Harry Potter & the Shipgirls

Harry Leferts Omake: "GOOOOD DOOOOOG!"

SkyeFire said:
A few years ago, I went to Disney World with 6 adults, a 2-year-old, and a 2-month-old. The baby and the toddler accounted for 50%+ of our total luggage....​

I can see that...

Amused Bystander said:
Meh...im more of a Voltron fan. And no it doesnt have anything tp do with the Megazord vs Voltron Death Battle

​

*Shrugs* I remember the old Voltron and have one or two of the lions laying around my house somewhere.

NotHimAgain said:
Truly a victory for the forces of Good/Chaos/Good Dog.​

*-*-*-*-*
Growling, Benio waved one hand. "AND THEN! THAT DOG WENT AND DROPPED A BUNCH OF WATER BALLOONS ON ME! WATER BALLOONS! ON ME!"

A small blush on his face, Tatsuya remembered that part, and what said balloons did to her clothes. How what happened due to said clothes being soaking wet. "Hm-mm."

Eyes narrowing, Benio took a deep breath. "Is that all you got to say? Nothing else!?!"

Pulling the can of soda away from his lips, Tatsuya pointed. "You're petting her by the way."

Suddenly freezing, Benio looked down to see the giant wolf with it's head in her lap and her hand frozen partway through petting it. She looked up at Benio with a hopeful look before her tail thumped against the floor. "DAMMIT!"

 

Lord K

Homefront

"You look like a fisher's wife."

"Huh?" Tiredly looking up from his vigil across the moonlit waters, Kiba accepts with a small "thanks" the offered cup of coffee in Kogamaru's hand, while the wolf himself then takes a seat on a second of the sheared off wooden piles that was once the legs of a boat jetty leading out into the bay. Now all that remains of it are a few stumpy logs closer into the shore, that the okuri-inu as since cut down and re-purposed as seats in the tidal zone of the beach. Further out, the charred tops of a few of the deeper piles still rise out of the water, flanking the blackened and splintered form that was once a classic wooden hulled motor yacht.

Breaking his observations of the wreckage the okuri-inu still hasn't had the time or money to remove after so many years, Kogamaru looks at Kiba quietly, noticing his distant gaze and the way one of his legs bounces quietly on the beach, in tandem with the silent drumming on the edge of his cup. "I said you look like a fisher's wife. Standing at the shore and pinning for her husband to come home after the storm."

"Oh...." Apparently too tired or strung out to see the humor, the dog yokai glances back out to sea, before realizing what captured his attention was only a trick of the light upon the oceans surface.

Frowning, the younger canid then lightly taps at his friend's shoulder to regain his attention. Even in the semi-moonlit night, the shield Kogamaru has found himself carrying around for most of the day, gives of a slight glow that lets him see in detail, the worry and tiredness on his friend's face. "Hey Kiba. Come on man, let's go inside. It's late."

The okuri-inu shakes his head, even as he looks over the okami's shoulder and back up towards the house. Through the doors opened to let the cool night's sea air in, Kiba can see the form of Asuka, curled up on the couch alongside Junko. Taking care not to wake the sleeping teen beside her, the witch shuffles a deck of cards as she listens to the wizarding wireless set on the table. It is a nervous tick of her's, an activity mirrored in many of the other unconscious movements and gestures of those also crowded around the table, not just listening to the magical radio, but also watching the muggle news on the big screen, and communicating with family, friends and J.N.H.R.O.s contacts via their phones. Even as they watch, a owl swoops out of the darkness of the night sky, entering through one of the open doors with a letter for someone inside clasped in it's talons.

Turning his gaze away from the beach house, Kiba then sighs with resigned exhaustion. "We had our very last meeting here."

Knowing that terrible day the dog yokai is referring to, the wolf nods quietly. "That we did."

"Go figure then, that the first time we ever come back here for something official, the shit hits the fan again." Running a hand over his face, Kiba looks up to the sky, as if looking for some unknown answer in the stars. "Technically twice is only coincidence, but fucking hell..... First Blood Week and now this shit today."

Kogamaru nods morosely. "There's gonna be a lot of yokai caught in the backlash for this, even if it wasn't even close to being as bad."

Looking over from his appraisal of the heavens, the dog tilts his head curiously. "Yamainutaira ride it out okay?"

"They're good," responds the okami "I talked with Ryougamaru earlier. Nothing really happened to us. I guess people still remember that even if father and I were pacifists, the rest of the Hokubu Okami are proud of their martial ways, and more than capable of putting up a fight. Daisetsuzan's supposed to be a right clusterfuck at the moment though. The main gate got hit from what I heard."

Kiba winces. "I suppose that makes what happened in Adachi somewhat lucky then. I think Jin might have completely lost her shit then and there, if she ended up with the aurors and spiders duking it out on her turf. Hopefully wherever she ended up running off to, there was some privacy for her fight...."

Tailing off towards the end, Kiba glances back over the water. Looking away from the dog opposite him, Kogamaru gives a sigh at the obvious shared worries between the two of them. "They'll be fine Kiba. These attacks have made travel a nightmare for everyone. They're probably just stuck in muggle traffic or something."

"Jin's a tough old lizard," responds Kiba, doing little to alleviate either of their worries. "She's big enough and smart enough to handle her problems. But Ai being late as well.... I just have a bad feeling about this." Draining the last of his coffee, he then levels the okami with a worried gaze. "Ai is never late to things without good reason. When she says she'll be to a meeting, especially one to go over the prep-work for something as vital as tomorrow, you can bet that she'll be there by hell or high water. At the very least, she would have given a heads up about being turned around or emergency deployed to something else. It's been hours. Even if something had come up during their long range patrol today, they should have landed by now....."

Uncertain what to say, Kogamaru looks away. The ripples in the water capturing his attention, after a minute of only the okuri-inu's silence and the lapping waves to capture his attention, the wolf decides to make an attempt to change the subject. Unsaid is the worry that Kiba's bad feelings and ill hunches are often startlingly correct.

"You ever going to get that boat out of there?"

"Hmm?" Looking up in confusion, the dog yokai then follows Kogamaru's pointed thumb to the charred skeleton that was once a boat and it's private jetty. Eyeing it up the wreckage that was once upon a time called "Dances with Waves", Kiba then sighs."Look, I don't know. Originally I couldn't be fucked to, since nobody wanted to come back after Blood Week, but if I'm gonna be here more often...."

"You're gonna be here more often?" The okami looks to his friend in confusion. "Are you planning to liaise with the clans or something from down here until something's sorted out for Kyoto or Tokyo?"

The okuri-inu grimaces. "Maybe. That depends on what happens. If tomorrow's even still on after what a clusterfuck today has been for everyone wherever all those spiders turned up." Inspecting the bottom of his empty cup, Kiba then deflates quietly. "I remember when we first started meeting here instead of The Tanuki's Balls. So many good memories from the old days. And then after Blood Week, it was like there was something hanging over the place, something that wasn't just thanks to the risk of Abyssals due to being right on the seaside. Nobody ever seemed to feel like it was right to come back here, especially after we started setting up more seriously in Tokyo. Why travel all the way out here, when there are nearer venues in the city?"

Kogamaru runs a thumb along the lip of his cup, quietly remembering both the good and the bad times, flanking either side of that terrible August in 2005. "You should have said something. If you felt like we should have come back here again, I mean."

The okuri-inu shrugs. "I don't know. Maybe I didn't feel like it would be right to bring back the J.N.H.R.O. here either. It was never the time or moment when it would have felt right to suggest it. But then, that "right time" just never appeared, and a few years back, I actually started to get sick of this place. I kinda wanted to get rid of it really, but there were too many good memories locked up in here to let it go. So I just let it sit here for years, and every time I drove down to check on it, it felt like it was getting sadder and sadder, and left something festering in my gut each time."

"What made you want to come back then?" frowns Kogamaru in confusion. "If you felt the place didn't fit the J.N.H.R.O. anymore and you hated it so much, why did you just say you were thinking of staying here and fixing it up? Why even have this meeting here? We could have all simply taken the train down to Yokosuka tomorrow instead."

For a moment Kiba looks thoughtful, quietly taking a moment to arrange his thoughts and feelings before putting them into words. "I don't think I hated the place. I just felt.... disappointed and sad for it. We had so many great times and moments in this house that shaped who we, and the J.N.H.R.O., are today. And then yeah, something terrible happened, but then we kinda just.... disrespected it all. We never picked up and came back like we should have. I got tired of being the owner of a glorified mausoleum to everyone that died, when some of my fondest memories here are supposed to be of getting shitfaced and dancing on the lounge table till it broke with those same people, or enticing somebody into illegally using magic to fix everything because somebody crashed the boat into the jetty."

For a long moment, Kogamaru doesn't reply, instead letting the dog yokai figure out his thoughts. "I've been thinking making that house like that again."

"Like what now?"

Kiba shrugs, unconcerned at the wolf's confusion as he segues down a new tangent. "Tuition in Tokyo is expensive out the wazoo. And while my apartment suits me fine, that's because I'm barely ever there. It's a place to sleep, and that's about it. Ai's apartment is even worse than mine. Leaving aside that she's never home, it's not only even smaller than mine, she's a downright magpie and pack-rat. " Quietly, his gaze then turns back towards the house, Kogamaru's following his to settle on the sleeping daitengu, happily bundled up in a nest of blankets on the couch, and actually seeming to sleep better for the presence of the yokai around her, in spite of the noise and bustle.

"This is a nice neighborhood. There's a decent amount of space and privacy separating all the houses around here. And even if the beach is still full of shit, I have yards here. Commuting and travel is not an issue, since the fireplace is connected to the Floo network. This is the kind of place where a kid can actually have some room to not just grow, but safely and securely be themselves. Without a disguise." Raising a hand, Kiba then gestures vaguely off to the east, in the direction of the other side of the Muria Peninsula. "And even better, there's supposed to be this really awesome school just a short train ride away in Yokosuka. She's a smart kid, Asuka. But I think, more than schooling, what she needs is people she can trust and be actual friends with, not just people she wants to look up to or emulate. And I think being around kids her own mental age could go a long way toward helping that."

