Harry Potter & the Shipgirls

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Feeling a tug as they walked through the streets towards his clinic, Haruto looked down to find Chikako looking at Naomi. Bending down a little, he frowned, "Something wrong, Chikako-Chan?"

Whispering into his ear, she went back to looking at Naomi, which caused the witch to raise an eyebrow, "Is... there a problem?"

Just rubbing the back of his neck, the Healer shook his head, "No, she's just wondering why you're wearing sunglasses in springtime since summer is when she always saw people wearing them."

Lips twitching, Naomi shook her head, "I'm wearing them because I work long hours in the Diet, so I have a bit of trouble out in the bright sun like what we have here this morning. One does get used to less light after all."

Still frowning, the Neko narrowed her eyes and looked away with a huff.

Naomi's smile though melted into a thoughtful frown as they continued to walk. The whole time her gaze went from Haruto and Chikako to the area around them. But always, it returned to the scene in front of her.

While she had not been lying to Chikako about how due to long hours in the Diet, away from natural light, meant that her eyes were a little bit sensitive, that was not the whole story. Oh, she was certain that the two Aurors knew something was up with her glasses and that she had told a partial lie, but likely not exactly what in either case. Nor, really, would she tell them anyways.

Said "Sunglasses" were the end product of a project instituted by the Diet shortly after the first Natural Borns showed up. The idea of them were something that had frightened the government as well as other magical ones who had similar projects which failed. Britain's, for example, was an attempt to use a variant of the spell they used to find magical children born to Non-magical parents. They were never able to make it work.

In Japan, they decided to focus on Onmyoudo as how to do it as it focused on the spiritual. Not that, as far as Naomi knew, they ever came to a decision as to what they would have done if they managed it. Part of her, and she knew her father, was happy that the project had ended in failure. It was never able to identify an unawoken Natural Born, thus the sunglasses were considered to be failures, novelty items left in one of the storage areas because they thought that it could be used one day for something else.

The metal of the frames themselves were made from the remains of an ungaikyou that had been destroyed by the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima. Only a few shards had been needed thankfully. They were forged in the fires of a Haka no Hi, a grave fire and tempered in the tears of a Baku. As for the lens, they were made of smoky quartz harvested from Mount Osore, and brushed with a number of spiritually active liquids as a coating. All of it assembled under the light of a full moon.

All in all, it was powerful and able to gaze into the spiritual realm more than most... yet, it was unable to do what they wanted. Which was to see enough to identify an unawoken Natural Born. No one was quite certain why they did not work like they had wanted. Currently there was the theory that shipgirls didn't "Show" and only other awoken shipgirls or Kami could see them before they manifested. Right now, there was some talk about how dense and powerful spiritual auras might point to an unawoken Natural Born, but that was all there was.

But because they were unable to work, they had been put away and forgotten for the past three years in a dusty storage case. Until, that was, Naomi had taken them. Mainly because it was one aspect that they had that Naomi was most after. One that the Diet has considered to be next to useless, but served her purpose in the Reserve well...

It could see the spiritual hull of an awoken shipgirl, Natural Born or Summoned.

For some odd reason, the sunglasses were able to see a hull of an active shipgirl, even if their rigging was not out. The Diet considered such a curiosity at best for the moment, but for Naomi and why she was originally in the Reserve, it was perfect. Using them, she could see if any Yokai did have hulls around them, showing that they were in fact shipgirls in hiding. There was even a spirit photo function which was connected to the film in one of her inside pockets, allowing her to take pictures.

Currently and what had made her somewhat thoughtful since she put on the glasses was one thing... and that was Chikako.

Much to Naomi's confusion, there was something around the Neko on a spiritual level. She could tell that it was a hull of some sort, but not what. All the Bureaucrat could get was a general shape of a hull. Everything else was blurred and fuzzy, like a photograph taken well out of focus. You would have a general idea of what you might be looking at, but no details at all. It had not taken her long to realize what it could mean, which was that the Nekomata was a Natural Born nearly fully awakened. Something that created numerous issues if she was right about her assumption.

It was frustrating to Naomi that she could not tell what sort of ship that the Yokai was. After all, there was a little six year old who became a Yamato, and a one year old had woken as the Katsuragi. So who knew? Could be a Battleship for all she knew, which caused some sweat to appear on her forehead at the thought of what could happen. Especially if someone roughed up the young man she clung to.

But, unknown to her, she was not the only one to notice something was up with Chikako...

As they walked along the dirt streets, Del noticed a number of things. The first was mainly the young Nekomata. Despite herself, she had been a little concerned at the start. Nice as Haruto had portrayed himself, there was always the chance for darkness. And someone like Chikako was vulnerable to such things. But the more she watched, the more relaxed she became. Having been an Auror for so many decades, she had a feel for such things. And when she glanced at Ying, her niece gave a very slight nod of agreement. There was nothing more there than a young girl clutching onto someone she saw as a Savior, with said person not doing anything negative with it.

Granted, there were other issues in regards to Chikako... mainly, being adorable enough that it should be illegal. Especially with how she clutched at Haruto's clothes and every so often turned back to glare at them. Except, rather than being frightening, it as cute how protective she was of the Healer. Part of both Del and Ying suspected that she might well have a little bit of a crush on the young man. Which... did not help matters with how cute she was.

It also, for some reason, made Del imagine Claire with cat ears and tail sometimes going "Nya" if someone patted her on the head.

Quickly shaking off that image for what could have been the twentieth time, if only for the sake of her heart and so her blood would not crystallize, Del frowned as she thought about something else about the Nekomata. An odd feeling that she had been getting from the Yokai. Something was giving her a nudge somewhere in the back of her mind. A feeling about Chikako that to her frustration, she knew, but it remained at the back of her mind. Whatever it was, it was pinging at her on the spiritual senses she had trained in Lakota magics. And, from a glance, she could tell that Ying also could feel whatever it was.

Well, that and her niece was getting frustrated as well despite the inscrutable expression on her face. Obviously, she too knew that something was... not exactly wrong, but something that she should pay attention to just the same. With a mental sigh, and in an effort to get her mind off it after mentally checking to see if a spell had been cast on her to not realize what it was bothering her, Del glanced around for the second big thing she had noticed. And that was how the various Yokai were acting. Something that she knew that the other two had also picked up on.

Every time they came across one, the Yokai would smile or laugh and greet Haruto. Not as a member of the Reserve personnel, but as an old friend or even family member. Some of the youngsters would greet him and give him a hug for example. Or how one little girl gave him a small flower, expression lighting up with joy when Haruto took it and thanked her, giving her a hug much to Chikako's disgruntlement. It was obvious that they cared for the Healer and saw him as one of them...

However, that changed as soon as they turned and laid eyes on them. Joy and happiness in eyes vanished to become anger and suspicion. Smiles disappeared to be replaced by barely veiled, and not even that sometimes, hostility. The children would become frightened and scurry away, their parents shuffling them into their huts while giving Haruto sympathetic looks. And even Del would admit that last bit... hurt. For young children to react like that, alongside with their parents? That said a lot.

But then, there was the final bit.

Lowering her voice, Del glanced at Ying, "We're being followed. Two Oni behind us along with one of those big spiders... think that they're called Tsuchigumo."

Head tilted to the side, Ying frowned as her eyes went from one side to the other, "Not just them. There's three Kamaitachi weaving in and out between the huts or along their roofs. Quick, can barely see them before they're gone.

Shivering a bit, Naomi glanced around a bit nervously, "So you think that they're going to attack?"

Much to her relief, after a few seconds both Aurors shook their heads. Del still frowned though barely able to keep herself from tapping her holstered true form with her fingers, "No, I doubt that. They're being... watchful, not aggressive. I think that they are more keeping an eye on Healer Hayate rather than anything else. Possibly thinking he might be in danger from us."

Furrowing her eyebrows, the Chinese-Canadian frowned, "Why would they think that? We have not done anything."

That brought a grimace to Naomi's face, "I have an idea actually." When they looked at her, she continued, "Some weeks back there was an... incident... where two guards, now since removed, along with a middle level bureaucrat, decided to take matters into their own hands and beat Healer Hayate in the belief he would tell them about the smugglers. The bureaucrat, it seems, also had personal reasons due to being his older brother. It is not impossible that it was the first time."

Under her breath, the lone American cursed, "Shit, that would have been nice to know before now!"

Naomi only have an apologetic shrug, "I frankly forgot about it and it just came back when you mentioned..."

With a sigh, Ying shook her head, "What is done, is done. And it is obvious why they are watching us so closely now, they're worried and don't trust us. So we simply just keep our cool." Something caught her eye though and she loudly cleared her throat. When Haruto turned to her, she gestured to the side, "I've noticed what looks like muggle jugs, but much bigger, next to some of the houses, Haruto-San."

Glancing in the same direction, he nodded, "I actually brought those myself and used an engorgement charm on them. They're basically those muggle jugs, but they collect rain water, which gives them something that is reasonably safe to drink. There's some larger ones outside that are barrels. But yeah... one of the things that I worked on."

Each of the women nodded at that.

To his confusion, Ying brought out a camera and took a picture of one of the rain barrels. At the same time, there was a slightly concerned expression on Naomi's face. Like the Aurors, she had noticed the reactions they were getting compared to Haruto. But unlike them, she was not considering it from a threat standpoint, but from a political one. It was obvious to her from the small amount of observation they had so far that the Healer was very well thought of. And the more they saw, the more she became convinced that Haruto should be kept somewhat safe. Because unless she was mistaken, if he was truly harmed or, worse, killed? Then the Reserve would likely explode overnight into violence. A straw that would break and crush the camel's back.

However, that was not all on Naomi's mind and causing it to whirl a mile a minute as there was still the concern that brought her there. If one added Haruto's apparent place in the community to the issue? It became rather frightening.

Before she could get much more into it though, Haruto came to a stop in front of a building, "And here we are, my clinic."

Somewhat surprised, they gave the building a look over. It was only one story, but longer than some and built above the rest of the ground. Beside one wall was a large barrel with pipes running into the wall while the roof was made of caulked wooden planks. As well, the job compared to the other huts was very good. Walking up, Ying ran a hand along the wooden wall and nodded, "This is very well put together."

Proud expression on his face, Haruto chuckled as he nodded and pulled out a key, "It is, the people here built it for me after... well, you know." Mood falling briefly, the Healer shook it off, "Anyways, if you get them the proper materials, some of the fellows around here can do good work. It gives me somewhere to do most of my work when I'm not making house calls and is where I keep my supplies and notes."

Curious, the other three watched as he unlocked the door and opened it before stepping inside. Granted, Chikako gave them a small glare as she followed him in, as if warning them against hurting him. Something that the three women agreed was adorable. They walked in as Haruto opened two shuttered windows and locked them into place, which let the sunlight stream in which let them see the inside alongside a breeze. There was not a real divider, which meant that it was all one room for the most part. But there was a curtain attached to the ceiling where what had to be the examination bed. Close by was several beaten, but well cared for filing cabinets as well as a large, locked cabinet. There was a window in it showing potions as well as bottles of non-magical medicines. And against the wall, there was a old, wooden desk with an unlit oil lamp on it and a wooden chair. Both looked old enough that Naomi wondered if they might manifest as tsukumogami soon.

As they turned, they could see a clock on one wall ticking away the time. And at the other end across from the "Examination Room" was what had to be the waiting room. Boards ran along the three walls to form benches of sorts with beaten metal chairs here and there. And in the middle was a table made from a shipping pallet that had legs nailed on.

Oddly, what caught their attention was what was on it and nearby. Upon the table were a number of No-Maj magazines and newspapers stacked neatly on it. And there was a number of books in a nearby bookcase that had yellowed and dog-eared pages as well as several decks of cards and colouring books besides crayons. Seeing the looks, Haruto shrugged, "Sometimes it can get busy in here, so I give those waiting their turn something to read or do." Pausing for a moment, his expression brightened, "Which reminds me... I just bought a solar powered radio that plays cds, so I'll finally be able to have music playing." Feeling a tug though, the Healer looked down to where Chikako was gripping onto his shirt, "Hmm? Something wrong, Chikako-Chan?"

The little Yokai shook her head and glanced at the other women there before turning back and blushing a little, "Can I help?"

For several moments, Haruto was quiet before he smiled and crouched down. Gently placing his hand on her head, he gestured with the other hand, "Sure you can. You see the papers and magazines on the table?" Getting a nod as her face lit up, he continued, "Gather them up and place them in that bin in the corner." The Healer pointed at the one in question, "That way, people who want the old ones to can pick them up."

Blinking, Chikako nodded with a small smile before speaking in her usual soft voice, "Okay."

Quickly she made her way over to the table and began to gather up all the magazines and newspapers, an utterly serious, and adorable, expression on her face. Turning to the two Aurors and one Bureaucrat, Haruto shrugged, "Sorry, this is only going to take a minute."

Just waving it off, Del chuckled a little, "Don't worry about it, we can wait."

With a nod, Haruto went outside and after two minutes returned with two boxes, one of which was marked with 'Cleaning Supplies'. Opening it, he reached in and pulled out a box of wipes as Chikako walked over having done what he told her to do, "Chikako-Chan? Now these wipes I need you to use on the bench, the chairs, and the table, okay? After that, this box..." He tapped the other one, "Has the new newspapers and magazines in it. Take them and put them onto the table for people to read once the table is dry."

Sharply nodding, Chikako grabbed the wipes and headed off, "I'll make sure that it is all clean."

Unable to help himself, the Healer gave a chuckle before turning to his three visitors. Intrigued, Naomi gestured at what Chikako was doing, "Are those No-Maj disinfectant wipes? You mentioned disinfectants before... also, you change the newspapers and magazines?"

Simply shrugging, Haruto shook his head some, "Well... for the floors and such, I use a combination of hot water and vinegar. It works well enough to disinfect. The wipes are mostly used for surfaces like the examining table. That I clean off after each patient." He gestured to the papers and magazines, "As for the papers and magazines... I know someone who collects them each month and lets me have them. I just bring them here and let people read. Besides which, the old ones can be of use since some here use them to teach their children how to read and write. The really old papers can just be burned."

Humming, Naomi gave a small nod, "That does make sense..."

Once more giving a shrug, Haruto walked over to the filing cabinet and pulled out another key, "Anyways, you seemed interested in some of the health issues, so..." Unlocking one, he began to pull out files as well as a few notebooks, "These go on about the various outbreaks and such."

Eyebrows raised, Ying looked through them and found pages of notes, "So these talk about the outbreaks?"

Chuckling, the Healer smiled sadly, "Hai, they do. I keep track of everything and put copies into these cabinets. I also have patient records which I won't show you, but these are generally what you would likely want to look at and don't violate anyone's privacy."

Bemused at that, Naomi shook her head, "You do not need to worry about that, Healer Hayate. I do not think any of us need to see such..." A frown then appeared on her face as she began looking at the files talking about dates and numbers of the diseases that broke out, "Do you think that such happens at the other reserves?"

Much to her surprise, he did not answer her right away. Sucking on his teeth, Haruto considered his answer for nearly a minute, during the whole tile Chikako was cleaning the bench at the far end of the room, "Nya, nya , nya~ Nya nya nya! Nya nya nya nya~"

Lips twitching at the little song that the Nekomata was singing, Haruto turned back to Naomi and lowered his voice, "Do I think that disease outbreaks like this are happening at the other reserves? No... I know that they happen at them. There's nothing official and most of those Healers are... not the type that someone like me moves around. But there has been a few whispers and rumours."

Now concerned, Naomi frowned and turned to him before dropping her voice just as low, "And how would we know, Healer Hayate? What would be your idea for checking?"

Taking a deep breath, Haruto let it out, "How? You might not find much in the official logs about the outbreaks, but... check the wards, in particular the Deathwatch."

Ying blinked at that and furrowed her eyebrows, "Deathwatch? What sort of ward is that?"

With a sigh, Haruto turned to her with a small grimace, "It is a certain ward used in magical hospitals. I'm not too surprised that you do not know of it being an Auror, though it is not a secret." Making a motion with his hands, he shook his head, "What the Ward does is pings every time there is a death in the area it covers and gives a location. You also got it used in community homes for the truly ancient magicals, so that deaths do not take time to discover... The Reserves, among the other spells around them, have a version of said ward though it does not give a location. It is how they record whether it is a death or escape when a Yokai or group of them, disappears."

Eyebrows raised, Del frowned at that, "Why would they not know when there is a death otherwise?"

She did not get an answer as the Healer looked uncomfortable and so she asked again which made him sigh, "I've never seen it done, and so I can't confirm if it is true or not. But according to... some people I have talked to, some among the guards and Healers might have gotten a bit of money through harvesting dead Yokai bodies for components and ingredients. Jorogumo and Tsuchigumo venom sacks, Oni horns, Nekomata fangs and claws... that sort of thing. They're illegal substances to have and use, but they can be used as substitutions in potions for other things and make them more powerful." Ignoring the looks of disgust and how the three women recoiled, he continued, "That said, they need to be harvested within a few hours of death and the Yokai generally hide the bodies and bury or cremate them, making them useless. Apparently, it reached a height just after World War II for... reasons."

Unknown to him, Del decided right then to be looking into a few things dating back to then as was Ying.

Closing her eyes, Naomi slowly nodded, "Of course, by looking at the number of deaths, we can get an idea of an outbreak. Because death rates would spike unexplainably for a time before lowering."

Lips pressed thinly, Haruto nodded, "Hai, that would be the easiest method to figure it out. Most of the Yokai in such cases quarantine the victims in their homes and hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Only nodding, the Diet Bureaucrat turned back to the pages upon pages of notes. Each one meticulously written down in neat penmanship which made her internally raise her thoughts on the young man still further, "You've kept very good records here. Better than most Healers. Separated by time and date as well."

With a small shrug, Haruto shook his head, "I'll admit that I am cribbing a little from No-Maj doctors there again. They take very detailed notes after all and so, it helps out a lot to be able to see patterns and the like." Walking over to the cabinet, he removed a large, leather-bound volume and opened it to reveal more of his writing, "I'm mostly doing what works. So I also started writing down the various methods that seem to work best. Also..." Another book joined the first and was also opened, "I keep track of everything that I use and in what amounts. That way, I know what I might need more of before I do."

Flipping through the second book, Del's eyebrows rose as he had down to the amounts of potions and medication as well as bandages down to the smallest measurement possible, 'Very impressive...'

As the three women were busy looking through the folder and notes, the lone male began to bring in various boxes full of supplies and the like into his clinic. Haruto was not too worried about anything happening to his notes as he had copies elsewhere. One thing he learned was always to make copies and keep them separate. Especially after the harassment began and he worried about them being destroyed. Two sets of the copies being kept inside of Mie's and Ichika's ship's safes.

Bringing in one box of soap, he raised an eyebrow at seeing Ying examining the various books on a bookshelf above his desk. Each one, she ran a finger along and frowned, "Interested?"

There was a slight grimace on her face as she turned, "Some of these are No-Maj medical books... including veterinarian ones."

Not bothed by her look, Haruto nodded, "Hai, some Yokai are more..." He paused to think of a proper word before nodding, "Have less humanoid bodies than others, which means that I need to look at what could work. Jorogumo, for instance, are hard because they are human above the waist and spider below, same with Ushi-Oni and also Tsuchigumo. I can't use normal human methods..." Walking over, he pulled out one book that showed the anatomy of spiders and had information on such, "Which means that I need to look at other sources. There's also other ones that can switch between animal and human. I had a Kitsune who when ill, shifted from human to fox and stayed like that until he was better, so I had to look up how to treat a fox."

Slowly, Ying relaxed at the response, "I see." She paused for a moment and frowned, "Have you used any medicines less for humans than animals?"

Chewing his lips, the Healer gave a small nod, "In a few cases. I've gotten most of the island vaccinated from Rabies for example by using the 'Oral vaccine' that the No-Majs created to be used as bait for wild animals to vaccinate them. I ask that they stay in animal form for a week afterwards for it to be fully effective and hopefully it works. Haven't had a case of rabies anyways, but one never knows and they have spoken that it has happened from time to time due to contaminated food."

All three of the women there grimaced at that.

However, before anyone could say anything more, Chikako came running over and gently tugged on Haruto's robes, "I'm done cleaning."

Lips twitching, Haruto looked at the table, now with new magazines and papers on it, as well as the chairs and benches. Sure, in the morning he might clean them again to make sure, but no need for the Nekomata to know that. Chuckling, he rubbed her head between her ears, "Very good, Chikako-Chan."

Eyes closed in happiness, Chikako's head went back and forth with the rubbing, "Nya... nya... nyaaa~"

Just shaking his head and chuckling, the Healer turned and opened another box as the Neko watched. Reaching in, he pulled out a number of lolipops, one of which he removed and handed to her, "Here you go, a reward for such a good job."

That made Chikako's eyes widen, but she took it and unwrapped it before throwing the rapper in the garbage. With a look of glee, she gave it a lick and bounced around a bit before bursting into song, "One spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go dow-wn! Medicine, go down! Nyaa, nyaa nya, nyaa nya..."

Ignoring the choking sounds from the Canadian and American, Haruto shook his head as she hopped off to sit on a chair and watch them as she continued to lick her lolipop. Turning, he raised an eyebrow as Del had her face in her hands while Ying was pinching her nose, "Um, something wrong?"

Briefly shaking her head, Del pulled her hands away from her face, "No, no, nothing wrong. Though, uh... where did she hear that song?"

Much to her confusion, Haruto flushed at that and looked embarrassed. Coughing, he looked away, "I, uh... may have sung it to some children to get them to take medicine when needed. Because a little bit of sugar and such won't affect most..." Unable to look at them, he scratched his cheek, "Heard it once from an old No-Maj movie I saw when I was younger at a friend's house. But... the children have taken to singing it and since it helps them practice some English..."

Glancing at the candies inside the box, Naomi gave him an amused look, "Is that why...?"

With a small shrug, the Healer pulled out a two empty jars from his cupboard and filled one with lolipops, "It helps relax the children to be given a treat after a checkup or after healing them. And it doesn't really harm anyone..."

He then pulled out wrapped candy that Del recognized, "Jolly Ranchers?"

Lightly laughing, Haruto smiled, "Yeah, I can buy a few packs of these and simply hand out the individual pieces. Once more, it brings a smile to their faces, so it doesn't bother me too much. And all of them like No-Maj candy, so there is that as well." He then pointed at another box, "I also get a number of packages of throat lozenges and the like for when they're needed. So it all works out in the end."

About to ask him more, Naomi was interrupted by footsteps outside and soon three Kitsune and two Inugami entered. Due to everyone's attention being grabbed, almost no one noticed the Japanese Bureaucrat freezing in place as she caught sight of them. Mainly because behind her glasses, she could see that they were shipgirls. She had expected maybe one or two, at most. Likely a Destroyer or perhaps a Light Cruiser...

But in front of her was two Light Carriers as well as three small, almost Destroyer-like ships.

Upon seeing that, she had a cold sweat break out on her as she realized just how bad things could turn in the Reserve if they so wanted. Beside her though, Ying was frowning to herself while glancing at the Japanese woman beside her, 'I wonder what would get that reaction from her?' Eyes narrowing slightly, she frowned more internally, her expression being the usual one on the outside, 'And why is it that the feeling I have been feeling from little Chikako is increased from them?'

Meanwhile, the blonde among the Kitsunes walked up and gave Haruto a once over before her expression softened, "Are you okay, Haruto-Kun?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Haruto gave a small nod, "Hai, hai, I'm fine, Hachimitsu-Chan. Like I told you that I would be."

None of the three visitors missed the red haired Kitsune's grumbling, "You say that and come back with bruises..."

Slightly twitching, Naomi fought the urge to walk over to the Guard station and strangle someone. Because obviously, these shipgirls were close to the Healer that they had been harassing. An observation confirmed as one of the two Inugami walked over and gave him a soft smile before hugging him, "We're glad to hear that."

Chuckling, Haruto shook his head, "Same here to be honest, Mie-Chan. Nothing burning down?"

With a huff, Hachimitsu wagged a finger at him, "That was one time and we put it out! And you know it!"

Pulling her lolipop from her mouth, Chikako spoke up in a bored tone, "Hachimitsu-Nee burned dinner last night."

Eyebrow raised, the Healer looked at the Nekomata and then back at the now embarrassed Kitsune and internally snorted, "I see..."

A glare on her face, she wagged a finger at him, "Don't laugh!"

From where she was leaning against the doorframe, the other Inugami female snickered, "Of course not, we already did all the laughing last night." Pushing off and ignoring the flustered Kitsune, she gave Haruto a hug, "But it is good to have you home."

Noticing their actions and words, Del raised an eyebrow and cleared her throat, "You know these Yokai, Healer Hayate?"

Just scratching his cheek, Haruto nodded, "Hai..." He gave them all a small smile, "We actually share the hut where I live."

The blue haired Kitsune looked at them and narrowed her eyes some, "We're really close to Haruto-Kun and offered him to live with us when he was looking for a place to live inside the Reserve. We've... known him for a long time."

Looking between them, Naomi barely kept the nervousness off her face before she remembered one fact that she had found. It was buried in an old Auror's report about Haruto's family, how they had been next door to three unregistered Kitsune who were taken to a Reserve. Internally, she began to curse up a storm as several pieces fell into place and upped the issue that could pop up, while also realizing that all she could do was let the Healer stay there due to how big of an explosion removing him might cause.
Haruto, meanwhile, was giving a nod, "Hai, so we basically live in the same hut as each other and are really close."

It was only just that Del was able to keep from snorting, 'Oh, I don't doubt that you are close. That is very much putting it mildly.' She did give them a very slight, smug smirk of amusement, one mirrored on Ying's face, "I see..."

Both hers and Ying's amusement only increased at the blush that deepened on Haruto's face, but said nothing more on that though they did wonder how that came about.

At the same time though, Norimune's daughter was somewhat confused because, once more, she had the oddest feeling about the five Yokai. How and what that feeling was still bothering her a few hours later as they left the island, though they had copies of Haruto's notes and reports about the various outbreaks. Which they knew that Honjo and Kotegiri would not be happy to find out about. And that was besides the photographs and small bits of video that they also took. Though they did wonder about why Naomi reacted so nervously around the five Yokai, almost as if she knew to be afraid of them...

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

Old Friends

Castle Moulbaix

21st May, 2014
Spoiler: Clearing The Air

Tokunotakai frowned at Medea of Colchis. "This 'Hera' sounds like an exceptionally unpleasant deity. Using you as a tool for Jason's quest and then discarding you as he did was quite dishonorable. That does not even count the deaths of your innocent children and then you mentioned that she may have been involved in the playwright from Corinth that blackened your name."

Medea sipped her brandy. "That could have been Apollo as well, honestly. I had made a point of irritating most of the Olympians at one time or another."

Colombe paused in getting another bottle of her brandy out of the cabinet. "Dare I ask which ones were not part of the 'most', Professor?"

Medea laughed. "Heracles is a very good sort, as is his wife Hebe. My old teacher Hecate is reasonable, as are Lord Hades and Persephone. Demeter is.... tolerable, and I have no issues with Hestia nor she with me. The rest though?" She scowled.

Delilah flipped through a copy of Bullfinch's Mythology. "Hebe... THAT explains how you made it into Ilvermorny, since she is the Goddess of Youth!"

Medea nodded. "I used a gift from her to de-age myself from my normal state to just old enough to enter school, set up a false family background and home using some of the money that I have accumulated, and then cast a spell to insure that I was noticed for the letter invitation delivery."

Delilah nodded. "Clever, Maddy, but why Ilvermorny?"

Medea smirked. "Simple enough. With all this time on my hands, I have indulged it by making a study of magic. While I am not the mage that Aunt Circe is, I try to keep up with developments in the field by learning new spells, techniques and so on. I had heard stories about the magic of the native tribes of the Americas so went to Ilvermorny to learn them."

Delilah nodded thoughtfully. "Hence your friendship with Louise Winona and then me. You always were interested in the Lakota spells that she taught us."

Ying chimed in. "Just as you were interested in the Middle Kingdom's techniques of Jing, Qi, and Shen that I learned from Amah."

Medea smiled triumphantly. "Exactly. You both gave me enough of a foundation so that after we went our separate ways I was able to gain a decent level of proficiency in your fields. Not to the level of a specialist such as either of you, but enough so I could grow on my own. I was planning to study Onmyouji next but as it turned out the Abyssals interfered. The Olympians needed someone to protect Greece from what they foresaw and approached me."

Toku nodded slowly. "I can teach you at least the basics of Onmyouji when we have time to train together, Medea-san. I had promised Hachiman-dono to teach Co-chan the ways of the spirit, and I can teach another alongside her once things settle down enough."

Colombe interjected after a sip of brandy. "Which reminds me, I need to thank you for introducing me to Herodotus in the original Greek. His advice about customs and the reasons to respect them saved my skin a dozen times over. Plus your teachings of magical theory and wandless magic helped me become who and what I am today."

Medea glanced over at Colombe. "I do have to ask. What method of immortality are you using? It is not one that I am familiar with, and I am quite curious."

Colombe smirked smugly. "You remember my favorite rapier from school?"

Medea tapped a finger against her lip after swallowing more brandy. "Yes, I always wanted to study the enchantments on it, but never got around to that."

Colombe's smile grew smugger. "That is actually my true body. I am the spirit of it and the 'me' here is a projection of its magic."

Medea's head whipped around and she stared in shock at the rapier hanging on a peg between an enchanted African mask with four eyes and the door.

"αστειευτείτε μαζί μου!"(Are You Kidding me) She swore in Greek then looked back at Colombe. "I met your father. Several times! Generally when you had done something and he was worried for you."

Colombe nodded. "It is a long story and relates to why we are all here. But go ahead, draw me and see for yourself."

Medea walked to the door and pulled the rapier from her sheath. Intricate charmwork and enchantments flashed into visibility up and down the blade and the dove etching glowed white. The sorceress gestured her hand in a divination spell and then her eyes widened as she saw the magical bonds between Colombe and her sword. "Beautiful." she spoke in a voice of professional awe. "I would like to spend a decade or three examining it."

She looked across the room. "All of you save Zamarad are spirits of this kind too. Ying and Del both are similar to Colombe's avatar while Toku, Ehren, and Claire are slightly more distantly related." With that she sheathed the rapier once more.

Colombe smiled and nodded. "Almost correct. Muramasa-no-Norimune, the Japanese woman with the massive sword is my father. She is a tsukumogami, the spirit of a hallowed item touched by legend or the divine in many cases. She made love to my mother Julie d'Aubigny and when I was born, my true body formed then according to Papa. Delilah is my younger half-sister, and Ying is my oldest daughter, and both came into being the same way."

Medea's eyes glittered. "This is fascinating. That also confirms my observations that Delilah, Ying, Toku, and you are all marked with the heraldry of a divine patron as an agent, similar to my marking by Lord Hades for those with eyes to see. Circe mentioned that she did not dare cross whoever had marked you to punish you for running out on her, Colombe, although I would not go anywhere near her even now. She can be a vindictive bitch."

Colombe breathed a sigh of relief. "I always wondered a bit about that."

"That said, what are your plans now?" Medea asked.

Ying spoke. "The plan is to get Father's name cleared of the crimes that she has been wrongfully accused of. I shall be talking to Henri and the French Ministry of Magic to see about getting a pardon for her actions in the 1790s, and she has been giving statements to a magistrate of my acquaintance to explain her side of the other incidents."

Medea nodded. "I shall see what strings I can pull too. Heroism should be rewarded. Which reminds me, do you mind if I take a bottle of this excellent brandy home with me?"

Colombe shook her head. "Non, and I have a bottle of 1849 Chateau LaFitte de Rothschilde for you as well. I remember you as a wine drinker though, Professor."

Medea grinned. "Oh I am, but I plan to take something along to thank Lord Hades for letting me borrow the wand that I crafted for him. I needed something with power and authority over death and the dead in order to wrestle Verdun back into quiescence so the chains could be reapplied properly."

Colombe nodded. "When we did it in 1918, it was sated, I think. As sated as such a thing ever is and so we were able to surprise it. Even then many of us died in the rituals to apply the seals and then reinforce them. She sighed. "We were so blind...."

Ehren, who had been listening with interest spoke. "Grandmother destroyed a golem composed of mud," she glanced at Claire sitting next to her and visibly edited out the rest of the description, "and other truly foul substances. Was that a creation used in the Great War?"

Colombe sighed. "Yes, that was something that Ian and I developed. It took the contents of a latrine trench and gave them life to attack the Germans. The smell alone was lethal and the more it soaked up and drowned the stronger it got."

Ehren wrinkled her nose. "Kein Scherz, der Geruch war tödlich!(No kidding, the smell was deadly) I had to soak in bleach overnight to decontaminate my blade!"

Medea looked at Colombe. "What possessed you to do that, Miss du Chasteler?"

Colombe looked sheepish. "It seemed like a good idea at the time when we thought it up? We had most of a keg of pinard wine as part of the planning session I recall..."

Delilah facepalmed and muttered under her breath.

-------------------------------

Rhapta

Azania

28 May, 2014
Spoiler: News From Verdun

The ancient magical African trade city bustled around the short figure walking through the marketplace. A red hooded cloak kept off the subtropical sun as she wandered through the bustling crowds with one hand on her coin purse and the other on the hilt of her short blade.
Spoiler: The Girl

From the shade of the cloak, aquamarine eyes watched a pair of Aurors walk by and the grip on her sword hilt tightened.

Finally she reached her destination, the shop of an European exporter, and approached the elderly proprietor. She spoke in accentless English to him. "The usual papers for this week."

He nodded and began to rummage behind the counter as she pulled out several gold coins. "Is there anything else?"

A lock of pale blond hair slipped from the hood of the cloak and the figure's eyes watered as she fought with herself. "No orders have been given to me." Her voice was filled with a subtle strain.

With that the shopkeeper placed a stack of newspapers on the counter. "Here you go. Magische Zeitung, Gazette du Sorcier, Daily Prophet."
Spoiler: The Ring


A silver ring with runic glyphs glimmered on her ring finger as her forefinger touched the magical photo on Page One of the Gazette du Sorcier. Under the headline screaming about how Verdun had been sealed away, Colombe du Chasteler's smug face grinned as she turned to talk to Delilah de Breuil and Zamarad as they began to hand out gas masks. "The Heroes of Verdun..."

The finger moved to the face of Ehren du Chasteler. "He shall want to see this...."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Kneeling, Chikako was watching Haruto closely as he cooked. Her tails twitched behind her with each whiff of delicious cooking fish that reached and were drawn into her nostrils, "Nya..."

Lips twitching, Hachimitsu chuckled a bit, "Be careful there, Chikako-Chan. Haruto-Kun will be done with dinner once he's done." Her own nose twitching, she gave a hum, "That does smell good."

Looking over his shoulder, the Healer chuckled, "And it should. Been some time since we have had some tuna." A smile on his face, he glanced at Chikako, "And you must be excited."

Chikako turned to him with a sharp nod, "Hai." Placing a finger against her chin, she swallowed a bit, "I've had tuna before from a dumpster behind a sushi place." Unnoticed by her, the others' expressions fell for a moment at the reminder of her background, "But I was told that fresh tastes really good."

At that, Mikage walked over and patted her head getting "Nyas" from the Nekomata, "Well, trust your Onee-Sans that fresh fish tastes the best. And Haruto-Kun is really good at cooking it."

Sheepishly grinning, Haruto gave her a look, "Mikage-Chan... you're embarrassing me."

In reply, the purplish haired Kitsune chuckled some before kissing his cheek, "Good, sometimes you need to be embarrassed." Still petting the small Neko, she hummed, "Though you are right, it has been a while since we had some tuna."

From where she was seated, Mie sighed happily, "Hai, especially fresh tuna." Looking at her cupboards, she hummed some, "Though it is good that you bought canned fish as well."

With a huff, Haruhime crossed her arms, "One would think that you are going to spoil Chikako-Chan."

Blinking, said Nekomata looked over at her and considered her. Then she smiled and leaned into Haruto, "If Haruto-Nii-San spoils me, than it is okay."

To that, Haruhime threw her hands into the air and groaned, "See what I mean!"

Looking over his shoulder, Haruto raised an eyebrow, "I take it then that you do not want any peanut butter?"

Much to his amusement, she brought her hands up, though there was still a grin on the red haired Kitsune's face, "Let's not be hasty now, Haruto-Kun. That would be mean to your Onee-Samas after all... and your lovely, lovely and oh so gentle and loving girlfriends."

Unable to help himself, Haruto laughed at that and grinned, "So very true."

Only shaking her head at the antics, Mikage noted the tug on her clothes and looked down at Chikako, "Yes, Chikako-Chan? Is something wrong?"

Frowning, the younger Yokai furrowed her eyebrows, "Um... you were drinking oil earlier from those small drums..."

Hachimitsu gave a small nod though she had a look of distaste on her face, "That's right, Chikako-Chan." Sighing, she shook her head, "Being as we're shipgirls, we need to keep fueled up. And without eating a whole lot of food... the easiest way to do that is to drink oil to conserve resources."

Concerned expression on her face, Chikako looked between them and then down at her lap, "Does that mean that when I become a shipgirl, I'll have to drink it too? Because you don't seem to like it very much."

Putting her hands behind her face, Ichika sighed, "We'll be honest with you, Chikako-Chan. When you become a shipgirl... yes, you will likely need to drink the oil as well. As for us not liking it? Well... it doesn't taste very good." Grimacing, she shook her head, "It really does not taste good, but it fills our fuel tanks and lets us go on."

No one said anything as the Neko thought it over with a small frown on her face before looking back up, "But... you do this so that everyone has enough to eat."

While it was not a question, Haruhime gave her a nod and a smile before answering it, "Hai, we still do it because shipgirls eat a lot. And there's not a lot on the island foodwise... or wasn't until recent months, anyways. Still, every little bit we don't eat, is food that can go to someone else. For them, and you right now, we'll deal with bad tasting oil." She gestured at Haruto, "Besides which, Haruto-Kun is the one who makes it, and makes it with love for us. So we'd still drink it if only for that fact."

Once more, Chikako went silent for a few moments as she thought it over. She could remember on the streets with little to eat even now. And her mind went to the other Yokai on the island before she nodded, "Okay, I can do it too then."

That declaration got her smiles from the others with Haruto giving her a smile, "I'm proud of you, Chikako-Chan.... very proud." That got him a few happy nyas from her and a smile as Mikage patted her head. A few minutes later, he nodded, "Okay, the fish is all done."

Eyes lighting up, Chikako threw her hands into the air, "Yes! Fresh fish!'

Only sharing a look with Mikage, the Healer laughed lightly with her giggling and the others either laughing themselves or giggling.

Shortly afterwards, they were all seated at the table with rice, a few vegetables from their own little garden, and the fish. After the plate of grilled fish was placed before her, cut into smaller pieces, Chikako's eyes widened and her ears twitched, "Ooooh..."

A chuckle made her turn to find Haruto pointing at the fish with his chopsticks, "Go ahead, try it."

Not quite sure, the Nekomata picked up her chopsticks and clapped her hands in thanks before taking a small sliver of fish. Opening her mouth, she went to take a bite, "Ah.., umpf!"

