much less how it worked. The kids that were born in the Reserve... They had no idea of what indoor plumbing was. Us kids that were born outside, we tried our best, but it was like trying to describe an elephant to a blind person. The radio Iruka-jii-san had was about the most "modern day" tech in our Reserve.

*Cut to Ryoutarou, a woman in a suit, and a JSDF officer going over several piles of paperwork, questions asked and answered, the blank spaces gradually being filled out or marked with specific notations before being filed away in an expandable file folder. Most of the questions for this round was going into further detail of his neighbors in the Reserve, such as what their prior occupations were before Blood Week, and then what roles they took up after their internment.*

Producer *off-screen*: Where is your mother now?

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: *Tears glistening in his eyes, lips trembling.* Mother... Mother passed away a little more than three years ago in the Reserve. *He shakily jerked his head to the side, the camera panning to a small altar where a framed charcoal sketch of a beautiful yet melancholic-looking woman and small white urn sat behind an incense pot.* She had been helping the adults patching up the roofs with water-resistant webbing during a nasty storm and wouldn't stop even when it got worse. I remembered her coughing really badly for weeks on end afterwards. By the time one of our kitsune neighbors finally convinced her to go see Katsunaga-sensei when she started having breathing problems, it was already too late.

Producer *off-screen*: What happened?

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: Pneumonia. She was able to keep it away from me with her face mask, but it just got worst, because Katsunaga-sensei lacked the necessary medicines he needed to help Mother. What he had on hand and made at the time could only ease her symptoms, but Kaihou-san, a tanuki who handled our woodwork and used to run his own carpentry business, was also having respiratory difficulties as well. Out of some foolish hope, Kaihou-san's nephew - Josh, his mother was from Brazil - and I tried asking the Aurors if they could give us medicine to treat both Mother and Kaihou-san, and maybe for preventative measures.

Producer *off-screen*: ...you weren't "worth it."

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: *Mimicking a sneering face and tone.* "Why should we waste our good medicine on mongrels like you? You guys got through the flu perfectly fine. Don't spread your sickness to us." *A resigned sigh.* We both immediately left before they could do anything to us. Mother held out as long as she could, but without medicine...

Producer *off-screen*: I see. ...and your father?

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: *His head shook, scrubbing at his face.* I don't know, but I doubt he survived his injures, because his back looked really bad. And if he's buried somewhere... *A shuddering breath.* I hope I can find his grave plot to reunite them.

Producer *off-screen*: Well, I have two pieces of news for you, Satou-kun. *The sounds of paper crinkling can be heard.*

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: *A nervous look at the producer off-camera, not speaking.*

Producer *off-screen*: *A stapled pack of papers was slid across the table, bearing the image of a middle-aged man in the upper-left corner.* The first piece of news, we sadly must inform you, is that Satou Yuuichi passed away due to severe spinal and various internal injuries, from what the coroner was able to determine. According to one survivor in an interview with the JMSDF - they had been hidden by a piece of debris from the Aurors - Satou-san passed not soon after the Aurors took you and your mother away.

*Red-brown eyes closed in resignation, breathing turning a bit ragged, while his knuckles turned white from clutching so tightly.*

Ryoutarou *on-screen*: Then his pain wasn't long. I'm... glad. And the other piece?

Producer *off-screen*: *Another piece of paper is slid over.* We've located your father's family grave plot in Hiraizumi. Apparently, it's not far from where your old apartment originally was. We also were able to locate and obtain your father's personal effects so you'll be able to pick them up at your discretion. In regards to the old apartment, it's being held under the non-magical government's control at the moment, but it is within your right whether you want to keep it or release it.

*Eyes snapped open alongside a sharp intake of breath. Ryoutarou stared between the paper, bearing an address, and then at the off-screen producer several times, tears soon sliding down his cheeks. He finally buried his face into his hands, openly weeping. As the image fades to black, a hand from off-camera can be seen moving to gently pat the hanyou's shoulder.

Image fades from black to Ryoutarou now slowly walking on a stone path, dressed in black and urn in hand, passing by many tombstones, pausing every so often to read the etched names. Around and above, the wind shifted the bamboo forest that seemed to had taken him and the camera crew to another world, the gentle rustling from the leaves mingling with the chirping of birds overhead. A Buddhist monk in his black robes and brown kesa is seen waiting for Ryoutarou at one particular grave and the camera stops a fair distance away, giving Ryoutarou his privacy as he and the monk greet each other with bows.

The final transition is to the family altar, the photo now showing a brilliantly smiling Shinafuji in jorougumo form wrapping her arms around a happily grinning Yuuichi from behind, a freshly lit incense stick wafting a thin stream of smoke. From the balcony, a wind chime tinkles from a breeze while the sound of a loom clacks away before fading to black.*

=0=0=0=

A/N: Right, inspired by Lord K 's post of a more tear-jerking/poignant DLwaMG take post-SoS. Canonicity is up to Leferts. Now if y'all excuse me, I need to see about dealing with some onion/sand/dust ninjas.

Ryoutarou = 良太郎 "good boy"
Shinafuji = 支那藤 Chinese Wisteria
Yuuichi = 優一, based on Yuuichi Nakamura the actor 中村 優一 (not to be confused with Yuuichi Nakamura the voice actor 中村 悠一), whose acting work includes Kyousuke Kiriya from Kamen Rider Hibiki and most famously Yuuto Sakurai/Kamen Rider Zeronos from Kamen Rider Den-O.
Hisame = 氷雨 hail, sleet, freezing rain
Iruka = イルカ, 海豚 dolphin
Katsunaga = 雄永, 勝永 or 勝長, although the 勝長 version would be after Oda Katsunaga, Oda Nobunaga's fifth son.

 

[darthcourt10]

Kab2

And we continue with the adventures of Sofia.
-----------------------
The island was previously an observation post for magicals for vegetation mutated with magic, when a wizard got the brilliant idea of combine an animal and a tree, here was where they studied its growth, to see if they could take advantage of it, from that day, any experiment involving a plant were carried to the island and see if something good came from it; but Blood Week happened and the island became deserted and forgotten.

But the island took a resident some time ago, a lonely abyssal fleeing from her fleet found it and made the island her base, with help of her crew she repaired the outpost to a living condition and began to live there, she stockpiled the fuel she got from the wreckages she found and a lot of canned food she found in one of them.

And today she brought with her a big tuna she found.

"Well." said Sofia. "What to do with this fish? I believe some abyssals killed it for fun not much time ago." She remembered the term with what the humans in the transport she saved from sinking referred her, it... made sense to her so she adopted the term to refer to her 'race'.

As she entered the outpost a little imp came out from her, asking for permission to fully materialize, which was given.

"If I can make a suggestion Frau Sofia, we can use today's lesson to make a fire and cook the fish." he said.

"I'm grateful you want to teach me magic Captain Hüttenwerk, but I already said I don't want to learn something that can be used to harm people." said Sofia giving a sad look to the grave in the backyard.

"And as I have said, you don't have to use it that way." said Hüttenwerk as he exposed his arguments. "Think about it, If you know how to cast the spell, you can know when an enemy is casting it to you so you can counter it accordingly. The magic is neither good or bad, it is how you use it what defines good or bad; for example you can use a fire spell to make a fire to cook, to light a torch or to make a person burn."

Sofia pondered a while his words. "You are right, but I am still uncomfortable with it, so we should leave those spells for later." she glanced to the backyard again. "Would you accompany me to the grave?" she said to the Captain.

Hüttenwerk saluted "It would be an honor, Frau Sofia."

As they made way to the grave, they made small talk.

"So in your opinion, how are the old Captain and his subordinates doing Captain?" asked Sofia.

Hüttenwerk sighed "It is a shame but they don't have salvation." he then explained the crew situation, something that he already explained to her, but he never thank her enough for. "We somehow have the memories and the personalities of the original crew of the submarine you are based, you have access to our memories if you wanted but you decided that our privacity was sacred, something me and the old prisoners are grateful for, the old captain was too involved with the Reich to be a good person as you realized when he said that you were useless as you didn't want to kill anything even if the submarine's objetive was the seabed search, or at least that was we were told." said the Captain not mentioning his suspicions for the real mission of the submarine, that wasn't important now. "The others are like him, not acknowledging the atrocities the Reich and the Spaniards did in that isle, that opened my eyes to the true nature of the Reich."

"So you recommend we leave them in the cargo hold?" asked Sofia as she didn't want to kill or abandon them.

Hüttenwerk nodded at the suggestion, "It would be the best option at the moment, the 'shipgirls' most likely would surely shoot at us at first sight, and the 'abyssals' would make us kill humans or tear us apart, and we can't leave them somewhere, as it would lower us to their level." he used too the terms the transport passengers referred to Sofia and the ones protecting the humans.

Reaching the grave, the discussion continued a bit more.

"It would be fine if the shipgirls listen to me if I come in peace, they protect the humans from 'us'" said Sofia with a grim face. "But there is the problem, how would they trust me if my kind is killing humans whenever they can? Or worse if my Princess is involved." A shiver ran through her body remembering the fate of some captured humans brought to her Princess.

"Indeed Frau Sofia, but for now let us forget the dark past and pray for the soul of this poor mage." suggested Hüttenwerk not mentioning the possibility that most scared her, and the other main reason she didn't try to contact the shipgirls.

Sofia nodded and they kneel and put their hands together, after a while Sofia spoke.

"I pray to whatever god the dead mage I found at the beach worshipped, that he got his deserved reward in the afterlife, either good or bad." she respected the beliefs of others, but as she didn't know his beliefs, she tried to do a generic prayer for this soul. "I'm sorry you died here so many years ago, but I hope you don't mind I picked up your wand to learn magic, thank you." with that they got up and went to the other side of the island to cook the tuna Sofia found.

In the outpost, a black sword was resting in the wall, when suddenly red runes formed in its surface as dark sparkles flowed from it.

From the shadows a hand clad in dark armor reached the window frame from where a pair of golden eyes saw the abyssal submarine and his Captain walking away.

"I am impressed with her strong will." said the figure. She clenched her hand, trying to get her movility to par."I am grateful to her for answering my call, but I cannot call her Master yet, I don't know enough of her, but for my plans I like what I am discovering."

----------------
Thanks for reading, I hope you like it.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Head tilted to the side, Chikako frowned as she looked at the various radios which various Yokai were examining thoughtfully. After a moment, she raised her hand, "Um... Jintsuu-San?"

Blinking, the Light Cruiser looked over at her and smiled a little, "Hai? What is it... Do you want to go by Chikako or Masamune?"

With a shrug, Chikako shook her head, "Um, Chikako please, Jintsuu-San." At the nod, she scratched her head, "But, um... don't radios like that have short ranges?"

Chachi blinked herself and looked at the Repair Ship in confusion, "Shorter range than a ship's, but... didn't you know that?"

The answer that came out from the Neko shipgirl's mouth caused all the non-magical shipgirls to blink, "We didn't really have radio like the No-Maj navy, nya. Mostly wizarding wireless, a small contained Floo flame, and one of the sets they used for civilian ships." Scratching her head, Chikako frowned, "But I think that we were adding military sets at the end of the war."

For several moments, Jintsuu just stared at her and could feel those of her crew that had heard doing much the same. And, she was willing to bet, it was the same for the other JMSDF shipgirls there because of how it sounded. However, the Light Cruiser shook that off, "Well... you are correct about the range as a matter of fact."

It was then that Shimakaze shrugged a little, "But... we're building a base nearby that can lend you support." At the look from Jintsuu, she grinned, "Too slooow~ Ou!"

Pinching her nose, the Light Cruiser sighed, 'That's Shimakaze...' Ignoring the amused looks their byplay was getting, she cleared her throat, "As soon as the JMSDF found out about the... situation here, we broke ground on Kikaijima for a Naval Station. Currently, it is about complete and we're going to be moving some shipgirls there, including Souryuu and Hiryuu as Kure has enough Aircraft Carriers they can spare them. The Tone sisters as well as the Furutakas will be joining them."

Several eyes widened in surprise at finding that out, simply because what it meant for protection. Her shoulders relaxing a little, Mie gave her a small smile, "Thank you, Jintsuu-San. To know that Souryuu-Sama and Hiryuu-Sama both will be nearby... that takes a lot off our shoulders."

Lightly smiling, Jintsuu waved it off, "We're just trying to make up for not being there before now. You are all Japanese citizens and the government... the non-magical government as well as the JSDF believes that you deserved much better as does Kyoto. We cannot base, officially, on your island..." She glanced at the Yokai shipgirls there who blinked, "But... it is felt that this is the next best thing."

Chuckling, the lone kijimunā gave a chuckle before she grinned, "I think that is putting it mildly, Jintsuu-San."

Only shrugging, Jintsuu smiled back at her. Meanwhile, in her head, she was grinning, 'I can't wait for Hiryuu to find out who we're going to have there as Commander and see her expression. Lieutenant Commander Fujioka Hayate is a very good man for a Tengu... and the fact that he is the grandson of Yamaguchi-San.'

She remembered hearing about that conversation quite well due to a small incident where a Tokyo Auror had come across said Tengu while he had been off duty and accosted him... which had ended pretty quickly when Hiryuu, who was there as well, had interferred with the two going out for drinks. Neither one was, much to the frustration of some, dating yet. But it was obvious that the two were heavily attracted to one another. And once, when the two were drunk, Yamaguchi had come out as a fairy and commented that the Lieutenant Commander looked familiar... and when he mentioned that his grandmother stated he looked similar to his grandfather, who she had a fling with when said man was in his teens.

While she had not been there, according to Kiso, upon finding out the name of said grandmother, Yamaguchi had apparently gone white as a ghost before asking for a picture of her. Upon which he had nearly gone into a state of shock as he knew said woman, though not that she had been a Tengu. And that as a teen, he had spent a few... nights with her before going off to join the Navy after which she had disappeared. Unknown to him, it had been into one of the Reserves as she had been a River Tengu, and she had been pregnant at the time with Hayate's father, who died in a Dragon pox epidemic in the 1960s, but not before siring Hayate. Later, him, his mother, and grandmother all managed to get smuggled out of said Reserve. He had joined the JMSDF to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather who he had been told had been in the IJN.

Apparently, after hearing that, it had taken Souryuu, Zuikaku, Musashi and Yamato dogpiling a drunken and enraged Hiryuu to prevent her from going to the Tokyo Magical Diet to "Climb Mount Niitaka" there.

Internally, Jintsuu was grinning madly and already planning out how to clean out the betting pool on those two. Because the main issue was that the two had issues meeting up due to their duties to "Go out for drinks" which everyone saw as sort of dates. And Souryuu was fully on board with the idea, 'Hehehe... oh yes... Victory will be sweet.'

Unknown to her, back in Sasebo, Jane was frowning as she was looking at a blackboard with various notes on it, "Hmm... what do you think, Minumu? Will this get Jintsuu-Mama closer with Dad? Because we can't let Hiei-Mama get too far ahead and Arizona-Mama is a work in progress..."