Guiltily, the okuri-inu looks down. "I can't just keep dragging her around to work and J.N.H.R.O. meetings. That's not fair to her, no matter how much she loves it and gets on with everyone. That sounds terrible, but-"

Cutting Kiba off, Kogamaru rests a hand on his friends shoulder. "But it's doing what's right." Looking upward at the night sky for a moment, the wolf then sighs with heavy melancholy. "I don't begrudge my father for taking me away from Yamainutaira for much of my childhood. While I was lucky enough that being with him was where I wanted to be, I realize now that he was also giving me the best possible chance to lead the Hokubu Okami into the future, in a way he never would have been able to. Being Koshaku was something I would never have been able to escape." Turning his gaze back to the house, Kogamaru then points not just beyond it, but to the lights of Zuchi, stretching away up into the moonlit hills of Kanto, back lit further by the faint haze of light pollution from the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan area on the other side of the peninsula.

"Asuka though, does not have that hanging over her. She is not beholden to a legacy like me and Ai. She is free to choose her own path to walk in life, like you did. The future is full of infinite possibilities for her, and the present is rapidly becoming far different from the pasts we knew." Confidently, the okami nods. "I believe in your decision Kiba. Muggle educations never did any of us wrong. And if things keep going the way they are, in a few more years, it may very likely put her at an advantage to many of her magical peers, human or yokai. She'll be fine." His smile turning humorous, Kogamaru then gestures at the house and it's encompassing beachfront. "Especially with a place like this to grow up in, and a revolving door of role model coming and gowing. Honestly, it almost makes me feel a little jealous."

Chuckling at the words of the traditionally garbed wolf, Kiba finally gives a weary smile. "Thanks Kogamaru."

Looking out over the waves once more, now there is more of a lightness and unburdening of weight about his expression, even if he still looks worried. "Sorry about that man. I didn't mean to unload on you like that. But thanks for listening, really."

"Don't worry about it." The wolf just shakes his head with a small grin. "Decisions like these weigh heavily, especially when they are difficult ones, with the best intentions at heart for those closest to us."

Kiba chuckles quietly and looks back at the okami. "Man, I remember when it was us older gang who were supposed to give these deep, advisory talks to our young kohai. How did you get so wise?"

Kogamaru just smiles knowingly at the okuri-inu. "Through the same reasons I know Asuka is in good hands. Father wasn't the only one who helped make me who I am today."

"Heh. Thanks Kogamaru." Looking back up to the house, the dog yokai's smile softens. "If Asuka were to turn out like you, I think I'd be proud beyond belief. I know Tsumemaru was."

The young wolf laughs. "Yeah, well, father wasn't afraid to show it either. I was 55, and he was still carrying around all those baby pictures in his wallet, alongside my graduation one." Both the canid yokai laugh at the memories of more than a few such occasions of the pictures in question being brought out on display.

Seeing the dog yokai at last looking more at ease, Kogamaru dusts off his robes and begins to stand. "Come on Kiba. Let's call it a night. Even if the meeting is off tomorrow, maybe you should show Asuka around town instead, if you're going to be staying here more often? Going over the hill and showing her the base could also be neat for her too."

Giving a weary sigh and glancing out to sea one last time, finally the okuri-inu concedes to the suggestion. "Alright then. Let's call it a night. It's a long way from Iruma, so maybe Ai did just get stuck somewhere or is waiting until tomorrow to come down. Jin's probably in a worse position. She'd be trying to bike down, and be stuck in that jam on the Wagan."

"Yeah," nods Kogamaru as he helps his weary friend to his feet. "We'll seem them tomorrow. You can hit the hay, and I'll stay up a little longer in case anything new crops up."

Kiba just grumbles quietly at the thought. "Hn, knowing our luck, there's going to be some aftershock of all these attacks on the aurors and magical communities we're gonna have to handle tomorrow still." Giving a jaw cracking yawn as he follows the wolf back up the beach and towards the house, the dog yokai takes one last look back out across the water. "Urgh, you're right though. Better to just turn in. I'm so.... freaking..... tired....."

Missing how the okuri-inu tails off, Kogamaru gives a yawn of his own. "Yeah. Say, do you still keep the spare sheets in the same closet?"

Recieving no reply and finally noticing that he can't hear the footsteps of the dog behind him, the wolf pauses and turns around in confusion. "....Kiba?" Spotting the okuri-inu looking out to sea once more, this time something make's the okami's hackles raise. "Kiba? What are you starring at-"

Then he spots it. Out on the water, a shape moving beneath the sea. Like the cresting bow wave of submarine that has yet to break the surface, the unknown mass rises up as it enters the shallows, tearing through the masking water on an undulating head-on course for the shore. Rather than slowing down however, the rising swell that is far to long and thin to be any natural breaker, continues it's high speed charge towards the beach, and almost seems to drunkenly yaw back and forth now that it is out of the deep.

Long familiar with the sight, Kogamaru feels a chill come over him at the automatic knowledge that this is different. "Kiba..... Something's wrong...."

"I know."

Slowly but surely, the unstable zig-zagging path of the heaving wave's course drifts away from the clear section of beach. Then with the thunderous crash of splintering wood, the form within barely manages to avoid the ruined yacht, and plows through the stunted, blackened, remains of the old jetty, before finally surging ashore in a rolling swell of water that momentarily drives the tide almost up to the two yokai's feet.

"JIN!" Even as the waters recede, Kogamaru is already charging down through the retreating surf to the form that has been washed up.

Quick on the okami's heels, Kiba can already hear the commotion for inside as those still up are alerted by the commotion, that has even managed to wake many of those already asleep. Stumbling through the withdrawing brine, and the collapsing spill of black sludge and white scales that is being diffused by it all and running back off into the sea as well, the okuri-inu finally catches up to Kogamaru, who has already located the source of the tepid mire that washed ashore with the wave.

"Kiba, give me a hand!" Reaching out join Kogamaru in helping the jacket clad form in the darkness and surf, for a moment, the okuri-inu sees a flash of worry in the eyes belonging to the once more semi-human mizuchi as she does her best to stagger out of the water and filth.

"Wait! Koga! Don't grab that- ARGGGHHH! MOTHERFFFFFFUCKERRRRRR!!!"

Reflexively letting go of the hand he grabbed to help Jin to her feet, it is almost farcical how the green haired woman then ends up slipping and disappearing back into the surf and sludge. Resurfacing and spluttering angrily, the two canids are now much more careful as they help the dragon to her feet. Once out of the water and with the two supporting her as she staggers her up the beach to collapse in the sand above the tide, it hits the two how much the mizuchi is bent over and cradling her right hand.

"Jin, what the hell happened!?"

"I think I broke my wrist." Sitting down roughly, the ex-water kami then hisses with pain, biting out an amendment to her assessment through gritted teeth. "Gah! And I guess a couple of ribs as well..."

The sudden presence of a light shining down on the three of them doesn't just alert Kiba to the arrival of those who were inside the house. It also highlights the fact that one of Jin's horns is cracked, and her right eye is completely bloodshot, with most of the accompanying side of her face being so swollen, bruised and covered with splits, it's difficult to see the eye at all. Judging by the trail of blotchy bruises and small cuts that continue down her neck and then under her jacket, it's easy to assume that the damage goes down to her chest, and that the broken ribs aren't an exaggeration either. And then as if to add to her woes, what parts of her aren't bruised in some way, now look almost sunburned instead.

Looking up at the newcomers, Kogamaru spies more than a few of them with their phones still in their hands after running outside. "Somebody call a doctor!"

Kiba busies himself with delicately helping the dragon out of her now waterlogged leather jacket and going over her for further injuries.

"Jin, what the hell happened to you?!? Somebody said you went off to hunt down a spider yokai who attacked somebody a few hours ago? Nothing that attacked anybody else should have been able to take on a dragon?"

The mizuchi hisses, this time both in pain and self-recrimination. "There were more attacks?"

"Yeah."

"Then that just makes me running off and leaving everyone behind even stupider- OW! JESUS CHRIST!" Yelping as Kogamaru and some of the others unsuccessfully attempt to remove her injured wrist from her jacket, in the end, the dragon settles for simply tearing the sleeve open along a seam. "Look me. The good old Aoijinkawa is up to it's old tricks. New name, same shit. Getting pissed off, getting half cocked, and getting her face kicked in. Thank fuck Ai was already there when I turned up, otherwise then I'd really be in the-"

Something chills Kiba's blood, while a ripple of silence spills through the crowd.

"Wait, what do you mean Ai was already there? Jin, what the hell happened?! I thought you went off to fight one of those little spider or gas yokai that have been stirring up shit all day?!?"

The water dragon growls at the thought, only to be cut off by a strained hiss and a curse as Kogamaru begins checking her ribs for breaks. "What I was chasing wasn't just one little spider. This was some mass murdering psycho-bitch with-ARRGH! MARY AND JOSEPH, THAT SUCKS!!!"

"Sorry."

The ex-kami grimaces, though not entirely because of the pain either. "Actually, maybe it was lucky I did turn up. Originally I was just gonna hide and set an ambush, but then- you're not gonna believe this- that spider bitch was actually laying a trap the entire time. - OW!"

"That's your fourth break."

"-urgh, god that was a clusterfuck."

"I can imagine if she did this to you." Observes Kiba.

"No, she didn't," agrees the ex-water dragon. "I never even managed to get my teeth near that spider bitch. That trap wasn't for me. And I wasn't the only one to blunder into it either. I saw at least one five-tailed Kitsune working alongside the kanmusu Nagato, her kid Abyssal, and a whole bunch of others, with probably more yokai elsewhere in the fight judging by how they were trying to get up to the village to save- OWWW!!! KOGA, YOU LITTLE SHIT!!!"

Too stunned by the information the water dragon has casually dropped into the conversation, the wolf doesn't even bother apologizing. "There were yokai openly working alongside JMSDF shipgirls???"

"And the JASDF," adds the ex-kami awkwardly. "That's how Ai got involved. They must have been flying by, when the air support request went out."

"One spider yokai needed a anti-ship operations specialized strike package to take out?" Ask Kiba incredulously.

"Actually, I don't know if Ai even knows about the spider. She was fighting the same thing I was, trying to buy time for the Kitsune and the battleship to finish it off."

Kiba and Kogamaru look at each other in shock, before then turning back to the wounded dragon.

"Jin..." The okuri-inu gives her a horrified look. "Were you fighting, fully transformed, in front of not just a shipgirl, but Ai's muggle pilots, flying planes with some of the newest and most advanced imaging and sensory data recording systems in the JASDF to date, specifically installed to make capturing in high quality kills and the effects of muggle weapons against Abyssals, to make post-battle intelligence and assessment more accurate and definitively confirmed???"