Watching as she chewed, Haruto internally laughed as her eyes widened before they closed and she purred as she ate, 'Okay, that is just plain adorable.' Shaking his head, he turned back to his own meal, "Don't think that I need to ask if you enjoyed it, Chikako-Chan."

Rapidly, Chikako shook her head, "Uh-uh."

Then, she went right back to eating her fish happily making the others all chuckle. Smiling, Ichika turned back to her own food and began to eat. However, her smile fell a bit as she remembered something and turned to Haruto, "Haruto-Kun? Are you sure that there was not more to that investigation than you thought? You were singled out after all..."

Frowning, he shook his head, "I think that it was likely the fact that I am the one who lives in the Reserve combined with what they caught happening, which made them interested. Especially when I told them of the epidemics and such."

Her eyebrows furrowed, Hachimitsu rubbed her chin as she set aside her now empty rice bowl, "I will admit that I am concerned myself. And they were certainly asking a lot of questions of you about the conditions. Do you think..."

Eyebrow raised, Haruto looked at her, "That there was an ulterior motive?" At their nods, he snorted and shook his head, "Of course there was, there always is. The question though is more what, though I doubt that it had to deal with me and more with the conditions." Considering it for a few moments, the Healer frowned a little, "They were especially interested in the disease outbreaks."

Now concerned herself, Mie frowned, "Do you know why? Or what purpose that could have?"

Closing his eyes, he thought for a few moments, "I... do have an idea somewhat, yes." Opening his eyes, Haruto met theirs, "We all know that the Reserves are not in a great shape and that the others are leaking like a sieve everyday. While only rumours, some of them are powder kegs waiting to go off. If you get a large enough outbreak of disease and the Yokai decide to simply rush to break free rather than face death by sickness..."

That brought a grimace to their faces, but they all nodded with Mikage putting voice to their thoughts, "It could well bring down the government and the Statute of Secrecy."

With a small shrug, Haruto shook his head, "It is only a theory and I don't know for sure myself. However, it does make sense with how much they were questioning me."

It was then that Chikako spoke up, "I didn't like them... Not the glasses lady or the other two." She winkled her nose, "Those two smelt funny."

Back straightening, Haruto looked right at her, "Smelt funny? What do you mean by that?"

Slowly, the Neko blinked with her tails swishing behind her, "Smelt funny, both smelt of steel and one of them smelled like fox... but I don't know what the other smelled of."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Hachihime frowned, "Actually, now that you mention it, they did smell off compared to humans. The American, de Bruil or whatever? She smelled of steel and gunpowder. And the other smelled of steel and fox. With the American, I thought at first it was because she had a gun for some reason, but..."

His eyes widening slightly, Haruto stared, "Wait, fox? Like Kitsune, or..."

Arms crossed, Ichika scowled, "No, not like Kitsune... or exactly like Kitsune. It was fox, but not the same. Like... an different breed of fox." She then turned and looked at the others, "You don't think that she was a Yokai of some sort?"

Thoughtful, Hachihime shook her head, "Actually, I think that the only one who was human was the member from the Diet. The other two weren't. But... that begs the question of what was going on there? Why pretend to be human besides the obvious...?"

Sighing, the Healer shook his head, "Who knows, besides them anyways? But I'll keep an ear out to see if I hear anything."

With that, they nodded to each other and went back to eating their meal.

Later that night, Chikako was tossing a bit in her futon wearing her new pajamas that Haruto had bought her. Twisting, she looked at where said young man was sleeping. And not just him as the other female Yokai were all cuddled up to him with the Kitsune sleeping on his chest and the two Inugami on either side of him. To her eyes, despite the lights having been turned out, it was almost as bright as day. Bringing up one hand, she reached out only to stop and pull it back as she looked away.

In her mind, she had already gotten so much from them. Now, instead of the cold, lonely streets or the tunnel she once called home, she had a warm house to live in with people that cared for her. And instead of every day battling against hunger, she was hot food to fill her belly with. She even got hugs and headpats every day! Not to mention new, clean clothes and baths as often as she wanted, which she liked. Even milk, though it was goats milk and Haruto needed to use a pasturizing charm on it.

But still, her life was so much better now, so why...

Why did she want more?

Voice soft, she mumbled a little into her blanket, "I want..."

Movement though made her blink to find a sleepy Mie turning her head to look at her. The two's eyes met and the Inugami gave her a smile before speaking softly, "Chikako-Chan? Are you alright?"

Chikako chewed her lip a little, but nodded, "Uh-huh..."

For several moments, Mie looked at her, but then smiled and lifted up her part of the blanket, "Must be cold over there, all by yourself... how about you join us?"

At that, the Nekomata's eyes widened and she stared for a few moments with an unspoken question. A question that Mie replied to with a smile and a nod. Thus, Chikako found herself a few moments later nestled between Mie and Haruto's sleeping body, head under the blanket as she could hear Mie's boilers, but the Healer's heartbeat as well. Eyes closing as she cuddled into his side, she smiled as a memory drifted up, fuzzy and barely there of a man and woman smiling. And as she drifted off to sleep, she purred as she dreamed of warm homes and food as well as smiles and happiness.

________________________________________________________

In a bar in Yokosuka, Del let out a sigh as she drank from a mug of beer, "Ah... I told you that this was a good place. Yokosuka has had so much experience with American sailors, that some of the places here are good and remind me of home."

Softly snorting, Ying gave her a look, "Yeah, yeah..." Taking a drink, she hummed, "With one major difference." Getting a look, the Canadian smirked, "The beer does not taste like something filtered through a horse and then collected in a pail."

A grumble escaped from her aunt as she shook her head, "Only on the No-Maj side, though I agree that is one of the great sins of prohibition. Thank whoever is listening that it never caught on among us magicals. Ugh..." Then she perked up, "Though some of the craft beer was good."

Bemused, her frienemy, and niece, shook her head, "Somewhat surprised that you are not drinking a bourbon."

With a scoff, Del shook her head, "No, I am not going to spend good bourbon on what happened today." Rubbing her forehead, she shook her head before grabbing some wings, "I knew that it was going to be bad. But nothing like that nightmare. At least we found one good man trying to do his best in that cesspool."

Grimacing, Ying nodded, "Agreed, though obviously it is starting to weigh on him. Hopefully, Naomi will come through and make sure that he does not get harassed anymore."

That got her a nod from her aunt before they lapsed into silence thinking of their own issues. Glancing at her friend, the American frowned, "It's still bothering you, isn't it?" At the inquiring look, Del shook her head, "That odd feeling from those Yokai."

Simply sighing, Ying shook her head, "Like nothing else." Frowning, she scratched her head, "It is odd because I know that feeling from somewhere and that I should know what it means. Like it is just sitting there in the back of my head, but I can't dislodge it enough to know what. Frustrating is one way to put it."

Humming, Del grumbled a little, "Tell me about it. Ugh... I want to hit something."

With a sigh, the Canadian agreed, "Same here, perhaps meditating on it will..."

Not noticing that Ying had trailed off, Del frowned, "You do that. Me? A nice hot shower and some sleep might help me." However, at not getting a response, she turned to Ying who had frozen looking at something, "You okay, Ying?"

Face slightly pale, Ying turned to her, "Del, that feeling... can you sense it right now?"

Bemused, she was about to say no when she paused. After a few moments, Del slowly nodded in surprise, "I do, and it's nearby. In fact, right over..." Turning in the direction, she blinked at the sight of Yamato, Enterprise, and Yahagi having some beers, "There."

Neither of them said anything before they turned back to each other. Finally, Ying took a deep breath, "Okay, Del, we both know what that feeling is. It's that of a shipgirl, which means..."

Swallowing, Del nodded, "Which means that those six were both Yokai and shipgirls." Rubbing her face, she groaned, "Christ, I thought only humans could become shipgirls."

Beside her, Ying ran her hands through her hair in disbelief, "Same here..." Her eyes widened a bit, "Del... consider the conditions in that Reserve. And if there are some there..."

Right beside her, Del paled, "Oh shit... if there are some, there are likely others. And if they are in the Reserves too and decide to make a move..."

The two of them just groaned and Ying raised her hand, "We need stronger crap than beer for this... And that is before talking with Honjo and the others..."

 

[darthcourt10]

Savato93

"O-ohh… I don't feel so hot…" Fluffy brought a hand to her mouth, holding the other over her stomach. She looked ready to puke, as she leaned over the side of the Omega.

Standing next to her, Tanith raised an eyebrow. "A seasick Abyssal? You are just full of surprises, Fluffy…" she said teasingly.

"It's one thing to rock around in the waves with my own -urrrp- hull. It's another thing to sit on -urgh- another boat rocking around." The young Princess groaned, collapsing into a nearby chair. "That one degree of separation… is messing with my senses really bad..."

Tanith chuckled. She reached out and rubbed Fluffy's back, trying to help ease her nausea. "Well, you're welcome to hop down and join the escort group, if you desire. Get back to riding the waves with your own hull again. Otherwise, you can head belowdecks—there's plenty of space in the cabins for you to lie down and rest."

Fluffy nodded weakly, teaching for Tanith's arm and using it to pull herself up. "I think… I think I'll take that second one, if that's alright with you."

"Of course. Would you like some help heading down?"

Fluffy shook her head. "No, I can manage. I think."

Tanith nodded. "Alright. Hopefully, you will feel better by the time we arrive in Japan." With that, the Princess turned and walked away, leaving Fluffy to her task.

Fluffy had figured riding a cruise ship would be nice and relaxing; she'd watched the restoration progress from a distance over time, and was interested in seeing what all the fuss over it was about. She had to admit, it was very nice on the inside—sure, a couple of the other Abyssals were saying things looked a little faded, and it smelled kinda briny, but it was still the fanciest interior decorating she had ever seen. Nice, comfortable furnishings, bright lighting, functional non-magic plumbing she didn't have to wrap her head around trying to comprehend, this was all brand-new for her.

But more importantly… Fluffy saw it as a chance to get her flagship Renita back on the water. Despite her recovery, after everything she'd been through the Re-class was terrified to tread open water again. Just the thought of stepping out into the ocean was enough to have her on the verge of a panic attack. Fluffy had to call on Renita's siblings to help convince her that she would be okay if she rode the boat on its voyage to Japan, and she was still extremely anxious being carried over to it. Now, over a day into their trek, Renita was finally starting to calm down…

just in time for Fluffy to catch motion sickness.

Leaning against the walls to keep herself stable, Fluffy slowly dragged herself over to the stairwell and descended to the lower deck. Coming into the lounge room, she saw someone unexpected. "Renita…?"

The Re-class sat in a couch off to the side, gazing out a window. In her hands was a notepad and a pencil, and her tail rested in her lap, providing her a hard surface to lean on as she scribbled… something. Hearing Fluffy's voice, Renita blinked and glanced over. "Ah… hey, Fluffy. The others said you were feeling sick…" her normal tired expression was replaced with a look of concern. "Are you alright?"

Fluffy's groan of discomfort was interrupted by a small burp. "Uugh… I feel like I ate a load of rotten fish," she whimpered. "My gut's doing twists and turns inside me… but -uhp-at least nothing's actually coming up."

Renita frowned softly. "Oh. Hopefully, it'll pass, right…?" The floor beneath them jerked slightly as the ship struck a particularly large wave. The motion caused Renita to briefly go rigid in her seat, gripping the fabric of the couch tightly, but once a few seconds had passed and the ship leveled out again, she sagged a little in relief. "S-sorry…"

The Princess shook her head. "No, it's okay, Renita. You didn't do anything wrong." She rubbed her temple. "Anyway… I'm just going to lay down and relax a bit, try to sleep it off."

"Hm…" Renita looked thoughtful for a moment before she extended a hand, patting the space on the couch beside her. "Would you like to… lay with me, then?"

Fluffy managed a shrug. "Sure. That sounds nice." She shuffled over to the couch and laid down beside Renita. She spent a little bit of time making herself comfortable, using Renita's tail as a headrest. Already, she could feel her nausea receding a bit as she relaxed with her flagship.

Eventually, out of idle curiosity, Fluffy craned her neck over her flagship's tail, to inspect her notepad. It looked like she was sketching—gazing out the window, to her sisters, and the horizon beyond them, and drawing what she could see. There was no brooding, no darkness in this process, no need for her to dredge up painful memories… for the first time in ages, Renita seemed content to simply relax.

The sight of a small, peaceful smile on her flagship's face lifted Fluffy's spirits immensely. She still had a long, long road ahead of her… but for now, at least, it seemed like Renita's heart was finally starting to heal.

XXXXXXXXXX

The Tsu-class growled and whimpered through the wad of cloth in her mouth, trying her hardest to fight through the pain of arc welders fusing foreign Abyssal plating to her hull.

"Please endure… a little longer." Tampa's expression and tone of voice made it clear she hated doing this to her sister—but she had no choice. "Your armor… is compromised. Without extra plating… you'll be in danger."

She was right, the Tsu-class knew—never mind the wear and tear she'd accumulated over time, breaking down half her armaments to keep herself functional had left her with glaring vulnerabilities in her hull. Up until now, that hadn't been too pressing of an issue for the cruiser… while Tampa sailed out to protect her territory, she stayed behind in relative safety and hunted for food to keep them going.

But if they were going to leave this island to find Mother, they couldn't take any chances.

Eventually, Tampa cut off the welders and pulled away. "This is the best… we can do…" she said grimly.

The Tsu-class tried to tune out the lingering burning pain as she looked to her arm. The once-skeletal limb had now been encased in thick, rigid plates with no regard for form or function; her shoulder and elbow were both incredibly stiff, and her knuckles were the only joints she could (barely) move in her hand. It was absolutely hideous to look at, and pretty much robbed her of the use of her left hand… but the holes in her armor were sealed for now.

"S-so…" the Tsu-class spoke up, spitting the gag out of her mouth. "Where do we go from here? We know Mother is alive, somewhere in the world… but how will we ever find her…?"

"There is… one possibility." Tampa slowly turned and looked out to sea. "Mother was kind to the humans… earned their respect. If she survived… our kind's betrayal… then Mother and Humanity… would now have a common enemy. A justification for… a truce."

The Tsu-class's eyes widened. "You… you're suggesting we go to the humans!?" She waved her club-like arm. "Look at us! We're mutilated—monsters! How do we know they won't just shoot at us?"

Tampa hung her head. "...We don't," she admitted. "But there is no one else… we can turn to. We have to… have faith… in man's compassion. It's… what Mother would do."

Mulling her sister's words for several long seconds, the Tsu-class eventually sighed. "I guess you're right. We just can't do this on our own… the rest of our kind will try to kill us. The humans may be the only ones with the capacity and willingness to help."

Tampa nodded solemnly. "Have our rations been prepared…?"

"...yeah."

"Then… let's not waste… any more time." Tampa took her sister's hand and pulled her to her feet. "Mother is out there… somewhere."

And so, the pair set off—leaving behind the island they had subsisted on for so long, in search of the home port they once thought lost forever.

XXXXXXXXXX

A reader on SV pointed out going belowdecks is a BAD idea when someone is seasick. With that in mind, I just figure Tanith is clueless on how to treat motion sickness, since... well, they shouldn't get it in the first place.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Laying back in bed, Rose softly smiled as she looked at Haruna's sleeping face. The Battleship looked perfectly at peace with a small smile on her face. Every so often, the smell of cordite, steel, and saltwater tickled her nose. A scent that was so perfectly Haruna in her mind, and which she adored smelling as often as possible. Eyes tracing her Battleship wife's body under the sheets, they came to a stop as they reached her midsection.

A midsection that was well rounded now that Haruna was in her final month and the last days of her pregnancy were ticking past.

If possible, Rose's gaze softened more than it already had at the sight, the proof of the love that she shared with Haruna. Something in her mind that was a miracle to say the least. Gently, as to not wake the sleeping shipgirl, Rose sifted in the bed until she was able to softly stroke her wife's stomach before kissing it with tears prickling at the corners of her eyes, "Good morning, Little One."

Moments later, she felt a kick under her hand and giggled slightly, "Yes, thank you Little One." Hearing a mumble from Haruna, she gave her wife a look filled with pure love before turning back to the Battleship's midsection and whispering to it as she gave a stroke to it, "Just keep it down, our lovely child. Your mother needs her rest after all, and you shall greet the world soon enough."

With a sigh, Rose turned back to watching her wife sleep under the blankets. She had not been kidding about Haruna needing her rest as they came into the final few weeks of her pregnancy. She had been tiring easier after all, and the movement of the baby often kept her awake in the nighttime hours. More than once, Haruna had been napping when she jerked awake at a kick from the unborn child.

Though once, she had grumbled without any heat and filled with love that their baby was obviously a Kongou.

Yet, every day, to Rose's eyes, her wife only became more beautiful. A fact that every time she spoke of such to Haruna, it had made her flush deeply in embarrassment. Also, a fact that many a night Rose proved to her over and over, much to the exasperation of Haruna's sisters. Granted, they mostly showed it in light teasing to them and smirks of amusement. Though Rose also returned it just as well.

However, currently Rose was enjoying and savoring the early morning quiet. Just gently caressing her wife's pregnant stomach. More than the others besides Hiei, the Tea Set knew that soon enough those days would end as their child would be born. Then would come the cries and wails that would wake them in the night, as well as a fussy baby. Experiences that Rose had as a family tea set letting her know what to expect, though she was still somewhat frightened by the task ahead.

And yet... the tsukumogami looked forward to such days. The days when hers and Haruna's little family would grow by one. Perhaps, later with more when the time came. How much time she spent simply rubbing her wife's midsection, Rose did not know. But she was brought out from it as a soft had placed itself over her own and she looked to find sleepy, warm brown eyes looking up at her filled with love, "Good morning, Rose-Chan."

Softly smiling, Rose moved until she was hovering over Haruna, "And a very good morning to you as well, Haruna." Reaching up, she stroked her Battleship's cheek, "I hope that I did not wake you."

With a deep breath, Haruna shook her head, "No, you did not, Rose-Chan. Haruna just woke up to find one of the loveliest sights she is blessed with." Still smiling, she closed her eyes as Rose kissed her, one hand coming up to stroke the other woman's neck, "Mmm..."

Pulling away, Rose softly sighed, "I see, thank you for that, Haruna." Both of them leaned into another kiss that was a bit deeper, but nothing more. That time, when they pulled away, they turned their attention to Haruna's midsection, "Almost time for our family to get bigger, Haruna."

Just humming, the Battleship stroked her stomach, "Hai, Haruna is counting the hours until both her and Rose-Chan meet our Little One." A giggle escaped her as the infant kicked within her womb, "Hai, you are a Kongou."

The two women shared a look and giggled again before sharing a kiss with each other and turning back to what they had been doing before.

Eventually, though, it was time to get up. With a grunt, Haruna shifted until she could swing her legs out over the bed and, with some help from Rose, sit up. Grimacing a bit, the shipgirl rubbed her stomach, "This is one thing that Haruna will not miss."

An amused lilt to her voice, Rose smiled, "Really, Haruna? You would not miss me helping you dress..." Slipping the maternity dress over her wife's head, the tsukumogami's lips ghosted along Haruna's jaw before nibbling her ear and provoking a full body shudder while she adjusted the dress, "I would think otherwise."

Much to her amusement, a soft whimper came from Haruna, "Rose-Chan... is not playing fair..."

Simply smiling innocently, the Tea Set went back to what she was doing. Though the groan that escape Haruna when she kissed her lower legs as she put on the other woman's socks made her smirk. Especially when she saw the frustrated look on Haruna's face, something wiped away as Rose gave her a deep kiss that was readily returned. Pulling back, Rose laid her forehead against Haruna's, "I love you so much, Haruna. My dearest love."

Lips twitching, Haruna stole another kiss, "And Haruna loves Rose-Chan."

Both of them smiled at that before Haruna was helped to her feet. Together, the two left their room behind and entered the rest of the apartment to find that Haruna's sisters were all awake and waiting for them. Looking away from the stove, Kongou gave them both a smile, "Good morning, Haruna-Chan, Rose-Chan."

Grinning, Hiei snickered a little bit, "Judging by the smiles on their faces, and what we heard last night? I would think that it was a very good morning... and a good night~"

Eyebrow raised, Haruna walked over and gave her second oldest sister a pat on the shoulder, "It is okay, Hiei-Onee-San." At the confused look, she continued with a slight smirk on her face, "One day you will know the same with Richardson-Teitoku and I will be able to call him Nii-San."

Kirishima nearly snorted out some morning tea from her nose while Hiei stared at her younger sister in disbelief. The second oldest of the Kongou sisters then gripped her hair, "Hieeeee! Haruna-Chan!"

Coughing a little, the lone glasses wearing Kongou wiped her nose a bit from the small bit of drink that had escaped it and shook her head, "I think, perhaps, that you have been a bad influence on our Haruna-Chan, Rose-Chan."

A smirk on her face, Rose gave her wife a kiss before giving Kirishima a look, "Or a very good influence... perhaps you shall understand with Miss Gale and Miss Wash."

Needless to say, Kirishima went bright red at that and sputtered a little. At the stove, Kongou gave a chuckle and shook her head, "How lively you all are this morning! It is good to see."

Softly smiling, Haruna only nodded before sighing, "Hai, and a good morning to you as well, Onee-Sama..." Turning, she gave a beatific smile to Hiei and Kirishima along with a small bow, "And good morning, Hiei-Onee-San, Kirishima-Onee-Chan."

Only sighing, the glasses wearing sister gave her a smile, "And a good morning to you as well, Haruna-Onee-Chan." She simply gave a slight nod as Rose helped Haruna into a chair. Despite the teasing that happened, she did love the two and it did her boilers good to see how in love they were almost a year on into their marriage. To Kirishima, the love between her sister and Rose were a gift from the Kami themselves. Chuckling, she hummed a bit, 'Hai, a true gift for our Haruna that she deserved in this life...'

Rose, once she had helped Haruna sit down, went to make her wife a drink and gave a small nod as she saw what Kongou was making, "Lancastershire oatcakes, Kongou?"

The Fast Battleship smiled and hummed, "Indeed, Rose-Chan." Gesturing at the pan nearby, she nodded, "Which will wrap eggs, bacon, tomatoes, and sausage, Dess!"

Chuckling, Rose gave a small nod, "That does sound rather good on this morning, Kongou." Lips curling into a smile, she sighed a bit, "I do so remember having the young Misses and Misters eating all sorts of oatcakes."

With a small nod as she finished with some and placed the done oatcakes, which looked more like pancakes, onto a plate, Kongou smiled, "Hai, just like I remember those working on my hull eating Lancastershire oatcakes as they built me..."

Hiei then threw her hand into the air with a cheer with her next words getting chuckles and the like from the others, "And Onee-Sama's oatcakes are the best!'

Between the two of them, Kongou and Rose managed to roll the oatcakes with the rest of the breakfast food together and place it down with all the Kongou sisters and Rose eating them. Granted, the Tea Set took the least amount, needing only one along with some toast with honey, but it was enough. Sitting back, the tsukumogami took in the group and softly smiled as she felt herself filled with happiness as they enjoyed her tea, though Haruna had hot chocolate for her breakfast. All of them chatting back and forth between bites of food.

Truly, Rose thought, she was blessed to have become part of such a family through marriage.

All too soon, breakfast was done and they gathered up the dishes with Hiei and Kirishima washing them before returning to the table to chat. It was a slow day and none of them needed to be anywhere after all. Just chatting and spending time together...

Of course, Hiei noticed an odd look on Haruna's face out of the corner of her eye and turned to her, "Uh, Haruna-Chan? Are you alright?"

Lightly blushing at the attention, the pregnant Battleship placed a hand on her stomach, "Ah, Haruna is fine. But Haruna thinks that she should apologize to Onee-Sama..." Seeing the confusion, she blushed a bit deeper, "Haruna thinks that the food is sitting a bit much in Haruna's stomach." Grimacing a bit, Haruna shook her head, "It is a bit heavy and Haruna is getting some cramps."

Now frowning, Kongou furrowed her eyebrows and looked at the stove, "Odd... I didn't think that it was that much..." Spotting both Hiei and Rose now staring at Haruna in shock, she frowned, "Hiei-Chan? Rose-Chan? Is something wrong?"

However, neither of the two answered with Rose gripping her wife's hand, "Haruna, love... is the heaviness further down? And so are the cramps?"

Blinking, Haruna nodded, "Hai, they are..." Furrowing her eyebrows, she gave Rose a confused look, "But how did Rose-Chan know?"

Much to her further confusion, as well as Kongou's and Kirishima's, Rose's tea set began to whistle with steam and the cups and such shook. Turning, the tsukumogami was looking at Hiei, "Hiei, I need-"

She was already getting out of her seat, "Don't worry, I'll go and get the bag."

Looking between them, Haruna was about to ask when she felt something else and looked down, "Why... why is Haruna feeling wet down there?"

It was then that Kirishima sucked in a breath as she remembered something similar with Washington, "The baby is coming."

Practically leaping from her seat, Kongou rushed to the window and opened it, "I'll bring the car around, Dess!"

With that, she leapt out the open window, which everyone ignored while Kirishima helped Rose get Haruna to her feet, "It's okay, Haruna-Onee-Chan, just hold on until we get to the hospital-"

Running out of the bedroom, Hiei grinned, "I have the overnight bags-Hiiieeeeee!"

Before she could finish, the second oldest of the sisters tripped on the carpet and summersaulted. Rose, for her part, held out a free arm and caught the gym bag in it with a nod, "Thank you, Hiei." Turning, she kissed the nervous Haruna, "It will be alright, my love..."

Calming down some, unlike her crew, Haruna nodded and returned it. She could hear and see her bridge as the various Captains and Admirals were shouting and screaming. One of them was shouting to engineering something about watertight doors failing. Meanwhile, a certain Imperial Family member was calmly sipping his tea while as everyone panicked around him. Well, except for another crew member who stood beside him and was panicking before he pulled out a cigarette and began to smoke... Right before the Emperor's relative reached over, still calm, and plucked the cigarette and crushed it under one of his feet. He then ignored the look of disbelief and went back to sipping his tea, "No smoking around newborns, it is unsightly and unhealthy."

Unable to giggle, and not explaining why before it vanished as another contraction hit, Haruna nodded, "Hai, everything will be Daijobu..."

________________________________________________________

"THIS IS NOT DAIJOBU-ARRGGGGGH!"

Wincing a bit at the scream from her wife, as well as the hand holding hers and squeezing, Rose simply kissed Haruna's sweaty brow, "It is okay, Haruna. We're almost there..."

Quickly huffing, Haruna gave another grunt as she pushed, "Haruna has had battles less painful, gaaaah!" With another few grunts, she clenched her eyes shut. Her only real relief was how Rose was holding her hand and laying beside her in the bed, "Eeergh!"

Gently brushing some sweaty bangs from Haruna's forehead, Rose gave the hand in hers a squeeze, "I am here, Love. Right here beside you."

Looking at her, the Battleship grunted, "Next one is... Rose-Chan's!"

Only humming, Rose smiled, "Of course, Haruna. I promise, our next child I will carry." Softly chuckling, she shook her head, "Just hold my hand during it."

About to answer, Haruna bit it off in another scream before the doctor looked up, "Almost! I can see the head!"

Eyes clenched shut with tears, Haruna gulped down air, "H-hai! Haruna will hold Rose-Chan's Haaaaannnd-gaaaa!" Looking at her wife, the shipgirl nodded as the doctor said that the shoulders were nearly there, "But Rose-Chan is next! Aaargh!"

It was to both their relief that a few minutes later, there was a quiet slap before crying filled the air. Moments later, the doctor passed the infant to a nurse who cleaned it off and wrapped it in a blanket. Walking over, she held out the baby to the couple with her eyes crinkling into a smile, "Congratulations, it's a girl."

Gently taking the baby girl, Rose let out a sob while looking at Haruna, "Our daughter, Haruna... she is so beautiful..."

Swallowing as she looked down into the little face, Haruna nodded, "H-hai... so very beautiful." Tears in her eyes, she felt herself relax as she sobbed herself, "So very beautiful... and Haruna can only hope that she takes after Rose-Chan, because then she would be the most beautiful."

Lightly blushing, Rose shook her head, "No, only if she takes after her mother..." Hearing a gasp, they looked up to see the nurses and doctors staring at a cloud of sparkles that gathered around in a swirling cloud on a table beside the bed. One that slowly coalesced into a silver tea set that sat sparkling on a steel tray , as if newly made...

Which, of course, it had been.

After a moment, the doctor who handled the birth scratched his head, "Huh... now that is different."

Giving the new parents some time, the doctors eventually did let in the other Kongou sisters, who all stood beside the bed. A bright smile on her face, Kirishima gasped as she lightly tickled her niece's cheek, "She's adorable..."

Moments later, her expression softened and she nearly cried as the baby grasped the finger and murmured. And she was not the only one as Hiei had to wipe some tears from her eyes as Kongou nodded, "Aye, she's a strong one, Dess. And a fine Kongou..." Looking at the tea set that still sparkled, she shook her head, "And beautiful, just like her mothers."

Both Haruna and Rose blushed at that, though they smiled. Having finished wiping her eyes, and feeling so happy that she could burst, Hiei gave a happy sigh before looking at the infant, "What's her name?"

Sharing a look with Haruna, Rose turned to them, "We talked about it, and decided on a name that would honour my first Mistress, who I had been given to by her father after bringing me from my train I was on. Her name was Violet..." Gently brushing some hair away from the infant's face, she sighed, "So we decided to name her Sumire."

Only nodding, Kongou let a tear drip from her face, "A lovely name for a lovely girl." Looking at the tea set, she noted that it was decorated with violets which made her chuckle before turning back to the newest member of her family and kissing the infant's head, "Welcome to the world, Sumire-Chan."

Just humming, Hiei nodded, "It can be a scary place at times, but don't worry. Your Okaa-Sans are very strong and can protect you."

It was then that Kirishima who took, "And your Oba-Sans will to."

The baby gave a yawn before shifting a bit and beginning to nurse as the four Battleships and one Tea Set smiled down at her with pure love and protectiveness in their eyes.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

Fallout

Nekromanton of Acheron

Acheron River, Epirus, Greece

May 28th, 2014
Spoiler: The Path To Death

A black-shrouded and veiled figure entered the ruins of this ancient temple set on a hill above the river that the Ancient Greeks had called Acheron, the "River of Woe". One pale hand clutched a leather satchel as the other withdrew a bone-white wand that glimmered with pale gold at the tip from the folds of her shroud and held it high as she entered a half-collapsed tunnel leading into the heart of the hill.

An eerie blue corpse-light sprang from the golden pomegranate on the tip of the wand to illuminate her footsteps as the figure continued to descend. The black basalt of the walls became slick with moisture, and soon a ghostly murmur of rushing water and hollow voices sounded around her.

Finally she stepped around yet another winding turn and before her a massive sealed portal, a gate scaled for giants hewn from the black rock of the earth loomed before her in the darkness. A spectral, ghostly mist crept forth from the crack in the closed gate, filling the air with a clammy chill.

The figure set down the satchel and then gestured with the wand, directing the ball of dim blue light to float over her head. She pulled an ancient bronze dagger from the satchel and carefully sliced open her forearm from wrist to elbow. With her dark blood on the blade, she scribbled mystic glyphs on the stone, which sank into the stained stone without a trace. Finally finished, she then wrapped the bleeding wound on her arm with a strip of linen and returned the dagger to the satchel.

She gestured imperiously with the wand as she picked up the satchel. With the low creak of the door to a crypt opening, the stone doors ahead of her groaned and opened as mist crept forth to shroud her.

When the mist cleared, no trace of the woman could be seen. The doors boomed closed with a thunderous sound of stone on stone. The witchlight flickered and went out, leaving the passage in the primeval darkness of the deep places of the Earth.

Inside the gate, the figure walked down a cobblestoned road in a massive subterranean cavern illuminated by the faint spectral glow of lichen that hinted at more than revealed the unguessable dimensions of this underground world. The sounds of water were much louder here, as were the hollow, mournful voices. The road ended in a jet black basalt wharf extending out into a rushing midnight river shrouded in that ghostly mist. The figure walked to the end of the wharf and stood there like a sentinel. Presently, silently the mist formed the image of a spectral ferryboat poled by a lone skeletal figure at the back.

The barge reached the wharf, and the figure lowered her veil, revealing the aristocratic face of Medea of Colchis. She silently opened her mouth and silver glittered from the coin on her tongue. The ferryman's skeletal fingers deftly plucked the coin from her lips, and then he bowed her aboard his skull-decorated boat. She stepped aboard and he cast off as she sat on one of the benches like the princess she was on her throne.

An endless indeterminate time later, the barge reached another quay. Unlike the other one, this one was lit by guttering purple-black flames burning eternally in cast-iron braziers. Medea stepped off the barge and without a backwards look walked up the pathway stretching into the darkness.

The scent of flowers tickled her nose and as she walked up the path paved in black basalt stone worn with the countless feet of multitudes, the grayish leaves, and pale yellow and white flowers of asphodels appeared from the gloom. Barely visible and featureless, more the hints of the men, women, and children that they were, spectres wandered the endless fields of asphodels, wailing mournfully.

A thud sounded from her left and she looked over to see the elephantine bulk of Cerberus. Three heads locked their eyes on her and the beast growled at the intruder in his Master's realm.

Medea raised the wand high and all three sets of eyes locked on it. For the first time since entering the temple she spoke in a firm voice full of authority. "You sense what this is and Whose Authority it represents. I come to return it to your master as I swore on the Styx when last I saw you. This is Willed where what is Willed must be, Cerberus. Bar not my way."

For long moments the hound's eyes met hers, then it whined and crouched down. Medea gave a faint smile and then opened the satchel, tossing three honeycakes from it, one to each head that she Engorged in mid-toss to the size of a compact car. "Good boy. I brought you a treat."

"You are so bad about spoiling him, you know." The darkly amused voice caused Medea to turn and bow to Hades as the Lord of Many appeared suddenly at her elbow. "And Dante, really now?"

Medea bowed deeply to her old friend, and then handed over the wand to Hades. "The man could turn a phrase, and it even fits my being here. I know that Cerberus is Fated to challenge any non-deity and non-ghost who intrudes here. Normally I would just enspell him to sleep like normal, but I wanted to savor the use of your Ravdí tou káto kósmou one more time before I had to give it up. Thank you again for lending me it to deal with the crisis in France."

Handed finished examining the wand, which appeared almost as a scepter in his hands, and then gestured with it. A gold chariot pulled by four black horses trotted up to them. "Let me give you a ride to the palace. Persephone is laying on a banquet for us both to celebrate your victory."

Medea smiled. "Thank you, Lord of Many. I brought along a bottle of fine French wine and some new brandies that you may enjoy, along with gossip. For starters, my old student, who was instrumental in dealing with Verdun, has a child who if I did not know better would swear that she was Orpheus reborn. I am minded to get her to play for you and your family if you visit my estate for your anniversary."

Hades grinned and extended his hand to help Medea aboard his chariot. "I will talk to Persephone and Demeter about your invitation. I am inclined to take your invitation, but you know how the ladies in my life are."

Medea laughed and nodded.

---------------------------------

Khohlo ea Marena a Mararo

May 29th, 2014
Spoiler: Vati

Steel-gray eyes narrowed at the magical photograph in the paper. Blood-red lips curled in triumph, showing ivory fangs as the figure on the throne leaned forward. "I have Her name now. I have Her allies' names too..."

He patted the head of the young blonde woman kneeling before him as she stayed motionless like a stone statue. "Well done. I shall dispatch my agents to locate her and find her secrets now that I know her name. Then..."

The voice became venomous as SS Obersturmführer Helmer Wolff finished. "She shall submit to my Will. She... and My daughter." His eyes raised to the etchings of a four-eyed monster in the massive granite monoliths flanking his throne, then lowered to his minions awaiting his orders.

---------------------------------

Castle Moulbaix

June 7th, 2014
Spoiler: Happy Birthday From Claire

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, Miss Toku! Happy Birthday to you!"

Tokunotakai smiled at the adult stepchildren in Ehren and Ying as well as the Fujiis serenading her as Kasuyu and Miho brought out a katana-shaped birthday cake with a 503 written on it in icing. Claire smiled happily from her position at the piano, while Misaki and Chihiro cheered as Colombe cut the chocolate roll cake and began to distribute the slices.

After the cake and ice cream, it was time for the presents. Claire handed over a CD of piano music based on Japanese musical traditions, Miho and her children then gave a lounging robe of jorogumo-silk in a spiderweb and katana pattern. Colombe gave a card containing a 'coupon' for a shopping trip for a new dress to wear to attend a concert. Kasuyu chipped in a hand-carved low Japanese table of oak. Ying's gift was a scroll of Chinese philosophy.

Ehren smiled at her stepmother and handed over a wrapped box containing the Shalimar Perfume that she had bought at Harrods for Toku. "Happy Birthday, Toku-san."

Toku sniffed the perfume and then hugged her stepdaughter. "Arigato, Ehren-chan! It is a wonderful gift!"

Colombe smiled. "Indeed it is. Ehren is such a good girl." She placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder and Ehren leaned fractionally into the touch. "I am so proud of her, and all of you."

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

I've been thinking about the Olympians lately. This is what came from that, and I'm warning you right now, it's not exactly pretty.
-----

"Athena?"

From her place slumped over the table, the grey-eyed goddess of wisdom broke her staring contest with an unlucky bottle of wine to glance up at her sister, before returning her gaze to the offending alcohol. "Hebe. Hey. Didn't see you there."

That was probably a lie. For whatever reason, Athena just hadn't seen fit to acknowledge Hebe's presence. Giving the matter a quiet thought, Hebe walked around to the other side of the table and tried to quietly pull the chair out. It screeched against the floor instead and she winced, lifting it a little to alleviate the sound.

Sitting down across from Athena, the older goddess looked increasingly out of sorts. Her clothes were rumpled slightly, her ever-present helmet lay on it's side by her elbow. Her eyes were not so stormy as they usually were as much as they were the tired grey of a late winter sky that couldn't wait for spring but hadn't quite figured out how to get there yet.

"So…" Hebe finally said, trying to take a shot at conversation, "that looks… fancy. You raid Dionysus's cellar or something?"

"No," Athena replied petulantly, half-sticking her tongue out, "it's mine, I bought it with my money, and you can't take it from me."

What.

"What."

"I'm trying to be a rebellious teenager for a change," Athena said, smiling miserably enough for all of Tartarus. "How did I do?"

Hebe held back the wince as the idea hit her. Either this was an elaborate prank by Hermes, or something was seriously, seriously wrong. "Athena," she asked, leaning forward, "is something wrong? You… don't seem to be yourself."

"Don't worry about it," Athena waved her off with a jagged, jerking motion. "It's not something you could help with anyway."

"Try me."

"Seriously, Hebe, I'm telling you that you can't—"

"Try me."

Athena was quiet, and for a brief moment, Hebe thought she could see a spark of the old energy in her eyes. Then, with a grinding sigh, her sister pushed herself into an upright position, finally breaking eye contact with the bottle and engaging it with her.