The Smol tilted her head before gesturing with one pudgy hand, "Muu~"

Grinning, Jane gave a sharp nod, "Right you are! That will work out great as an adjustment!"

Back at the island, Jintsuu blinked and looked around with a frown as she felt a shiver go down her keel. Shaking that off, she turned back to the group before her, "So, yes, you will have the support that you need in this case."

Frown on her face, Hachimitsu leaned forward in thought before giving the orange wearing shipgirl a look, "And us?" At her raised eyebrow, the Kitsune continued, "We're shipgirls as well and not part of the JMSDF. I assume that something will come up."

Much to her surprise, the Light Cruiser chuckled, "Well, we were not sure what shipgirls were here, just that there were some." Then, Jintsuu gave a small shrug, "As for what we're hoping? The JMSDF is hopeful that you might sign up-" Raising a hand as various Yokai stood up with angered expressions, "As a force stationed here in the Reserve at least until the Statute falls and maybe after. This is especially important as until then, at least, evacuating everyone here in case of an incoming attack would be... problematic, and thus it is believed to be best to keep you here if that is what you wish."

Raising a finger, Shimakaze looked towards Chikako, "Though since you have a Repair Ship here, they might ask that she help out on Kikaijima if repairs are needed."

Slowly blinking, the Neko shrugged, "I don't think that I would mind doing that." She pumped her fist a little bit, "Because healing people is awesome! I'd be just like Haruto-Nii-San!"

It went without saying that Haruto had a slight blush on his face as he coughed into his fist. Pretending that the smirks from his girlfriends were not there, the Healer turned towards Jintsuu, "If they went through with this... what sort of benefits would they have? And I assume that there would be training as well?"

Jintsuu gave him a small nod of acknowledgement before clearing her throat, "For training... there would not be too much as we already know that you are all experienced. After all, you have defended the island from Abyssals since Blood Week. Something that would have been impossible if you did not know what to do and, in this case, it seems that you learned from the School of Hard Knocks." Various nods met her at that before she continued, "We would teach you modern codes, the sort of tactics and the like that we use in the JMSDF, which can be done here."

Beside her, Shimakaze frowned before snapping her fingers, "We should probably get them radios like we have." At the looks, the Destroyer shrugged before showing despite her state of dress and her physical age, she was experienced as a shipgirl, "It's pretty easy and it is not like we don't have the spares. Akashi-San and the other Repair Ships could make them easy and install them, which would give them greater range while letting them communicate with us."

The Light Cruiser considered that before turning to the Yokai shipgirls, "Would that be acceptable? Because Shimakaze-San does make a very good point there and it would be a huge help."

Each of the Yokai shipgirls looked at each other and held a silent conversation. A fact that both Jintsuu and Shimakaze nodded at due to what it said about their ability to work together and something that would be going into their reports. After a few minutes of this, Haruhime turned to them and nodded, "That... would be acceptable."

With a small nod, Jintsuu rubbed her chin before smirking as a thought occurred to her, "Of course, if you join the JMSDF you will get paid as per the rank of the Officer that would have commanded you..." Her smirk became a grin, "Including backpay for the past nine years."

At that, all five Yokai shipgirls had their jaws drop before Mikage spoke in a weak voice, "B-back pay...?"

Humming, and enjoying her far too much, the Sendai-Class Cruiser made a motion of her hand, "Oh yes, it is something that the JMSDF came up with for cases like this. From what I know, your backpay should be... right around a hundred million yen in total." More jaws dropped at that and Jintsuu cackled at the reactions, 'Oh yes... yes... behold the power of the Dark Side...'

It was a few hours later, after everything that was hammered out that everyone headed back down to the dock area. The cargo ships had been quickly, and efficiently, offloaded even without Ayane being there to handle the crane as it had been taken over by Oni while she was in the meeting. Various Yokai were chatting with the crews as the Sun began to touch the horizon, creating a blaze of colors and making the water glow a burnished orange. Looking out onto the horizon, Haruto took a deep breath before letting it out and then looking over the crowd.

From where he was, the Healer could easily see the large number of friends and family gathered there. And he did consider the Yokai exactly that, friends and family. Smiling, he walked over to Chikako and tapped her on the shoulder, "Chikako-Chan? Can I ask for a favor?"

Blinking, Chikako turned to him and blinked, "Nya?" After being told, she grinned and was bouncing a bit, "I can do that, Haruto-Nii-San!"

Simply patting her between the ears, much to her enjoyment, he nodded, "Thank you, Chikako-Chan."

All said Neko did was beam brightly at him.

Less than two minutes later, a clearing throat caused Hachimitsu to turn from where she had been talking with Jintsuu with the Kitsune blinking as Haruto gave her a glance, "Haruto-Kun? Is something wrong?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, he laughed a little, "Not really wrong, but... we've known each other for years, myself, your Nee-Sans, as well as Mie-Chan and Ichika-Chan."

More than a little bemused, Ichika grinned with a snicker, "Hai, and we've been your girlfriends for a few months now. What of it?"

For a few seconds, Haruto was quiet before he scratched his cheek, "Well... most of our friends and family are here, and it is nice, so..." Turning, he got down onto one knee and pulled out a box which he opened, "It seems like a good time to ask... would the five of you become my wives? I may be young still, and really just a Healer, but..."

Utterly stunned, each of the Yokai shipgirls boggled at him and then looking at the five rings that sat in the velvet box. Haruhime caught sight of Ayane, the Jorogumo who seemed surprised. But then, the spider woman winked at her with a smile and gave her a thumbs up which made the Kitsune smile back though she noted that there was a slight bit of wistfulness in the Jorogumo's expression, 'Thank you.'

Hachimitsu stared at him for a few moments before swallowing with a nod... right before she lightly bopped him on the head with tears in her eyes and a smile so wide it hurt, "Baka, just springing that on us like this! Of course we'll marry you!"

Only nodding as the others agreed, Haruto only nodded before reaching into the box and placing each ring onto the proper Yokai's fingers. Each one was nearly identical in design, with a diamond in the middle. The difference was in the gemstones that were to either side. For Hachimitsu they were citrines, for Haruhime they were rubies, Mikage had deep blue sapphires, Mie had chocolate diamonds, and her sister Ichika had chocolate opals.

Much to the shipgirls' slight confusion, they could almost swear that they felt something break, like a barrier of sorts and that the breaking was a good thing.

As the last ring was placed, the shipgirls took a moment to examine the rings now on their fingers as their former boyfriend, now fiancé, got to his feet. Blinking away tears, Mie sniffled a bit before grinning... and promptly grabbing Haruto's shirt before pulling him for a kiss. One that she deepened almost immediately with a growl as her fingers combed through his hair.

No sooner had she pulled back, than she was replaced by her sister, and then by each of the three Kitsune. The six of them were conscious of the Yokai around them cheering and applauding them. And Haruto caught sight of Chikako happily taking pictures of what was happening to be developed later for his mother and father. Of course, that was when he found all five girls pulling him into an embrace as Haruhime, who was the last one to kiss him, panted a little with her eyes dilated, "Haruto-Kun~ You realize that this means... you are stuck with us. Because we are never letting you go."

She shuddered a bit as he ran his hands along her side and growled into her ears, a sound that sent a tingle down her spine (as well as her fellow fiancée's), "Trust me, Haruhime-Chan... that is something that I do not mind at all..." Pulling back, Haruto looked around and smiled before he raised his voice, "As an aside... I have spoken to my parents about it and we shall have the wedding here. So that all my friends, family, and neighbours can be a part of it."

Cheers rang out among the various Yokai and more than a few of the male ones came over and slapped him on the back as he laughed. Granted, none of his wives to be let go of him either though they were complimented by the other female Yokai. Off to one side, Chikako was hopping up and down with a massive grin, 'Haruto-Nii-San is getting married! And I'm going to be the flowergirl, Nya!' Seeing the reactions, she shook her head with a giggle, especially as Mikage pulled Haruto in for another kiss, "Adults are so silly..."

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (XII)

14 July 2014

Mikasa Park, Yokosuka, Japan
Spoiler: A Meeting In The Park

"Bonjour, Monsieur Harry Potter. I am Marchioness Colombe d'Aubigny du Chasteler-Muramasa, and a close friend of your great grandparents Ian and Lyra Potter whom I was greatly honored to know."

Harry Potter bowed in return to the formal greeting from the blond-haired Frenchwoman dressed in an antique dress from the zenith of European power. "Hello, I am Harry Potter, Mrs. du Chasteler. Tsukiakari mentioned that you are and have been a good friend of my family."

Colombe's lips quirked in a small smile. "Yes, I have striven to be. I regret that after Ian's son Henry Potter passed away, my contacts with your family lapsed for various reasons." Colombe looked distant and her eyes glimmered as she continued quietly, "in my three centuries of life, I have found that immortality can be a curse to the one who must continually walk away from a loved one's graveside alone."

Next to Harry, Verniy gasped and nodded in agreement with the melancholy words. "Da, it is," she whispered quietly.

Harry placed an arm around Verniy's shoulder and she leaned into his embrace. Colombe smiled very wistfully. "I promised Ian to be there for him and his shortly before his death when I last saw him in 1927 and then again when Lyra began her final decline in 1949. If I may, I would like to introduce my daughters?"

Harry smiled and hugged Verniy closer to him as Maruyu squeezed his hand. "I'd like that."

Colombe turned and the brunette in a black dress walked forward and curtsied to him. "Hello, I'm Claire du Chasteler, Mother's middle daughter and the spirit of my piano." She said in a gentle musical voice with a shy smile.

Suddenly Claire started as Kensho appeared beside her to tug her skirt hem. The young child spoke happily with wide eyes. "Are you really a piano?"

Claire nodded and knelt, ruffling her young cousin's hair gently. "I am. What's your name?" The piano said with a gentle smile.

"Master Harry named me Kensho!" The kogatana said in a happy voice as Catherine took a cone of shaved ice in her hands from Tsukiakari for the young blade. "Mou, you really really are a piano?"

Claire smiled happily as she led Kensho to where Tsukiakari and Catherine waited. "I am. I don't have my true body with me; it is back in Belgium, but I can do this..."
Spoiler: Kensho's Favorite Tune!

Claire began to hum a catchy tune in perfect multi-part harmony.

Juuchi groaned and facepalmed at her nieces' antics when she saw Kensho's face light up with her overjoyed smile. Kensho then clapped happily and began to sing along. "Sunny Day! Sweepin' the clouds away! On my way to where the air is sweet! Can you tell me how to get, How to get to Sesame Street?"

Harry and Colombe both looked at Claire, and Colombe chuckled with a fond smile on her face. "And my youngest daughter, Ehren du Chasteler."

Ehren walked up and curtsied. "{Hello, I am pleased to meet you}," she said in clearly rehearsed Japanese. "{I am Mutti's youngest daughter}."

Harry bowed to her. "It is a pleasure Ehren. I remember your friend Masamune-no-Tokunotakai," he continued as the miko walked to Ehren's side.

Toku stepped to join the conversation. "Hai. We first met when Harry-san returned my sister Honjo-neesama to her family." The miko bowed to Juuchi. "Juuchi Yosamu-sama. I regret that we were busy the earlier times we met and did not speak then."

Juuchi returned the bow. "Tokunotakai. Prissy as always, I see. At least you finally stopped gathering dust in the Hachimangu to wet your steel."

Colombe bristled slightly at her aunt's challenging words. Tokunotakai, however, smiled serenely and spoke calmly, "It is good to see that you have returned to Japan as well, Juuchi Yosamu-sama. Your warrior's journey took you to Europe as mine has and I hope that it has been as enlightening as mine is proving to be."

Colombe interjected, "I'd hoped to see you at the beach party the others of our family held to welcome myself, Ehren, and Claire to Japan, Aunt Juuchi. Who're your and Harry's friends?"

Maruyu spoke up. "Spirit of the Type Three Submergence Transport Vehicle, Mogu-mogu!" She bowed in greeting to Colombe and Ehren.
Spoiler: A Rapier, A Kodachi, And A Saint's Blade

Colombe curtsied. "A pleasure to meet a shipgirl, Mademoiselle Maruyu." The rapier paused, "Aunt Chisuheri told me that you're the First Master of her youngest sister?"

The shipgirl nodded with a small smile and then reached into her hold to withdraw the sheathed Gyakuryuu. "Hai, this is Gyakuryuu."

Colombe and Ehren leaned in to examine the kodachi, and then gasped in awe as Maruyu half-unsheathed Gyakuryuu to exhibit her blade. "She's beautiful," The rapier whispered in awe at the rippling patterns in the steel. "Hello Aunt Gyakuryuu, I'm Norimune's oldest daughter Colombe du Chasteler and this is my youngest daughter Ehren du Chasteler, your niece and grandniece. I hope to fight alongside you when the time comes one day."

Ehren nodded with shimmering eyes, "Ja, Tante Gyakuryuu. I hope that you honor your family as I strive to honor mine."

Maruyu smiled proudly. "She already has done so. Tokunotakai-sempai, Corporal Egawa Heiji asked me to relay along that he is happy to see you once more."

Tokunotakai gasped and covered her mouth with her hand as her eyes went wide. She then bowed to Maruyu. "I regret that my tutelage in the art of the sword was insufficient to return him safely to his family. He should know that his sister's son owns a bicycle repair shop in Kamakura, and was one of my pupils in kendo as a child. If you wish, I can put you... him... in contact with the members of his family that I know."

Maruyu gave a tear-filled happy smile as Harry placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, "I'd like that."

As Toku stepped to the side to talk to Maruyu in Japanese, Verniy stepped forward. "Privyet!(Private) I am the spirit of the destroyer Verniy, who was the Japanese ship Hibiki during the Pacific War."

Colombe smiled warmly and shook Verniy's hand. "It is good to meet you as well, Verniy. I see that Harry is well taken care of with two shipgirls as friends plus the members of what Tsukiakari called the Potter Armory such as Aunt Juuchi." Beside her, Ehren nodded, her expression cool and unreadable at Verniy's words.

Juuchi smugged, "I alone would be sufficient to keep Master Harry safe, but not all of us combined would be sufficient to keep him out of trouble."

"I see!" Colombe laughed, then looked over to where Claire was teaching Kensho how to sing Frère Jacques with Catherine and Tsukiakari's help. "I take it the blonde lady with the espées d'armes at her side is another member of the Armory then?"

Beside Colombe, Ehren looked that way and then stared in slack-jawed shock as she recognized the lady who had spoken to her gently while she had rested in Potter Manor during World War II. A lady who had prayed for her, and had slowly helped to begin to draw the poison of National Socialism's foul lies and hatreds from her spirit.

Behind Harry, Juuchi grinned in smug triumph as she focused the camera of her phone on her niece's face and hit record. The greatest Muramasa called out: "She is. Cathy, come over and introduce yourself!"