Holding up her good hand with her finger raised to make a counterpoint, the dragon pauses. Hesitating for a second, she frowns. Slowly, she then lowers her hand, now looking even more guilty than before.

Kogamaru however, remains focused on the other major aspect of that sentence. "Hold on a moment- Jin, you still haven't told us what you were even fighting in the first place. The hell did this spider yokai have working for her, that could tank the combined efforts of a decently-aged Kitsune, a kanmusu battleship, an Abyssal Princess, an entire flight of strike fighters with missiles big enough to destroy capital ships, and a rage empowered water dragon."

Finally cornered, the mizuchi shifts awkwardly, or at least as best she can while looking like a half-drowned victim of a brawl.

"It was a Gashadokuro. I don't know how, but the crazy bitch had a Gashadokuro and set it on the kitsune and the battleship. Ai turned up before I could figure out how to jump in and not get caught in the- OWWWWW!!! WHAT ARE YOU-?!?!?"

Screaming in pain as Kogamaru and Kiba alternately accidentally let go of her broken wrist or stop supporting her as they leap to their feet in shock, the dragon descends into a wave of observations about their mothers, even as they and a number others in the crowd barely avoid panicking.

"Holy shit, what the fuck do we do for a Gashadokuro?!?"

"Hide, ward said hiding spot, and pray it goes away before you run out of supplies?"

"There's hasn't been one in hundreds of years!"

"Shit! The attacks were hours ago! They must have been diversions."

"Do you think you could ward one into an area, rather than out of your home?"

"Even if I was that good, I don't think that's how it works with Gashadokuro."

"Fuck, do you remember how fast are those things are supposed to move?"

"No clue." Thoughts racing in his mind, Kiba then helps the still swearing dragon to her feet. "Shit, where did you guys fight it Jin? Do you have any idea where it was last headed when you escaped."

Growling in annoyance, the mizuchi does her best to give the wolf the finger with her good hand. "I didn't escape asshole. And the only place that thing is headed, is back to Yomi."

Kogamaru blinks owlishly at the dragon's words. "It's headed where now?"

"To Yomi! You know. The world of the dead?"

Now it's Kiba's turn to look at her confusion, causing the mizuchi to growl in frustration.

"It's shuffled off this mortal coil once more. We gave it a final send off. It's back in the farm after buying it. We sent it to the Dark Dimension. It's back to room temperature. We put both it's feet back in the grave. It's riding the pale horse now. We Candyman'd the fucker. Wiped out. Tango Uniformed. Gone for a Burton. Returned to sender. Back to being worm food. The asshole is dead!"

Uncertainly, the dog and wolf share a glance, before Kogamru tentatively broaches the subject. "Jin.... are you concussed?"

"What?!" Frowning furiously, she looks between the two. "No. I mean, I took a good few punches to the head from it, but I'm fine. Why would you ask if I'm concussed?"

Kiba shakes his head. "Jin, you must be confused. Nobody just up and kills a Gashadokuro, no matter how much firepower they have."

"Maybe it wasn't actually a Gashadokuro?" Offers Kogamaru hopefully.

Staring between the two for a moment, Jin then comes to a decision, and uses her good arm to punch Kogamaru in the shoulder first, though this gives Kiba the time to dodge the annoyed swipe at him in turn.

"You little shits. I'm telling you. That was a fucking Gashadokuro, and I'll eat my god damn bike if I'm wrong. Not that there'll be much left to check. I don't know what that kitsune and battleship did to kill it, but if they'd purified it any harder, they'd have cooked me as well." Sighing and running her good hand through her green locks, the mizuchi then frowns, as if the words she said are only just hitting her. Looking at her almost sunburned fingers, the dragon blinks owlishly as the gravity of the days events finally catches up with her.

"Holy shit. I just fought a Gashadokuro today." Blinking, she then looks up at the group around her. "Holy shit, I helped kill a Gashadokuro."

Kogamaru looks at her uncertainly. "Jin?" As if his hesitant query is the key that finally unlocks the damn, the dragon abruptly begins crying with laughter.

"AHAHAHAHA! I HELPED KILL A GASHADOKURO! WHAT THE SHIT! I HELPED KILL A FUCKING GASHADOKURO AND EVERYONE CAME OUT OF IT ALIVE! HOLY FUCK! IF I WAS STILL A STREAM-" Leaning back as best she can, the ex-kami then howls her triumph to the sky. "-THEN PEOPLE'D CALL ME A REAL FUCKING GOD!!! WHOOOOOOO!!!!- ACK!!! ARGH, MY RIBS!!!"

Rushing forward with the others to help the dragon as her elated celebrations finally exacerbate her injuries beyond the threshold of the elation and endorphin rush, Kiba and Kogamaru help the dragon back to her feet and begin directing her transport inside the house.

"There! Let's set her up on the couch! And somebody put the feelers out for if there's been anything funny going on with the Self Defense Forces today or if we have any new leads on these attacks!" Even as the group carries out Kiba's instructions, and the mizuchi is awkwardly half supported inside while continuing to crow about her victory, the now awake Asuka is already hovering near the wounded mizuchi, practically vibrating with the obvious questions she wants to ask about the water dragon's titanic battle and doubtlessly heroic struggle.

Finally separating themselves from the pack and tiredly looking upon the proceedings, Kiba then glances at Kogamaru. Already, the wolf's brow is knotted with heavy thoughts and worry. No doubt the foremost is the same one Kiba quietly chooses to voice.

"I think our timetable for the Statute's fall just got smaller."

 

Harry Leferts

Looking between Nagato and Haru, who was still thoughtful, Shiromizu let out a sigh. "I take it that the Gashadokuro is done for?"

With a glance in her direction as she hugged Harry, Nagato gave a small nod. "Yes, as a matter of fact it's... dead, I suppose one could say." Seeing the unspoken question, she smiled slightly. "We had help from the Abyss Divers as well as a Mizuchi who showed up to help fight it. It was something to see."

Her eyes widening, Shiromizu looked between the Battleship and Haru. "A Mizuchi? Really?" At their nods, she swallowed some. "Is... is it still around?"

Eyebrow raised, Haru shook her head. "I'm afraid not unfortunately. It left as soon as the battle was finished and the Gashadokuro destroyed."

Slumping, Shiromizu sighed some. "Oh... I wanted to talk to them." Seeing the curious looks, she shrugged some. "I had a bunch of questions that I need answered. And speaking off..." The white snake then turned to Misa and had a hurt expression on her face. "Why didn't you ever tell me that I was a Mizuchi? A Kami of a spring."

Just sighing, Misa made her way over and pulled Shiromizu into a hug. "I was trying to protect you, Shiro-Chan." Hearing the old nickname spoken with warmth helped Shiromizu relax some more. Briefly, she felt like she was once more a hatchling being gently held. "I wanted to wait until you were either strong enough, or had allies strong enough to protect you." With a look towards Harry and Natsumi, as well as a nod towards Haru, Nagato, and Hoppou, she nodded. "Allies and friends it seems are more then capable of doing so."

A frown on her face, Shiromizu looked up at the one being she would call an older sister in confusion. "But why? What difference could it have made one way or the other?"

Lightly chuckling, Misa shook her head. "You may not realize this, but such knowledge can cause changes. In fact, there is a difference between how you feel now to those sensitive to such things and how you did before. There is a... glow... now to you that was not present before. One can also feel, if they concentrate, things they did not before. It is almost like the feel of warm, running water over one's skin. The smell of a hot spring."

That made Shiromizu blink in confusion. "Hot spring?"

Humming, Misa gave a nod. "Hai, your spring has since become a hot spring though how I am not quite sure. But the pool it fills has slowly gotten bigger and will soon spill over and further down the mountainside into an actual spring. It shows just how far you have come and how strong you are becoming, Lady Shiromizu. Something that I am glad to see."

Now thoughtful, the serpent tried to sort it out in her head. "So because now I know the truth, others can tell as well? Just because of something simple like that?"

Chuckling, Haru gave a small smirk at that. "Your Onee-Sama is quite correct, Shiromizu-Chan. Such knowledge can change things after all and carries power of its own." Motioning with one hand, she raised an eyebrow. "But the question for you is... does this change much?"

If anything, Shiromizu became more thoughtful at this and placed her finger to her chin. For several seconds she was silent before looking towards Harry and Natsumi. Slowly, her lips curled into a smile and Shiromizu shook her head. "No, I don't think that this changes anything at all. Harry here is still my Otouto in my heart and Natsumi is my friend as are the rest of you. It just makes me... complete, to know it."

Lips now curling up into a full smile, Haru tilted her head slightly. "That's good to hear, Shiromizu-Chan. Not that I expected much more from you either."

Misa meanwhile was looking around with a small frown as she kept up the embrace of Shiromizu. "Perhaps we should hold this somewhere safer? I have no doubt that the Onmyouji will show up soon due to the battle and cause issues..." Trailing off when Haru shook her head, her frown deepened. "Is something wrong?"

Sighing, Haru rotated her shoulder some with a grimace. Sure, she was a five tail, but she was still getting used to the power increase that came with such. More then that, there were very few Kitsune even of more tails who ever got into a battle with a Yokai such as a Gashadokuro and lived to tell the tale. "Hmm? Well, not quite that much of an issue. During Blood Week, the strike on the Magical Diet destroyed the constructs that they used to track large amounts of magic being used. Said constructs were already running at near capacity. Both the Chinese and Korean magical governments are not much better either from what I heard. All of which means that the only ones who might have an idea that something happened is MACUSA. And they're too busy right now dealing with their own issues, so likely nothing for a week." Checking her phone, which somehow survived the battle in the metal case she had for it, Haru raised an eyebrow. "And Hoshi-San has sent me a text that she could not come because there's been... incidents... all throughout Honshu."

That caught Nagato's attention and she shot the phone a look. "Incidents?"

Her eyes narrowed, Haru frowned. "Yes, several incidents. Some Ushioni elsewhere, firebreathing spiders in a Tokyo suburb, and a few Inferi attacks for example. The Aurors are spread pretty thin, so I doubt that we need to worry about much unless they hear from other sources?"

When she glanced at Nagato, the Battleship held a finger to one ear for a number of seconds. Then she shook her head. "The JASDF and JGSDF are already moving in forces. By morning, I would not be too surprised if PSIA has a number of agents crawling all over the mountain." Her eyes then widened and she looked to the north. "And Akitsu Maru is also being transported here."

Noticing the unease of the villagers, Shiromizu held up a hand and smiled. "They're friends, trust me on that. And cooperate in whatever manner you are comfortable with if needed, they'll protect you. Akitsu Maru especially."

