Harry Potter & the Shipgirls

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

Bull Moose and Butterknife

Sagamore Hill, Oyster Bay, New York

March 5th, 1900
Spoiler: TR

"Hello Theodore, Edith." A woman's voice caused the middle aged man to turn and adjust his pince-nez glasses. A broad smile showing his white teeth underneath his bushy brown mustache split his face in a grin.

"Delilah de Breuil, as I live and breathe! Bully! What brings you out here?" Theodore's voice boomed out to fill the parlor where he had been writing while his wife taught his youngest son the alphabet.

Edith politely nodded, getting a return nod from Delilah, who was well aware of the woman's preference not to shake hands with anyone but the closest of friends. Which Theodore was to her, she mentally added as his firm handclasp and squeeze caused her eyes to water with the vitality and force in it.

Delilah returned the hand-grasp as best she could while wondering -- not for the first time! -- if Theodore one day would leave dents in her steel body with one of his handshakes.

She glanced briefly at Edith. "I just got back from handling some business in the Dakota Territory, and thought you would like to see a daguerreotype of my most recent trophy. Also I wanted to stop by and meet your youngest. Hello Quentin, I'm Delilah de Breuil. Your father and I met out in the Dakota Territory in 1883 and we have been friends ever since."

"Just so, just so!" Theodore exclaimed as his son looked at the auburn-haired woman. "I was surprised to meet someone from society out that way, much less an equestrian and crack shot. Those were the days, weren't they... our first buffalo hunt."

Delilah smiled wistfully as she accepted a glass of apple cider from the servant. "Indeed they were, Theodore, indeed they were. Days that made us all realize what a wild and wonderful country that we have been given by a gracious and generous God. A land that we are called upon to be good stewards of."

The adults nodded as Delilah leaned forward. "I know other members of the Republican Party have spoken to you about taking up the open Vice-Presidential spot on the ticket beside President McKinley since poor Hobart died of a weak heart in office four months ago. I know that you have publicly said that you shall not pursue or accept the nomination. And I know how stubborn you are about your word, you bull moose. All I shall ask of you as your friend is when you go to the Party Convention as a delegate, keep an open mind about events. Nothing more, nothing less. If you are called upon to serve by your fellows, well, God calls us to our roles and His ways are always to the benefit of us all."

Theodore Roosevelt stared into her eyes, bright blue meeting leaf green then nodded slowly. "'There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.' I'll go with an open mind, Delilah."

Delilah's lips curled in a smug smirk. "Shakespeare has a way of cutting to the heart of matters. Now, you have to see the size of this she-grizzly that came out of the Black Hills to prey on my cattle...."
-------------------------------

Gardiner, Montana

February 19th, 1903

President Theodore Roosevelt stepped away from the cornerstone of the new entrance arch to the world's first national park that he had just laid. Flashes and smoke showed the photographers practicing their craft. He gave his patented broad grin underneath his graying mustache then walked over to the group of friends and dignitaries who had taken the new rail line to the entrance that was being constructed under his watch.

Delilah winced once again as he clasped her hand hard enough to produce a pained hiss. The man that the papers called the Human Dynamo, The Lion, and the Rough Rider grinned and leaned in. "A good start, Delilah. Those laggards in Congress will pass the bill to expand our conservation and protection programs of the wilderness and Mother Nature for generations yet unborn to enjoy and profit from as we have if I have anything to say about it. And I do!"

Delilah gave a matching smug grin as she thought of the talisman that she had persuaded Theodore to include as part of the time capsule that was now buried at the entrance to Yellowstone. A talisman that was not just a 'gift from an Indian friend who was my ranch manager in the Dakotas' but also the keystone of the wards that she was going to activate tonight to conserve and protect Yellowstone's magical places as well.

Another small step for MACUSA alongside the no-maj efforts that her friend was pioneering to one day make America the great and good nation that it had the potential to be. For all its people, black, red, yellow or white. Man or woman. No-maj and wizard. Human and nonhuman one and all.

Tears of joy filled Delilah's eyes and voice as she responded, "A good start indeed Theodore. A very good start on the great task remaining before us all that we so far have nobly advanced."

Theodore looked as if he was going to ask her a question, but then shook his head, gave her a smile filled with respect, and moved on to the next person.
-------------------------------

Rio da Dúvida ("River of Doubt"), Amazon Rain Forest, Brazil

March 17th, 1914

"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure-dome decree; In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure-dome decree; In Xanadu...." The words spilled forth in a broken endless torrent of phrases from the rail thin man who thrashed by the dying campfire. A jaguar's scream from the darkness of the rain forest punctuated the feverish babble of maddened words. Another thrash of his gaunt body in the throes of the fever that was eating him alive showed his injured leg, the gash crudely bandaged with angry red and purple streaks runnign the full length along with the myriad of mosquito bites from that had given him and the others malaria and yellow fever.

Delilah de Breuil, equally haggard, exhausted, starved, and sick wearily crawled over and grasped Theodore Roosevelt's skeletal hand. She choked out in a hoarse croak. "I'm here Theodore. Just as I promised you and your son Kermit when you decided on this expedition." Her thin fingers squeezed the burning feverish flesh loosely hanging from the bones of the near-dead man.

Delilah's tears filled in her eyes as Theodore Roosevelt gasped out once more, "In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure-dome decree; In Xanadu..." An endless stream that was all that he could comprehend as the fever baked him alive as it had for the last nine days. Even her subtle spellcasting and her last healing potions could do nothing more than give her great friend a fighting chance as he wrestled with Death.

She pulled out a canteen of water from the uncharted river that they were mapping and tapped her wand to it to purify the life-giving fluid, before raising it to his lips. "Here, drink, Theodore." She whispered. "Please, do it for me, old friend. Please."

Automatically he swallowed and his hand squeezed hers briefly in wordless thanks as fresh tears trickled from her eyes. Then his hand relaxed as she tore a strip of cloth from her tattered safari uniform to dab warm water on his forehead to try to cool him.

He coughed and then fever-bright blue eyes focused on her face. "D-- Del?" His hand grasped hers with a tithe of his normal crushing grip and she gasped.

She wept in relief and covered her mouth with one dirty hand as his fever finally broke. "H-hoow..." he gasped out as he looked at her. "It was... wasn't it?"

She hesitantly nodded.

He nodded once in understanding then grasped her hand with all the strength in his body. "W--when you go f-f-f-orward..." A gasp and he pinned her with his stare. "Remember me."

She squeezed back in an unbreakable grip. "Always, Theodore. Always."
-------------------------------

Roosevelt Family Cemetery, Oyster Bay, New York

January 6th, 1947

"Edith." A quiet voice from one of the two veiled women approaching the elderly lady in a wheelchair sitting alone next to a tombstone.

"Delilah." A nod from Edith Kermit Roosevelt as the black wool of her mourning garb rustled. "Who is your friend?"

Delilah knelt and laid a bouquet of lilies on the grave. "Zamarad. She is... well..." A brief hesitant smile. "Special to me."

The Ifrit nodded politely and laid her own bouquet down on the snow-covered grave.

"Ahh..." Edith said. "How Progressive of you. That explains a few things. I always wondered why..." she trailed off.

Delilah nodded and spoke in an emotion-filled hushed voice. "This is part of why. Also I knew him when his first wife died. I was -- am -- unsuited to fill the hole in his heart that he had then. But you did what I never could do for him."

Edith spoke quietly in turn, "So you brought her to meet him then?" She shook her head with a small fond smile."Twenty-eight years gone today and yet he looms large over all our lives."

Delilah wiped tears from her eyes. "You, and he, deserved to know the truth about me, or as much of it as I can reveal without breaking my oaths. Zamarad came over to America after the War, and I'm teaching her to love it as I do, as you do... as he does. We honeymooned at Yellowstone and I explained about his dream there when I showed her what we all saw."

Edith spoke reminiscently with a smile that illuminated her aged face. "He dreamed large and well and then surpassed his dreams. The saying about him was right. 'Death had to take him sleeping because if Theodore was awake, there would have been a fight.'"

Delilah laughed in agreement. "Just like the Old Lion fought off Death in the Amazon before my eyes."

Edith looked at Zamarad as her maid approached to wheel her inside the house. "It is pleasant to meet you, dear. Take good care of Delilah when we are gone into the dust."

Zamarad nodded. "I have been exceptionally blessed to know her, Edith."

Delilah linked her hand with Zamarad's, their wedding rings glinting and looked at the grave of the 26th President of the United States. "and I am exceptionally blessed to know you and Theodore, Edith. Rest assured you will be remembered for all that you were and did."

"Always."

 

[darthcourt10]

Gmergurrl99

Knock, knock.

The President of the United States looks up from files he is reviewing.

Aide: Sir, the Secretary of the Interior is here.

Prez: Let him in Simmons.

Secretary of the Interior walks and greets President

Secr. Int. : You look like hell (insert name here).

Prez: Well yeah. With the way the war's been going and the emergencies going on 24/7, working late nights and early mornings managing crisis after crisis isn't conductive for one's beauty sleep? Especially that last clusterfuck up in Maine... (Snarky and dry tone).

Secr. Int: (Secr. sighs) Well, what was so important that it couldn't wait until the next scheduled meeting? You know my department is running ragged making sure that we have the materials we need for the war effort, especially with coordinating with the other departments and dealing with contractors.....

Prez: Well, you know how we've been working on the SoS collapse? Apparently your MACUSA counter parts have been busy on the conservation end themselves. (Slides over files he's been review to Secr.).

Secr. reads special Eyes Only black-level classified documents. Then facepalms.
Secr: Why? Why do we have a Noah's Ark in our own backyard filled with dinosaurs of all things? I understand that our counterparts contributed to the conservation effort on their end due to economic incentive and resource management, given a part of our job is management of natural resources and assets and making sure that we have something to use in the future. But seriously? Dinosaurs?

Prez: I was flabbergasted too. But the dinos were the consequence of experiments trying to figure out how to deal with radiation during the Cold War. One of the research groups mucked around with time space and tried to do a magic switcharoo of the contaminated land with some of it's pre-irradiated state, but ended up with something out of the 1632 and Ring of Fire series when they did the land swap, only with more fire round the edges and several million years off course. Apparently, they did their math wrong, and ended up with 10 miles of prime prehistoric real estate filled with bunch of prehistoric critters and plants. Those eggheads were clueless about what to do with "wingless dragons" and called ARK to deal with the mess. For now, what I need you to do is to put together a team in the know to take inventory of ARK's collection and to contact experts to look at the specimens and to come up with some kind of action plan so we can set up breeding and reintroduction plans for several of the critters back to the wild, and how to deal with the dinos and the like.

Secr. : I need a drink.

More discussion, Secr. leaves while pulling out cellphone to make calls regarding bombshell that dropped in his lap, and the Prez is humming a hauntingly familiar tune as the door shuts.

 

[darthcourt10]

K9Thefirst1

Sadly, this isn't the next entry to Porta Conquers the Atlantic (yes, very sad, I know), but it's still something everyone loves: Another episode in the lives of Hachiko and Moriko. Specifically, it focuses on Hachiko's little brother Aki. Something that Yellowhammer was sadly unable to adequately show was how much of a budding Tech-Head Aki is - his agreed basis for inspiration was Episode 1 Anakin and Izuku Midoriya: mechanically gifted, sweet as a cherub and with a good heart from the former, and maybe just a little awkward and very nerdy from the latter. Something you'll notice is how Aki has already adopted Moriko as his mother figure, just like how Hachiko is "tou-san" to him.

Enjoy!
------

Hobbyist

Aki Miyata absorbed the information he read like a sponge. Tou-san couldn't afford many toys, so the Inugami had to make due with whatever amusements he could make for himself. Often that meant the other kids either at school or in their apartment. But sometimes Tou-san would bring home a book to read to him. The usual stories of adventures and quests were all well and good, and Aki enjoyed them, but the books he loved the most were the ones about how things worked. Tou-san was a little surprised at seeing him gravitate to science and mechanic-themed books, but he was happy to provide. And it was in one of these books that he found something that immensely interested him: Steam engines.

Kaa-san was a shipgirl, same as Sachi-oba and Suzu-chan. And shipgirls were steamships. But shipgirls also got hurt. And Aki didn't want them to be hurt – he wanted to make sure they were helped! And though Aki was a boy of barely nine years, he was smart enough to know that he would need more than a want to help to actually do that. He needed schooling. Tou-san always said as much. And that lead to the book in hand. It was more than a little to advanced for him, but it had plenty of pictures for him to follow.

And in a fit of excitement over-riding his good sense, the boy ran off to collect supplies. Burnable Trash Day was tomorrow, so finding some cork wasn't difficult. The metal tubing though was more challenging to find. Fortunately, Mister Amaki's shop was just down the street. The man and his employees were always nice to him, and were more than happy to talk to him about how the scooter engines worked, the even let him help sometimes! Mister Amaki laughed out loud when Aki told him what he was doing.

"Well sure kid! I've got some scrap tubes that should be just what you need. OI! Tenchi! Watch the front would ya? I'll be busy for a minute."

Aki was a little irritated at Mister Amaki taking over the job. He was nine years old! He wasn't a baby! He could cut metal just fine; he'd seen the grown ups at the shop do it all the time! But Mister Amaki just laughed and went about cutting the copper tube. But the old man let him bend the metal into a loop and all was forgiven.

That part done, Aki ran home and gathered his remaining parts: A pot for the engine to sit in, a big rubber band, two wheels – one big and one small – from his LEGO sets, a tea candle, a motor he salvaged from a busted drill he saw in the trash once, and the only tools he required: A glue gun and a pack of matches. As the boy put the odds and ends together, his eyes glowed with the gleam seen in many figures when they were his age. The likes of Isambard Brunel, or Thomas Edison, or Guglielmo Marconi, men who saw the potential of what could be, and how to do it, even if they were doing little more than looking at a bodged together monstrosity and saying 'seems legit.'

Fortunately, Aki didn't need to start from nothing. He simply took advantage of little nuggets of information he had learned from a disparate collection of sources, and finding a way to take advantage of them. Things like how one book about electricity Tou-san read to him said that an electrical motor and an electrical generator were one and the same, it just relied on where the energy was coming from. Or a blurb from his science text book at school explaining how Pulleys and Gears worked, and how a big gear connected to a smaller gear – like, say, by a rubberband – would turn the smaller gear much faster, making many turns in the time it took the big gear to make one turn.
------

Hachiko sighed as he made his way up the steps. Another long day. Not as bad as some – especially compared to before he met Moriko – but a long day was still a long day.

"Welcome home Miss Miyata!"

Hachiko suppressed a long-suffering grunt. After all, Hasegawa-San was pushing ninety, and judging by the coke bottle glasses was legally blind. He had long resigned himself to being thought of as a single mother by his land lady.

"Thank you Hasegawa-san. Thank you so much for keeping an eye on Aki for me."

"Oh it was no trouble at all! Aki has always been such a sweet boy. Though I think you should know that I think I caught him rummaging in the trash again."

Hachiko groaned again. 'If I've told that boy once I've told him a thousand times.'

"I am so sorry Miss Hasegawa. I'll send him out in a few minutes to apologize."

But the old woman laughed and waved her hand as if the notion was so much smoke.

"No no, boys will be boys, and he made sure to clean up after himself – such a considerate little boy. I just wanted to let you know that he may need a bath."

Hachiko pinched the bridge of his nose and took a breath. "Right. Thank you Hasegawa-san."

Hachiko tried to think about what to do with his little brother as he rummaged in his pocket for his key. But when he walked into the apartment he barely got half-way through the first half of 'tadaima' before getting tackled in the gut by a dog-eared Aki, his tail a blur of excited happiness.

"Tou-san tou-san! Come and see! Come see!"

Barely able to voice a complaint, Hachiko was physically dragged by his little brother into the kitchen… And gawked at what he saw.

On the table sat one of their cooking pots, filled with water. And on that water was a mat of cork, on which sat a lit candle, and over that was a small coil of copper tubing, the whole affair spinning contently like a little top. And on the top of that coil was one of the large pulley wheels from Aki's building toy sets, hot-glued on. That wheel was connected by a rubberband to a small wheel that was similarly hotglued onto the spindle of the drill motor he was sure he had told Aki to throw out months ago. And trailing from the moter were a pair of wires connected to a bare lightbulb.

A glowing lightbulb.

"Wh-what is that?"

The lightbulb was nothing compaired to the beam of wholesome pride in Aki's joyful face.

"It's a steam generator Tou-san! I made it!"
------

Yes, that steam engine is base on a real thing. I found it on YouTube, and it fit my criteria for "small project a bright 9-year old could conceivably build without much adult supervision or complicated/dangerous tools.

 

[darthcourt10]

Savato93

Well, I apologize for my writing slowing to a crawl. Just find myself distracted by so much nowadays, it's hard to find time to devote to my snippets. I'll try my hardest to get a scene for Regalia out next... in the next couple weeks...

XXXXXXXXXX

"Four years. Four... years." The Demon drew in a shaky breath. "We all thought you were dead."

The defensive fleet had dispersed. The sirens had been cut off. The shipgirls, sensing that the situation had just become personal, quickly threw their hands up and abandoned the pair of Abyssals to the new fleet… their lost sisters.

The Tsu-class struggled to find her voice to respond. She was just as stunned by this discovery as they were. "You're… you're alive. H-how?"

"We fled west," the Airfield Demon—Nuri—said simply. She reached out, cupping the Tsu-class's cheek in her hand, as a tear rolled down her face. "My god… you two are an absolute mess." Nuri gazed to Tampa… her features twisting in horror and pain and grief, as she took in her sister's cobbled-together hull. "Tampa… what have you done to yourself…!?"

The Demon could only stare back at her sister in shock, standing utterly still. "It… it wasn't her choice," the Tsu-class answered in her stead. "She told me that… that Hawaiian spirits did this to her."

"Hawaiian…?" Nuri trailed off, jaw briefly hanging in confusion, before she shook her head. "No, no. That doesn't matter right now. You're alive… and we have to let Mother know!" She took her sister's bolted-together arm and started to tug her forward, as she turned to the others. "Someone get back to the base, set up a FaceTime call! Mother will want to see them with her own eyes!"

On hearing that last statement, the Tsu-class felt her boilers skipping a beat. She and her sister had put their lives on the line… and it paid off. They found more than just mercy… they found their long-lost sisters. They were finally going to be reunited with their mother, their family. But to face them so soon...

She wasn't ready.

The Tsu-class tried to pull her hand from Nuri's grasp. "W-wait, wait!" She exclaimed. "This… this is all happening so quickly! I have so many questions! L-like… how many of us are left? Where's Mother right now? What are you all doing so far south, and… and cooperating with… with… ohh..."

The Tsu class suddenly stumbled and fell back, her free hand against her chest. "What... what's happening…?" She gasped as Nuri rushed to her side. "I… I feel strange…"

Nuri called on her DC team, letting a handful of her imps clamber into her sister's hull to assess the situation. For several long seconds she was terrified by the possibility of her sibling's body shutting down right in front of her—just like Renita—but as information slowly trickled back to her, she felt that great weight lift from her chest. "...she's alright!" She called out. "One of her boilers just blew a valve and shut down. The rest are holding steady."

There were deep sighs of relief from the others. "Oh, thank god. I don't think I could handle another race against the clock," Sunny said. She sailed forward and hooked an arm under the Tsu-class, pulling her to her feet, and helping to support her as they began to make steam for dry land. "You're right, Hatsumo. Talking can wait. For now, let's get the two of you to the baths—you've done well to take care of yourself for this long, but you need repairs now..."

XXXXXXXXXX

It was sometimes unsettling, how utter silence could feel so deafening.