Cathy turned and gave a gentle smile that made Colombe think of the expression of the Virgin Mary that had been sculpted in Michelangelo's Pietà when she had seen it in Rome. She walked over and curtsied as she spoke in French. "{Bonjour Colombe d'Aubigny du Chasteler. I am honored to meet you openly at last. Gabriel Potter told me so many good things about you.}"

Colombe whispered in shocked disbelief as her jaw dropped. "{Your accent, it is from Lorraine....}"

Catherine nodded. "{My Mistress was born in Domrémy in the Vosges. I am Catherine.}"

Colombe sank to one knee as her tears of joy flowed. She whispered reverently, "{The sword of La Pucelle d'Orléans...}"

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

Here is my new thingy! It is very late, but it is a thingy!
-----

Haruka breathed in and out uncomfortably, then reached up and knocked on the door.

Half a minute later, just as she was starting to wonder if she should knock again, the door swung open and Haruka was confronted with a woman who, were she not clearly older, she would have mistaken for Hayami.

"Ah… Mrs. Hayami?" she asked cautiously.

"That I am," the woman confirmed, face splitting into a ready smile. "So what's your name, young lady?"

Haruka bowed politely. "Oh, I'm Tachibana Haruka. I'm here to talk to Hayami-san…" no, wait. That would be confusing. Maybe she should use Hayami's first name? But she probably wasn't close enough to the younger girl to do that. Uh… "Ah, your daughter?" Kill me now. "There was something that I wanted to discuss with her."

Mrs. Hayami stared.

"I'm sorry, is something wrong?"

The older woman shook herself, and smiled again. "No, no, nothing at all," she said quickly. "Please, come inside." She turned, and called deeper into the apartment. "Minato! There's a friend here to visit you!"

A door creaked, Hayami shuffled out into view, and Haruka had to almost physically fight back a wince. She'd known people who could make baggy sweats look fashionable, but Hayami most definitely did not number in their ranks.

"Senpai," the younger girl said, frowning. "I… didn't expect you here."

"Yes," Haruka said, nodding, focus on the hair, it looks better down than in a ponytail, DO NOT LOOK LOWER THAN THE HAIR, "the thing that we talked about the other day, I… had a few questions."

Hayami glanced to the side briefly, then nodded. "Yeah… sure. My room's this way."
-----

"What do you think you're wearing?" Haruka hissed as the door shut behind her.

Hayami flopped down onto a beanbag chair. "Comfortable clothes," she said casually. "Is that all you wanted to ask?"

Setting her teeth, Haruka forced herself off of the subject. "No, I came here about something else… We decided that I would continue to write manga until I came up with something you approve of, but I realized that I don't actually know what you like in a manga. That might help me come up with something…"

Nodding solemnly, Hayami clasped her hands under her chin. "I like manga that is good."

One second passed, then two, as Haruka silently questioned her life choices.

There was a knock at the door. "I have tea!" Mrs. Hayami called.

"You may enter," Hayami replied, walking over and opening the door.

"Minato! Why didn't you offer your guest a seat?"

"There's another beanbag right there," Hayami pointed out, flopping down again with a cup of tea in hand (not spilling it, too—she must have perfected it to an art form somehow). "She can sit if she wants."

"It's polite, Minato."

Haruka accepted her cup of tea, still slightly baffled.

"I don't hear offering."

"I thought we implied it."

"Minato."

Hayami took a long drink from her teacup, holding it with both hands and appearing about as baffled as Haruka felt. "Whew, that's hot. Don't know why I keep doing that. Uh… have a seat? If you so wish?" Mrs. Hayami looked ready to start lecturing her again, and Haruka dropped into the beanbag chair as quickly as possible.

Mrs. Hayami didn't look too satisfied with the result, but stepped back out anyway. Haruka took a sip of her tea—mm, that was good.

"I tend to lean towards action stories, more than the… psychological or romantic ones," Hayami said abruptly, rocking back and forth briefly. "That being said, I still have a preference for strong characters… especially when the author plays around the archetypes a little. Like Naruto—he seems to be the typical idiot hero at first, but when you get down to it he's a neglected child begging for attention. Not like, oh-ho-ho, these characters are dumb and I'm gonna show exactly how dumb they are with this dark and worldly story, any two-bit whiner can write something like that. More just… fiddle with the ideas a little, use the archetype as a starting point, you know?"

Haruka stared until she realized that she was actually being asked a question. "Uh… yes?"

"Characters are important. Plot is also important, and I think the two kind of play off of each other, like… I dunno, things that play off each other really well."

Was this like a teacher's lecture? Haruka felt like she was supposed to be taking notes.

"I really don't get you," she said.

"I'm used to it," Hayami replied. She blinked, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

"I mean… the lecture is… interesting, I suppose, but I don't feel like it explains as much about what you like. Maybe… let's hang out more?"

Hayami was silent. Haruka looked more closely—her kohai was giving her a deep, scrutinizing look, as if she wasn't sure what to make of the offer.

"… if that'll help you write," she said slowly, mouth twitching again. The way she said it, it was almost a question, and it gave Haruka the feeling that she wasn't entirely comfortable with the offer.

"Where would you like to go?" she asked, upbeat, trying to figure out what would get her interested. "We could try the mall—"

Hayami sat up straight, as if Haruka had just threatened to shoot her. "You're not turning this into a clothes trip," she demanded frantically, "All the stuff they sell at the mall sits right up against your skin, and it's itchy."
-----

"Thank you for today," Mrs. Hayami said as Haruka pulled her shoes on. "It's so nice that Minato's finally had a friend to visit." She frowned. "Even if she ended up making a hash of it."

"It's okay, really," Haruka replied. She paused, wondering if she should ask the question. "When you say finally…"

The older woman smiled. "It's nothing. Please, come over again some time."

"I probably will."

As Haruka walked away from the apartment building, she began to lose herself in thought about the coming excursion. Hayami had vetoed everything except for the arcade and getting lunch together, so fast food it would be. It rankled Haruka, but then again, there was so much about her kohai that frustrated her.

Still, who knew? Maybe this would help her figure the younger girl out.

She did kind of want that.
-----

Man, "it's not perfect" is kind of a thing with me lately, isn't it. Still, I don't really mind how this one turned out as much. Next scheduled snippet? Hmm... Well, I wonder what Dana's up too.

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

Third Summer Holidays - Summer THREE C, Split Point due to Keep Filesize Down

START

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

As the Sun slowly rose above the horizon in the Ryukyu's, the inside of one hut in particular began to slowly brighten. Still asleep, Haruto breathed in and out slowly, completely at rest as did his girlfriends as well as Chikako. There wasn't a blanket as the nights were warm in the summer, to say the least. And considering the heat of the days, everyone was going around in light clothing anyways.

Part of the reason that all of them still slept was due to simple exhaustion the day before. They had talked well into the night about what the new relationship upgrade meant for themselves, as well as what would come next. By the time that they had finally gone to bed, Chikako was already asleep leaning against Haruto and barely stirred as they all got into the futon. Despite the excitement, however, they had fallen asleep soon after.

The Sun was above the horizon before any of them stirred, with the first being Hachimitsu to open her eyes.

For several moments, the Kitsune shipgirl simply laid there as she rose and fell with each of Haruto's breaths as she blinked her still sleep filled eyes. However, she soon came to her senses and her eyes widened a bit as she realized that, yes, the night before had not been a dream. That it had been real and everything had actually happened. It took everything for her not to give a happy squeak of joy at that. Especially as it would have ruined her image, as it were.

However, that did not stop her from grinning so widely that it had actually hurt. Because Haruto had actually proposed to her, her sisters, as well as Mie and Ichika! Right there in front of everyone as a matter of fact! Even now, it made her boilers pound and heat up at just the thought. Laying her head back down onto Haruto's chest, her tail happily swished from side to side as she felt like she could just burst from joy.

In her head, she went back over everything the day before as she gently ran her thumb along the ring that now sat upon her finger. Glancing at it, she smiled a little bit goofily at it as the light glinted off the gold and gems. Just a reminder that, yes, it was real. And also that, indeed, the young man she had a relationship had asked for her to be one of his wives. Something that filled her with joy each time that she thought about it.

Laying there, her head on his chest, she softly sighed as she went back over the journey to get to this point. She could still remember the little boy so many years ago that looked up at her and called her "Onee-San" as well as her sisters. Herself and her sisters had been born around 1983 and settled next to Aoi's and Hiashi's home. Both adults knew that they were Kitsune, but were not bothered in the slightest. By that point, Ichiro was already going to Mahoutokoro and while they did not really know him, they could see some changes in him as the years went on. However, they could not have expected him to report them and have them thrown into a Reserve...

Quickly shaking off that thought, Hachimitsu turned her thoughts back onto the younger Haruto. Back then, her and her sisters found the young child to be adorable. And whenever he called them "Onee-San", they had to fight the urge to coo. It was not like they did not have lots of opportunity to do so, either seeing as Aoi and Hiashi were away from home often enough and needed a babysitter. Being such allowed for the three Kitsune to get a little bit of money in their pockets and they did not mind taking care of the young child for the day, quite the opposite.

The memories of that time brought a smile to the Kitsune's face as she remembered them, thumb still stroking her new ring.

Closing her eyes, Hachimitsu sighed as she looked back on them. She could see her and her sisters taking Haruto to the nearby park to play, and in summer time catching insects with him. A giggle nearly escaped her when she remembered his shock and surprise when a giant beetle crawled up his arm. Mikage had gently pulled it off and placed it onto a tree for it to climb as the young child watched in awe. When it was colder, however, Haruto often found himself cuddled up to the Kitsunes nice and warm in their fluffy tails.

A snicker came from the blonde Kitsune's lips as she had the thought that the more things changed, the more that they remained the same. Because even now, in the Reserve, when the temperature was cooler or at night, Haruto sometimes found himself wrapped up in their tails. Something that neither he nor them were really all that bothered by and enjoyed.

Of course, the day eventually came when Ichiro had reported them, and even now despite everything the Kitsune felt a flash of anger. While she felt sorry for Hiashi and Aoi, as well as Haruto to some extent (mainly because there was no real love lost between him and his older brother), Hachimitsu couldn't bring up the slightest bit of sympathy for Ichiro due to what happened to him. Quite the opposite as the only thing that she was sorry about was that karma did not strike him earlier. Because for years, her and her sisters had dreamed of vengeance against him.

Granted, they got some measure of that while waiting for Kyoto to pick him up. Oh, they didn't physically harm him, no. Rather, they made damn sure to scare the crap out of him by describing exactly what they would do to him if they caught him there once more. Though Mie's descriptions made him soil himself, with said Inugami as well as the three Kitsune somewhat disturbed by it as well. It likely did not help though that they told him all about his younger brother's... prowess, which he had not seemed to enjoy in the slightest.

Much to their amusement.

Her mind drifted back to meeting Haruto again and how they had reacted. None of the three Kitsune had ever thought that they would see the young boy again, even if they had managed to escape from the Reserve. And yet... there he was, the young boy that they knew now becoming a young man. More than that, they were stunned and somewhat embarrassed when they heard from him that he had been looking for them, complete with them being hugged.

While Hachimitsu was not sure about her sisters, she knew that part of the blush she had that day was not simply because of him hugging her... Or, rather, it was, but not because of his obvious happiness at finding his "Onee-Sans" once more. Part of it was because, even then, she found him handsome. Well, inside her head she had a thought at the time which still made her flustered to this day: "Oh my... he became hot!"

And his personality, still the same from when he was a child if a bit more mature, didn't help. If anything, it made him all the more attractive due to being still the kind, caring person that she knew. More than once since being reunited with him, Hachimitsu had wondered about what would happen if she had kits, children, with him. Oh, she knew before long that she was not the only one who had such thoughts as her sisters did as well and after his fight against the cholera epidemic, Mie and Ichika. Not that she minded sharing him too much, especially with those she knew that would care for him.

Granted, part of her wondered how much that was the normal instincts, as Yokai had stronger instincts closer to those of the animals they came from, and how much of it was from how ships often were in fleets.

But, in the end, it had not mattered too much to her or the others. And as for children? Ever since Chikako came into their lives, she knew that he proved himself many times over for being the type of person who would make a wonderful father. Not that she had not believed so before, but it was nice to be proven right.

Since then, they had teased and flirted with him about various things. They had also enjoyed it when, despite how flustered they would get, he turned the tables on them and teased and flirted right back at them. Something that they really liked and enjoyed. While they had not been dating quite yet, there was something there after all.

Then, came the previous New Years. None of them, not one of them, expected for him to come out and tell them his feelings and to give them all a kiss. Even now, it brought a pleased flush to Hachimitsu's cheeks and her boilers, oddly enough, went "Doki doki" much to her bemusement. They could tell how much courage that had taken from him at the time, and promptly soothed him by revealing that they felt much the same by kissing him back. Just the first of many, many kisses.

Very enjoyable kisses.

Oddly, their relationships had not changed much beyond now kissing and making out, sometimes heavily when Chikako was not around. In recent weeks they had found out that the hands of a Healer are very good indeed! And that memory made Hachimitsu smother a growl deep in her throat as she remembered how afterwards it took every fiber of her will not to jump him and leave him needing skelegrow the next day. Something that she knew that she had shared with her sisters as well as the Inugami twins. All of them were looking forward to when they married Haruto, because Chikako would likely need to stay with someone for at least a week.

It went without saying that the fact that they now wore rings only solidified when that date would be. Opening her eyes, Hachimitsu smiled some as she looked down at her ring with the citrines on either side of the diamond, all sparkling in the light. She had to admit, her husband to be had very good taste. And those words, 'Husband to be', already did not fail to warm her from the inside. The rings themselves were just physical proof for what they already knew to be true.

Feeling Haruto stir under her, Hachimitsu looked up at his face as he slowly awoke, already knowing that his other girlfriends had been awake like her and probably thinking much the same thing. Upon opening his eyes, his gaze met hers and he smiled, "Good morning, Hachimitsu-Chan..."

Just shifting a little, the blonde Kitsune kissed him, which deepened within seconds and she pulled away breathless as did he, "Good morning, love."

Lips curling into a smile, Haruto chuckled a bit before turning to the others to say good morning, and getting kisses from them as well. Though he giggled a bit as Chikako wiggled out of the cuddle pile and walked over to where the table was to get ready for her breakfast. And he was not the only one as the other women also looked upon the little Neko rather fondly as a matter of fact.

Soon, they were all gathered around the table as they enjoyed another breakfast together, this time with the adults being officially engaged to one another which they loved.

_________________________________________________________

Hearing the bell above her door ring, Ayane blinked and looked up from the fashion magazine she had on her desk. It was months old, but... she enjoyed them, and Haruto always gave her any that he came across, which she greatly appreciated. Upon seeing who was there, however, she smiled, "Mikage-Chan!"

The blue haired Kitsune smiled back and gave her a small wave as she walked forward, "Good morning, Ayane-Chan."

One eyebrow raised, Ayane gave her a look as she leaned forward before grinning salaciously, "What are you doing here, by the way? I would have thought that you would have still been, ah, celebrating you engagement."

Smirking, Mikage shrugged a bit, "Actually? We're waiting until the actual wedding for that. As hard as it is..."