From where he stood, Shinji gave a bob of his head. "As you command it, Lady Shiromizu. It would be our honor to work and help out with such."

Part of Shiromizu was somewhat amused by the image of agents from PSIA in their suits being talked to by small Geckos in Samurai armor riding rats as well as the expressions said agents would have. It took everything not to laugh out loud and instead she coughed some. "Yes, I am sure that you will do so with the utmost honor." As Shinji and his fellow Imori preened under the compliment, the Mizuchi looked back at the corpse of the dead jorōgumo. "In the meantime, we should post a guard here just in case and keep an eye on... her."

While Shinji motioned for several of his troops to take up position, Haru strode over and looked down at the corpse with narrowed eyes. Her tails fanned out behind her with ghostly flames igniting at the tail tips and an Ofuda on each one with a final two held in her hand between her fingers. Closing her eyes, the Kitsune muttered for almost a minute as each Ofuda above her tails caught fire until they turned to ash. All of them except for the words which were now composed of fox fire. Said characters moved until they were around the corpse before setting themselves on the floor. More then one eye widened as lines of fire shot from each one, connecting them into a pentagram with the dead jorōgumo. Then Haru's eyes snapped open and she threw the last two Ofuda, one striking the body and the other the head before the whole thing flashed.

Once the light faded, all that was left was the ofuda which Haru nodded at as she breathed heavily. "There, now we should have to not worry about her coming back as a grudge."

Looking on with wide eyes, Misa gave a slow nod as it dawned on her just how strong the Kitsune by her was. "That's... good. That's very good."

That done, the group walked outside with Harry, Natsumi, and Shiromizu coming to a stop once they were past the broken doors. As he looked over the village, Harry grimaced at the damages and smoke rising from some places. Everywhere he looked, there was wreckage and he could see multitudes of dead spiders. When he turned to Shiromizu, Harry could see the sadness on her face. At his look though, she took a deep breath. "We will rebuild this place. And this time into a true home."

Beside her, Haru had a considering look before frowning. "I... may be able to help." At the looks, she smiled and folded her hands into her sleeves. "There is a company that is owned by a Yokai. They're a construction company and have done some work in regards to displaced Yokai, I am sure that they would be willing to help you all rebuild."

Frowning, Misa gave a look at one of the homes. "I'm not sure that we can afford it."

A snort though caught her attention and she turned to Harry who shrugged. "I can help if you need money." He then turned to Nagato and gave her a sheepish smile at the bemused expression she had. "It's for a good cause after all."

When Nagato shook her head and gave an agreement, Shinji bowed towards Harry much to the wizard's surprise. "Truly, it is obvious why Lady Shiromizu holds you in such high regards, Lord Harry. From the deepest parts of our hearts, thank you."

Scratching his cheek, Harry chuckled weakly. "Um, don't mention it." With a glance around, he grew more embarrassed at the looks being directed at him by various Yokai. It was then that he noticed that Shiromizu was speaking with one of the tsukumogami who ran off before she slithered over. "Shiromizu?"

Only smiling and chuckling, she gestured for Harry and Natsumi to follow her. "Just come this way, I have somewhere to show you where you can get cleaned." Looking at the blood and other things on her clothes, she shuddered. "I think that we all want to be clean after what happened."

Also looking at her clothes, Natsumi gave a grimace. "Agreed. And the faster the better."

Nagato frowned before looking at Harry. "I do have some extra clothes for Harry that I brought. But..."

Much to her surprise, Misa waved her off. "Do not worry about it, I have a number of clothes that I am more then willing to give up." On her face was a small smile. "And yes, that includes male clothes as I expected to give them to Harry-San here at some point."

Ten minutes later found the group walking along a pathway on the mountainside. Below, they could see a lake and then they stopped before where there was a scar in the mountain from a landslide. More then that though, there was a spring that bubbled out of the debris that was colored white and gently steamed in the night air. Looking at it, Harry turned to Shirmizu who walked to a boulder. "Is this your spring, Shiromizu?"

Looking over her shoulder she nodded. "As a matter of fact, it is my spring." Gently, Shiromizu placed a hand on the boulder and gave it a push. As it moved, steam came out from behind it and a tunnel large enough to walk through was revealed. "But that is not the actual source." Sharing a wide eyed look, Harry and Natsumi followed her while a Yama Oroshi followed with a bucket that contained various items behind them. Said Yokai was followed by a curious Nagato and Haru while Hoppou sat down outside to look out at the night. It took less then half a minute to reach the destination which was inside a small cave that contained a pool of hot water, the water from said pool spilling out and down into a mass of debris at one end. "And here we are."

Eyes closed, Harry enjoyed the heated, steamy air which carried something in it. Opening them, he was about to say something when his mouth snapped shut as Shiromizu undid her Obi. Turning his head, he coughed a bit. "Uh, what are you doing?"

Amused with a twinkle in her eyes, Shiromizu hummed. "What else? We need to take a bath if we're to get clean and have some time before my Onee-Sama returns with some proper clothing. In the meantime, you two can have a soak with me in the hot spring."

Her own eyes narrowed as Shiromizu hissed at some of her injures as she got ready, Natsumi frowned. "This is your spring though..." At the nod, her eyes widened in shock. "But-"

Turning to her, Shiromizu gave her a look while shrugging off her Kimono top. "And? I don't mind sharing a soak in the source of my spring with either of you." A grimace on her face as she could see the bruises that covered her own body, the serpent took a deep breath. "The both of you are more than welcome whenever you want."

Unknown to Harry and Natsumi, Haru's eyes widened before her expression became contemplative. 'Hmm... I wonder if she understands what that means.'

Meanwhile, Shiromizu smirked at the blush on Harry's face before he turned away from her some. "Um, thank you, Shiromizu. That sounds pretty good."

Simply nodding, Shiromizu filled up the bucket with some water before giving both her friends a smile. "And don't worry, any water we use to wash ourselves before the soak will go down the passageway we came through, not into the spring." The smirk then returned before she snapped open her fan which covered her lower face. "Just enjoy it, as well as maybe Natsumi-Chan washing your back and you returning the favor." At their blushes, her smirk widened. "Fufufufufu, already looking forward to such, hmm?"

Brightly blushing, Natsumi gave her a glare. 'Ero-Hebi.' However, several minutes later, Natsumi was groaning as she relaxed in the hot waters, Harry doing much the same beside her. "Oooh, that feels good."

Leaning against the side as she slipped the rest of her serpentine lower body into the water, Shiromizu sighed happily. Opening one eye, she hummed. "It does feel good as a matter of fact."

Nearly covered by the water, Harry chuckled. "Feels rather... divine."

Shiromizu and Natsumi shared a look before nodding. Moments later, Harry was sputtering as they splashed him. Off to one side, Nagato had a frown on her face as she muttered to Haru. "Is the water... glowing slightly?"

Just glancing at her, Haru nodded. "And that's not all, look at their injuries." When the Battleship did so and widened her eyes, the Kitsune continued. "While I am not surprised about Shiromizu healing, I am about the other two. I think though that she is using her power over her spring to heal them." A gentle smile crossed her face. "I wonder if the two know what sort of gift they have been given..."

While the three laughed and let the tension leave them as they de-stressed, the two adults just watched with amused looks.
_________________________________________________________________________

Early morning sunlight entered the van through the windows as Nagato looked into the back. In the middle seat, Hoppou was looking outside the window at the passing countryside. In the very back though, Harry softly slept alongside both Natsumi and Shiromizu. Both the kitsune and the mizuchi were clutching tightly to him while twelve year old boy held them just as much. All three were clad in clean clothing given to them by Misa as a gift while Shiromizu's lower body took up much of the van as she had not bothered to transform into her smaller, snake form.

Turning away, Nagato ran a hand through her hair. "Finally that's over."

A frown on her face, Haru sighed some and shook her head. "I thought that they would never let us leave the debriefing." Giving Nagato an amused look, she smirked. "Though after the fourth time they asked the kids to go through what happened, I thought that you were going to incinerate them on the spot."

Nagato scowled at that as she remembered what had happened. "The interviews were already complete, there was no need for more. And they needed some sleep as well!"

Only nodding, Haru let out a breath. "Agreed. Though I doubt very much that will be the last time that we'll be interviewed over the next few days. I may ask for you to watch over Natsumi-Chan though over the next few days though. With what happened, I need to inform some people who need to know and I had a meeting set up as well before all this which might still go through. What happens next though..."

Head tilting to the side, Nagato frowned. "None of them will be in trouble, will they?"

Pausing, Haru considered things before shaking her head. "No, none of them will be in trouble. Especially not Natsumi-Chan. In fact, I would not be too surprised if the tale is not already making the rounds and possibly growing in the telling. What those three managed..." With a chuckle, she smiled a bit. "Well, they're going to have attention focused on them, to say the least."

In reply to that, Nagato pinched her nose. "Great. That's just... great."

Finger tapping on the steering wheel, Haru blinked. "Not as bad as you might think actually. The jorōgumo caused a lot of problems from what that PSIA agent explained. Perhaps it might even help Harry-Chan when it comes time to enter the JMSDF as I am sure they have a file on him at this point."

Considering that, Nagato eventually nodded. "I suppose that is true enough." Her gaze then fell to a box between the seats though. One covered in ofuda which made Nagato frown. "And the stone you put in there?"

Haru was quiet for several moments before sighing. "A piece of the Sesshō seki. We may perhaps be grateful that the jorōgumo did not know what she had in her possession or else things might have gone far worse. As it is though..." She glanced at the box and took a deep breath. "Something else about it bothers me."

Eyebrow raising, Nagato frowned at her. "And what would that be? I know of the legend of the Sesshō seki but..."

Voice dropping down to a whisper, Haru shook her head. "The stone itself is nearly completely drained. That should be impossible with the amount of power each piece has. And that is one of the larger pieces that are out there of which I have seen."

It took a moment, but Nagato's eyes widened slightly and she shot a look to where Natsumi was sleeping, both tails out. "Was it the cause for Natsumi-Chan gaining her second tail? Somehow?"

Still whispering, Haru nodded. "Hai, I suspect that somehow Natsumi-Chan absorbed the energy in it, or it gave her the needed energy to ascend to a two tail. But even due to certain... aspects... regarding her, such a thing should be impossible. A Kitsune cannot give a tail to another after they have died after all, though if any could, Tamamo no Mae certainly could possibly do so. Despite everything, the old bitch still had many secrets known only to her."

