[Gion Matsuri] Dinner talk; choices
darthcourt10
Well worn.
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2018
- Messages
- 7,946
- Likes received
- 30,443
Harry Leferts
Eventually, the tour of the property wound down and the Twins guided Harry to the dining room. Upon entering, he noted Akiyama at the head of the large table with his wives to either side of him. Deeply bowing, Harry smiled at him, "Good evening, Akiyama-San."
From where he sat, Akiyama smiled and bowed back, "And a good evening to you as well, Harry-San. Hopefully you enjoyed the tour that my Onee-Samas gave?"
Lips curling a bit more into a smile, the teenage boy gave the hands of both girls a squeeze, "Hai, it was most enjoyable though a few things happened."
Just chuckling, Akiyama gave a nod, "I see." He then gestured around the room, "Please, come have a seat and dine with us."
Once more, Harry gave him a bow and let go of the hands of the Twins to their disappointment, and began to move towards one of the side tables. However, he was stopped as Ume and Sakura grabbed his hands and began to move him towards the head table, "Um..." Noticing the determined looks on the two girls' faces, he glanced towards their brother. However, he realized that there would be no help coming from that direction as he had a smirk on his face, "Ume-Chan? Sakura-Chan? Er... why are you pulling me along?"
Eyebrow raised, both Twins fixed him with a look, "Because, you shall be sitting with us for dinner and we sit by our Otouto."
Rapidly blinking, Harry simply allowed himself to be pulled along by the two. He did note that a number of those in the Clan were giving them knowing smirks or grins as they whispered among one another in amusement at the actions of their aunts/great-aunts. Granted, he was thankful that none of them seemed angry over the matter, which was a relief.
Upon reaching where the zabutons were, the Twins gave him a raised eyebrow before he proceeded to seat himself in seiza at the proper place on a zabuton. On either side of him, Ume and Sakura also sat in seiza gracefully, looking extremely pleased with themselves. A glance towards Akiyama and said man's wives did cause him to blink as the older women were extremely amused about something, while Akiyama had a massive smirk on his face.
Noticing the glance, Akiyama's smirk grew a touch as he raised an eyebrow towards his sisters, who had light blushes on their faces. However, he simply nodded towards Harry with a slight smile rather than comment, "Dinner will be served shortly, Harry-San. I hope that you do not mind it being obanzai ryori?"
However, Harry shook his head at that with a slight smile, "No, I don't mind at all, Akiyama-San. I look forward to whatever might grace our plates."
Only chuckling, the older wizard smiled, "Well, I do not feel like you may be disappointed as our cooks are quite good at what they do." Stroking his beard, he gave a hum, "Though two days from now, you shall be able to enjoy kaiseki ryori with us in a kawayuka dinner held along the Shirokawa."
Leaning towards him slightly, Hina smiled, "The resturant is run by an old friend of ours and has no issue with us booking reservations. I think that he would be quite pleased to see Ume-Chan and Sakura-Chan."
After a moment of thought, Harry nodded some, "Huh, that does sound wonderful."
Ume noticed that he had a thoughtful frown on his face which made her tilt her head some, "Harry-Chan?" When he turned towards her, she continued, "What seems to be the issue?"
Briefly, he chewed his lip, but then the teenage wizard sighed, "Just... wondering how this will be explained." At that he nodded towards first her and then her sister, "I mean, won't people wonder? About what happened to you?"
The food was served before anyone could answer, with Harry thanking the servers which got him smiles from the Clan as they did the much the same thing. Once the servers were gone, Akiyama blew on a piece of food he had between his chopsticks to cool it before he answered, "The answer to that, Harry-San, is two fold as a matter of fact and we are using two plans."
Seeing his interested look, Sora, his crane wife, chuckled a little, "Akiyama-Kun has been spreading a rumour through some that we know that Ume-Chan and Sakura-Chan were found in an old Kamo Era installation. Some will no doubt draw the conclusion that they were in some form of magical stasis, likely to be used as subjects for experimentation. Which would neatly explain how and why it is that we have acted the way that we have against the Elders of the Clan."
Right then, Sakura chimed in, "The other is that we're going to tell a... half truth, as it were."
Now really curious, Harry looked at her with a blink, "A half truth?"
Her Twin nodded and smiled a little, "Hai, a half truth. Mainly in that we were 'Summoned' as the spirit of an Installation. But what we won't reveal is which one..."