Tanith sat behind the office desk, nervously looking over her hands. To cut down on her intimidation factor, she'd gone through the effort of removing her massive, spiked metal claws and covered up the skeletal frame underneath with a pair of white elbow gloves. Without the thick latex support Ruadri's arms enjoyed, her hands remained unnaturally thin and bony in appearance… but she'd rather come across as creepy than threatening, when faced with potential instructors and business workers that could help develop her family's island. She honestly hadn't been expecting to receive responses so quickly, when she worked with the Japanese to set up recruitment flyers over the region. But here she was, waiting to meet with four potential trainers to determine if they could help her family develop their island home further.

The kicker? Three of them were Yokai.

A small part of Tanith pondered that disparity. Of course, she wasn't about to be nitpicky—in her eyes, four candidates was a lot. But what could be the cause for that disparity? Were Yokai just less afraid of them? Or was their offer of a safe haven far away from any Reserve really that enticing?

"Princess." Tanith looked up to the woman standing in the doorway. "The first applicant is here. They brought their family."

She nodded hesitantly. "Okay. Okay, you can let them in."

The woman dipped her head, before vanishing from sight, leaving Tanith alone to stew in her nervousness and worries once more. Finally, after a pregnant pause, the door cracked open... and what came through was a surprise to the Abyssal.

A small, furry snout poked into view at the foot of the doorway, its little whiskers twitching. It took a moment to sniff around a bit, then poked out further, revealing itself in full—bright, intelligent eyes, a slender body, short limbs with webbed paws, and a long, powerful tail.

An otter.

Tanith blinked, tilting her head inquisitively at the animal… then gasped, as it made a beeline for her desk and leapt up into her lap. "O-oh… hello there, little one..." Tanith said slowly, holding her hands up as she stared at the furry critter that had come out of nowhere. "What are you doing here...?"

The otter spent a few seconds sniffing her legs, letting out little chirps, before looking up at her with an almost curious expression. Seemingly taking Tanith's stunned state and lack of action as permission to remain, it kneaded its paws on her thighs a little, nuzzled against her midriff, and curled up in her lap.

Tanith couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the ridiculousness of the situation. "Well, you just make yourself right at home, don't you?" She asked playfully, stroking its smooth fur. "I heard of Japan having some domestic otters, but I didn't expect to see one up close…" She leaned over a bit, looking down at the critter. "Do you have an owner, little one? Or did you just happen to find your way in…?"

"KIKI! GET DOWN FROM THERE THIS INSTANT!"

The little otter's gaze snapped to the doorway. It quickly hopped down from the Abyssal's lap and scampered out of the room, leaving her a little bewildered. "Ah… thank goodness," she sighed, relieved. "For a moment, I was worried a wild animal had gotten into… the…"

Tanith's words trailed off as another, larger otter came into the room… this one standing on its hind legs, wearing a simple hakama, and carrying a satchel on its back. "I apologize for my youngest daughter," the otter said with the voice of a middle-aged man, dipping its head. "She has very little self-restraint . Always trying to pose as a pet to get treats from unsuspecting strangers…"

Tanith sat back in her seat staring at the otter for several seconds, stunned. "You… you talk," she eventually said, pointing at it.

The otter cocked his head. "Of course I do. Did the ladies we spoke with not warn you we were Yokai?"

Tanith's eyes widened, her brain finally making the connection. This was the first applicant—a Kawauso. "W-well… yes, they did. They told me several Yokai clients were supposed to be coming, in fact. It's just that… I was not expecting something as mundane as… intelligent otters."

The otter waved his paw. "We can shapeshift, too. There's just not much use for it in today's society."

"...I see." Tanith coughed lightly. "A-anyway… I am Tanith… nominal leader of the Fleet of Laughter. And if I might know your names…?"

The otter nodded. "Of course, of course…" He patted his chest with a paw. "My name is Tarou. You've already met my youngest daughter, Kiki…" the otter pup in question rose up on her hind legs, sulking as she moved to her father's side, while he turned back towards the door. "Come in, everyone. It's alright in here."

The door creaked open a little wider, and three more dressed-up otters trotted in. One of them was dressed in a basic hakama like Tarou, with the addition of a little ponytail and an adorable little finger-length knife at its hip. The other two, however, were instead garbed in little yukatas and had what almost seemed like eyeliner marking their little face. "This is my wife, Ayana..." Tarou continued, gesturing to the taller of the (apparent) females. "Beside her are our two other children, Miki—"

"I'm the oldest," the other female said, holding up a paw.

"—and Riki."

"No relation to that video game character…" the smaller male huffed.

Tanith chuckled, feeling a little more at ease. "Well, then… you have a very nice little family here, mister Tarou," she said. "So, you came hoping to apply as a tutor for myself and my sisters?"

"Among other things, yes…" Tarou said with a nod.

"Alright, then." Tanith clasped her hands together. "In that case, I am quite intrigued to hear what sorts of skills you could bring to the table, considering your… smaller stature." After a moment to think, she shrunk back a little bit. "I mean…"

Tarou shook his head. "Relax. We get those sorts of comments all the time. Sure, we don't get much taller than a meter, but that doesn't mean we can't be productive members of society. After all, the No-Maj's have those reality shows about… er, what was the socially-accepted term for them again? Dwarves?"

"Little people, I believe," Tanith corrected.

"Right, little people. Anyway…" Tarou rummaged through his satchel, producing several sheets of paper, and set it on top of the desk. "My family's most prominent skills are water diversion and irrigation. As otters, we make a lot of our living off rivers and streams and whatnot; sometimes, though, we need the water to flow a different way. To avoid predators, hide from humans, that sort of thing. So our clan took a few lessons from our cousin, the beaver, so we could make that happen… and while we were at it, we learned to funnel some of the water into crops."

Tanith picked up the papers and examined them. They were sketches of river damming plans, routes for digging new streams, runoff for irrigation systems. Looking over all of it, she gradually perked up. "That… is actually quite impressive," she said with a hint of awe. "We could really use your expertise on Avrora; my daughter handles a farm there, and we recently uncovered an underground spring deep in the woods that we want to funnel to our residential area. Your knowledge would be invaluable for both of those."

"We also know how to make sake, if any of your brethren are interested," Ayana added. "It's practically common knowledge for Kawauso like ourselves."

At this, Tanith shrugged. "I cannot say for certain if any of my sisters would be interested, but it is a generous offer regardless." As she handed the papers back, the Princess thought to herself. "...I take it you were hoping to apply for permanent residence on our island?"

The otters glanced between one another briefly, before looking to her and nodding. "The river we called home is no longer safe for us," Tarou explained solemnly. "Humans are developing land further upstream, and the sediment it's released into the water is starting to contaminate everything downstream—the fish, the soil, our crops. The only other rivers close enough for us to relocate to, already have human visitors on a regular basis… so trying to move to them risks our family being exposed, possibly even captured and thrown into a Reserve."

Tanith considered asking why the family couldn't just stay away from the rivers altogether… but she quickly squashed that thought. Otters were aquatic animals. Swimming and hunting in water was integral to their way of life… much like Abyssals. "I understand…" she said. "As long as the Statute remains intact, you're in danger… but on Avrora, you believe you would be safe."

"To some degree, yes."

Tanith was quiet for several seconds, thinking. Finally, she spoke. "Alright, mister Tarou. I think that both our families will benefit from cooperating on this matter." She gestured to a nearby window. "We have a cruise ship docked at Yokosuka's port undergoing some finishing touches. You'll be able to meet some of our family, and get to know one another once we're ready to make the trip back to our island."

The younger otters' eyes lit up with excitement and joy, and they began to bounce and skitter around making delighted noises. Tarou and his wife, meanwhile, gave little bows. "Thank you, Princess. We will do our best not to disappoint you."

Tanith simply smiled. "I'm sure you will not. If anything, I think my family will be delighted to have you around." She gestured to the door. "Now, if you would kindly step out of the office, so I can start on the next applicant?"

"Of course."

With that, the couple herded their three kids out the door, out of sight. Tanith sat back in her chair, letting out a small sigh. That had gone a lot easier than she had expected it to; she supposed it was due to the otters being small and cute. It helped put her a bit more at ease when she wasn't being faced by something big or imposing, like one of those spider-ladies...

"My, oh my… what do we have here?"

Occupied by her thoughts, Tanith almost missed the fact someone had entered the room. Standing in front of her was a tall, voluptuous woman. She had her long, silk-like black hair woven into a braid over her shoulder, with a few stray locks hanging over her forehead, and was dressed up in a form-fitting professional business suit, complete with short-cut skirt. If she had any interest in romance or sex, Tanith might have thought her quite attractive… but the way the woman was eyeing her with an almost hungry look was a little unnerving.

Tanith opened her mouth to speak. "Ah, hello the—"

"Shh…" the woman silenced Tanith, holding up a finger. She slowly stepped forward and around the desk, looking the Princess over carefully. "...nice full figure besides the arms… no need to go overboard accentuating her curves…" she could be heard muttering to herself. "But the fur is gaudy, the hat is ridiculous… saw the reports from way back, so I KNOW the gown is purely for showing modesty in public… the boots work, at least." Making a full circle back around to the front, the woman pulled out a small notepad and began scribbling something down. "Just need a few hours on the drawing board—and maybe a White Russian or two to get your hull out of my view—and I can turn you into a right bombshell…"

"Ahem…" Tanith cleared her throat. "Can I help you?"

In response, the woman looked up. "Oh, right! Sorry. Got caught up in my thoughts for a moment. Allow me to introduce myself properly…" She reached up and brushed some of her bangs out of the way...revealing three extra sets of eyes. "Kaori Fujioka, Jorogumo and professional tailor. I'm here to make you an offer: hire me, and we'll do away with the cookie-cutter outfits you and your followers wear all the time, and make each and every one of you uniquely fashionable!"

Ah, hell… Tanith thought to herself, suppressing a grimace. This one is going to be a trial.

 

[darthcourt10]

Snippet 166: Harry Leferts

The Sun had barely risen above the horizon in the Ryukyus, and already the temperature was hot. Wiping his forehead as he cooked some breakfast, Haruto grimaced a bit, "It's going to be another scorcher..."

Stretched out in jean shorts that left little to the imagination for her legs and a canvas tank top, Haruhime sighed a bit as she fanned herself, "What did you expect, Haruto-Kun? We're not far from Okinawa and the area is tropical."

When he glanced at her, the teenage Healer blushed a little which seemed to amuse her if the wink she gave him said anything. Rolling his eyes, Haruto sighed a little, "I know, I know... but still."

Raising an eyebrow from her she laid, Ichika gave him a look, "Don't they have air conditioning up at the fort though?"

That got her a look from Haruto, "They do as a matter of fact, but if you think that I am going to leave all of you here to suffer from the heat while I stay cool..."

A soft smile on her face, Mie hugged him from behind and kissed his cheek, "Something that we are all thankful for." Brushing some sweaty hair from her forehead, she shook her head, "I wish that we could do something about the heat however."

Just snorting, Mikage jerked her thumb in a certain direction, "Well, we got the fan going..." Suddenly, she smirked a bit, "But there seems to be a blockage."

Everyone turned to where the solar powered fan was to find Chikako looking at them, "Nya? What?" When they shook their heads, she turned her head back to the fan and closed her eyes as the wind blew past and her voice became distorted, "Nyaaaaaaaaaa~"

It took everything for Haruto not to laugh at that as he grinned, "I suppose so." Finishing breakfast, he placed the food onto plates and reached into the icebox to pull out a pitcher of water to which he added powdered juice and stirred it. That juice was then poured into glasses for everyone, "Okay, breakfast is ready."

Moments later, everyone made their way over to the table, with Hachimitsu sitting in his lap. Granted, Haruto cast a spell to conjure a block of ice in front of the fan, the breeze coming off of which cooled everyone slightly and made them happily sigh. As they ate, however, the blonde haired Kitsune hummed a bit, "You know, it is really hot out so maybe we should do something."

Her eyebrow raised as she looked at her sister, dressed in similarly skimpy clothing, Haruhime blinked, "Like what? It's too hot to do much." She grimaced a little, "And going to be worse in August."

Nodding, the Healer frowned some, "Hai, hopefully I won't have to worry too much about heatstroke or sunstroke from people on the island."

For a few moments, Hachimitsu was quiet before humming, "Actually, we might want to go down to the ocean pool." Everyone blinked at that and turned to her, at which she shrugged, "What? The water might be warm, but Haruto-Kun could use some magic to cool it off enough for us."

When they turned to him, Haruto was tapping the top of the table as he chewed before giving a small nod, "I guess that I could cast an ice cube conjuring spell to create ice to float around. That should be enough to keep it nice and cool..."

As the others nodded, Chikako frowned, "Swimming? But... I don't know how... and I don't have a swimsuit..."

Reaching over, Mie gently rubbed her head, "Don't worry, we'll drop by Ayane-San and pick one up for you from there. She's made a couple after all."

Head tilted back and forth, the little Neko hummed a bit with a smile on her face and eyes closed, "Nya... nya... nya..."

It was a short time later when they entered into a small store with a bell above the door. Almost immediately, the Jorogumo everyone knew as Ayane appeared with a smile, one that grew a slight bit wider as she recognized who it was, "Haruto-Sama, Hachimitsu-Sama, Haruhime-Sama, Mikage-Sama, Ichika-Sama, Mie-Sama, and Chikako-Chan! How are you this fine day and how can I help you?"

Lightly laughing, Haruto scratched the back of his neck, "Sorry to bother you, but... Chikako-Chan needs a swimsuit and I was wondering if you had any in stock?"

More than a little amused, Ayane giggled some and shook her head, "I take it that it will be a beach day than?"

With a hum, the Healer nodded, "Hai, I already left information at the clinic letting everyone know where they can find me. It should be spread fast enough anyways..." He gave a sigh and shook his head while wiping his forehead, "It is just too damn hot out at the moment."

Chuckling, Ayana gave a small nod, "Yes, it is quite warm today, I suppose for most."

Head tilted to the side, Chikako blinked a bit as she noticed something, "Aren't you hot, Ayane-San?"

Lowering her body down, the Jorogumo bent her top half enough to look the Neko in the eye as she patted her on the head, "I'm a Jorogumo dear, we actually like hot weather. Comes from being part arachnid, I suppose." Straightening back up, she gave a small shrug, "But I do like how many people like buying swimwear here."

Placing her hands behind her head, Haruhime had a grin on her face, "True, and your bikinis are pretty good..." She gave a leer towards Haruto who looked away, "Especially for some~"

Unable to help herself, Ayane laughed a little, "Yes, I do suppose that there is that." Then, she shook her head as she gently guided the young Neko further into the store towards the changing area, "Now, I do have some swimsuits that should fit you..."

It was only a few minutes later that they returned, with Chikako skipping as she had something in her arms. Coming to a stop, she held it up, "I found a swimsuit, Haruto-Nii-San! It's cute!"

Eyebrow raised, Haruto noted that it was a indigo one piece, likely dyed using the indigo plants that grew on the island. With a small nod, he smiled down at her before patting her head, "Hai, it looks like it would be very cute on you."

Winking, Ichika gave her a thumbs up, "Super cute even."

That only got a happy smile and nod from the young Yokai as she enjoyed the headpats, "Nya... nya... nyaaaa~"

Once he was done, Haruto reached into his backpack and pulled out some cans of spam which he placed onto the counter, "This should do it for cost, right?"

Giving him a look, Ayane shook her head, "You know that you don't need to pay, Haruto-Sama. Not with everything that you do on the island after all."

However, she was already placing the canned meat into a drawer to be kept safe for later, even as the teenage boy shrugged, "And like I told you before, I get paid by the Diet to be a healer here. I will pay my way for the rest just like anyone else will." Reaching into his backpack, he took out some lollipops and placed them onto the counter with a small smirk, "Or perhaps you think I should pay more."

That got him an unamused look as the Jorogumo crossed her arms under her bust. Somewhat to her disappointment, he only gave her a raised eyebrow in return, "You know what I mean, Haruto-Sama. You don't accept payment as a Healer from any of us, or for supplies. Also..." Ayane pouted some as she pushed up her breasts and still got nothing more than an amused tilt of the lips, "Whatever happened to you? It used to be so fun getting you flustered."

Mikage grinned a bit and grabbed Haruto's arm and held it to her chest, "Mainly he got five very beautiful girlfriends, Ayane-Chan."

All Ayane did was nod and sigh, "I suppose." Then, she smiled and took the lollipops before placing them in the same drawer, which also held things like dried fish in a basket, "Thank you anyways, my Imoutos will enjoy the candy."

With a nod, Haruto smiled at her, "Good to hear, Ayane-San. I hope that you have a good day..."

From where she stood, the spider Yokai watched as he left and walked down the street. Leaning forward, she propped herself up with one arm in a pose that would have given anyone walking in a view that would have likely made them stumble into things as she wore a loose tanktop, "A shame that you're taken and not taking on anyone else, Haruto-Sama..." Shaking her head, she hummed some before smiling, "Though a spider could still dream~"

It was a twenty minute walk before they reached their destination, but when they did, Chikako's eyes lit up as she clutched at her straw sunhat, "Ooooh!" Running forward, she stopped at the water's edge on the white sand beach and pointed at it, "Look, Haruto-Nii-San! Nee-Chans! It looks so nice!"

Lips curled into a smile, Hachimitsu nodded some, "It certainly does at that!" Chuckling slightly, the Kitsune shipgirl looked at the Neko, "Do you know why they call it the Ocean Pool?"

Confused, Chikako shook her head, "Um, no? Why do they call it the Ocean Pool?"

Smile on her face, Ichika crouched down and pointed, "There's a wall of coral that stretches across this area right over there. Waves can get over it at low tide if they're big enough, and at high tide, the ocean comes in." She made a motion with her hand, "Also? There's small tunnels in the rock that lets water in and out. But it's popular for swimming because there's no currents here and the waves are small ones usually."

Eyes wide, the young Yokai stared, "Oooh! That's so cool, Ichika-Nee-Chan!"

Glancing at her friend, Hachimitsu shook her head for a moment. Humming, she looked around the beach. As it turned out, they were not the only ones who had decided to come and swim to beat the heat. But there weren't that many there either. Spotting a place, she made a gesture, "How about we set up over there?"

Throwing her hands in the air, the Neko rushed over, "Nya! I help! I help Haruto-Nii-San and Nee-Chans set it up!"

Unable to help herself Mie giggled softly, "That does sound good, Chikako-Chan. Now..." Gently taking Chikako's hand, she led her over to the spot before pulling a blanket out of a pocket which belonged to her crew, "You can unroll this while we set up the shade, okay?"

With a sharp nod, Chikako performed a salute, "Haaaai!"

Needless to say, it did not take them long to set up an awning up to shield them from the Sun. After that was done, the girls retreated behind some rocks to get changed, though not before the older ones teased him a little bit which made him blush slightly. As they got changed though, he motioned with his wand and a stream of ice cubes shot out and into the water. It was not a whole lot, of course, and they were already melting... but they did cool the water slightly.

Of course, he heard a throat being cleared and turned around to find that Mikage was poking her head out from behind the rock, "We're done, Haruto-Kun~ Here we come~"

Moments later, she stepped out followed by the others outside of Chikako and Haruto felt his face grow hot as all of them stood there in bikinis for the most part. He was unable to stop staring as his eyes went from one to the other, though he noted that Mie had a sarong on, "Um..." Noticing the amusement from the Kitsune, he coughed, "You all look really good."

Slowly walking up to him, Hachimitsu smirked as her tail wagged behind her even as she trailed a finger down his chest, "Is that just so? We look just good, Ha-ru-to-kun?"

Closing his eyes, Haruto took a deep breath before letting it out before grabbing Hachimitsu and pulling her into a tight hug that made her squeak and blush, "Well, that is a mild way of saying just what I am thinking."

For her part, the Kitsune had a deep blush on her face, "I-I, um..." Looking away, she cleared her throat, "I am glad that you think so, Haruto-Kun."

Now smirking himself, Haruto let go and nodded towards the rocks, "Where's Chikako-Chan?"