"We used to be pretty reasonable, you know?" she asked, tapping the cork thoughtfully. "We were rough on some people, sure, but they were pretty rough themselves, and sometimes they deserved it. And… and we set up laws, too. We pretty much assembled an IKEA civilization, or… or I don't know, we guided it. Actually, we did pretty well a few times in there, you know?"

"Yeah, but you just said that times were different then," Hebe pointed out. Athena snickered and flicked the tip of the bottle, setting it teetering on the edge of tipping over for one of those eternal seconds before it clonked back upright again. The goddess of wisdom looked down at it sadly, as if wishing it had fallen.

"Yeah, they were," she said. "Times are changing. Everything's changing, everyone's changing with them. Amaterasu is running around playing tricks, everyone knows that human sacrifice is the biggest no-no, and us… we're the same way we were in Mycenae."

Athena fixed Hebe with a glare so piercing that she had to fight back the urge to lean away. "We… need to change, Hebe. The fall of the Statute is not a matter of "if," it's a matter of "when," and when that happens everything is going to come roaring back into some… new age of magic. And we're not ready for it! We have to be ready for it, but…" she sagged again, head sinking so low that her forehead nearly touched the tabletop. "… but I can't change."

"I've tried. I've been trying since the Statute went up, and I realized it was going to fall. I try to be nicer, right a wrong or heal things with an old enemy, hell, I actually tried going to a singles bar and… and you know, and something always happens, and it's always me, and I always swing around worse than before. I can't change. I literally can't change. And… And it's all of us. We're breaking, breaking, breaking," she punctuated her words with swings of her hand, like a conductor's baton, "and I can't stop it because I'm breaking worse than everyone else." A broken laugh tore from her mouth.

Hebe was silent. What was she supposed to say to that?

"I run the numbers again and again," her sister steamed on, laughter shattering into sobs as she did, "and all I know is that Mom could fix this. If… If Dad hadn't eaten her, because he just couldn't keep it in his pants otherwise like he did with Thetis, she could look at this and just know what to do, and… and I could maybe play chess with her, cause that's all I have of her, or just hang out at a mall and try on clothes, because that's what people do these days, and she could have helped me… helped me…" Athena's hands came up to cover her eyes, cradle her head, hide the tears that were trying to fall. "Oh mom, I killed my best friend… I killed my best friend…"

The goddess of youth stared. "A… Athen…" The name died in her throat, before she could push it out. She tried again. "Do you think that, maybe, you're being—"

"—Butthurt?" Athena cut her off sarcastically. "A crybaby? A… self-pitying whiner?"

"That's not what—"

"Well, pretty much." She shrugged. "It's the closest I've been able to come to change. And… and maybe it's time, you know?" She pushed the bottle over on the edge of its bottom again, holding it there suspended in its little peril. "Everything ends, Hebe. Everything that begins, sooner or later it ends. Just…"

She fixed Hebe with a mournful smile.

"You're good Hebe. Good and pure and true, in the sense of the word that works… now. And here. And… and where it's going to go in the future. Just smack everyone upside the head every so often, when they're looking to do something stupid. Do that for me, will you?"

She heaved herself upright, grabbed the bottle, and began to walk away.

"Athena—Athena, wait!"

"For what, the end? It's already happened. We've just been pretending otherwise."

And the goddess of wisdom shoved the door open and stalked out. As Hebe stared after her, she caught the quiet beginnings of a song on the air.

"All around me are familiar faces, worn out places, worn out faces…"
-----

Well what do you think, sirs?

(my only request is that you make it quick)

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Chewing his porridge, Harry shook his head with a sigh, "Come on, Lavender... you can't be angry with me still for what happened over break."

The girl in question just scowled, "Watch me! You... you arse!"

Behind a books, Hermione just sighed, "You're overreacting over nothing at all, Lavender. So what if Harry has a bit of a tan-"

Gesturing at him, the witch in question only glared, "That is not a bit of a tan! Look at him!" With a sigh, Hermione did so, "That's a deep tan! From being in the hot Sun for days!"

Slowly blinking, the Light Cruiser gave her a look, "Okay? And yes? So what seems to be the issue with it then? He was out in the Sun, not a big deal."

Parvati decided to back up her friend though and placed her hands on her hips, "Oh, come off it, Hermione! While the rest of us have been slaving away at homework and such, in a cold castle with nothing but dreary clouds, he went off on a tropical vacation! Don't tell me that you are not jealous!"

Simply shrugging, Hermione hummed and took a bite of eggs as she turned a page, "A little bit? Yes, I suppose so." At hearing a grumble, she rolled her eyes, "Harry, there's no way not to feel jealous. But... it is not that big of a deal in the end to be perfectly honest."

Leaning against his hand, the thirteen year old wizard slowly blinked, "Guys, look, I was invited by my Big Sister months ago. I was not about to turn her down. Besides which, after what happened right before break, I needed a little R&R."

A mutter came from Seamus, his next words making Harry's eyebrow twitch, "Man, all the luck. Probably saw all those Abyssal birds in skimpy clothing..." Seeing the slight glare, he raised his hands, "Oy! It's true, Mate. You know that you did."

Rolling his eyes, Harry wished for something, anything, to change the conversation. If it was not Lavender or one of them grumbling about his trip to Australia over break and how it gave him a tan, it was guys like Seamus complaining about how he saw Abyssals in their bathing suits. At least they learned their lesson about talking like that in regards to his nieces after he pulled them aside for a little... chat, regarding boundaries.

His silent pleas were answered as Hedwig flew in and landed on the table.

Part of Harry swore that she had a smile on her face, as impossible as it was due to only having a beak currently. Bemused by that, the teen wizard took the envelope and opened it before reading the letter. Everyone around him watched as Harry's expression shifted from first surprise to pure joy. Finishing the last of her food, Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, "Something happen, Harry?"

Grinning, Harry looked up at her, "Something did, something wonderful, Hermione. Haruna-Oba just gave birth to hers and Rose's daughter a few hours ago."

Eyes widening, the bushy haired witch also smiled, "She did?" At his nod, she chuckled and gave a nod, "That is excellent news, Harry. What did they name her?"

With a glance at her, he smiled, "They named her Sumire."

Somewhat confused, Angelina tilted her head as she tried to see the letter, "Sumire? Does that mean something in Japanese?"

Only nodding, Harry scanned the rest of the letter, "Actually, it does. Sumire means 'Violet', as in the flower, in Japanese. And Aunt Rose's first Mistress' name was Violet." Seeing the confusion, he shook his head, "She was originally a tea set on a train for a few years. But when they decommissioned that train, my many great grandfather bought her from the company because he worked for them, and gifted it to my Great-Great-Great-Great Grandmother, Violet Jessop, though she shared the same name with her daughter. After that, she was passed down from mother to daughter until, well..." The thirteen year old gave a shrug, "I inherited her. But yeah, Aunt Rose decided to name her after her first Mistress."

Leaning forward, Parvati sighed, "That is so sweet. To name her after such a person... it shows how much she loved her."

With a chuckle, Harry raised a finger, "Loves, actually." Perking up, he pulled some other objects from the envelope, revealing them as photographs, "They even sent pictures of her!"

Katie, who was leaning to look over his shoulder, caught sight of one of the pictures. It showed Sumire in a pink onesie with a hat on, obviously cradled in the arms of one of her parents. A small squee came from her, "Oh my gosh! Look at her, she's so precious!"

Other girls came up to look at the pictures and chimed in as well about how cute and adorable she was. For his part, Ron gave a look to Neville who shrugged. The mysteries of women and babies were one that they knew that they would never understand...

Though, they had to admit, the baby was cute.

Nodding, Harry pulled out another picture, this one of a tea set, "And this is her tea set." At the confusion, he continued, "She takes after Aunt Rose as she's the spirit of a tea set."

Finger tapping her cheek, Lavender looked the tea set over before smiling, "Its gorgeous! Look at the violets and such in it! All in silver..." A giggle came from her as she shook her head, "A gorgeous tea set for such a little cutie!"

Across the table, Dean gave a slow blink before turning towards Seamus, "You know, sometimes I wonder." Getting a grunt in reply, he gestured at Harry, "Once, this would have been strange. A tea set and Battleship having a daughter. More than that, said daughter being another tea set. I know that I should be surprised, but..."

The Irish teen nodded, "But you're not surprised because it is perfectly normal."

Just nodding, Dean shrugged, "Exactly. Which sort of bloody weirds me out . This was not what I expected to happen when I got my Hogwarts letter."

About the only thing that Seamus could do was shrug in reply and agreement.

Lips twitching as he overheard the conversation, Harry turned as people around him went silent. Seeing Professor McGonagall there, he smiled and held up the pictures, "What do you think, Professor?"

Softly chuckling as she took the photos, Minerva smiled while examining them, "That they are very lucky parents, Mister Potter." Passing them back, she shook her head, "Please pass on my congratulations to Miss Haruna and Miss Rose on the birth of their child. That is a lovely wee bairn that they have there."

Unable to help himself, Harry nodded, "I will, Professor." Turning back, he smiled softly at the image of the sleeping infant. Without seeing her personally, he already loved her and swore to protect her. Which was why the weekend could not come soon enough for him to travel to Yokosuka and see her...
______________________________________________________

In the ceiling, fingers wiggled out through a screen over a vent before it was opened and Mikasa flipped out of it. Landing on her feet, she smiled brightly, "Good evening, Dess!" A shush though made her wince a bit only to smile as she saw Rose laying beside a sleeping Haruna, "Ah, apologies, Dess. I was just excited."

Relaxing a little, Rose gave her a small smile, "Understandable. But please... be a bit quieter. Both Haruna and Sumire are sleeping currently."

Softly smiling and lowering her voice to a whisper, the Pre-Dreadnought nodded, "Of course." Walking over, she took on Haruna's sleeping form as the Battleship's wife gently stroked her head, "Resting?"

With a sigh, Rose gave Haruna a look of pure love, "She is." Gently kissing her wife's brow, she hummed, "Poor Haruna was exhausted."

All Mikasa did was nod at that, "I am not nearly as surprised as I suppose that I should be in this case. Such an effort must have been greater than any battle she fought in... though the rewards were similarly great."

Expression gentle, the Tea Set blinked away some tears as she looked away from Haruna, "It was, but we now have a beautiful daughter."

Following Rose's gaze, Mikasa's lips quirked a bit into an amused smile. Mainly because there was a cradle there for said infant. But what truly amused the shipgirl was that a number of Haruna's fairies were seated on the sides of said cradle, as if to protect the precious thing inside... which, she knew that they were. Walking over, Mikasa's expression softened still further from what it had been as she took in the sleeping infant, "She's beautiful..."

Only sighing happily, Rose nodded, "She is, our beautiful Sumire-Chan." She gestured at a nearby table, "And that is her tea set."

Blinking, Mikasa walked over and examined it. The tea set sparkled under the lights as it sat on a silver tray with a few fairies around it. Slowly, the Battleship nodded, "Just as beautiful as her human avatar is. Though I have seen some tea sets like this back during my day when I first started to sail. Western style tea sets with a Japanese bent to it as they would say."

Surprised, the adult Tsukumogami blinked, "Truly? You've seen tea sets such as her?" At the nod, she smiled, "I do suppose that makes sense."

Humming, Mikasa turned back to her before frowning, "Any problems?"

A sour look came over Rose's face, "There was one of those awful paparazzi who was trying to sneak into the room. Disguised as a doctor of all things, but Kirishima managed to catch on and grabbed them. She dragged him off as a matter of fact."

There was a flash of anger in Mikasa's eyes at that, "I... see." With a hum, she smiled, though there was nothing happy about it, "You would not know where Kiri-Chan took said man, would you? I think that I would like to speak to him regarding boundaries."

Rose, though, had a similar look on her face, "Well, it seems that Kirishima took him to the brig. And Admiral Goto had a private talk... poor man must have eaten something bad before coming here. He glided his bowels, you see..."

For a moment, the two of them shared a look before nodding in silent agreement. Mikasa murmured a little bit to herself, "Yes, always knew that there was a reason that I liked Chibi-Kon's choice." She then gave a sigh and turned to Rose, "Anything else happen as I made my way here?"

Giving the question some thought, Rose gave a small nod, "Yes, Haruna and I posted some photographs to Shipgirls Online. I do feel a little bit sorry for Miss Dakota as the thread seems to have blown up to where it matches the one on Miss Moriko's romance. Those poor servers..." She then giggled. "Of course, speaking of Miss Moriko, apparently the photos started a debate in her own thread. I do believe that they were started by one of her sisters and was about what her child may look like and which parent they would take after."

Both women softly giggled as they imagined the reaction that the muscular Natural Born would have had. Soon enough though, the conversation drifted to other matters until Haruna woke up from her nap. Mikasa got her "Daughter" to eat with Sumire being fed as well.

That night though found the old Pre-Dread rocking back and forth in a rocking chair, Sumire in her arms as the infant's parents slept. A soft look on Mikasa's face as she looked down upon the sleeping babe before kissing their brow, "Admiral, if you would, please pass on my thanks to the Kami."

On her shoulder, Tōgō Heihachirō nodded and gave a smile, "Desu." Then he, too, went back to watching the sleeping infant with a happy look.

 

[darthcourt10]

0t4n1z3r2019

Well, here we go with another shenanigans of the Shipgirl Fairies!

A somewhat normal lunch break is happening at Mamiya's, where some Navy personnel just arrived for a nice, hot meal, a handful of Shipgirls eating, a bunch of Fairies playing cards on a far away table, a few offi-wait...

On the far end of the place, a bunch of Fairies are above a table, whilst holding cards that are way bigger than them. One would thought that they are playing Poker or Blackjack, but the absence of stacks of poker chips says otherwise. Instead, they are playing a children's card game, and the game they are playing is...
Spoiler: NO U!

Yep. The game has been rumored to 'ruin' friendships, but to others, that bit is a little exaggerated.

Until this very moment, where that bit of information is to be proven quite right...

"Desu!" A Japanese Fairy shouted as he dropped at the pile of cards his move, a card that will be the start of their arguments.
Spoiler: Said Card

The American fairy, who had only two cards remaining, and is close to winning, suddenly had to draw four cards from the deck, and losing a turn in the process, making him really annoyed at the Japanese fairy, who had a smug smirk on his face.

"HEY!!!!" The aforementioned American fairy shouted in complete disbelief as his chance of winning goes down the drain.

"Desu." The fairy that is the reason for his interrupted win smugged even more, before he chose green for the next player to play.

Another Japanese fairy, who is still pondering what to play, decided to place a green number 2 in the pile, ending his turn. The next fairy besides him, a British Fairy from a visiting Shipgirl, decided to place a card that will heat up the game!
Spoiler: This little Boi

"Oi." The British fairy replied, making the next player scowled in frustration, for he didn't have a number two of the same or different color, but decided to place a Skip card to skip the first Japanese fairy, who is now not happy at what happened.

"Desu!!!" The mentioned Japanese fairy looked at the only Russian fairy, one that came from Hibiki, who is eating alongside DesDiv 6 and Tenryū, who are now looking at their direction.

"Da." The Russian fairy grunted in reply, as he took a swig of his fairy-sized vodka that he took from...somewhere.


From a few tables away from the fairies, Inazuma looked at the playing fairies with a rather odd look.

"A-are they playing Uno, Nanodesu?"

Tenryū looked at the table, then shrugged as she ate her lunch, before answering her.

"Of course, Ami. Though where they got that deck of cards is unknown to me."

Ikazuchi and Hibiki also looked, but then decided to leave the fairies to their own devices, which is a rather poor choice of action, as the fairies started to fight as the Japanese fairy decided to reverse the rotation of the play when he dropped a blue Reverse card...
Spoiler: The Source of all Evil

If one could see the scuffle from a distance, it looks like a moving dust cloud of "DESU!"s, "OI!", a pair of "HEY!"s and a loud "URA!!!" within the dust cloud. This would continue, until the fairies stopped as they saw Mamiya looming over them, a wooden ladle on one hand, a large platter of food and a trio of Hannya Masks grinning maliciously behind her.

"Ara, Ara~~~ You boys are becoming a bit wild with your arguments. If would be best if you all,.." Then, the entire establishment's temperature dropped by a few degrees, as a collective shiver has co used through the spines of the customers, including DesDiv 6, but Tenryū is looking at Mamiya with awe at what she's seeing, and surprisingly, Akatsuki herself!

"...keep calm and be friends with one another, am I right~~~?" Mamiya tilted her head, and the Hannya Masks behind her tilted as well.

The fairies all nodded so fast that as if their heads will pop off their shoulders, and shook the hands of their fellow fairiesc hands as a sign of friendship, hoping to not anger Mamiya any further.

Seeing the fairies had been friends again, the looming bad aura is suddenly gone and she's smiling at the fairies.

"There you go! As a gift for you boys, a treat! Enjoy your meal!" Mamiya set down a platter of food in front of the fairies, before going back to the kitchen, and the customers inside breathed a sigh of relief.

"Man, Mamiya-San can be scary if she so chooses." Ikazuchi said as she sighed in relief for the feeling of dread is gone, but then saw the looks on Tenryū and Akatsuki; on Tenryū, it is awe for being a badass. For Akatsuki, it is also awe, but for being an elephant lady who can scare people with just her aura.

"Uhh, mom? Akatsuki? Hello!!!" Ikazuchi waved her hand in front of Akatsuki and Tenryū, before the two are snapped out of their reverie. Ikazuchi thought they're being a little silly, not until Akatsuki declared loudly...

"I want to learn that to be an even more elephant lady!!"

"Hawawawawa!! A-Akatsuki-chan!!" Inazuma replied, after she's been surprised by Akatsuki's declaration.

"Hehehe. I so want to learn how Mamiya did that." Tenryū replied, smirking at how to learn what Mamiya did.

"Khorosho." Hibiki replied, shaking her head at her family's antics, then smiled a little as she drinked her cup of tea.

Another day. Another brand of shenanigans the Shipgirl Fairies had started, but another part of life on Yokosuka Naval Base that is a norm.

A/N: omake finished. Hope you guys liked it. I portrayed Mamiya as like Miya Asama from Sekirei. As long as you follow the rules of her establishment, she's okay with you.

 

[darthcourt10]

SkyeFire

imhotep99301 said:
I wonder if Hoppou has heard about her new family member yet.
Harry Leferts said:
Possibly, yes.​

(I've been bitten by the omake bug again. This is ALL YOUR FAULT, Kaiju)
*-*-*-*
Rose frowned at a feeling of being watched -- again, a sensation that had been recurring for at least the past five minutes. This time, however, instead of trying to turn and catch the watcher in the act, she shifted position to where she could watch Haruna holding Sumire... and lower her eyes to examine the reflections in Sumire's polished silver without moving her head.

Her stealthy counter-surveillance was rewarded the sight of a bright golden eye, set in a small pale face, peeping timidly around the door frame leading to the hallway. Rose faked a sneeze to cover her burst of laughter.

Haruna's head snapped up. "Rose-chan? Are you sick?" She unconsciously pulled Sumire closer to her chest, and Rose fancied she could see her battleship's AA batteries preparing to BLAST ANY AND ALL COLD GERMS from the air between them.

"No, love, I'm fine. I just think someone has been, ah, talking about me," she replied, rolling her eyes repeatedly in the direction of the door. Haruna frowned and followed the hint, but their "stalker" had gone into hiding again. Haruna's eyes took on that distant quality that indicated she was accessing her ship-self... and then she smiled, suppressing a giggle.

"Hoppou-chan," she called gently towards the door. "Would you like to hold your cousin?"

It cost Rose a great deal of willpower not to break out laughing (or cooing) at the sight of of her niece sloooowly peering around the door. "Is... is it all right?"

"Of course, dear," Rose said gently. "She is your cousin, after all. Come, come!"

It didn't take too much coaxing to convince Hoppou to do something she obviously wanted very much. Haruna gently coached her in how to hold the baby and support her head, and they were rewarded by the sight of Sumire squirming with a sleepy squeak, looking up at Hoppou, then snuggling into the Abyssal Princess with an air of "Comfy. Like you."

Hoppou stared at the newborn in utter fascination. "So tiny." She gently touched one small hand, which promptly latched onto her finger.

"Hm, yes, Haruna thinks your children start out bigger, hai?"

"Bigger, stronger, yes, but still..." Hoppou groped visibly for words. "Innocent? Precious? ...Needy?"

"In my experience," Rose commented thoughtfully, "every child needs their mother. Even when they get older and start thinking they don't. Maybe especially then," she added dryly, thinking back over the long chain of mothers and daughters she had served.

"Hoppou-chan," Haruna interjected worriedly. "Where is your mother? I thought Nagato-sama was coming with you?"

The Princess blushed, a pale rose that stood out against her natural pallor, and pointed mutely at the door. Rose exchanged a frown with Haruna, and stuck her head out into the hallway.

Nagato was lying flat on the floor, face as red as a tomato, with her eyes swirling like spirals. "Oh, dear," Rose commented. "It would appear that Miss Hoppou's actions caused a Nagamon Incident. I'll make her a good bracing cuppa."

Dances in Shadows said:
Thank goodness she turned out to be a teaset....not sure that table could have supported a battleship.​

That makes me think of what happens when Claire start having kids. I know her first few are scheduled (per Word Of Yellowhammer) to be smaller instruments, but her family won't know that....

Colombe gripped her hilt with white-knuckled fingers and fought the instinct to find and Kill what was causing her precious daughter's pain. Given that the "culprit" was, in this case, her grandchild in the process of entering the world... still, it didn't make standing by and watching Claire suffer any easier. Or her Muramasa "KILL!" instincts any less aggressive.

Toku gently touched her hand and caressed those tight fingers, persuading them to loosen a bit. Colombe took a deep breath, and metaphorically "leaned" on her beloved's blessed, serene calm. The Masamune's dark eyes danced as they met hers.

"One might think this is hurting you more than Claire, my love."

True, Colombe forced herself to admit. Claire was certainly far from comfortable, but between her own durability and the latest in "magical epidural equivalents," the piano-spirit was certainly suffering much less than Colombe recalled her younger du Chasteler sisters enduring, centuries ago. Claire was even taking time to comfort Tony in between contractions, and was only slightly crushing his hand at the peaks.

Then a tug on her sleeve drew Colombe's attention to her other side, where Ehren had been standing in Full Attention for the past hour or more, practically quivering with hype-vigilance against the infinitesimal chance that some hostile force might intrude on this moment. But now, her youngest's eyes were filled with urgent worry.

"Mutti," she said urgently. "When you were born, your sword appeared beside the bed once you emerged from Grandmother's womb, ja?"

"I can see the head! We're almost there!" the midwife's voice called from the bed.

"Yes, Ehren, that is how Papa described it to me. Why, what's the matter?"

"Mutti," Ehren blurted, words almost tumbling over each other in her haste. "If Claire's child is a piano like herself, where will it appear?"

Colombe felt herself go white, and Toku go rigid beside her. She glanced frantically around the room, realizing that it was simply too small -- between the furniture and the walls was insufficient space for a compact piano, much less a Grand! How could I have been so stupid?!? she raged at herself, frantically scrambling for a solution.

"Head's out! One more push, and we're all done!"

There was no time to think, or plan -- action was required, and only de l'audace would save her daughter and grandchild now! Colombe's sword-self left its sheath with blinding speed (bless To-chan for her lessons in iado!) and arced to point at the wall to the nearest hallway--

"And that," Claire giggled even her her hands played a basso profundo roll of thunder (or explosion) "is why that particular hallway is ever-so-slightly out of joint with the rest of the castle, and why Miss Moulbaix complains about her 'weather hallway' whenever there's rain coming."

"Because Grandmother Colombe panicked?" asked her wide-eyed daughter.

"To be fair, the fault was at least half mine," her Auntie Ehren stated from her Parade Rest pose beside Claire's piano-self. "As planning and logistics were my responsibility."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

"Here you go, Sensei."

Blinking, Yuubari looked away from the computer screen to the cup of coffee that was set down on her desk. Sheepishly chuckling, she took the coffee and nodded, "Thank you, Satoshi-Kun." Glancing at the time, she winced, "Lost track of time..."

Amused, the young man just chuckled and gave a small nod, "It would appear so, Sensei."

Simply humming, Yuubari took a sip of coffee and sighed happily as it had been made just the way she loved. After a moment, she gave a small shrug before giving him a slight grin, "Not as late as some nights though."

That made Satoshi grin back at her before he turned to the screen in interest. Especially as he could see what was on it, "You've been on Shipgirls Online for the last few hours? Doing moderation and administration, I take it."

With a snort, the Light Cruiser snickered, "No, not tonight. I'm going to leave all that up to South Dakota. She can deal with all that crap regarding the servers herself." Sipping her coffee, an odd look came over her face, "No... I've been looking at this thread."

Eyebrow raised, Satoshi gave her a look and got a nod. Leaning in, he could see the image of an infant swaddled, "Well, they're certainly adorable. Whose child?"

Lips twitching, Yuubari sighed a bit, "Haruna-San's as a matter of fact. Been blowing up the site since they were posted..." Glancing at the clock, she gave a small nod, "About seven hours ago by Rose-San. Everyone's been commenting on how adorable and beautiful that Sumire-Chan is."

Due to the long years of knowing Yuubari, all the way back to the day when she came across his booth at a science fair, the young man knew that there was far more to it than just that. Mainly by the odd tone that was part wistfulness and part... something else. Considering things, Satoshi took a sip of his own coffee before nodding, "What's wrong, Sensei?" Seeing her surprise, he softly chuckled, "I know you far too well. There is more to this than an adorable baby."

Much to his confusion though, she gave him an odd look. One that made a small blush appear on his face. But then Yuubari smiled and chuckled herself, "Somehow, I should not be surprised that you picked that up."

With a slight shrug, Satoshi gave her an unsure smile, "Well... I have known you for years now, Sensei. I would think that gives me a look into how you think and such."

Still staring at him, Yuubari became thoughtful, "We have, haven't we?" Turning, she regarded her coffee as if it held an answer, "No, I should not be too surprised..."

One minute ticked by and then another before Satoshi cleared his throat, "Sensei? Is it that important that you need to gather your thoughts?" His expression saddened a little, "Is it troubling you that much?"

Slightly amused, Yuubari shook her head, "Sorry, just trying to figure out how to say it since it is a bit complicated..." Taking another sip, she let the taste of the coffee roll over her tongue before she swallowed it, "Mainly because..." A somewhat melancholy look came over the shipgirl's face, "It is somewhat embarrassing as well as silly I guess."

Not saying anything, the young man patted her shoulder. Feeling her hand clasp his, Satoshi blinked, "Sensei?"

Bitterly chuckling, the Light Cruiser shook her head, "Well, like I said, it is embarrassing and silly. Because... sometimes, I forget..." Tailing off, she considered her words and set down her coffee before gesturing at herself with her free hand, "I forget sometimes that I'm a woman."

Confused, Satoshi's next words came out without a filter, "I've never forgotten that your a woman, Sensei." At that, both their cheeks burned and Yuubari looked away shyly, "Um..."

Lightly smiling, Yuubari's voice came out as a whisper, "Thank you." Clearing her throat after a few moments, she gave a chuckle, "That makes one of us, I suppose." With a sigh, the shipgirl looked back at the pictures, "But... the fact does remain. That for all my intelligence, there's the simple fact that I sometimes forget that I am not just a ship, or a spirit, anymore. Instead, while a ship of a sort, I am also a woman. Odd, isn't it?"

Rather than say anything, Satoshi considered his thoughts before coming up behind Yuubari and gently putting his hands on her shoulders, "Sensei, I..." Pausing for a moment, he took a deep breath, "I don't think that anyone could blame you for forgetting that fact from time to time. No one at all." Not stopping, the young man continued, "You spent most of your life not as a woman, but as a ship upon the waves. Even now, you're more than just human. You're what some might call a Kami given form. So forgetting a small thing is... not a big deal."

Eyes slightly wide, Yuubari felt her boilers pounding inside her chest even as a blush appeared on her cheeks. Then she smiled softly, "A Kami made flesh, huh?"

Feeling his own cheeks aflame, the young man who called her "Sensei" gave a nod even as he swallowed somewhat nervously, "Hai."

Much to his confusion, she chuckled a bit before shaking her head, "I'm not too sure about that, Satoshi-Kun. But still, thank you." Turning back to the screen, Yuubari let out a small sigh, "That said, you are right about why I forget in that I spent most of my life as a steel hull. I don't like thinking of myself as more than a human, but... I'm stronger and tougher than a human. And humans can't walk on water... so sometimes I default to simply thinking like I was still a spirit on my hull." Bringing up a single finger, she tapped it on the screen, over one poster's post in particular, "Tenryuu-San and the other Natural Borns have it easy in some ways with our new state of being. They grew up as normal girls before being awoken. So they were able to mesh the two sides easily. So they never forget that they are women as much as they are ships."

Due to his inner thoughts regarding the shipgirl, Satoshi kept quiet. But he did glance at the screen, 'I wonder...'

Not knowing of what was going through the mind of the young man, Yuubari clasped her hands before her face and leaned forward. An odd look on her face, "I forget that I'm a woman and not just a ship, but... recently? That's changed." A thoughtful frown on her face, she gestured at the screen, "First Mutsu-San, then Wash-San, and now Haruna-San... they all became pregnant and gave birth. A... a ship can't do that, but..."

Finishing for her, the young man nodded, "But a woman can."

Voice soft and nearly inaudible, Yuubari nodded, "Hai, which means that it is a reminder to myself and others. One... that stands out." Her voice still soft, she sighed and shook her head, "Us ships... we have daughters of a sort in the ones that come after and share our names. Daughter ships. But... we never meet them."

Understanding, Satoshi nodded, his own tone soft and understanding, "Because for them to have your name, you would be gone. Scrapped, sunk, or perhaps sold even. But you would not be there."

With a deep breath, the Light Cruiser nodded, "Hai. But as girls, as shipgirls? We can do that. We can meet them and even give birth, raising our children. It... is something that resonates, right here." She pounded her chest, "And here." Reaching up, Yuubari tapped her head, "It really makes one think."

Both of them lapses into a thoughtful silence. Partially to gather their thoughts, and partially because neither of them knew what to say. Granted, both cases were more in regards to Yuubari than Satoshi, and he knew it. Especially as she drained what was left of her coffee.

Finally, she sighed a bit and placed her mug down, "Satoshi-Kun, I..." She paused for a moment and chewed her lip, "You said that you never forgot that I was a woman."

There was something about that which made Satoshi nervous, so he took his time to gather his thoughts and drained his own coffee to buy said time. Unknowingly doing exactly what Yuubari herself had just done, "I..." With a deep breath, he continued, "I have never forgotten that you are a woman, Sensei."

Very slowly, Yuubari nodded and looked down at her lap for a few moments before looking at him, "What... sort of woman do you see me as?" Seeing him freeze, she smiled sadly, "I see..."

Satoshi felt his heart clench in his chest to see the woman before him, his beloved Sensei, look so sad and, dare he say it, heartbroken. In a moment, some things that he had overheard from other guys, stuff that angered him in how they dismissed her, came back to him. Taking a deep breath, he spoke, "A beautiful one."

Not having expected that, Yuubari looked back at him so fast that she felt the steel in her neck creak, "I... What?" At seeing the look in his eyes, her cheeks pinked, "Beautiful?"

With a nervous swallow, he gave a nod, "A... very beautiful one. One who is smart, funny, great to be around, has a really great smile and..." Satoshi rubbed the back of neck, "Just overall an incredible woman."

Face how scarlet, Yuubari could feel steam coming from her ears, "I... That is..."

With another deep breath, Satoshi looked away, "I... you said something embarrassing so I guess that it's only fair that I return the favour? Especially as I know that you won't say anything to anyone..." Despite her embarrassment, the Light Cruiser was about to say something when he continued, "When I was a teen and still in school, I... um... used to have fantasies about you."

Yuubari did not know that she could blush that deeply, or release that amount of steam from her ears. Coughing, she looked away, though there was a slight smile on her face, "Um, really?"

Also blushing deeply, Satoshi nodded, but decided to charge ahead as something told him to do so, "I, well, hai? At the time I was a teen and you're pretty beautiful and, well, hot."

Somehow, just when the shipgirl did not think that she could blush any deeper, she did, "I... um, see? And now...?" At seeing him look away, she smiled, "Oh." Slowly, Yuubari got up from her chair and stood in front of him. A part of her noted that he was just a bit taller than she was, though not by much, "So..."

Looking away still, he scratched his cheek, "Sensei, I'm..."

He decided to take a glance, but was stunned that Yuubari was actually smiling. Giggling some, she shook her head and rubbed her neck, "I, well... guess that it is the same for me, as silly as that sounds." At his stunned look, she smiled sheepishly and shrugged, "Well, you are a rather handsome young man. And to be honest... I've always liked the fact that you go out of your way to take care of me." Seeing his confusion, she chuckled and gestured at the coffee, "You brought me coffee without being asked because you knew that I would like it. When I've fallen asleep at my computer or in a chair, you carry me to the sofa and put a blanket over me."

Embarrassed a bit, Satoshi shifted a little, "I just figured that you would be more comfortable with that."

Walking up, she came to a stop in front of him, "What I'm saying is... you take care of me. Hell, you're basically what I look for in a guy. Smart, innovative, willing to take care of me when I'm being an idiot, handsome." Yuubari motioned with both her hands, "So, yeah..."

Neither said anything for a few moments, just looking at each other and the rest of the room. Finally, Satoshi rubbed the back of his neck, "So... does this mean that we're dating now? Or... what exactly?"

Arms crossed, Yuubari chewed her lip for a few moments with made the only other person there pay attention to it. Tilting her head, she took a deep breath, "I would like to think so? I mean, I assume that means we're boyfriend and girlfriend now, I think."

Scratching the back of his neck, Satoshi looked down at Yuubari for a few moments before taking a step forward and placing his arms around her waist. Upon seeing her pause, he froze, "Sorry?"

With a glance at where his arms were, the shipgirl blinked before smiling shyly, "Well, I don't mind..." Bringing her arms up, she placed them over his shoulders, "As long as you don't." Upon getting a shake of his head, she chuckled, "Then I guess that it is alright."

That brought a smile to both their faces.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

Bearing a Message

Imperial Palace, Chiyoda, Japan
Spoiler: A Blade...

Masamune-no-Kotegiri, the Armor Cutter of the Pure Smith, bowed deeply at the receipt of her orders. She held the bow until her Imperial Master nodded for her to go and attend to His Will.

A five minute walk through the maze of corridors magical and mundane that were the Imperial Palace led her to her private rooms. Closing the door behind her and then opening her space-expanded wardrobe, she surveyed the assortment of fine kimonos, one of her joys and passions, before nodding to herself. Centuries of being the right arm to men of power, might, and legend whose insights and commands had broken apart, reforged, and ruled Japan had made her painfully aware of the importance of delivering a message properly.

Alone with her privacy, a thin, razor-edged smile lit up her face as her fingers gently caressed the antique irotomesode kimono in the back. Glimmering with preservation charms, the shoujo hi blood red silk contrasted beautifully with the five golden Oda clan mokka-mon five-petaled apparent flower crests and the pattern of falling white cherry blossoms below the waist.
Spoiler: The Oda Crest

But she knew that they really represented a melon cut in half, among other things. Oda Nobunaga-sama had taught His Blade well by example, deed, and word as he unified Japan ruthlessly and pragmatically.

Her fingers lingered, tracing patterns that floods of carmine had painted on this kimono as she dealt with those who stood in the way of the Good of Japan. His dream that she remembered vividly from 1567 when Lord Oda had taken her hilt in his hands, and drawn her in front of his generals who had just conquered Mino province to crush the Saito Clan.

She shuddered in ecstatic memory and her eyes half-lidded as she remembered the sound of His Voice cutting through the era of the Warring States, the total anarchy that her beloved homeland had fallen into with a weak and incompetent Emperor puppeted by ruthless petty warlords.

天下布武

Tenka Fubu.

"Cover that which is under the sky with this sword."

To use her to unify Japan.

Firing a dream in her breast to make Japan whole again, strong again, healthy again.

Perfect again.

----------------------------------
Spoiler: ...And Her Demon Lord

In a middle school in Yokosuka, Nobu's eyes gleamed maniacally and she stood on her desk, whipping her cape back and posing dramatically.

"My Demon-senses are tingling! Behold, my First Disciple's heart beats true and pure with the flame that only the Greatest Demon of Japan can harness and guide to wade through blood to conquer Japan under my iron rule!" She clenched her fist and flexed with a broad grin on her face.

A flung eraser from the chalkboard hit her in the face. "Oda-san! Bucket! Hallway! Now!" The teacher barked out.

Okita groaned and buried her face in her hands as her friend triumphantly marched her way to the hall for punishment duty.

----------------------------------

Kotegiri reluctantly removed her fingers from the silken fabric that she had worn during the battles that unified Japan four and a half centuries ago.

No, not yet.

Not unless matters develop further not necessarily to Japan's advantage.

Her lips curled in the memory of Master Showa-dono's voice, soft but with the steel of his heritage buried deep under the velvet.

Still, it would not be amiss to hint at the Masamune steel fist inside the velvet glove for this message. With that in mind, she picked out a crimson donuki underkimono to wear on her errand, then a crimson irotomesode kimono with a thick white hoyoku false underlayer and patterns of colorful butterflies below the waist. Most importantly for her purposes, it signaled extreme formality and importance by the five golden chrysanthemum kamon crests of the Imperial House.

Carefully placing her selection on the waiting wooden racks to be assembled, she summoned her apprentice and lady-in-waiting to assist her in getting dressed rather than use her magic to do it herself. She could use this as a teaching tool for Kiku-san as they spoke while she got dressed for her mission.

Finally satisfied with the effect that she would have, she slid her true self through her spotless white obi with the embroidery of sakura blossoms in white silk on white silk.

One blindingly fast iaido draw and resheathing later to insure that if needed she would be unhampered in her duties, and she sallied forth to the Palace Floo.

"Magical Chiyoda"

Magical Diet, Magical Chiyoda
Spoiler: Kotegiri In The Magical Diet

The Auror on door watch paled at the sight of the elegant lady from a bygone era approaching the main entrance at noon.

Raven-black hair with hints of steel-gray in it, golden eyes measuring him mercilessly, and a firm, unsmiling mouth, all clad in the kimono and heraldry of a personal envoy of His Imperial Majesty.

That was all bad enough, but what she carried at her waist was far, far worse. To his senses, the sheathed katana blazed with the raw power and perfect enchantments and charms that could have only been forged by one man in Japanese history into her steel.

Masamune.

The magical heraldry proclaiming the men who had mastered her spirit was if possible worst of all. Every schoolchild had heard of the titans of Japanese History. The personal heraldry and authority of not one, not two, oh no, but a full three of the legends of Japan blazed forth.

Oda Nobunaga. Emperor Meiji. Emperor Showa.

A proverb that he had learned as young boy rang through his head as Masamune-no-Kotegiri approached the doors. Deru kugi wa utareru. The nail that sticks up gets hammered down. With that he flung open the doors and bowed low to her, receiving what might be the fractional hint of a nod as she glided past in that measured stride.

By the time Kotegiri had made her way halfway across the entrance hall, word of her presence had spread two corridors ahead of her.