Cocking an eyebrow at the name she called the infamous Kitsune, Nagato frowned. "Should I be worried?"

Much to her relief, Haru shook her head. "No, there's nothing to worry about in this case. I will mention it to Haha-ue and Chichi-ue though as well as Hoshi-San. If anyone would have an idea as to what had happened and how, it would be them." The car ride continued for several minutes before Haru spoke up with a smirk. "I do have a word of warning though."

Somewhat worried due to the playful tone, Nagato narrowed her eyes. "Oh? And what sort of warning are we talking about?"

If anything, Haru's smirk grew. "After what happened last night, I am certain that Haha-ue and Chichi-ue shall send an invite to Harry-Chan to our family estate. They wanted to meet him after all at some point in the next year. And now? Now chances are they will want to meet him before the summer is out."

Blinking, Nagato began to smirk herself. While Mutsu was the one who most people took as a teaser, her sister did have her moments. Granted, Nagato was more for trolling when she did so. "I see... I think that perhaps I will be looking forward to such an invite."

Meanwhile, Harry slept in the back seat with Natsumi and Shiromizu curled into him, the serpent having wrapped some of her coils around her two friends.

 

S0ngDog13

The Battleship Demon sailed steadily along behind the Chi-Class, the Seaplane Carrier Prize behind her. "So, do you have a name of your own? Or are you simply 'Border-Warden'?" the Demon asked quietly.

The Cruiser shook her head. "I've not been given one by my Mistress, no..."

"No? Then you have my sympathy; a name is a powerful thing."

The wind shifted and brought a familiar scent to the Demon's nostrils. "Blood and oil... There was a battle fought today..."

They arrived at the Princess' hall to see the ongoing dismantlement of Goda and her slain fleet. The Cruiser had the Demon wait while she sought the Princess. As she waited, the Demon watched, her expression level.

It was only a few minutes later when the Chi-Class ushered the Demon into the throne-room where sat the Ancient Atlantic Gateway Princess. The Battleship Demon saw her axe resting across the Princess' lap. The Demon straightened to her full height, then sank gracefully as a hunting-cat to one knee. "Your Majesty."

"We had heard of this axe, in passing. We have heard much more of the sword wielded by the maker of this axe." The Princess looked down from her throne at the Demon. "We are told that you sailed under the banner of Northern War Demon, and now seek service in Our Fleet. Is this so?"

The Demon nodded. "It is so, Your Majesty. I fought alongside Northern War Demon, and before that we sailed together in the Fleet of Northern Horde Princess. Northern Horde Princess is dead these many long years; Skadi, for that was the name the War Demon took for herself after our birth-fleet was broken, and my other fleetmates, are dead. Yet Skadi spoke most highly of a Princess she had seen long ago, when she was but a simple Ru-Class named 'Runic'. She spoke of that Princess' honor, of her keen and cunning mind and of her iron-hard will. Skadi spoke of you, Your Majesty, claimed you were the only Princess in all the Atlantic worthy the title."

The Gateway Princess smiled slightly, her eyes bright. "Northern War Demon was a flatterer... Or perhaps you yourself are." She gestured regally toward the salvage operation outside. "Northern War Demon was well-known for her honor; how do you believe would she view this, the dismantling of foes slain by ambush?"

The Demon looked again at the work. "She would no doubt find it distasteful; Skadi never cared for such methods..."

"And yourself, Battleship Demon?"

"What honor best befits the honorless, Your Majesty? Goda and her fleet were dogs, and from what I've seen they died like dogs." The Battleship Demon's voice, as ever, was quiet and calm.

Gateway Princess met the Demon's eyes and spoke in a voice that radiated control, "Tell me... Do you fear to live, Warrior? It is, after all, very easy to not fear death; the final blow falls and it's over, without any further consequences to yourself. But a dead warrior is one I can no longer put to use. I can abide defeat, so long as there are still people alive for the future. Conversely I will readily punish a victory where the lives of my people are spent needlessly. I will not abide being made a modern-day Pyrrhus of Epirus. Can you tolerate that, Battleship Demon?"

The Demon's voice was strong, though quiet. "Skadi often told me, 'Stronger than Honor is the Sworn Oath'. Though wide and far has been my faring along the whale-roads since then, it is a lesson I have never forgotten, Your Majesty. My axe there is proof of it. Each of us in Skadi's fleet; her, myself, long-limbed Tatzel and bold Rotte, fierce Rukh and mad Nebel; we were more than fleetmates. After the end of Northern Horde Princess, we swore sisterhood on an oath-ring, an Abyssal-Steel arm-ring given to Skadi by Northern Horde herself. We were sisters, and each of us donated steel to forge the blades we carried. There's a bit of me in that axe; a bit of Northern War Demon, and of my other sisters." She grinned sadly. "I hold to my oaths, Your Majesty. Should you accept my oath I would sooner hand you the blade from my own hand and bare my throat for the stroke, than break my oath. Command me to die, and die I shall. Command me to live, and all the forces of Land or Sea or Sky would not stop my returning to you."

Just outside, Liner Demon, listening in case of trouble, thought to herself, Gods Above and Below, that Demon is --what's the word Reivana used?-- oh, yes... Chuuni...

Gateway presented the Demon's Dane-Axe back to her and spoke again, every inch the Royal she was. "Very well. If thy word be true, thou shalt be of Our fleet. Thou shalt of course need to undergo upgrades and refits. Thy rangefinders shall no doubt be in need of replacement and a targeting computer installed to augment what thou art in possession of. Thy boilers shalt be in need of a thorough examination, if not total replacement to become more efficient... And that doth not e'en begin to speak of the pittance thou call'st an Anti-Air defense. But these can all be addressed. In the meantime... We doth believe We have a place for thee amongst Our fleet. Thou art skilled with blade, yes? We shalt install thee as Our Master-At-Arms. Thou shalt be tasked primarily to ensure that all of Our fleet can wield sword, or spear, or axe, or ought else that is biting. So that even inside the arcs of turret and arming range of torpedo, Our forces can be comforted in the knowledge that they can yet kill any foe. And any that doth question thee in this task shalt answer to me, up to scuttle or banishment, depending on the severity of their impertinence. And there may yet be a time when thou shalt be called to fight and command Our forces against Our Enemies. Should thou prove thy worth. And thus, with thy oath, We shalt grant unto ye a new name.

"Henceforth, thou shalt be known as... Canut, the Black Knight, after the Ocean King of the Danes in days gone by. So Battleship Demon, will thou take this name, and with it all that would'st come with it? Will thou teach the way of the blade unto Our forces? Will thou forgo thy safety for the Doom of Battle? Will thou face Our foes in strikes from shadow as well as upon the field of battle? If We command ye to die, will thou die? And if we command ye to run and live, no matter the cause or reason, will ye run and live? Answer us this Battleship. Say nay and thou shalt be free of any misgivings or obligation. But know that thou can'st not remain here, if that be thy choice..."

The Battleship Demon smiled and grounded her axe, then laid her hands upon the axe-head. "On my sisters' steel, I swear my fealty to you, Princess of the Atlantic Gateway. Your foes are my foes, by night or by day. Your orders, as your will, are of steel. I am yours to command, from this day unto the end of days. And should I break this oath, may the Skies fall and crush me, the Seas rise and drown me, and the Lands crack wide and swallow me down. This, I, Canut, Swear."

"Rise," commanded the Princess, her face as stoic and regal as it had been during the entire audience. She gestured, and a Carrier was ushered into the chamber. "This, Canut, is the Ag-Class Carrier Angband, Our Womb-Daughter. She shall be thy minder, and appoint thee unto thy quarters. On the morrow, get thee hence to the Dockyards for what refits as may be required. When the moon has completed her full cycle of faces, thou shalt begin teaching thy first class of students in the ways of biting blades. For today, Our court is adjourned, and We shall retire to Our chambers to rest. Liner Demon, attend me."

When Gateway Princess had entered her chambers and was out of sight or earshot of anyone but Liner Demon... She began hopping from foot-to-foot and giggling like a schoolgirl. "Oooh! This is so exciting Demon! Eehehehehehehe!!"

Ocean Liner Demon simply smacked her palm to her helm...

 

S0ngD0g13

The Kure Coastal-Patrol Division were overnighting at Kaylee's farm on Spider Island when Alabama noticed something. "Virginia, looks like something's in your water-hole there; the oxen won't go near it."

Kaylee rolled an iron toothpick from one corner of her mouth to the other and nodded. "Seems so; give me a minute to check it." She stood, putting down the bowstave she'd been working on, and walked toward the water's edge.

As she approached, Kaylee could smell a musty, swampy odor on the air... Then she saw it. At first she took it to be a floating cypress log, but then the creature turned and the starlight reflected redly from its two eyes... "Alabama, fetch me a line and go get Azuma and Monitor."

When the line was passed to her, Kaylee quickly tied a hondo-knot in it and fashioned a lariat. "See that log?" she asked the others when they arrived. "It ain't a log. Keep it from diving or making a break." She took the toothpick out of her mouth and suddenly was holding a long iron staff with gold bands around it. She attached her rope to the pole and lunged forward, lengthening the pole to shoot the snare over the creature's neck.

It roared and thrashed, churning the water to foam, but Kaylee dug her feet in and worked the rope steadily, drawing the creature closer and closer. When it made landfall Kaylee shouted, "Monitor, grab its tail; I got the head!" The pair quickly subdued the great beast and Azuma bound its snapping jaws securely shut.

Kaylee, once its legs had been similarly tethered, examined the creature carefully. "Alligator..." She felt its belly and found it armored. "Alligator Sinensis. Chinese, or Yangtze River, Alligator. Which surprises the shit outta me because we're way the Hell outside its native range, and this big..." She checked its sex, "... This big bull is at least twelve feet nose-to-tail; that's five feet bigger than the largest recorded for the species. Hell, twelve feet's in the upper ranges for American Alligators. How in the name o' SECNAV did he get that big and how'd he get all the way out here?"

The others shook their heads in confusion. Monitor broke the silence. "So, what do we do with him? Eat him?"

"Can't, Blue-Belly. Chinese gators are an Endangered Species, especially after Blood Week," said Virginia. "While I radio this in, y'all take lamps and check the rest of the island's freshwater areas for more. You'll be able to spot the shine off their eyes that way."

As the others started out to look for more alligators, Kaylee keyed the radio from her cabin. "Kure Base, Kure Base, this is Iron-Gray, over."