Sharing a look with her Mikage, Haruhime grinned, "Well, we didn't want to take any attention away from our Chikako-Chan!" Stepping back, she gave a nod, "Drumroll, please!"

Highly amused, Ichika began to pat on her stomach to produce the sound even as Mikage spoke up while holding out her hands as if presenting a grand prize, followed by her sisters and Mie as the Inugami and blonde Kitsune got down to one knee, "Introducing... the ever cute and lovable Neko that is our Chikako-Chan... in her new swimsuit!"

Jumping out from behind the rock, Chikako smiled brightly as she thrust her hands in the air, "Funya! Here I am!"

While extremely amused by their antics, especially Hachimitsu and Mie, Haruto didn't laugh. Instead, he smiled and nodded with a wide eyed look, "Wow! You really look cute in that swimsuit! Great choice of one!"

Brightly smiling, the Neko twirled which allowed the light purple skirt attached to her one piece, which itself was a deep purple, to swish in the air, "Thank you, Nii-San!" Running over, she hugged him around the waist as he patted her head, "Mmm... nya... thank you for buying it."

Glancing at the other female Yokai, who seemed more amused than anything else, Haruto gave a small nod, "You are very welcome, Chikako-Chan. Now... it's my turn to get changed."

Unnoticed by the young Yokai, the older female ones all got hungry looks on their faces as they heard that, which made the Healer weakly chuckle...

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A.N.-Well I got argued into posting this here so as not to let the bastards win (you know who you are). Please don't make me regret this decision, guys?

A Winter's Shadow Over Kingsport (VII)

13 July 2014

Saco Bay (Just North Of Kingsport) Maine, USA

There was the first of those special messages to the troops. These were printed on sheets, some 11 inches by 8 inches, and were widely circulated. The first gave the gist of the famous address to the staff. We were going to fight where we stood. There would be no withdrawal, no surrender. We had to do our duty so long as we had breath in our bodies. -- Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
Spoiler: Advance To The Bay

The blond haired and blue-eyed shipgirl of USS Olympia leapt to the grass of the village common from the helicopter. Automatically she ducked her head and grasped the dark green wool of her walking dress to raise her skirt above her ankles for ease of movement.

Inside her power plant the reciprocating engines hammered faster as her stokers, stripped to the waist, moved like automatons of living bronze while they shoveled coal as fast as was humanly possible into her fireboxes in a mad rhythm.

Her Marconi wireless operator tapped out the dots and dashes of Morse to USS Pillsbury as the Natural-born shipgirl commanding the FBI portion of this operation hurried to the side of a witch -- a witch -- to liaise with their magical allies.

"MOVING TO POSITION, GODSPEED PILLSBURY"

Her signalman snapped off blinker light commands to her small squadron. Automatically they shook out into line ahead.

Chester, the first light cruiser of the US Navy, took the lead position and pushed herself to her -- fast for her day -- flank speed of 24 knots. The small shipgirl's twin Five-inch Mark Six 'popguns' that were her main armament sought targets as worried faces watched her pass from a window as they waited for evacuation.

Behind her Olympia belched coal smoke and embers from her stacks as she pushed on at twenty-one knots. Directly astern was Delaware, followed by her younger twin sister North Dakota. Contemporaries of HMS Dreadnought, the third and fourth American dreadnought battleships trained out their five twin turrets containing twelve-inch Mark Five rifles and loaded armor-piercing. Aboard them, faeries stood to their stations grimly as their newfangled forced lubrication and more powerful triple expansion engines allowed them to keep pace with the elderly protected cruisers screening them.

Bringing up the rear was San Francisco. Two years older then Olympia, she was also a Spanish-American War veteran, although she had never fired a shot in anger in the 'Glorious Little War'. She had been overlooked in favor of her more famous namesake who had won the Presidential Unit Citation on the hellish night of November 13th, 1942 in Ironbottom Sound off Guadalcanal. That would change tonight, her captain promised his crew, as he ordered her casemated six-inch rifles to be loaded.
-----------------------

Inside Olympia's conning tower, the faerie of George Dewey, Admiral of the Navy and a veteran of the Civil War and the Great War, glanced at the captain standing silently next to him. He stroked his bushy mustache and chuckled. "Long way from Manila Bay, Gridley. No?" He said in his nasal Vermont accent with a twinkle in his eye before packing tobacco into his pipe.

Beside him, the pale-faced officer chuckled hollowly. "At least this time I am not dying of cancer and having to argue with you to keep you from relieving me of duty before my boys went into action."

"True, true, Gridley." Dewey responded as he lit the pipe with a lucifer wood match. He squinted at the gun flashes ahead as the first shells screamed in as they hit the water around them. "Reminds me of running past the forts of New Orleans under Farragut in '62. Now he was a hard one, could chew iron and spit out nails. When we reach Fiddler's Green again, I'll introduce you to him. Speaking of, time to open this dance. Squadron turn to five points starboard."
Spoiler: The Battle Of Saco Bay

As the line shifted to clear their broadsides for action the first shell slammed into Olympia.

White hot splinters scythed across her decks and Dewey's eyes narrowed as he heard the screams of the wounded.

He took a pull on his pipe and then nodded.

"You may fire when you are ready, Gridley"

The rifles of the veterans of the Great White Fleet roared as their first salvos hammered into the mass of Abyssals ahead surrounding two misshapen giants. Torpedoes followed, fired blindly into the thick of the mob by all the ships.

Explosions blossomed and pale forms turned from fighting each other and the Wendigo to attack the new threat.
-----------------------

Dewey gave an impressed whistle as a deer-headed giant grabbed a screaming Abyssal and used her as a living flail on her distracted sisters. "Hot work tonight, Gridley."

Olympia shuddered as more shells slammed into her coal bunkers and belt and Chester staggered ahead of her then gritted her teeth and returned fire with her small guns at a destroyer coming for her. "Hotter than the devil's frying pan, sir."

"Sir, wireless message from Admiral Thomas, he's on the ground and hastening to our aid." The white faced midshipman trembled as the boy relayed the message over the mad thunder of the guns and the screams of the wounded and dying.

"Well done lad, wireless him to move Maine and Minnesota astern of San Francisco and engage at will." Dewey looked through the smoke from the cordite of his red-hot guns and the fires burning amidships in the smashed superstructure. "Enough work for all of us tonight."
-----------------------

An explosion turned night into day as astern of Olympia, Delaware's number one turret lifted off on a volcano of flame as a shell found her forward torpedo room, blowing the front quarter of her hull into scrap metal.

The crippled shipgirl screamed in agony and then roared her defiance with her three remaining turrets at a Ru-class Battleship in the point-blank savage death grapple.

Alongside her the Great White Fleet's obsolete shipgirls stood and delivered like women possessed as they held the Abyssals away from the town with desperate courage in the face of overwhelming odds.

Slowly Delaware turned away to limp toward shore to beach herself before she foundered so she could fight as a shore battery as long as she drew breath.

Dewey puffed his pipe. "Signal North Dakota and San Francisco to tighten up and close that hole!"

The boiler explosion of the Ru punctuated his next words. "Hotter than the devil's frying pan indeed, Gridley."
-----------------------

"Sir! Urgent signal USS Pillsbury! 'MAKE A HOLE!' Message ends sir."

Dewey turned to look at the town and his pipe fell from nerveless fingers. "Good God," he whispered from an ashen face.
-----------------------

Spoiler: Fiendfyre

"oh...." Alondra David, natural born shipgirl of USS Pillsbury, whispered in shock at the creature that had just turned the seemingly innocent frame house into burning debris still falling through the night.

Beside her, Tina Goldstein turned ashen as the dragon formed of living white-hot flame screamed triumph in the voice of an inferno. The Auror gasped in terrified shock "Fiendfyre..."

As Alondra watched in awe, the fires set in town by the explosion suddenly shot tendrils of flame linking them to their monstrous parent. "Fiendfyre, what's fiendfyre?" she screamed half hysterically at the witch.

Tina gulped and licked bone dry lips, "Powerful Dark Magic. Those flames can't be extinguished, even with magical water, and if their caster loses control it will burn everything in it's path. Everything."

As if summoned by her words, the dragon looked their way with twin burning dark emerald eyes for an endless moment then cried out once more in a voice like molten bronze in agony. "DELILAH!!"

With that suddenly it flowed in a tsunami of flame in a direct line toward the lighthouse in the distance, avoiding the occupied houses, helicopters, and refugees. As it did, the lesser fires suddenly extinguished themselves, leaping to the body of the monstrous dragon as it shifted between serpentine and avian forms like a chimera, growing in strength and size to a skyscraper-sized mass of flame. "DELILAH!!"

Alondra gasped as she realized that this thing was being controlled by an ally and screamed at her radioman to order the shipgirls in its way to let it pass.

"MAKE A HOLE!"
-----------------------

Spoiler: The Love Of An Ifrit

In the bay, the combat tapered off as shipgirl and abyssal alike stared in disbelief at the battleship-sized flaming serpent-dragon coming through the night like a runaway train.

The flame spirit slammed into the ocean water and steam rose in a dense cloud obscuring vision as it headed toward the island

A cry of flame in mortal agony sounded and fresh tendrils of flame leapt to the fires burning aboard the battered shipgirls. "DELILAH!!"

Aboard Maine, her faeries watched in disbelief as the roaring coal bunker fires threatening to ignite her magazines suddenly snuffed themselves in an instant, cherry red-hot bulkheads starting to fade to normal under the streams of water from her hoses.

Abyssal shells screamed in and detonated on the dragon approaching as it came on unstoppably. Fresh billows of steam erupted and it began to visibly shrink. Then a tendril of flame leapt out to a nearby Chi-class cruiser who was burning from a shell hit from San Francisco.

A split second later, a firestorm enveloped the Chi from bow to stern and she detonated like a firecracker as every flammable substance aboard her flashed over.

The Abyssals broke and fled screaming as more tendrils lashed out, exploding them like popcorn.

On the island, the one surviving Kee-Wakw wendigo staggered toward a pile of corpses at the base of the lighthouse as it regenerated. Barely visible on a limp hand protruding from the bottom was a blood-covered platinum wedding ring with a Imperial Topaz glimmering with the same light as the fiery dragon that was approaching.

The dragon, now merely the size of a large house, staggered ashore on Wood Island. "DELILAH!!"

The Kee-wakw pulled the unmoving and blood-covered body of Delilah de Breuil out in its taloned hand and licked its lips.

For a brief instant, emerald eyes of flame met cold black eyes filled with insatiable hunger.

Then Wood Island exploded in a mushroom cloud of flame that rocked Kingsport.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Upon seeing his girlfriends' expressions, Haruto's went blank, "Somehow, I feel more in danger now than I have ever felt when crossing between the mainland and the island."

Smirk still on her face, Haruhime raised one eyebrow as she practically purred, "Is that so, Haruto-Kun~"

Before anyone else could say anything, Chikako stepped between the girls and Haruto with a huff before crossing her arms, "Don't worry, Haruto-Nii-San! I'll guard you!"

If anything, that made everyone amused and it took almost everything for the girls not to coo over the "Serious" expression the Nekomata had on her face. Lips twitching, and coughing to cover up a laugh, Haruto looked down at her, "So you'll guard me while I get changed and make sure that your Nee-Sans can't bother me while I do so, then?"

With a sharp nod, Chikako puffed out her chest before thrusting her fist into the air, "HAI, NYAA!"

Lips still twitching madly, Haruto patted her on the head, "Thank you, Chikako-Chan, I know that you will be able to keep them from doing anything with me while I get changed."

Giving them all a wink, he went behind the rock to do exactly that as Chikako stood in their way. With an amused look at the others, Hachimitsu stalked forward, only for the Neko to step in her way, "Come on now, Chikako-Chan, let Hachimitsu-Onee-Chan past? She needs to peek in on Haruto-Kun after all."

All Chikako did was narrow her eyes some, "No! I'm guarding Haruto-Nii-San!" She then wagged a finger at the Kitsune, "So you're not going to get past me!"

Unable to help herself from giggling madly, Mikage moved to the side, only for one of the Neko's tails to move in her way, brushing under her nose. Sneezing a bit, she blinked, "Hey now."

Hopping over, the Nekomata stretched out an arm, "No!" When Haruhime tried, she got Chikako leaping in front of her and bopping her on the head, "You too, Haruhime-Nee-San!"

Just rubbing the top of her head, the red haired Kitsune pouted, "Now that is being mean..." Then, she grinned, "But you shall fail just the same!"

Each of the three Kitsune tried to get past the smaller Yokai, only for Chikako to block each one. Glancing at the pouting fox Yokai, Mie stepped forward, "Chikako-Chan, if you let us by, I'll make sure to get you plenty of fresh fish, right from the ocean. Wouldn't that be nice?"

Chikako swallowed some as her ears and tails twitched, "M-munya? Fresh fish?"

Slowly grinning, Mie nodded, "That's right, fresh fish. Right from the ocean too, as much as you might want. You just need to let your Nee-Sans get by to see Haruto-Kun."

Beside her sister, Ichika wagged a finger, "I'll even make sure to throw in that rock candy that looks like gems you like so much. All you need to do is let us by, that's all... You can even tell him that all five of us ganged up on you..."

On the young Nekomata's forehead, sweat began to gather. It was true that she adored and loved fresh fish. And the rock candy that she really liked looked just like gemstones of various kinds. Haruto sometimes got her to do things, like helping clean up the hut, in exchange for said candies. But being reminded of that...

She was also reminded of what she was doing.

Quickly, she crossed her arms with a scowl, "No! I won't let you past! Not even for fresh fish and gemstones, nyaa!"

Despite their cajoling, their attempted bribery, and the like however, none of the older girls succeeded and Haruto called out before Chikako gave in, "Thank you, Chikako-Chan." Stepping out from behind the rocks, he looked down at the Nekomata and rubbed her between the ears, "I was safe because of you."

Brightly smiling, Chikako gave a sharp nod, "Hai!" Then she blinked and cocked her head to the side, "What's with them, Nii-San?"

With a glance at them, he gave a slight chuckle, "They're just being really silly, that's all, Chikako-Chan."

More than a little confused, the Neko shrugged it off even as the older girls continued to look Haruto over with slight blushes on their face. Mainly due to the fact that all he had on him was swim trunks, with the rest showing that he lived a very active life. Between running back and forth over the island with his healer's bag, helping out wherever needed with various things including helping to lift cargo off his boat, he had gained a wiry physique that got looks from the opposite sex.

Inside Hachimitsu's head, she giggled a little, 'Oh yes~ We are very, very lucky vixens...'

Glancing at the older girls, Chikako blinked before frowning and leaning towards Haruto. Placing her hand beside her mouth, she glanced back at the other female Yokai, "Haruto-Nii-San, are they hungry? Because they're drooling, Nya..."

Just patting her on the head, he gave an unsure chuckle, "Um... maybe?"

A giggle escaped from Haruhime as she leered and gave him a once over, "Oh, we're hungry alright, for some real meat."

Not impressed, Chikako frowned before wagging a finger, "Lunch time is in a few hours though, so you'll have to wait."

Coughing into his hand, Haruto looked away, "Uh... how about we get some sunscreen onto you? That way, you don't get sunburned."

That got him a pout from the Nekomata as she allowed herself to be lead away, "I don't like sunscreen, it smells funny. And makes me sneeze..."

Mie shook her head a little before wagging her hand, "Perhaps, Chikako-Chan. But better that than getting a sunburn after all. And sunburns are not fun, are they?"

Rapidly shaking her head, Chikako grimaced, "No, they hurt, a lot."

Having sat down, Haruto pulled out a bottle of sunscreen roughly the size of a large shampoo bottle. As he squeezed out a little, Mikage sat down next to him as she glanced at it, her tail swishing behind her, "You handed out a lot of those this year again."

With a glance at her, he gave a small nod, "Hai, I have. But they help stop people from getting sunburned, especially the children, Mikage-Chan." As Haruto began to rub the sunblock onto Chikako's arms, he continued, "Besides, its not that much work for me. All I have to do is buy those travel size tubes of sunscreen the No-Maj have, cast an engorgement charm, and there's enough to do the entire summer."

Simply giving him the point with a nod, Mikage shook her head, "True, Haruto-Kun. And it does help out a lot with the children." Watching as he moved on to Chikako's neck and shoulders, while having given the little Yokai some to put on her legs, she smiled, "Less sunburns at least."

Only shrugging his shoulder, Haruto shook his head, "Which means less work for me. Granted, I have that aloe plant to make some burn soothing cream with, but still. Best to prevent it to cut down on the amount that I need."

Listening with half an ear, Chikako scrunched up her nose as he rubbed some there before sneezing, 'I hate this, Nya...' Once it was done though, she jumped up and looked back, "Are we going into the water, Haruto-Nii-San?"

About to answer, the Healer was stopped as Haruhime placed her arms over his shoulders with a grin, "Only after he puts sunscreen on us and we get to return the favor, Chikako-Chan. But it will be a few minutes, so you can have a look around."

Confused, the Neko tilted her head and blinked before shrugging it off and running off, "Okay!'

Lightly blushing, Haruto chuckled a little, "Haruhime-Chan?"

Still grinning, the Kitsune in question leaned more into him which made him blush a bit more due to how her front pressed into his back, "Don't worry, Haruto-Kun. We're going to do exactly what we told her, though it should be... enjoyable, for all of us." Nipping his ear lightly, she let out a low growl, "But seeing you with Chikako-Chan and how you treat her... it makes our boilers run hot. I cannot wait for the day when we have your children, Haruto-Kun. Because you will be a great Otou-San to all of them, no matter what."

Twisting his head around, Haruto cupped her chin and pulled her into a kiss that deepened for a few seconds before pulling away, breathless, "And I can't wait for that day either..."

As promised, it did not take long for the others to put on their own sunscreen and soon they joined Chikako down at the water's edge as the Neko would walk forward until a wave washed up, and then back up only to repeat. Not a single one of them did not find that cute and adorable. Leaning forward, Hachimitsu smiled at her which was partially because she could feel Haruto's stare behind her, "Scared of the water?"

However, Chikako shook her head, "No." Looking at the water, she placed it in and smiled a bit before frowning, "But... I don't know how to swim or how to have fun at the beach..."

Coming up on her other side, the teenage boy crouched down, "Well, that's easily fixed. I can teach you a little about swimming if you want. And then we can have some fun on the beach as well."

Eyes widening, Chikako nodded, "I would like that, Nya."

In reply, Haruto held out his hand which she took as he lead her further into the water, the warm water lapping at his shins, "Okay, we'll start with the basics then, just floating." Roughly an hour later found him basically sitting down in the water holding out his hand as Chikako swam towards him in the shallows, "Almost there, Chikako-Chan!"

Narrowing her eyes a bit, the Neko swam a bit faster until she lunged the last few feet into his arms, "Munya!"

Unable to help himself, Haruto laughed as he held her, and gave her nose a nuzzle which brought a blush to the young Nekomata, "Great job, Chikako-Chan! Excellent even!" Looking towards the others, who were lounging in the shallows, he grinned, "What do you bunch think?"

Clapping her hands together, Mie smiled, "That really was a great job, Chikako-Chan!"

Beside her twin sister, Ichika grinned and gave the younger Yokai a thumbs up, "Wicked! Soon you'll be swimming like you were in the Olympics even! Just you watch and wait!"

With a smile on her face, Chikako gave a thumbs up back, "Hai, I'm wicked!"

Meanwhile, Hachimitsu flicked the grinning Inugami's ears, "Don't be teaching her that language." ignoring the grumbling, she turned back to Chikako and clapped her hands followed by the others, "You did a great job though, Chikako-Chan. A natural, you really are."

That made the Nekomata blush as she buried her face in Haruto's neck, "Thank you..." Feeling Haruto's fingers go through her wet hair as he patted her, she blinked and looked up, "Haruto-Nii-San?"

Looking down at her, he smiled and his next words got a gasp from her, "I'm really proud of you, Chikako-Chan."