By the time she left the hall, panicked rumors of her last visit in 1945 to 'make an educational example' of some of Kamo's supporters while surrender and occupation terms were negotiated had been unearthed.

They lost nothing in the recounting.

Department of Magical Species Containment

"Ahh, Minister Takamori will be here any moment, Masamune-sama. He was at a working lunch when you arrived you see...." The luckless department staffer who had drawn the short straw to man the desk during lunch break today gulped nervously as a perfect eyebrow rose slightly in a highly unamused face that was surveying the offices containing the department responsible for the Reserves.

"I see indeed." Kotegiri's tone of voice could have frozen a yuki-onna in her tracks. "I skipped my lunch to check into a report about the health and sanitation conditions of the Yokai Reserves. Clearly such matters are of little concern to the Minister to not affect his digestion. I am sure that it can be proved to His Majesty the funds provided are being spent well to prevent any unfortunate outbreaks of disease or acts of unrest, so I shall depart for now."

One thumb visibly caressed the tsuba of her blade. "I shall be back if further concerns materialize and speak to Takamori personally about the burden of his duties. I would not want to overstress him today."

Department of Magical Law Enforcement

Fortunately for the department, Chief Auror Kunieda had somehow managed to make it into the office before Kotegiri arrived.

Even more fortunately for his dignity, he managed to retain bladder control through her precisely probing questions about proper screening and treatment of Yokai arrested before they were sent to the reserve and about the training standards of the guards assigned there.

When Kotegiri left, he was ashen-faced, and trembling violently at the coldly furious look in her eyes and icy voice.

Deputy Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs
Spoiler: Kotegiri And Shigeru

Shigeru Miyata's office was visited last of all, a full hour after Kotegiri had begun her tour of the building. To the surprise of the onlookers, Kotegiri smiled visibly upon turning the corner to approach Legislative Affairs.

"Miyata-san. It is good to see you!" Her voice was quite warm, the very picture of two old friends meeting each other after a long absence.

"Masamune-sama." Shigeru bowed to the Imperial representative only to have to hide shock behind his professional face.

"Please, you can call me Masamune-san. We have known each other for quite some time, after all, Miyata-san. I am pleased to see that matters are well in hand here. Forgive me for gossiping, but I have heard rumors of a grandson on the way?" Kotegiri's eyes twinkled as she spoke with a happy smile.

Shigeru nodded numbly. "Yes, my boy's wife is expecting in early September."

"Ahh, not your daughter Miyata Naomi-san then. I was hopeful that it was her who had been blessed, but she is quite busy working so well for His Majesty. You have done a magnificent job in instilling the values of your family into her to create another superb and diligent civil servant. Keep up the good work managing your department and responsibilities, and I am sure that prosperity will follow our efforts to provide for Japan." With that Kotegiri rubbed her chin, and then 'coincidentally' slid a fingertip across the hem of her kimono at her throat.

Shigeru's eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat as he recognized the pattern of the colors of her robes at the hem matched that of the Order of the Rising Sun. Judging from the way her smile widened fractionally, Kotegiri knew full well that the unspoken message had been delivered.

Kotegiri bowed precisely and respectfully to Shigeru. "Alas, I have other duties to tend to. I shall see about arranging an invitation for you to visit my building once my schedule can be cleared up sufficiently so we can share tea and catch up on the last few decades. Sayonara."

Only a lifetime of discipline, protocol, and practice at the game of politics caused Shigeru to bow properly in farewell.

As she left, he headed back into his office, weakly asking his secretary to hold his calls for a bit. A quick pass of his wand unlocked his special desk drawer to reveal a bottle of Seven Dragons magical sake and a saucer.

For processing what had happened, he needed a very stiff drink.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Early morning sunlight came through the slight spaces between the curtains covering the window while in the bed, Ryuujou laid back under her sheets with one arm behind her head as her other hand held up a tablet that she was using to slowly page through a forum thread from the day before. Seeing the little infant, swaddled and held by her mothers, Ryuujou smiled softly, 'She is a little cutie.'

Hearing a mumble, she turned to where Takaru slept beside her. The young man moving a bit closer to her in his sleep before sighing. A sight that made Ryuujou smile a bit more and chuckle softly.

That was, until a glint on her finger caught her attention, 'Well, Ah suppose that Ah should call him former boyfriend. Seeing as how he's now mah Fiancé.'

And boy, did those words warm her from deep within. Not only was the young man her boyfriend, but he had asked her to marry him a few days before. At the time, the petite Carrier had boggled at him for a few moments before leaping at him and kissing him deeply, giving her answer for all to see. Though she had expanded on that when the two had returned to her quarters afterwards...

Grinning, Ryuujou chuckled lowly so as to not wake her husband to be, "Heh, I certainly made mah feelin's known ta yah, Takaru-Kun..." For several moments, she looked back at the ring on her finger with the diamond in it sparkling in the light of the room. It was not a fancy ring, though Ryuujou had not cared about that. But, rather, what the ring had meant to her.

Which was an unspoken promise.

Ryuujou could be called many things, and had been over her life, both in this one and the last. But an idiot was certainly not one of them, far from it. Among other things, she knew her limits as an Aircraft Carrier. When she was built, the Imperial Japanese Navy were attempting to get around a loophole in the Washington Naval Treaty. As long as she was under ten thousand tons, they did not need to classify her as an Aircraft Carrier under said treaty. She was to be the first of many Carriers just like herself...

Almost as soon as the thought entered her mind, she shook her head. Oh, she knew that there might be one other Carrier of an almost exact design, but Ryuujou did not know much more than that from the few magicals among her fairies. Even before she was finished being constructed, the other nations had tightened up the Naval Treaties to prevent such things as her having sisters in the IJN. To this day, Ryuujou could remember the tears of anguish and rage she had felt when she, as a spirit of a Carrier still under construction, had heard that. Feelings that she had turned towards the Americans, until that day when she had been sunk.

Her design though, she would admit, was flawed. She was top heavy as a ship despite her figure, because they fitted her with double hangers to fit more aircraft onto her. But in order to keep her down, they also did not put any sort of armour on her. After all, that was unneeded weight, but it also meant that she was not much better than a Destroyer in that way. Something that she found some amusement with when someone had called her an Asashio Class Aviation Destroyer.

That said though? Ryuujou had come to a certain peace with herself and what she saw coming. Due to her small size, only ten meters longer than Houshou, she had issues with flying more modern planes. Her elevator was never designed for such after all and they became harder and harder to fly off her. At the end of the of her sinking, she could only fly Zeroes as well as Nakajima B5N Torpedo Bomber, both of which were considered obsolete.

Something that Ryuujou saw happening again.

Oh, she understood that they were doing their best to have her keep up with the others despite her issues. Currently, her airwing consisted of A6M5 Type 0 Model 52. And she knew that Yuubari and Akashi were working on getting the production of A6M8 up and running to allow for her to keep up. However, Ryuujou knew that was just a stop gap. Soon, they would likely start moving her towards the secondary roles such as Convoy Escort, or perhaps more inshore protection as she fell further back in capabilities. Sure, Kaga and Akagi went on about how eventually, they would be retired to secondary roles, but Ryuujou was the one staring at the writing on the wall.

Perhaps, once, back if it was her back in the Second World War, she would have raged against that. Swore up and down that she could keep fighting at the front lines and attempt to prove even though she knew otherwise. Now though...

Now...

Looking first at the sleeping man beside her, and then at the ring while still feeling a familiar sort of ache that she had grown to enjoy from the night before, Ryuujou smiled. Now though, the thought did not hurt nearly as much. For that ring was a promise, from the man beside her.

That when the day came that she mustered out finally, he would be there waiting for her.

Gently placing the tablet on the blankets, Ryuujou looked up at the ceiling as she considered the young man beside her, their relationship, and everything that had happened between them. She could still remember that day over a year before when they had come across each other in the mountains... As an Onmyouji, Ryuujou often had her own supplies of herbs and such for whatever she might need. That week, she had taken a full two weeks of leave to head up into the mountains to gather what she had need of.

She was not in her usual outfit, as she knew that would cause issues. Rather, she had been dressed in a white button shirt with a grey skirt and suspenders along with her usual megatama necklace. Along with having let her hair down rather than the usual side tails, no one was the wiser which amused her to no end. Most, it seemed, thought her to be someone wearing shipgirl inspired fashion.

Having gathered some of the herbs and such she had needed, Ryuujou had decided to kill a few hours before nightfall to gather more esoteric ingredients just wandering around the village. Much to her surprise, she had come across a young man standing in front of the older residents with a tape recorder making notes as the old man told a story. Ryuujou had stood there for several minutes listening until the old man had finished which was when the younger man noticed her and blinked. At the time, the Carrier had been intrigued and asked him who he was and what he was doing out of interest.

The young man introduced himself as Mitsuda Takaru and stated that he was a folklorist. He was there mainly to gather old stories and folklore that the older generations knew before it was lost forever to time. If anything, that only intrigued Ryuujou more since, as an Onmyouji, one needed knowledge of the past among other things. From there, their conversation continued and soon the two of them found themselves back at her inn... which it turned out that he was staying at as well to their surprise. Over the next few weeks, the two of them had continued chatting and getting to know each other as well as growing closer.

Much to Ryuujou's relief, he did not treat her like a little girl, nor did he see her as a "Loli" as some morons had. Something that she absolutely despised some people mistaking her for as she was a full grown woman, dammit! Just because she did not have a figure did not make her anything but a woman. A fact that Takaru had agreed with her about and had called her petite. Words that had stunned her for a moment before she had madly blushed, making him tease her. When she had claimed he just wanted to bully her more, he had simply laughed and agreed, which made a ghost of a smile appear on her face.

By the end of her leave though, she found herself somewhat... out of sorts. It did not take her long to realize that she had fallen for the somewhat nerdy folklorist. And... she did not want to just leave him there. On the morning before she left, she had taken him outside the village and talked. At the time, Takaru had been somewhat disbelieving about her being a shipgirl.

That was, until she summoned her rigging right there in front of him. Being silent, he listened as she explained things to him. Much to her embarrassment now, she babbled a little. When she finally finished and trailed off, she waited for whatever he might say. And for the first time, she was unsure about herself. Eventually, he nodded and frowned for a few moments as he finally worked his way through his thoughts before nodding and turning to her.

Sheepish grin on his face, he told her that explained how she knew some of the old stories and asked her if that meant that she knew more.

Utter silence had fallen on them for about two minutes as Ryuujou boggled at him. Then, a snort escaped her. A snort that was followed by more until she was laughing madly. So much so, she had grabbed him and hung onto him for support as he scratched his neck. As her laughter had died off, she kept her fists clenching his shirt and shook her head...

"Somehow, tha' right there is jus' like ya."

And then, she used her strength to pull him in for a kiss. Thus, when she returned to Yokosuka, it was with a boyfriend in tow. One that she was happy to have and always felt her heart lighten to see. And whom she was now engaged to.

Part of her was thinking of the wedding, held upon her hull. Sure, it was not going to be as big as Haruna's, but she was no Emperor's ship. And she did not need a huge wedding either. Yet she was sure that it would be perfect just the same.

Ryuujou though was broken from her musings though as the bed shifted next to her and a now wakening Takaru stretched before looking at her, "Good morning, Ryuujou-Chan."

Lightly smirking, the Carrier stole a kiss from him, "An' a good mornin' ta ya as well, Takaru-Kun." Eyebrows waggling and a grin on her face, she snickered, "Though Ah'm not too surprised tha' ya took this long ta wake up. Must have tuckered ya out last night."

Softly snorting, Takaru shook his head, "Like I did not do the same to you." With a sigh, he moved closer and Ryuujou could feel his rough palm gliding across the bare skin of her stomach before he claimed her lips for his own. Pulling back, he murmured a little against the skin of her neck, "I love you, Ryuujou-Chan."

Eyes wetly shining, Ryuujou ran her thumb along the ring she had before grasping his hand and moving in, "I love you too."

As he pulled back after another deep kiss, he blinked some at the tablet, "What were you looking up?"

Chuckling, Ryuujou gave him a smile that seemed to shine, "Just something ta think about in the future... and a promise." She then pushed him onto his back and grinned, "Though no more thinkin' fer now..."

Unable to help himself, Takaru grinned, "Yes, Ma'am."

Hum escaping from her, Ryuujou narrowed her eyes while leaning in, "Good boy..."

Sure enough, shortly after, he was not thinking at all of such things as his attention was elsewhere.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Yawning, Okita walked out of her room bleary eyed before rubbing her eyes, "Good morning, everyone."

Before she could do anything, a hand came down and ruffled her hair making her squawk in indignation, "Good morning, Squirt. Have a good day at school! I'll see you all when I get back from the base."

A scowl on her face, she turned and glared at the grinning man who just laughed and waved as he went out the door. Turning to Uesugi, she grumped as she walked over to the kitchen counter to where there was some tea, "I hate him."

With a small shrug, the other teenage girl put some food onto a plate, "Don't see why... well, I do." Pausing, she hummed a bit, "I mean, it was just your luck that Ryoma-San was incarnated as your Onii-San." Uesugi passed her the plate and nodded, "What with you being Shinsengumi and him being Anti-Tokugawa."

Mumbling, Okita pouted some, "Don't remind me... him being my Onii-San in this life is something he always, always makes sure that I don't forget. Just like the fact that I was born a girl and he was born a guy."

Rather amused, Uesugi chuckled, "Perhaps." Frowning, she furrowed her eyebrow, "By the way, he mentioned wanting to do meet Potter-San at some point. Something about his Great-great grandfather?"

Blinking, the light haired girl thought about it before nodding slowly, "I think that I remember why..."

Eyebrow raised, Uesugi glanced at her, "Oh? And why would that be?"

It took Okita a few moments to gather her thoughts before she gave a small nod, "Well... he was apparently friends with Potter Ian-San when they were alive and knew each other."

Not having expected that, the other teenage girl blinked and looked at her, "Oh? How so?"

Humming, Okita took a bite of her food before answering, "They met back in the 1860s and somehow hit it off, I don't know the details. However, he did state that Ian sent him a message minutes after the assassination that he was going to be attacked by some wizards. His wife received it, but it was too late..." At the surprised look, she shrugged, "Apparently some wizards used confundus charms to confuse him, hence why he thought that his bodyguard was wrestling."

Just rubbing the side of her head, Uesugi groaned, "Because of course..." A frown crossed her face and she glanced at Okita, "So why would he be interested in Potter-San than? Because he was friends with Ian-San?"

The other girl waved her hand in the air, "Nothing really of the sort to be honest. Apparently he left orders to his wife that if he was to be killed, Ian-San was to be given his sword and gun. She states that she did give them to him as asked, but that from what she knows, he never used them."

A shiver went through Uesugi, "That woman disturbs me, not least due to having been two beings originally..."

Simply shrugging, Okita frowned some, "Anyways, he just wants his sword and gun back if possible. Not the least being the sword could go well with his uniform since he is in the JMSDF."

Glancing at her, the other teen shook her head, "I will never understand why he joined the JMSDF. One would think that he would have had enough fighting for a lifetime."
With a chuckle, Okita smiled, "He wanted to see what the newest incarnation of what he started is like. Nothing more or less." Taking a sip of her tea as Uesugi began cut some vegetables, she paused and frowned before looking around, "Uh... where is Nobu-Chan?"

Only sighing, Uesugi gave her a look of suffering, "In her room, working on something."

Closing her eyes to ward off the headache, Okita groaned, "Dammit, Nobu-Chan. What are you up to now-"

Before she was even done asking her question, she got her answer as Nobu's door was kicked open and the girl in question was there, "GOOOOD MORNING MY FRIENDS, MY FRIENDS GOOD MORNING!" Widely grinning, she cackled, "I have finally done it!"

The expression on Okita's face could be roughly translated as "It is not even seven thirty in the morning and I am already done with this shit."

Raising a finger, Nobu frowned, "What's with that look?"

In reply, Okita took a deep breath and pinched her nose, "Nothing... nothing at all." She then raised her head back up with a fake smile on her face, "What have you done now, Nobu-Chan?"

Once more cackling, and not noticing Uesugi moving away from Okita, the female incarnation of one of Japan's most feared warlords dug into her pocket, "With the help of magical reagents that I, the Great Demon, got a hold of through various means, and some magical technology, I have created this!" She held up what looked like an blood orange with wires and some sort of mechanisms on it, "The environmentally friendly, Nobu-Nobu Bombo Mark forty!"

For a few moments, Uesugi stared and opened her mouth and closed it. This repeated before she finally was able to say something, "Environmentally friendly... bomb? Uh... aren't bombs environmentally unfriendly to begin with?"

Seeing the blush on the warlord's face, Okita gave her a blank look, "This... is not like that cardboard tank that you totally tried to build and rip off that one game when we were younger, is it?"

Her only response was Nobu to laugh and continue to hold up the odd object, "Hahaha! I may be a Demon, but one should always be environmentally conscious! For that tank would not harm the forests of Hokkaido! Which will help when I take over Japan!" She then frowned and pointed at Okita, whose eyebrow was twitching with Uesugi moving further away, "What's with that look?"

Taking a deep breath, Okita smiled while closing her eyes, "I'm done. It is not even seven thirty and already I am dealing with this shit from you." Hand lashing out in a flash, she threw a knife at the orange, burying it nearly to the hilt and cutting some wires, "I am officially done with this shit for the day, especially after yesterday with the paint which took me soaking for three fucking hours, NOBU-CHAN!"

Just blinking, Nobu raised a finger, "First... that's hot. Second..." Hearing a ticking sound, she looked at the orange and paled even as the other two girls ducked behind the counter, "OH SHIT-"

Carnwennan was walking by the apartment building which was also the one that the rest of the Potter armory shared when he heard a bang and looked up to see orange colored mist drifting out of a window. Raising a eyebrow, he opened his voice when he hears a feminine shriek, "BY THE KAMI! MY EYES! I GOT GRAPEFRUIT JUICE IN MY DEMON EYES AND THAT WAS AN ORANGE! HOW AND WHHHHHYYYYYYY!?"

Only shaking his head, he continued walking, "Our neighbours are so noisy and odd." An odd smile of remanence came over his face, "Reminds me of Arthur and his knights... the odd explosions being Merlin, that old coot."

Several minutes later, found Okita calming eating her breakfast and nodding some after taking a sniff and gave a happy hum, "Hmm... I like that bomb. Left a nice citrus scent."

Beside her, Uesugi snickered at the feared "Demon" who had her head down on the table, glaring at Okita with one bloodshot eye, "Indeed, it is a lovely scent."

Eyebrow twitching, Nobu glared, "I hate you both."

The other two girls could swear that there was sparkles around Okita's form, "That's fine, Nobu-Chan, I have enough love for all three of us."

Twitching, the "Demon Queen of Yokosuka" choked, "Urk..."

Rather than comment, Uesugi turned to her breakfast and the news before nodding, "You know, since Haruna-San gave birth the other day, do you think that Harry-San will arrive soon? We all know how he is with family?"

Nobu lifted her head, suddenly healed, and began to chow down as she answered, "Knowing Harry-San? Most likely." Swallowing some food, she gestured at them with her chopsticks, "If there is one thing to say, he is loyal." Frowning, the teen tapped her chin, "Wish that he was alive when I tried to conquer Japan. Between him, Yosuke-Kun, Hideyoshi-San, Ieyasu-San, and Kote-Chan, we would have managed it. And I could trust him not to backstab me like that fucking bastard Mitsuhide, may he burn in Jigoku!"

Sipping her tea, Uesugi frowned, "As much as I hate to admit it... if he had been alive and in your forces as one of your Retainers as an adult? You likely would have at least made it out of Honnō-ji as would have your son. His loyalty to those he gives it is as unshakeable as the pillars that hold up the Heavens and willing to challenge the forces of Hell.."

With a nod, Okita stole one of Nobu's omelet rolls, "Mmm, that is true. Though I cannot say the same for he would have still been a foreigner in my time, and thus the Shogunate would not have welcomed him unfortunately. Though I will state that besides that, he is one that I would not have minded fighting alongside. His Great-great-grandfather, Potter Ian was an accomplished fighter in his own right from what I heard via rumour."

As Okita went for another omelet roll, Nobu used her chopsticks to deflect the attack, and attempt to strike at her opponent's own plate to put her on the defensive. Soon, it devolved into the two dueling over food which made Uesugi sigh and shake her head.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A.N.--I'd like to thank Spencer1519, Agayek and Kclcmdr for the Amicus Review on this one. And with that out of the way, let the Courtship Display arc conclude!

Courtship Display OVA-The Onsen Episode Where All Is Revealed

Numata City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan
Spoiler: Trip To The Onsen

Moriko Ibuki rolled down the window of the rental van to look at the forested mountains looming over the road as it followed the valley of the Tone River. She smiled broadly with a flash of her white teeth as she remembered growing up in the mountains of Hokkaido six decades ago. The disguised Okami Yokai then glanced over to the slender, girlish form of her boyfriend and spoke in her contralto growl. "I always loved the mountains, Hachiko-chan. According to the map, we turn off the E17 here to the Prefectural 17 highway, and cross the river to head up the next side valley. Where did you learn how to drive?"

Hachiko nodded and expertly changed lanes to take the indicated off-ramp. "Father died during Blood Week and I got jobs after graduating high school to support the family since Mother was pregnant with Aki. My second job was driving a delivery truck for a grocer's supplier. Some things you just never forget."

Moriko blinked. "Wait, if you were out of school during Blood Week, you have to be in your late twenties, Hachiko-chan."

The young man, who looked to be about twenty, spoke quietly as they passed over the river. "Yes, yes I am. Twenty-seven in fact. Mother's family is extremely long-lived and I seem to have inherited that from her." He sighed deeply and bitterly. "If nothing else, that is something."

"What's wrong, Hachiko?" Moriko asked with concern in her voice.

Her boyfriend gave a sad smile. "There's a lot in the world you would think was fantasy Moriko-chan, and not just the Abyssals and Shipgirls. But monsters both wondrous and terrifying. Magic too. And my mother comes from a long line of wizards and witches; yes magic is real."

He visibly paused, and looked over at her, noticing with some shock that she was not surprised and even eager to hear the truth about his history and then took a deep breath before continuing, "The Miyata family are wizards who have served the Magical Diet for generations as civil servants and part of the government of Magical Japan. Mother was a witch working for the Magical Customs Agency. But I was born with very little magic, in part because of father's... heritage. So I had to make my way for myself and Aki in the non-magical world as a secret shame to the family. Grandfather and my Aunt Naomi secretly support me as best they can, but I know that they view me as a charity case."

Moriko reached over and placed her hand on his shoulder gently to provide comfort. She sensed the soul-deep weariness, regrets, and hidden shame of her boyfriend and her heart ached for him. "Hachiko-chan?" She spoke gently as they left the main highway to head further into the mountains.

"What is it, Moriko-chan?" He responded as they stopped at an intersection to wait for the light to change.

"When we check in, tonight, I have something to reveal to you." She took a deep breath, feeling the responsibility for her family of undocumented Yokai escapees from the Reserves weight down her shoulders. She especially worried about her crippled youngest sister Sachiko who was slowly gaining her health as spiritual treatments rebuilt her incomplete Natural Born hull.

Hachiko-chan had revealed that he was familiar with the Magical World that had locked her kind up because they were not human. But, she loved him, and she trusted him.

She gave a toothy smile as he glanced her way. "Trust me, you won't want to miss it."

-----------------------------

Hoshi Onsen Chojukan

Minakumi, Gunma Prefecture, Japan
Spoiler: The Ryokan

Hachiko parked the minivan in the parking lot and looked at the rustic onsen resort. "This is a really nice place, Moriko-chan." He opened the door and stepped outside. "The mountain air is so pure."

A low throaty growl caused him to half turn and look at his girlfriend. She ran her hands through her shaggy mane of black hair, and breathed deeply, running her tongue across her lips. She gave him a wide, feral smile as her gray eyes closed in pleasure and she gave a full-body shiver.

Unconsciously, he licked his lips at the sight of her massive, muscular frame as she focused on him when she came back to herself. She then swept him up in a hug that ended with his face buried in her cleavage.

"Yes," she panted huskily, "It's perfect. You check us in and I'll get the bags." With that she pulled him out of her cleavage and smiled at him. Her heart beat fasted at the sparkle in his blue eyes behind his now-crooked glasses as she lifted him up for a kiss. "It's just perfect like you are, my Hachiko-chan~."

Hachiko returned the kiss passionately and hugged her before being lowered. "As you are perfect, Moriko-chan."

As Moriko opened the trunk to get their bags, Hachiko approached the rotund middle-aged desk clerk. "Ahh, hello. I am Miyata Hachiko-san. I had reservations here for myself and my girlfriend Ibuki Moriko-san and have a coupon for my stay."

The man bowed his head and gave a happy, jolly smile. "A pleasure Miyata-sama, I am Sarume Ichiro, the day manager. We have a cottage for two with its own private outdoor hot spring and an indoor pool, if you will follow me? I shall summon the bellhop to assist with your luggage."

Hachiko smiled, "No need, Moriko-chan has the luggage in hand."

Ichiro frowned minutely. The guest was always right, but to expect his girlfriend to carry the luggage....

The expression vanished in a look of shock as the amazonian form of a muscular young woman with an impressive chest entered. Ibuki Moriko had muscles that easily rivaled oni of his acquaintance while she hefted two suitcases and a navy sea bag slung over her shoulder with all the ease of his youngest granddaughter carrying her dolls.

"Ahh, I see that Ibuki-sama does. Let me get your keys and then I shall show you to your accommodations for the weekend...." Ichiro scrambled for control of his expression and shook his head slightly as he turned to the key board for the hotel.

I don't know what she sees in him, but that bishounen young man must be doing something right to attract her interest. Perhaps I should let my cousin the chiropractor know that his services may be needed for that poor boy's pelvis.

As Ichiro picked out the keys for the new guests, the disguised tanuki smiled happily at the thought of finally understanding why he had gotten special instructions for this one. The actual owner of the resort had left orders that Miyata-san and Ibuki-san were to get the honeymoon cottage for a romantic getaway and this was not the first couple that he had seen that were newlyweds in love.

And his family were happy to serve their Ancestress Ame-no-Uzume no Mikoto by assisting the course of that love.

---------------------------

Moriko Ibuki closed and latched the door behind her. She then looked over at the futon sized for two and blushed scarlet.

Her and Hachiko-chan together in bed tonight....

Cuddling the inu plushy dog named for him that they had won on their first date to her chest at night was one thing. Cuddling her actual Hachiko-chan to her bosom was... something else.

Something terrifying. Something wonderful.

Unknown to her, Hachiko's own thoughts mirrored hers. As he automatically unpacked his clothes from his battered secondhand suitcase, he gulped, his cheeks bright red.

What if he messed up and hurt her spirit? How would she react to finding out that he had cuddled the plushy Moriko-chan wolf as a substitute to her? What was he supposed to do?

With that in mind, he looked over at the waiting private hot spring sized for two.
Spoiler: Onsen!


The step that it represented on the path of their relationship.

"Um, Moriko-chan?" His voice was unsteady and resolute

Her voice was equally soft as her eyes found the Onsen. "Yes, Hachiko-chan?"

"That...that was a long drive. I was thinking we could soak in the onsen. For a bit. Before dinner. maybe?" His voice tailed off in a squeak.

She nodded shakily. "After all, you fixed us bentos. We can have those to eat. I'll go and grab some bottled tea while you wash up and soak, then I'll join you, Ok?"

He nodded and headed to the washroom as she grabbed her key.

----------------------------------
Spoiler: Everything Exposed

When she came back in with the tea, Hachiko was soaking in the onsen. Her breath caught in her dry mouth and she stared at his torso. His hard, dedicated, unceasing work to provide for his orphaned younger bother had left him quite fit, with the lean, wiry build of a runner or a swimmer. Slender but muscled arms and pectorals caused her to unconsciously lick her lips.

She had fantasized about him often, but the reality was so much better than she imagined.

Her knees got weak and her breathing accelerated almost like her true ship-self's boilers running at maximum pressure. She unsteadily walked across the room and placed the tea on the wooden deck. As she did, his eyes, no longer hidden behind the glasses opened. Delicate, almost feminine lashes blinked at her. She felt herself fall once more into the endless azure depths of his gaze.

"H-Hachiko-chan. I'll join you in a moment once I get clean." Her voice was a bare whisper.

He reached out, and cupped her flaming cheek through the steam. "I'll be here waiting for you."

She swallowed around the mountain-sized lump in her throat and whispered. "Don't hate me for what I'll... show you... please?" Her voice broke as she choked out the words.

He smiled reassuringly and nodded, his own eyes having a mirror of her fears and concerns in his depths. "I could never hate you, Moriko-chan." With that he guided her head down to have her lips meet his as he half-rose from the steam in the onsen.

With the taste of his lips, of him, on her, she dazedly stumbled to the bathing room.

Undressing and cleaning herself on autopilot, she finally grabbed the largest hotel beach towel she could find and wrapped it around her breasts. Slowly her hands traced her muscled flanks under the towel, ending where it barely covered her modesty at mid-thigh.

She had been less terrified when she had gotten in the ring of the Yokai Mixed Martial Arts Championship to face the Oni champion Kōhaishita the Destroyer. Back then she had only been fighting for her baby sister, for her pack.

Now she would have to fight for herself. For her love. For the man who she loved.

With that she shook herself and let her true self loose.

Her dark black-gray hair gained white highlights. A gray wolf tail with a white tip slid down from her towel and began to wag slowly. Her lupine ears perked up and swiveled as she heard the breathing of her destined mate in the onsen. Her face shifted to a more bestial look, and the red tattoos of her clan and pack marking appeared. Her fingernails became claws and she padded forth like the great Okami wolf that she truly was.

----------------------------------

Hachiko turned at the sound of the washroom door opening and he peered at the blur that must be Moriko approaching. Without his glasses, his vision was quite poor and he waited patiently for the white and tan blur with black on the top to resolve itself into her.

She paused just out of the point where she would come into focus and growled softly. "Hachiko-chan?"

"What is it, Moriko-chan?" He paused, some sixth sense alerting him to the well-hidden fear in her voice. "Don't worry, it's your Hachiko-chan. Don't you want to come in and enjoy the water? It's great." With that he patted the steaming water next to him.

She barked a laugh. "In a moment. I have my reasons not to get in like this." She stepped forward and his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Moriko's Yokai form. His inugami blood thundered in his ears at the sight of her lupine features, and his lips parted.

His eyes found hers, the warm gray now with gold flecks in it, and he saw her vulnerable heart and the fear of rejection. To other wizards or witches she would be a brute animal, after all.

But not to him, never to him.

"So beautiful..." He whispered with his wonder, love, and awe filling his eyes

"What?" She growled, talking another step forward to arm's reach of him, drawn to his gaze like a moth to the flame.

"You're so beautiful." He repeated in a daze of delight through the steam.

"You...you don't fear me. What I am?" She spoke unbelieving words to him, her heart in her eyes.

He shook his head. "No. I could never fear you." He reached out and took her clawed hand, drawing her closer.

He guided her to cup his cheek and gazed into those warm vulnerable eyes above the bestial muzzle full of fangs. Claws that could rend his flesh attached to an arm bulging with the muscles of a bodybuilder or the prize fighter that she had been cupped his cheek, her claws dimpling his skin. "I know you will protect us. Protect Aki. Protect your sisters. Protect me. How could I fear someone who is my hero, Moriko-chan?"

Tears filled her eyes and she whimpered in relief. She leaned close to bury her muzzle into his collarbone. "H-hachiko-chan...." she sobbed brokenly.

She took a deep breath of relief, smelling the cedarwood of the tub, the mineral water, Hachiko's shampoo, his rich male scent... and INU.

The same Inugami bitch that she had smelled from time to time on his clothes and hair through her broken nose. The Inugami bitch that must be making a play on HER MATE.

Her ears flattened and she growled. "That damn Inugami bitch is sniffing around my Hachiko-chan again. Where is she, I'll rip her in half!!"

Hachiko grabbed her arm to stop her mid-rant and laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head with his other hand. "Um, I am the Inugami, Moriko-chan. Father was a full-blood Inu, and I'm a Hanyou. Aki got more of Father's blood, so you might have smelled him on me too."

Moriko blinked, then took a very long and deliberate smell of Hachiko, concentrating on the scent of him. The faint scent of a male Inugami that caused her cheeks to heat with a vengeance and her boilers to thud madly filled her heart.

Hachiko's scent.

Her ears drooped and her tail hung between her legs in lupine apology. She whined pitifully, "um...oops. I never could smell things right after the Oni broke my muzzle."

He patted her cheek reassuringly. "Don't worry about it. So, um, are you going to get in the water with me?" His own cheeks flushed as his eyes roved over her strong muscles, full bosom, and barely-concealed curves.

She laughed. "Not like this unless you want to smell like wet wolf for the next day, Hachioko-chan."

As she shimmered and shifted back to her human form, he grinned slightly. "I'll let you off the hook, Moriko-chan. For now. I got used to snuggling with Moriko-chan the wolf plushy at night, and it is supposed to be a cold night so...."

He never would finish that sentence.

Her towel hit the floor with a whisper of cotton to interrupt him.

She slid into the hot spring with him, grabbing him for a passionate, hungry kiss that he responded to with equal desire and need.

She growled out in a husky, needy, happy voice. "Oh, I'll warm my Hachiko-chan up. Starting right now."

---------------------------------
Spoiler: Courtship Rituals

Later that night, Hachiko stirred slightly from shared dreams of the sea and hunting. The full moon silvered the leaves in the trees through the window.

He felt the warmth of a great gray wolf yokai protectively enveloping him, her arms embracing him, and her fuzzy tail lying on his bare hip under the warm sheets. He leaned back slightly into the twin soft warm pillows supporting his head, and felt Moriko-chan's heart thud in time with his as his eyes closed.

One thought followed into more dreams of him and her as his eyes closed and he returned to sleep.

"It's not too bad at all being the little spoon..."

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Butterknife's Confession

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

23 May 2014
Spoiler: Lake Louise

With a crack of displaced air, three figures materialized in a apparently natural 'fairy ring' above a beautiful sapphire-colored glacial lake as the eastern sky began to turn rose with the coming dawn. The sun's rays illuminated the mountain peaks with alpenglow, reflected by the still shadowed waters at their base.
Spoiler: Lake Louise At Dawn


Colombe du Chasteler blinked and then breathed deeply of the clean mountain air. To her side, Masamune-no-Tokunotakai gasped in wonder and teared up at the unspoiled pristine natural beauty surrounding her.

RCMMP Auror Wei Ying smiled smugly at her father and her father's lover's reactions. She then half turned and gestured to the mountains towering above them, the lake below them, and the pine trees surrounding them.

"Welcome to Canada, Father."

Colombe could only nod in hushed awe as Toku squeezed her hand and the sun's rays began to reveal more and more of the natural wonderland that they were in.

-----------------------------------------

As the now-risen sun turned the lake gold and aquamarine, the trio made their way past the muggle-repelling wards woven into this ridge and descended toward the village. Toku turned to Ying as they descended a switchback on the trail. "Thank you again for arranging this, Ying-san. After Verdun, I had my faith shaken somewhat and thought that perhaps all beauty and purity was flawed. Such was an error."

Ying nodded. "Yes, Verdun was very bad. As bad as what I told you about Hong Kong. Honestly, after that, I think we all needed a break. And we still need to get Father's legal difficulties resolved, especially now that you all made the papers. While they do not know where you live, they know that you are active and that you still have that ICW warrant active in Europe."

Colombe stepped over a log then half-turned to help Toku, her mountaineering pack, knit hat, hiking boots, and blue jeans making her look like a college student on vacation. The red Team Canada sweatshirt with a maple leaf cemented the appearance of a local. "While I get my statement done at the Magistrate's office here in town."

Ying spoke firmly, her own 'Chinese Roots - Canadian Grown' sweatshirt matching the one that she had lent her father. "Yes, just introduce yourself to the RCMP officer as Miss du Chasteler and you are here to make a statement and they should handle it. I'll walk you through the introductions. I also took the liberty of making reservations for you two at the Chateau there."

Toku smiled happily. "Arigato, Ying-san. While Co-chan is doing her responsibilities and duties, I can explore the natural beauties here with myself and then Co-chan once she is done for the day."

Colombe chipped in. "This reminds me of exploring the Himalayas when I was much younger. The same unspoiled magic."

Ying sighed. "It is one of my favorite places to relax, honestly. Amah and the family have come here often, especially in the fall and spring when the tourists are fewer. This," she took a deep breath and paused at an overlook of the lake, "is what I am sworn to protect and preserve. Canada."

Colombe placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder and squeezed. "It is truly worth protecting."

Toku hugged Colombe around the waist as a flight of birds took off from the margins of the lake. "Hai. It is." The Masamune whispered with tears in her eyes.

-----------------------------

Fairmont Chateau

Lake Louise

Colombe curtsied as she took the room keys and her credit card from the desk clerk. "Merci."

Ying smiled at her. "There's a bank in town that you can use to get Canadian money if needed. Once I pick up the rental car that I arranged, I'll take you down there."

A fresh voice from the door spoke. "No need, Eldest Daughter. I took care of those arrangements." The trio turned to see a middle-aged Chinese woman in a qipao dress adjust her glasses with a happy smile.

"Amah!" Ying rapidly crossed the floor and hugged her mother. Mei Yuying returned it eagerly, speaking softly in Cantonese to her oldest child.

Colombe leaned close to Toku and whispered softly in Japanese. "{That is Ying's mother.}" The Masamune nodded minutely.

Yuying smiled and waved the other two spirits over. "Melon, it is good to see you in the flesh once more."

Colombe smiled. "As it is for me too, Egg. Ahh, may I introduce Masamune-no-Tokunotakai?"

Yuying looked Toku up and down as the Masamune bowed politely. "You have steel in you. That's good, one thing Melon is not known for is having a sedate life."

Toku smiled and laughed as they carried their backpacks up to the room. "Indeed not. Ahh, I must ask... Melon?"

Colombe paled as Yuying grinned mischievously. "It started shortly after we met when Colombe went into a nearby village to get supplies for our journey. Several Red Turbans fought her and in the process the market where melons were being sold got destroyed."

Colombe winced: "Not my fault! They attacked first, Egg!" Then her eyes gleamed and she smiled smugly. "Of course, I could mention how a certain traveling companion tried to steal some goose eggs the week after and the noise from the irate birds alerted the magistrate's search party to our presence. All because you were hungry."

Yuying blushed as Toku laughed and Ying facepalmed.
Spoiler: A Du Chasteler's Duties

As the quartet made their way to the hotel restaurant for breakfast, Yuying sobered. "Unfortunately, I have some ill news, Daughter. Your services are needed urgently."

Ying looked over. "What is it?"

Yuying's voice lowered as they sat at their table after casting a privacy ward. "Yellowknife Station in the Territories is reporting Wendigo activity."

Ying paled. "Bad?"

"Bad enough that they called me to ask if you could reinforce them." Yuying responded gravely.

Toku looked concerned, "What is a Wendigo, Ying-san?"

The dao shook her head. "Creatures of malice, cannibalism, hunger, cold and pure evil. Like what we faced at Verdun or the Abyssals although impossible to reason with. They are native to the far north and are a serious threat to humanity there, plus our nonhuman allies."