Across from her, the Jorogumo gave her a sympathetic look, "Must be hard."

Just sighing, Mikage shook her head a little, "You have absolutely no idea. But... there are other ways that one can let off a little steam without going all the way, though it just builds up more."

With a snort at the Kitsune's waggling eyebrows, Ayane grinned, "I can imagine. Poor Haruto-Kun will need to prescribe himself plenty of fluids and skelegrow." At the answering grin and wink, she laughed before shaking her head, "Well, I can guess why you're here."

Nodding, her friend chuckled a little, "Sort of obvious, I guess." At the nod, Mikage shook her head, "But we're going to need at least five wedding Kimonos, and a Hakama for Haruto-Kun."

Ayane pulled out a notebook and started writing in it, "Hmm... well I do have a few ideas for it, I will admit. And I already have all your sizes as well..." Tapping her pencil against her chin, she frowned before motioning it towards the Kitsune, "That does beg the question of if you want something for Chikako-Chan. And how long of a timeframe we have before the wedding."

For a few moments, Mikage considered that before humming, "Chikako-Chan would look nice in a new Kimono, so that would be appreciated. As for time? We haven't yet pinned down a date, but... we're going to wait at least as long as we have been together romantically before tying the knot..." At the smirk she got, the Kitsune went back over what she said before blushing, "Ero-spider."

Completely and utterly unrepentant, the spider woman grinned and shrugged, "Jorogumo, it's in our very blood and I'm proud of it. Besides..." A snicker escaped from her as she motioned her pencil at the still blushing Kitsune, "You walked right into that one." Hearing grumbles, Ayane turned back to her notepad as she took a few notes, "Hmm... give me a few months and I'll have everything. Though any ideas on the wedding itself?"

Head cocked to the side, Mikage considered that for a few moments before frowning, "We've bounced a few ideas since so many are going to be invited." Finger tapping on the desk, she hummed, "Thankfully, since Haruto-Kun is a wizard and his parents are magical, they can increase the amount of food. But... besides the standard fare, we've considered buying fried chicken and pizza from the mainland, increasing the amount, and letting everyone have some. Maybe burgers too."

Blinking, Ayane gave her a thoughtful look, "Huh... I've heard of fried chicken, pizza, and burgers... but never tried them. Any good?" Upon seeing the look she got, she tapped herself in the chest, "I've been born and lived all my life here in the Reserve, remember? Never gotten the chance to eat food from the outside, although I've been told it is good."

That caused Mikage to wince before she gave a small nod, "Forgot about that... as for how it is? It tastes pretty good actually though it has been years since I have had pizza or anything like that. You'd love the more meaty ones though."

Grinning, the Jorogumo chuckled some, "I'll take your word for it, Mikage-Chan."

With that, she turned back to her notebook and started drawing designs with her experienced hand. Hearing a clearing throat, she looked back up at Mikage who seemed... unsure. But then the Kitsune looked at her with a small frown, "How do you feel... about this..." She motioned her hand before tapping her ring, "You know? Us getting married to Haruto-Kun?"

Just blinking, Ayane frowned for a moment, "How do I feel?" When the Kitsune nodded, she shrugged, "Honestly? I'm pretty happy for you all."

Eyebrow raising, Mikage gave her a look, "Really?"

Leaning forward, the spider Yokai returned the look, though she noted with amusement that Mikage's eyes went to her top with how it hung off her, "Really." Pulling back a little, Ayane let out a puff of air, "I... won't say that I'm not a little sad about it, missed chances and all that. But I am happy about it and trust me, I'll be making the best damn wedding Kimonos for you bunch that I can if that will prove it."

For several seconds, Mikage's gaze met Ayane's, who returned it, "Huh..." Glancing back at her, the Kitsune's ears twitched a little, "But you do feel a little disappointed."

At that, Ayane rolled her eyes, "Hai, a little. And can you really blame me, Mikage-Chan? Haruto-Kun is one hell of a catch. He's not just intelligent, kind, caring, obviously a great father if how he treats Chikako-Chan is..." She reached out with her hands and made grabbing motions, "He's also got a great bod, and that ass, I just want to nip it a little."

Unable to help herself, the blue haired Kitsune threw her head back and laughed. Once she had it under control, Mikage turned back to her and winked, "Trust me, you're not the only one."

Highly amused, Ayane winked at her, "Besides which, I've been his tailor and had to take, ah, measurements. You are very lucky." Softly chortling as Mikage went red and flatted her ears against her head, the Jorogumo shrugged, "Don't deny it, you know that it is as true as I do."

Coughing, Mikage looked away, "Maybe..."

Moments later, the tailor waved a hand, "So, yeah, am I saddened by the fact he is getting married? Sure, impossible not to be. But I am happy about the fact he is happy and so are you. Despite what some might think in regards to us Jorogumo, I'm not a homewrecker."

Arms crossed, Mikage hummed in agreement as she thought about that, and how true it is. Oh, her and the others knew that the Jorogumo flirted with Haruto and did have feelings for him. At the same time, unlike some of the other female Yokai? She never carried such actions too far, always backing off when she noticed that it got the other girls annoyed, not that it happened often. And she was not wrong about having been Haruto's tailor, as she had done measurements of him for clothes made in the Reserve...

Yet, during such times, she kept it strictly professional. No flirting comments, no making moves on him, it was completely professional... even if she teased him afterwards. It was one of the reasons why the Kitsune and the others didn't worry in the slightest even when she took him to the measuring rooms.

Head cocked to the side, Mikage had a slight smirk on her face as she remembered a few incidents, "Hmm... maybe..."

Confused, Ayane looked up in question, but not getting anything more, went back to work as she had quite a bit of work to be done. She was happy when later in the day, Haruto dropped by with a bag of pepperoni sticks as a downpayment. A bag that she opened and took some out of with a joyful expression as she began to munch down on them.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (XIII)

14 July 2014

Mikasa Park, Yokosuka, Japan
Spoiler: A Prayer Answered

As Ehren watched wide-eyed in shock, her mother sank to one knee and bowed her head. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she smiled uncontrollably. She whispered reverently, "{The sword of La Pucelle d'Orléans...}"

Those words hit Ehren like a lightning bolt. For now she knew who the woman who her mother was kneeling to was.

She remembered that gentle, compassionate voice and loving smile from the gold-haired woman who had visited her while she wept soundlessly alone after being... used... on Mutti by Vati.

The betrayal and soul-deep agonies that had wracked her steel body day after day, month after month, year after year.

For she knew deep in her soul that what she had been used for in that searing instant when she tasted her mother's life-blood was not honor but spite and malicious revenge.

That what had been done was wrong and she was an unwilling part of it.

And yet, even in her lonely anguish and guilt afterward, this woman, kin yet not kin to Mutti had come daily to visit her where she hung alone in the Armory.

A light in the darkness of her existence driving back the shadows that clung to her.

A drink of living water to the thirsty tormented prisoner still chained within her steel.

A gentle whisper of reassurance that redemption and forgiveness were possible for even one such as her.

That one day she would be granted the opportunity to make amends for what she was, what she had done in Vati's hands. To take charge of her own destiny and turn to the Light and Good from the pit that had spawned her if she so desired.

Words that she knew deep inside were true as Catherine sat with her and talked to her. That despite everything that had happened and would happen to her, she was Loved, and was valued enough to be given that chance, that free choice to accept Love and Grace and Forgiveness.

The last day before Mutti had come to retrieve her and take her to Moulbaix, she remembered the final words said to her by Catherine.

A gentle touch of fingers on the Adler und Hakenkreuz(Swatiska and Eagle) of her hilt. "Know that the road ahead of you shall be long and painful, as it has been for me, as it is for us all who were born into the slavery of sin. But also know that you shall never have to walk it alone and unaided, for God and my prayers shall be with you every step of the way, should you be willing to ask for His Forgiveness and Grace to uplift and strengthen you. Until God sets our paths to cross again, Godspeed, petite dague d'honneur."(Little Honor Dagger)

When she manifested at long last, she had barely remembered Catherine's words and care and compassion for her. Whispers scarce indistinguishable from those of her conscience and devotion to honor.

Until now.

Until her path had once more crossed the woman who had helped set her feet on the path of true honor that she was striving to walk along.

Tears trickled from the steel blue eyes of a young dagger who had experienced far far too much of the evils of the world in her short life. At last she dimly understood that her unceasing desperate struggles against the darkness in her heart, of the evils that she had faced alongside her family, of her heritage and past would not be in vain for she did not stand alone. She would never walk truly alone down her rocky road to salvation. Ehren's lips opened and she whispered in German too quietly to be heard, "{Thank you so very very much, Catherine. I don't deserve the gift you gave me, but I treasure it nonetheless.}"
------------------------

Spoiler: Catherine and Colombe

Catherine smiled at Colombe as the rapier knelt before her. She shook her head in a gently chiding motion, like a mother smiling at the mess her young child had made of a flowerbed to pick a blossom.

"{That is not necessary, Colombe.}" Catherine said in French as she placed a hand on Colombe's elbow and guided her to her feet. "{I am not worthy of your veneration in that way; I am merely a servant of a greater Servant. You have done as much for France as I ever have.}"

Colombe nodded hesitantly and then swallowed, "{But...}" A gentle finger on her lips shushed her.

"{You bled in defense of France at Sedan and the Meuse, willingly walked into the maw of Verdun twice to defend France, fought when all hope was nearly lost in the Resistance in Occupied France, and helped to liberate Paris in 1944.}"Catherine said with a knowing smile. "{While I have not set foot in Ma Patrie since I fled with Marie Angeline Potter in my arms during the Revolution.}" She sighed and looked sad. "{Such terrible days, and such a great tragedy.}"

Colombe sighed deeply and tears filled her eyes. "{I lost my sister Marie-Claire and all but one of her family to the Terror and the madness of the sans-culottes(without Pants) in the mob.}" Then her lips flickered in a smug but sad smile, "{I regret many things in my long life, but my only regret about that black day is that there were those I could not save at the time no matter what the Committee of Magical Safety and the Committee of Public Safety thought of me and mine afterward. I'm proud to be called a whore of an aristo and a danger to the Revolution in the warrant for my arrest.}"

Catherine smiled with mixed sadness and pride in agreement, "{Just as I have framed the letter from Robespierre telling me that I was a traitor to France deserving execution if I were to return and my Mistress would be ashamed of me to have rescued an innocent girl from the mob. A girl whose only 'crime' was to be born a Potter whom I delivered to safety with her cousins in England. Truly 'Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake.' I have my own regrets, but no, never that choice to save a scared young girl.}"

Colombe nodded sadly. "{After all, there was no other choice worthy of the Word at all in the end.}"

Catherine smiled and looked at the visibly shocked Ehren. "{I see she manifested at long last. You have done well in raising your daughters, Colombe.}"

Colombe shook her head and laughed wryly. "{Heaven knows I try.}"
------------------------

Colombe looked over at Tsukiakari in the passenger seat of the minivan as Ehren got in last and closed the rear door behind her. "So the eatery where you made lunch reservations has a piano that the patrons can play in the lounge?"

Tsukiakari nodded, "Oh yes, I thought considering Claire that would be a nice treat for us all."

"She will love it." Colombe looked in the rear view mirror as she adjusted it.

Directly behind her Catherine and Tokunotakai sat in the first row of seats with Ehren joining them. The miko and the saint's blade were in deep conversation about theology judging from the murmur of voices.

Behind them, Claire sat next to Juuchi with Kensho on her lap. The piano nodded at something the young blade said as Kensho pointed out the window.

Finally in the back Harry sat sandwiched between Verniy and Maruyu who were resting their heads on his shoulders as they talked, with his arm around their waists. Colombe sighed slightly at the happy smiles on their faces since she could read the signs plain as day.

Colombe lowered her voice and spoke to Tsu. "He has Ian's way with the ladies, I see."

Tsukiakari laughed and responded equally quietly as the van pulled out. "Left here. Oh yes, he has an abyssal, a kitsune, and just over a dozen and a half shipgirls after him. All of whom are interested in sharing."

Colombe barked a laugh as she made the indicated turn. "I suppose the early bird gets the worm, or in this case, the early girls get the Potter. I had some slight hopes that one of my daughters would wed in to continue the bloodline and also because of the debt I owe Ian and Lyra that you know about. Plus, he is a fine catch for them, but... it seems that he is taken. Pity, since he is a very good one by all indications with what I have seen and heard. Oh well, c'est la vie." The rapier then smiled devilishly as she continued, "I know what set of memories of mine to give him as a wedding present though, they shall be of use to satisfy the ladies in his life."

Tsukiakari laughed, "It can't hurt once he is old enough for them and also some of Lyra's diaries and journals. You did extract the other memories? He really desires to know about his family since he was orphaned."

Colombe nodded, "Memories of Ian, Lyra, Henry, and also the German Potters such as Johann and Karl that I knew along with some of Gabriel during my scapegrace school days in Beauxbatons, yes. It is the least I could give him for all that his family has done for me."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

The stream gently burbled as the waters in it tumbled downhill towards what destination met it. And, at the banks of the water, a Jorogumo was looking out into the forest with a far off expression. One that stated that she was deep in thought.

However, a good sign of what those thoughts could be was in fact her hands as they were clenched until the knuckles were white.

Suddenly, she jumped as a hand came down on her shoulder, "Hey, Moeka-Chan, you alright?"

Lightly blushing, the Jorogumo turned to a blue skinned female Oni that was there before looking away. When she spoke though, it was in a quiet voice, "Um... hai, I am, Ran-Chan."

Rolling her eyes, the Oni crossed her arms, "Bullshit." She glared around them as if the problem was there and she wanted to kick its ass. Satisfied that her imaginary opponent was defeated with her glare, she turned back to her friend, "Hey now, we've been friends for how long now?"

Lightly scratching her cheek, Moeka looked away again, "Um... since we were little kids."

The Oni grinned at that and nodded, "Exactly! I remember seeing you back then, all shy and stuff while avoiding the other children despite them making comments. So I went and introduced myself-"

Her lips twitching a bit, Moeka bit back a giggle, "You came up behind one of the boys insulting me, kicked him into the ground, before placing your foot on his head and grinding it into the mud. Then you told me your name."

If anything, that made Ran grin all the wider, "Damn straight! That's how we Oni introduce ourselves!" She then gave a shrug, "Anyways, I decided to make friends with that shy Jorogumo." Poking her, the Oni gave her a look, "And help her out however I can, I told you that, remember?"

Still blushing, Moeka nodded, "Hai, I do." Another giggle escaped her, "Kind of hard not to remember that."

Smirking, the Oni laughed, "I imagine not! I'm unforgettable after all!" Getting another giggle, Ran poked her friend in the side, making her skitter away while squirming, "Now, what's got you all glum, chum. Better tell me, or else I'll tell my Nii-San all about the crush you have on him~"

That got a gasp before Moeka looked around quickly, "Ran-Chan! Don't you dare!"

Eyebrow raised, Ran gave her a look, "I still don't understand why you like him. Guy's thick up here."