For a few moments, Chikako just stared at him before sniffling as she felt tears prickle at her eyes and hugging him even tighter, "Nii-San..."

Softly smiling, he looked at the older girls, and they nodded at him. Haruto then turned back to Chikako and hummed, "Chikako-Chan? Do you trust me?" At her blink and nod, he began moving backwards, "Okay, we'll go a bit deeper. Just trust me, I won't let you go, okay?"

Noticing the water getting deeper, she nodded, "Mm-hm..."

Haruto continued backwards while keeping an eye out for any deep spots in the cove, not that he expected there to be much. The water was only deep enough that when he measured the deeper areas, it was eight feet deep. And it was kept that way via aquatic Yokai dregging it using buckets they filled with sand and transported elsewhere. Hence, it was a very safe area for children to swim in.

Once he was deep enough that the water lapped at his neck as he stood up, Haruto came to a stop. Feeling the Nekomata tightly holding onto him, he rubbed her back a little, "Hey, look at me, Chikako-Chan." When she did so, he smiled, "It's fine, I'm right here, okay?"

Yet again, she buried her face in his neck as she held on tightly, "Hai..."

Between the feel of the warm saltwater around them, him holding her as he rubbed her back, Chikako closed her eyes and let out a purr as it felt nice and safe.

After a minute or two, Haruto smiled at her, "Chikako-Chan?" When she opened her eyes, he continued, "Now, I'm going to duck under the water with you, okay? Nothing will happen and as soon as you want, we'll surface."

Getting an unsure nod, he took a deep breath with her following before ducking under the surface with her. Blinking her eyes, Chikako looked around as a bubble or two escaped her mouth and nose, only to turn back to find Haruto smiling at her as the sunlight danced from above. Despite being underwater, she felt... safe, 'Haruto-Nii-San...'

It was only a minute later that he rose back up and the two broke the surface. Blinking away seawater from her eyes, the Neko whipped her head back and forth, which made Haruto laugh, "Hey now!"

However, all she did was smile back at him and close her eyes, "Nya..."

Both of them swam around a bit before he brought her back to shore where the others were waiting and clapping, which made Chikako blush. Then, Ichika brought out a beachball which she tossed up and down in one hand, "So, whose ready for some beach fun?"

Shooting her hand into the air, Chikako smiled, "I am!"

Lips twitching, Ichika bouced the ball off her wrist towards the Neko who caught it and stumbled back into the water before falling onto her behind. Rather than be angry or hurt, she giggled and got to her feet before tossing the ball to Haruhime, who bounced it towards Mie. Soon, the air filled with laughter and the like as they bounced the ball back and forth in the shallows.

Shortly after lunch, however, Mie took Chikako off to explore a bit and see what sort of interesting shells they might find near the seawall, which had a beach on the other side of it. Haruto, who was standing ankle deep in the water, did not have long to ponder on it when a Kitsune leapt onto him and the two tumbled into the shallows. Spitting out some water, the Healer blinked and flushed some at Hachimitsu straddling him as his hands went to her sides, "Hachimitsu-Chan?"

Humming, she pressed herself against him before kissing him and pulling back, "Mmm... now we have some our time..."

With a glance towards where the Nekomata had gone, Haruto winced, "Sorry about that, I know that with her around-"

Finger pressed against his lips, Hachimitsu leaned in, "Don't ever say you're sorry about it, Haruto-Kun. Firstly, because we all know that you are not. And secondly..." Her expression softened as she pressed herself into him, "Secondly, Chikako-Chan is a precious member of our family and we will not hear for such, you understand?"

Chuckling as he gave her a soft smile, Haruto gave her a soft kiss, "Hai."

Quirking her lips a little into a smirk, the blonde Kitsune shook her head some before kissing him again, almost immediately deepening it with a soft growl. Breathless, the two pulled back a minute later, only for her to snort, "There's only one thing that could make this better..." At his confused look, Hachimitsu reached down and took his hands off her sides and placed them lower, so that he could feel both fabric and skin under them, "There."

Flushed, the teenage boy looked up at his girlfriend, "Hachimitsu-Chan? B-but..."

Just shaking her head, she chuckled, "Haruto-Kun, you're our boyfriend. And we already told you that you can touch us where and however you want." Pausing, Hachimitsu gave a shrug, "Well, at least when not around Chikako-Chan, she's too young to see that sort of thing."

Stealing another kiss, which deepened, Haruto hummed, "True enough..."

Upon feeling splashes against him, he found that Mikage and Haruhime had leand down beside him, while Ichika kept a look out and a grin on her face as the three Kitsune enjoyed the private time they had. Though she did snicker a bit when Haruto groaned as Mikage gently scratched him as the two made out.

Later, when Mie returned, both her and her sister walked off with Haruto as the Kitsune played with Chikako. And when Haruto got back, he had all sorts of red marks on his neck and shoulders, which he explained were insect bites. The Nekomata had wagged her finger at him and, much to his embarrassment and the amusement of his girlfriends, told him he should have bug spray. Of course, Chikako followed that up by using his lap as a pillow as she dozed off in the Sun with a happy smile.

_______________________________________________________________

The group had stayed at the beach until the Sun began to set, upon which time they returned home. After a quick, simple dinner, they all went to the bath and washed off the accumulated salt and sand from their bodies. With that done, they all had entered the bath together as the stars came out above.

Leaning back in the bath, Haruto smiled a little as the tired Chikako sat in Mie's lap, eyes half closed before he blushed as Mikage then sat in his lap, "Mikage-Chan!"

The bluette looked over her shoulder with a slight smirk as she giggled before whispering, "Don't worry, Haruto-Kun, nothing else is going to happen as I know your rule about nothing like that before marriage. But... that does not mean that I can't enjoy some things~"

Just softly groaning as he pinched his nose, Haruto sighed, "And frustrate the heck out of me." That got giggles from the others which made him smile as well before a soft 'Eep' came from Mikage as he slipped his hands around her midsection and held her close as he growled into her ear, "Really frustrate me."

Giggling a little, Mie shook her head as she continued to gently pat Chikako's head as said Nekomata leaned against her, "Speaking of, Haruto-Kun... when do you think that you might, um..."

With a soft sigh, Haruto leaned back and looked at the stars, "I... don't know, but it will be pretty soon." His mind went to the rings he had already bought for them before he shook it off, "Most of Kyushu has already thrown in for Kyoto-"

Ichika brought up one hand and shrugged, "Actually? Word came over the wireless that all of Kyushu just voted to secede from Tokyo and join Kyoto."

That made him blink a little, "Really?" At the nods from the others, Haruto frowned a little, "Huh... guess that means that the full collapse is coming sooner than expected." Shaking his head, he sighed, "Anyways, once Kyoto takes over... then I'll be able to ask you all for your hands in marriage. And we can get married, Otou-San and Okaa-San both said that they approve."

A soft look on her face, Mikage reached down and placed her hand over his, which laid upon her stomach, "Hai... and we can't wait." Leaning back into him some more, she sighed, "Seeing you with Chikako-Chan, well... it makes us look forward to when you give us children. Because we know that you will be a wonderful Otou-San for them."

From where she sat in the slightly cramped tub, arms over the sides, Haruhime nodded, "Hai, Nee-San is right about that."

Humming, Mie gave a nod of her own, "Our pups will be wonderful and have a wonderful Otou-San."

Lightly blushing, Haruto smiled a bit, "Thank you." Hearing a soft murmur from Chikako, he smiled a bit at her, "Poor thing... she's all tuckered out."

A smile on her face, Mie cupped her hand into the water before bringing it up and releasing the water on Chikako. Smoothing out the Neko's hair, she leaned down and gently kissed her on the head, "Hai, but then she's had a very busy day. At least she will sleep well tonight."

With his eyes meeting hers, Haruto was once more struck with how lucky he really was. And later, when they got out of the bath and laid down to sleep, he gave each of his girlfriends a goodnight kiss, which they returned, followed by kissing Chikako between the ears and making the ten year old purr in her nearly asleep state. As he closed his eyes, he wished them all the happiness he could and once more thanked whoever allowed them into his life...

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A.N.-I may regret this snip, but there are necessarily some MACUSA/TOTEM segments covering the fallout of Kingsport and also showing what the No-Maj USG is doing to make ready for the Statute. Since that is a hot-button item in the past for some people's revenge porn fantasies, but is a necessary step in the world-building, I'm letting it known right now that any kind of ITG behavior or similar actions will get reported by me as soon as I see it. FFS keep the criticism constructive, think twice before you post on that subject, ask yourself how it will look to other people, especially if it might be seen as touching on RL issues with the US/US policies, and don't try to back-seat author me here, folks.

(Also regarding MACUSA's reaction, Obliviations and memory fuckery to keep the Masquerade up go both ways. Keep that in mind when you read Raven and Laird.)

A Winter's Shadow Over Kingsport (Epilogues)

13 July 2014

Wood Island, Saco Bay, Maine, USA

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." -- Mahatma Gandhi

Alondra David stared as the dragon made of flame passed them to head to the sound of guns, the heat radiating from it causing her to shudder. She then looked at Tina Goldstein and at the paralyzed and staring form of Lavinia Whateley at their feet.

"Good God in His Heaven," she whispered in awe at the trail of destruction that the Fiendfyre construct left as it burned everything save the people and helicopters in its path in instants, leaving smoking ash and cinders in its wake.

"Impossible...." Came the shaken mental voice of the wide-eyed TOTEM researcher. "Our spell... no wizard could do that...."

Pillsbury looked at the ringleader of Project LORELEI. "Andrews, get her out and under shipgirl guard! We need information and she is our best lead. You have a way to restrain wizards, right Tina?"

Tina nodded and then slipped another enchanted bag over Whateley's head, producing a squawk. "Just cuff her so she can't run or remove this. She won't suffocate and spell-casting without sight is tough enough without a gag and distractions. ALADDIN did good work with this setup."

"ALADDIN?" Alondra asked as they followed the trail of utter destruction that the dragon had left.

"Our... My agency's in-house R&D unit. New spells, potions, and enchanted items don't grow themselves on trees. That came out of a no-maj book about police that Del gave them back... in 1994 I believe. Lone Star?" Tina explained as the firing ahead began to slack off.

Alondra began to laugh hysterically, remembering her time in the Marine Corps and then the FBI, with a fair amount of hurry up and wait as she and her unit waited for orders or data to come in. Role playing games were one of her hobbies and ways to pass the time while on alert and she had game mastered Shadowrun. "No fucking way! Wiz, chummer, you crazy fuckers actually made a magemask!" A pause as they watched the Dragon reach the island. "I wonder how I can get Accounting to sign off on a couple dozen for the Hostage Rescue Teams as part of our kit."

A split second later the Dragon erupted in an explosion that devoured Wood Island to the granite bedrock.

Tina suddenly screamed in pain and grasped her waist where Delilah's revolver was glowing red hot. "shitshitshit... OW!"

Alondra grabbed the smoking handgun and stepped to shield the witch if it exploded. Black powder popped and smoked in the chambers but somehow did not detonate. "What the hell was THAT?"

"I don't know, Delilah's no-maj revolver never did that, although she has had it enchanted to a fare-thee-well," Tina hissed between swigs of a healing potion for her burned hip and leg, "she loves that thing, she really does. Hell of a shot with it too, really any kind of nomaj firearm."

Alondra squinted at the revolver in question. "1847 Colt Dragoon." Tina looked at the shipgirl and got a shrug. "Assistant Engineer was a major firearms collector, crew called him 'Nine Mill Bill' behind his back. Really rare gun, wonder when she got it. Beautiful one though, that damn cowgirl Houston would be drooling all over it if she was here. Wait...what the hell? It's got an incorrect serial number for the production run, must be MACUSA fuckery for some reason. Here you go."

Tina took the revolver back like she was handling a hatchling Basilisk thanks to her husband Newt. "Thanks. In fact," the witch paused and resumed in a slower thoughtful voice as the smoke and steam ahead began to clear, "I have never seen Del in all the decades I have known her to be without this gun around her. I wonder..... Dammit, I wish Newt was here, he's the Magizoology expert."
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Spoiler: Wood Island

"...For about twenty feet aft of Mount No. 3 the main deck is like a sieve with many small holes and 24 holes at least one foot in diameter. The same is true of the superstructure deck in the vicinity of the after 40mm mounts..." -- USS Laffey (DD-724) excerpted from damage report April 16th, 1945

Alondra stared in disbelief at the carnage in the bay.

Oil patches burned, dead Abyssal bodies were floating, and four Viking-looking Abyssals were kneeling under guard of the shipgirls. All of whom looked more like barely floating scrap piles than anything else. The only thing that Alondra could think of that approximated was seeing USS Laffey after the destroyer had somehow survived twenty-two kamikaze attacks during eighty minutes of hell off Okinawa on April 16th 1945. Behind them all Wood Island smouldered and steamed like an active volcano

Then Alondra stopped dead and snapped to attention before saluting the seven bloody and battered shipgirls ahead. Beside Alondra, Tina followed suit. "I... don't have words to say that can give you the honor that you have all earned tonight." she whispered with tears in her eyes as Olympia gave a vacant stare as she returned the salute automatically like a broken puppet. "Stand down, the Little Beavers are on the ground now and half of LANTFLEET's hot on their heels."

Alondra looked at the near-dead members of her shipgirl command. "We have a team behind me to airlift you to Boston and Nestor's waiting at the repair docks. I need a triage for who medevacs first. DESRON 23 radioed me to tell you that the Taffies are so taking your sleeves for this." Alondra swallowed around the lump of pride in her throat the size of one of her boilers. "And I'll take it all the way to SECNAV Almighty Himself to push for the Presidential Unit Commendation."

Olympia looked through her with a thousand-yard stare. "The town?" she spoke in an exhausted hoarse voice.

Alondra spoke with quiet pride. "Safe now. Thanks to you."
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Alondra gave a low whistle as she surveyed the island.

The waves were still steaming in places where they broke against the red-hot rocks on the shoreline.

Her faeries played their fire hoses to cool down their path ahead as she and Tina picked their way forward. Beside her, the witch cast fire suppression and cooling charms.

"Del! Emma!" The two called through the smoke filled air.

Only the pop and hiss of dying fires answered them. Those and the Abyssal corpses littering the shore and the land.

Tina paused several dozen paces in and whistled. She then cast a spell to cool down a Re-class corpse. The tail and torso was missing chunks thanks to heavy-caliber shellfire from other Abyssals... and apparently shotgun blasts, and her head was impaled by a Bowie knife that had been slammed through her brainstem from behind and left in the dead Abyssal. Tina looked at the corpse with an awed expression. "Del's knife. She made it this far at least."

Alondra removed the knife from the corpse with some difficulty. "I'll keep this till I can give it back to her."

Tina nodded. "I hope so... if not?" The witch and shipgirl detoured around a pool of still glowing granite lava. "She took one hell of an escort to Valhalla with her tonight. Both of them did."

Alondra gave a sober nod as they continued their walk through the aftermath. "That one... got eaten."

Tina shuddered and clutched her wand tighter as they followed the trail of carnage and destruction.
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Presently they reached the half-melted granite stub of the lighthouse. It drooped and slumped like a wax candle model of a lighthouse that had been attacked by a maniac with a blowtorch.

Alondra's eyes widened in shock. To one side was the outline of a massive horned and hideous giant the size of a house that had been charred into the very stone itself by the force of the flames.

Next to it, in a pool of their own blood, two bodies lay unmoving.

"Del! Emma!" The witch and shipgirl rushed there and then stopped.

Delilah lay like a broken toy with an arm and both legs clearly shattered and torn. Her torso was blood-covered with pink-white ribs showing and a bloody froth covered her coldly smiling lips, barely distinguishable among the bleeding and torn flesh of her head. Delilah's broken arm still clutched in a severely frostbitten hand her emptied shotgun with shattered stock and scorched barrel.

The other hand was clutched by Zamarad in an unbreakable death grip. A wedding ring of goblin silver and fire agate clutched one of orange topaz that weakly shone in the light of the nearby fires in a platinum and diamond flame setting.

The Ifrit was smoking and steaming and covered with terrible third-degree burns from head to toe. Alondra swallowed down bile at the memory of a drug bust gone bad when a meth lab in Illinois exploded and killed the cartel members manufacturing. This was far worse than what had happened to them.

Beside her, Tina took a deep breath. "I hope this works. I really wish Newt was here to let me know if my guess about Emma is right. Alondra... please don't stop me."

She waved her wand over the Ifrit "Incendio!"

Before Alondra's shocked and horrified eyes, a rope of flame leapt from the tip of Tina's wand to Zamarad's body and was absorbed. "What are you doing!?!?" she shouted, barely restraining herself from grabbing the witch and shaking sense into her with her full 6,000 horsepower

Tina continued pouring fire into the body. "I think she is a jinn. Arabian fire spirit. Newt told me about them once; he's the premier expert on Magizoology. He has branched out from the study of Beasts to sentient non-humans in his studies like Centaurs and Merfolk."

Alondra blinked. "Then the dragon?"

"Was her, yes. It all fits, she's from the Middle East, you saw what she did, and jinn are known to be 'the rulers of flame' according to the local folklore Newt studied." Tina responded. "I'm trying to reignite her so she can draw power from the fire. If she didn't get extinguished by the water and how much of her essence she expended doing what she did."

Alondra nodded and then pulled a jerrycan of diesel fuel from her stores. "This is no crazier than anything else tonight. Let me help." She carefully poured the petroleum fuel over Zamarad's body and Tina ignited it to try to revive her as Alondra's medical faeries tended to Delilah's wounds aided by healing spells cast by the witch.
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16 July 2014

MACUSA Headquarters, Woolworth Building, New York City

Athena Laird stared at the Raven-masked mage who was the only other person present in her office. "Repeat that?!" she said with a glare at the TOTEM researcher.

"We were running another test of the LORELEI system that is intended to buy time for PILGRIM tokens to be manufactured and distributed. The spike of magical energies attracted some Abyssals that penetrated the obscuring wards around Kingsport and attacked the town. Casualties were heavy and the town was severely damaged in the fighting before a shipgirl patrol arrived offshore and the Abyssals withdrew to engage them." Raven sighed. "Also Shark or someone tripped the Fiendfyre security measure for LORELEI and the discharge rampaged through town in the confusion before dissipating. Hence many of the bodies were burned to unrecognizable remains when we surveyed the scene this morning."

"Shark..." Athena thought out loud, "that was... is... your researcher there? I remember that in the brief unclassified summary you gave me for authorization right after Blood Week and then the verbal after you opened up MAYFLOWER."

Raven nodded. "Yes. She was brilliant really; one of our best and brightest. There's no field of knowledge that she would allow to remain unplumbed. LORELEI was based on a nexus of power on an island near Kingsport similar to Crater Lake. When it was settled in 1698, we determined that the nexus was some form of an ancient weather control device. Which we used to protect Kingsport by summoning storms to discourage no-maj shipping. Add in the land approach is trackless forest which is both warded heavily with the usual concealing charms and very rugged to boot and it was perfect for the village to remain unobserved."

Athena nodded along, "And this would buy time HOW exactly? No bullshit, Raven."

"When the Abyssals appeared, fascinating creatures really, we realized that the nexus could be used to pacify them and cause them to visibly work together with the right raw materials used in the activating rituals. A larger and more dangerous Abyssal presence off the coast of New England would force no-maj eyes outward to the seas as they thought a second Blood Week was nigh. Also that points the Scourers at the shipgirls as they become more prominent in no-maj eyes as 'their line of defense'. So while the no-maj cat is away, us magical mice will play." Raven shrugged as he continued, "we even had hopes that we could turn the Abyssals to our will to use as protectors similar to how the no-maj claim the shipgirls are. Plus duplicating the LORELEI Nexus effect on other sites of power we control such as Crater Lake, Mesa Verde, Wind Cave, Yellowstone, Mammoth Cavern, or use it to control the shipgirls alongside Abyssals. They are, after all, just spirits."