"Roger, Iron-Gray, this is Kure Base, over."

"Base, I've got another 'weird wildlife' incident on Spider Island. Not Whiskey that I know of, just weird. Specimen captured live, Alligator Sinensis, a big bull. Twelve feet long. The others are searching for more at the moment. Over."

"Say again your last, Virginia; I thought you said you caught a Chinese Alligator on Spider Island..."

 

Harry Leferts

Somewhat exhausted, Kiyohime stumbled through the front doors to Haku's home. Before she could fall though, Haku was leaping out of the chair he was in near the front door and catching her. "Kiyohime? Are you okay?"

Yawning, the demoness looked up at him with tired eyes and hummed. "Hai, Haku-Kun. I'm alright-" Another yawn broke free and she frowned somewhat. "Alright."

Gently holding her, Haku shook his head and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I'm just glad that you're alright after last night." A shudder went through him as he remembered the giant spider leaping out at him, only for it to be pulped by the angry Kiyohime. Not to mention everything else that happened. The thought of which made him look down the hallway towards where the living room was and snores could be heard. "Anyways, most everyone is still asleep. Last night was hard."

With a nod as she straightened, Kiyohime let out a soft growl as smoke wafted from her nostrils. "Hard on those fools who attacked." Then her expression softened some as they made their way down the hall and peaked through the door. On the floor of the living room were various Yokai in sleeping bags or futons. Various neighbours injured and whose homes had been damaged. "How are..."

Haku gave a glance at several young Yokai, children really before sighing. "They're doing okay, considering. I patched them up as well as I could..."

A kind, motherly voice then spoke up and made them turn to find a female tanuki wiping her hands on an apron. "And a very good job you did, Haku-San. One which we're all thankful for, just like we are for opening your home to us."

Blushing, Haku rubbed the back of his head. "Um, like I said, you're all welcome. It's just being good neighbours."

Somewhat amused, Kiyohime grabbed his arm and held it to her chest. "Please ignore him, Akira-San. Haku-Kun has always been modest..." Her cheeks reddened some as her boyfriend blushed. "He took me in after all, all those years ago."

Lips curling up, the tanuki held her hand in front of her mouth and held back a giggle. "Oh my, you two are so adorable together." When they blushed as one, she smiled and shook her head. "And yet, you fit so very well." Turning, Akira gave Haku a small bow. "Still as I said, you did not have to give us as much help as you have. Trust me when I say that we shall not forget this."

Taking a sniff, Kiyohime perked up some. "You made some breakfast?"

Just chuckling lightly, Akira hummed and tilted her head towards the kitchen. "I have, I thought that some breakfast would do us all some good." Frowning, she sighed some and gave Kiyohime a questioning look. "How are things out there?"

As she grimaced, Kiyohime shook her head. "Thankfully, all of the fires are out and there are no more spiders. I also took care of the tsuchigumo that was leading them, it shall bother no one ever again."

Neither of the other two needed to ask more about how she handled it. Akira hummed some and gestured for them to follow. "Well, on our end as mentioned, Haku-San here helped out quite a bit. He was a big help with any injuries that there were."

With a look at some of those with bandages or splints, Haku sighed. "I did the best that I could. Hopefully it's enough though until you get them to the doctors that you mentioned?"

Akira gave a sigh, but nodded. "It is the best that we can do, though we will have to wait as there are Aurors out and about. A number of us came from the reserves after all and being caught would be very bad. But they should be gone in a few hours from their searching, which means that we can move the injured to the clinic in question." She then gave Haku a questioning look. "I must admit, I am surprised with how well you did."

Simply shrugging, Haku shook his head. "After Blood Week, they were giving out a lot of courses on first aid. Once I was able to, I went for the Paramedic level just in case something happened and..." Pausing, he gave a look at Kiyohime and grasped her hand. "Also so that I could help some."

If anything, that made Akira nod as she could understand what was unsaid and hummed. "I see, I can understand that as a matter of fact. More than that, I can respect that." Walking into the kitchen, she set out some food while Haku glanced around. After all, Akira was not the only Yokai in the kitchen quietly making breakfast. "Before you ask, school has been cancelled for the day due to what happened."

Turning his attention onto her, Haku ran a hand through his hair. "How bad...?"

Just sighing, Akira reached out and patted his hand gently. "Not as bad as it could have been, worse than we hoped. Thankfully, there were no deaths around here due to what happened, though from what I heard there were places less lucky. Right now though, they are calling it a terrorist attack by 'Anti-Shipgirl Groups' and have surrounded some place in the mountains that they were based from."

Haku gave a frown at that before furrowing his eyebrows. "They're blaming the Abyssal Cults for this? I mean, they don't use Yokai from what I can figure out from reports."

Thoughtful, Kiyohime took a sip of her cup of tea. "Haku-Kun is right, they're just normal humans, right?" Her expression became a grimace. "Bakas, but still human."

Finger tapping on the counter. "You are right about that, while some of the more... troublesome... Yokai did cause issues, the Abyssals themselves did us a favor in regards to them. However, it is obviously some sort of cover-up of some sort. But the fact that the non-magical government is involved along the military? Now that is interesting."

Yawning himself, Haku blinked some. "Yeah, I suppose so."

Lightly chuckling, Akira shook her head before giving him a raised eyebrow. "Haku-San? If I may give you a piece of advice?" At his nod, she continued and pointed at the plate of food. "Eat something and then you and Kiyohime-Sama go to bed. Both of you have done far more then any of us could have asked and it is obvious that you are running on fumes I believe the saying it."

Rather embarrassed, Haku raised a finger. "I would love to, but there is far too much to do. Not just here but-"

A chuckle cut him off and he looked to where Akira's husband was making some rice balls. The tanuki in question gave him a small grin. "Haku-San? Trust me when I say that you have done enough for now. Let the rest of us help out some where and when we can, hmm? You and your young lady should take this time to rest just in case you're needed."

With a sigh, Haku turned to Kiyohime who gave him a small smile. Several minutes later, Akira was humming as she washed the dishes. "You old coot, you do realize that chances are both of them are going to end up sleeping in the same bed from how tired they are?"

The other tanuki gave a small laugh before shaking his head. "Oh, I have no doubt of this. But those two are so obvious that one can't help but want to get them into such situations." His expression turning thoughtful, he gave his wife a frown. "How is your clan reacting?"

Pausing, Akira frowned before shaking her head. "The Kaku clan is out in force and I would not be too surprised if the other clans are as well. Whoever did this will be dealt with if they are not already. But I assume you mean in regards to the two young people we sent to bed?"

Softly snorting, the male tanuki gave her a look over his glasses. "Just one of them, the other is a thousand years old after all." At Akira's laugh, he continued. "But yes, I was wondering about them."

Only continuing to wash the dishes, Akira made a thoughtful sound. "Well, from what I can tell both of them have now gained quite a bit of respect. Haku-San especially with his actions last night." Her gaze turned in the direction of where her son, full grown, was resting on the other side of a wall with his arm in a splint. "Shoukaku-Ojii has already stated that due to that, others will be warned that he is off limits and to attack him will bring us down on them."

Humming, the other tanuki shook his head. "Not that it is really all that needed. Kiyohime would slay any that may try such." Drying his hands, he walked out. "Well, might as well get some of the others ready. We need to get groups sorted out to go through town and help out where possible. And also to see what may be needed for the coming days and for repairs."

Gently kissing him on the cheek, Akira gave a nod and went back to cooking. After all, there were plenty of mouths to feed.

 

Snippet 15: K9Thefirst1

In which we see:

1) The Princess vent about her family and fret over potential issues with taking in Canut (which I thought of only a few days ago, and I hope are unfounded, because I want to see the to bounce their brands of Chunni off of each other).

2) A reminder that Her Highness is Medieval in her mindset.

3) Ocean Liner Demon goes on a Quest!

*-*-*-*

A few days after the arrival of Canut

Woken had departed hours before, her holds full of not only the hundreds of bodies recovered from the Royal Navy ship, but with tons of manganese nodules, bricks of gold forged from filtering loose particles from the ocean, and drums of oil synthesized from her operations on Antillia. Along with detailed analysis of the regional flora, fauna, and geological features as a try at appealing with the scientific curiosity of Mankind. Given that Gateway’s dealings with the surface world was still secret from all but Ocean Liner Demon, the departure was a quiet affair. No doubt the peasants presumed she was off on some errand for another fleet.

They weren’t wrong so much as incorrect.

It would be the better part of a week before the transport, who could make at best perhaps 18 knots, reached her destination. Add a day unloading her cargo and loading whatever the humans decided to send for the return trip and the time for a return voyage and it would be two weeks before she returned. Between Goda’s attack and everything surrounding it and the aftermath, preparing Woken, and the surprise arrival the day before, this was the only time she had to… Decompress and think.

“Princess?”

Gateway turned to the doorway to her bedchamber to see Ocean Liner Demon.

“You seem unsettled.”

The princess was silent for a moment, then gestured for her second to enter.

“Demon. Come in. I do believe I could use your counsel. Or a listening ear. It concerns our latest addition. How is Canut?”

“She’s settling in nicely. Nicely enough at least, considering that last I saw her she was having her innards ripped out and overhauled. According to the Foreman she refused to be put under. ‘A Warrior endures all’ or some bullshit.”

“…You’re joking.”

“I wish. A warrior she may be, but pain is pain, if her thousand-yard stare was anything to go by. The Foreman may not have put her under but her Chief Engineer sure as Hell did. I couldn’t understand a word of his dialect as he cursed at the woman but boy did my ears burn.”

The Princess smiled for a moment at the anecdote, a smile that soon enough faded away.

“Princess, what about Canut? You seemed… enthused about having her be a part of the fleet. What changed?”

Gateway opened her mouth and motioned to speak, then stopped herself, then turned her eyes toward the open door to the bedchambers. A moment later, Demon turned to it, then looked between it and her Princess before the silent command registered. They were in the very Bedchamber of the Princess, the innermost sanctum of her Royal Apartments, which was itself at the very heart of the Palace. No one was anywhere near the room for thirty yards from the one entrance to the ward, and all of those were Her Highness’ loyal subjects… But the last known survivor of the Elder Princesses did not gain that title by being lax about identifying potential chinks in her armor. So without a word Ocean Liner Demon stood up, walked to the door, and closed it. It was only once she sat back down beside her sovereign that the Princess spoke, but only in low tones.