Sakura then took over after daintily eating a bite of food, "One must remember that most of the magical world, while they know about shipgirls and such, don't know specifics. But what they do know is that a Natural Born cannot be older than the ship that they represent. Along with the Floating Dry Dockgirl, Dewey, in Sasebo? They are likely to assume that we are one of the old Floating Dry Docks that were built shortly after the turn of the century for magical ships."
Eyebrows raising, Harry turned to her in surprise as he chewed some food. Swallowing, he gave her a confused look, "There were Floating Dry Docks here in Japan? At the turn of the century?"
As the Twins nodded, Akimi spoke up, "There were three of them." When Harry turned to her, she continued, "One was in the Seto Inland Sea and could handle ships of 20,000 tons. A second was later built and sent to Korea and the third went to Taiwan." The Battleship motioned with one hand, "It was mainly because they could be hidden in coves out of sight of the NoMaj to repair any magical ships that got damaged as they crossed the Pacific. They were all one off designs however with the ICW funding them in order to help keep the Statute since magical ships needed to be repaired somewhere out of view of non-magicals."
With an amused expression on her face, Ume smiled, "Being as one was built in 1900 and we were born in 1913, they would believe that we were the spirit of said Dry Dock, at least long enough to soften the blow when more information comes out. By that point, there wouldn't be the sheer surprise there otherwise might be."
For several moments, the teenage wizard thought through the process and slowly nodded as it did make sense to do it that way. While some might react badly, it wouldn't be a one-two punch that it would be of them being Installations and how they became such, if that ever came out. Part of him shuddered as there was likely those who would actually do it to someone just to insure that there would be a spirit.
Shaking that off, Harry gave them a smile and nod, "Well, that is one less thing to worry about I suppose.
The conversation turned to other matters from there. Eventually, as they reached dessert (which was a sherbet), Akiyama remembered something that his sisters had told him, "Ah, Harry-San, I just remembered something that my Onee-Samas mentioned to me." Leaning forward a little, he made a thoughtful sound, "Something about a potions research facility?"
Harry took a moment to swallow a bit of dessert before nodding, "Hai, it is something that I've been thinking about." Gesturing with the spoon he was using, he frowned in thought, "It... would be more of a research institute both to research potions and to help teach new Potions Masters."
Intrigued by the idea, Hina raised an eyebrow, "How so?"
Frowning, the nearly fourteen year old shook his head, "Well... think of it like a research lab at a non-magical university. You would have a number of Potions Masters, maybe even alchemists as well, working there. They could take a small handful of students who would help them with research while also learning. Being a dedicated facility, you could have every safety feature possible in case of an accident including a medical wing just in case of injuries." Harry gave a small shrug, "Might not be able to save anyone badly hurt, but it could stablize them to get to an actual hospital." Taking another spoonful of cold sweetness, he waited for a moment to savor it before continuing once he swallowed, "It would all be funded at least partially through research grants and such as well as partially through patents of potions they create. There would also be a database of potion research as well that they could consult and the like."
Now highly interested, Akiyama hummed as he stroked his chin in thought, "A very interesting idea, Harry-San. And it could be very effective as Potions Masters need years of training, which they would get. I could see such a place becoming very highly regarded. Do you have an idea where you might place it?"
Harry considered the question for a few moments before nodding, "I have thought about it being near Ginzan. No volcanoes nearby, but the geothermal means that you could keep greenhouses warm all year around for potion ingredients. It would be one of two with another in Britain..." A far off look entered his eyes, "In my head, I call it the 'Lily Potter Institute of Potions Research', after my biological Okaa-San. To honour her."
Slowly, the older of the two wizards nodded though he noted members of his family listening in, "Understandable, and that is a good way of honouring her. But the cost to build it would be no small amount."
Lips curling a bit into a smile, Harry smiled some, "Actually... it turns out that I could fund the construction of both. Though the government would also likely help fund it as well since it could become very prestigious. More problematic is getting people who could build it with magic involved as well as attracting the Potion Masters in the first place."
Only nodding, Akiyama hummed before smiling, "I think, perhaps, I could be of help there at least for the one built here in Japan, Harry-San." Glancing at Miu, his youngest daughter, he chuckled, "I know of a few Potion Masters enough to understand that they would very likely jump at it." Pausing for a moment, the older man smiled, "If you want, I can place out some feelers to gain an idea of some thoughts regarding it. But I think that Kyoto would be happy to help back it."
Bowing some, the nearly fourteen year old smiled, "Thank you."
Simply bowing back, Akiyama shook his head, "You are quite welcome." Internally, he hummed some, 'Being connected to such would only be a benefit after all...'