Athena looked hard at Raven. "So now what?"

Raven sighed. "Between the damage to the wards and the damage to the town, plus the destruction of the LORELEI nexus, we shall have to inactivate the project until after MAYFLOWER runs its course. The survivors can be relocated to Cahokia, Roanoke Colony, or other hidden villages easily enough, there are only about thirty of the hundred and ten souls present. As for the Masquerade? If the no-maj stumble across one more small seaside town destroyed by Abyssals and then abandoned, it will pass unnoticed."

"Good. We dodged a Killing Curse here. Now, what is the status on PILGRIM's progress?"
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17 July 2014

Cactus Forest Subdivision, City of Florence, Arizona
Spoiler: A New Life Of Freedom...

"And here is your new house Ms. Marsh." The olive skinned and dark-haired small town realtor gave the pale skinned and red-eyed albino witch a friendly smile as he opened the front door on the tidy house in the exurban subdivision. "don't hesitate to call me if you have any questions or worries about your new life. Also, we have a 'Welcome to Arizona' barbecue laid on at the school two blocks down the road there at noon, and my wife Dagobert makes potato salad to die for. I hope to see you there before it is all gone."

Ishtar Marsh blinked at the man as her two small children dashed inside to examine their new life. "I don't believe this, Mr. Lysander. What brought this on?"

Alexandros Lysander walked her to the pre-furnished family room and guided her to a new sofa. "Back in the 1980s, when Uncle Sam became aware that the statue of secrecy was coming down, we started a program to help people like you transition to what you call the no-maj world. At first it was Squibs who our allies on the magical side lied about Obliviating and sent to us. So we established these safe communities as a halfway house where you are surrounded by magical neighbors and those of us like me who know about the existence of magic. It was an outgrowth of the means we, and by we I mean my old job in DEA, did to hide witnesses who the cartels wanted dead. But instead of a narcotraficante hit squad or Mafia assassins for the FBI, we conceal you from the Scourers -- yes we know about those domestic terrorists! -- give you federal funds to buy the necessities of life initially, job training and schooling, and then let you live the American Dream."

The witch followed along, "I suppose as a Mediwitch I will wind up helping heal people?"

"If you have the calling, yes. Meanwhile your two sons will go to school with both magical and non-magical children. Just don't be surprised to have one of them get interested in non-magical girls in a few years if they stay here. That's what happened to Dagobert after she moved here in 2006 as a Squib. Eight years happily married next month." Alexandros said with a happy grin. "The FBI said your two are six and three?"

Ishtar smiled, "Yes, yes they are. Their father died last year. Storm at sea got his fishing boat." Her face dimmed.

"Ahh, well when they enroll in kindergarten, I'll call Ms. Varnell and see if your oldest can get put in my daughter Aphrodite's class. Ms. Varnell is a great teacher." Alexandros spoke sympathetically. "And I can relate, before we came to America, my family lived on Delos and we gave our own sacrifices to the sea then according to the old family stories from my grandmother who heard them from her grandmother."

Ishtar sighed, "And those of us who... well...?"

Alexandros became more solemn, "That's sticky since the Sixth Amendment gives us all a speedy and public trial in front of a jury of our peers. never mind it could be argued -- and no doubt will by the lawyers! -- that your home town of Kingsport was part of a different sovereign country than the US and therefore not inhabited by citizens under the Consitution. So the workaround is holding those of you accused of federal felonies under US law in pretrial detention until the Statute collapses enough that we can then go to the other part of the executive order, which is impanel a grand jury within 15 days and begin criminal proceedings then with all due process rights and all defense lawyers of the defendant's choice paid for by Uncle Sam. The detention is cross-checked by sworn officers of the judicial branch who record everything us in the excutive branch does while this goes on. We had the Executive order signed and then confirmed by the Supreme Court in closed special session after they were briefed in on magic, so it is Constitutional. Barely." He thought about the Federal Magical Supermax prison that had been constructed on the far side of Florence to hold the thirty-three individuals arrested by the Kingsport Raid until their trial.
----------------------------------

Spoiler: ...Can Only Be Purchased In One Coin

16 July, 2014

Zuchi, Japan

"Letter for you, Norimune!" Akutoku called. "Owl Mail no less."

Norimune blinked and examined the return address. "New York, it must be from Delilah."

Akutoku muttered something nasty under her breath that Norimune elected to ignore as she broke the black sealing wax.

14 July, 2014

Dear Norimune,

Our daughter had asked me not to write you until you were ready to initiate contact with me, but Man Proposes and God Disposes.

You should know that yesterday Delilah led an Auror raid on a magical terrorist cell. During the fighting, which was complicated by an Abyssal attack on the magical village where the action was going down, our daughter and daughter-in-law were critically injured saving innocents from a terrible fate.

I do not know when or if either will ever awaken from the comas that they are currently in.

I shall write you immediately to inform of any change in their condition. I just pray that you are reading my letters and not returning them unanswered as what had happened before.

I am sorry that I must speak to you after so long with such ill news, you truly do not deserve for me to redouble the wounds upon your heart. Truly we hurt that which we most love.

I close with my prayers for your health and healing as I have prayed every night since we spoke last.

Your humble servant,

Jézabel de Breuil

Akutoku, looking over Norimune's shoulder, whispered."Fuck me, I never wanted THAT for that little car-stealing bitch." She then grasped her sister in a crushing hug as the Unrepentant Blade cried in heartbroken grief.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Moving quickly, though not running, the shadow made its way along the dirt road until reaching a hut in the village. For a brief moment, they grumbled about being out of shape and how much Sensei would be disappointed in them for that before raising their hand and knocking. Inside the hut, ears twitched at the knocking and several pairs of eyes opened. A frown on his face, Haruto muttered a spell and his wand lit up with numerals appearing above his hand. For several seconds, he blinked as he stared at the numbers, the ones at the far end moving upwards, "It's after twelve? Who..."

When the knocks came again, the others moved to let him up even as Chikako sat up and rubbed at her eyes, "Who is that, mmnya? I was having a nice dream with Nii-San giving me lotsa tuna..."

That got her looks of amusement from the others as well as head shaking before Haruto patted her on the head, "I don't know who it is, but I'll go and find out." Throwing on a cloak, he walked to the door and opened it before blinking, "Sunada-San? What are you doing here?" Eyes narrowing, the Healer frowned, "Did something happen?"

Glancing past him, Sunada raised one eyebrow at the female Yokai before turning back to Haruto. Internally, he gave a low whistle without it showing on his face, 'Very good taste...'

Then, he gave a mental shrug and shake of the head. After all, the old Auror unlike others was not a pervert. Which was not to say that he could not appreciate the female form like the piece of art he considered it as, but go no further than giving the odd look and perhaps nod. He did have a wife after all and he was loyal to her.

Besides, he was here because he had a job to do.

Clearing his throat, Sunada nodded a short distance away, "Something came up, Haruto-San. Rather important as well... mind if we take a few steps away."

Suspicious, Haruto narrowed his eyes some, but when he got no reply gave a nod, "Very well, Sunada-San." Once they were a few feet away, he watched as the older wizard pulled out a cigarette and lit it, the tip glowing orange in the darkness, "You realize that those will kill you one day."

With a shrug, the older man chuckled, "Maybe, but other things have tried and failed, so it has as much chance as anything else." Pulling it from his lips, he let out a stream of smoke, "Besides, it is pretty much my only vice and we're not in your clinic, Kid."

Only shaking his head at that, Haruto frowned, "What's going on that is so important that you would come to see me this late at night? And want to speak to me privately?"

For a few moments, Sunada stood there as he took another long drag of his cigarette with the tip glowing. Once he was done, he let out a soft sigh, "You hear about what happened earlier today? With Kyushu going fully for Kyoto?"

A frown on his face, the Healer nodded a little, "Hai? I did hear about that... Does this have to do with this?"

Chuckles escaped from Sunada before he grunted, "You could say that." Shoving his hands into his pockets, he looked at Haruto's hut. Oh, he was no idiot, he knew that they were listening in. Yokai senses were not to be trifled with after all. But... the distance was enough that most would understand the meaning. Turning back, the old Auror looked all his nearly seventy years, "We just got orders from up on high, Haruto-San."

That made Haruto blink a little, "Orders? What sort of orders...?" Furrowing his eyebrows, he gave the other man an unsure look, "And why do you keep running around telling me what is happening?"

Pulling a scroll from his coat, the old wizard handed it to him with his next words hitting the Healer like a punch to the gut, "We're pulling out. Everyone is back at the Fort packing right now and getting ready to leave in an hour." He gave a small shrug and shook his head, "I don't have much shit up there so I was able to pack quick and come see you."

Utterly stunned at what he was hearing, Haruto boggled at him before quickly opening the scroll, "What the fuck?! They're pulling out?"

Taking another drag, Sunada hummed a bit, "Hai, they are as a matter of fact. Everyone is to be off the island in one hour. We're not the only one as the other Reserves in Kyushu are in the same situation." Letting out another stream of smoke, which curled around his head like a cloud, the old Auror grunted, "Hence why I came to see you and not one of the others." Glancing at the hut, he grimaced a bit around his cigarette, "For obvious reasons."

Still reading for a fourth time, Haruto ran a hand through his hair, "What in the hell... when is Kyoto supposed to arrive then to take over? There's nothing here about a hand over..." Having spotted the expression on the Auror's face, he paled, "Please don't tell me..."

Sunada growled softly and the smoke cloud around his head seemed to become more of a thundercloud, lit from below by the orange tip of his cigarette, "Kid, I'm going to level with you, this whole thing? It pisses me the fuck off." Letting out another stream of smoke, he glared at the Fort, "I've checked and made a few calls best that I could. No one seems to know if there is going to be a handover. There is nothing about an official handover of the Reserves to Kyoto."

If he was pale before, the teenage Healer was practically transparent at this point, "There isn't one, is there? They're just abandoning the Reserves..."

With a grunt, Sunada took the stub of his cigarette from his mouth and crushed it under one foot. Pulling out another, he placed it between his lips before snapping his fingers and creating a hovering flame over his thumb which he used to light it, "No, pretty sure that there isn't. Orders from nowhere in the Kami dammed middle of the night? And for them to be basically pack up everything not nailed down and take it back to Tokyo? Even if I did not have my years of being an investigator behind me, I could smell the rat." Angrily puffing, he snarled, "I have seen a lot of acts of spite in my day, but this? This takes the fucking cake. They're creating one hell of a fucking mess and leaving it to Kyoto to solve. Hell, I would not be surprised if there was not an owl just now being sent out the slow route so that it arrived sometime after dawn."

Blinking slowly, Haruto groaned and ran his hand through his hair, "Fucking great, I would say that I am surprised at this, but really?"

Softly snorting, the Auror grinned around his cigarette, though there was nothing in it that showed he was amused, "You really aren't? Neither am I, Kid. Shit's going down to say the least."

Right then, a thought struck Haruto and he looked at the older wizard with a frown, "Wait, they want to take everything? Records up at the Fort and everything?"

With a grunt, Sunada scowled, "Got it in one, Kid. Nothing is to be left behind that could be of use besides the Fort. Which is why I was supposed to come and get you." Frowning, he looked towards where he knew the clinic was, "I was supposed to come, grab you, and all your shit. Notes, potions, everything, and get it back to Tokyo. Nothing could be left behind. And better me than some of the other assholes." Narrowing his eyes some, the old Auror frowned, "Some of them might just burn down your clinic so there is nothing of use."

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Haruto clench his fist, "I see..." Taking a deep breath, the Healer let it out, "I'm not going."

Rather than argue, Sunada nodded in understanding, "I figured that you would say that, which was another reason why I came." Giving him a long look, he frowned, "You do realize what that would mean, right Kid? Right? You'd be going against direct orders from the higher ups. Automatically they would fire you and I would not be surprised if someone pulled your Healer license. Complete and utter blacklisting. There's a possibility that Kyoto won't touch you either."

Just staring ahead, the seventeen year old shook his head, "I know. But..." He looked out onto the village, "When I became a Healer, I swore an oath. To heal any that come to my door, to stand between them and Death. To provide succour whenever I can. Some Healers mouth the words, not caring... I'm not one of them."

For several minutes, the two stood there silently. Finally, Sunada let out a chuckle, "Kid? Don't let anyone ever say that you are not a man. Because that is all that I see standing in front of me." With a sigh, he looked up at the stars, "We need more people like you in this damn world of ours, though we don't deserve them."

Nodding, Haruto gave him a smile, "Thanks." Voice lowering, he gave the other man a look, "What about you? What are you going to do?"

Bemused, Sunada gave him a look, "Me? I'm going to follow my orders to the letter and nothing more." With a sigh, he shook his head, "I would have gone to Kyoto before now, and maybe once the Diet collapses fully... but the Missus and I needed the pension. Neither of us are getting any younger and my job payed well enough that I could help support my kids some alongside her own pension from the Diet. Not much, but... both myself and my wife lived through the end of the last war. We can deal without a lot of shit if it means our kids and grandkids can be happy with the little ones getting tutoring in magic."

Eyes softening, Haruto gave him a nod of respect, "I see..."

Scratching his grey, thinning hair, the Auror shrugged, "Life's shit and then you die. Nothing more for it than that... But then, I'm a cynical old shit anyways." Glancing at him, he raised an eyebrow, "You wouldn't have any copies of your notes, right?"

Lost at the change in conversation direction and at the question, Haruto gave a small nod, "Uh, yeah? Of course I have multiple copies. Why would you even ask that?"

Somewhat amused, Sunada chuckled a bit, "Give me some copies to take back and I'll state that I got them from your clinic. I'll also claim that I was going to take the rest, but that it would take too long to break through the spells shielding the medicine cabinet and would be too noisy doing so that the Yokai around would wake up." He nodded towards the scroll itself, "I'll state that I barely caught you running for some medical emergency or another. Maybe some old fuck like myself was having a heart attack because he was having sex with a young thing. I'll come up with something..." He nodded towards the scroll, "But I still gave you that scroll and you opened it before shoving it in your bag as you took off. Give your ass some cover for a few days, anyways. After..." The older wizard gave him a thin smile, "Ain't much to cover your ass, but... you're a good kid. And with how the Diet is falling apart? It might last long enough that things will get to the point that no one in the Diet will give a flying fuck about some Healer in a Reserve in the ass end of nowhere."

The two shared a look of understanding and Haruto left for the hut. Returning, he had a several notepads which he held out, "Here. They're not patient records, but..."

With a shrug, Sunada took them and shoved the books into his pocket, "Eh, they won't give a shit and likely think that this is it." Taking a long drag, he let out the smoke which, Haruto noticed, took the form of a serpent flying through the air, "I suppose that this is it, Kid. Might not see each other after this."

Slowly nodding, Haruto smiled slightly, "Hai, it seems so." Holding out a hand, he gave a chuckle, "Thanks, for everything."

Grasping said hand, he pulled the Healer in for a manly hug, patting his back before stepping back and giving him a shake, "You're welcome, Haruto-San. Like I said, you take care of yourself and your girls. We need more people like you in this world. Maybe... it will make it a better place."

With that, Sunada tipped his hat to both Haruto and the girls in the hut before walking off towards the Fort.

About to go in, Haruto paused as he heard his name and turned to find Sunada smirking at him from a distance, his face lit by his cigarette and showing a grin, "Oh, just one more thing, Kid? I'll be looking forward to your girls when I get to see them cruising and protecting all our collective asses out on the sea with their guns and such."

Upon seeing them stunned, he laughed and turned, throwing a wave over his shoulder towards them. Coming up behind her boyfriend, Hachimitsu stared first at the old wizard and then at Haruto, "Did he... all this time he knew and..."

Sighing, Haruto chuckled and shook his head, "Somehow, I'm not too surprised he did. He is rather observant..."

Mie walked up and gave him a frown, "Haruto-Kun? What are we going to do now?" She gestured towards the Fort which, we they watched, had a few lights turn off, "They're abandoning us here."

For almost a minute, Haruto looked at the scroll in his hands and frowned. But, finally, he took a deep breath and nodded, "Mie-Chan? You stay here with Chikako-Chan. Mikage-Chan? Haruhime-Chan? Ichika-Chan? I need you three to head to the other villages and get the local leaders together as well as Riki-San up at the Shrine. Give them, briefly, what is going on in private and tell them to come to my clinic. It has the most room and privacy. Myself and Hachimitsu-Chan will head into town and grab the Headman and help him gather up anyone else that needs it.

Each of the girls nodded and went off to their individual tasks with Haruto and Hachimitsu making their way into the village.

Both of them kept an eye out for anyone, but this late, everyone had gone to bed some time ago. Hence, they saw no one at all by the time they reached the Headman's hut in the same village as their own fifteen minutes later. Knocking on the door, they were greeted by an old Tanuki, "Haruto-Sama? Hachimitsu-Sama? What seems to be the trouble?"

Glancing around, Haruto lowered his voice, "Something is happening up at the Fort tonight. And I think that you should know about it..."

As he was told, the Yokai's expression became more and more grave. Finally, he gave a sigh and shook his head, "We should have expected this, I suppose." He gave a look towards Haruto with a small frown, "Are you..."

Understanding the question, Haruto shook his head, "I'm staying. Might get me in some trouble, but this? This isn't right."

That got him a slight smile from the Tanuki, "I see, that is to be expected, I suppose." With a sigh, he considered things before nodding, "I shall send some of those who are best at stealth to observe the Fort. They'll be able to tell us when and if they are leaving. In the meantime, let us go to your clinic as you are quite right in how private it is..."

 

[darthcourt10]

Shinr

Kiba Residence

Kiba slept, the occasional nearly quiet ambient sounds of passing far away vehicles nowhere near enough to wake him up.

Then his phone came to life, the loud ringtone pulling the Okuri-Inu out of his slumber. As the grumbling Kiba reached out for his smartphone on the nightstand, the tengu with whom he shared the bed tonight slowly roused as well.

Grabing the phone and inspecting the caller ID, he grew concerned and accepted the call.

"Koga, what is goin-?" he asked.

"They're pulling out of the Reserves." The Okami interrupted him.

"W-wha?" The Okuri-Inu eloquently asked.

"Tokyo is pulling out of the Reserves." Kogamaru repeated "Without informing Kyoto."

"...They can not be that stupid." Ai said in disbelief.

"Ai, you're with Kiba? Good, it will save time." The clan head stated "Osamu-san just informed me about this, it seems the Diet wants the reserves to become Kyoto's problem in the worst way possible."

As if to punctuate the point, Ai's smartphone gave a ringtone that identified the caller as the JSDF.

Hashida Automative Garage

"Yes, I need all hands I could get and I need them half an hour ago! Don't worry about costs!" Kensuke finished the call, just in time for his smartphone to ring again.

"Suigetsu-san, I was expecting you." Kensuke greeted.

"Hi and I assume that Kiba already told you?" The kappa responded "I will be in your place with the Scubaru and few others in ten minutes."

"What do we need to do?" Kensuke asked. "I assume that speed and carrying capacity is a priority here?"

"You got it."

"Should we completely get rid of stealth features?"

"Yes and no." The kappa responded "Keep the minimum amount of stealth spells, just in case."

"Got it. See you in eight minutes." And with that the Tanuki ended the call and turned to the workers in the garage "All right people! Get ready to modify at least a dozen cars with Speed and Capacity spells!"

Nakano Seed, Venture & Hedge Offices

<Yuno and Kiba are on their way.> Moreau stated.

"Good." said Long-Wen-Shi "What resources we can immediately use right now?"

"<I already compiled the list just for this occasion.>" The french vampire said while giving the a of documents to the Dragon "<But from my calculations, it will not be enough. We will have to burn more if we want to avoid a worst-case scenario.>"

"I don't think we have any real choice here." Long-Wen-Shi stated "What of JSDF?"