“It is true that Canut brings a great deal to the table. Her knowledge and skill alone are worth an armada if she has survived the wastes of the ocean on her own all this time. But I know my sisters Demon. And while Nordic Horde was hardly as blood lusting as Central Atlantic, she was by far no less enthusiastic once the blood started flowing. And she had this- this infuriating Fatalism about their plan to subdue Mankind!

“None of my sisters gave my proposals about waiting until we had enough numbers to ransom the sea and initiating trade with the Humans the time of day, brushing me off as the ‘ignorant kid sister’ who spoke without taking their word as Law, or as a coward for not wanting to murder a race that outnumbered us millions to one. But Nordic pissed me off the most because even though she at least had the curtesy to give me a counter-argument, it was short-sighted, stubborn, and archaic.

“Her argument was – quote – ‘We have neither coin, nor pelt, nor skills of service to pay off the blood price to the humans we shall slay, regardless of strategy. So to prevent a blood feud, we must slay them all, lest they slay us all.’ – unquote.”

As if her sister was alive, present, and uttered the words anew, Gateway raised her voice for a word or two before lowering it back to where she had it.

“BLOOD FEUD?! BLO- Blood Prices? No one does that anymore Demon! Not among the humans! But Nordic was so entrenched in an age of long ships and Viking raids that she couldn’t see that the world didn’t work that way and it jus- AUGH!”

While her Princess held her head and breathed deeply to calm her fury, Ocean Liner Demon took a moment to turn aside and stare into the middle distance.

”Oh my oh my, where have I met such a person before I wonder.” she whispered, but turning back to her sovereign she instead asked aloud, “What does this have to do with Canut?”

Gateway leaned back in her chair and took a moment to organize her thoughts.

“As more and more of my sisters fell in battle, or simply faded from the grid, the survivors of their Old Stock became the leaders of their fleets, and so took inspiration from them, and as they sank their successors followed their example and so on and so forth. I wasn’t lying when I said I had heard about Canut’s fleet. Nordic may have had the smallest fleet of us but she at least knew how to prepare them for working independently. And so Runic or Skadi as she renamed herself, and her fleet sisters were able to raise quite a bit of Hell for some time even after Nordic died.

“But remember how the Barbarian fleets took inspiration from their Elder Princesses that created them? Well, Nordic had this… Obsession with the Vikings, went on for hours about the travesty that was their Christianization and the end of their raiding, raping and pillaging, and how she would show the world ‘the glory of those days restored,’ never once thinking to ask ‘gee, I wonder why they stopped the raiding, raping and pillaging? Could it be that their neighbors had enough of their bullshit and started killing them dead, or that they just didn’t have the population base to do that kind of shit for more than a couple hundred years? And that the Christ God and His teachings offered better alternatives to the afterlife than “Die a Horrible Death in Battle or else Go To Hell?”’ But nnooo, see, that would make sense, and none of my sisters wanted any of that shit.”

Liner Demon was silent and glad that she had her helm, because hearing her Princess be this candid about her relatives was… Awkward, to say the least.

“Anyway, after she died, the five most powerful ships of her survivors banded together and attacked Lindisfarne in the UK. Do you know why that is significant Demon?”

Demon thought it over a moment but was drawing a blank. And told the Princess as much.

“Lindisfarne was the first town to be ransacked by the Viking raiders. The only defenders were the monks of a peaceful monastery, and they were almost entirely slain. And wouldn’t you know it, a millennium later the town is sacked again by demons of the sea, who then go about, happily living out Nordic Horde’s dream of reviving the Viking Age. And just as I predicted, one by one they died pointlessly.”

“Except for Canut. Who instead sought you out to serve you.”

Gateway looked to her second, almost in surprise. Then she stroked her chin as she considered that.

“True… She has surprisingly robust survival instincts if she didn’t die in a blaze of glory, and tactical acumen if she didn’t get herself pinned in with the only option left being the manner of her death like Skadi did… And… I recall now that the East Roman Caesars did actual hire on a large group of Vikings to serve as his personal retinue… Still, it doesn’t change the fact that she can be easily linked to those attacks. And should the Humans learn of her, and her connection to me…”

She strayed off, but Liner Demon didn’t need her to finish the thought. With relations with the Humans so tenuous, and suspicions no doubt very high, having a known entity well recorded as having attacked without mercy in their ranks would no doubt be cause for tensions or even a breakdown in negotiations.

“Do you regret accepting her oath Princess?”

“No,” she said with a sigh, rubbing her face in her hands, “not entirely. The short-term benefits will translate to a long-term advantage. Whether the advantage would be worth the price however is the question.”

“Hmmm… Do you think that it might be best to just dismantle her? She’s currently in no position to defend herself. It would be easy to just tell the Foreman it’s not worth the effort to refit her and to just scrap her.”

The Princess looked at the demon for moment, expression vaguely fatigued from the quandary.

“Do you think I should?”

“…I doubt it would be the best thing Princess. After all, she did swear an oath to you.”

“Perhaps, but do note the I did not swear any oath in turn, now did I?”

“…I’m certain that is not how it works.”

“Is it?” Gateway said playfully, spreading out her hands, “Show me the writing that was etched in. Show me the contract we signed. Oh wait. There isn’t, is there?”

Ocean Liner Demon sweatdropped at the smile on her sovereign’s face.

“If this Princess thing doesn’t work out, you should consider being a lawyer.”

The Princess snorted.

“Please, I’m far too ruthless for that profession of spineless lambs.”

The pair had a small laugh at that, the tension relieved. Taking another moment to think on the matter at hand, the Demon gave her honest feelings on the matter, and her counsel.

“To be frank, doing anything at the moment, when the risk is only great enough to say that it exists, would be a dangerous step towards going Full Stalin.”

“Egh, gross. You’re right.”

“So long as Canut doesn’t go around like a jackass yelled ‘I sacked y’all like a Viking!’ so that no one can ignore it, I don’t think anyone will want to risk lighting a fire just yet. Canut is currently undergoing a major refit and overhaul. That’s going to take weeks. By the time she’s out Woken will be back and the British will be looking over the bodies. Then she’ll be loitering about, getting to know the Palace and surroundings for about a month. By then the Humans will know that those bodies are indeed the crew of the HMS Ocean, by DNA testing or other means.

“Then she’s going to begin training the fleet in melee combat. That’s going to go well into next year. By then we’ll have a proper alliance, with shared combat experience between their fleets and ours. With an extradition treaty either in place or in the wings by the time she’s likely to be anywhere but here, if they make a fuss and call for her to go to trial for war crimes, we can just hand her over, as honest, honorable allies. You can feign ignorance of the whole ordeal, provided she doesn’t simply brag about it with you obviously in ear shot, so your hands will be clean.

“And you know what? If that’s still too big a risk for you to be comfortable with, just make her the flagship of a task force and shove her at the barbarian hordes to our north and south! Either she sinks, and the issue resolves itself, or our human allies see her in combat, fighting the good fight against a common enemy, with you willing to vouch for her and her service, and be willing to let it go, or at least just put the damage her and her sisters did onto our reparations tab and call it a day.”

The Princess blinked, then leaned back in her chair, visibly impressed.

“That’s… Not a bad idea Demon. It could use some work, but I can use that.”

“I learned from the best your Highness.”

Gateway smiled, visibly less tense now that she had a plan to work with, and spoke.

“Now then. I believe you came here with something on your mind as well.”

Demon grew silent. And without a word she merely reached into her hull and pulled out a folder. One of the folders from her collection of plots. She tossed it on the table beside her sovereign, so that the label was clearly read. Cleopatra Protocol

”Ah.”

“’In the event,’” Demon recited, having clearly committed the single sheet of text within to memory, “’that all negotiations with Man fail, that there can be no chance at peace, and thus survival of Us or Our State, in the face of Mankind’s lust for revenge, and Enthrallment or Genocide of Our People in the Atlantic is the goal, then the fleet is ceded to Ocean Liner Demon, and ordered to scatter and make for friendly or sympathetic waters controlled by the Abyss in the Pacific. Ancient Atlantic Gateway is to remain on her throne on the surface, and try to talk down the human fleet sent to engage. If all efforts fail. Self-terminate.’

“Care to explain that?”

“Always have a plan, Demon. Even for the worst.”

“…”

“With how receptive the humans have been to our overtures, it’s… Not impossible that this protocol won’t be needed. Besides, the Germans are likely to make up a sizable segment of any hypothetical fleet. A comment about following orders to commit genocide would be enough to make them stand down. And with how companionable the other nations have become, if one falters, the rest will falter.”

“Why would you not engage them if we face annihilation?”

“Because it would only prove them right. When they return home and the people learn they murdered innocent lives that made no effort to defend themselves or even give reason to be attacked in the first place, their leaders would be lynched and their militaries would be stained for generations. And what’s more…

“What’s more… By that point, there would be no hope for survival. At least, none that I could live under. I am a Princess Demon. I will not become a Vassal, not of anyone! I shall rule in my own name, or I shall be dead. Either or Demon, nothing less.”

“And why sent us away Princess? We would die for you. They wouldn’t do that for me, they fear me, but they worship you. If you were killed in a battle, the ones responsible will only incite the wrath of a host of fanatics that wouldn’t end until they are all dead, or the ones responsible are. So why would you not use us to defend our home, even if it would be meaningless?”

“Because you are mine!” the Princess bellowed, even as her eyes glistened with tears, “You- ALL of you are mine! My property! My serfs and peasants, whose only purpose in life is to either produce my wealth or execute my goals! And even if I were to somehow win a war against Mankind – which, as I have stated again and again is impossible – if I end up with a gutted nation that can never rebuild, then I have no business being your Princess!”

The Demon was silent at the outburst and pushed back into her chair as if the very action of her Princess standing up forced her back. Gateway, meanwhile, breathed deeply several times before standing straight, but head down.

“…Chess is more than a game. It started as a means to train young lords in tactics in war. Including when it would be best for the realm for him to surrender, even if he and his army can still fight on. The match is not over until the King is either captured, or surrenders. Any conflict between me and the surface, would be like a match between a master of the game, and a child to stubborn to realize he cannot win, with me as the child. By the time the King is finally captured, the peasantry is dead, the knights are destroyed, the nobility is burned away, the priesthood are no more, and even the queen is slain.

“Even in the impossible situation where the king slays his enemy, he would be king of nothing but a field of dirt, defenseless against the next army to invade. His realm would be destroyed, because he was to stubborn to give up for the good of his subjects.