_____________________________________________________________
After dinner was done, the various members of the Clan filtered out into Kyoto to partake in the festival going on. Walking along the streets, Harry had Ume and Sakura holding his arms close as they held hands. Head tilted to the side a little, the teenage boy smiled at the two, "So, where do you want to go first?"
Both Twins considered the question for a few moments before glancing at each other, "Perhaps we should walk around, Harry-Chan? And just enjoy the festival?"
Slowly, Harry gave a nod to that and squeezed their hands gently, "I think that is just fine." As they walked, he noted that a number of old residents, who were obviously magical, did double takes at seeing Ume and Sakura, but said nothing. But Harry ignored most of that due to the feel of the two teenage girls holding his hands as they leaned into him, 'This... is nice.'
Unknown to him, both Ume and Sakura had much the same thought. To them, this was something right out of one of their dreams. Part of them almost expected to wake up to find themselves in their lonely caldera, and yet...
Yet, they knew that this was not a dream, nor a fantasy.
This was, in fact, real.
Right now, at this time, they were walking alongside the boy that both of them had fallen for. One who cared for them back and had for all practicality moved the Heavens and Hells themselves to bring them back, to give them a second chance at happiness. A chance that the both of them swore to grasp with all their strength and to use. Because now, they could live as they chose without worry.
No more where they chained to what their parents and Elders wished of them. For now, they had no more say in what would happen. They were not chained to their dark fates, full of loneliness and sadness, for the Sun had risen and they could not meet it with smiles. Now, the future looked bright and warm compared to what it had been even before they became Hitobashira. What would come would do so because they could chose for it to come. A truly great gift.
And one that they had been given by the boy that they now held close.
Yes, they knew that there was still a long road ahead of them. One that would have ups and downs. But it was a road that they would travel because they chose to, not because they were forced and ordered to. A road that they made themselves, and at the end? There was a destination full of warmth and care and, most importantly, love. It would be work aplenty, for they understood that Harry had been hurt, and hurt badly.
But they would work, with others, to heal those wounds. To close them until they were but scars, and work until those scars themselves were faded. While they would never truly disappear, they could make them fainter, and would aim to do so. In their minds, it was the least that they could do, to help their hero heal from his wounds. For giving them a choice, they would choose to do so.
With the noise of the festival around them, the Twins placed their heads on Harry's shoulders with small, happy smiles.
Something that was their choice to do so.
Eventually, the tour of the property wound down and the Twins guided Harry to the dining room. Upon entering, he noted Akiyama at the head of the large table with his wives to either side of him. Deeply bowing, Harry smiled at him, "Good evening, Akiyama-San."
From where he sat, Akiyama smiled and bowed back, "And a good evening to you as well, Harry-San. Hopefully you enjoyed the tour that my Onee-Samas gave?"
Lips curling a bit more into a smile, the teenage boy gave the hands of both girls a squeeze, "Hai, it was most enjoyable though a few things happened."
Just chuckling, Akiyama gave a nod, "I see." He then gestured around the room, "Please, come have a seat and dine with us."
Once more, Harry gave him a bow and let go of the hands of the Twins to their disappointment, and began to move towards one of the side tables. However, he was stopped as Ume and Sakura grabbed his hands and began to move him towards the head table, "Um..." Noticing the determined looks on the two girls' faces, he glanced towards their brother. However, he realized that there would be no help coming from that direction as he had a smirk on his face, "Ume-Chan? Sakura-Chan? Er... why are you pulling me along?"
Eyebrow raised, both Twins fixed him with a look, "Because, you shall be sitting with us for dinner and we sit by our Otouto."
Rapidly blinking, Harry simply allowed himself to be pulled along by the two. He did note that a number of those in the Clan were giving them knowing smirks or grins as they whispered among one another in amusement at the actions of their aunts/great-aunts. Granted, he was thankful that none of them seemed angry over the matter, which was a relief.
Upon reaching where the zabutons were, the Twins gave him a raised eyebrow before he proceeded to seat himself in seiza at the proper place on a zabuton. On either side of him, Ume and Sakura also sat in seiza gracefully, looking extremely pleased with themselves. A glance towards Akiyama and said man's wives did cause him to blink as the older women were extremely amused about something, while Akiyama had a massive smirk on his face.
Noticing the glance, Akiyama's smirk grew a touch as he raised an eyebrow towards his sisters, who had light blushes on their faces. However, he simply nodded towards Harry with a slight smile rather than comment, "Dinner will be served shortly, Harry-San. I hope that you do not mind it being obanzai ryori?"