Colombe nodded. "Just introduce me to the person I need to talk to here, and I'll handle my sworn obligations. Duty and responsibility comes first."

Ying nodded somberly. "Thank you Father. I shall try to make it to Moulbaix for your and Toku's birthdays but... no guarantees."

Colombe reached over and squeezed Ying's hand. "I understand. Honor first and foremost. I shall send your mother a Portkey for Moulbaix that you can use if you have the chance, but your obligation comes first. Also," the rapier reached into her purse and pulled out a folder of legal papers, "I made arrangements for a trust fund for you and your mother from my estates both magical and nonmagical, as well as swore a witnessed statement that you are my daughter alongside Claire and Ehren."

The two Canadians looked shocked as Colombe finished. "It is not even a tithe of my regrets for not being there for you growing up, Ying. Nor does it even make a dent in the debt that I owe you for your faith in me and your efforts to clear my name. But as I told your mother and now you, I swear that I shall make my prior conduct right toward you."

Toku gave a loving and exasperated smile at Colombe while Yuying laughed. "Too noble for your own good, Melon. But then all heroes should be."

--------------------------------------

RCMP Station

Lake Louise, Canada

Colombe signed the legal forms waiving her right to self-incrimination and authorizing the use of a truth spell. After the RCMMP officer gave her her copy, she hugged Ying. "You have made me so very proud of you, ma fille. Know that my thoughts and prayers go with you in this and all your actions, Ying."

Her oldest daughter hugged her in turn before heading to the stables for the first leg of her flight to face the menace of the Wendigo.

With that Colombe turned to the Mountie waiting for her and unbuckled her swordbelt. "Not all battles are on the battlefield, after all." Her voice was tight and controlled, but full of determination.

After all, she was Du Chasteler.

She handed herself to him with that thought.

She followed him to the room appointed to her. Taking a seat and feeling the tingle of the truth spell on her avatar's skin, she began to speak.

"State your full name and date of birth for this inquiry."

"My name is Colombe d'Aubigny-Muramasa du Chasteler. I was born on June thirteenth, 1707 in Brussels, Belgium to Julie d'Aubigny of France...."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

With a sigh, Harry looked over the small amount of luggage since he had gotten permission to leave the school for the weekend and head back to Yokosuka. Lips twitching, he gave an internal sigh, 'I am happy that there's a school rule that allows students to leave for reasons like Sumire's birth... But not so happy that it was because of Pureblood politics and they had never meant for anyone but them to be able to use them.'

Giving it a few more moments of thought, Harry turned towards the small chest he had there as well. Inside were ingots of steel that he had made from the cauldrons in the Room of Requirement. At this point, he was pretty certain that his children's children could well be working on such. But he continued because it was simple work and he could lose himself into the repetitive motions of it. At the same time though, the ones in the chest before him were for a special project indeed. One that he poured his focus and feelings into...

Shinano's upcoming Rebuild.

Upon having heard about it, even a few weeks before, he had gotten started right away at working on making sure that the metal was available. And he had worked hard at making sure to have enough. Though, looking at the bars, he could just see a slight color difference in spots of the bars. Differences that he knew the reason for which drew his mind back to just before he had left Yokosuka when White Plains had taken him aside...

*******************************

Blinking, Harry tilted his head at the Escort Carrier with a small frown, "Um, White Plains? Why did you ask me to come here for a private talk?"

The small shipgirl glanced to where Shinano was talking with Regina and turned back to him, "You know that Shinano is going to be undergoing her Kai Rebuild, right?"

Still confused, Harry nodded, "I do as a matter of fact, she mentioned it to me." A light blush came to his cheeks and he scratched the back of his neck, "And, um... she asked that I help out with it by holding her hand."

Giggling, White Plains nodded, "That does sound like Shinano. I also know you well enough that you will be doing so as well." Once she got a nod, she became serious, "I can also guess from how well that I know you, that you will be making bars of metal to be used in the rebuild, correct?" At being caught, Harry's blush deepened, "Ha, I knew it."

Embarrassed, the thirteen year old wizard glanced at Shinano, "Um... is that an issue?"

However, White Plains only shook her head, "No, no, it's not a problem at all." Placing her hands on her hips, she gave him a happy smile, "In fact, I'm glad that you're going to do this for Shinano. Mainly because of what it would mean to her..."

Confused, Harry scratched his head, "Um, okay?"

Shaking her head, the Momboat for the Yamatos glanced at her "Daughter" and turned back to Harry, "That said, I have a small favor to ask of you." At his nod, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a large box, "I want you to add these to those bars of steel." When he went to take it, she shook her head, "Use one of those spells to lighten things first... and maybe to shrink it."

Now interested, Harry opened the box and blinked at what was inside. Because there were metal shavings as well as nuts and bolts with pieces of metal. His eyes widened though at recognizing what they were and he looked up at the serious Escort Carrier, "Are these..."

With a slow nod, White Plains smiled softly, "Pieces from myself? They are." Giving Shinano another glance, she turned back to Harry and continued, "I asked Miss Akashi to save some of the pieces when I get repaired after a battle. I've also had my crew remove some of the nuts and bolts before I go into the Repair Baths. Since they get replaced anyways..." With a small shrug, she smiled at Harry, "I'd like you to add these to the metal bars for Shinano's rebuild. Maybe they can help her since I want her to be able to do her best and protect those that she cares for."

Feeling a lump in his throat, the thirteen year old Wizard shrunk the metal down and placed it into his pocket, "I will..."

*******************************************

And he had as a matter of fact done as asked, which gave an odd look to the bars. When he looked at them on the spiritual level, said bars had a slight glow to them as well. Something that when he touched the glow, he could almost feel White Plains' love and care for her adoptive daughter. And the want and need to make said Yamato stronger for it.

Mainly because those were the feelings that he also put into the bars of metal for Shinano.

Softly smiling, Harry closed the lid to the chest and with a tap, shrunk it before placing it into his pocket. Straightening, he grabbed his carry on bag and left the dorms. It was short hours later that he arrived in Yokosuka and, after dropping off his bag, the first place that they headed was to the hospital to meet the newest member of their family.

Waiting outside her wife's room, Rose's face lit up and she smiled brightly before giving a nod to him, "Master."

Just chuckling, Harry gave a nod back, "Good morning, Aunt Rose." Glancing at Nagato, he shifted a bit and looked at the door, "How is Haruna-Oba and Sumire?"

Expression softening, the Tea Set softly laughed, "They are doing just fine, Master. Better than fine." With a glance of her own towards Nagato, she turned to the door and opened it, "Come on in, Mas... Harry, and meet the newest member of our family."

Nodding, Harry walked in and glanced around the hospital room. In the bed reading a book was Haruna, the Battleship looking up before gaining a happy look on her face, "Harry-Chan, Haruna is happy to see you..."

Quickly making his way over, Harry gave her a hug around her middle, "Good morning, Haruna-Oba."

A laugh made him turn to where Hiei was getting up from a chair, putting a laptop that she was doing some work on to the side. Opening her arms, the second oldest of the Kongou sisters hugged him, "And a good morning to you."

Hugging her back, the teen chuckled, "I wouldn't forget you, Hiei-Oba." Leaning back some, he glanced at the door before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a box. Moments later, it was enlarged back to its original size, "Also, I brought you some fudge since I figured that you might need something to snack on. Hospital food being what it is."

That, along with the wink, made both Battleships snicker even as Rose sighed, "Oh Master Harry..."

In return, Harry winked back at her which made her giggle some before handing it to Haruna. Said Battleship put it aside and gave a small nod, "Thank you, Harry-Chan, Haruna is sure that her and Rose-Chan will enjoy it." Pushing off the bed, she slipped her feet into some slippers and gestured for Harry to follow her to the nearby crib, "Haruna would like you to meet Sumire-Chan."

Looking into the crib, Harry's heart nearly melted at the small infant that was inside wiggling around. She was dressed in a pink onesie, though her hat had fallen off revealing that she had Rose's tea colored hair. The baby gave a small nod as he watched her, "She's so beautiful, Aunt Rose, Haruna-Oba..." With a glance towards the parents, Harry reached in and held out his hand, with the baby grasping one of his fingers tightly which made him laugh, "And strong, just like her parents."

Gently taking one of Haruna's hands into her own, and entwining the fingers, Rose hummed, "She is, though I think that she takes after Haruna in that way."

Bemused, Haruna shook her head, "And Haruna says that she takes after Rose-Chan in that way." Turning back to Harry, she gave him a smile, "Would you like to hold her, Harry-Chan?"

Eyes wide, Harry looked up at her, "C-can I?" At the nod, he gently pulled away his finger and nodded, "I-I would, actually."

At that, Haruna and Rose both smiled. The Tea Set then gestured at a nearby chair and waited until Harry had sat down there before she picked her daughter out of the bed. Carrying her over, she helped the thirteen year old wizard position his arms the right way, though he already knew how with Mutsu's own daughters. With that done, she gently laid her daughter in Harry's arms, "Here you go, Master Harry."

Now sitting down and looking at Sumire, the teen felt his breath taken away even as tears prickled at his eyes. It was not helped as Haruna leaned down and gently stroked her daughter's head, "Sumire-Chan? Haruna would like you to meet your cousin, Harry-Chan. He is a very good person."

Swallowing, Harry smiled, "Hello, Sumire-Chan. Like your Okaa-San said, I'm your cousin, Harry. And... and I want you to know that even though this is our first real meeting, I already love you as you're family, real family. I promise to protect you as well."

Right then, Sumire opened her eyes with hers meeting the stunned ones of Harry before gurgling happily. Then, giving another yawn, she closed her eyes and snuggled into his chest. Seeing that, Rose had a happy look on her face, "It seems that she wants you to know that she loves you too, Master Harry. And that she knows that you'll protect her."

Unable to say anything, even as a tear dripped down his face, Harry just nodded happily.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

The Sun still below the horizon, Harry and Shinano walked along the path towards Akashi's workshop. Motioning with his hands, the teenage wizard sighed, "It was... just incredible, Shinano-Chan. That moment when she opened those beautiful eyes and looked up at me... and the trust they held. It... I don't really have words..."

Humming, Shinano gave a small nod, "I think that I can understand, Harry-Chan." Internally, she gave a happy sigh as she had seen pictures of the baby herself. Glancing at Harry, she felt a small blush on her cheeks, 'If we were to have a baby w-when we're both grown up, would Harry be the same with them?'

Somehow, the Carrier knew that the answer would be yes, he would be.

All too soon it seemed, they came to Akashi's workshop and Shinano had to take a deep breath to calm herself due to her butterflies. It was helped by the fact that her sisters were there, though Hana was yawning, as well as White Plains. The little Escort Carrier practically bounced up to her, "Shinano! Are you ready for your Rebuild?"

Lightly blushing, Shinano gave a nod and a happy hum in reply. Beside her, Harry gave her hand a squeeze. He was not the only one to comfort her as Yamato walked up and gave her a hug, "We're proud of you, Shinano-Chan. And we're going to be waiting for you to get out."

Yawning, Hana blinked away some sleep, "That's right, Shinano-Nee." At the giggles from Shinano, she gave an embarrassed smile, "Sorry, sort of tired from last night."

With a deep breath, Shinano bowed to them, "Thank you all."

Taking another deep breath, she let it out before entering the workshop, though she did have to blink and tilt her head some at who else was there. It was Harry who spoke the question on their minds though, "Sakura-Chan? Ume-Chan? What are you doing here?"

Both Installation Girls had slightly pink cheeks, but turned to him before answering, "We're here to help out Akashi-San best that we can, Harry-Chan. Though we're not sure how much we can do..."

Akashi, for her part, waved them off, "They have dry dock facilities, Harry-Chan. Yes, they may not yet be capable of a full work up themselves, but just the usage of their facilities means that I can do quite a bit of work on Shinano-Chan quicker. Instead of twenty hours, it should only take at most ten or eleven with them helping..." Glancing, she gave a small smile at her sisters, Yuubari, and the Light Cruiser's sister, "Among others."

Smiling, Harry gave them a nod, "Thank you." With unsure look, he walked forward and pulled out the small chest he had and enlarged it before opening it, "Akashi-Oba? These are for Shinano-Chan's rebuild."

Eyes widening, the Repair Ship took one of the ingots out and examined it before furrowing her eyebrows, "Harry-Chan? There's something odd about this ingot..."
It was then that White Plains stepped forward, "That is because I donated some steel for Harry to use in them, Miss Akashi."

From where she stood, Shinano's eyes widened and she gasped, "Kaa-San...?"

Looking back at her, the Escort Carrier smiled, "Well, if you're my daughter, I thought that I should make sure that you are as safe as possible! And also that you can be as great a Carrier as I know you already are!"

Brightly blushing, especially as Harry agreed with White Plains, Shinano smiled and poked her fingers together, "Kaa-San..." Walking over, she gave her a hug, followed by hugging Harry, "Thank you... both of you."

Only shaking her head, Akashi waited for a few moments and then cleared her throat, "Well, with everything prepared, it's time, Shinano-Chan."

It took only minutes to set everything up before Shinano was floating in one of the large, bathtub sized "Docks" for Akashi to do upgrade work. Both Ume and Sakura took deep breaths before materializing their rigging. From said rigging, what looked like mechanical arms came out with a tray that slid beneath Shinano, the "Walls" coming up around her. The Twins saw both that, and Shinano's hull enter one of their drydocks. With a small nod, they took a breath and anchored her, "Okay, we're ready for the next bit."

Softly smiling, Akashi patted them on the head before placing some fairies on Shinano's stomach, with them seemingly vanishing into nothing though the Carrier could feel them moving through her corridors, "Okay, Shinano-Chan, I'm going to shut off your boilers one by one, okay?"

Humming, the Carrier nodded, "Hai." A gasp went through her as she felt her first boiler be turned off. Feeling the warm hand in hers give it a squeeze, Shinano turned to where Harry was watching, "Harry-Chan?"

With a chuckle, Harry gave the hand another squeeze, "I'll be here the whole time, Shinano-Chan. Trust me."

As she felt another boiler go offline, Shinano squeezed the hand back. One by one, she could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness as her boilers were switched off. Before the last one went out, she felt a spike of bravery and looked at Harry, "C-can I...?"

Understanding, Harry leaned over and first kissed her forehead before kissing her softly on the lips and pulling back, "Hai. And two will be waiting for when you wake, Hime-Chan."

That brought a blush to Shinano's face as well as a happy look, "Hai... my Prince..."

With that, her last boiler went out and her eyes closed in peace though there was a smile on her face. Her own rigging extending, Akashi gave a small nod, before smiling and looking at the Twins. In their spiritual landscape, the water was drained from the dry dock and Shinano's hull came to rest in place, "And we're done, it is ready."

Nodding, Akashi let out a breath as behind her, her sisters extended their rigging. Not quite to help, but mostly so that they could observe and learn. Yuubari and her sister though, got their fairies ready to help, "Let's get started then..."
_______________________________________________________________________

For most people, awakening standing on a dock would cause most to be utterly confused. But after hearing from others, Shinano just blinked and looked around until she caught sight of her hull in dry dock. All over it, dockworkers were doing their duties and work. "Wow..."

Chuckles made her turn to find a red haired woman there with an amused look in her eye, "Yes, it is rather impressive." Looking around, she nodded, "Including this whole place."

Eyes wide, Shinano gasped, "Y-you're Harry-Chan's biological Kaa-San!" It was then that she looked around and her eyebrows raised as she could see the familiar walls of the Caldera rising up. Yet, the buildings were all whole and undamaged, "Is this...?"

Walking up to her, Lily nodded, "What this place looked like before it was wrecked? It was... or is, things get confusing at times on this plane of existence after all." Holding out a cup of hot chocolate, she smiled, "You look like you could use a little pick me up."

Lightly blushing, the Carrier took it gratefully, "Um, thank you."

For a moment, Lily looked at her before shaking her head, "You really are a most precious cinnamon roll, aren't you?"

Confused, Shinano furrowed her eyebrows, "Why do people keep calling me that? I don't get it..." She frowned a bit more, "They also call Regina-Chan that as well..."

Rather than get an answer, she just got a laugh from the deceased witch. After a few minutes, Lily calmed down, "Don't worry about it too much, Shinano. I don't and I know that Harry doesn't either, he finds it adorable." At the flustered look, she smiled, 'She really is adorable, though...' Giving the Carrier a look over, she internally shook her head, 'Poor Harry when he really starts getting into the teenage years.'

Meanwhile, Shinano just sipped the hot chocolate and found it was really good. And somehow, no matter how much she drank, it didn't empty much, "How...?"

Looking at that, Lily snorted, "Just a little gift, don't worry too much."

With a small nod, the Yamato hummed and happily sipped more hot chocolate as it was good after all. As she observed the area, she noticed a small warship out on the harbour of the Caldera, "Um, is that...?"

Just glancing in the same direction, Lily smiled, "Is that me?" At Shinano's hesitant nod, she smiled, "It is as a matter of fact. And James is out on it as well if you want to come and visit."

Frowning, Shinano shifted a little, "I don't know if I should... Hibiki-Chan said that he was a hentai and my Onee-Sans and Kaa-San always said to stay away from hentais."

That got such loud laughter from Lily, she actually collapsed to the ground, "O-oh bloody hell! T-t-that is..."

Unable to get anything else out, she just continued to laugh madly. Rather than ask, Shinano just went back to drinking her hot chocolate. Finally, Lily's laughter began to slow and stop, which made the Carrier tilt her head, "Um, are you okay? I didn't think that was funny..."

Patting her shoulder, Lily shook her head, "No, no, just me imagining James' reaction to hearing that." With a sigh, she looked at Shinano with a smirk, "James just commented on how Hibiki might well have, ah, certain thoughts about Harry while putting an image into her head regarding it."

It took a few moments, but Shinano blushed and shifted a bit before glaring at the ship and giving a sharp nod, "That is bad because Harry-Chan is not for lewding!"

Only shrugging, the smaller shipgirl smiled, "Not for right now, but when he's an adult and your Admiral, I don't care." At the shocked look, she grinned, "I want to be a Grandmother and Grandmothers care not for where the Grandbabies come, only that they do come."

That, if anything, made Shinano blush more and mumble something that got a smirk from Lily. After a few moments, she cleared her throat, "Um... question?" Getting a nod, she frowned, "Hibiki-Chan said something else..."

Not saying anything, the red head hummed for a few moments. Then, Lily pointed at a spot on Shinano's hull, "Right there."

Blinking, Shinano turned and flushed as she spotted Harry among the workers on her hull also doing work, "Is... is that really Harry-Chan? Because he didn't remember when..."

With a glance at her, Lily tapped her chin, "Well... in a way? That is Harry and isn't. Best way to put it is that due to his connection to you, there's a... representation of him that his magic forms during the reconstruction process. So, yes, it is him as his magic is a part of him, just not the whole part."

Shinano closed her eyes and thought about it for a few moments before her eyes snapped open and her mouth opened in realization, "Oh! So it is sort of a Servant like those games."

Now it was time for the witch to be lost and confused, "Uh, bloody say what now?"

Brightly smiling, Shinano nodded, "You know, Heroic Sprits on the Throne of Heroes! You summon a sort of copy of them from it that is them, but not at the same time as a Servant! Which means that is Harry-Chan's version of a Servant! And he is a Heroic Spirit!" Blushing, she shuffled her feet some, "Because, um... he's our hero after all..."

Utterly lost still, Lily blinked before shrugging, "Uh, right, I guess that you can look at it that way?" At her happy smile, she scratched her head, 'Not really sure what she meant though...' Hearing mutters from Shinano, the witch raised an eyebrow, 'Or why she's wondering if he would count as a Caster, Rider, or Ruler...' Seeing Shinano turn back to her, she raised an eyebrow, "Yes, dear? Something wrong?"

However, the Carrier shook her head, "Not something wrong, just wondering something." At her nod, she continued, "Um, why can't you come back? Harry-Chan... Harry-Chan really misses you and wants to meet you."

Sadly smiling, Lily sighed, "I wish that I could in a way. But..." She waved a hand, "I can't."

Frowning, there was a hint of steel in Shinano's gaze, "Can't or won't?"

Blinking, the smaller shipgirl took a step back, "Um, what?"

With a deep breath, Shinano gestured in a random direction, "Sayaka-San's Imouto, Momo-Chan is a Natural Born! And she died just a few years ago and returned, so why can't you?"

Only giving a sigh, Lily gave a small shrug, "Momo is a bit of a special case in that there was a ritual involved with her death that was never finished. Hence, it gave her something of a tether to go back to life. I don't have that." Scratching her chin, she gave a sigh, "As to the second... I'm not really sure that there would be all that much for me to go back to." Seeing Shinano narrow her eyes, the witch made a motion with both hands, "Harry's been without me for nearly thirteen years now. I love him, I really do. But... Nagato has done an excellent job and I don't want to put a wedge between her and him if I did come back. Besides which? I'm... not even sure that I would be able to be a mother to him. I would come back without memories of the afterlife you know. So to me, I would be returning to the find that the just over a year old toddler that I gave my life for was a fourteen year old, one with a life all his own and settling into it."

Narrowing her eyes, Shinano frowned, "..."

Just meeting those eyes, the witch shrugged, "Besides which? What about James? I would... he would be a fairy on me, I know that. But still, he would still be gone. What if I went and screwed everything up with my son with a compromised emotional state? Especially with my grief for my husband?"

Still meeting Lily's eyes, Shinano still frowned, but shook it off before crossing her arms, "I don't agree."

All she got though was a shrug and the two lapsed into silence before Lily suddenly chuckled, "You know? I really do like you. Beneath your warm, cinnamon roll self, there's a core of real steel. Perfect for my son."

That brought a blush to Shinano's face and she looked around already knowing that the previous conversation was dead and Lily was changing the subject by giving her approval. Not wanting to do anything to lose it, the Carrier looked for something else and blinked some as she realized something, "Where are my pilots?"

Waving a hand around, Lily shook her head, "They're training elsewhere actually." At the odd look, she chuckled, "Time here works differently. Normally, a refit like you're undergoing will take months of work. And yet, it takes hours. That is because time can be stretched out, thus your pilots can get training elsewhere before they come back to you."

Considering that, the Carrier frowned, "I see..."

However, the next words from Lily though caught her attention, "You might need it due to certain, ah, improvements."

At that, Shinano blinked, "Um, improvements?"

Lily crossed her arms, "You know how your hanger is split into two separate ones, right? One like Taihou's and the other is fully enclosed?" When Shinano nodded, she continued, "The enclosed one is getting a small expansion charm on it to make it bigger, and allow for you to have more planes, though not much more. Maybe... two dozen more."

Eyes widening, the Yamato stared at her, "T-two dozen more..."

There was something in Lily's eyes that made Shinano blink, as if the other woman was amused about something, "Oh yes. All the better to protect your future Admiral with." Then she pointed to where some magicals removed the armor on her hull and replaced it with new, "Also, you know that old armor joint issue that made it somewhat easy for you to be harmed by torpedoes?" Getting a nod, she continued, "The Twins handed over some information they had regarding the improvements that were come up with for the A-150s that the magicals worked on. Such as getting rid of the joints in a way that did not compromise anything, and also fixing the haphazard way that your armor was done."

Feeling her armor getting stronger as new plates were fitted without compromising the rest, Shinano stood a bit straighter. As she watched, time seemed to speed by as she was worked on with new armaments and the like added to her. The whole time she chatted with Lily, with the witch making teasing comments that made her blush, but also smile. All too soon though, she felt the work done and could see the dry dock slowly being flooded, "Is it time to go?"

Softly smiling, Lily nodded, "It is, Shinano dear. But that just means that you're going to go back to my son, your future Admiral."

Tears in her eyes, the Carrier sharply nodded before pumping her fist, "Hai! I will!" Shinano then leaned forward and hugged Lily, the smaller shipgirl returning it, "Thank you, Lily-Okaa-San... I appreciate it and..."

Patting her head even as the surroundings began to fade, Lily smiled, "You are very welcome. And I am looking forward to many, many grandchildren." She winked a bit and her next words made Shinano blush, "Especially with what is going on with you and Regina~"

Only nodding, Shinano waved at her as the fog surrounded her and she closed her eyes while feeling her boilers light up one by one. When she opened them, it was to see Harry there looking down at her, "Harry-Chan..."

Chuckling, he gave her a kiss on the forehead and one on the lips, "Hai, welcome back, Shinano-Chan."

All Shinano did was smile brightly at that.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Taking a large bite of the roast beef sandwich, with the meat having been made and cut by Harry while White Plains had made the sandwich itself, Shinano happily smiled as she chewed. As she swallowed, the thirteen year old wizard gave her a small grin, "I don't need to ask if it is any good."

Rapidly shaking her head, Shinano hummed as she took another big bite in order to refill her fuel tanks and the like, snickers coming from Harry and White Plains. The Escort Carrier then turned to Ume and Sakura with a small smile, "Hopefully you're enjoying the sandwiches as well."

All they did was bow with small blushes on their faces, "H-hai."

Hoki swallowed a bite of her own sandwich as she finished it off, "Your sandwiches are always great, Kaa-San." Taking another, she licked her lips, "So good..."

Meanwhile, Megumi and Kokoro just shrugged to each other as they still could not understand how someone looking like an eleven year old was somehow the adoptive mother of a group who all looked no younger than eighteen. When they had asked Hana, she just shrugged and claimed it being due to the mysterious powers of escort vessels... Which had only confused them all the more.

Though they agreed that the sandwiches were good.

When the door opened, all the shipgirls, Sakura and Ume as well as Harry stood and bowed before saluting Goto, who returned it. Once he sat down, he looked over at Akashi with a small smile as Ooyodo sat next to him on one side and Nagato on the other with Kongou between them, "So then, I take it that the Rebuild was a success?"

Sighing, Akashi gave him a small smile, "To be honest? It was beyond a success. With Ume-San's and Sakura-San's help, we managed to perform a complete and utter rebuild of Shinano-San. One that I would have had to work at for most of a day, if not more to perform. Every bit is functional."

Just nodding as he opened a folder, the Admiral hummed, "So among other things, the armour belt...?"

Akashi smirked at that, "Fixed." She then frowned, "I can understand that in the rush due to the war that they were hasty, but there were aspects that were weakened. But..." Her smile returned and she gave a nod, "We fixed the issues with the joint that made her vulnerable to torpedo attacks. And we also added the various pumps and such that Yuubari developed based on the American ideas of DamCom."

Said Light Cruiser gave a small shrug and smile, "Hey, it was a lot of work, but we can spread it out among the fleet and make things even better and more survivable. Especially when combined with actual lessons."

Humming, Goto flipped to another aspect, "I see here that you also increased her hanger? So she has more planes?"

It was Sakura who answered that, "Hai, it is a common enough trick for magical Carriers. It.. did not do much, but our people performed the best we could with our lack of experience. And it helped that part of the hanger was enclosed and separate from the rest."

Only nodding, Goto continued to look through the pages of upgrades and they were covered. With a small sigh, he gave a bemused glance at Harry who sheepishly shrugged at the unasked question and then back to Akashi, "So... what happened this time out of the norm?"

Rubbing the side of her head, the Repair Ship sighed, "Honestly? I should have expected something seeing as part of what the metal Harry-Chan supplies came from White Plains herself, donated."

At the surprised look, White Plains gave a small shrug, "Back in the States, some of the girls give up pieces of metal to be used when their sisters and such are rebuilt. I know that Miss Enterprise did so for Yorktown and Hornet, in a way to gift them with some luck considering her namesake." She then gave a shrug, "It was not that much metal, just some nuts and bolts, a few slivers, that sort of thing."

Giving her a look, Akashi shook her head, "Well, that was more than enough to actually do something alright." At the interested look, she pulled out a piece of paper, "Let's get started on the easiest aspect. We were installing our version of the 40mm guns that the Americans used and that we started to produce in the last days of the war. Shinano's are basically doubles based on that and roughly as effective as the American originals from what I can see, yes, that means she has American fire control for all her guns." Continuing, she smirked a bit, "She is also equipped with what looks like an American radar. If I had not known any better, I would say that it was based on the ones that I saw Midway-San have when she came in."

Upon hearing that, Goto ignored the shocked looks and leaned back with a hum. After a few moments, he gave a small nod, "That is very good news actually, because that makes you more effective, Shinano-San."

Lightly blushing, Shinano only nodded and turned back to Akashi who continued, "Another thing is that she has one thing that I had been planning based on... documents we recently received from an alternate source regarding Akagi and her having night fighting abilities. Mainly, lights along her runway pointed at it to allow for night flighting capability. Granted, we're still working on those planes-"

Suddenly, she was interrupted as the Carrier in question raised her hand, "Um... I actually have some planes that could fight at night?" She furrowed her eyebrows and nodded, "About a dozen? And my pilots are trained for them."

Everyone blinked at that and shared a look. Clearing his throat, Goto gave her a look, "Would it be possible for us to actually see them in action?"

Closing her eyes, Shinano was quiet before standing, "Hai, but, um..." Poking her fingers together, she looked at the plate still full of sandwiches, "Could we bring the food with us?"

All that did was make Goto chuckle, but he nodded just the same in agreement which made Shinano very happy.

Not long afterwards found them walking towards the Carrier Range. While, yes, the Sun was sinking towards the horizon it was not quite dark yet. Something that they were all glad for. Partway there though, White Plains suddenly waved, "Enterprise! Hey, Enterprise!"

The Grey Ghost walked over with a smile on her face, "Hey everyone." She turned to regard Shinano and paused for a few moments before a look of surprise appeared on her face, "Huh... nice rebuild, Shinano."

Blushing, Shinano bowed a bit to her, "Thank you, Enterprise-San."

White Plains, meanwhile, walked up to Enterprise and pulled on her sleeve some, "We're just heading over to the range to see Shinano show off her awesome new planes. Apparently, she can perform night fighting abilities!"

A big grin on his face, Harry chuckled, "Yeah, it makes Shinano-Chan even more awesome than she was before!"

Eyebrow raised, Enterprise looked at Shinano and gave her a small smile, "Night fighting, huh? Now you got my interest, Shina." Patting the taller Carrier on the arm, she gestured towards the range, "Let's go and have a look at them."

Upon arriving, they noticed that Kaga and Akagi were both there practicing. Once it was explained, the two Carriers gave a nod and stepped back, with Kaga smiling, "This is very good to hear, Shinano-San. I look forward to seeing what you may have."

With a small bow to them both, Shinano summoned her rigging and brought out her bow before picking one of her normal arrows and going through the Kyudo motions. Moments later, one of her Shidens was shooting the target full of holes and rapidly climbing into the sky. Watching, Akagi gave a warm smile, "Very good, Shinano-San. You have certainly trained your pilots well."

Lightly flushed at the praise, Shinano shot another arrow which became another Shiden to make sure that everything was well. With a breath though, she grasped another arrow and knocked it, feeling her elevator raise the plane to her flight deck. Leaning back against the wall, Enterprise was watching with a slight smile before seeing the plane and doing a literal double take, with only those near her hearing her shocked voice, "What the fuck...?"

Releasing the arrow, Shinano smiled as it resolved into single engine plane with a four bladed propeller that snarled as it flew into the air. One of the targets were riddled with gunfire while another one was hit by rockets as the plane climbed into the sky. Furrowing her eyebrows, Kaga looked at the plane in question with a frown, "While painted in Japanese colors... that is not a Japanese plane, it looks American."

Beside her, Akagi gave a nod, "Hai, though I do not recognize it... perhaps a late war Carrier plane?"

Everyone turned towards White Plains who scratched her head, "Um, it sort of looks familiar? But... I don't know from where? Because I've never flown it."

The sound of flesh meeting flesh as well as steel hitting steel made everyone turn to where Enterprise was facepalming. Somewhat amused, Kaga gave her a smug smirk, "Is there an issue, Enterprise-San?'

Pinching her nose, the American sighed, "No, Kaga, not unless you count the fact that what Shinano has is something talked about, but never implemented. Fucking Christ, kiddo, you are damn lucky." Moments later, she pulled her fingers away and gave her a look, "But I need to confirm, so I need to see it closer."

Confused, Shinano held out her flight deck which her plane landed on. As it taxied to a stop, everyone leaned in and Goto gave a small hum, "Yes, that is definitely American. I think that I've seen it before, but... I'm not sure where."

For her part, Enterprise was observing from various angles before frowning and shaking her head, "Fuck, I was right." Looking at Shinano, she had a look of bemusement, "I don't know whether to shake your hand right now, Shina, curse the fact that for once you have the luck of the Devil, or simply go and have a drink as you just made a bunch of the girls back home cry fowl and laugh at them."

Intrigued, the Admiral straightened, "Really?"

Snorting, Enterprise shook her head, "Really." Pointing at it, she continued, "What we have here is one of the best damn Fighter planes produced by the United States of America in World War II. So damn good, we continued to use it right up until Korea. Hell, some were still being flown by the American military when I was scrapped, though mostly National Guard units." Rubbing her chin, the Carrier had a thoughtful look on her face, "It never got a Naval variant, which is why none of you know about it."

Rapidly blinking, Yamato looked back and forth before furrowing her eyebrows, "Wait... I think that I remember seeing some in the skies over Japan..."

Beside her, Nagato gave a nod of her own, "Hai, escorting American Bomber Aircraft. I remember that now."

Just nodding, the older of the two Americans nodded, "Yeah, we used them at the end of the war. Damn good plane actually." Seeing the look from Yamato, Enterprise gave a shrug, "Need to get the proper mood going... anyways, what you got there, Shina... is a P-51 Mustang."

Head snapping up at that, Goto stared at her, "A Mustang? How..."

Leaning in, Enterprise hummed as she examined it better, "Looks like a... P-51H, modified for Carrier operations." At the stares, she gave a shrug, "We never actually produced a naval version for it. But... we did work on such in the closing days of the war. Project Seahorse was to see if it was possible so that Carrier launched versions could escort Bombers through Japanese airspace. Turned out it was, but they were a bit too heavy and problems with control. And we also captured Iwo Jima and didn't need to launch them from Carriers. That said? When they started producing the P-51H variant for Operation Downfall, there was talk of modifying it for Carrier operations and even some work done for that. Then the end of the war came and that was all rendered moot."

A considering look on his face, Goto frowned, "Your opinion?"

Not saying anything, the Grey Ghost rubbed her chin in thought. Finally, Enterprise gave a nod, "Those babies have really long legs on them, which means that you can really reach out and touch someone if you catch my drift. Or have them loitering around for a very long time to keep watch as a CAP. You can also have them use bombs or the like, so all around a very good aircraft. Especially for long range strikes." Slowly nodding, she gave a slight smirk to the still stunned Shinano, "You really hit the jackpot here, Shina. A lot of the girls will want ones of their own, so expect some calls in the next few days." Her smirk then fell some to confusion, "Not sure how... unless some of that magical bullshit of yours, Harry?"

Unsure, Harry gave a small shrug, "Um, kind of?"

Meanwhile, Ume and Sakura came out of a sort of trance and cleared their throats. When everyone turned to them, they took a deep breath and let it out, "We have been examining some records and... found another possible way." At the interested look, they continued, "One was shot down and returned to Japan for testing, and the Kamo Government sent out forces to get others, wrecked or not for examination, which they did. Once repaired, there was... talk of making more for reasons that we will need to research more first. But we don't like it..." Then, they shrugged, "But perhaps that could help?"

Furrowing her eyebrows, Enterprise frowned, "Maybe... the Germans did capture some and use them against us too. So not that odd..." Glancing at Shinano, she shook her head, "Maybe it is one of those odd twists of possible history they call it? Where if something could have conceivably happened, it can be used? Like how Zuikaku got that rebuild of hers that made her more like Taihou? Maybe here though it is a case where if Shinano had survived the war, us Americans would have taken her and used her, which is not impossible. Or if we needed to rearm Japan due to the Soviets or such."

Everyone just shrugged at that before they turned back to the plane resting on Shinano's flight deck and the possibilities, though Enterprise was more thoughtful than the rest due to one fact: She remembered another part of Project Seahorse...

Modified B-25s for Carrier launches and landings...

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

Bread, Eggs, and Tea

23 May 2014

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada
Spoiler: Bread and Egg

Masamune-no-Tokunotakai watched the love of her life and her oldest stepdaughter vanish into the RCMP post. A thoughtful smile curled her lips now that she knew the strength of Wei Ying's character after fighting alongside her through Verdun. She knew as well that going up those steps to reveal all her actions and be judged for them was in some ways more terrifying for Colombe than Verdun itself.

After all the Mill on the Meuse could only have devoured her body, her sanity and her soul. Not her family reputation and honor.

A sigh caused her to look over at the other spirit in the rental car. Mei Yuying had shiny eyes as she watched her oldest daughter and her old lover perform their duty.

Colombe at least would return to them in time from her interrogation. But Ying would be leaving here to stand in defense of Canadian homes and citizens from an evil presence as bad as Verdun.

And there were no assurances that she would return alive from her duty.

Toku cast about for something to say to help the other spirit. "Yuying-san. Since this is my first trip to Canada, is there someplace where we can observe the beauties of your country around here?"

The huli jing Chinese fox spirit blinked and refocused on the Masamune. After a moment, she barked out a laugh, and put the car into gear. "If you do not mind a little walk, I can show you a twenty-dollar view."

Toku smiled. "Not in the least. Perhaps we can make a picnic of it?"

Yuying grinned and headed for the local Tim Horton's. "Let's do that."

After a quick pass through the drive-through Toku inscribed an ofuda on the box for the donuts, Timbits, and bags of tea to keep them hot and fresh. Meanwhile Yuying navigated the traffic and headed toward Moraine Lake. "This was our first national park, Tokunotakai."

The awed Masamune nodded as she looked at the mountains and forests towering around them. "I can see why, the kami of this place and the grandeur of it are magnificent indeed."

Yuying nodded. "That is something that won my heart when I came here in 1857. It is just so free and makes you stretch yourself to expand the possibilities here."

Toku smiled as they parked the car. "Indeed so. So this Moraine Lake is worth the seeing?"

Yuying grinned mischievously as they headed up a trail along the moraine left by glaciers carving the valley out of the bedrock of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. "Oh, it's a twenty-dollar view."

Toku blinked. There is a joke with those words, I know....

She frowned and then examined the mass of rocks that they were traveling along. "So this was left behind when the ice sheets receded ten thousand years before us, Yuying-san?"

"Oh yes. They ground up part of the mountains' bones and left it here. The moraine that resulted blocked up this end of the valley that the glacier carved and allowed the lake to form from snowmelt from the peaks around it. The color is because of the glacial rock at the bottom of the lake. Now close your eyes and let me guide you."

Toku complied and felt the huli jing guide her around a bend in the path and then after a few hundred steps halted.

"Now open them."

Toku opened her eyes and cried out in wonder.
Spoiler: Moraine Lake...

In front of her a full ten mountain peaks loomed above the brilliant aqua of the lake framed by the green of trees, brown and black of the bones of the earth, and with the snow glimmering from the cloud-wreathed summits.

Tears filled her eyes at the sheer perfection of the scene in front of her, and her heart filled with the same deep joy that she had sensed before atop Fuji-san or communing with Hachiman.