"<Kiba told me that Ai was urgently summoned.>" Moreau responded "<Considering the timing, I doubt it is a coincidence.>"

Long-Wen-Shi's smartphone started ringing, showing a caller ID of Admiral Goto.

Somewhere in one of many reserves

A smartphone ringed, and a woman promptly picked it up.

"Kurosawa speaking." the woman responded.

"Miki, have you noticed any strange Auror movements?" Suigetsu cut straight to the point.

"If you call a complete withdrawal 'Strange', then yes." Miki responded.

"Shit." the kappa cursed "Miki, a question, about the people you smuggled INTO the reserves."

"Yes?"

"Can they run things, become de-facto authority, until either Kyoto or the No-Maj restore order?"

"They will try, but don't expect miracles."

Hokkaido, Hokubu Clan Compound

Kogamaru puts the phone down after a series of emergency calls, and tiredly rested his head on his hands and taking a chance to rest a little.

Urgent messages were sent to various magical community leaders closest to the Reserves, and right now all he could do is wait until they replied back.

Not for the first time and definitely not the last, the (relatively) young head of the Hokubu clan prayed to all the Kami for any blessing he could get.

----

A/N: Small snippets of what JNHRO members (click here for the character list) are probably experiencing right now.

 

[darthcourt10]

Kab2

Today I bring you the start of another story, I hope you like it.

-----

The sea, often seen as whimsical, it was mostly safe to travel until recently; now you need to be escorted by shipgirls if you don't want to risk an hostile encounter with Abyssals; but here, between Scylly Islands and Cornwall, it was secure as the line where the shipgirls patrol was further offshore.

But a lonely Abyssal submarine was exploring the seabed, having eluded the patrols.

In there she found some ruins, which caught her attention.

'Hmm, this ruins are interesting, this would be an impressive construction in its prime.' thought Sofia, taking notes of the sea floor she was investigating.

She dived to the bottom, where she took land and began to travel between the ruins, a pile of stones there and the remains of a wall suggested she was currently in what in its prime was a big construction.

'I have to pinpoint this location as a point of interest, like all the wreckages I found earlier, they may come in handy later. Luckily I have that big island as reference.'

But at one point she felt something.

'What is this feeling? It seems like someone is calling me... from below?'

She was confused, this ruins were sunk a long time ago, and they seemed undisturbed for the same amount of time, so what was what was calling her like a tug on her sleeve?.

She went down to the sea floor and wiped the sand from it, under the sand she found a stone floor that obviously meant that the ruins had an underground level. She could burst open a hole in the ruins floor, but she didn't like to tamper with what was left of an human construction, so she began to search for an entrance to go down, after a bit of time she found what it seemed an iron rusted door; breaking the lock she opened it and discovered stairs going down.

'I wonder what I'll discover down there, and who or what is calling me' she thought descending into the depths of the ruins.

Using her spotlights she began to explore the area, slowly she saw holes in the walls that she suppose it were used to hold some font of light, when she reached the bottom, she passed an archway, opening in a big chamber that in its walls were niches, a lot of them were empty but some of them were closed and others had crumbled and she saw skeletons inside, discovering that is was a crypt, where the owners of the ruins were buried when it were over the sea a long time ago. In there she felt the calling again, more powerful, drawing her to the other side of the stairs, to a door across the room.

Opening the door, she encountered another room, but with a single tomb inside.

'The calling comes from the inside' thought Sofia, approaching the tomb, she traced her fingers across the stone. 'Hmmm, as far as I know, this is a resting place for the humans when they got wrecked, I'm not sure if I want to disturb it' She remembered the times she had to enter the wrecks of some ships to get fuel first for her fleet, and lastly for herself as she ditched them, always saying sorry for intruding and trying not to disturb it more than neccesary, as she felt respect for the ships and the humans that built them and travelled with them, unlike the rest of her fleet that only wanted them dead or for materials.

'I'll try to not disturb it more than neccesary when I open it' she thought reaching for the lid of the stone tomb she carefully opened it to take a look inside, revealing an human skeleton dressed in the remains of an ancient armor with its hands crossed upon its chest, and between them a sword was lying.

'Is the sword the source of the calling I'm sensing? That's strange.' she thought as she pondered what to do. 'I better get it and find the cause later, I'm reaching the safe limit to go back.'

She carefully took the sword from the skeletons dead hands and she felt something in the sword.

There was no doubt that the sword was made of abyssal steel, and that it was calling her.

'Hmm, interesting, but I need to go now, I'll check it later in the isle.'

After closing the tomb, she exited the underground and immediately went west to reach her refuge as soon as she can; but in her haste she didn't notice her movements had been monitored.

The submarine shipgirl that was monitoring her went inside the underground, and after confirming that the abyssal didn't left any nasty surprise, she returned east to report.
As she reached her destination, she emerged to the surface.

"HUZZAH!" she exclaimed to the shipgirl in waiting. "Knight of the sea Upholder ready to inform to the dearest of Troy!"

Sighing Hermione asked "So she did the same again?"

Getting serious, Upholder answered "Almost, she explored the seabed same as the last times, but this time she discovered a gate in some ruins with stairs going down, which was an old crypt, after that I confirmed that she only tampered with a tomb in there."

"It seems that this abyssal is only exploring, but for what motive?" pondered Hermione "And why did she open the gate and the tomb? The next time we find her we will surround her and ask for her reasons."

"Why don't we sink her?"

"She hasn't attacked any humans or shipgirls." explained Hermione. "So she hasn't done any hostile action, and she saved one transport from sinking by running the ship on rocks."

"But have we confirmed she is she same one?" questioned Upholder.

"We haven't seen any other red-headed abyssal submarine around here, right? Anyways we're going to resume our patrol" said Hermione as she prepared "I'll write the paperwork for this encounter." then she and the others began to move in formation to make sure no hostile abyssals were around.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A.N.-Since I paused this arc for a week to do Kingsport, Chapter 4 is here: https://forums.spacebattles.com/thr...ppet-collection.772633/page-642#post-64220919

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (V)

11 July 2014

JNHRO Beach House, Zuchi, Japan
Spoiler: A Family Dinner

Ehren sipped her cup of Sapporo Yebisu Premium beer and her pale blond eyebrows visibly raised. She took another sip, swirling the liquid slowly in her mouth to savor the taste then swallowed with a thoughtful hum.

Next to her, Umitsubame looked at her niece. "Is there a problem, Ehren-chan?" The Su Yari spear spoke before taking another takayoki octopus ball from the bounty on offer at the family picnic.

"Nein, Aunt Umi. Quite the reverse," Ehren said slowly and thoughtfully, taking another sip, "this is quite good beer. I would almost think this was a Bavarian or Franconian Dunkel brewed under the Reinheitsgebot beer purity laws."

Past Umitsubame, Tonbo leaned over to speak with Ehren "I remember hearing that the brewery hired a German master brewer to train them back.. around 1890. That is probably it."

Ehren smiled slightly and drained her glass before picking up an onegiri rice ball. "That would make sense. One should learn from the best in the world, after all."

Umitsubame nodded after she refilled Ehren's glass with more Yebisu, "Germany is known for beer, are you a connoisseur?"

Ehren shrugged slightly after taking a bite of the tuna-filled rice ball, "Somewhat I suppose, Aunt Umi. I have not been manifest very long, but Vati left a strong impression on me, and he was interested in sampling different beers. So I suppose that I am, although I have not been outside Belgium until very recently."

Umitsubame made a sound of agreement. "Our families are like that. I can remember the first samurai who held me as if it was yesterday."

On the other side of Ehren, Kagotsuruhe spoke in her emotionless voice. "And I remember Lord Urabe-dono as well. I have realized that I was blessed to know him and have his imprint upon my soul. Not all of us were so lucky in our First Masters." Her eyes turned to the squabbling pair of Akutoku and Norimune on the far side of the picnic as they fenced with their chopsticks over the last pickle.
Spoiler: Vati

Ehren blinked, "I see. I miss Vati even now in some ways." She said with a quaver in her controlled voice that she hid with another drink of beer.

Umitsubame leaned in curiously. "What was he like? Nori said very little about you. She... said it was not her place to talk about your past and your mother has not said a word."

Ehren closed her eyes and breathed in and out. "A man of honor. He," her voice cracked and she bit her lip, reflecting on how her family deserved to know, that Norimune had told her that all of the aunts next to her had their own inner dark secrets and traumas. She finally spoke again in a quiet hesitant voice, "you know of my origin?"

Kagotsuruhe spoke in a grave tone as she placed an unnaturally cold hand on Ehren's and squeezed, "yes, but I am the only one here tonight among us." The most feared of the Demon Blades paused and then pinned Umitsubame and Tonbo with a cold gaze to warn them not to press the issue, "suffice it to say that Ehren's past, in her eyes, was as dark and traumatic as Chisuheri's deeds before she found religion, or elements of my own. She was created by evil men for evil ends and fears that part of her locked deep inside her soul that forever rattles at the cage of her will."

The Sword of Hopelessness surveyed her Ehrendolch niece who nodded silently in agreement, then she continued in that solemn voice. "Her father left his marks upon Ehren for good and for ill for those with eyes to see as I have when I tested her alongside her family. He was a man of great honor, as much as her mother is perhaps, and he had as much courage and strength of will and determination as the men who have Mastered me. All things that could be used for great deeds... or deeds equally terrible as we all know from our past experiences. We are all given gifts and abilities and what we make of them define who we are. Ehren has much of her father in her, she is indeed his daughter in spirit, but the seeds of his gifts and talents in her soul and what she makes of them when she calls them forth to bear fruit.... That I cannot say. Not yet."

Kagotsuruhe gave a hollow chuckle, "After all, If you had asked me, or any of us a year after manifesting what we would turn into, this would not have been in any of our dreams." She released Ehren's hand and gestured at the family picnic as a driftwood fire popped and crackled, sending sparks to join the stars above.

Ehren took a deep breath. "Vati was a candidate at SS-Junkerschule, first in his class when I was awarded to him. I served him faithfully and well and truly as," her face twisted in icy hatred and disgust, "he was tricked to serve the madmen and monsters who led Germany during the darkest chapter of our history. He was a soldier and officer as his father had been in the Great War and Opa had been fighting the French in 1870. He was on duty in France when he met Mutti in 1941."

The dagger sighed as she looked across the picnic to where her mother was talking to Chisuheri, "They were so wonderful together. A perfect match, and loved each other deeply. Then... something happened between them. Aunt Del said that it was duty, since Mutti and Vati were on opposite sides of the war..." She broke off with a stifled sob in her voice.

Umitsubame embraced Ehren around the shoulders. "I know what that is like. I fought in the Jidai when families of samurai were torn apart by honor and duty. Including branches of my own Clan."

Ehren nodded and leaned into her Aunt's embrace as Tonbo moved over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Danke. It was a bad falling out, and Vati changed. He became harsher, darker.... But I could still see the good man in him when he tracked down Mutti. They loved each other so very very much."

A unnaturally cool hand touched Ehren's wrist as the dagger swallowed and finished. "They fought one last time and.... Vati died while Mutti was wounded. She claimed me and I served her honorably and well until I manifested."

Tonbo leaned in to give Ehren a fiercely compassionate hug and whispered in her ear. "I know how traumatic that can be. My enchantments let my wielder fight in ways impossible for even the most skilled swordsman... but they cannot tell friend from foe in the grips of my power. I... know."

Kagotsuruhe squeezed Ehren's wrist. "My own powers when unsheathed affect my wielder as much as my foes. Some... have not survived the terrors I inflict when manifest."

Ehren looked at her aunts with suspiciously shiny eyes and then nodded sharply. "How are you so insightful?"

Umitsubame chuckled harshly, "Centuries of hard-earned experience. You learn the most from the mistakes and bad times, I have found."

Tonbo nodded in agreement after she released Ehren from the hug. "Oh yes."

Kagotsuruhe flipped her face to a 'wise sage' expression. "In order to fear, one must understand first. For fear is a mirror held up to a soul to show the truth of what lurks within. Courage, true courage, is comprehension of the fear of the darkest part of oneself."


A.N.-This...went places on me.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Haruto took the kettle off the small heater he had and brought it over before pouring the steaming water into the waiting cups filled with green tea, which he proceeded to stir. With that done, he set out the cups with a small nod, "Sorry that it is not much, Iwao-San."

The Tanuki Headman of the village smiled and waved him off, "It is fine, Haruto-Sama. Better than fine." Iwao took the cup and blew on it gently, "Besides, I think that we could all use a drink to calm us down."

Lips curling, Haruto chuckled a little, "I would recommend some medical alcohol, but..."

With a snort, Ayane motioned with one hand, "We need to be as sober as possible right now." Sighing, she shook her head, "Kami, I need some caffeine, but that would be the wrong decision."

Murmurs came from the other community leaders as they accepted their cups. One of them, a Kawauso, grimaced a little, "I just want to know if what the Auror said to Haruto-Sama is correct. Haruto-Sama, I trust, and while Sunada-San is better than most guards... he is still a guard and not one of us."

Various nods met that before Iwao frowned some, "Hai, I agree with that my friends. But we must still prepare just in case. It would be better if this was all some false alarm rather than actually true. But if it is..."

It went without saying that a number of grimaces met him at that as they all gave nods.

Sipping her tea, one of the kijimunā on the island, frowned as she kicked out her legs with the grass skirt she wore swishing as she did so, looking like nothing more than an eight year old girl despite being one of the oldest Yokai there, "Who did you send to check?"

Iwao gave a small sigh, "I sent Kohaku-Chan and Naoko-Chan to go and keep a watch out. They would be the best ones to do so after all."

For a few moments, the kijimunā considered that before nodding, "I see, yes that does make sense. Kohaku-Chan is the lone Uwabami and Naoko-Chan is Nure-Onna. Both of them would be able to see into the Fort without needing to go in thanks to having heat vision."

Various others gave nods of agreement as they made their own comments.

The clock continued to tick by and Haruto watched it until it reached the point where Sunada told him they were all to be gone by. Half an hour later, they could all hear noise from outside and a tall, thin woman stumbled into the clinic out of breath before looking at each of the island elders there as well as the human Healer. Hand to her chest, Kohaku took several breaths before shaking her head, "They're gone, neither I nor Naoko-Chan can see any heat signatures from the windows and all the lights are off. I even took a chance to look inside where the Floo fireplace is and that's dark as well, no fire."

Everyone started murmuring at that in shock and dismay before the kijimunā slammed a staff down on the floor, "Enough!" She gave them all glares, "I swear, each of you are acting like children! Yet I am the one who looks like one." Getting sheepish looks, she sighed and ran a hand through her reddish hair, "This is... unfortunate in the extreme, I will admit."

A frown on his face, Haruto looked at the others as he leaned forward in thought. He was not quite sure why they wanted him there, after all these were all the leaders of the community and he was just a Healer. Yet each one told him to stay there and acted like he was an equal for some reason. Shaking that off, he frowned a bit, "How much food do we have?"

Blinking at that, Iwao considered the question before turning towards Taiki, who was a squirrel Yokai. Said Yokai considered the question for a few moments before letting out a sigh, "The next shipment of food was for tomorrow. Without that? We have... maybe two or three days worth if we stretch it out at least."

Haruto gave a small shrug at that, "If you want, I can increase the amount of food with magic. With the Guards gone, I can at least do that now."

Moments later, he blinked at the smiles and such he got from the various Yokai, with Iwao placing a hand on his shoulder and nodding, "Thank you, Haruto-Sama. That... that would be very much appreciated." Pulling back his hand, he gave the Healer a look of respect, "Just like you staying is much appreciated. We all would have understood if you had gone with the others as the Diet is not forgiving of people who disobey them."

Lightly blushing to their amusement, the Healer scratched his cheek, "I swore an oath as a Healer, and I stand by it. Besides..." Shrugging, Haruto shook his head, "You're all friends and I couldn't just abandon you all like that."

If anything, the looks of respect only increased at that to his utter confusion.

Clearing her throat, however, the kijimunā frowned, "There is still what needs to be done next. With that, we should send a message to the JNHRO and to Kyoto from them." Upon hearing the chair scrape, she turned to find Haruto standing up, "Haruto-Sama? What are you doing?"

Jerking his thumb towards the back of his clinic, Haruto shook his head, "Going over there so that I won't hear something that I shouldn't-"

The kijimunā gave him a small glare, "Stop acting like a child and instead like the man that we all see you as. You do not need to worry about such as Kyoto would not care one way or the other." Much snickers were to be had as Haruto did exactly as she told him to, being reminded of one of the grandmothers... which, he mused, she actually was with a grandson according to her. Ignoring that, the kijimunā turned to the others with a frown on her face, "With that out of the way, we'll use our methods to contact the smugglers and the like to get the word out. But we should double check first."

Near the door, Hachimitsu spoke up, "We'll handle that." As she pushed off the doorframe and stood up, she smoothed out her clothes, "Our human fairies can go and check the entire fort within an hour or two. Being human, they won't show up on the spells that would detect Yokai entering it."

Various elders nodded at that and she gave Haruto a kiss on the cheek before leaving to check as Haruhime continued watching from the door.

Over the next hour, the elders discussed what they should do even as the other two Kitsune shipgirls alongside Ichika and Haruto added their own opinions from time to time. The first thing that they decided to do was perform a check on everyone as soon as day broke to make sure that there was nothing wrong. The second thing was to take stock of all their supplies they had on hand as it would be a few days until Kyoto likely arrived. Not that anyone could blame them as the other two big reserves on Kyushu and five smaller ones needed attention and securing first. It just made sense as they were more isolated after all.

Before anything else could be said, however, Haruhime perked up and placed two fingers just below her ear and pressing against her temple. After a few moments, the red haired Kitsune nodded, "Hachimitsu-Chan is done with her inspection of the Fort using her fairies. They confirm that everyone is gone, the Floo is shut and sealed, and they took practically anything not nailed down."

Grimaces met that announcement, but Haruto turned to the map with a frown, "If they shut down the Floo... that would mean that Kyoto would need to reach via either apparation or flight to get close. Flight would be too dangerous from the mainland though..." After a few moments, he placed his finger on a spot, "Which means that they would need to base from a nearby island to reach here. And with the anti-apparation wards over the island for the most part? The closest point would be here, Kikaijima. It is out of range of the wards, and they could fly the rest of the way in or boat as it would take an hour."

Leaning forward, one of the Oni stroked his beard before grunting, "Hai, you would be right, Haruto-Sama. They would need to base themselves from there to reach us by going West-Northwest. Most likely via broom, I would think, and at night. But it is still going to be at least a day, most likely three as they will be busy covering the other Reserves and securing them."

A cough made them turn to Mikage who gave a small shrug, "Hachimitsu-Chan's fairies also checked your office, Haruto-Kun."

It went without saying that Haruto blinked, "Checked my office? Why? I haven't used that place in... nine months? Maybe?" Scratching his head, he furrowed his eyebrows, "And even then, it was more for a meeting with Head Healer of the Reserves on his rotation as he wouldn't come down there. Why they kept it..."

Much to his confusion, that seemed to amuse the others there. Haruhime had her lips twitching a little before she coughed, "Well, there was nothing there but an envelope from Sunada-San to you, Haruto-Kun." At the nod, she continued, "He stated that since you were likely to leave the island via boat due to being left behind, you should check your boat for any stowaways."

Utterly confused, Haruto frowned, "Are you sure that it is from him? I told him that I wasn't leaving. And even if I did, I wouldn't bother as I would have no issue with it as long as they kept out of my sight."

Once more, that got him grins and smirks to his confusion. But he shrugged it off as Mikage spoke up, "That was what it said. Hachimitsu-Chan is having one of her broom riders bring it and they should be here in a minute or two."

Sure enough, three minutes later the tiny broomstick rider came through the door and landed there in front of them before dropping an envelope much bigger than he was, "Desu! Desu desu desu desu-desu!"