However, Harry shook his head at that with a slight smile, "No, I don't mind at all, Akiyama-San. I look forward to whatever might grace our plates."
Only chuckling, the older wizard smiled, "Well, I do not feel like you may be disappointed as our cooks are quite good at what they do." Stroking his beard, he gave a hum, "Though two days from now, you shall be able to enjoy kaiseki ryori with us in a kawayuka dinner held along the Shirokawa."
Leaning towards him slightly, Hina smiled, "The resturant is run by an old friend of ours and has no issue with us booking reservations. I think that he would be quite pleased to see Ume-Chan and Sakura-Chan."
After a moment of thought, Harry nodded some, "Huh, that does sound wonderful."
Ume noticed that he had a thoughtful frown on his face which made her tilt her head some, "Harry-Chan?" When he turned towards her, she continued, "What seems to be the issue?"
Briefly, he chewed his lip, but then the teenage wizard sighed, "Just... wondering how this will be explained." At that he nodded towards first her and then her sister, "I mean, won't people wonder? About what happened to you?"
The food was served before anyone could answer, with Harry thanking the servers which got him smiles from the Clan as they did the much the same thing. Once the servers were gone, Akiyama blew on a piece of food he had between his chopsticks to cool it before he answered, "The answer to that, Harry-San, is two fold as a matter of fact and we are using two plans."
Seeing his interested look, Sora, his crane wife, chuckled a little, "Akiyama-Kun has been spreading a rumour through some that we know that Ume-Chan and Sakura-Chan were found in an old Kamo Era installation. Some will no doubt draw the conclusion that they were in some form of magical stasis, likely to be used as subjects for experimentation. Which would neatly explain how and why it is that we have acted the way that we have against the Elders of the Clan."
Right then, Sakura chimed in, "The other is that we're going to tell a... half truth, as it were."
Now really curious, Harry looked at her with a blink, "A half truth?"
Her Twin nodded and smiled a little, "Hai, a half truth. Mainly in that we were 'Summoned' as the spirit of an Installation. But what we won't reveal is which one..."
Sakura then took over after daintily eating a bite of food, "One must remember that most of the magical world, while they know about shipgirls and such, don't know specifics. But what they do know is that a Natural Born cannot be older than the ship that they represent. Along with the Floating Dry Dockgirl, Dewey, in Sasebo? They are likely to assume that we are one of the old Floating Dry Docks that were built shortly after the turn of the century for magical ships."
Eyebrows raising, Harry turned to her in surprise as he chewed some food. Swallowing, he gave her a confused look, "There were Floating Dry Docks here in Japan? At the turn of the century?"
As the Twins nodded, Akimi spoke up, "There were three of them." When Harry turned to her, she continued, "One was in the Seto Inland Sea and could handle ships of 20,000 tons. A second was later built and sent to Korea and the third went to Taiwan." The Battleship motioned with one hand, "It was mainly because they could be hidden in coves out of sight of the NoMaj to repair any magical ships that got damaged as they crossed the Pacific. They were all one off designs however with the ICW funding them in order to help keep the Statute since magical ships needed to be repaired somewhere out of view of non-magicals."
With an amused expression on her face, Ume smiled, "Being as one was built in 1900 and we were born in 1913, they would believe that we were the spirit of said Dry Dock, at least long enough to soften the blow when more information comes out. By that point, there wouldn't be the sheer surprise there otherwise might be."
For several moments, the teenage wizard thought through the process and slowly nodded as it did make sense to do it that way. While some might react badly, it wouldn't be a one-two punch that it would be of them being Installations and how they became such, if that ever came out. Part of him shuddered as there was likely those who would actually do it to someone just to insure that there would be a spirit.
Shaking that off, Harry gave them a smile and nod, "Well, that is one less thing to worry about I suppose.
The conversation turned to other matters from there. Eventually, as they reached dessert (which was a sherbet), Akiyama remembered something that his sisters had told him, "Ah, Harry-San, I just remembered something that my Onee-Samas mentioned to me." Leaning forward a little, he made a thoughtful sound, "Something about a potions research facility?"
Harry took a moment to swallow a bit of dessert before nodding, "Hai, it is something that I've been thinking about." Gesturing with the spoon he was using, he frowned in thought, "It... would be more of a research institute both to research potions and to help teach new Potions Masters."
Intrigued by the idea, Hina raised an eyebrow, "How so?"