She turned to Yuying and spoke in a voice full of awe. "It is beautiful, Yuying-san!! But why do you say that it is a twenty-dollar view?"

The fox smiled and handed over a banknote from her purse. Toku looked at it then started to laugh.

"Because it is!"
Spoiler: ...Is a Twenty Dollar View!

After taking photographs, Toku and Yuying found a picnic table and opened the box containing donuts and Timbits. Toku sipped her hot green tea and an eyebrow quirked. "Better than I expected."

Yuying sipped her own orange pekoe and smiled happily. "It is satisfactory when one cannot mix and brew her own blend."

Toku nodded, "Just so. When I have the chance, I shall wish to repay your hospitality and kindness with a chanoyu should you ever visit Japan."

Yuying sighed deeply. "Perhaps. That is a difficult subject for me and my family because of what Oldest Daughter endured in the War."

Toku's brows furrowed in concern. "Just so. I regret that she had to suffer under my country's madness, even though she has told myself and Colombe few details of what happened to her in Hong Kong. My family does have some responsibility for our barbarism in that dark decade. I am at fault for not acting more strongly to stop our slide into the abyss and not succeeding in convincing Kotegiri-neesama and Fudo-neesan of the folly of their positions. I was trapped by what I viewed as my proper place and role, and I failed to uphold what I knew in my steel was right."

The Masamune bowed her head to the huli jing, "You have my sincere apologies for that. Like all my kin, I seek perfection, yet I am imperfect and forever strive toward the impossible goal."

Yuying bowed in return, "I know very little of you, just that Melon has fallen for you very hard, that you are a fellow sword spirit to her, and that you fought her when my Eldest Daughter was young. But I can see why Melon is attracted to you. She has a knack for meeting and loving people who require coaxing to escape the safe but stifling burrow that they feel trapped in. Such as myself in 1854 and now you."

Toku cocked her head. "Oh? I know little of you in turn, Mei Yuying. Co-chan got you out of major trouble in 1854 with some rebels and bandits, you traveled alongside her to the ocean, and were her lover. Then unknowing of your pregnancy she gave you the tools to form a new life here alongside her firstborn. Who went to Ilvermorny and met Delilah and others and eventually ran Co-chan to ground."

A vulpine grin flickered around Yuying's lips and she sipped her tea and then nibbled on a double chocolate donut. "Accurate enough in its way. Shall we share life stories? I shall tell you of my parents Mei Zexian and Mei Tai who I told Melon about when I mourned them sixteen decades ago as a young woman fleeing their killers."

Toku's smile lit her face up and she bowed her head. "Hai. As the guest in your country, I shall go first. My fate has been entwined with Co-chan's family from the beginning, unknown to me or her at the time."

Yuying listened with interest as Tokunotaki's voice and posture shifted to that of a story teller. "For far across the Pacific in my homeland of Japan rests the Hachimangu, the primary shrine of the Protector of Warriors. There, during the era of the Warring States, on the seventh day of the seventh month of Eishō eight, five centuries before you and I shared tea here, I was carried by Takeda Nobutora, the master of the mighty Takeda Clan and ruler of Kai province who had commissioned me as a offering to Hachiman-dono. He was in rivalry with the lords of the Hojo and Uesugi Clans, and wished to gain favor in war against them."

Toku gently ran a finger across her hilt. "He commissioned me from a smith trained in the school of Masamune-sama, the greatest swordsmith of Japan. Although long dead and ascended to the Kami, Masamune-sama guided and inspired my creator as he wrought me from charcoal, fire, and iron into the same Masamune steel as my older sisters such as Honjo, Kotegiri, Fudo, Suzume, or Musashi. But there was one other smith who lived who could compare to Masamune-sama. Muramasa-sama, the Mad Smith whose genius and madness pushed the bounds of what was thought possible. He was commissioned by the Uesugi daimyo to create a blade to be a more worthy offering than I, and Muramasa-sama labored long to forge the mighty nodachi greatword known as Norimune, the Unrepentant Blade."

Yuying blinked in surprise, "Wait, you mean to tell me that you and Melon's father...?"

"Were crafted to compete with each other, yes. The day of the competition, I was viewed as the most worthy, for I incorporated the Seven Virtues of the Warrior in peerless perfection." Toku sighed. "Norimune-san was scorned for being too ostentatious, too large, and too clearly intended to do what I and the Hojo offering would do except more so. So she was cast forth by the priests and monks as flawed. Only I and perhaps no other sensed Hachiman hallow her as well as I was consecrated for He had plans for Norimune-san."

Toku sighed. "Afterward, I stayed in the shrine as a showpiece and offering, occasionally used by the senior monks for a demonstration of kenjutsu or kendo, but never actually seeing combat. Upon reaching a century of age, I manifested my avatar which you see here and was accepted as a miko, a shrine maiden of Hachiman. Then I learned the ways of the spirit but little of the outside world, for my service and oath I thought restricted me to the shrine alone. Two decades after manifesting I met the first of my sisters, Musashi-nee, the daisho long and shortsword set of the peerless legendary traveling warrior Miyamoto Musashi, who taught me the Way of the Sword."

Toky blushed and then sipped her tea. "After a few months, he moved on with Musashi-nee acting as his acolyte and pupil in the Way, and I had to stay in contact with her via letter. Seeing an individual worthy of my steel lit a fire in my heart to perfect myself to become worthy to be wielded by a suitable warrior, and in the doing I both set my feet on the way of the Sword, and also began slowly to drift from it as I began to see novice warriors less as those who should be trained and nurtured and instead not worth my time."

Toku took a Timbit and then sighed. "I progressed from learning and training through self-confidence to arrogance, and since none in the temple and no travelers could challenge me or even try with the Shogun's restrictions on dueling, I became what Co-chan would call Miko Punchable Face by the time that she showed in 1864. As she may have told you, we got along poorly at the start, for I viewed her as a foreigner unworthy of my assistance in finding her father."

Toku blushed and shook her head before draining her tea. "I was such an arrogant fool then. Unknown to us both at the time, Hachiman-dono had resolved to use her to teach us all a needed lesson and correct our courses. I needed a harsh defeat at the hands of what I thought was an inferior and unworthy foe to teach me what a true samurai, true honor, and true mastery of self was. Which I got when Co-chan goaded me into a rage and I drew myself like a common street thug, demanding that she apologize with her words or blood."

Toku's blush deepened as she continued. "She defeated me handily, and taught me that the battlefield was not the same as the dojo. Then she spared my unworthy life. However, Co-chan needed her own dose of humility and she got it at the hands of Hachiman-dono himself." The Masamune sighed happily with dewy eyes. "I have never seen anything more magnificent. Musashi-nee, and Musashi-sama's swordsmanship is masterful, but they had only sparred against each other and me to perfect the Way. Not like Co-chan, for she was totally outclassed, knew it after he beat her to the ground, and she refused to quit or be defeated, for the goal she sought of finding Norimune-san and fulfilling her oath was more than life itself in her eyes."

"However while her fighting spirit was undefeated, her body could not go on. A lesson I learned well, both that there is no dishonor in a defeat when you give your utmost in a worthy cause, and that fighting spirit alone is not enough." Toku shook her head. "Lessons that served me well after the First World War, for I did not make the same mistake twice. Then Hachiman-dono took her oath to only return when the prophecy he gave us was fulfilled, and as she left in apparent defeat, weeping inside but refusing to compromise her honor, he gave me my own prophecy that I would face her at Hachimangu once more to show if I was worthy to be her equal as a samurai in steel, skill, magic, and spirit. A challenge that I have spent my whole life since that day striving to be worthy of."

Yuying smiled as the Masamune finished the tale. "Indeed, I can see that you complete Melon, she needs someone to stand beside her and keep her grounded. I suppose that it is time for my own tale...."

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

De Profundis: The Exploration And Research Logs of USS Trieste (DSV-0)
(De Profundis = From the Depths)
Entry #1

0647, 18 June 2014

National Museum of the United States Navy
Washington, DC
Spoiler: A Shipgirl's Passion

USS Trieste smiled joyfully as she signed her name and hull number into a freshly bought "Build Your Own Underwater Robot and Other Wet Exercises" book from the museum store.

"There you go, Bobby, and remember, the oceans still have things that we can all discover together." The middle-schooler smiled happily and clutched his prized book as the next child in line approached.

"Are you really a shipgirl?" The seven-year old whispered with big eyes filled with wonder. Behind her her mother took a cell phone photograph of the two of them.

Trieste nodded and pointed to her hull behind them where she had self summoned a hour and a half ago, providing the unintentional climax of All-Night Naval Movies In The Museum. "I am, that's me over there. DSV-0, USS Trieste. I'm a submersible that has explored the depths of the deep oceans where no sunlight will ever go. That's what the name the navy gave me means. DSV stands for Deep Submergence Vehicle which means that I'm intended to dive in water deeper than the tallest mountains."

"Wow." The girl gulped nervously. "That sounds scary...."

Trieste smiled in memory of being five miles down in the hadal abysses of the sea. "It can be, since I am going where no one has ever gone to find out what is there. It's cold and dark and I'm all alone in a place where the water pressure would crush anything other than my design. We actually know much more about outer space than the deep oceans today. The Abyssals and then Shipgirls have shown that the world is full of mysteries to uncover, explore, and then figure out what they mean. Every time I went for a dive, I was shining a light into the unknown, and very often I saw and recorded fish and other sea life that science had no idea existed when I laid eyes on them."

At the wide-eyed look from the girl, she asked gently, "What's your name and where are you from?"

"Bethany Spence, ma'am. We're from Denver on a vacation." Her mother said, squeezing her daughter's hand reassuringly.

She signed Bethany's Colorado Rockies baseball cap with her name and motto of Pensate Profunde. "I'm really happy to meet you, Bethany. And you should always ask questions to find out the answers. That's how all science is. We look for things and then make sense of them. Many of the great scientists who blazed the path that I helped advance a little more were your age when they asked the questions that helped all of us understand the universe we live in. 'What is this I am seeing? What does it mean? What explains what I just observed?' They asked the questions, and then went looking for answers and built me and other research vessels to explore into the darkness of the unknown and come back with treasures of knowledge."

"Wooooowww..." The girl whispered with insatiable curiosity in her eyes that matched the fire in Trieste's soul.

"It's like that. So always keep looking for answers and keep learning." A cough from the naval officer at her elbow caused her to look over at Lieutenant (j.g.) Petersen, who had been summoned from his post int he duty office in Washington Navy Yard.

"We have the car now to take you to the Pentagon to report in, ma'am." he reported.

Trieste nodded sharply and then looked at the eager children looking at her with degrees of awe, wonder, and hero-worship. "I have to go and talk to some people," there was a mass sigh of disappointment from the children and several adults, "but I want to talk to all of you about what we can all do together to explore the wonderful world that we live in. I'm going to have a mailing address and phone number set up by the Navy. Once I do that, the museum staff will be able to tell you how to get in touch with me so I can tell you about the mysteries of the ocean. I trust that your teachers and chaperones and parents will help you all contact me once I do that."

Slowly making her way through the museum, she headed for the waiting heavy truck. Taking a seat in the back, she closed her dark-brown eyes, and gasped and began to shudder slightly.

"Are you all right, ma'am?" Lieutenant Petersen asked, concern lighting up his homely face.

Trieste shook her head jerkily, holding up one finger and swallowing several times. "I... don't know..." she squeaked out finally as her eyes opened. "I mean I should be used to high pressure situations," she laughed hollowly and faintly, "I handled 15,750 psi on my hull at the bottom of Challenger Deep. But I was more terrified of disappointing those children than I was with eight tons of water on every inch of my body. I just... talking scares me sometimes."

He patted one of the twin searchlights attached to the shoulders of her deep-sea diving suit. "And you performed magnificently with them. The Navy's getting a bunch of sailors and marine scientists from those boys and girls if my experience with children is any indication."

She looked at the sandy haired officer as the truck headed for the Pentagon. "If I may ask, what experience do you have with children, Lt.?"

"Oldest of nine, ma'am. Had to herd them growing up on the family cattle ranch in Nebraska." He shrugged at her disbelieving stare.

Trieste blinked. "Nebraska. What possessed you to head into the navy growing up in Nebraska?"

He shrugged again, "I wanted something different than miles and miles of miles and miles. Do you know there's four cows to every human in Nebraska?"

Trieste shook her head. "You don't say."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Softly humming, the Abyssal PT Mothership was interrupted by a tug on her dress. Turning, she regarded the PT Imp there, "Yes dear? Is something wrong now?" Frowning, she gestured where the other PT Imps were playing a game of catch while two Abyssal Destroyers looked on, "You're not playing with your sisters after all."

The PT Imp yawned a little and shrugged, "I'm tired, Mama." Bringing up one finger to her mouth, she frowned, "We've been out and about for a long time."

Lightly chuckling, the older seeming Abyssal patted her head, "Oh, Honey, it won't be long now." She gestured ahead of them to where an island was barely visible, volcanic cone rising above the waves, "Our new home will be there now."

Clapping her hands, the PT Imp rushed over the others, "Guys! Mama says that we're nearly there!"

Her lips twitching, the motherly Abyssal smiled as her children cheered, though one of them threw their ball into the air and nearly hitting her, "Now, now, children."

Rushing over, the toddler looking Abyssal blushed, "Sorry, Mama." Grabbing their ball, she pulled it from the water to reveal that it was, in fact, a rotting human head. One that gave up the ghost as the scalp detached itself from the rest of the skull and it fell back into the water and rapidly sunk, "Aw... our ball is gone."

Gently patting her on the head, the Abyssal mothership shook her head, "It is fine, dear. We're going to get you all new balls soon enough."

Clapping her hands, another PT Imp giggled, "Are we also going to get new playmates, Mama? I like the little ones because it's so much fun when they scream and shriek." Then she pouted some, "But they always break so quick... though I like how they make everything a nice red that becomes brown."

Fondly shaking her head, the mothership chuckled, "Of course." Then, she wagged a finger at her, "Though you must be more careful with your playmates, that way they last much longer and those lovely screams will." Sighing, she shook her head, "I remember that bunch of little ones I gathered up for you bunch in the Philippines. Sadly, you went though them too quick to really enjoy it..." With a small shrug, the matronly Abyssal shook her head, "No matter, that will change soon enough once we reach the island and build up." Then she clapped her hands, "Very well, time to form up! We have a short journey before us!"

Not long after though, one of the Destroyers pulled up, "Uh, Ma'am? Are you sure that we should be heading to that island? We're not far from Japan and the humans hold islands to the north and south... also..." It looked around, "I've heard of that Bird Island. They say that it is haunted and Abyssals vanish around it. They just... disappear." A shudder went through the Destroyer, "No warning, they just, vanish with an odd scream."

Amused, the Mothership looked down at the Destroyer and patted its head, "Now, now, you're a big girl and should not be worried about ghost stories. It is just an island you understand and my floatplane looked and found nothing but some abandoned human structures close to a new lava flow. No ghosts or anything else." Chuckling, she shook her head, "Now, Mother knows best, and you should rest your mind, there is nothing to worry about. We'll land on the island and I'll make progress to create an Installation there. Mother wants you to rejoin the rest of the formation."

Internally scowling, the Destroyer did so just the same, 'You're not my Mother, you old hag. That was our Princess who died, your Princess.'

Unknown to the Destroyer, the Abyssal PT Mothership was humming to herself as she patted her stomach, 'Soon, I'll have even more children. And then will have them sink the shipgirls and humans for killing so many of the little darlings I've taken care of. Don't understand why they cannot just leave them be when they're having fun...'

The Sun was starting to set as they came within ten miles of the island. Unknown to them, on the island, two pairs of eyes were watching and both were filled with anger. Said eyes were also accompanied by a slow creaking noise.

Softly smiling as she watched the PT Imps playing, the Mothership caught flashes out of her eye and turned towards the island, "What was tha-

Before she could finish, one of the Destroyers gasped, "Gunfire! Evasive actions!

At that, squeals and shrieks sounded from the PT Imps as they prepared to run... but never got the chance.

In World War Two, to combat aircraft, the Imperial Japanese Navy designed a shell they called the "Sanshikidan", or "Type 3 Shell". Said shells were able to be shot even from main turrets of Battleships and was thought to be able to protect them. Unfortunately, they did not work and skilled pilots mostly ignored the literal fireworks of the shells. That said, they were capable of destroying ground structures very well...

PT Imps, it turned out, as well.

Five hundred feet above, the three shells detonated as inside them, nine hundred incendiary tubes ignited. Each one was composed of a hollow steel tube filled with what was known as "Rubber Thermite", which burned rapidly and detonated. For a brief moment, jets of flame sixteen feet shot out before the shell burst into a cloud of fragments filled with nearly white hot steel in a manner not unlike a monstrous version of birdshot. The Abyssal Destroyers were lucky as while they were damaged, it was not as bad as if they were a proper anti-ship shell. Meanwhile, the Abyssal Mothership screamed as the fragments burned her. But her scream was only partially for that, as the shell did its job as the PT Imps were shredded and their remains lit on fire by the shells.

As the last burning PT Imp sunk beneath the waves, the Abyssal Mothership's eyes were already glowing and she pointed at the island, "THEY KILLED THEM! THEY KILLED MY BABIES! SINK ALL OF THEM!"

Both Destroyers shot their guns at the island, but frowned as the shells bounced off something. However, before they could fire again, each one was hit by no less than three Oxygen Torpedoes to their sides and rapidly sunk. For a few moments, the Mothership stared at the spreading, burning slicks around her. It took almost a minute for her to realize that she was all alone...

When the two eighteen inch shells slammed into her, she was still staring in shock at the burning slicks.

Half an hour later found a figure waiting on one of the few beaches before the surf. Finally, a head broke free of the water followed by the rest of the teenage girl's body which was clad in a swimsuit. On the chest being "I-354". Flipping her blonde ponytail over her shoulder, she gave a smile to the female teen who was waiting, "Did we get all of them, Sora-Chan?"

The Kitsune nodded some even as she leaned heavily onto a makeshift cane, "Hai, all of them." She gave a smile towards the smaller girls who came out of the waves beside the taller and more developed girl, "Good job."

Each of the seemingly younger girls, clad in swimsuits themselves blushed. One of them, with an Tanuki tail, shifted a bit, "Um, thank you, Nee-Chan." Looking up, she gave a bright smile to the older looking Submarine girl, "But we should be thanking Samantha-Onee-Chan."

Nodding, one of the girls who looked in the middle range of the ages, around twelve, frowned, "Hai, though I am worried..."

Simply patting her head, Samantha shook her head, "Don't worry over it." Walking out of the surf, she looked towards a thick raft nearby, "Won't be long now..."

All Sora did was nod and sigh with a tired smile, "Hai, soon we're going to be heading home." Suddenly, she had a coughing fit which ended with oil-darkened blood leaking from the corner of her mouth, "Ergh..."

Quickly walking over to her, Samantha tossed one of her arms over her shoulder. Despite her legs nearly buckling, the seemingly fifteen year old took a deep breath, "Okay, let's get you back to camp. You really should not have fired that second salvo."

Grimacing, Sora the pale Kitsune shook her head, "No, I should not have. But I could not have let you have all the fun now."

A growl was all the warning that she got from a newly arrived shipgirl before a fist came down on her head, "Baka!" Throwing the other arm over her shoulders, the Tanuki also grunted, "I have no idea what you're thinking at times..."

With a shrug as the three began to climb up from the beach from a hidden path, Sora gave a sheepish grin, "Sometimes I wonder myself." It did not take them long to reach their camp, which was in fact a group of abandoned buildings on the island. Before they went in, they bowed to several piles of stone... each one a person that they had been unable to save. Before they reached the door though, an eighteen year old was there and had a fearful look on his face when he saw Sora's state, "Dammit, Sora!"

Lightly blushing at how he addressed her, the Kitsune glanced away, "I'm the strongest here even now and..."

Slumping a bit, the young man glanced at his right arm...

Or, rather, where it should have been.

Instead, the sleeve of his shirt was pinned to the rest of him making him sigh, "Yeah, though I wish otherwise..." Turning to her, he looked at her through his good eye before walking over and taking her from the two girls, "Come on, let's get you inside and some food into you. You brought her cane, right Sis?"

Rolling her eyes, Samantha held out said cane, "Right here, Bro."

Softly chuckling, Sora gave the young man a look full of care and love as they entered their shelter, "Thank you, Eric-Kun. Some food sounds really good right now..."

 

[darthcourt10]

Savato93

"Alright… that should about do it."

Sitting up from the Airfield Demon's runway-turned-surgical table, Sunny slowly and carefully worked the joints of her freshly mended leg, checking for any pain or stiffness. "Ohh, yes… that feels so much better…" she moaned blissfully.

"I'm sure it does," Nuri said as her repair tools disappeared into her rigging. "Just promise me you won't go and do something like that a second time. We can't afford to keep making stops in the middle of contested waters to patch you up."

A scoff from Sunny. "Oh, come on. What's wrong with having a little fun now and then? Besides, two Demons backed up by some of the best-trained escorts in the Pacific? Anyone who is still willing to go after us, is either stupid or feral." After a moment, she added, "Or their Princess is a callous bitch."

Nuri raised an eyebrow, sighing… before she leaned in closer to examine Sunny's foot. "...oh dear, I think my alignment was off," she mused. "I'll have to re-break the leg and set it properly…"

Sunny got the message, shrinking back a bit. "Alright, no more stupid stunts."

"Good girl." Nuri patted her older sister on the head, eliciting a displeased grumble from the battleship, and helped her up to her feet. "Now, we should be just a few hundred miles from reaching Pearl Harbor. When we get there, we can rest and refuel; after that, it should be relatively smooth sailing to Panama." Behind them, several of their sisters let out sounds of joy and relief at the thought of finishing the first leg of their trip…

It was at that moment that Wonderous called out. "Abyssal bombers, ten o'clock!"

Nuri immediately shot Sunny a glare. The battleship simply waved her off with a grimace, as her Abyssal behemoth took form behind her. "I know, I know. Me and my big mouth. Let's just get on with it, shall we?"

Like a switch being flipped, the Abyssal fleet went from being at relative ease to combat-ready in an instant. Within seconds, they were assuming a defensive formation around their flagship sisters. Just as well, for as soon as the bombers flew head-on into their coordinated AA cloud, ripping them apart piecemeal, Nuri's scouts picked up the hostile fleet itself bearing down on them—multiple destroyers and cruisers, headed by a pair of battleships, albeit with no carrier in sight.

For a time, the task force was silent, communicating every bit of information via radio to help paint a cohesive picture of the battlefield at large, letting them optimize their movements and targeting. Eventually, though, Sunny's voice broke through the constant stream of updates and advisories exchanges through their fleet, getting Nuri's attention. {Something's different about this lot.}

Stationed at the center of their task force, directing her numerous squadrons to keep her kin safe and their enemies disorganized, Nuri perked up at Sunny's remark. "What do you mean?"

{This fleet is attacking to disable, not sink. I can count three—} there was a series of muffled bangs in the distance. {four instances, now, that I could have taken a torp or two in my vitals from flanking destroyers, but they just shot at me instead. They're trying to burn our decks, wreck our superstructures, instead of dealing actual mortal damage.} A resounding boom signaled the death of one more unfortunate destroyer. {There's only a couple of them left, now.}

"You think they were trying to capture one of us…?"

{Maybe. Girls, pull back to Nuri! I'm going to go after the flagship personally, try and get some answers out of her.}

"You sure you can take her alone? Not doubting your combat prowess; just fulfilling my obligation as your sister to care for your wellbeing…" Nuri glanced around to the Abyssals returning to her side. Damage was mostly light across the board, though a couple of them were reporting disabled sensors, guns, et cetera. Things could be better… but as it stood, they could still make full steam for Pearl Harbor easily.

A warning from her fighter squadron pulled Nuri's eyes back to the skies. "Another wave!? Damn it, we've already shot down nearly a hundred craft! Either this is a full-blown carrier group, or there's a Re-class out here…"

{I'd bet good money on the latter.}

After a moment, Nuri facepalmed. "...she's trying to kill you as we speak, isn't she?"

{'Try' being the operative word.} Sighing, Nuri shifted between her various squadrons in the air, trying to get eyes on Sunny. She didn't need to look too hard—with the rest of their fleet retreating, the Battleship Demon was the only one left fighting. Sure enough, there was an enemy Re-class barreling down on her, firing as fast as she could load her guns.

Where any other Battleship Demon would have likely been risking crippling damage at minimum trying to take a Re-class battleship head-on, Sunny's age and experience put her in another league entirely, letting her dip and weave through her enemy's shell groupings with practiced ease even as she swattedwhat few bombers she had left out of the air. As Nuri watched from the sky, the Re-class closed to knife-fighting range and let loose with her full broadside, confident that dodging at such a range was impossible.

She was in for an unpleasant surprise, as Sunny dismissed and summoned her behemoth rigging in rapid succession… letting the enemy battlecarrier's shells whizz harmlessly around her as she made herself as much 'girl' as possible to minimize her profile, before quickly snapping back to full power and responding with a salvo of her own. The Re-class had no such practice imposing herself on the real world—meaning there was no dodging the perfectly-aimed shells that ripped through the armor of her main guns like paper and detonated, shredding her turrets from the inside out.

The Re-class howled in pain and rage as her other half was all but decapitated, the serpentine head reduced to burnt, mangled steel and flesh on the end of her tail. Deprived of her weapons, the battlecarrier turned and charged Sunny at full speed—likely hoping to take them both out with a ram, Nuri guessed—but Sunny wasn't intimidated in the slightest. She merely came to a stop, watching her foe rapidly draw closer.

And moments before the two collided, the Battleship Demon drew back one arm, her claws bared, and slammed it into the Re-class's chest.

Instantly, the Re-class came to a jarring halt, the air ripped from her lungs in a sharp bark. Slowly, she looked down in confusion... and let out a choked noise as she stared at the arm that had punched clean through her torso.

{Alright… listen up, you worthless, vexing pile of junk…} the growl in Sunny's voice could be heard loud and clear through the radio. {I do not take kindly to bitches like you trying to hurt my sisters.} Sunny wiggled the arm embedded in the Re-class, eliciting a pained gasp. {Right now, I have my claws around your keel. All I have to do is flick my wrist just so, and you will spend the last few hours of your life paralyzed, helpless, and in complete agony… until the ocean waves finally cause your fatally-compromised hull to break up and sink.}

In the distance, Nuri and the others shivered. Sunny could be such a sweet, fun gal most of the time… but when her family was endangered, she got violent fast. It was honestly kinda scary.

{But… I'm not incapable of mercy.} Sunny held up a finger. {I have some questions I'd like to ask you. If you cooperate, then I'll give you a quick, easy death by destroying your boilers instead. I'm sure that would be preferable to having your keel broken… am I right?}

Hanging limp on the Demon's arm, the Re-class looked back up, giving her a hate-filled glare. "Y-you think… you can scare me…?" She wheezed. "Make m-me play nice? Fuck you." She snarled at Sunny, baring her jagged teeth. "My Princess… could do so much worse to me… than anything you human-lovers are capable of."

Sunny huffed. {Well, that answers one of my questions: you know who we are.} she waved her free arm, gesturing around them. {And if you haven't noticed, your Princess isn't here. Regardless of whether you cooperate with me, you and I both know you're not going to live long enough to see her again. So why don't you just make this easier for the both of us?}

At that, the Re-class just sneered. "You stupid… naive bitches… you know nothing.

"None of us are beyond her reach."

Before Sunny could respond, there was a bright flash, and the pair was enveloped in a deafening explosion.

"SUNNY!?" Watching from the skies above, Nuri was immediately in panic mode. What just happened? Had the Re-class detonated scuttling charges? Was her sister safe!? "SUNNY, ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?" She cried.

The fleet watched with held breath as the smoke dissipated and the water settled… revealing a Battleship Demon that was covered in burns, blood and bits of grey matter, but who otherwise looked fine. Sunny groaned as she sat up, cupping a hand over her ear. {I'm alright, I'm alright… no need to shout into the radio.} There was a collective sigh of relief from the rest of the fleet.

Sunny spent several seconds blinking, trying to get rid of the spots in her vision. She saw the Re-class floating lifelessly in the water in front of her… missing everything from the neck up. {That was no scuttling charge…} Sunny said in disbelief. {Her head just fucking exploded.}

"...What…?" Nuri tilted her head, baffled. "Only her head?"

{Yeah. And it happened just as I was starting to interrogate her.} After a moment, she snapped her fingers. {You know, this almost feels like one of those old-fashioned spy films…} Sunny tapped her cheek. {Like, the bad guys' minions would have cyanide capsules hidden in fake teeth, that they would use to kill themselves, so they couldn't spill the beans if they somehow got captured.}

Nuri was quiet for several seconds, just letting that sink in. Combined with the Re-class's final words… it did not paint a pretty picture. "Did… did her Princess set that bomb off?" She asked in a horrified whisper. "Who would do that to their own fleet…!?"

{I could make a good guess…} Sunny drifted off as she stared at the Re-class's corpse. Suddenly, she perked up. {Hold on. I think I just saw something.}

Nuri received word from her squadron that they were returning to base, pulling her vision back down to earth. "What?" She asked, as she reoriented to her normal perspective. "What is it?"

{I can see a weird mass in her chest cavity. Almost looks like… a tumor.}

Immediately, alarms were going off in everybody's heads. Tumors were supposed to be caused by cancer… but as far as any of them know, they couldn't get cancer. So where did it come from…?

The fleet waited a couple minutes for Sunny to finally return to them… with a black, fleshy mass the size of a tennis ball clutched in her hand. "As soon as we get to Pearl, this needs to get to Mother, pronto."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Warning: The middle bit of this Snip goes some extremely dark places including suicide. If it bothers you, skip past the section after the first line to the next part marked by another line.
___________________________________________

Standing at the rail of the tour boat, Eric looked at the island that they were circling around. Scratching his head, he looked towards Sora next to him, "Aren't there supposed to be whales and such around here?"

Beside him, his sister nodded as she brought down her binoculars, "And birds. But I'm not seeing any flying or hearing them."

With a small shrug, Sora frowned a little, "That is what the guidebook said." She then gestured at the unsure looking guide who was being confronted by some of the other tourists, "Even he's not sure what is going on, because there should be birds, whales, and dolphins, but... there's nothing and no sign."

Amused, Eric chuckled and looked at her, "I still don't know how it is that your hearing and sense of smell are so good."

Lightly blushing, Sora shifted from foot to foot, "Um... they just are?"

Moments later, she gave a shiver and rubbed her arms even though they were in a sweater despite the warm weather. Which made Eric frown in concern. His friend always did get sicker easier than he did and had boughts of illness when she could not even get out of bed for days at least once or twice a year, usually more. And he had overheard her parents tell his that she had been like that since she was an infant. Shaking those thoughts off, Eric places a hand on her shoulder, "Are you okay, Sora?"

Grimacing, she shook her head, "I'm... fine. Just something feels really wrong, you know? Like we shouldn't be here."

About to frown and say something, the twelve year old paused and looked around as he felt a shiver go up his own back, "I... I feel that too."

Beside him, Samantha nodded, "S-same here... I really don't like this, bro."

Hearing a sudden commotion, Eric turned to find the Captain of the ship talking with the guide. There was shock on the guide's face while the Captain's was pale and looked somewhat fearful and panicked. But then, the older man rushed back to the cabin of the boat and they could feel the ship began to pick up speed, "What's going on?"

Neither of the two girls had a real answer for that.

Only three minutes later, one of the adults on the boat frowned and looked around, "Does anyone else hear that? Sounds like a low flying plane?"

At one of the railings, an elderly man pointed to port, "Look at that bird there! Never seen that one before!"

Everyone looked to see the bird that was coming closer and closer, looking like it would soar over the boat... until they realized it was not a bird. It was round and with a wide mouth that spat ghostly flame, while something was clutched in its claws. Something that it dropped into the water and began to pull up hard. Confused, Eric looked between the UFO, because that was it must have been, and where the other object had hit the water, "What the..."

Hearing a gasp from his sister, he looked at her as she had a horrified look before she screamed, "TORPEDO!"

It was, however, far too late.

Before anyone could say or do anything else, there was a massive explosion that ripped the boat in two, pretty much disintegrating the back half of the boat into a cloud of shrapnel and body parts. Eric, his sister, and Sora being both at the side opposite from impact and midway between the bow and where the boat blasted apart were thrown bodily quite some distance. Hitting the water, Eric blacked out for a moment from the impact.

When he came to, his sister was holding his head above water. In shock, Eric said the first thing that came to his mind when he saw her, "Why are you wearing a school swimsuit?"

Confused and panicked herself, Samantha shook her head, "I don't know-SORA!"

That caused Eric to twist around to find his friend spasming in the water before her head went under. Not even thinking, he dove downwards to where her body was still twitching madly as it sunk. Grabbing hold, he kicked for the surface, his muscles straining before his sister was there and grabbing Sora's other hand, for some reason, she jerked as if Sora was much, much heavier than what she really was. But neither one of the fraternal Twins stopped heading back to the surface. Just before they reached it, and the large piece of deck floating, bullets streaked through the water and Eric felt one of his arms suddenly burn with agony even as the water turned red around them and it stopped working.

However, thankfully, they were nearly at the surface and thus they were able finish their ascent. Head coming out over the waves, Eric gave a scream of agony from the pain he was in. Right as he was about to go under the water, a flawed hand grasped his and hauled him from the water, "Up, you go!" The teenage girl, who to his shock was standing on the water and had Tanuki ears and tail, paled, "Your arm!"

Coughing, he shook his head and pointed, "H-help Sora!"

Just nodding, she placed him down onto the piece of deck and, straining, pulled Sora up onto it as well with help from Samantha. Both unharmed girls panted, before they noticed that Sora still jerking around and grabbing at her chest as if she was having a heart attack.

Of course, that was when they heard the drone of more aircraft and turned to find two more heading for them. Unlike the other one, these looked alike some sort of larger creature with struts under their wings. Already shouting, Eric could only watch as the two thingsdropped two objects each as they pulled up, though not before his sister and the Tanuki shot them full of holes. There was a beat, and then another...

Suddenly, four massive shouts of water shot upwards towards the sky, and the sea between them, where most of the survivors were, turned opaque. What was worse, though, was how the people in that whitish water reacted. Their bodies jerked as if they were puppets on strings and blood spewed out of their mouths before they went limp. The four children could only look on listless and in shock. And as one body floated by, a detached part of Eric's mind noted that bits of bone poked out and their flesh was more like jello.

It was then that the corpse turned its head and demanded to know why it died and he hadn't?! It dragged itself up onto the deck along with others, with it transforming into a heavyset man, hands around Eric's throat as it squeezed and told him he should die, that it would be better. And right as he choked out his last breath-

_____________________________________________________________

Sitting up, drenched in sweat and not from the heat or humidity, Eric panted and could feel himself shudder.

Beside him, Sora woke up as well and blinked before giving him a concerned look, "Eric-Kun? What's wrong?"

Eric went to reach out with his left hand to comfort her... only to remember that it no longer was there. Shaking his head, he got up, "Just... a nightmare." Standing, he looked around the small room and let out a breath, "I'm just going to catch my breath and use the washroom."

Not believing him, the Kitsune's eyes softened, "I'm here if you need me, Eric-Kun. We're in this together."

Twisting, he patted her head, "I know, but you need your rest. Just give me a few minutes." When he got a nod, Eric clambered out of their shared "Bed", if one could call leaves and grass as well as dried seaweed covered by a blanket that, and walked to the door. Just before reaching it, he took the jug that was there and poured himself some water into a metal cup that apparently came from his sister's hull. Shaking his head, he stepped outside and sat down as he looked at the sky above before leaning back and putting his head against the cool stone of the building, 'Hard to believe it has been nearly... ten years.'

Unable to stop himself, as much as he wanted to, Eric's mind went to his dream. Every bit had happened, except for the bit where they turned into zombies and tried to kill him. The last bit though dredged up unwanted thoughts from the first eight months on the island. As if turned out, they were not the only survivors who made it to the island. Four men and two women, with one of the women having saved her daughter. Everyone else were either dead or died soon from injuries. Those first few days were horrific, and not just for the dead they buried. Said bodies had suffered some sort of internal trauma that had ruptured internal organs and broken bones. Eric's arm though was badly mangled by the bullets. Apparently; they had broken apart into tumbling fragments in the water and that was why he was not dead.

His sister and the thirteen year old Tanuki, Yumiko (or Yumi, as she told them later to call her) had these little beings that could heal him. But none of the adults trusted said beings or the two girls to heal him. So they did the best that they could with a first aid kit on a lifeboat and two weeks later, his limb began to swell and develop a smell with his fingers turning black with him developing a fever. In his delirious state, he remembered his sister screaming at the adults that it was all their fault, with them backing up. His last sight being of one of the small beings on his chest and looking at him sorrow before there was a flash of red light... and he knew no more.

When he woke two days later, he no longer had an arm and the skin where it was once attached was scarred, but closed. Not that he had much time to think about it as his sobbing sister threw herself on top of him and begged his forgiveness. Something that he felt she did not need to even ask about as he knew why she had done what she had. After that, the other survivors seemed to draw back from them. But whether out of fear or something else, Eric did not know nor care.

Granted, that was not the only thing that went wrong.

They had managed to find a radio in one of the ruined buildings which had been kept in good shape. When they turned it on though, the airwaves were filled with screams and calls for help. More horrifying, one by one each voice on the channels stopped until all they had was silence. No matter where they tuned it in, they got nothing but static... or the odd noise that made the hairs on their necks stand on end.

And then came the haze on the air. One that smelled of burning, of smoke. Something that all of them knew meant that there had to be massive fires somewhere. Most likely, with Japan burning. The very next day when the Sun rose above the horizon, it was the crimson of freshly spilled blood.

One of the men and the only other woman besides the mother, kept trying to reach someone. And three months on, they apparently had as while they were gathering some food, they heard shouting the woman came up to the rest stating that a ship had contacted them. A ship close by as well and were coming to get them. Hope and joy filled them and they rushed to where Sora was to get everything ready...

Before they could, screaming happened and they rushed back out in time to see a... creature, walk out. It looked like a pale skinned woman with glowing eyes that glared at them before smiling cruelly and walking towards them with hands dripping with blood and viscera. Chuckling, she stated that she was there to 'Rescue them'. Before she got too close, she caught sight of Samantha and Yumiko.

Right before the two of them began to fire their guns and blew her full of holes.

Ignoring her dead body, they entered the room with the radio and found it both smashed and... the bodies of the other two, though they were unable to identify who was who with what was left.

After that the other adults seemed to have... lost something. What, Eric and the others did not know, but there was an emptiness to them now. As if they were only going though the motions. Sometimes the adults would walk off and argue with each other, crying and the like. Four weeks later, something changed.

Suddenly, the adults seemed... happy, at peace. It was strange and for some reason, it frightened the kids. But they would just shrug and smile while stating that they knew how to make everything work out. How, Eric did not know, but something warned him about them.

It turned out that his instincts were right, unfortunately...