She tapped her head and her friend puffed out her cheeks as she placed her hands on her hips, "He is not!" Looking away with a blush, Moeka huffed a bit, "He's... just the strong, silent type. You know? The one who doesn't need to go on about things..." She shot her friend a glare, "Unlike some people that I can name."

More amused than anything, Ran buffed her nails on her canvas shirt, "Uh-huh." With a shrug, she made a gesture with her hand, "Well, I'm not seeing it and I've known him all our lives. But whatever." Reaching out, she tapped her friend in the chest with one finger, "Besides, I already told you, just ask and I'll hook you up with him! What are best friends for but that?"

Face bright red, Moeka looked away before poking her fingers together, "I-I... I can't. He wouldn't be interested in me because, um... I'm shy and..."

With a long suffering sigh, the Oni rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, so you say." Cocking an eyebrow, she looked pointedly at her friend's torso, "He won't care about the fact that your flatter than a still pool, I've told you that."

Sputtering, Moeka flailed a little, "RAN-CHAN!" Holding her arms close over her nearly non-existent chest, something that always bothered her, she flustered, "I can't help that I'm not... not... not a mountain Oni like someone!"

If she expected that to bother her friend, she was wrong. Because moments later, Ran grinned and thrust out her chest before crossing her arms under her breasts to empathize them, "Damn right! Got a pair of Fujiyamas on my chest and proud of it!"

Holding her face in her hands, Moeka softly groaned, "How am I friends with you again...?"

Only shrugging, Ran snickered, "Because you needed someone to pull you out of your shell? Because I am just that great of a friend? Or you are just that lucky? Who knows?"

Looking between her fingers, the Jorogumo gave her a look, "You really are the worst..." However, suddenly, she grinned, "Of course... I can reveal your secret as well, Ran-Chan~"

Expression becoming horrified, Ran boggled at her, "You wouldn't..."

The Jorogumo giggled at that, "Oh, I can... if I wanted to, I could tell everyone how much you adore cute, small things. Like that squirrel three days ago that you grabbed and stuffed into your Fujiyamas? How was it?" Moeka, before the horrified gaze of her friend, held her hands together against her chest as if they were containing something and rubbed her cheek up and down them as well, "Aw, aren't you just the cutest little thing? Oh yes you are! Yes you are! Kaa-San will take good care of you, yes she will~"

Cheeks a dark purple rather than blue, Ran sputtered, "Y-you... dammit! Don't tell people that, it will ruin my reputation if they knew of it!" Scowling, she looked away, "I-it was just so damn cute!"

Noticing how her friend was reacting, Moeka chewed her lip some, "Sorry."

Grumbles escaping her, Ran turned to tell her to relax when she saw her friend with some of her bangs covering her face. Moments later, she made a choking sound, 'So... so adorable...' Moments later, she was stuffing Moeka's face into her chest, "Kawaii!"

Muffled sounds came from said Spider Yokai as she slowly blinked before pushing her friend away, "D-don't..."

Once more, Ran had a smirk on her face as she chuckled, "What? I can't help it that you are adorable." Shaking her head at her friend's pout, she pointed at the Jorogumo, "Like right now as a matter of fact."

Unable to help her blush, Moeka looked away, "Shut up..."

Still smirking, the Oni snickered some, "I still can't believe it. You're practically an adorable little wall flower of a spider... until someone is hurt. And then BANG!" She punched one fist into her palm with a smack which caused her friend to jump, "It is like you're an entirely different Jorogumo! One who won't take no for an answer and who can make an Onikuma shrink before you as you begin to bandage them up."

Heavily blushing, Moeka held her face in her hands, "I don't know... It is just who I am..."

Amused, Ran threw an arm over her friend's shoulders, "True enough, and that makes you all the more awesome." Becoming serious once more, she frowned, "Which is why I'm wondering what is wrong. What? Is Tadashi-Ojii hitting on you again? Because he does adore you..."

Quickly, the Jorogumo shook her head though she lightly blushed at the reminder of what the old Tsuchigumo had said. Among other things, that she was an Tenshi from the heavens. Despite being much older, he did flirt with her... and some of the other women in the Reserve.

Some of whom referred to him as the "Dirty Old Spider".

But that said, despite that, Moeka found him a sweet old man... spider, who often spent time telling stories to the various children. Like how he had lost one of his eyes to a Gashadokuro... or how the cleaver stuck in his head came from a honour duel with a powerful Oni. Though once, when drunk, he had admitted that he lost that eye due to the cleaver that his Oni brother-in-law had used when said Yokai found out that he had knocked up his sister. Something that always made him morose as he didn't know to this day what happened to his wife and children after he was chucked into the Reserve after the Restoration.

Shaking that thought off, Moeka turned to her friend who was grumbling about old spiders being perverts, "Um, no... Tadashi-Ojii is not why. Though he is sad about... well..."

Only sucking her teeth, Ran nodded, "About you leaving the Reserve? Yeah, I can imagine why... you did save his life after that tree fell on him. A few more inches and it would have hit that cleaver stuck in his head."

Wincing, Moeka nodded, "Hai... I wish that it could be removed but... it's stuck in there and trying to do so might kill him." Only getting a hum, she shook her head, "B-but it's not that."

For a few moments, her friend was quiet, "Is it because we're leaving the Reserve? Because the outside scares you?"

Yet again, Moeka shook her head, but paused for a moment, "I... would be lying if I said that I was not worried and... a little scared. I've never been out of the Reserve, but everyone says that the outside is big and can be scary."

Walking up to her, Ran hugged her with one arm, "I promise, I'll be right there the whole way. Ain't nothing going to happen to you as long as I am around."

A soft smile on her face, the Jorogumo leaned into her, "Hai, I know." Lips twitching, she gave a giggle, "Though I do wonder, since you want to find a boyfriend outside. A cute one."

Lightly blushing, Ran huffed, "Look, can you blame me? All the guys here are tough and stuff. I want a smol boyfriend that I can hug to me and protect from the world. Is that so bad?"

Giggling with her hair covering one eye, Moeka shook her head, "No, not at all. And any guy would be lucky with you as a protector." As her friend nodded, she looked at the Oni's chest, 'Though he might worry instead about air...' When she giggled again and got an odd look, she waved it off, "Um, it's nothing."

Unbelieving of her, Ran cocked an eyebrow, "Uh-huh..."

Moeka then turned and looked at the stream, "But... it does kind of have to do with leaving. I already said goodbye to my Otouto and Okaa-San, b-but..."

Suddenly understanding, the Oni flushed in anger and narrowed her eyes, "Your Otou-San."

Looking away, Moeka's shoulders slumped, "Hai... he... he told me good luck last night, but... but I could not find him today to say goodbye. Okaa-San said that it is because he has problems with me going."

Growling, Ran glared at nothing in particular, "That asshole..."

Eyes widening, the Jorogumo turned around and waved her hands some, "He's... he's not, really. And he does love me after all and that is why he is having me smuggled out. So that I can be safe-"

Her own eyes narrowing, Ran scoffed, "After blackmailing those he knew were involved to get you out or else he would inform the Diet who they were. Sometimes..."

Closing her eyes, Moeka swallowed, "H-hai... and I know that he's disliked as Headman for the Yokai here in the Reserve. And that he never liked the smuggling, b-but that is because he doesn't want the Diet angry. Because then, those of us here in Nikko might be punished by suddenly food and such getting a cut. We're the 'Showcase' Reserve after all..."

If anything, Ran's scowl deepened, "Say it for what it is, we're a damn zoo that the Diet trots out to 'Show' that the Reserves aren't as bad as they claim. All of us just little display pieces for anyone to see. Look at the savage Yokai, living in their nice homes and tamed with good amounts of food. Now, move along, move along, no pictures, it disturbs them. We have a luncheon in the main guard's headquarters..." Turning her head, she spat onto the ground, "Bastards."

Twiddling her fingers, the Jorogumo nodded, "Hai... though because of that, we're better off than most. And Otou-San wants to keep it that way because he is looking after everyone. B-but because of what happened with me..."

Briefly, there was the sound of teeth grinding before Ran took a deep breath and calmed herself. Getting angry wouldn't help anyone, especially not her friend. Though punching Masao, Moeka's father, in his spider face would feel nice. Shaking that thought off, she scowled, "Still an asshole move."

Only shrugging, Moeka leaned into her, "He loves me and knows that... that the Diet might not react well. And there are also those who might, um... let them know to get back at Otou-San. So best that I get away before they can do anything." Getting a grunt, she sighed, "I wish that I could disagree with him... Especially after what happened in Kyushu. That frightened him."

Much as she wanted to disagree with her friend, the Oni found herself unable to do so. Ran knew that if the Diet ever found out... her friend was in danger. And very likely so was the rest of the Reserve.

But she was not going to let her friend go alone, as much as she was scared of the outside world herself.

Taking a deep breath, Ran let it out as she shook her head, "Whatever." Turning towards the Jorogumo, she continued, "You got nothing to worry about because I'm here and ain't leaving your side for nothing." Gently punching her friend in the shoulder, she grinned, "We've been through this much after all and I'm not about to stop now.

Relieved, Moeka blinked away some tears as she smiled, "Thank you, Ran-Chan."

Just waving her off, the Oni snorted, "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Getting up, she gave a grunt and patted her legs, "We should get going to the meeting with the guys getting us out."

With a nod, the Jorogumo got up only to pause as a voice spoke up, "Moeka-Chan." Turning, the eyes of both Yokai widened at the sight of the old wizard, "Good, I caught you before you could get going. Been looking for you everywhere."

Nervous, Moeka looked around, "O-Ojii-San? What are you doing here?"

Already, her arms were open to accept the hug she knew was coming, which indeed came a few moments later as he chuckled, "I just wanted to say goodbye to my granddaughter. Didn't think that you could leave without that from this old man, did you?"

Tears prickling at her eyes, Moeka shook her head, "No, of course not, Ojii-San."

Glancing around, Ran coughed a little, "As much as this is heartwarming, and it is... should you be here? Or even, you know, actually know what we're doing?" She frowned a little and gave him a look, "You are the Head Administrator for the Reserve after all, Yamashita-San."

Instead of being insulted, Yamashita seemed more amused by it, "Frankly, I could care less. Besides, who do you think will make sure that the guard rotations will make sure to have a hole for the time needed."

Eyebrows raised, Ran gave him a look of respect, "Huh... pretty dangerous that. If they catch you..."

She let herself trail off only for the old wizard to chuckle and give her a sad smile, "What will they do? Fire me? Throw me in prison for however long before Kyoto takes over or the No-Majs do? There's nothing that they can really do to me now." That only got him a nod of respect from the Oni which he returned before turning back to Moeka and reaching into his pocket to withdraw an envelope. Pausing for a moment, Yamashita looked at it before handing her it, "Here, it's not much, but..."

Confused, Moeka took it before opening it with her eyes widening as she gasped at the sight of the rolls of non-magical bills inside, "O-Ojii-San, this... this is too much."

When she went to give it back, he placed his hand over hers and pushed it towards her, "Take it." Lips curling into a fond smile, he nodded a little, "It's not much, like I said. But... it should be enough for a month or two as well as getting you clothes. There's also a destination in there for you that should help if my sources are correct."

Just sniffling, Moeka hugged her human grandfather, "Thank you. I'm so sorry about Obaa-Chan and you're doing this..."

Chuckling as he returned the hug, Yamashita shook his head sadly, "I came to accept a long time ago that your Obaa-San was only wanting one thing all those years ago. She wasn't interested in anything but that concerning a young guard and certainly not a serious relationship. But you, Moeka-Chan.... you're my beautiful granddaughter, as much so as any of my other ones from my human wife. And... it is time for me to make sure that you're in good hands." Hug tightening as he smiled, he chuckled, "Know that this old man is so very proud of you no matter what. And one day, the world will see you as the wonderful woman that you are."

Practically blubbering, the Jorogumo only nodded, "T-thank you, Ojii-San... thank you."

Soon after, they pulled apart and he gave them both nods, "Stay safe, both of you. And Ran-San?" When the Oni looked at him, the old wizard continued, "Keep her safe."

A smirk on her face, Ran gave him a snort, "You don't even have to ask."

Giving his granddaughter a final hug, and a kiss on the cheek, Yamashita turned and walked away. They stood there and watched as he disappeared before turning themselves and heading in the opposite direction. It took them almost an hour, but they arrived on time as the evening set in and they nodded towards the Nukekubi that was there, a recent arrival of just a few months. From what they had been told, her parents were paying for her to get out and they were somewhat last minute additions.

Not long after, they were out of the Reserve though Moeka looked back and nodded, "I love you..."

Back in the Reserve, Moeka's father was looking up at the night sky through bleary eyes and an empty bottle of iced coffee, "I love you, daughter... good luck."

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

Well, here's a thing...

You know, I just realized that I haven't been naming my snippets lately. Um...
Strange Meetings

-----

The first day that Nemo went out to the mainland, Dana followed her about sixty meters out before pausing.

That's a lot of water, she thought.

She turned around, and went back to the island.
-----

The second day that Nemo went out to the mainland, Dana made it about sixty-one meters.

Yep. A lot of water.

She turned around.
-----

On the third day, Dana got to one-hundred and twenty meters. She counted it as a success and returned.
-----

On the fourth day, Dana followed Nemo until her older sister disappeared over the horizon. For a moment, she stood still, trying to figure out what to do. Nemo had been going in a straight line, right? That meant that if she turned around and just went straight, she should make it home.

On the other hand, if she went in a straight line towards where Nemo had disappeared…
-----

"Nemo? Nemoooo!!!"

Regalia looked up, scanning the area—the voice that she heard was a childish one. Was someone separated from their parents?

There was a small child running by, waving her arms. The motions were emphasized by the girl's grey hoodie, which was large enough that it fit her more like a dress than a jacket and hid her hands entirely.

A small Abyssal child.

"Hello there!" she called after the girl, who slowed, and looked suspiciously over her shoulder. "Do you need help with something?"

The little girl's nose wrinkled as she… well, it was probably meant as a scowl, but it came out more as a pout. "Do you know where Nemo is?" she asked after holding this expression for several seconds. Regalia thought for a moment. The name sounded somewhat familiar, but she couldn't place it… a Ne-class, maybe?

She knelt down in front of the girl. "I'm sorry," she admitted, "but I don't know who Nemo is. Maybe if you told me more?"

The little girl frowned, looked around, then leaned in close. "She's my big sister," she whispered conspiratorially, "but there's someone here who's stealing her. So I'm gonna make him give her back."

Stealing her? "That does sound bad."

The girl nodded. "The only problem is I haven't found her yet. And I've never been here before, so I don't know where to look."

Wait a second.

Regalia frowned. "Are you… lost?"

The little girl froze, staring at Regalia in rigid shock. "… No."

That was it. There was no way Regalia could leave her to her own devices. More than that, her older sister could be in trouble. "Well, then," she said, standing, "Maybe I can help you. Your sister is a Ne-class, right?"