With a nod, Haruto took the envelope with a smile, "Thank you, Takashi-San." Opening it, he read the letter and frowned, "Weird, this is his writing. But why would he..." Suddenly, the Healer trailed off, "Wait, the way he said it..."

He got up and made for the door with the others following. Frown on her face, Ichika looked at him, "Haruto-Kun? What's wrong?"

Glancing at her, he gave a slight nod, "Nothing. But if what I suspect is right..." Not saying anything more, Haruto continued to make his way quickly to the docks where his boat was tied up. Sure enough, the Kudagitsune was there. So very we one of the Nekomata patrolling along to make sure that none of the boats drifted away or were damaged, "Takato-San!"

Blinking, the Nekomata turned towards him, "Ha? Haruto-Sama? What seems to be the issue."

With a deep breath, the Healer came to a stop, "Was an Auror by the name of Sunada here just a few hours ago?"

That got him a nod from the cat Yokai, "Hai, he was here actually and went to your boat. Didn't seem to care that I was watching and left some box behind. Why?"

Just shaking his head, Haruto smiled, "Is it still here? The box, I mean?" Several minutes later found him opening said box and grinning, "Records... he must of copied most of the records and hid them on my boat."

Even better news arrived fifteen minutes later as they were informed that Kyoto along with others were securing the other Reserves, but that they would send help to them as soon as possible.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (VI)

12 July 2014

Tully's Coffee, Kamakura
Spoiler: Vacation In Kamakura

The bell rang as Colombe opened the door to the coffee shop. She grinned at her two daughters as Claire stepped inside, with the grin widening as she saw what her middle daughter had decided to wear for her visit to the shrine. Jackie, Jackie, Jackie....
Spoiler: Claire's Shirt

Ehren, also dressed casually in jeans and a black T-shirt, brought up the rear with the squinting eyes of the caffiene-deprived. The blonde dagger nodded thanks to her mother before she headed to the counter to order a double espresso.
Spoiler: Ehren's Shirt

Colombe followed Ehren and then bought a bottle of green tea and a muffin. She chuckled at the glance the cashier gave her, clearly trying to puzzle out the Belgian coat of arms on her shirt (a Christmas gift from Ehren).
Spoiler: Belgian Rapier Pride!

Colombe sat at the table next to Claire, who was musically humming as she sipped her hot chocolate with whipped cream. She then glanced over at Ehren who was methodically increasing her caffeine to blood ratio with each sip of the espresso. "Didn't sleep well, Ehren?"

The dagger shook her head which caused her blond ponytail to swish. "I was unused to the futon, Mutti. Also," she paused for a swig of the black brew of life before resuming, "I had several things to think on about our aunts."

"Oh!" Claire interjected, giving her sister a smile. "Aunt Kyoshu and Aunt Akutoku are nice and funny, and Aunt Chisuheri said that she would send me some Buddhist meditation chants to help me unlock my insight. She really liked the introspective piano pieces I recorded for her. Do you want another cup of espresso, Ehren?"

"Ja, bitte. A muffin as well?" Ehren responded as she finished her drink, then focused on her mother. "Thank you for inviting us along for this trip."

"You're welcome, Ehren. So what do you think of Japan?"

Ehren frowned thoughtfully as Claire paid for the muffin and espresso, and the door opened to let Toku inside. "It is... different. I did not expect Japan to be so crowded, and yet for all the hustle and bustle, I feel if I could step around the correct corner and emerge centuries in the past in some ways."

"Good morning, Co-chan, Ehren-chan." Toku said as she walked to their table. "That is quite insightful. I apologize for not seeing you yesterday but matters came up."

Colombe's eyes widened at the sight of the miko's fading black eye. "To-chan, what happened?"

The Masamune shook her head slightly. "Musashi-oneesama happened. My sister stopped by with a freshly carved bokken."

Ehren blinked in bewilderment as Claire returned. "Oh, hello Toku!" the piano said as she set down the muffin and espresso before giving Toku a hug. "It's good to see you!"

Toku returned the hug. "And it is good to see you all. Musashi-nee is perhaps the greatest living master of The Way of the Sword and strives to continue her understanding. One way is for her to spar with other masters to learn from her victories, or far less frequent defeats. " The Muramasa gave a small smile. "She said that I showed some improvement, which for her is praise indeed. She also wishes to meet and learn from you, Co-chan. She heard of Verdun, you see."

Colombe nodded. "I'd be honored if such can be arranged while I am in country. Ahh... I must ask, your last message mentioned Fudo was in some distress...?"

Toku sighed and then cast a privacy ward. Colombe's eyes narrowed and she followed suit. "What's wrong, To-chan? You know that I'll help you with it."

Toku grimaced. "The day after I returned to Japan from Moulbaix, a group of schoolchildren stumbled across a bunker complex from the Pacific War outside of Yokusuka, across the peninsula from us here. It was part of a mad scheme to use powerful undead to fight the Americans if they had invaded here. Extremely powerful undead."

Ehren blanched and Colombe's eyes narrowed. "I see, Judging from your tone, matters went poorly then?"

Toku nodded. "Fudo-nee was also on the scene and saved the children from what was inside until rescue could arrive, including Norimune-san and myself, among many others. However Fudo-nee was injured physically... and spiritually."

"Spiritually?" Colombe asked as she leaned forward, her eyes intent. "How did that happen, To-chan?"

Toku made a face. "You must understand during the 1930s when Japan slid into madness, Fudo-nee was a vocal supporter of the Kamo government before the war. She... was not alone, Kotegiri-oneesama was a fervent supporter until quite late in the war." The Masamune sighed deeply, "She was ignorant of the truth then, and the Kamo government lied to her about some of their activities. I was unable to convince her until after the Marianas fell late in the war, to my eternal regrets."

Colombe reached over and squeezed Toku's hand. "You did the best that you could. As much as you may wish otherwise," the rapier looked at Ehren, who was sipping her espresso as she listened with an intent look on her face, "you can't shield people from certain truths. Everyone must experience some things for her own, I've realized."

Toku gave a thankful smile, "Domo arigatou, Co-chan. The information in the bunker that was discovered ripped the comforting illusions from Fudo-nee's eyes and the insight hit her very very hard. The days immediately after the rescue happened were difficult for her."

Colombe winced and then spoke quietly, "I am sorry to hear that, To-chan. Would... would it help if we visited her?"

Toku nodded, "I shall ask her, although there are some others among my family who wish to meet you when their schedules permit. Also, you mentioned wishing to meet the Arashi clan?"

Colombe smiled and nodded, "I do. I gave Ian my word of honor to help his... ahh... other wives." Colombe's lips curled in a smug reminiscent smile, "he rescued several dozen ladies from," she glanced at Claire and hastily and visibly edited her choice of words, "a house in the floating world and assisted them and their children in making a new life for themselves. They were Yuki-onna, Hone-onna, and Tsurara-onna so this was an exceptionally good deed to help them."

Toku blinked, "I... see. I wish that I would have met him, that was an exceptionally good deed to help them in their distress. I would like to meet them myself, in fact, if you do not mind another coming with you then."

Colombe grinned smugly, "Not at all, To-chan. Whatever we do here, you're of course invited. That said, I am looking forward to you showing my... our daughters the shrine complexes here."

Toku blushed slightly then looked at the younger spirits. "It would be my honor."

 

[darthcourt10]

mikelima777

Moving along......

*********

The young couple watched in surprise as a group of Abyssals casually walked down Georgia Street, escorted by men who looked too much like sailors in civilian wear. Some of the abyssals were dressed up in their recent purchases, while what some knew as a Wo-class, was enjoying a stack of pizza slices, her hat also joining in. Some of them were dressed in hockey jerseys, either from the Canucks or Team Canada.

The couple looked at each other.

"Goths?"

"Sure, let's go with that. Coffee?"

"Let's."

*********

The Cashier looked astounded as the tall woman pulled out stacks of bills and placed them on the counter.

"Uh... keep the change."

"Er.... okay Miss Habbukuk, thank you."

"Thanks!"

The towering carrier shipgirl cheerfully took a gulp from her slurpee cup. Which was actually a sports water cooler, with a PVC pipe used as the straw.

Habbukuk carefully opened the door as she continued to drink from her "cup" while carrying a ton of snacks and drinks.

The cashier sighed as he went to the door and stuck a sign up. Not the first time this sign was used.

"Sorry, out of Slurpees."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Rubbing his eyes, Haruto looked out the window of his clinic at the Sun which had risen over the roofs of the village before biting back a yawn. However, he was not quite quick enough as Iwao gave him a look, "Haruto-Sama, maybe you should head home and rest a little."

Just shaking his head, the Healer smiled a little bit, "I'm fine, Iwao-San, just a little bit tired is all."

With a snort, the kijimunā gave him a smirk, "I think that is putting it rather mildly, Haruto-Sama. You seem a bit more than a little tired after all." Her expression became one of concern as she hopped off her chair and walked over before placing her hand on his shoulder, "You can lay down for a few hours and we'll inform you of anything that might happen if needed. Right now, we all need to be as ready for anything as possible." Eyes narrowed, the small being continued, "Which means being as rested as possible in your case as you are our only Healer."

About to say something, Haruto looked around at the others and noted their expressions before sighing with a wry smile on his lips, "I take it that this is one of the times when I can't say no?"

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Ayane shook her head with a small smirk, "Nope, not at all." She patted his should a little bit while smiling, "Go and lay down, Haruto-Sama. We'll handle things here and that way you are rested in case anything does happen."

Just sighing, the young Healer gave them a nod as he got up and stretched, "Fine, I know that I have been outvoted."

Mikage walked over and slipped her arm into his before giving the others nods, "I'll make sure that Haruto-Kun gets home and actually sleeps before I come back with Mie-Chan. My Nee-Sans will inform me of anything that might happen on the way."

That got her nods, though the Healer blushed at some of the comments that it better just be sleeping and not sleeping as it would not do for him to be exhausted. A glance to the side showed him that Mikage herself had a slight flush to her cheeks. Something that amused Haruto, but he placed that aside and stretched a little once they were outside and walking back towards their hut, "I cannot believe what's happened in the past few hours."

Only shaking her head, Mikage sighed a little, "It is the same for us." Despite not saying more than that, Haruto knew she meant her and her sisters before she continued, "I would like to say that I am surprised at this, but..."

Voice soft, Haruto nodded, "You are not."

Shaking her head, the Kitsune growled a little, "No, no I am not. We all knew that they could be petty and spiteful, but this?" Her shoulders slumping, she ran a hand through her hair, "This just goes beyond what we could have expected from that bunch."

Haruto reached out and grasped her hand with his before entwining their fingers, "I'm much the same way, Mikage-Chan. Them doing something petty and spiteful? Not surprising, it is just the plain range that is what is surprising, that is all."

Thumb gently rubbing along his knuckles as she wrapped her tail around his waist, Mikage grimaced a little, "That is true, I suppose." Then, her lips curled into a small smile, "I am glad, however, that Kyoto was prepared for something to happen. That speaks well of them at least."

With a slow nod, the Healer made a sound of agreement, "Hai, but that does not surprise me." At the look, Haruto gave a grim chuckle, "Most of Kyoto did come, originally, from Tokyo after all. If there is anyone who knew how spiteful the people in the Diet could be, it would be them." His thin smile disappeared, however, "Still, they were not ready for something quite this big or idiotic. They need to secure the other Reserves fully which, according to them will take at least three days before they can arrive here." Tons dry, Haruto looked around, "Can't get much more secure than an island three hundred some odd miles from the mainland after all."

Eyebrow raised, Mikage gave him a small look, "Yet, they stated that no later than tonight, they're going to have food transported to the island for all those here. I wonder how, but... I suppose that is ultimately not that important in the end."

That got her another nod and soon their conversation drifted to other subjects.

Upon reaching their hut, however, the male of the two found his arms full of young Neko as she glomped him. Looking at Mie, he sighed a little as he stroked Chikako's hair, "I take it that she knows most of it?"

With a slow nod, Mie sighed as she walked over and joined him as she patted the Nekomata's hair, "Hai, she does. I wasn't going to keep this from her after all. That would... likely not be the best idea, to say the least."

Understanding, Haruto nodded before turning to Chikako, "Chikako-Chan? It's fine, everything is just fine."

A sniffle escaped from Chikako as she looked up at him, "Really?"

Lips curling into a small smile, Haruto chuckled, "Really. There is enough food for us in our hut to last for at least two to three weeks if needed, we have plenty of clean water and fuel. We're well prepared for this sort of thing, so you don't need to worry."

Happy hums escaped from the young Nekomata as she enjoyed the headpats. Nodding, she looked up at Haruto with a small smile on her face, "Okay, Haruto-Nii-San."

Nodding slightly, Haruto yawned before shaking his head, "Now, I'm going to go and get some sleep, okay? You go off and have some fun and I'll see you in a few hours."

That got him a nod before Chikako gave him a hug and ran off to find someone to play with.

Once inside, Haruto gave a kiss to both Mie and Mikage before laying on top of the futon and stretching out. Not long after, he slipped into a doze as his tiredness caught up to him. How much time passed, the teenage Healer didn't quite know. It seemed like only an hour after laying down that he could hear the floorboards creak which brought him out of his slumber...

But it was the harsh kick to the side that fully woke him up.

Hitting the floor, Haruto gasped and held his midsection before he was hauled up to see Ichiro sneering at him moments before another blow hit him in the stomach. Nearly puking, he pulled in a breath and coughed, "Ichi-Ichiro..."

Another blow caused him to nearly fall to the floor if not for the hands holding him up. Just adjusting his glasses, Ichiro glared at him, "Hello, Otouto."

Moments later, Haruto was punched in the face and he spat out some blood. Coughing, he gave his older brother a look, "What the fuck... is this... for...? I already told you that I don't know about the smugglers."

The breath was driven from his lungs by an kick to the stomach as his brother sneered, "That does not matter! Do you have any idea what you have done!? To our family?!" Grabbing the Healer's hair, Ichiro yanked his head up, "I found out last night that you stayed here. Oh, apparently you missed the last ones out... But then, one of the Guards told me the truth, that you were involved with some of these fucking beasts! And that you likely stayed behind for them." Pulling out a photo, he shoved it into his brother's face. Said photo showed him kissing Haruhime, "How dare you...?!"

Completely nonplussed, Haruto gave a coughing chuckle, "I didn't know that you cared."

However, that got him another punch as his brother snarled, "I don't give a damn except for how it affects our family image. If you wanted beast pussy, you should have gone to a brothel. But no, you instead fucked them here. And more than that, you are involved with the same creatures that I had sent here in the first place!"

Eyes meeting his brother, Haruto narrowed his eyes, "The only beasts and creatures here are you and your two goons. Haruhime-Chan and the others? I couldn't say that even a thousand of backstabbing bastards like you are worth even a fraction of them."

And, to empathize, he spat in Ichiro's face.

For several moment, the older sibling looked stunned before wiping it away and then punching Haruto several more times, "HOW DARE YOU?! HAVE YOU NO SHAME?! BECAUSE OF YOU, OUR FAMILY'S HONOUR HAS BEEN BESMIRCHED! IT WILL TAKE ME YEARS TO FIX THE DAMAGE YOU HAVE CAUSED!"

From the door, the Auror standing there glanced outside before turning back to Ichiro who was panting, "Sir? We, uh... should hurry up just in case. I mean, we're running on a set amount of time."

Running his hand through his hair, Ichiro turned to him, "I know, and we'll be done here soon. Besides, we have silencing charms up. Now, keep watch out." Turning back to his coughing brother, he snorted at the glare, "What?"

Despite the pain he was in, the Healer glared back, "Just a few things... you go on about 'Family honour and reputation', but you just mean yours." Grunting at another punch, he continued, "That is all you fucking care about."

Pausing, Ichiro gave a shrug, "And? In the end it is the same thing. Otou-San is a fool as is Okaa-San. Do you know how much trouble I have had climbing the ranks." Lashing out with another kick, he gave a bitter laugh, "Too much trouble because he is a bumbling fool who has not ambition, no drive. One day, I will be at the top. One day, I will be the Japanese Minister Of Magic. And you? You won't even be remembered." Yanking his brother up by the hair, he gave Haruto an expression like he was an interesting insect, "But that does not mean that you cannot be of use."

Ribs aching something fierce, Haruto internally frowned, but said nothing, 'Now what is he talking about...?'

Moments later, he felt coldness at his brother's smile as Ichiro spread his arms, "Such a scandal it will be for Kyoto! A young, promising Healer who was unfortunately left behind... beaten to death by the beasts he tended. They even torched the home he stayed in to try and hide evidence of their crime! A tragedy, truly... and a black mark against the 'Kyoto Magical Government'. One that will cause an outcry and a turn back to the proper Diet, as things should be."

Noticing the uneasy expressions on the two Auror's faces, Haruto gave his brother a look, "Somehow, some people don't seem enthused about this as much as you are. And to kill your own brother..."

Ichiro simply shrugged without a care, "They know their duties and what is good for them. In fact, they understand that they will be Obliviated after this. As for the second?" Adjusting his glasses, he kicked out again, "Sacrifices must be made for the good of all. Unfortunate, but you threw everything I gave you back in my face in disrespect. Be thankful that your tragic death will clear the way for better things for others."

Suddenly, the Auror near the door noticed something and shot out with his arm. Haruto felt like his heart had stopped at the sight of Chikako in the man's hand struggling, "Hey, look what I found!"

Thrashing, Chikako tried to break free, "Let go!" However, seeing Haruto, she gasped, "Haruto-Nii-San! Let him go!"

Disgusted, Ichiro looked at his younger brother who looked shocked, "'Nii-San'? Really? Just when I thought that you could not get any lower."

Meanwhile, the Auror continued to hold the struggling Nekomata who called out for Haruto, "What should we do with her?"

Once more turning, Ichiro gave him a look of disbelief before shaking his head, "Get rid of her." Turning back to the Healer, whose eyes were widening, he snorted, "One less animal in the world."

Uncomfortable, the Auror winced before giving a sigh, "Sorry, Kid. Bad luck for you, I guess."

He brought up his wand and pointed it at Chikako who froze in fear as he began to pronounce the spell that would end her life...

But something else happened instead.

Gritting his teeth, Haruto pushed back until his palms were flat against the chest of the Auror holding him. Ignoring both the pain he was in as well as the question of what he was doing, he focused and then... released a pulse of magic that sent the man flying back causing the other Auror to stop in shock. Before any of them could react, Haruto was already running, lashing out at his brother and sending him crashing to the floor before tackling the Auror that had Chikako to the floor and making him let go of the young Yokai.

Snarl on his face as he wrestled the older, larger man, Haruto turned to Chikako, "RUN! CHIKAKO, RUN!"

Unknown to him, those words stirred something deep inside Chikako, an old memory from years and years before. An female Nekomata carrying her as explosions rang out all around them as people screamed in panic. Distant sounds like blasts, with buildings being shattered and craters dug by shells. An older, male Nekomata behind them was shouting at them as they ran, "AMI-CHAN! GET CHIKAKO-CHAN TO SAFETY! RUN!"

Then... an explosion consumed the man before his family's horrified eyes. A building then began to topple with Chikako's mother shifting to her true form of a giant cat, her kitten held in her mouth as she tried to outrun it... only to fail and toss her child to safety as tons of concrete and steel landed on top of her.

In the present, Chikako relived her parents deaths with her father's face overlaying Haruto's as both voices shouted for her to run. A spell lashed against the Healer's back, sending blood splashing. Right then, Chikako knew that he was going to die for her. That the man who had cared for her when no one else would, had healed her wounds, had taken her into his home and family... was about to die for her, just like her parents.

Within her chest, her heart was pounding when it suddenly stopped, never to beat again... and her boilers roared to life.

Everyone else froze as sparkles came into being around the young Nekomata, surrounding her in a glow that was hard to look at. Until it burst apart revealing her in a one piece white dress that had sleeves a bit too long, and a red ribbon tied in a bow around her neck. But what truly caught attention was the parts of a ship around her including the gun at her waist, the cranes over one shoulder, and the giant one across her back.