*********************************

Eric woke with a start, but not due to one of his usual nightmares. No, because he was currently in one due to the fact that he was unable to breath. Part of that was due to the weight on his chest from the heavyset man among the survivors, and also due to how his hands were around Eric's throat. Struggling, he looked up into the man's eyes and could not see any remorse.

Rather, he looked happy with a slight amount of resignation, "Don't fight it kid, trust me. We're going to make everything better." Nodding, he continued to smile and nod, "All of us are going to be safe and happy once we escape this world. The demons won't get to any of us."

However, Eric was not going just give up. Instead, he continued to struggle as the man sadly shook his head and told him to stop fighting. Vision darkening, Eric see that the other man was on top of Sora, bedridden Sora, and kneeling on her chest as well while choking her with her weakly fighting back.

That lit a fire in Eric and he could hear is blood rushing through his ears.

Knowing, already, that with one arm he could not hope to overpower the man, even if he had both arms he likely could not, the twelve year old went for another method. His hand let go of the man's arm and said person nodded, "Good, you've accepted it-"

Right before the teen's hand shot out and grabbed at a very sensitive place and squeezed as hard as he could. The resulting scream woke his sister and Yumiko. Samantha noticed the man choking her brother and reacted, throwing him into the opposite wall while Yumiko did the same with the one choking Sora. The final adult, the mother, dropped her limp daughter and stood up. Bringing out a gun, Samantha held it pointed at them as Yumiko did the same beside her with Eric's sister snarling, "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE DOING?!"

The three adults blinked and the mother smiled before shaking her head with her answer chilling the four teens, "I thought that it was obvious? We're saving you all, just like I saved my daughter." She then gave a small nod, "Now, just put the gun down and we'll finish."

Frowning, the man who was choking Sora turned to the woman and hummed, "A gun would be quicker, I suppose."

Stomach churning, Eric boggled at them, 'They're insane...'

As it turned out, his sister had much the same thought, "You're insane... all of you. You were just trying to kill them!" Bringing her gun around, she pointed it at the mother, "You just killed your daughter!"

Chuckling, the woman shook her head, "No, I saved her. Now she's away from here and safe. Soon, all of us will be."

A soft smile on his face, the heavyset man shook his head, "We're all dead. You heard the radio, seen what we've seen. There's no rescue... everyone out there is already dead. But we can make sure that the Shinigami cannot get to us and take our souls. Now, just put that against yours or the others heads..."

Horrified, Yumiko stared at him before snarling, "Like hell! I'm going to make it home and I'm going to see my family! And you three can just fuck the right off!"

Each of the three adults shared a look and nodded before they charged... and found themselves in midair as one of Samantha's little people had his hand out. The pure furyon its pudgy little face could not be denied. With another wave of its hand, the three flew out through the door. Before they could get up, a makeshift barricade was already forming at the door to keep them out. Shaking, Samantha turned to Yumiko while ignoring the banging at the door, "Is she...?"

Quickly walking over to the little girl, she placed two fingers against her neck before closing her eyes and shaking her head. Gently, she closed the now sightless eyes, "Damn them..."

Blinking away tears, Samantha turned to her brother who was rubbing his neck, "Eric? Are you okay?"

Just nodding, he cleared his throat, "Y-yeah, I am..."

****************************

Snapping out of his memories, Eric pushed it away. He also pushed away the memory of the next day when him and his sister went looking for the adults while Yumiko stayed to guard Sora. And how they found their footprints and followed them... right to the edge of the cliff at whose bottom the adults' broken bodies were. A note written in the soil asking for forgiveness that they were unable to save Eric, his sister, Sora, and Yumiko.

Just rubbing his face, Eric grunted a bit as he also remembered burying the three with the others, "Damn you..."

Finally, after a few more minutes, he walked back in an laid down for what was likely little sleep...

______________________________________________________________


Gently, Eric placed his hand on Sora's shoulder, easily able to feel the bone under it, "How are you doing?"

Softly smiling, Sora chuckled a bit, "I'm doing fine, Eric-Kun. A lot better than..." Her mind went back almost a decade and a shudder went through her, "Than back then."

Just sitting down next to her, he gave a small nod, "I know, that was... terrifying on so many levels." Running his hand through his hair, he gave a sigh, "You were barely even alive, just... there. Laying unable to even lift your head much at all."

Looking down at her knees, Sora swallowed, "I know, it was worse for me. My... Shikigami or whatever you want to call them told me that because my hull was so incomplete when I woke, I didn't have boilers, just generators. And so my heart needed to handle the strain..." Reaching up, she clutched at her chest, "I was having a heart attack every few weeks."

Reaching over, Eric gave her a smile as he took her hand in his lone one, "At least we don't need to worry much about that considering things."

Suddenly, a voice cut in and they looked up to find a smiling Samantha there, "Thankfully, I found that wrecked Container Ship. Sure, the canned food got old, but the steel cans helped, especially when we I ripped the containers themselves to pieces and transported them back here." Frowning, she gave a sigh, "I'm just happy that my guess after seeing you so hungry you ate that can was correct and it did help."

Getting to her feet, the Kitsune hugged her, "And I'm happy that you did so and I have a good future Nee-San in you. Now I can help with defending and we can leave without worrying about my condition."

Lightly punching her friend's arm, Samantha chuckled, "True..." She suddenly grinned and winked, "Not that you're not already my Nee-San, not after a year ago."

Her brother and Sora blushed at that as it was no secret that the two of them were together. If anything, the time he had spent taking care of her meant that they bonded closely. Turning to his sister though, Eric grumbled a bit, "Well, you did take the others and give us some, um... alone time."

In reply, Samantha winked, "And I'll do it again if needed." With a sigh, she looked around, "Anyways... I'll just start refuelling the kids and make sure that all of them are topped up both with fuels and weapons. It is not going to be an easy journey."

Both of the other two teens there nodded, though Sora smiled, "At least you have Yumiko-Chan to help since she's the Oiler Karasaki."

Just nodding, the other girl made a sound of agreement. Meanwhile, Eric frowned, "I still have trouble believing that you're ships, or that Japan had a Submarine Tender that was also a Submarine and you're it."

Frowning, Samantha shrugged, "Kind of? My class was designed to service Float planes after all, refuel them and the like. So the magicals decided that they could serve as Submarine Tenders like some German Submarine, I think. Expanded oil tanks, fresh water, thirty torpedoes for reloads, an expanded kitchen, and trunks with expansion charms to carry food as well as spare parts." Scratching her chin, she frowned, "I think that I have several younger sisters and some older ones, though they're Tanker Submarines. Maybe I'll meet them..." With a shrug, the Submarine looked at them, "Anyways, we're going to go over everything after dinner."

That got her nods from her brother and his girlfriend after which, Samantha left.

Several moments passed before Eric left out a sigh, "I have trouble believing that we're going to be finally leaving this place."

Looking at him, Sora hugged him tightly, her multiple tails also wrapping around him, "I'm sorry... it's because of me..."

Hand cupping her cheek, Eric gave her a look, "No, it's not just because of you." Sighing, he grimaced some, "Yes, until the past few months you've been barely able to do much, but look at me! I... I'm practically a cripple. Sam would have had to tie me to her or Yumiko. And if she left, we only had Yumiko for protection and she's only got Destroyer guns at best and is an Oiler. Which also meant that Yumiko couldn't make a run for the mainland either." Leaning in, he placed his forehead against hers, "Now, I don't want you blaming yourself anymore, okay?"

Getting a happy nod, though tears prickled at the corner of her eyes, Eric kissed her deeply, one that she returned gladly. Pulling back, she sighed, "Okay, I'll try."

The two shared one last kiss and walked towards dinner.

Once dinner was done, everyone clustered around one patch of floor swept clean of dust and debris. As his sister was unfolding a map, Eric looked at the various Submarines around them. He could remember two years on, his sister in a fit of anger yelling at the sky that she could use some help supplying everyone with food from the sea since during the day, she stayed underwater catching fish.

Shortly after, a small head with cat ears popped up out of the ocean and smiled before waving. The Midget Submarine had claimed to have heard her call and come back... before becoming surprised to find that she was a little girl. And she was not the last as it seemed every other month, another popped up, sometimes just showing up for dinner out of nowhere much to their bemusement. All of which meant that they currently had nearly two dozen Midget Submarines and two larger ones.

Much to their relief though, said Submarines did pull their weight by catching a lot of fish for them to eat. And with them patrolling around the island, his sister and the two larger Submarines could patrol further, such as gathering wood from Aogashima for fuel or finding the wrecked Container Ship. They would also provide an escort and scouting portion for the upcoming journey.

Part of Eric did wonder how his mother would react to all the new daughters she now had...

Chuckling at the image, Eric turned his attention back to the meeting as it fully began. With a smile at him, Samantha took a deep breath, "Okay, we're just going over this for the final time since we're heading out tonight. The weather is clear and the Moon is just past Full. So we'll have plenty of light, but won't need to worry about any UFOs."

Arm crossed against his chest, her brother frowned, "Are we sure that the weather is clear?"

Yumiko was the one who answered as she nodded, "My Onmyouji did a reading and the chances are extremely good that it will remain clear for the next week. And nearly perfect for the next two days."

With a slow nod, Samantha nodded, "And we only need two days at most for the first leg. But we can't stay here much longer so we need to leave." Sighing, she frowned some, "We've done our best for maintenance, but time has done its job on these buildings. The last typhoon nearly ripped the last roof off. The next one likely will. And while some of us can take it..."

Everyone turned towards Eric who sighed, but nodded, "I can't."

Lips pressed together thinly, his sister nodded, "No, you can't." Scratching her head, Samantha frowned, "With how much better Sora is doing combined with how last night was the first time in nearly six months seeing one of those things around? We got a good chance, at least if we keep to the night. The Full Moon can provide us with some light and likely the last clear weather before the Rainy Season and Typhoon season set in only help our chances of getting back to Japan."

Simply nodding, Yumiko turned to the others, "Tonight, you'll need to get on the raft, Sora-Chan, and the same with Eric-Kun. It should hold the whole journey, especially as we spiked all the logs together and it has four layers." Suddenly, the Tanuki smirked, "Of course, that means that Eric-Kun will likely be sitting in your lap, Sora-Chan, not that I think that you would mind all that much~"

That caused the cheeks of the two in question to redden even as snickers and giggles filled the room.

Amused, Samantha gave her brother a wink before going back to the lap, "Now, we're going to have tow ropes held by myself, Yumiko, Ho-31, and Ho-32. Between the four of us, we actually have a chance to tow you without pushing ourselves too far. The rest will keep formation around us." There were nods of agreement before Samantha placed her finger on the map, "Now, here is where we are, Tori-Shima. We're going to start moving along the chain. Our first stop is here, Bayonnaise Rocks. The Container Ship should provide plenty of shelter for the day."

Frowning, Eric leaned forward, "I still don't like it. You said that it was driven up onto the rocks? But no oil leaks?"

Softly snorting, Samantha rolled her eyes, "Hard for an oil leak to happen when there's absolutely none in the tanks. Someone... or something drained them after it was wrecked."

A frown still on his face, her brother shook his head, "But no sign of the crew but old bloodstains and the containers were all still there. Why would those things take the people and the oil, but not the real valuable things?"

For her part, Samantha shrugged, "How am I supposed to guess." Getting a grunt, she looked at the map, "But I mainly chose it because of how long I expect to take. I don't want to be running ragged all night or anyone else. As well, it gives us shelter during the daytime when those UFOs might be out and about. They don't fly at night after all... but if we do make good time?" She moved her finger to another point on the map, "We can reach Aogashima. The village may be in ruins, but there's still places to hide."

With a frown of her own, Yumiko looked at the map and sighed, "We were always going to make a stop at Aogashima. Mainly because our next stop is further and we'd need a full night for the all out run we'd need to do." Tapping the map, she gave a nod, "Because our next stop after Aogashima is Mikura-Jima."

It was then that Sora spoke up, "Which also has a village on it... or had, in any case. But it is close enough that your radios should pick up anything on the mainland."

No one said anything, but they all knew that there was a silent "Hopefully" in there. After all, none of them knew what happened after the event that stranded them. Sometimes, those with radios would catch snippets of something, but it was always too distant, or encoded in such a way that none of their old code books worked. But... they really did not have a choice in the matter.

Which is what found the group in front of the graves on the island bowing to them, with Eric frowning, "We're leaving now, and heading home. If... when we make it, we'll let them know about you. So that they can send someone to come and take you home as well."

Of course, the only answer that they got was the night wind as the Sun sank beneath the horizon entirely. And shortly after found Eric in Sora's lap as the three Submarines and one Oiler pulled the raft out of the surf and away from the island with the smaller Submarines around them...

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

As the sky above fully darkened into night, leaving only the stars and Full Moon shining down as a source of light, Eric glanced back in the direction that they had come from. Part of him thought that he could just make out the speck that was Torishima on the horizon, but he was unsure if he could or if it was just his imagination playing tricks on him. The arms around him tightened slightly and he turned back to see Sora looking down at him a bit nervously, "Eric-Kun? Are you okay?"

Lips twitching, he considered his answer before nodding, "I am, just... thinking." With a sigh, he looked up towards the stars that twinkled so high above, "About how we're finally taking our first big steps home."

Glancing over her shoulders as she swam, Samantha gave him a embarrassed smile, "Sorry for taking so long, it's just..."

Sora blushed a little, "It is because I weigh so much and..."

With a sigh, the Submarine shook her head, "It's not your fault, Sora. Sure, you may weight about almost fifty thousand tons despite still being in an uncompleted state. But that's not your fault." Frowning, Samantha turned back to the ocean before them, "I'm just happy that between the four of you, we can tow you along."

On Eric's face was a small smile as he gave his girlfriend a kiss on the chin, "And I'm just glad that none of us are being left behind."

Just snorting at that, Yumiko rolled her eyes, "Yes, we're going to leave you all behind." Sighing, the Tanuki grimaced a little, "I would have been nothing but a glorified target out here with how little I have for defensive armaments and..."

Nodding, Samantha's voice was quiet, "I was a lone Submarine. Maybe I could have made the journey all the way back to the mainland on my own without being noticed. But... would they have believed me? Or would they have thought me the enemy?"

It said something that none of them really had an answer to that.

Eyes closing, Eric thought back over the various years and the arguments. And it always boiled down to the same thing, if Samantha left, she would be unable to rearm the little Submarine girls who kept up a picket around their island. Also, none of them were sure how the authorities might react to them either. For Yumiko, she was an Oiler and even Eric with how little he knew about naval operations knew that an Oiler alone out on the sea would be an easy target for any enemy that stumbled across them. So in the end... none of the two functional shipgirls who were once normal people could leave the island to get help.

Yet, what was unsaid was the worry about what would happen if they left anyone alone on the island. Samantha, her brother, Sora, and Yumiko were still scarred by what had happened. And Eric's sister still shuddered to think about what might have happened had she not been there, a vision that sometimes visited her in her nightmares.
Shaking that off, the Submarine turned her attention to their route as they made their way along the open ocean. They had picked the night mainly for two reasons really. One was that it would make it hard for them to be made out to some extent. Another was that with the Full Moon, their own picket would be able to see anything coming close. But a big part of it was aircraft, for none of those there who had been on the tour boat ever forgot how it was wrecked. And Samantha knew, as well as any Submarine, that aircraft were among the most dangerous of enemies to her kind.

All of which meant that they needed to limit their exposure and make it as hard for something to find them as possible before they reached their destination. Hence the island hopping and stopping off at different islands to for a day. It would also help in that they could stock up on supplies as Samantha and the others had done so for both Bayonaise Rocks as well as Aogashima.

On Yumiko's face was a frown as she looked back over her shoulder, "How is the raft holding up so far? Any issues?"

Examining the small raft, made of various logs spiked and tied together in layers, Eric shook his head. "It's holding up fine for now anyways. Not sure if it will last the whole way, but..." He then frowned a little, "How fast are we moving?"

Ho-32 smiled at him, visible in the moonlight, "We're moving at about ten knots, though if we're too far away, we might go up to eleven or twelve as a last moment dash. We should make it right before sunrise though and hide inside the hull." A shudder ran through her and she looked away, "I am not going to enjoy spending the day inside a wrecked ship."

Seeing that, Eric's expression softened, "Hey, Ho-32?" When said Submarine turned to him, he continued, "I'll be right there with you and I'll make sure that you're okay."
Cheeks flushing, Ho-32 looked away, "I know that, Nii-San."

That only got a smile from him.

From then on, they all chattered a little bit about various things, until finally, Samantha gave a shake of the head, "We have an issue." Seeing them turn to her, she glanced back, "We're not going to make it before Sunrise reveals us. Which means..."

Grimacing, Sora nodded, "Which means that you're going to need to speed up. How fast...?"

Quiet for several minutes, Eric's sister took a deep breath, "We're going to need to hit our full speed, or as close to it as we can get. Which means all out for the dash to the rocks."

However, that provoked a wince from her brother, "Won't that put a lot of strain on your engines though? Especially with everything else?"

Expression utterly serious, Samantha nodded, "It will. But between that and possibly getting caught out in the open? I'll deal with it..."

Yumiko gave a nod of her own, "I'm willing to push as hard as we can." When the other two towing Submarines nodded in agreement, the Tanuki Oiler turned back to Eric and Sora, "Okay, we're going to slowly speed up until we hit about fifteen knots."

Unsure, Eric gave them a look even as he knew the same thought as he was about to ask went through his girlfriend's head, "Will the raft hold together?"

Silence met him for several minutes before his sister sighed, "We can only hope and pray that it does..."

And with that, they began to speed up until they were moving at fifteen knots. There was not any more talking between them, as the four shipgirls towing the fifth's raft needed to concentrate. Meanwhile, Sora just held Eric close as the raft creaked and groaned beneath them. By the time they got close, the Sun was close to peaking over the horizon with both Eric and Sora keeping an eye out for any planes.

Thankfully, there had been none yet, though soon their attention was caught by another item which made the lone male of the group, "Is that an island?"

With a glance towards it, even as she huffed and puffed, Samantha nodded, "It is... no idea where it came... from though as... it just... popped up... thankfully... it is not... fully active..."

Simply watching the column of ash rise above the mountain peak, and how steam could be seen enveloping one part of the island, Eric frowned some as he realized something, "Is that why you chose the wrecked ship?"

Nodding, Samantha pointed to the ship that was now visible, "Got it... in one... Bro. They won't... think to look... near an active... volcano."

Despite knowing that it was dangerous, especially as there was a loud rumble and the column rose even higher, her brother simply nodded. Soon enough, they reached the ship and the large hole in the hull that was just a few feet from the water's surface, enough so that some water could get in with especially large waves. With his sister and the other exhausted shipgirls holding the raft steady, Eric helped Sora into the ship, followed by himself before helping his sister and the others in. Last was Yumiko, who lifted the raft into the hole and out of sight before climbing in themselves, just as the Sun rose above the horizon.

For a few moments, they watched it climb upwards before giving each others looks and tying the raft in place and heading further into the ship and out of sight.

Once they found a place to rest, Samantha, Ho-31 and Ho-32, as well as Yumiko, all collapsed to the floor with groans. Almost immediately, Eric was there examining them, his hands running along their legs, "How bad is it?"

Letting out a hiss, Samantha shook her head, "Not as bad as it could be. My guys are doing their best to make some repairs, but... we won't be able to do that again and will need to take it easy. At least until we can get some actual repairs done."

Just nodding, her brother didn't say anything even as he used his only hand to massage out the kinks in his sister's leg muscles. Sora did much the same with the others to help out best that she could, and also assuage the guilt she felt due to them getting hurt. Watching her, Eric frowned, "You had some of your sprites looking over the raft, right?"

With a grunt, Samantha nodded, "I did, and the raft is fine... though if we went much faster or further at that speed, who knows?" She then sighed and shook her head, "This changes some of what we had planned."

Giving her a look, Eric frowned a little, "How so?"

A hiss escaped her as she sat up before holding up her hand to stop her brother from doing anything, "Right now, we were able to prove that while we could make the run, going full power is going to leave us in a really bad state. Which means we might be going to be adding one more leg to the journey in order to be sure to make it... Hachijyo-Jima. It'll add on another day, but it is of no use if we're completely wiped by the time we reach Mikura-Jima."

Only frowning, Eric considered that before sighing, "Makes sense, I suppose."

Rubbing the side of her head, Samantha frowned for a few moments before giving a nod. Then she spoke up, "He-14, He-16, and He-21? We have need of assistance." Each of the three Midget Submarines came forward and stood at attention, "As we planned, you're going to need to head out within the hour to reach Aogashima to scout it out and make sure that no monsters are there and report back." Reaching into her swimsuit, she pulled out three juice boxes, "Here, these should get you there."

Brightly smiling, the three nodded before they took said juice boxes and began to sip the contents. The other Midget Submarines were not let alone either as they also got juice boxes from their "Nee-San", which refueled their nearly empty fuel tanks. Some of the other little brings brought over food and the like from both Yumiko as well as Samantha to feed their own crews.

After they were done, the three Midget Submarines chosen to scout left and they could hear them jump into the sea shortly afterwards. Laying back, Samantha sighed a little bit, "Bro? I'm going to get some sleep and see if we can't fix my engines or get them back up to one hundred percent."

Simply nodding, Eric brought out the blankets and placed them on the floor, "Sure, Sis. Have sweet dreams." Not hearing anything, he chuckled as almost as soon as she laid on the blankets, his sister was out and he took out a final blanket, and soon fell asleep into a nap of his own with Sora cuddled into him.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Walking through the darkened corridors, Eric's only source of light was the lantern that was held by one of his sister's "Crewmembers". He had woken from his nap and been somewhat restless, especially as his sister and the others besides some of the Midget Submarines were all dozing. Thus, he decided to go exploring around the ship a little with some of the Sprites, as they had decided to call them, with him and armed with sidearms just in case.

Not, really, that it was all that needed due to a lack of anything onboard or signs of such.

Mainly, what he encountered was what one would on a rotting and decaying ship. Paint was peeling everywhere and there was the smell of dampness and decay overlaying that of metal and rust. And speaking of rust, that was also something else that he often saw everywhere he looked. Large stains of rust came down from walls and ceiling everywhere he looked as well as mold and fungus. Some of the rooms he looked in had windows, and the odd moss growing here and there. As he had been told though, there was no sign of the ship's crew anywhere... well... almost no sign.

Here and there he could see what looked like bullet holes in the walls, as if someone shot at something. So too, there were large gouges in the metal as if something clawed them as well as dents. Eric stopped at one, only to discover that it was more a hole, one that went all the way through the wall and out the other side of the wall. The metal having literally punched out. Part of him shivered as he tried to imagine what happened there...

And to also ignore the small pieces of something white he could see caught in the metal.

Instead, he continued his explorations, eventually coming to the stairs and walking up them. Not long afterwards, he entered where the bridge had been. Had been, because something had blown most of it away and part of it was missing. Not going close to the edge, after all he did not know how stable it was, Eric stared out onto the hull of the wrecked ship. There was a slight tilt that was visible here. Someone, perhaps the crew, had jammed the ship up onto the rocks hard enough that nearly ten years of typhoons and waves had not shifted it. Rather, from what he could see, they had only jammed the wreck still further onto the rocks.

Part of him wondered how long the ship would be here? Would it continue to rust away, slowly possibly collapsing in on itself? Until all that was left was a pile of rusted metal on the rocks where once the ship sat? Or would an earthquake dislodge it and send it over the side of the rocks where it would plummet to the seafloor so far below?

Shaking his head after a moment, Eric took a deep breath of the sea air before letting out as he closed his eyes and simply listened. He could hear the waves crashing against the hull and the rocks. As well, his ears picked up the piercing cries of seabirds as well as the distant rumbling of the volcano that was erupting less than ten miles away. Opening his eyes though, he looked out over the deck of the ship, long since cleared of the containers that once sat there. A few had likely fallen overboard or been taken for whatever reason.

The rest though was taken by Samantha and her group of Submarines. They had ripped them open one by one and picked them for supplies. Anything edible that was still good was brought back to the Torishima, where they would be eaten by those there. At least one of the containers had contained things like vitamins, which had helped Eric not get things like scurvy. Said thought reminded him of when they discovered what could help Sora get healthier...

**********************************

With a hum, Eric removed some food from the can and held it out on a plastic spoon for Sora to eat. Something that she did so with more than a little gusto and which made him chuckle, a fact that made her blush slightly. At her look, he scratched his cheek, "Sorry, that was just... kind of cute."

If anything, that caused her blush to deepen, "Cute? Really?"

Softly smiling, Eric gave the bed bound Kitsune a chuckle, "Extremely cute."

That made her smile a bit as she looked up at him before her smile fell and she looked down, "... I'm sorry."

Not having expected that, Eric blinked at her and stared for a moment, "Sorry? About what?"

Much to his shock, tears fell from Sora's eyes, "B-because I'm such a burden, Eric-Kun. A-all I do is lay on this b-bed a-and nothing else." Closing her eyes tightly, she sobbed, "I-I'm utterly useless and... and be-because of me, w-we can't leave this p-place..." Another sob broke free from her, "I'm sorry... M-maybe you should-"

Rather than say anything, he placed the now empty can of food to the side and pulled her into a tight hug, "Don't you dare say that, Sora. Never, ever even hint at what you were about to say again! I am not going to lose you. Please..."

Feeling her heart thudding hard in her chest, the now thirteen year old girl simply nodded and held onto him as tight as she could, tears pouring from her eyes. But despite his words, Sora did hate herself. Nothing that they did could help her get better, and unless she did get better, than they were never leaving that island. Her tears though stopped as she overheard one of her little people muttering about how he wished that they had more steel to complete her construction.

Words that made her glance at the now empty cans beside her bed.

Eyes closed, Eric sighed a bit before pulling back and noticing that Sora was looking at the empty can. Part of him was amused by that fact, since her mood seemed to have swung pretty far if she went from crying to wanting more. Chuckling, he gave a nod, "Give me a moment, I'll go and get some more." Getting up, he went into the small room where they stored the cans of food and came back out only to blink. When he had gone into the room, there was at least five empty cans.

Now there was two.

About to say something, Eric watched as Sora picked up one of the remaining empty cans and bit into it, quickly eating it. Rushing over, he opened her mouth, only to find that it was gone, "Sora! What are you doing!?"

Unsure, Sora fiddled a bit with her fingers before taking a small breath, "I... my hull needs steel. And, well... that's what the cans are?"

Mouth open, the teenage boy stared at her before shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose...

*****************************************************

A chuckle escaped the present day Eric as he shook his head since, as it turned out, her eating steel did in fact help her out. Something that had weirded them all out, but... they simply shrugged it off in the end. Now knowing that, Samantha and her Subs continually came back to the ship and took apart the containers, bring the steel back for Sora to eat. Not just that, but anything inside the containers that was steel also went into her stomach. Soda and beer cans emptied and washed out before she munched on them.

Slowly, but surely according to Samantha and the others, her hull grew. And as it did so, her strength also returned and soon she was able to move around herself. By the time they left the island, she had one main turret, a few secondaries, and some of her boilers. That said, she could only fire her main turret the once as shown before she started to get internal injuries that took time to repair. Still... it was enough for them to head out.

Of course, with the amount of containers taken, there was none left on the deck of the wrecked ship. In fact, from where Eric was, he could see that there was a small dusting of volcanic ash over the deck, with the odd drift. Most likely when the wind had changed and the ash from the nearby eruption had drifted over the ship and settled on the deck. He could even see the odd spot of green, some form of plant life that had taken root.

Then, there were the scores of seabirds, hundreds of them that seemed to have nested on the deck with their cries filling the air.

For several minutes, Eric stood there watching and listening.

He was brought out of it though as he heard the drone of an aircraft and his head looked up to find a dot heading for them. Eyes rapidly widening, he quickly ducked back further inside and towards the stairs that he went down, 'Hopefully, they did not see me... the last thing that we need is someone catching sight of us.'

Roughly a thousand miles to the northeast, two purple eyes blinked underneath silver hair, "Eh?"

Looking at her, Naka-α frowned some, "Akitsushima-San? Is something wrong?"

A frown on her face, the Seaplane Tender furrowed her eyebrows in thought, "Um, I don't know?" Seeing the look from the Light Cruiser accompanying her, she waved her hands in the air, "Taitei-Chan just saw something on that container ship that is wrecked on Beyonnaise Rocks, that's all. I... don't know what it was."

Eyes narrowing, Naka-α considered things before tapping her chin, "Hmm... the one on Beyonnaise Rocks?" At the nod, she hummed in thought, "Well... from what I hear that was a target for salvagers."

Suzutsuki frowned at that, "Salvagers?"

Turning to her, Naka-α gave a small nod, "Hai. There used to be a lot of shipping containers onboard it still despite being wrecked on the rocks. And then, about five years ago, Akagi-San noticed that there were fewer. It took some time, but we noticed that they were going missing. Abyssals seemed to ignore them, so it's thought that salvagers were the ones who were stealing the old shipping containers and likely selling them. But..." For a moment, she trailed off, "But there's none left."

Upon hearing a throat being cleared, they turned to Akitsushima who shifted a bit, "Well, um... I don't want to think of it, but maybe they're salvaging other things from her wreck?" At the confusion, she shook her head, "Steel is important and so are copper and the like..."

It went without saying that the three shipgirls shared a look before one of the other Destroyers piped up, "Maybe it's an Abyssal?"

Needless to say, that did not alleviate any concern at all. However, Naka-α turned to Akitsushima and took a breath, "Have Taitei-Chan hang around the area. If they are Abyssals, they're either going to run for it, or try and shoot it down. We'll know if it is either salvagers or Abyssals in an hour."

Chewing her lip as she did not want to put her little friend in danger needlessly, Akitsushima gave a nod, "Hai, I will."

After two hours had passed and Taitei-Chan needed to return to its Tender, Naka-α gave a sigh before putting her finger against her ear, "I'll pass this back to Yokosuka..." Several minutes later, she gave a nod, "They're sending some steel hulls this way, but they're not going to be here anytime soon. But they're not too worried or in a rush either, since they'd need a pretty big boat to get back to the mainland, probably hidding in one of the holes in the hull with the Mothership probably anchored at one of the nearby islands. We're to keep up our patrol though."

That only got nods and the others continued their route as Akitsushima gushed over how proud she was of Taitei-Chan when it returned for refueling, which seemed to make it very happy.
_________________________________________________

Relaxing some now that he was out of view of the plane, Eric made his way back into the hull of the ship. With a small groan, he stretched his remaining arm a little bit, 'Should probably go and tell the others...' Noticing that one of the Sprites is gone, he turned to the others, "What's going on?"

However, the one on his shoulder just shrugs and smiles a bit, "Desu, desu desu desu desu."

Eyebrow raised, Eric frowned a little, "He's gone on ahead, huh?" At their nods, he gives a small shrug, "Well... okay then."

Shaking his head, he began to walk back while the little beings around him smile at each other and shake their heads. Yes, his mother was an American, but his father was Japanese. Besides that? They considered him a man as proven by not giving up or giving in.

While walking a little, something caught Eric's eye and he blinked a bit in confusion, "What the...?" Walking forward, he moved a hatchway into another part of the ship open and frowned at what he found, "Feathers?"

One of the little fellows with him hopped off his shoulder and examined the feathers on the floor before shaking his head, "Desu?" Turning, he gave a small shrug to Eric, "Desu, desu desu."

Considering things, Eric looked at the hallway and frowned, "I... think that this leads to the mess hall. Not sure why though..." For a few moments, he looked at his "Escort" and they looked back before nodding. With a small smile, he gave a shrug, "Well... I did want to explore a little bit more... so let's go."

It was not a long walk down the corridor before they reached what had been the Mess Hall. Quite the opposite, as they reached it less than three minutes later and Eric opened the door to find nothing there. Here and there were the very few remains of tables and the like, but... nothing more. Scratching his head, he was about to say something as he walked forward only to sputter some as he walked into a spider's web, "Ugh, what the fuck?" Shaking his head, he frowned a little bit, "I hate walking into spider webs."

Around him, the various crewmembers of his sister snickered or chuckled, with one or two laughing. Something that made him roll his eyes and was about to comment when instead, one of the fairies noticed something and pointed, "Desu!"

Seeing the feather near the door to the main freezer, Eric walked towards it while moving around the various webs here and there. It was then that he noticed that there were some bird bones as well as what looked like fish as well that were hidden in the cobwebs under the cupboards, all the while the freezer door was ajar...

A number of minutes later found Samantha tapping her arm with one finger as she frowned in thought. Finally, she stood up with a grunt, "I'm going to go and find Eric. He should have been back by now."

Yumiko frowned and was about to say something when she frowned, "Wait, I can hear his footsteps and... wait, are those your Sprites walking?"

Confused, the Submarine Tender was about to comment when Eric came around the corner and they all froze due to the Jorogumo behind him. Said Spider Yokai also froze and cringed before hiding behind him, "Um..."

Looking between the Jorogumo, who was far too big to be hiding behind him, and his friends, Eric gave a small wave, "Sorry guys... turns out that I found someone here. Meet Hinata..."

From behind him, the now named Hinata gave a shy wave, "Um, hello? I'm Hanai Hinata... or the Food Ship Hōyo...?"

Everyone just stared for a time before the other Shipgirls who had once been normal teenage girls facepalmed hard, Eric sheepishly grinning.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Watching as the Jorogumo ate the fish that they had given her, Samantha frowned as she leaned against the wall, "Hōyo, huh? I... don't know of a ship of that name."

Eyes closed, one of the Midget Submarines suddenly snapped her fingers with a gasp, "I remember her!"

Just swallowing her food, Hinata looked over at the Submarine, "Um, you do? Really?"

Nodding, the Submarine smiled, "Sure do!" She then frowned a little, "Though I heard that the Dutch wizards sank you."

A shudder went through Hinata, but she nodded, "Hai, they came underwater while I was preparing to anchor off part of the East Indies and used blasting and piercing spells on my hull from beneath. I... sank quickly."

Wincing at that, Yumiko decided to change the subject, "So... Food Ship?"

Simply humming as she finished off the last bit of fish, the Jorogumo leaned back best that she could with her spider body, "Well, hai?" At their confused looks, she lightly blushed, "Apparently, they planned to use Yokai troops for a while. But... to do that, they needed to make sure that I would be able to supply the food that some might need."

Interested, Samantha raised an eyebrow, "Really? Like what then?"

Tapping her chin, the Jorogumo smiled a little bit, "Well, among the troops they had Tsuchigumo and others that, while they can eat cooked food, its easier if they had something more... palatable." She then puffed out her chest, "So they had me built! Like my... um, Nee-San, I guess?" Considering it, Hinata nodded slightly, "Like my Nee-San, the Food Ship Mamiya, I can carry fifty head of cattle inside of me to transport live or other forms of livestock, to provide for fresh meat."

Confused for a few seconds, Samantha figured out why and barely stopped herself from grimacing, "I see."

From where he was seated beside Sora, Eric gave her a slight smile, "That is kind of neat..." He then frowned a little, "As much as I hate to ask you..."

With a sigh, Hinata looked down, "You want to know how I ended up on this wreck..." At their nods, she shifted a little bit, "Um... my Okaa-San and I, we lived with Otou-San, who was a human. He was a cook at a resturant and sometimes I helped out though I was just a little girl. And I was really good at it too!" Frowning, she gave shake of her head, "One day though, I was coming home when I stumbled on some Aurors. I'm not sure, but I was thinking that they were trying to raid some place with Yokai outside the Reserves..."

That brought a wince from all of them as both Sora and Yumiko had told Samantha and Eric all about them.

Just nodding, the Jorogumo continued, "A-anyways... they saw me and started chasing me all over the place. I hid in a container, all the way in the back of it and, um... sort of fell asleep and when I woke up, I was on a ship. One of the crew found me when I came out and took me to see his Captain. They wanted to know what I was doing stowing away on their ship and I told them some bad men were trying to kidnap me so I hid and fell asleep. Because I was only ten, they were just going to get me back home, getting me to Aogashima to be brought the rest of the way when..."

Grimacing, Eric nodded, "When those creatures attacked."

Hinata sniffled a little, "Hai... I didn't see much of the fight because one of the crew members brought me to one of the holds and told me to hide. As soon as he was gone, I transformed and climbed up to the top w-when the ship started shuddering. And then it shook hard, when I guess it hit the rocks. I don't know how long it was, but... two of these female creatures came in, covered in human blood. They were talking about something, and one of them sneered at the containers before searching around the bottom. But I stayed on top squeezed between the containers and the ceiling so they never found me..." Looking down, she shifted a little, "I... something happened and I changed. But I was so scared I stayed up there for two or three days before I was too hungry and came out. Everyone was just... gone, though there was blood everywhere. And I could see the volcano rumbling nearby and with what was coming over the radio..."

Everyone waited as the Yokai gathered herself.

Swallowing, she continued, "I... made my way to Aogashima, b-but there was no one there. And the monsters nearly got me a few times before I returned back here. Because it was safer as they always ignored it."

With a look towards Sora, who nodded, the lone teenage boy walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder, "We can understand actually..." He began to tell their tale and soon, it was late afternoon when he finished, "... And that is about it."

Not saying anything, the Jorogumo considered everything that was said. Finally, Hinata chewed her lip a little and looked between them, "You said that you're heading back to Japan? By hopping from island to island?"

Already knowing the coming question, Samantha nodded with a smile, "You want to come with us? Because one more is not an issue."

Tears prickled at the corners of Hinata's eyes and she nodded, "Hai! Please, I'll help you however I can. I... I just want to go home..."

Once they nodded, she began to cry, which continued even as Eric held her and she hugged him back. Glancing at her brother's girlfriend, Samantha got a shake of the head from Sora. Then, she brought out some more fish, "Well, we should get eating so that our fuel tanks are all full... however that works."

Just nodding, Hinata smiled brightly as she wiped her tears away, "Hai, so we can go home."

It was after the Sun dipped below the horizon that they all left the wrecked ship and headed out towards Aogashima. This time, Hinata was helping them tow the raft after having wrapped strands of her silk around it to better keep it together. With that, they were able to have a higher speed of thirteen knots.

None of them knew that less than two hours after they left the ship, JS Kaga came up to it with some shipgirls. They radioed back that while there was no one there currently, there were signs on the ship found by the search parties that someone had been. Especially with the bones of fish and the like having been chewed. Obviously, the salvagers were somewhere nearby, though a flyby of Aogashima showed that no one was there on thermal along with no boat at the lone port and they began to go north from the island, and one ship with escort headed towards Torishima to have a look at it.

Meanwhile, with the group of shipgirls and one teenage boy, they were heading along the water towards Aogashima. Part of Eric noted how Hinata seemed to skate across the surface of the sea with her many legs, barely bothered by the weight that she was hauling with the others. Shaking that off, he decided to answer a question that he had, "By the way, Hinata?"

The Jorogumo blushed a bit, but shoved it down the best that she could seeing as he had told her that he was born in America, "Hai? What is it, Eric-Kun?"

Shifting a bit on his girlfriend's lap, he frowned some, "I was wondering about something." Getting a nod to continue, he did so, "Sam and the others have been coming and going to that ship back there for some time now. Yet, they never caught a hint that you were even there. How and why didn't you come out before now?"