"What's a Ne-class?"

"A heavy cruiser?" The girl remained blank faced. "Ne-class heavy cruiser…" she cocked her head to the side. Regalia bit her lip, trying to think of something…

She pulled her scarf up over her mouth.

"Ah-ha! Nemo!" the little girl crowed.

"Yes!" Regalia exclaimed, "If she's a Ne-class, maybe I can find her. My name is Regalia, what's yours?"

"Dana!"
-----

Well, this should be interesting. Next scheduled snippet... Hmm. I wanted to do something with the Select, but I'm not sure if I should move directly to Olivia McKay, or put something in to space things out. And since I have a working idea for the next Haruka and Minato snippet...

Well what do you think, sirs?

Edit: The title is no good. I'll have to rethink it.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A.N.-It's not fair to Harry to tie up his primary characters if I decide to walk away from SB, so....

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (XIV)

14 July 2014

Sunrise Oceanview Lounge, Yokosuka, Japan
Spoiler: A Lunch Date

Colombe parked the van in the parking lot of the six-story building and then looked over at Tsukiakari. "This is the place?" Colombe asked quietly.

Tsukiakari nodded. "This is the place. Reservations are in the name of Potter."

With that, Ehren opened the door of the rented van for everyone. Ehren then squeezed to one side as Juuchi hopped out first to head to the door of the lounge with Claire and Kensho following on her heels. The brunette piano gave her young cousin a smile and hair ruffle before taking her hand for the trip across the parking lot. Ehren fell in automatically on her sister's heels.

Tokunotakai and Catherine followed at a brisk pace as they continued their philosophical and theological discussion. Finally bringing up the rear, Harry was escorted slowly along by Verniy and Maruyu, each shipgirl having claimed an arm as the three teens laughed and chatted among themselves.

Colombe watched the trio pass with a soft smile on her face then turned to Tsukiakari. "He most definitely is Ian's great-grandson. I know that gift that he has to manage relationships and fulfill a lady's life as easily as breathing. He doesn't even know that he has it, does he?"

Tsukiakari shook her head. "No, no he doesn't. Although Master Ian gave him some advice when we met the Arashis."

Colombe nodded as she locked the van, "You mentioned that before and then after Verdun. They... are well?"

"For the most part, yes. Some deaths, of course, in the decades since Master Ian passed on. They would like to meet you, although not all of them will be there when you visit this summer." Tsukiakari smiled as they entered the building.

Colombe hummed thoughtfully as they waited for the elevator to their reserved lounge on the top floor to return to the lobby. "The Tsurara-onna, yes. I should plan to come around Christmas instead so they and the Yuki-onna will be present in the winter." She nodded as the doors opened and they stepped inside to take the elevator up. "At least I can make sure that my contact information is up to date and give them the portkey I prepared as an emergency escape mechanism. Especially with the politics in Magical Japan being so unsettled."

Tsukiakari grinned and punched the button for the top floor lounge. "Unsettled, yes, but in a good way for Yokai in Hokkaido. Tokyo has lost control there and Kyoto is far far more friendly. Also... the muggle authorities are aware and are taking steps to integrate fully."

"That is what Aunt Chisuheri said to me when we talked about it at the beach party, yes. Toku says so as well, so at least one burden off my shoulders unless matters take a turn for the worse. Keep me informed if the Arashis need help." Colombe spoke as she squared her shoulders when the door opened.
--------------------------------

"A Yamaha YUS!" Claire squeed at the 52" upright ebony piano sitting along the wall next to the window overlooking Tokyo Bay. Ehren facepalmed with a small smug smirk on her face as Claire hurried over to take a seat on the bench, totally ignoring their waiting lunch table and buffet in the private lounge room.

Never change, Big Piano Sister....

Juuchi took Kensho's hand and guided her niece over to the buffet line. Claire was, of course, oblivious as she played a quick set of scales with a thoughtful frown on her face as she listened to the sound quality and tuning.

Ehrne turned to the attractive young lady manager in a yellow and orange sundress who had guided them here. "My sister is a musician of some note you see. Music is her life." The manager smiled happily and nodded.

Then Ehren blinked as Kensho vanished to reappear beside Claire. The young child tugged her cousin's sleeve and said. "Can we play a song together, please, Claire-chan?"
Spoiler: Corrupting Cousin Kensho With Mozart

Ehren's face froze at the sly smug grin on her sister's face. "Oh yes, do you know the Alphabet Song in English, Kensho?"

No, NO! Don't you DARE bring up my first alphabet lesson with you, Claire! Ehren screamed silently behind her impassive face.

A broad happy smile and enthusiastic nod greeted the question. "Unh-hunh!" The kogatana began to sing "A-B-C-D-E-F-G, H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P, Q-R-S-T-U-V-dub-a-U-X-Y and Z! Now I know my ABCs! Mou, won't you sing along with me?"

Ignoring the 'I'll kill you for this one, sister' glare Ehren was shooting her way behind her impassive cool facade Claire hummed along. "That's the one. But one of my favorite composers wrote the music you sang to me. So I'll play a little Mozart and you sing..."

Ehren gave a soft sigh as Kensho sang along to Mozart's K.265. She then glanced over to see Catherine smiling like an angel as she stood out of the way and watched the piano and kogatana's duet (and the smirking Juuchi watching her nieces serenade her). Past them, Harry, Tokunotakai, and the shipgirls began to hit the set up lunch buffet self-serve line. Colombe and Tsukiakari joined them as the elevator opened again to disgorge them.
--------------------------------

Spoiler: Ehren's Talk With Catherine

Ehren took a deep breath and walked over soundlessly to Catherine's side, casting a privacy charm as she did. She lowered her voice and spoke in French "{Hello. I... want to thank you for what you did for me, Catherine.}"

Catherine turned and graced Ehren with a warm smile. "{You are welcome. It is good to see you have grown up at last. Ehren suits you as a name, you know.}"

Ehren blushed and looked at her shoes. "{Perhaps. I just... If you could tell me... Why? Why the conversations before I manifested? Why me? I don't deserve it.}"

Catherine placed a gentle hand on Ehren's shoulder and guided her into a hug. The Dagger stiffened and then relaxed slightly in the warm loving circle of Catherine's arms. "{Oh, you poor hurting soul. None of us deserve it, truly. Neither you nor I deserve the greatest gift that God has given us. As for why....}" The Sword of Joan of Arc whispered in her ear.

Catherine paused, and then chuckled slightly as she squeezed Ehren in the embrace. "{I recommend reading The Screwtape Letters by the theologian C.S. Lewis about temptation and sin. Specifically the twenty-ninth chapter and also Screwtape Proposes a Toast. You see, Ehren, we are, all of us, battlegrounds between God and the devil. A battle that rages in the human heart and soul until the end of days. In it, the devil can never create; he can only corrupt virtues present in that individual. The great sinners are like the great saints in that they have the seeds of great virtues granted to them by their Creator. One must have the wings to soar to the gates of Heaven to be able to fall to the depths of Hell, after all. What matters is not which gifts you, or I, or your mother or sister, or any of us are given, but what we make of them in the purpose of our salvation or our damnation.}"

Catherine released Ehren and looked deep into her eyes, "{Trust me when I say that I sensed some of the same seeds awaiting the proper time to bear fruit for good or for ill in your unformed spirit, some of the same gifts that God gave my Mistress when he formed her, when I first saw you. The devotion to do what you see as the right thing no matter the cost to you, knowing at the end of the road your death awaits. The courage to walk that road fearlessly and in confidence to the awaiting tomb containing your eternal reward. The strength to unflaggingly shoulder the burdens of your honor and duty willingly in the service of a higher cause than yourself. And perhaps most importantly, that need to grasp to something far far greater than your own self interests and petty desires that you desperately desire to believe in as a man dying of thirst in the desert needs water, or as my soul burns endlessly for God's Grace.}"

Catherine gave a happy smile as tears trickled from her eyes, "{My Mistress watered and grew those seeds into a mighty orchard indeed. She did what she did for the love of God and of France and I know deep down that she knew when she left Domrémy and everything she had ever known and seen and loved with a temporal love, her road would lead to her martyrdom at the stake and an imperishable crown of glory past the veil if she had the courage and faith to walk it. She wept for regret at leaving her home forevermore the first night, you know.}"

Catherine smiled serenely. "{That is why. After all, every soul young or old, man or woman, small or great plucked from the devil's claws to the side of the Lamb is a great triumph for He whom I serve, but how the Father of Lies must howl and beat his breast in impotent fury when one of the ones so richly gifted ascends rather than falls into his clutches. If you seek a touchstone, look to Faith, Hope, and Charity, Ehren du Chasteler.}"

Ehren nodded slowly with a thoughtful expression upon her face.
--------------------------------

Spoiler: A Matter Of Honor

Colombe walked over to Harry as he sat with Kensho in his lap by the window as Claire began to play another song. She gave a fond smile at her middle daughter then leaned down to ruffle her niece's hair. "Cousin Colombe needs to talk privately for a bit with Master Harry, ma minette. Can you spend some time with Cousin Ehren over there?" Colombe pointed at the blond dagger who was sitting alone and listening to Claire with a thoughtful pout on her face. "If she doesn't get a smile on her face soon it will stick that way and such would be a great traged---."

She then blinked as Kensho vanished with a sunny smile to reappear at Ehren's side. "Oh. Well then."

Harry looked at Colombe, "You're very good with her."

She shrugged, "I had the odd child of my half-siblings and then nieces and nephews to wrangle once or twice. I wished to speak to you in private for two major reasons."

He gave her a curious look. "First, Tsukiakari mentioned that you wished to find out about your family heritage. I have had dealings with all three branches of the Potter Family, and I had my half-sister Delilah take the liberty of using Legilimency to copy those memories of all the Potters that I have known so you can have them as yours." Her lips quirked as she continued, "the age-appropriate memories, at least. The others will come when you are older and Mademoiselles Verniy and Maruyu can assist you with exploring them; I see the signs in them now. I had hoped for one of my girls to assist you later on but... ahh... you don't happen to have a hidden talent for music?"

Baffled Harry shook his head. "No, what does that have to do with anything?"

Colombe nodded to her enthralled daughter playing the piano. "Claire shall only be won by a young man with a comparable love of music, I fear. As for Ehren, I just don't see romance ever penetrating the icy armor around her terribly wounded heart, alas. C'est la vie." Colombe shrugged. "As for these memories I shall gift you, I'm led to believe Professor Albus Dumbledore is at Hogwarts still?"

"He's Headmaster now, you know him?" Harry responded.

"Oui, he and I worked together against Grindelwald. A very good friend at the time and an even better man. He is one of the most potent Legilimens that I have ever known, a school of magic I've little talent at. I'm somewhat skilled at Occlumency to conceal my thoughts, but compared to a master such as Albus... no." She reached into her oversized purse and withdrew a crystal bottle the size of a brandy decanter with inscribed runes on the side. The interior was filled with a softly glowing ghostly white liquid and it was sealed with wax. "Give this to him unopened and Lyra's Pensieve if it has not been lost; Albus can walk you through how to activate it and use my memories in it."

Harry's hands shook as he took the bottle and all it represented. "Thank you!" he spoke with emotion in his voice and tears in his eyes.

Colombe smiled faintly, "It's not a tithe upon the debt of honor that I owe Lyra and then Ian for their selfless heroism, though." She turned to look out across the bay with a distant expression and unshed tears in her eyes. "When we met in 1899 I was a self-destructive wreck, only looking for a suitable foe to claim my life in a vain and foolish attempt to expunge my sins. Lyra and Ian saved my life which I valued then, and still value now, little, and saved my honor and my immortal soul, which I value beyond price."

She turned to look at Harry, "Know that no matter the foe, no matter the need you have, I and mine shall stand ever-ready to defend you and yours and fight alongside you. So I, Colombe d'Aubigny du Chasteler-Muramasa, do swear upon my blade and my honor."

Harry had a shocked expression at her words, "Surely you don't need to do that!"

She shook her head in negation with a gentle and yet unyielding expression upon her face. "I do. You may have read of the 47 Ronin in school?"

Harry nodded slowly, "Yes, I have."

"Know that I follow a similar honor code. I may be one of the last practitioners who follow the light of the dying embers of the past, but my upbringing, my oaths, my beliefs, my very nature bind me just as firmly as bushido did for any true samurai. Lyra and Ian did such a great deed for me that this service is the only way I can hope to balance the scales, for my life is but a pebble in the scales compared to the ton-weight in gold of my honor as du Chasteler." Colombe said gently but firmly. "Ehren and even Claire in her own way are of like mind and temperament. They know and accept the debt and stand as one with me in such matters." She smiled as the shipgirls approached from the buffet line, "Do not hesitate to call upon me if you need any assistance that I and mine can provide in the future, Harry Potter."

He nodded in understanding, and held the decanter containing the precious memories of the past to his chest as she curtsied formally to him then stepped aside to allow his friends to rejoin his company. "I will."

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

Warning: Contains two characters with a rather poor understanding of philosophy and religion trying to discuss philosophy for a moment.
Faraway Harbor III

-----
Haruka bit her lip, watching as her companion ate almost mechanically. Hayami paid her very little mind, instead focusing on her food—what was left of it, anyway. Haruka's kohai had decent enough table manners, but she ate at an astonishing rate.

She was also wearing an old soccer jersey and gym shorts. Apparently, if she was able, Hayami eschewed fitted clothing with an almost religious vigor.

Back to the important stuff.

"You know," Haruka said thoughtfully, "that song you were singing earlier actually sounded rather nice. What was it called?" Hayami paused, fork already in her mouth, and stared at her for several seconds. She deliberately removed the utensil and chewed, still staring at her. Then, just as Haruka was beginning to feel awkward, she swallowed and cleared her throat.

"Every night I say a prayer, in the hopes that there's a heaven…"

"Yes, that one," Haruka confirmed, not mentioning the fact that the younger girl had only sung the one song. "I didn't know that you spoke English so well."

"I can't, I just make the sounds," Hayami replied absently, cutting a bite-sized piece of meat free. "It's called "Show Me the Way," by Styx. An American band." She raised the fork, staring at it as she turned it back and forth. "Whatever else you say about the country, they've got some pretty good music." Nom.

Haruka groaned inside her head, toying with her salad. The whole plan here had been to learn more about her kohai, but there was nothing that she hadn't already learned—Hayami moved at her own pace, was baffled at if not frightened by social interaction, and had no apparent interest in resolving one to the other. What could she come up with…

"So, what do you read when you aren't reading manga?" Please don't say light novels, please don't say light novels please don't say—

"Light novels, mostly."

DAMN IIIIIT!

"Otherwise…" Hayami actually stopped teasing her food. "Fantasy, mostly. Sci-fi. When I was younger, I would go through encyclopedias front to back." Haruka cocked an eyebrow, and she grinned. "Did you know that there are Shipgirl cultists?"

"What?"