However, they only had a few seconds to notice before she was grabbing the Auror in top of Haruto, the one who was going to kill her, "LEAVE HARUTO-NII-SAN ALONE!"

Said man was lifted into the air as if he weighed next to nothing and thrown across the hut at the other Auror. They collided with the sound of breaking bones before slamming into, and through, the wall. Almost immediately, shouts and screams could be heard outside.

But all Ichiro has eyes for was the snarling Chikako who turned her attention into him. Paling, he whispered the words that he could not believe were true, "A... a Yokai shipgirl... that's... that's not possible..."

His arm with the hand holding his wand was grabbed though and he was twisted around by Haruto. Said Healer had a snarl on his face as he pulled with one arm, slamming his other fist into Ichiro's shoulder with the crunch of his older brother's joint becoming dislocated as the older wizard screamed, "Don't you-" Lashing out with his foot, he snapped Ichiro's knee, "Ever dare-" His fist buried itself in his brother's gut, driving the air from his lungs, "Threaten Chikako-Chan-" The same fist slammed into his jaw as he bent, shattering it and snapping his head back, "AGAIN YOU BASTARD!"

A final blow hit Ichiro in the side of the head, whipping it around. Said wizard only felt a burst of pain and saw stars before darkness enveloped his vision and he fell unconscious before he even hit the floor. Breathing hard, Haruto looked down at his brother before he was tackled by a crying Chikako, "Haruto-Nii-San!"

Despite the pain he was in, and that was a lot, he still patted the Neko who was currently sobbing into his shirt, "Shhh... shhhh, it's okay, Chikako-Chan. I'm..." About to say he was fine, Haruto paused and thought otherwise, "I'm alive."

It did not take long before various Yokai showed up, Ayane being one of the first on the scene. At seeing Haruto's state, she was utterly horrified and, at his word, quickly tied up the three other wizards though none too gently. She was followed by Haruhime, Hachimitsu, and the other shipgirls, who were stunned to find the awakened Chikako there. Shaking it off, Haruhime looked at Ichiro and growled, "What is he doing here?!"

About to answer, Haruto was cut off as Chikako, whose medical fairy was healing him, spoke up with a shaky voice, "H-he was beating u-up Haruto-Nii-San a-and w-was going to... to..."

She was unable to continue as she burst into tears with Haruto holding her close. There was still disbelief in his voice as he closed his eyes, "He was here to kill me. And, when Chikako-Chan stumbled across us, he was going to add her to it..."

Continuing the story of what happened even as Chikako continued to sob into his chest, Haruto noted that the crowd of Yokai, originally shocked, turned horrified and angry. Very, very angry, at what they were hearing. Eyes ablaze, one of the Oni grabbed the groaning Ichiro and lifted him with a snarl on his face, "Do not worry, Haruto-Sama... these... rabid creatures won't ever harm anyone again."

Much to their surprise, however, Haruto stood and shook his head, "Please, don't." Signing, he looked at his brother and grimaced, "Despite everything, and my own feelings... I don't want to be party to his death. I'm not him."

Voice soft, Hachimitsu sighed, "No, you're not. You're a far better man."

To her confusion, however, Haruto had a dark smirk on his face, "Don't mistake me, Hachimitsu-Chan. I'm not doing this out of mercy, trust me. No." Looking at his brother, he narrowed his eyes, "I got a far better punishment for him. One that would have made him wish for death instead."

Searching the Aurors, including invisibility cloaks, Ayane blinked as she pulled a vial from one of them. Inside were three strange balls that looked like they were made from tendrils and covered in slime, "What the hell are these...?"

Not saying anything, the Healer held out his free hand, the other rubbing Chikako's back, and took it when handed over. Looking at it, he grimaced, "That explains how they got in and were going to get our unseen." At the looks of confusion, Haruto held up the vial and shook it, "Gillyweed. It would grow them gills and they could sneak in and out underwater, completely undetected."

Murmurs met that pronouncement before Mikage crossed her arm, "Haruto-Kun? We still got a problem..." She nodded towards the Nekomata shipgirl, "They saw her awaken, so they know that Yokai shipgirls exist."

Chikako froze at that and hung her head, "N-nya... I-I'm sorry..."

Just crouching, Mie gave her a hug, "You have nothing to be sorry about, Chikako-Chan. Because of that, you saved both yourself and Haruto-Kun's life."

Patting her shoulder, Ichika nodded, "Nee-San is right, Chikako-Chan. That was the right thing, nothing will change that, okay?"

Their attention was grabbed, however, as the only conscious wizard got to his feet. Haruto waved them off, but allowed for Chikako to keep a hold on him as he walked over to where the three other humans were. Pulling out his wand, he took a breath before casting a stunning spell at each one, hitting them in the head. He followed up with another spell, this time silver, that settled around their heads. Confused, Iwao frowned at him, "Haruto-Sama? What was that? That was not an Obliviation spell..."

Haruto smiled a bit thinly before going to sit back down as Chikako's medical fairy was joined by ones from Mie and Ichika, "Because it wasn't." At their looks, he shook his head, "When they're brought in by Kyoto, they'll be scanned for any spells. A recent Obliviation would be picked up on and questions might be asked. The spell I used? Helps with concussions... but interacts with the energy of a Stupify oddly." Reaching up, he tapped the side of his head, "It basically scrambles short term memory pretty badly for a few weeks at least. Not badly enough that they would not be able to remember what they were doing, but the closer the time to when the spells are cast, the longer it takes to remember, if ever, specific details. Such as, say, seeing a shipgirl awaken?" His expression changed to one of fake sympathy, "Unfortunately, the only Healer available was myself, and in the state I am in, I made such an obvious mistake."

Snickers and dark chuckles met him at that before Ichika frowned a little and crossed her arms some, "Won't people wonder about who took them out though? I would..."

Ayane then raised her hand, "Blame me." When everyone looked at her, the Jorogumo grinned, "After all, I am already the hot, sexy, home-wrecking Yokai who was the source of the heart attack that was the cause of Haruto-Sama getting stuck behind when they cut off the island after leaving." Leering, she gave him a look up and down before licking her lips, "Obviously, I came by to, ah, thank him, when I noticed Chikako-Chan in the hands of that Auror and charged in to save the day! Hoping, of course..." Leaning forward, Ayane once more licked her lips seductively, "For a little, ah, reward~"

Unable to help himself, Haruto coughed and looked away with a blush much to the amusement of the Yokai there, even his girlfriends, "You, uh, don't need to do that. It might get you into trouble."

Her expression softening, Ayane shook her head, "I don't mind at all, Haruto-Sama." The smile on her face became a little brittle, "At least this time I would be blamed for something that I want to be blamed for." Glancing to his girlfriends, Haruto got nods and got up. He then made his way over to her and gave the spider Yokai a hug. One that she smiled appreciatively over and returned before they broke apart, "Thank you."

Just shaking his head, the Healer smiled back, "No, thank you." Wincing a bit at the pain in his side, he took a deep breath, "Anyways, we should heal these three up and take them to the Fort. They can go into the cells there and cool their heels until Kyoto shows up to get them." A small, vicious smirk crossed Haruto's face, one mirrored on a number of the others at his next words, "Of course, without the keys it will take a few hours to get them out of said cells..."
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Three days...

Three whole days since Kyoto got them off that island, which itself had taken hours as they needed to break the locking spells on the cells that had held them. Those two days on the island were some of the worst that Ichiro had ever had. Not once were they alone in their cells as there was always Yokai standing outside. Part of him suspected that the horrific nightmares were caused by some Baku from the Reserve eating their good dreams and only leaving the bad. Granted, he found himself hating that Jorogumo, 'Ayane' the most.

Not only did she claim that she had been the one to knock them all out, but there were other comments that damn spider had made. Due to the design of the cell, the toilet was fully visible to those outside. Partially for a safeguard, but mostly to embarrass any Yokai in said cell. Except in this case, it was not Yokai as it should have been to his mind, but himself. And hearing that fucking Jorogumo comment that he was rather on the small side while his brother was at the other end of the spectrum not only hit him in the pride, but also pissed him the fuck off.

Enough to try and attack her, much to the Jorogumo's high amusement, when the Kyoto Aurors had finally gotten the cell door open.

It did not help that the other Yokai had, over the two days there, made comment after comment. Each one making him hate them all the more as they needled at him and his pride. Comparisons between him and his bastard of a little brother, and how much better Haruto was, human traitor, compared to him. It only fueled his hate and anger.

He had thought though that he would be sent on his way, but oh no. The Aurors from Kyoto had frogmarched him into old cells in their "Diet" building under Kyoto, which dated back to the Second World War at least. Cells that they commented had been used to hold Kamo and the like while awaiting trial. Words that sent a shiver down his spine no matter what he tried to portray.

Stewing in his cell, however, Ichiro didn't notice the man arrive at his cell door until the clearing of a throat made him look up to find his father there, "Ichiro-San."

With a sigh, Ichiro finally stood up and walked to the cell door, "Finally, Otou-San. Now get them to end this farce and open that door."

Much to his shock, however, his father shook his head with a sigh, "I can't do that, Ichiro-San." His gaze, when they met those of his son, contained shame, anger, and sadness, "You're being charged with assault, assault of a member of Reserve Personnel, assault with deadly intent, breaking into a Reserve with the intent to commit a crime, two counts of Attempted Murder, Conspiracy to commit Murder, and a number of others." Frowning, the older wizard frowned, "You're not leaving here until you go to trial, and likely straight to prison afterwards."

Completely and utterly shocked, Ichiro boggled at him before shaking his head, "No, no! You're wrong, I am not going to prison." Glaring, he scowled, "I have friends after all, powerful ones, and there's no real proof."

For a few moments, Hiashi looked down at the papers on a clipboard before closing his eyes with a sigh, "No, you don't have any friends, Ichiro-San. All those you are counting on? They're too busy at the moment attempting to save their own skins. At best? You're going to be made into a scapegoat. I would not be too surprised if you have already been made one. As for proof? Not only is there evidence from your brother, such as pictures taken of his injuries and scans showing that he had them at the time, but also the eyewitness accounts of the Yokai themselves. Also, the two Aurors already told the investigators everything. It seems that they hold very little loyalty to you."

Paling, Ichiro boggled for a few moments before taking a deep breath, "T-that does not matter!"

Once more, his father shook his head, "No, it does. Because the weight of evidence is such that you will be in prison for a long time." Closing his eyes, he sighed, "Why? Why did you do it?"

Hands clenched in rage, Ichiro twisted around and paced a little, "Why?" Suddenly, he faced his father through the bars, "Why!? Do you have any idea how much work I have put into my career? Rising in the ranks as I have!? I started from almost nothing!" He pointed his finger at Hiashi, "Because of you and how your career has gone! Like a fumbling fool, you don't understand how things work! Hence I needed to build everything myself! My reputation, my alliances, favors... everything!" Still snarling, the younger wizard faced his father's bland expression, "I was not going to lose all that because of a foolish Otouto who does not understand a single thing about this world!"

With a hum, Hiashi looked at him, "Is that so?"

Just snorting, his son gestured at him, "He could have gone far if only he listened to me. I had a job, a proper one, lined up under Healer Yamahara. But what does he go and do?" Turning, Ichiro sneered at his father, "Throws it back in my face like the idiotic, ungrateful brat he is! Instead, he goes into the Reserves as a Healer, a dead end job with no prospects. And out of what?"

Frowning, Hiashi slowly blinked, "Out of kindess, humility, and a want to help his fellow being. A calling to help those that need it."

Eyes rolling, Ichiro shook his head, "Spare me. Those creatures don't need it..." He tapped his own chest as he continued, "But no, just so that he could find those damn monsters that you and Okaa-San allowed for him to call 'Onee-San'! And even worse, he began a romantic relationship! It's sickening!" Smacking himself on the chest, the younger wizard continued, "HE WOULD RUIN OUR REPUTATION... MY REPUTATION! RUIN EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE BUILT BECAUSE HE IS SOME SORT OF DEVIANT!"

Raising an eyebrow, his father frowned slightly, "A... deviant. Is that what you think he is for having a relationship with them?"

In reply, Ichiro threw his hands into the air, "Of course he is! It is like having sex with a dog you picked up at the pound!" Kicking the bars, he turned, "I would have thought that he would have forgotten about those creatures after I got them taken away. Become a proper wizard. But no..." Pointing in no direction in particular, the younger of the two growled, "That is why I did what I did! Because he is a stain on our honour!" Once more, he tapped his chest, "On my honour! And I was willing to do what was needed to remove it!"

Pain was on Hiashi's face as he closed his eyes, "I see..." Opening them, he gazed at his son with shame and agony, "Where did I go wrong as an Otou-San..."

Snorting, Ichiro shrugged and waved him off, "Who knows, Haruto was likely always a deviant, twisted by those creatures."

Moments later, he was brought up by his father's next words, "I didn't mean Haruto-Kun, Ichiro-San. I meant you."

Utterly stunned, Ichiro twisted around, "Say what..."

Only shaking his head, Hiashi sighed, "Whatever happened to that young boy I once bounced on my knee. Who used to bring flowers to his Okaa-San. What happened to him, and where did I go wrong..." Lips pressed thinly, he looked at his son for a few seconds before shaking his head, "Do you know why, Ichiro-San? Why I never got into bribes?"

Confused, his son blinked, "I... because you are a fool. Everyone knows this and says it."

His confusion increased as Hiashi snorted, "No, because I was too smart." Now it was his father's turn to roll his eyes, "Do you know what happens when you take a bribe to do something? Or accept doing something for a little, ah, favor?" Crossing his arms, he continued, "You now become caught with a stone around your neck. Because those people that bribe you? They know that they bribed you, and can use that against you. Yes, you can move up the ranks and such. But if you don't have lots of blackmail yourself, or powerful patrons? Then those that bribe you can hurt you such as when they get pulled in for an investigation on 'Corruption', like what happens every couple of years. Do you know why so many get charged? Because the others will take a plea by giving up information on those they bribe. And so they move down the chain until they come to people like you... who are then given the axe and charged fully, just to be seen to be doing something."

Mouth opening and closing, Ichiro stared at him, "I... no! You're wrong!" Shaking his head, though there was some unsureness in his eyes, he pointed at his father, "You're wrong! And even if that was so, somehow, I was rising up through the ranks quickly! I am a rising star!"

Slowly, the older of the two raised an eyebrow, "And you think that makes you safe? Because I can assure you, it does not. Quite the opposite." Stepping closer to the bars, he stared at his son, "Let me give you a piece of information, something that you have obviously ignored. Those who climb upwards quickly? Often step on the heads of those they pass. And those people remember, and look forward to the day when they can knock the ones who stepped on them down. I, perhaps, have risen very slowly, but I have not stepped on anyone. Perhaps I do not have connections with those higher ups, including politicians. But that does not mean that I do not have friends, ones who can pass things on and know that they can trust me not to stab them in the back. Despite everything that I tried to teach you... that is something that you have never understood."

Boggling, Ichiro stared at his father for several moments, "Y-you..."

For several more moments, Hiashi stared back at him, right in the eyes. Then, slowly, he turned to the papers on the clipboard, "Do you know what these are, Ichiro-San?" Getting the shake of the head, he sighed and continued, "These papers will make you dead to us."

A choking sound came from Ichiro as he realized what that meant.

Disownment.

Shocked, Ichiro shook his head, "N-no... you can't be serious!"

Not making any sign that he had heard him, Hiashi gestured with a hand and an ink pot floated up with a brush in it. Taking the brush, he sighed, "You will no longer be part of this family, of my family, as you wanted. No longer will you be burdened with being my son, Ichiro-San."

Hitting the bars, the younger wizard grabbed them, "You can't... YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!"

Eyes meeting those of the man on the other side of the bars, Hiashi's voice was filled with emotion, "I came here today to see if there was anything of my son left. If there was something of the young boy who once loved his Otou-San, Okaa-San, and adored his Otouto. But I see now... that my son died long ago without me noticing, and I shall live with that shame for the rest of my existence." Before Ichiro's disbelieving eyes, Hiashi took the brush and dipped it into the ink before slowly writing on the forms. Closing his eyes, the older man had a tear run down his cheek, "It is done."

Still gripping the bars, Ichiro slid down them until he was on his knees, "No..."

With a sigh, the older of the two shook his head, "There are some things that even family cannot forgive, Ichiro-San." Turning, he felt another tear leave his eyes, "Now, if you will excuse me... I must leave for home and tell my wife that not only is her eldest never coming home, but that he has now died. We shall grieve long and hard for him and hope, perhaps, he shall find peace of some sort. Thankfully, we can take solace in that we have one son left alive, who hopefully will gift us with grandchildren in a few years with fluffy tails and ears. Goodbye, Ichiro-San... I wish you a long life."

Ignoring the shouting and screaming behind him, the crying Hiashi left the jail behind him, knowing that he would need to comfort his wife in her own grief later.

 

[darthcourt10]

Shinr

Harry Leferts said:
Snip​

Sometime later, officials came to holding cells for a routine inspection of the detainees, and in very rare cases to determine if they were more valuable in Kyoto's shackled employ than being left to rot.

Ichiro was determined to be among those to get out, for he recognized one of the officials, a witch of a prestigious family he was courting once in pursuit of her family power with her beautiful body as a bonus, but failed at the time because of, in his mind, Haruto's shameful refusal of a prestigious healer position making him look bad.

As Ichiro was about to speak to her as she was passing by to the exit, hoping to reignite the fires of passion between them, blossoming into his ticket out of here, he was preemptively silenced by the look she gave him:


"You're so lucky, kid." One of his more....peculiar cellmates said "That was the 'Even-before-this-you-were-gutter-trash' glare. What would I give to be on the receiving end of it~"

Ichiro wanted to cry.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (VII)

12 July 2014

Tsurugaoka Hachimangū, Kamakura, Japan

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

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

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

Stepmother.

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

Claire---!
Spoiler: Troll Piano Strikes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stepmother....

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

But she was not Vati.

But Vati was dead.

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

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

He looked at the four tsukumogami as they stood there.

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

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

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

"Hachiman."

 

[darthcourt10]

Shinr

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

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

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

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

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

Huh.
-----

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Ohgi-sempai."

"Since when?"

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

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

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

She paused.

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

"What's this?"

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

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

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

Haruka blinked.

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

Haruka opened her mouth.

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

Haruka closed her mouth.

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

"What was your name again?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hayami leaned back a little. "Mwirp?"

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

"Are you… bullying me?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (VIII)

12 July 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spoiler: Instructions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Jawohl(Yes Sir), Herr Hachiman."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (IX)

13 July 2014

Shibuya City, Tokyo, Japan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spoiler: Aoi No Ue

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And then Kago stood.

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

She then slowly raised herself enough to look at him.

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

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

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

Back and forth they went as good battled evil.

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

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

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

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

And now...

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Got your number, did she?"

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

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

"Professor!"

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

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

"Not what I meant."

"Huh?"

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

"So, you're saying…"

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

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

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

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

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

Something unscheduled happened.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ah. It came up.

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

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

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

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

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

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

She paused.

Turned around.

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

"Huh?" Mutsu asked, perplexed.

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

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

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

Something snapped.

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

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

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

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

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

A Plot At The Three Broomsticks

The Three Broomsticks, Hogsmeade

July 11th 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Legal difficulties?" Pomona spoke curiously.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

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

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

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

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

"Renata!" Dana chirped.

"Why her?"

"Just 'cause!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What?"

"Ask me where Nemo is."

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

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

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

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

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

"Where's Nemo?"

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

"I diiiiiid!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There was only one thing that she was sure of.

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

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

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

... sounded better in my head.

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A Belgian Butterknife's Japanese Vacation (X)

13 July 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A nod answered her.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jazz no Izumi Nightclub, Kamakura

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Humming, Shimakaze grinned, "Ou!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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