While he could not see it even in the moonlight, Hinata's cheeks pinkened and she looked away, "I... was scared." At their shocked looks, she hung her head a little, "I didn't know who any of you were and, well... Jorogumo are not well liked. And you were always wandering around with guns and such, so..."

It was just a few seconds, but everyone could hear the ring of steel against steel and looked towards Samantha facepalming, "Dammit..." With a sigh, she turned to Hinata and gave her a small nod of the head, "I'm sorry about that, Hinata. Really, really sorry."

Waving her hand around, the spider Yokai shook her head, "N-no, I'm the one who should be sorry about it! If I had just tried to see who you were and why you were there... well, um..." Hinata took another breath and gave them all a soft smile, "I'm just glad that we met each other and that I took that chance."

Arms around her boyfriend, Sora chuckled, "And we're glad too. Because now we have a new friend." That seemed to be the right thing to say as the Jorogumo brightly smiled at that before turning back to keep an eye out for their destination. Once she turned, the Kitsune's smile fell a little, 'Though one who has been through as much hardship as us.'

Not even a moment later, she felt her hand gently squeezed and looked at Eric who smiled at her, almost as if he knew what she was thinking. Something that made Sora smile back at him before sighing as she placed her chin on his head and closed her eyes while keeping her tails wrapped around him to keep her boyfriend warm. A word that still made her... boilers warm nicely every time she thought of it.

Even now, she remembered how the two of them got together, three years after being stranded, they finally confessed to one another. In fact, she internally giggled, it was at the exact same time like in one of those romance manga she sometimes read. But once they realized what the other one had said, they laughed and embraced... right before sharing their first kiss. Yes, his breath was bad, but so was hers from so long with just 'Tooth cleaning charms', which did nothing about breath. And it was sloppy and unsure, as most are.

Yet, to them, it was perfect.

Two years later, as she was slowly getting stronger, Sora had talked with Samantha. And said Submarine had gotten the others to leave for a time to fish, which meant that she could have some alone time with Eric. Alone time that turned into more as they gave themselves to each other for the first time, which was a bit painful on her part, but she never regretted it. Nor did she regret any of the other times they had shared though they had worried about her becoming pregnant. Something that neither wanted to happen, but that they could not allow that not to show their love for each other. Thankfully, that worry had never come to pass...

With neither talking about their worry that, perhaps, her new state meant that she could not have children.

Opening her eyes, Sora's eyes met Eric's and the two smiled at each other before kissing. Pulling back some, she smiled as a twinkle entered her eyes, "Know what the first thing I know we're going to do is when we get back to civilization?"

Not said was how they were worried there was not one to get back to, but Eric simply smiled and nodded at that, "What, Sora?"

However, she did not say anything and leaned in to him and gently kissed his lips before pulling back. Then, Sora raised an eyebrow, "We're both going to brush our teeth several times and use mouthwash... and kiss, long and hard."

Blinking for a bit, Eric allowed that to go through his head before he laughed hard and loud at it. And he was not the only one as his own sister also laughed while Yumiko giggled and Hinata lightly blushed, through she had an amused look on her own face. The other Submarines only snickered and shook their heads at the antics of their "Onii-San and his girlfriend".

It had another effect though of lightening the mood and soon they began to chat with one another. Mainly, the Jorogumo getting to know the others besides their shared experiences with the monsters. When asked about where her parents worked, Hinata smiled, "Well, as I said, they worked in a small resturant which is in Yokohama. It, um, was not a very big one mind you. But it was really nice. Otou-San was the cook and Okaa-San manned the cash register usually or helped bring meals to people." Eyes softening, she looked towards where Japan was, "I used to spend a lot of my time there. Otou-San taught me how to cook so many things as I sat and watched. And once I got old enough, he let me do some of the things myself. One of the first things I ever did was make sandwiches, and both him and Okaa-San claimed that they were some of the best that they ever ate."

Softly smiling, Samantha gave her a happy look, "Sounds like a nice place."

Rapidly nodding, Hinata's brightened, "It is! We have the walls done in wood, Okaa-San knew an old Tanuki who was willing to do it for her. She claimed that she once saved his grandson from someone, one of the American Aurors after WWII during the Occupation..." Glancing at Samantha and Eric, she blushed, "Not that my family has any issue with Americans..."

Waving her off, Eric smiled, "Don't worry about it, Hinata. We believe you."

Briefly, the Jorogumo looked relieved before turning back and telling them more, "Well, um, the walls are done in wood and so is the floor. And we have all this old furniture as well, which makes it a really nice place and comfortable. We live in an apartment nearby as well."

Lips curling, Yumiko smiled, "Maybe once we get home, we can go and see it." Her smile then became a smirk, "And maybe, Eric can take Sora there on a date."

Just blinking, Hinata nodded some and turned to each of them, "If you do come, I'll give you all a discount on it."

That got nods, with the Submarine Tender waving a hand, "Going to look forward to it." She then began to talk about her own parents as well. The fact that her mother, and Eric's, were an English teacher made her eyes widen though she was interested since she had worked on her English to help with tourists. Yumiko also chimed in about how her mother worked as police officer and her father worked as a manager of a store in Tokyo. She had been visiting relatives on Aogashima that day that they went to see Torishima, thankfully none of whom had been on the boat.

Each of them hoped that her relatives were not killed, and no one mentioned the possibility.

At one point though, Eric fell asleep, leaning against his girlfriend and wrapped in her tails. A sight that brought a happy smile to her face as they continued on towards Aogashima and whatever awaited them.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Ahead of them, Aogashima loomed before the group making their way along the ocean. Seeing it, Samantha felt her heart lighten a little bit before she turned to the others and noted that outside her brother, who was still asleep, they all seemed to feel the same way. With a nod, she turned back towards the island, 'And so, we reach the next stop on our journey...'

Part of her knew that even if they could not go any further, the island was a safe place. Much more safer than the exposed land of Torishima. Food and fresh water aplenty compared to the other island. If they could have, they would have come here as soon as they could, but the opportunity never came up.

Yumiko frowned slightly before turning to Samantha, "You've been here recently, right?"

The Submarine gave her a small nod, "Us Submarines have been visiting the island on and off. Mainly because of the fresh fruits and vegetables that we could gather." She then tapped her head, "We got maps and such of where the food on the island is, which we can gather up and eat before leaving."

Head tilted to the side, Hinata gave a small smile, "Well, depending on what they have there, I'll make us some nice meals." All of those awake gave her thankful smiles, which she lightly blushed at. After so long of being on her own, having others to talk to was... nice. But then, the Jorogumo shook off her thoughts, "What do we have on the island?"

Briefly, Samantha's eyes closed before she opened them and gave a nod, "Well, there's all sorts of vegetables on the island. Both old crops and from gardens running wild. And there's some chickens and such as well. They taste a lot better than seabird."

That got grimaces from the others who nodded, including the Jorogumo. Giving it some thought, Hinata hummed, "I might be able to make something. And leave the catching of them up to me, I'll manage that." While the others nodded in thanks, the Jurogumo licked her lips, 'Chicken... it has been so long...'

Still swimming as they moved towards where the docks were on the southwest portion of the island, sheer volcanic cliffs rising above.

Looking up at it, Samantha gave a chuckle, and when the others looked at her, she shrugged, "My Dad, when he saw it, said that it looked like how he imagined Site B did from The Lost World novel." Seeing their looks of confusion, besides Sora, she smiled, "You know, the sequel to Jurassic Park?"

Confused, Hinata frowned some, "Jurassic Park?" At their nods, she thought back to the movie and looked at the island, "Um... that island doesn't look much like the one in the movie, maybe a bit?"

Lips twitching, Samantha shook her head some, "No, they changed how it looked for the movie. Apparently, in the original book it was inside of a crater, like Aogashima, with high crater walls protecting the inside where the dinosaurs were." Flashing her new friend a grin, she chuckled, "So sort of neat."

For her own part, the lone Tanuki among the four girls who were once normal, for a given sort anyways in the case of three, nodded, "That is actually sort of neat, Samantha-Chan."

It was not long after that they reached the dock where, once, ships had come to the island. Years before, there would be ships docked there as well as fishing boats, the only safe anchorage in the island. People would be heard going back and forth talking and the like. There would be noise, including ships' radios and the sounds from people's homes...

Now, however, it was as silent as the grave for so many that it was.

Once Eric was woken up, the group clambered up the remains of the dock and looked around. The concrete structure that was the docks themselves were in ruins with holes blasted in them by shell and by bomb. Here and there, small groups of holes marked where high calibur bullets had punched through the concrete.

And the rest of the island was not unscathed either as even from where they were, they could see that almost all the homes of the small village were just gone, obliterated in the opening attack. Everyone turned away from Sora, Eric, and Yumiko to give them a few moments to cry over the probable fate of their family members. Even Samantha, who had seen it herself before, felt some tears drip down her face, "Mom... Dad..."

Reaching out, her brother gave her a look. With a small nod, Samantha came over and hugged him, and was hugged not by just him but the others as they cried and mourned those they cared about. They stood like that for several minutes, just crying.

They were brought out of it though by a sound of tires coming towards them and turned to find Hinata hauling what looked like axels from a car with the wheels still attached. At the looks from the others, she blushed and gestured at the raft, "We can't leave that out on the open, so, um... we can put these under it and I'll glue them with some silk. We can pull it further into the island to hide."

Just wiping his eyes, Eric gave her a nod, "That's a good idea, Hinata. Thank you."

Softly smiling, Hinata gave the axels to Samantha and Yumiko to hold onto and then easily lifted the raft from the water. Bringing it over, she placed it on top of the axels before using silk to anchor it onto the "Frame" and reduce the chance of it falling apart. Once it was secure, Hinata gripped one of the tow lines as did Samantha and the others, this time including the Midget Submarines and they began to head into the island's interior as none of them had any wish to stay in what was all but a graveyard.

As they walked, the Jorogumo looked around them, able to see the forests and such, "I've always wanted to come here. Otou-San and Okaa-San talked about coming to here or Hachijyo-Jima. It's... beautiful here. And we always heard that the fruits and such were amazing."

Bemused, Sora chuckled a little from where she sat on the raft, due to not being able to move all that much under her own power and tiring easily, "Hai, the fruits were really good, Hinata-Chan. Like you would not believe." Licking her lips, she made a motion with her head towards Samantha, "She actually brought us fruits and vegetables fresh from here."

Lips twitching at the surprise on Hinata's face, Samantha gave a small nod, "I've got the range that I could actually get to the mainland on my own and back, but..." The Jorogumo nodded in understanding as to why she had not done that, "The fruits though were good and helped our diet."

Only nodding, the Jorogumo smiled a bit, "Maybe there might be some here even now... hmm... now what could I make..."

Each of the others shared an amused look at that until they finally reached the top of the ridgeline that marked the crater's rim and saw the interior of the island under the starlight and the light of the nearly Full Moon. All around the center, high ridges rose upwards, casting mysterious shadows along their sides. Their slopes coming down, forested and would be green in the daylight. In the center, rose a small, forested volcanic cone. Small lights, fireflies, drifted to and fro on the night breeze, creating a mystical look.

Standing (or in the case of Sora, sitting) there, they watched for several moments before turning to one another.

With a few more moments, the group slowly descended into the crater itself. As they did so, Samantha looked at the silk around the raft and then at Hinata, "Um, Hinata? I would hate to ask, but..."

Noticing the look, Hinata blinked and followed her gaze before nodding, "What do you need me to do?"

The Submarine girl gave a small smile, "Just want to know if you could put up webbing all around where we might be hiding over the day so that we can scatter leaves and such on top of it. All the better to hide it after all."

Much to her confusion, that got a giggle from Hinata, which made the Jorogumo blush a bit, "Sorry about that, but... that is kind of funny. Because my species of Yokai were, um, ambush hunters. And Okaa-San took me out into the woods sometimes to teach me the old ways, just in case they were ever needed." At the intrigued look, she shrugged, "Okaa-San was the runt of about two dozen children. So she left as soon as possible or else, um... they might have killed her." At the looks, she grimaced, "Jorogumo were like that back in the day."

Shuddering a bit, Eric shook his head, "I'm glad that you're not like that, Hinata."

At that, the Jorogumo blushed a bit, but smiled as she nodded, "So am I... because then I would not be me."

It did not take them very long to reach the crater floor and those among them with sensitive noses began to sniff. Catching that, Samantha frowned a little bit, "Is something wrong, you guys?"

However, Yumiko shook her head, "No, nothing is wrong..." She suddenly grinned a bit, "Quite the opposite actually. We can smell a hot spring nearby!"

Eyes widened at that and they shared a look. Frowning, Hinata looked around before concentrating with her rigging appearing around her. After a few moments, small beings rose up from her abdomen on brooms and shot into the night, "If there's a hot spring, my broomriders will find it."

Beside her, Yumiko did much the same, her own broomriders flying off, "Same here."

Only ten minutes found them coming to a stop beside a hot spring that gently steamed in the night air. Fingers twitching, Sora swallowed some, "Is... is it safe?"

Above the pool, those members of Hinata's and Yumiko's crew cast spell after spell to check. Finally, one of them raised their hand and smiled, "Desu!"

With a sigh, they all relaxed and looked around. Slowly, Samantha gave a small nod, "This is actually a pretty good spot, though I think that we should make camp... over there."

Pointing at a small hill, the others nodded and made their way over to it. Finding a stand of trees, they entered them and looked around with Hinata giving a nod, "This does look a bit better... all we got to do is make some shelter."

Simply nodding, Samantha gave a smile, "Then let's get cracking. We don't have much time before daytime."

Each of them shared a smile and the shipgirls headed out. They brought large branches and even parts of downed logs back, which they leaned up. Hinata would then wrap her silk around them, securing them into place and creating a sort of giant lean-to. Then, she went over the whole structure in her sticking webbing, onto which they tossed green leaves.

Finally, the Jorogumo climbed up into a tree and looked down at it before smiling and waving, "YOU CAN BARELY SEE IT EVEN FROM HERE! I THINK THAT WE'RE DONE!" Climbing back down, Hinata gave them all a smile and looked up at where the crater wall was slowly brightening as dawn came, "And just in the nick of time too."

Clapping her hands, Yumiko gave a small nod, "Hai, it really is in the nick of time." With a small look around, she raised an eyebrow, "Time for breakfast?"

However, Hinata shook her head, "Give me... about an hour or two to forage and I'll have something made up."

At their nods, she headed off into the forest and vanished among the trees. Watching that happen, Eric only shook his head and smiled, "Well... we should probably get our fire going-" Before he was even finished, one of the little beings that lived within Sora popped out and lit the small stack of sticks on fire, "... Never mind."

They all had a laugh at that.

Less than an hour later found them all crowded around the fire. They could all smell and see the eggs and chicken cooking as Hinata did her work, the shelter large enough to accomidate her. Glancing at her, Eric smiled slightly. The Jorogumo's outfit was a pink, though slightly stained, buttoned shirt and blue skirt. From her head, her brown hair fell down to her human half's lower back in a loose ponytail. At last, the Spider Yokai straightened a bit and pulled out plates that she placed the food onto, "Here, it's all done." As they took the food, she sighed a little, "I just wish that I had more to work with..."

Upon taking a bite of the eggs, Eric shook his head, "If this is what you can do with only a 'little', then you would be amazing if you had all that you wanted."

It went without saying that made the Jorogumo blush. But she had a small smile on her face as she gave him a nod, "Thank you..."

Chewing her food, Samantha shook her head, "Bro is right, Hinata. This is amazing!" Looking at the egg, she smiled, "You put onions and the like into this."

Blush deepening, Hinata gave a small shrug, "I found a garden that I'll be going back to. There were other vegetables that I can grab there and..." She gave a small nod, "I saw a few wild pigs. I can kill one and we'll have a nice meal for either lunch or dinner."

Each of them nodded rapidly at that before going back to eating as the the Jorogumo began to deed the rest of their group with other chickens that she was cooking as well as eggs.

Once they were all fed, including Hinata herself, Eric leaned back some, "So... what now?"

For several moments there was silence and the girls looked at each other before blinking and speaking at the same time, "Hot springs."

Rolling his eyes, Eric got to his feet and they all trudged to said hot spring. When they reached it, Hinata looked at her clothes and frowned a little, "Um, I really don't want to get my clothes wet..."

She trailed off as Samantha just shucked off her swimsuit and brought out a bucket which she filled with hot water before pouring it over herself with a groan. Bringing out a cloth, she began to scrub though there was no lather. And she was not the only one either as the others did much the same, though the Submarine Tender noticed the Jorogumo go bright red. Realizing why, she blushed a little herself, "Um, we've been stuck on the island for so long that, well... it stopped bothering us. Sorry."

Quickly, Hinata waved her hands some, "N-no, it is all my fault, sorry." Taking a deep breath, she did much the same as the others after gathering her courage. Simply ignoring their looks, though she blushed deeply both due to that and glancing at the others herself, the Yokai did much the same and dumped hot water over herself before doing her best to scrub herself down. On her abdomen, some of her crew came out with brushes and began to scrub as well. Without soap, it was not quite as effective as it might have been, but it still got off some of the dirt.

When they decided that they had done as well as they could, they all entered the hot spring and the shipgirls all groaned a little at the feeling of the hot, mineral rich water. For his part, Eric leaned back as Sora cuddled into his side while at the center, Hinata crouched down for as much of her to be covered as possible by the water. Something that she did well at as she curled her legs underneath her and it was quite deep. Each of them relaxing as they laid there in the hot water, knowing that the toughest part of the journey was ahead of them.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

The Reward For A Job Well Done

23 May 2014

Fairmont Chateau, Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada
Spoiler: A Huli Jing's Past

A sad bittersweet smile curled Mei Yuying's lips at the sight of Colombe d'Aubigny du Chasteler, the woman who was the sire of her firstborn , her Shǎguā -- her life experience as a Canadian citizen for a century and a half automatically translated the pet name as "Silly Melon" -- walking through the door of the hotel room next to hers in the arms of another.

She could not fault Colombe for her selection of Masamune-no-Tokunotakai, truly. Which was perhaps the bitterest realization of the day. She had spoken truly to their daughter when she told her Little Clever Fox that what had happened between the rapier spirit and her was a long gone wonderful dream between two young people in love with each other.

She stepped inside her room, closed the door and then leaned against it with a deep sigh.

People who had each moved on from those magical days and nights together where they were the world to each other.

That time when a scared and traumatized young girl clutching her oath to keep a priceless treasure safe from unworthy hands and a foreigner bound by nothing more than her own ethics and word of honor traveled the length of a China wracked by war, rebellion, and a loss of the Mandate of Heaven by the tottering Manchu Dynasty.

Now that foreigner was a hero tempered by loss, suffering, betrayal, and the other experiences that had scarred her soul in the process of refining her into a true hero of legend.

A hero that Yuying wished with all her heart had been born Chinese or called to defend the Middle Kingdom so she could have unburdened herself completely to Colombe as they fled one step ahead of the Taiping God-Worshipers and their compatriots in the Heaven and Earth Society.

But that potential path was was long gone, and truly Yuying could not fault Colombe for following in her father's footsteps as a servant of the Shinto Protector of Warriors. It would be the height of hypocrisy to do so when she herself had trained to follow in her own parents' footsteps from birth.

She had known that this day would come when she saw the spark of righteous determination Ying had in her eyes as a young girl when Amah finally told her of her true parentage. Not least because she had seen that same spark in Colombe's eyes and then her own.

Unbidden, words from Master Kong's teachings rose up in her memory.

"The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence."

She barked a laugh as she walked to her bed and sat down on it.

Colombe had that in full, as did Wei Ying... and so did she thanks to their inspiration.

With that she gestured her hands and chanted in Chinese. The wards and alarm spells that she had cast in her hotel room after checking in flickered to life in layer after layer of magical characters. She carefully examined them, and then nodded.

Finally she opened her suitcase and took a very deep breath. The omens of what was coming to threaten her Eldest Daughter were troubling at best. Which is why she had come to see her face to face, perhaps for the last time.

With that she removed a plain wooden cosmetic box from the suitcase. A pouch of incense sticks and a rosewood incense holder of a fox followed to be placed on the table. Last two slips of rice paper were removed.

She took a deep breath and cast additional privacy charms. Finally satisfied that she was as private as she possibly could, she placed a stick of incense in the holder.

As the incense lit, she placed her hands cupped under her open mouth and shifted to her true form of a humanoid three tailed fox. She closed her eyes and coughed up her fist-sized Spirit Pearl from where it normally lay in her liver, then whispered to it.

A pale mist flowed from it to the cosmetic box which blurred, and shifted to its true form.

In place of the wooden box, a writing kit one chi in length and a half-chi in width crafted from a single piece of the finest pure blue jade and ornately decorated and engraved with five-clawed dragons by a master craftsman rested.

Yuying knelt and performed the three obeisances and nine kowtows to the writing kit before placing her hands upon it. A pause and then enchantments three millennia old shimmered to light up and down its length as the lid opened. Inside a brush stand carved of blue jade, a natural ink stone formed of mutton-fat blue-white jade, and a writing brush carved of the blue jade and tipped with the golden whiskers of a dragon waited for her.

Yuying arranged the ink stone and brush on its stand before her with the formal, ritual motions taught in the Book of Rites.

She then took a deep breath, remembering a day a century and a half before when she had revealed the Mei family's oath to hold the Writing Set of the Shi in trust for the next fated person who would assume the Mandate of Heaven. The look in Ying's eyes as she was sworn to carry on her maternal lineage's sacred duty. Her daughter being consecrated to Guān Shèng Dì Jūn, and the words of her oath of service to the Middle kingdom and the Celestial Court inscribed on the blade and scabbard of her true body, of her very soul by this brush in the hand of her mother.

She then closed her eyes and began to weep as she thought of her long-dead murdered parents, the country that she had elected to exile herself from in pursuit of her duty, her deceased husband, sons, and younger daughters, and her fears for her eldest child. A single tear fell from her muzzle and landed in the cup of the ink stone, which began to glow. It shimmered, and filled with the vermilion ink that had since time immemorial been reserved for the tianzhi's requests to the Celestial Bureaucracy.

Yuying dipped her brush in the ink and began to write a humble petition addressed to Guān Shèng Dì Jūn requesting that he protect and strengthen Wei Ying as she fought the yaojing forces of chaos, madness, and evil to defend the helpless. All that a mother's love for her firstborn could do, she would do for her Little Clever Fox.

And in a room an ocean away deep within the Middle Kingdom, a set of eyes opened from meditation. Xiao Chaogui's clawed hand grasped the glowing piece of masterfully carved blue-green jade that was the Chuán Guó Xǐ as it reacted to the use of another of the Five Treasures as he had the image of blue lakes and great mountains form in his mind. His voice hissed "Those who worship the demon devils are truly the pawns and slaves of the demon devils; from the moment of birth they are deluded by devils and at the day of their death the devils will drag them away."

-------------------------------

RCMP Station

Lake Louise, Canada

3 June 2014

"Thank you for your time Miss du Chasteler." The magistrate shook Colombe's hand as the bailiff handed back her peace-bonded sword. "We shall contact you if any further clarifications are needed, yes?"

Colombe nodded wearily. The past days had been hard as she exposed all her actions for well over two centuries to the scrutiny of magical law enforcement. "Ying... Chief Superintendent Wei said that this would get adjudicated by the ICW. Do you know when it will be decided on?"

The Mountie shrugged. "We have a hearing for early July. Until then, try to stay out of trouble, eh?"

Colombe laughed. "I'll try, but... well you saw."

"Indeed we did. For the record, our judgement is that you obeyed the spirit of the law, generally." With that the door opened and Colombe headed outside to the waiting embrace of Tokunotakai.

Yuying watched their reunion and then nodded to her. "I got a letter from Ying this morning. They are still working on containing the wendigo outbreak in Stillwater."

Colombe gave a worried smile. "I see. Well I shall write to her wishing her well. I know how much letters to the front matter to a soldier on deployment."

Toku chimed in. "I shall offer my support as well. She is certainly deserving of that. But for now, let us show you around this beautiful country before we have to go our separate ways."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Kneeling on the dirty floor, Tenryuu frowned as she looked around the room in thought. "Hmm..."

A voice suddenly made her turn to find Tatsuta there, "Well? Did you find something, Nee-San?"

For a few moments, Tenryuu glanced around the room before nodding, "There's definite signs that someone has been living here. Look over there." She pointed towards mats of dried seaweed and grass, "Those are definitely beds of some sort. And this whole room has no dust. You would think that more than ten years since someone last visited, this whole place would have dust all over it."

Scratching her chin, the other Light Cruiser only nodded, "Hai, one would definitely think so. But why would they be here?"

Only furrowing her eyebrows, Tenryuu shook her head, "Now that is a very good question, and one that I don't know the answer to. Which bothers me to no end."

Right then, Inazuma's voice called out, "KAA-SAN! WE FOUND SOMETHING! COME QUICK!"

With a shared look between them, they rushed out to find Inazuma with Akatsuki looking at piles of stones with several JMSDF personnel who were muttering to each other. Walking up, Tenryuu frowned a little bit, "What did you find, Ami-Chan?"

The Destroyer pointed at one of the larger, flat stones, "Look, those are graves, Kaa-San. All of them..."

Eyes widening, Tenryuu scanned them and cursed, "Shit, there has to be at least two dozen, but how do you know-" It was then that she noticed writing on the flat stone which was not much more than a name and a prayer for the one who laid under it, "Hmm... can one of you confirm this? Because I know there were no graves on this island."

Slightly grimacing, one of the sailors nodded and headed back to the RHIB on the shore, "I'll head back to the Fubuki and get a shovel."

As he left, Inazuma called out, "AND GET ONE OF THE SUBMARINES HERE, NANODESU! THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND SOMETHING UNDERWATER SINCE WE GOT ODD SONAR RETURNS!"

That only got her a nod and soon they were gone.

Less than two hours later found Tenryuu looking down at a grinning skull, still mostly buried in volcanic ash. Closing her eyes, she said a small prayer for the lost soul before straightening. Finding Verniy and Ikazuchi coming back, she turned to them, "You two find anything?"

Glancing a bit at the dug up grave as they reburied it, Ikazuchi grimaced some though it was not the first dead body that she had seen, "Hai, we did, Kaa-San." She jerked her finger back the way we came, "We noticed some of the soil in an area disturbed and started digging. Found all sorts of fish and bird bones as well as what looked like eggshells as well as shells of crabs and the like. Someone's been eating here and doing so for a long time."

Eyebrow raised, Tatsuta turned towards her sister and frowned at the thoughtful look on the other Light Cruiser's face, "What are you thinking, Nee-San?"

Her own eye narrowing, Tenryuu shook her head, "I'm thinking that, perhaps, it is not salvagers that we're looking for..."

Four hours later found them, and RO, inside of the JS Fubuki's waiting room gathered around photographs and the like. One some it showed what looked like the bow portion of a vessel blown in half that laid about two hundred and fifty feet down. Nothing behind it after a certain point, which made the Fubuki's Captain frown, "What ship is that?"

His XO answered after looking at some notes, "That would be one of the tour boats from before Blood Week. They used to come by Torishima with tourists to see the whales and the like. But this one was confirmed to be lost just after contact with Iwo Jima and the like was lost but before the other Izu Islands came under attack."

Slowly, finger tracing the map of said islands, Tenryuu nodded, "Seems about right. The Abyssals during the opening days rolled up the islands in a few hours on their way towards where they would fight the First Battle of Tokyo Bay."

Glancing at her, the Captain frowned, "You're thinking survivors? For this long?"

With a hum, Tenryuu gave a small nod, "Hai. And it is not impossible as there were survivors from WWII hiding out on islands in the Pacific for decades after the war was over. Still though... pretty damn badass nonetheless."

Inazuma looked at everyone else there, "But how did we miss them, Nanodesu? The Carriers often perform flybys to check on the islands for Abyssal activity. Shouldn't they have picked up someone living here?"

No one had an answer for that question. But then, Verniy's eyes widened and she looked back at the map, "I may have an answer." At their looks, she tapped the map, "We didn't have partial control of the sea around the islands until about two years into the war. Until that time, the Abyssals patrolled up and down looking for survivors and killing them."

Cursing, Tenryuu growled as she narrowed her eyes, "Which would make any survivor gun shy. They would assume that any aircraft were Abyssal after the first few times of being attacked. And more than that, if they only came out at night when the Abyssals did not fly aircraft, that means that we would have missed them as well."

The Captain of the Fubuki scowled, "Shit. They have either the best luck in the world or the absolute worst. I don't know which it is. But..." He frowned a little bit, "Why now? Why leave this island now and how?"

Finger tapping, RO spoke up, "There's been little Abyssal activity since three years ago. Maybe they thought it safe to make a run for the mainland. As for how... maybe they found or made a boat? We did find wood chippings nearby."

A frown on her face, Tenryuu placed her finger on the map and traced it, "Okay, so they headed out from Torishima and stayed at Beyonnaise Rocks in the wreck there for shelter. We're talking more than a hundred miles journey there, most likely during the night. Considering what we found there, they likely rested for a few days. Their next destination would be..." She tapped her finger at one point, "Aogashima."

Nodding, the XO looked at his Captain and then walked towards the phone to contact the bridge, "We should reach the island just after dark." His expression became sorrowful, "We not looking for illegal salvagers... we're looking for survivors."

With a nod of her own, Tenryuu jerked her thumb towards the door, "Me and the Kids will head outside and provide escort."

Moments later, they all headed out to perform their own thing.

_________________________________________________________________

Looking up as the Sun slowly sank towards the rim of the crater, shadows lengthening, Eric gave a small smile, 'Almost time to head out.' His smile was only partially due to the fact that they would be heading out soon and partially due to the smell that tickled his nose, "That really does smell good."

Hinata gave a small smile with a slight blush as she turned the dead pigs on the spits they were on with two of her legs, while her human hands worked at peeling some fruits that they had found, "Thank you, Eric-Kun." For a brief moment, her blush deepened before she went back to cooking, "Hopefully it tastes good."

Bemused, Samantha gave her a look before turning to the pigs whose skin had began to brown and crack some, "Somehow, I doubt that it won't taste any good. Because right now, that looks like one of the most delicious things that I've come across and smells like it too."

Rapidly nodding, one of the Kuwasu Midget Submarines smiled up at her, "It really does, Hinata-Oba-Chan." Then, she licked her lips some, "How did you ever learn to cook so good?"

Softly smiling, though she had a shy look at being called "Aunty", the Jorogumo hummed, "Actually, my Okaa-San taught me." At the looks, Hinata had a look of fond remembrance, "She used to take me out into the mountains during the warmer months to teach me what it meant to be Jorogumo. Which included hunting and how to feed myself out in the wilderness. Otou-San would sometimes join us since during hunting season, Okaa-San would bring back wild game for him to cook in our resturant."

Tilting her head to the side, Sora tore her attention away from the cooking meat as hard as it was and turned towards Hinata, "By the way... how did your parents meet? If they ever told you, that is? Seems... a bit odd, no offense"

Just blinking, Hinata sheepishly chuckled, "Right, I forgot to mention that..." Looking up, she smiled, "And I don't take offense, like I said, I know well the reputation that Jorogumo have nowadays, even with most of us being far better than what our ancestors were." Taking a few moments, the Spider Yokai began, "Well, my Okaa-San, like I said, was a Jorogumo. She used to live in the Alps, mainly minding her own business. That was until the 1980s when there was a real push by the Magical Diet to crack down on Jorogumo and Tsuchigumo remaining in the mountains outside the Reserves after a few sightings. Okaa-San said later it turned out to have been an illegal acromantula farm that was the problem, but she still had to flee the Aurors. At one point, she hopped onto a train and laid herself down on top hoping to escape..."

Voice soft, the Kitsune Battleship gave a small nod, "The Reserves are awful places and my Okaa-San mentioned that for some species, even death is perferable to being sent to them."

Not saying anything for a moment, Hinata sighed before thinly smiling, "Hai..." Then her expression brightened, "But it was lucky for my Okaa-San as she met my Otou-San. You see, my Okaa-San arrived in Osaka during the early nineties. Due to various reasons, she was not really able to have a good job, most of them were low wage. She had the choice between shelter and food. For food, she just made due with vermin as well as pigeons and such." Ignoring the grimacing, she continued, "My Otou-San was also in Osaka at the same time. You see, he was studying at a culinary school there. Sure, he knew that he would never become a chef at a highly ranked resturant, but then all he wanted was his own small one and to perhaps pass it on to any children he might have. One day, as he was walking home from class with some food leftover, he found this shabbily dressed woman on a bench in a park in the rain. He told me that she looked so depressed that his heart went out to her and so he walked over and held his umbrella up above her head until the rain had stopped. And hearing her stomach growl, my Otou-San handed her the leftovers he had, which she basically devoured to his amusement.'

Knowing where this story was going, Yumiko chuckled some, "That woman was your Okaa-San, wasn't it?"

Slowly, the Jorogumo nodded with a small smile, "Hai, it was. Because the rain had taken so long to stop, the two of them sat there and talked. My Otou-san found out that my Okaa-San basically worked odd jobs and the like, such as stocking shelves, and that was the first real meal she had in three days. Being as he was learning to be a cook, that did not sit well with him and he told her that he often had leftovers from his culinary classes and she was more than able to have them. After all, his own parents were not well off and had taught him to always pass on one's good fortune. So every day, he would come by with food for her to give and the two would simply talk. He even found out where she had lived and told me that he fell in love with her, and she told me that she fell in love with him. Though she was certain that it was not to last due to being a Jorogumo."

For several moments, she did not say anything which made Sora tilt her head, "So... obviously, she was wrong. Which then begs the question of what happened?"

Humming as she continued to gather her thoughts, Hinata glanced at her friends, something that made her heart swell, "Well, one evening, my Okaa-San was waiting and found that he had not arrived. Her instincts told her that something was wrong and she rushed along the route that she knew he followed." At their confused looks, she giggled a bit, "Once, she actually followed his route and found his school and the like." The Jorogumo's expression fell, "But... she found him not far away actually, on the ground and bleeding out while two men stood over him, one with a knife that was covered in his blood as the other went through my Otou-san's wallet looking for money. She figured that they were drug addicts or what have you needing money for their next fix."

That got winces from the others before one of the Midget Submarines leaned forward, "What happened next, Oba-Chan? Did she save him?"

A small smirk on her face, Hinata giggled darkly, "She did, though the two crooks did not enjoy it. First, she grabbed the two of them and held them up in full Jorogumo form... according to her, they literally pissed themselves and, well, let's say they should have worn the brown pants." Giggles and snickers erupted from the others, though Sora and the older teens did have a small shudder at imagining what an angry Jorogumo would look like. But then, their friend continued, "Anyways, Okaa-San then hung them out of view and gagged them before rushing towards the hospital. She placed Otou-San just out of sight of the cameras and screamed as loud as she could, which brought people running with her hiding up above them watching. Once they took him inside, she went back and... taught the two crooks a lesson."

Frowning, Samantha furrowed her eyebrows, "Did she...?"

Just shaking her head, the Jorogumo chuckled, "No, she did not kill them or even really physically harm them. Okaa-San just scared the ever loving heck out of the two of them. Stuff like dangling them off a nearby six story building and letting them drop nearly to the ground before her silk stopped them. Or, at the end, anchoring them against a concrete wall and picking up a dumpster, one of the large ones, and slamming it into the wall less then a foot from their heads while crumpling it. Apparently they fainted several times with her waking them via slapping their faces, but that time she left them there, transformed back into a woman, and screamed while looking into the alley and running away. She watched from a few blocks away as the police arrived to take them down, though she ran when the Aurors arrived."

Despite themselves, the others felt a bit sorry for the muggers.

Meanwhile, Hinata continued her tale, "Well, three weeks later, my Okaa-San received a knock on her door and opened it to find my Otou-San. Apparently, he had been released from the hospital a week earlier and tried to wait for her at their usual spot. According to her, when she let him in, and after he put the food he brought down, he gave her a hug and told her that he was thankful that she was safe... and that she looked different than the last time he had seen her. Turned out, he had seen her true form and was not bothered at all by it. Also asked to see it now that he was not partially unconscious from blood loss. Okaa-San said that she sort of freaked out, but he calmed her down by kissing her and telling her that he did not care. And even when she transformed into her true form, all he apparently said was that it was a good thing that he liked legs the most when it came to a woman's looks."

Only facepalming, Eric laughed at that, "Did he really say that? Seriously?"

Grinning a little, Hinata giggled, "Hai, he apparently did say that, which flustered Okaa-San to no end. But... it was about then that they began to seriously date and a year later, the two of them married before having me after moving to Yokohama and starting my Otou-San's resturant."

A chuckle escaped from Yumiko for a moment before she suddenly paused, "Wait, you said that the Aurors were involved? How did he not get Obliviated?"

Now smirking a bit, the Jorogumo gave her an amused look, "Apparently, one of their junior members came by since they knew that a Jorogumo was involved. They interrogated him about seeing a 'Spider woman' which one of the 'Witnesses' had stated they had seen and rescued them. He scoffed and told them that this was not a comic book and that Spiderman did not exist... or Spiderwoman before commenting that the idea of a Spiderwoman from the comics in real life was sort of hot. When they continued, he just told them that he had not seen a Jorogumo, because those don't exist and he was not a drug addict... then asked why one of them had three eyes, which they figured was because of the drugs. Must have decided that he really was unconscious."

In reply, Eric shook his head before a thought occurred to him, "Whatever happened to the muggers?'

Blinking, Hinata thought it over before giving a small shrug, "They went to jail and still are there from what I know of due to all the charges laid against them. No idea what's happened to them..."

Right at that moment, in a Japanese prison, one of the guards rolled his eyes as he heard hysterical screaming before going to check. Stopping in front of one of the cells, he sighed at the two there, "Dammit you two, what the fuck is your problem now?"

The two of them were scrambled up onto the bunkbed and as far into a corner as possible while pointing at the floor, "THERE'S A BLOODTHIRSTY MONSTER! RIGHT THERE, OH KAMI IT'S COMING CLOSER! GET IT, GET IT!"

Slowly blinking, the guard looked to find a tiny little spider on the floor just walking around. It skittered a bit closer to the bed, making the two prisoners scream louder even as they cried about not wanting to die. A fact that made the guard close his eyes and pinch his nose, "We really need to get the two of you actual professional help for your arachnophobia, honestly..." Then he paused, 'At least it is not like the time they ran down some Yakuza because one of them had a spider drop down from the ceiling in front of him... and the Yaks found it funny enough to let them off with a light beating.'

At the same time, Hinata frowned a bit, 'Why do I feel like I should be cackling evilly at someone?' Considering it, she shook her head before testing the meat and giving a nod, "Okay, time for dinner!"

Nearly faster than she could blink, and much to her amusement, the various shipgirls and one teenage boy were there with the plates she had given them. Pulling out a knife from inside her clothes, she began to carve pieces of cooked pig off and handing said hunks to the various people. Hinata took the remaining parts and began to eat herself. Eyes closed, Sora groaned a bit, "So good..."

Opening her eyes, she watched as Hinata blushed, "Um, thank you..."

Everyone chuckled a bit as she went and tore a large hunk of beat with the sharp teeth in her mouth right off the bone while hiding her embarrassment.