"They don't really advertise, like Abyssal cults… or Abyssal cults, I suppose," Hayami smirked—was that supposed to be a joke? "But you know how it is. One moment the world is ending, the next there are sexy war ladies appearing to fight them off and actually restoring something that looks like normalcy. Apparently Shipgirls don't like being worshipped, but…" she shrugged. "People have never really cared what their gods tell them to do."

"I heard that man killed God," Haruka replied quickly, trying to keep the conversation going with the first random thought that popped into her head.

"Ah, but was it a cry of triumph…" Hayami raised her fork, "or of despair?"

The comment had been made in a slightly more… lighthearted intent.

Haruka ran over Hayami's comment in her head, trying to quickly resolve the context and the question. "I've read that it was triumph?" she said slowly. Hayami nodded at her and she continued. "Because if there's no greater purpose to life, then you're free to make your own meaning by your own principles?"

"Which is what I've always found odd about the statement," Hayami continued. "The man who made it lived in a… Judeo-Christian culture. Judeo-Christian-ish? According to that tradition, God created man with free will—that is, the ability to make your own meaning by your own principles. If, thus, man killed God for an ability he already had, what was gained?"

The two of them sat there silently.

"We're both probably misinterpreting that completely," Haruka pointed out. "I mean, we're not philosophers."

"Yeah, you're right," Hayami let her head sink down into her hands. "I just can't see triumph in death of all things."

"Ever cheered when a villain is defeated?" the older girl asked, looking askance.

"A few times. But…" Hayami took a bite of steak, chewing deliberately as she considered her argument. "But it's a little sad, you know? If circumstances were different, they could have been… better. Not just the ones that the author is trying to get you to cry for, but the evil ones. Not in… are we any better than the bad guys we face way, but… but maybe with guidance and care, they could have been…" she sighed helplessly. "What am I saying?"

"Not mourning the people they became, but the people they could have been?"

"Close," the younger girl admitted, leaning back, "but I don't think that's it exactly. I guess I'll just figure it out one of these days. Do you think we should ask for pie?"

And now any attempt to restart the conversation would be met by reprisal or closing off, Haruka noted with a put-out sigh.

But still, there was something. A story beginning to poke its way through her mind. Just a little more, and…

"Let me finish my salad first."

"But you eat so slowly!"

"No, you eat fast."

Hayami nodded to herself. "You know, that actually explains a few things."

I can't imagine what, Haruka thought dryly, and ate her salad.
-----

I'm never going to be a philosopher. I just can't read the books. Next up, I think I know what I'm going to do with the Mrs. McKay situation.

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Taking a deep breath of the pre-dawn air, Fubuki slowly let it out as she looked out onto the waters of Puget Sound. A small smile on her face, she turned to the Native American looking shipgirl beside her, "Are you ready to head out, Sequoyah-San?"

Lips twitching a little, Sequoyah gave a small nod at that, "I am as a matter of fact, Miss Fubuki." Rolling her shoulders some, she hummed, "Finally, I'm out of training." Pausing for a moment, the Battleship glanced towards the Japanese shipgirl, "But... perhaps a little bit of advice wouldn't hurt."

Head tilting a little, the Destroyer gave a small nod, "Nothing is shameful about asking about advice. The best that I can give you is to listen to your escorts out there, each and every one of them is experienced. If they tell you torps are in the water and what direction, don't hesitate."

Only nodding, the American nodded, "Understood, though I would listen to them anyways." She reached up and patted one arm, "These guns are to kill surface ships, Destroyers and the like are better at killing Submarines and the like.

Flashing her a grin, Fubuki laughed a little, "That is our job, yes. We hunt and kill anything under the surface." Both of them chuckled for a moment before the Destroyer continued, "So, you're going to be stationed in Okinawa from what I have heard."

White teeth flashed a little as Sequoyah chuckled, "That's right, Miss Fubuki. Though we'll be travelling as far as Yokosuka at least." She glanced to the side at another shipgirl, "But Chaffin will be sticking around Yokosuka for longer."

Interested, Fubuki turned towards the Essex that was standing there looking out to sea with her hands on her hips with a thoughtful look as the near darkness of the launching ramp made her normally brown skin nearly black. Like the Battleship besides Fubuki, though, she was one of the "Unbuilt" ships. Ones that had been ordered, but never built, though in her case when she was summoned she was at "SCB-27A" standard already with a few modifications. Granted, part of Fubuki was curious about her name as it had been chosen by said shipgirl, something about the Civil War the Americans had.

Remembering one particular bit of information, however, she gave a small nod, "I can understand why that might be."

Only chuckling, Sequoyah shook her head as she gave a small smile, "As can I considering some of what I've heard."

Both shipgirls grinned a little at each other before the rest of Fubuki's squadron arrived with Kana nodded at her fellow Battleship, "Sequoyah-San."

With a slight nod back, the Native American Battleship grinned widely, "Miss Kana." Placing her fingers right behind her ear, she blinked before nodding, "Ten minutes before we launch and join the convoy."

Just bowing slightly alongside her friends, and was returned by Sequoyah, Fubuki smiled, "Understood, you should join up with your escorts and Chaffin-San."

Sequoyah gave her a small salute before turning, "See you out on the waves, all of you."

And, with that, she headed over to where the various Destroyers and Destroyer Escorts were waiting alongside the Carrier that was also joining them. Watching them for a moment, Fubuki turned to the others there before smirking a bit, "I don't think that I need to ask if all of you have your own cargos secure."

Grin on her own face, Mutsuki shook her head, "Nope!" She shared a look with Kisaragi before chuckling, "Both myself and Kisaragi-Chan have experience carrying cargo after all."

Stretching a little, Kana nodded herself, "I have everything in my holds lashed down, Fubuki-Senpai. Nothing should move the entire trip, including the ice cream that I have in my freezer and the meat as well."

As Yuudachi chimed in as well, Fubuki smiled and then nodded, "Sounds good, everyone. My own holds are secure as well."

When they got the signal, the group walked down the ramp to the water and onto it, summoning their rigging as they did so. Heading to their positions, Fubuki glanced towards the convoy, only half of which were steel hulls, the others being shipgirls. From where she was, she could see Liberty Shipgirls, Japanese Standard Ships, and the like. While none were in the current convoy, Fubuki knew that some of the ones going up and down the coastlines were old sailing shipgirls handing various bulk cargos. Ever since the first shipgirls were summoned on purpose, groups had been also summoning any cargo ships that would also answer the call.

That thought made Fubuki grimace a little at the memory that, like in the last war she fought, it was also said shipgirls who made up the bulk of casualties. Yes, eventually they might be summoned again in a half century or so, but... hearing of each one always made her wince. Especially at the fact that the warships who had returned as shipgirls felt each one like it was a personal failure to save them.

Granted, that reminded her of one report from the Atlantic where an "Ocean Liner Demon" belonging to the Abyssal Princess named Porta had come to the aid of a group of cargo shipgirls. Despite herself, Fubuki shuddered a little at the description of what had happened to the attacking Abyssals. That said? She was somewhat thoughtful about the fact that Ocean Liner Demon had proceeded to grab the worst injured of the cargo shipgirls and carry them along until they reached safe port, where upon she handed them over.

Just shaking her head, however, the Destroyer reached their position before noticing that Yuudachi was looking at two Liberty Shipgirls in particular, "Something wrong, Yuudachi-Chan?"

Yuudachi frowned a little before turning back to Fubuki, "Those are the two that we're supposed to make sure reach Japan, right, Fubuki-Chan? Alongside the two Landing Shipgirls?"

Glancing at said two American shipgirls, who were Landing Ship-Tank, Fubuki nodded a little, "Hai, that's right, Yuudachi-Chan. Why?"

Still frowning, Yuudachi motioned with one hand, "Just wondering because I was watching as they were loaded earlier, Poi. They're carrying a lot of those small bulldozers and stuff. I mean, a lot." She pointed some at the two Landing Ships, "They're as low down in the water as if they had a full load of tanks!"

Voice lowering, the first Modern Destroyer leaned towards her, "There's a good reason, Yuudachi-Chan." Seeing the unasked question, Fubuki smiled, "All that equipment is items that the government back home paid for used and had refubished. They've been buying and moving them to the ports for months now because those are going to supplement what is being built back home for the work in the Yokai Reserves."

Eyes widening, Yuudachi blinked, "Poi... no wonder then that they want us to make sure that they get to Japan safely. That is a lot of equipment."

With a slight nod, Fubuki smiled, "Hai, it is. But all of it is needed, and this is just the first convoy with such." Then, she gave a small nod, "The Liberty Shipgirls are also carrying a lot of spare parts and the like for them as well not to mention parts for water purification plants."

Having reached their positions, Kana smiled, "Then we'll make sure that they reach Japan and be able to help out so many."

Gently patting her on the arm, Fubuki smiled back at her, "Exactly, Kana-Chan." It was only a few minutes though before the signal went out that the convoy was going to start moving towards the ocean, and later Japan. Internally, a thought struck Fubuki as she remembered something, 'I wonder what they meant about testing for future convoys though...?'

_______________________________________________________

Vulpine grin on his face, Genji let out a loud whoop as he bounced in his seat before the vehicle slammed into the muddy puddle. Instead of panicking as the water began to reach the top of the wheel wells, the Kitsune cranked back on the throtle and was awarded as the 8X8 leapt forwards, powering across the small pond before clawing its way out of the water at the other side. Letting out another cackle as the vehicle climbed over a small tree trunk and then a second, Genji shook his helmeted head, "Ain't stopping this fox!"

Several minutes later, he pulled to a stop beside Ken, with said human laughing at his friend, "Well, I think that someone is having fun."

Pulling the helmet off his head, the Yokai laughed back, "Can you blame me? This has to be the most fun that I've had in decades and I'm getting paid for it! Just to 'Test' vehicles in terrain like they might have in the Reserves."

With a small shrug, Ken shook his head as he looked at the mud splattered Argo 8X8 that was there, "Hai, same here. Whoever said that work can't be fun must never have gotten an assignment like this." After getting a nod, he raised an eyebrow at his friend, "So? What do you think?"

Getting off the vehicle, Genji held the helmet under one arm before running clawed hands through his hair between his two fox ears, "Well, besides being fun as hell." Both men snickered at that, "It would be pretty damn effective for getting around the rougher areas of the Reserves. Not in the settlements, of course, most of those have decent enough roads if made from dirt or gravel. But outside them, especially in the wooded areas?" He gave a small shrug, "You could use them to get around easily as you can cross rivers and the like."

For a moment, the human of the two considered that before frowning, "No bridges?"

That got him a snort from his friend and a shake of the head, "Not really. Maybe the main roads you got bridges, but those are usually logs joined together to form a bridge across the water. And during the times the river runs high? They're too damn easy to get washed out." Waving a hand, Genji frowned, "Some of the fords have large, wide stones with flat tops that you can walk across as well, but... once more, if the water level is too high, you're not getting across them unless you're either big enough to wade to the other side, able to leap the distance, or fly over them."

Both of them waved towards another member of the group testing the vehicles, this time an Oni on a three wheeled ATV pulling a trailer piled high with various things. Once the other Yokai was passed, Ken frowned a little, "I can see how that might be an issue. Dammit..."

Only sighing, Genji gave him a look, "What did you expect? You knew that most of the infrastructure in the Reserves is the same level as what Japan's was in the Edo Era."

Ken gave him a look at that, "I knew that, but I thought that they meant late Edo heading into the Meiji Era. Not from the time of Tokugawa Ieyasu!" That got him a snort before he shook his head, "Still... damn, that is going to take a lot of work."

Nodding slightly, the Kitsune snorted, "You don't know the half of it, Ken-San. I can tell you that it will very likely be worse than what you are thinking."

More than a little horrified, Ken boggled at him, "Worse? How!? It sounds like a third world nation from everything that I have heard and you told me!"

Expression darkening some, Genji came to a stop and looked at his friend, who he was happy was going to become an in-law, "For one reason and one reason only. It being Edo Era in level was back when there was actual money for infrastructure work in the Reserves. And even then, it was mostly just getting the cheapest shit possible and giving it to the Yokai to use themselves. The log bridges? Literally made by Yokai taking logs harvested in the Reserve and using nails bought by the Reserve officials as well as hammers to make. Back in the one that I was in, the local blacksmith would take the nails and reforge them as something resembling railway spikes, just to anchor them to one another."

It took a few moments, but the other man gained an even more horrified expression before placing a hand over his eyes, "Oh... fuck..." Running his hand down his face, he turned to his grimly smiling friend, "Which means that with all the cutbacks, the infrastructure has degraded even further."

Slowly, Genji nodded with a sigh, "Unfortunately true. We're on a countdown right now with the Reserves from my own experience. Either the Statute collapses soon... or the Reserves will fall apart entirely."

For a few minutes, the two stood there not saying anything. However, Ken then shook his head some with a frown, "We won't let it get that bad. The new roads and railways are already being surveyed as much as we can without those damn fuckers in the Tokyo Magical Diet knowing. The roads are easier to build since we can make them appear as if they are going to have a distance between them and the actual Reserve lines."

With a hum, Genji scratched his chin, "Good thing that we're getting iron from the northern Korean peninsula. That will got a long way with making the new tracks... and I imagine that the guys building the smaller locomotives are happy as well."

That got him a snort from Ken, "Trust me, you got no idea how freaking happy that bunch is. Same with Kawasaki as we're buying at least one of those hydrofoil ferries specifically for the one in the Ryukyu Islands to let people get back and forth. Though that one will need helicopters to land heavy equipment on."

Not saying anything, the Kitsune nodded some. Finally, after a few seconds of thought, he shrugged, "Well, at least the non-magical government is willing to spend the money, so that is something." Coming up to the office, he leaned to the side to look into the steel building set up as a gargage. Inside, he could see a group of Yokai looking over some earth moving equipment with an old, human mechanic pointing at various spots. Slowly, Genji smiled a bit as he continued to observe the lesson for a few moments, "Definitely something."

Also looking himself, Ken smiled a bit, "True enough, and the first class is set to graduate in a month or so, which should give us about two dozen Yokai mechanics, two dozen Yokai carpenters, as well as electricians, plumbers, and the like."

Lowering his voice, Genji smiled a bit more, "Hai, and they don't need to pay a cent for it."

Only shaking his head, the human of the two raised an eyebrow, "If that is what you call with the exchange being working for the government for the next fifteen years. Some might not see it that way."

Turning to him, Genji narrowed his eyes, "Some, but they would likely not understand anyways." Gesturing at the garage, he shook his head, "Each and every one of those Yokai are going to have jobs. Actual, well paying jobs that they will be able to live off of. Ones that they won't need to hide themselves for either. Hell, even after those fifteen years are up, they'll have the experience to get jobs elsewhere in those industries anywhere they look, assuming that the project to uplift the Reserves is done by then, which I very much doubt." For a moment, he paused and blinked away tears, "I... don't think that the higher ups quite understand what this will mean for us Yokai."

Just placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, Ken nodded, "They might not, but those of us on the ground? We do." Gently clapping Genji on the shoulder, he smiled, "Now, let's go and get some food into us. We're not being paid to stand around after all."