Frowning, the nearly fourteen year old shook his head, "Well... think of it like a research lab at a non-magical university. You would have a number of Potions Masters, maybe even alchemists as well, working there. They could take a small handful of students who would help them with research while also learning. Being a dedicated facility, you could have every safety feature possible in case of an accident including a medical wing just in case of injuries." Harry gave a small shrug, "Might not be able to save anyone badly hurt, but it could stablize them to get to an actual hospital." Taking another spoonful of cold sweetness, he waited for a moment to savor it before continuing once he swallowed, "It would all be funded at least partially through research grants and such as well as partially through patents of potions they create. There would also be a database of potion research as well that they could consult and the like."
Now highly interested, Akiyama hummed as he stroked his chin in thought, "A very interesting idea, Harry-San. And it could be very effective as Potions Masters need years of training, which they would get. I could see such a place becoming very highly regarded. Do you have an idea where you might place it?"
Harry considered the question for a few moments before nodding, "I have thought about it being near Ginzan. No volcanoes nearby, but the geothermal means that you could keep greenhouses warm all year around for potion ingredients. It would be one of two with another in Britain..." A far off look entered his eyes, "In my head, I call it the 'Lily Potter Institute of Potions Research', after my biological Okaa-San. To honour her."
Slowly, the older of the two wizards nodded though he noted members of his family listening in, "Understandable, and that is a good way of honouring her. But the cost to build it would be no small amount."
Lips curling a bit into a smile, Harry smiled some, "Actually... it turns out that I could fund the construction of both. Though the government would also likely help fund it as well since it could become very prestigious. More problematic is getting people who could build it with magic involved as well as attracting the Potion Masters in the first place."
Only nodding, Akiyama hummed before smiling, "I think, perhaps, I could be of help there at least for the one built here in Japan, Harry-San." Glancing at Miu, his youngest daughter, he chuckled, "I know of a few Potion Masters enough to understand that they would very likely jump at it." Pausing for a moment, the older man smiled, "If you want, I can place out some feelers to gain an idea of some thoughts regarding it. But I think that Kyoto would be happy to help back it."
Bowing some, the nearly fourteen year old smiled, "Thank you."
Simply bowing back, Akiyama shook his head, "You are quite welcome." Internally, he hummed some, 'Being connected to such would only be a benefit after all...'
_____________________________________________________________
After dinner was done, the various members of the Clan filtered out into Kyoto to partake in the festival going on. Walking along the streets, Harry had Ume and Sakura holding his arms close as they held hands. Head tilted to the side a little, the teenage boy smiled at the two, "So, where do you want to go first?"
Both Twins considered the question for a few moments before glancing at each other, "Perhaps we should walk around, Harry-Chan? And just enjoy the festival?"
Slowly, Harry gave a nod to that and squeezed their hands gently, "I think that is just fine." As they walked, he noted that a number of old residents, who were obviously magical, did double takes at seeing Ume and Sakura, but said nothing. But Harry ignored most of that due to the feel of the two teenage girls holding his hands as they leaned into him, 'This... is nice.'
Unknown to him, both Ume and Sakura had much the same thought. To them, this was something right out of one of their dreams. Part of them almost expected to wake up to find themselves in their lonely caldera, and yet...
Yet, they knew that this was not a dream, nor a fantasy.
This was, in fact, real.
Right now, at this time, they were walking alongside the boy that both of them had fallen for. One who cared for them back and had for all practicality moved the Heavens and Hells themselves to bring them back, to give them a second chance at happiness. A chance that the both of them swore to grasp with all their strength and to use. Because now, they could live as they chose without worry.
No more where they chained to what their parents and Elders wished of them. For now, they had no more say in what would happen. They were not chained to their dark fates, full of loneliness and sadness, for the Sun had risen and they could not meet it with smiles. Now, the future looked bright and warm compared to what it had been even before they became Hitobashira. What would come would do so because they could chose for it to come. A truly great gift.
And one that they had been given by the boy that they now held close.
Yes, they knew that there was still a long road ahead of them. One that would have ups and downs. But it was a road that they would travel because they chose to, not because they were forced and ordered to. A road that they made themselves, and at the end? There was a destination full of warmth and care and, most importantly, love. It would be work aplenty, for they understood that Harry had been hurt, and hurt badly.
But they would work, with others, to heal those wounds. To close them until they were but scars, and work until those scars themselves were faded. While they would never truly disappear, they could make them fainter, and would aim to do so. In their minds, it was the least that they could do, to help their hero heal from his wounds. For giving them a choice, they would choose to do so.
With the noise of the festival around them, the Twins placed their heads on Harry's shoulders with small, happy smiles.
Something that was their choice to do so.