Snorting, the Yokai grinned, "No, we're getting paid to fuck around in the woods with various vehicles, fix them up, and have a beer at the end of the day." His next words got a laugh from his friend as they entered the building that was the main office for the site, "Best. Job. Ever."

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

Hmm... what is this character's... what's writing her feel like?
-----

Three cans. That's all that she had.

Estelle turned them over and over in her hands, tracking down the tiny printed numbers on the sides and bottoms. All of them had at least three days left—good, because by then she would be out of food. Since all she had left to eat was baked beans of all things, Estelle quietly pondered the virtues of living off the land for a while.

Nope. Everyone got cranky when you lived off of what they thought to be their land. Cranky tended to mean nights in jail, and while people tended to be nicer to those of the so-called gentler sex, Estelle had known more than one entirely unpleasant lockup. Best to just keep following the shoreline—she was pretty certain that there'd been a town on this stretch of land since the last time she'd been in Argentina.

Though that had been before Blood Week. A lot of her old coastal haunts, the ones that hadn't ever grown into more than simple fishing villages, had disappeared after Blood Week.

A memory flitted through her mind, a dark-skinned woman with glittering eyes and five languages that she could curse you out in freely. The one who'd tried to take her to bed after she saw those bandits off (she thought it was bandits. It'd been a long time), and perhaps the only person who'd accepted that Estelle didn't want anything chaining her down with grace. She'd taught her Spanish instead, so that she wouldn't starve to death in the middle of a city somehow.

Her heart ached. Estelle didn't know if there was anyone up there watching her, but she whispered a quick prayer just in case.

Then she set about cooking some beans.
-----

Her eyes snapped open, and Estelle sat upright.

She'd been in her dreams again.

That. Fucking. Woman!

When she was younger, Estelle would have screamed. Shot off her gun at everything that wasn't her. Raved at her first, oldest, most hated phantom.

That was years ago, and three, four… five, maybe? Three or so guns ago. Estelle would give anything for one that she could just keep with her all of her life, but sooner or later it always got to the point where caring for it seemed to cost more money than getting a new one, and Estelle would sadly give them over to someone who could at least give her old companions the treatment they deserved.

Once upon a time, Estelle would have openly raged. Now she just rolled onto her side, looked at the dagger that was more her than this body, and pushed the seething anger out of her head. She wouldn't give that woman the victory.

She bit her lip until it bled, and told herself that where the tears were coming from. Something that stung for a moment, and would pass in that time.

"And does your heart believe that, mi amore?"

"I told you not to call me that."

Isla's laugh was a beautifully musical thing to hear that Estelle didn't think could be matched by any opera. "And yet, Estrella, the question stands."

"Does it really matter?" Estelle grumbled, looking up at the stars. "She left me, before I ever got to see her with my own eyes. You shouldn't cry for someone like that."

"Ah, mi amore." Isla leaned in against her back, wrapping her arms loosely around her neck. "I think you need

Stop.

Estelle bit down harder, fighting the memory away. Isla was gone, long gone, never coming back gone. It was just her and the stars, the way it had been since the beginning. She didn't need memories of what she'd left behind. She didn't leave the things she needed behind. She didn't…

She rolled onto her back, hitting the back of her head lightly against the ground. She knew this sky—the village was about a day's journey out. If it was still there, she'd be there with time to spare.

Idly, she wondered if she would have to sell them the whole "Estelle Solo" line.

(Star Wars was one of the precious few movies she'd seen, and the name seemed to fit her. You can't sue the impoverished, right?)
-----

So. There's a test run for you. Yeah...

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

A hand on Ran's shoulder slowly shook her awake, "Ran-Chan... Ran-Chan, time to wake up."

Jerking to wakefulness, the blue skinned Oni looked around owlishly, "Wha... who?" Blinking, she turned to the somewhat amused Jorogumo beside her, "Moeka-Chan? What's going on?"

Unable to help herself, Moeka giggled softly before glancing at the other occupant whose body was attempting to grab her floating head, "Um, well, we're here."

It took a few seconds for that to filter in, but Ran sat up straighter and looked around, "Wait, we are? We're, uh... wherever it is that we're supposed to be going?" At the nod, she grinned a bit and stretched, "About time!"

Humming, Moeka nodded as she thought back over their trip. It should have been short, but with how the Tokyo Diet had been cracking down on things, the trip was anything but. The drivers of the van had taken turns, driving back and forth over what seemed like most of Honshu. From mountain passes to tunnels, to small towns which were bigger than anything that the two Yokai born in the Nikko Reserve had ever seen before.

Granted, they were confused when, upon saying that, the Yokai smugglers and the Nukekubi, who they found out was named Yuhime, had giggled at them.

Still, the van barely stopped and only for washroom breaks or for them to break out meals from a prepared bento. After all, they did not want any Diet Aurors stumbling across them. Though the three Yokai were thankful for the fact that the van was comfortable with what seemed like cushioning charms added to the already plush seating. According to the drivers, it was a lot better than back even in the early nineties when they mostly used old school buses or had Yokai run through the woods until they got to a portkey.

But, finally, they had reached their destination wherever that actually was. Looking out the window, Ran's jaw dropped at the sight of the absolutely massive buildings rising up towards the sky. It was early morning, which meant that some of them had lights on showing people living or working in them. Most of the first, however, had heavy curtains to block out as much light as possible. There was still a war going on after all.

All that said, just the sight took the breath away from Ran as well as Moeka. Never before had they seen such large buildings or so many people crammed into one spot. And not just in the buildings either as, despite the early hour, there were already people moving around, going to work, for jogs, and the like. From behind the dark tinted windows, the Yokai watched as a teen walked out from a lit store with a bottle of something in his hands before he hopped onto his bike and drove off.

Interested, both Ran and Moeka watched him pedal down the road before he was out of sight.

More and more of the city was revealed to the two as they silently looked out in awe, especially as they drove up a hill. In the distance, they could see the harbour as the sky lightened. Having never seen the sea before, or any body of water bigger than a small lake, Ran boggled at all the water before her, "It's... huge..."

Very slowly, Moeka nodded a little, "Hai, it is."

The two shared a small smile before turning their heads to look out the windshield as they were now in the suburbs of the city. Coughing, Ran waved her hand around a little, "So, uh... where are we? I mean, there's a lot of people out there."

Glancing in the rearview mirror, the Itachi driving them smiled a little with a chuckle, "We're in Yokosuka and there's about four hundred thousand living in the city." At their wide eyed looks, he gave a small shrug, "The Diet has been staying out of the cities around the bases where shipgirls are summoned. Memory charms and the like don't work there after all."

Her voice nearly a whisper, Yuhime gave a small nod, "I remember Tou-San telling Kaa-San and myself that." Blinking away some tears, she sniffled a bit, "I-I miss them..."

Expression soft, Moeka reached over and gave her a one armed hug, "Maybe you'll see them again. With the Diet falling apart..."

From the front seat, the Itachi nodded, "Not to mention that the Statute is also falling apart. Might be a year or two, maybe more... but no one is going to care."

Only nodding, Yuhime leaned a bit into Moeka's embrace as she gathered herself... before her head floated off her neck and down into her lap as she buried her face into her skirt with a sniffle. Reaching over, the Jorogumo only ran her hand through the Nukekubi's hair to comfort her. Over the trip, both her and Ran had found out the other girl's story. She had been born into a fairly well to do family and had grown up without wanting for anything. Despite that, she had not been spoiled or anything.

However... one day, while she was napping, her head detached itself and floated upwards. Her family had tried to hide it, for a time, but she was caught and her parents acted as if they didn't know anything with her being tossed into the Nikko Reserve. Yuhime had suspected that her father, who was a bureaucrat high up in the Diet, had arranged for at least being sent to the best of the Reserves out there. And now had paid smugglers to get her out of the Reserve.

The only thing that she had in her possession was a letter from her mother explaining things and that they loved her. But... that even though it tore their hearts apart, she could not come back home. Nor could they go visit her as they might well be watched. Both Ran and Moeka had felt for her and held her as she cried after reading the letter. And, even now, how her life had gone downhill had made her breakdown more than once during the trip. Each time, though, the Oni and the Jorogumo had held her.

Suddenly, they were brought out of their thoughts as the driver spoke up, "Okay, we're here."

Curious, all three Yokai looked out the window, Yuhime's head in her hands, and blinked at the sight of the small home which had an enclosed yard. Blinking, the Nukekubi looked over at the Itachi, "This is where we'll be staying?"

Just nodding, the Itachi pulled to a stop, "Pretty much. This is one of the halfway houses to get Yokai from the Reserves used to the outside world. Don't let the looks fool you, though, it is a nice place with expanded insides for the room. The walls are just high enough that if your disguises slip some, no one should notice." Turning the ignition off, he got out, "Well, get on your disguises, we'll get you inside."

Each of the three female Yokai looked at each other before they got out of the van, fully looking like normal humans if in old style, worn clothing. Soon after, they entered the home which, as was told to them, was actually bigger on the inside. Turning, the Mujina gave them a smile, "Now, while you're staying here the cover is that you're from a country village up in Tohoku and want to spend time in the big city before settling down. Any questions?"

Raising her hand, Moeka swallowed some, "Um, what are we supposed to do about clothes? I mean..." She gestured at herself with some embarrassment, "From what I've seen from people walking by... we don't fit in?"

Lips curling some, the Itachi gave her a slight nod, "You would be right actually. There's some Yukata to do for now after you have all had a shower or bath, whichever you might prefer. Later, one of the others, who will be female, will be coming by to take the measurements of your bodies to get an idea of your sizes."

Not saying anything else, he reached over and flicked the switch, with Ran taking a step back as the entry area was filled with bright light as was the hallway. Reaching over, she flicked the light off, and then back on. She did that a few times before giving a nod, "Huh... I've heard of the lights the No-Maj use, but... never something like this."

Humming, Moeka slipped off her shoes before transforming back into her true form. She was quite happy to note that the hallways and ceiling were high enough to allow for it, "Mm-hm... this is nice."

Unable to help himself, the Itachi laughed a bit, "It is, true enough. Now, if you'll follow me..."

For the next hour, they were shown around the house including rooms that each of them could take for themselves. Granted, much to the two smuggler's bemusement both Ran and Moeka decided to share a room. Both girls dropped off what little they had there before the tour continued. Both smugglers had barely left for a half hour before the three newly freed Yokai went downstairs into the "Basement" and into one room off to the side which had group showers. It was explained to them that sometimes large groups of Yokai might stay in one of the halfway houses and need it, not to mention larger Yokai such as Jorogumo due to their size. Sure, they could fit in a normal shower in human form, but... anything other than that was impossible.

Which was how Ran was found scratching her head in befuddlement as she looked at the dial in front of her before turning towards the other two, "So, uh... just to be sure here, this gives me hot water?"

Setting aside various bathing products, Yuhime gave her a small smile, "That's right." Moments later, her head separated from the rest of her body and floated over. From both parts of her neck came mist that obscured anything about the separation, but Yuhime's head floated next to the dial, "See? Turn this way..." She tilted her head in one direction, "Gets you cold water. In the opposite, warm."

A frown on her face, the blue skinned Oni crossed her arms over her chest as she tilted her head to the side, "Huh... how hot exactly?"

Yuhime's head had reattached to her neck as she pulled up a stool with a hum, "How hot do you want it?" Seeing her new... friend? Well, she decided that it was true enough, she smiled a bit at seeing Ran's confusion, "You can get it steaming hot if that is what you want. But I suggest that you start at between the red and blue and adjust it in either direction for the temperature that you want." Shrugging a big, she shook her head, "I'm having mine as hot as I can make it."

Lips twitching a little, Moeka nodded in agreement before softly speaking up, "I think that I will do that too."

Just shrugging, Ran plucked the showerhead as they were shown and held it before turning the knob and putting on the water. Holding her hand under it, she rubbed her fingers under the lukewarm water before going back to the dial and slowly increasing the temperature, "Huh... this is pretty neat."

Having filled her own bucket, the Jorogumo of the group happily sighed, "Hai, taking a bath back home was... a lot of work if you wanted a hot one."

Unnoticed by her, there was a small grimace on Yuhime's face, but moments later, it disappeared, "Cutting all that wood, turning on the fire... Hai, it was." Bucket filled with hot water, she dumped it over herself before shaking the water free of her head, "Puh!"

Also dumping water on her head, Ran let out a small groan, "Oh, that feels good... So we'll be able to have hot showers and baths as much as we would like?"

Moeka had one of the shower heads in her hands as she held it above her spider body and rinsed it, "Um, not really? There's a boiler here that will handle heating the water, b-but while industrial sized, it can run out."

Frowning for a moment, her Oni friend shrugged her shoulders, "I guess that is true enough. Still, better than back home." Having noticed her friend had soaped up a cloth, she stood with a grunt and walked over, "Want me to give you a hand with the rest of you?"

Expression lighting up, though she had a small blush, Moeka poked her fingers together, "Um, I wouldn't mind it that much, Ran-Chan. But only if you don't mind..."

Only rolling her eyes, Ran flicked the Jorogumo's arm, "Dummy, of course I don't mind." Walking over to where there was a stiff bristle brush, which had been brought specifically due to there being a Jorogumo living there, the Oni squeezed out some body wash and started scrubbing at Moeka's exoskeleton, "There we go, rub a dub, three Yokai in the showers and stuff."

Lightly giggling, the Jorogumo gave her friend a look, "Ran-Chan!"

She was not the only one to giggle as Yuhime also did before turning back to cleaning herself off. At one point, much to the other two's amusement, her head came off and held the bath brush between her teeth as she scrubbed her own back. More laughter ensued when she dropped it off at the side even as her headless body continued to scrub under her armpits, "Blah, ugh... I got soap in my mouth."

Moments after pouting though, Yuhime joined in the laughter.

Which was how the three were found an hour later sitting in the living room area of the home in couches with bowls of instant ramen in front of them. One of the very few things that they could make via boiled water. Chewing a mouthful, Ran gave a small shrug, "You know? This stuff isn't that bad."

Not saying anything, the Nukekubi just nodded as she ate her own cup of ramen while glancing at the small stack that was forming by Moeka, who was eating her noodles with gusto. Suddenly though, all three froze as a wave of dark power washed over them. None of them moved for a few moments before Ran stood up and got between her friends and the general direction of where it had come from, and vanished as quick as it had appeared. Shivering, Yuhime found herself being held by Moeka gently, "W-what was that?"

Only blinking, Moeka frowned a little, "I... I don't know. Though it felt like it came from that direction?" She pointed towards where she knew the harbour was, in particular where she knew the naval base lay, "But I don't know what it was."

For several minutes, they stood there, but finally the Oni of the group grumbled a bit and went back to eating, "If it is down by the water, the shipgirls will take care of it. None of our business."

Granted, she shot a look at Moeka who gave a slight nod back before the spider Yokai held Yuhime close and got her to start eating again though she was curious as to what had caused that wave of power still.