“If I live, but my fleet is no more, then I have failed. If I fall, but my fleet lives under a sovereign who could take care of them, be it you, or Angband, or even one of the upstart Petty Princesses, then I have won. Does that answer your questions Demon?”

Ocean Liner Demon, under the faceplate of her helm, opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came forth. Instead she merely nodded, which Gateway returned before slumping into her chair, the confession having drained her. The pair sat like that for what felt like hours, just sitting in an exhausted silence. In time, Gateway turned to Ocean.

“Demon… There is something else. We’ve been in this long enough for me to see that much. Something other than that sheet of paper.”

The Demon looked at her sovereign before turning away. The Princess waited. And was about to ask again when the Demon answered, her head still turned away from her Princess.

“Iceberg Maiden.”

“Oh…”

“Princess… I would like to request a leave of absence.”

“Demon, I have great need of you here.”

“Nonetheless. I’m going, with your leave or not. But not would be undesirable.”

“…Fine. But remember this: Don’t do anything foolish. I… I need you. For what’s to come.”

Ocean Liner Demon turned back to her Princess and held her gaze for a long time. Then nodded. With that she stood up, gave a bow, and left. And when she returned, it would be to an amused Princess and a quick mission to cover up Reivana’s blunder in being too quick to accept gifts.
------

Haiku said:
Not chuuni per say, just raised that way. Maybe have her be confused by the fact that people don't react that way? OLD's reactions are priceless though.
Harry Leferts said:
Yes, her reactions are the best.​

Wait until Gateway's first OFFICIAL Royal visit to Britain, where she has a proper retinue with escorts: Royal!Chuuni Princess, VikingWarrior!Chuuni Demon, and THE KNIGHTS OF THE UNDERSEA, all in one place.

"GOD IN HEAVEN SAVE ME! IT'S CONTAGIOUS!"

 

baofengyu Omake: "An unexpected arrival!"

A quick Omake from an idea during WoWS gameplay...
*-*-*-*

Her time was ending, but yet there was one final service she could render for her country in this most desperate time. From her time at Beauxbaton when she was a young lass to the War to this day as she stood atop a building overlooking nighttime Saint-Nazaire. She had heard of the sacrifice that brought forth Louisiana, an American Shipgirl that was never built, and used her contacts to learn the details of such a feat. Rumors swirled throughout the Wizarding World that others were making such sacrificies for their countries, and she could do no less. Here, at this time, at this place. She was ready.

With a raised wand, she cast her final spell.


She awoke.

Cold.

Alone.

Her hand touched the cold concrete of the drydock, a thousand memories and voices echoing through her as she stood on shaky feet. She smelled the salty sea air. A yearning she couldn’t identify filled her. As soon as her feet touched the ocean she felt complete as her rig manifested around her. Boilers slowly coming to life as another world opened before her.

She couldn’t understand half of what was happening. The voices of her newly manifested crew cried out in their own confusion and shock. Nothing made sense.

“VOUS!” A voice cried out, both aloud and in her head. “Identifiez-vous!”

She looked around before a pair of lights flashed on her from a pair of girls that skated across the waves towards her.

“CUIRASSÉ!” The other girl shouted.

She looked around, confused. Their voices were something familiar, and not. Massive barrels swiveled towards her from both girls.

“Tenir.” The lead girl spoke, skating closer. “Qui es-tu?”

“Je,” She stammered, words difficult. “Je ne sais pas…”

They approached closer to slowly circle her.

“Mon dieu,” The lead girl whispered. “Gascogne.”

She blinked. I am Gascogne?

…

…

I am Gascogne…

*-*-*-*
Note- picked the bote up in WoWS as a lark, but she is a fast predator with a killer secondary armament that eats tin-cans and aircraft and anyone else foolish enough to get close...

 

Harry Leferts

Her lower body coiled up beneath her, Shiromizu watched as Harry removed the baking pan from the oven. Even from where she was, the smells made her mouth water. “So we’re going to be heading over to see Natsumi-Chan then? You’ve done that before, so I’m not sure why you would be nervous.”

Frowning, Harry glanced at her. “I’m not nervous though.”

Eyebrow raising, Shiromizu swiped a cookie and bit into it before gesturing at the tin in front of her. “You bake when you get nervous, Harry. And when you do, you always bake a lot.” At his look, she smiled. “It’s one of your tells.”

For a moment Harry blinked before sighing. “Is it that easy to tell?” Instead or saying anything, Shiromizu shrugged. “Its been two days and... well, we need to clear the air. And Natsumi-Chan was the one who called for us to meet at her house.”

Tongue flickering out as she finished off the cookie, she reached for another. “And? Trust me when I say that things have not changed that much between you.”

Giving her an amused look, Harry glanced at the tin. “Should you really be eating so many cookies before we even leave? You'll spoil your appetite.”

A smirk on her face, Shiromizu took a bite of her cookie. “Yes. Besides, I’m a growing Kami, I need good food. Divine food at that, which yours counts as. Consider it an offering to my... August persona.”

That got her a snort from Harry. “Okay, sure, lets go with that.” Shaking his head at her amused expression, he turned back the treats. “Speaking of changes-“

Before he could get any further, Shiromizu raised a hand and gave him a glare. “I like my terrarium and my castle. They’re comfortable and you gave them to me, so no, we are not changing them for something else.”

Despite the warmth he felt at that, Harry tilted his head. “There are those who would say that they are not a proper place for a Mizuchi to live at. Or a Kami.”

Arms crossed, Shiromizu let some steam issue from her nose as she snorted. “Don’t care. And if they don’t like it, then, what was that expression in English?” Mock thinking, then snapped her finger and made a motion with one hand. “Ah, yes. If they don’t like it then they can sit on it and twist. It is my home and I say it will remain such.”

If anything, that caused the warmth in Harry’s chest to grow. Instead of commenting on that though, Harry smiled. While it had been just a few days, he had grown to enjoy the talks he could now have with Shiromizu. And it turned out that she enjoyed his baked treats even more now that she could openly eat them. Humming as she grabbed another one, Harry gave her a look. “By the way... you’ve been deep in thought and writing in that notebook for some time.”

Blinking at the question, Shiromizu frowned in thought before chewing her lip. “It’s something that I have been working on.” At Harry’s curious look, she looked towards the window. “You know, I never considered what I would do once Kuroshi was dead. It seemed so far off that it was not much use.”

Slowly Harry nodded as he gave it some thought. “And now that she has been killed, you find yourself now thinking about that? That’s normal I think.”

Much to his surprise though, Shiromizu shook her head. “Not so much for me as for the village. There’s not a problem now, but what about in a few years? Especially when the Statute falls finally? They need a way to survive and thrive, for them to make money.” Turning, she gave Harry a look. “They rely on me, Harry. Now more then ever.”

Walking over, Harry just gave her a hug. “I’m sure that you’ll be more then up to the task. And you got plenty of people who would be more than willing to help. Heck, I'm one of those after all.”

Grateful, Shiromizu returned the hug. “I know, and that’s wonderful.” Signing, she pulled back some. “I don’t have many ideas though. You can’t really farm on the mountain though there is quite a bit sansai in various places... we could sell those are market. Maybe make gardens for them?" Frowning, the Mizuchi let out a sigh. "Onee-Sama doesn't need to worry that much as she can sell the clothes she makes and does so already. And there are also some craftspeople among the Yokai as well...Not to mention that there is also my spring.” Seeing the look from Harry, she shrugged. “It’s a hot spring after all which means that an Onsen can be built there which would attract people to the village. Though I understand why that might be an issue.”

Running his hand through his hair, Harry grimaced some. “Yeah, a few issues due to what happened.” With a shake of his head, he placed the last few treats into the tin and shut it. He did laugh at the expression on Shiromizu’s face though. “You’ll have plenty when we get to Natsumi-Chan’s.”

Brightening, she smiled at him. “Then what are we waiting for? We should head on over there!”

All Shiromizu got was laughs from Harry which made her smile grow.
___________________________________

Having put away his bike into the shed, Harry made his way to the front door of the house that Natsumi shared with her aunt. For a moment, he stood there before he took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock. Just before the black haired boy could though, the door opened to reveal a smiling Natsumi with an amused expression. “About time, Harry-Chan.”

With his hand still in the air, Harry blinked before raising an eyebrow at his friend. "How long have you been standing there just waiting to catch me?"

Instead of answering, Natsumi glanced to the side before coughing and walking back in. "Anyways, I was just about to heat up the water to make some tea. Haha-ue sent some macha. It should go well with anything that you brought."

Unnoticed by her, Harry and Shiromizu shared an amused look with each other before walking inside and closing the door. By the time that Harry had taken off his shoes and put on the slippers, Shiromizu had already transformed back to her hybrid form and was slithering through the house. Harry did give the kitchen and dining room a look as they entered before he turned to watch Natsumi prepare the tea. But at the same time, his eye caught sight of what looked like a small teapot with a cup beside it. "Huh, when did you get that now?"

Glancing at it, Natsumi gave a small smile as she continued her work. "Actually? Hoshi-San went and bought it for me." A small blush appeared on her cheeks. "She found out that sometimes I've been drinking black tea and got it so I can brew it in a separate pot."

Harry cocked an eyebrow at that. "Black tea? Really?"

If anything, Natsumi's blush deepened some as she shot him a glare though there was some playfulness there. "Hai, you as well as Rose-San and the Kongous have gotten me to like it." Turning back to the tea she was making, she shook her head. "It helps when I need a pick me up while studying or waking up in the morning. Oba-Chan was amused by it and when I started drinking English Breakfast Tea."

Chuckling, the wizard crossed his arms over his chest. "Milk with a bit of honey, right?" At her nod, he smiled a bit. "Probably with some treats knowing you."

There was a similar smile on Natsumi's face as she chuckled back. "Well, I won't deny it. Better then coffee anyways."

A laugh escaped from Harry as she stuck out her tongue before he looked back at the small, cast iron teapot and cup. Part of him did wonder how it would turn out if, and when, it became a tsukumogami in a century. His attention was grabbed though by Shiromizu and both him and Natsumi blushed at her next words. "I think that's enough flirting you two."

With a look towards each other, they gave a small glare at Shiromizu. "We're not flirting."

Surprised, they turned to each other as the Mizuchi snickered at them and their embarrassment. Then Natsumi gave him an small frown before she bit her lip. "Harry-Chan? Can I... you know?"

It only took a moment for Harry to realize what she meant and he nodded some. "Um, sure? But you don't need to ask me for permission since this is your house..."

Only shrugging, Natsumi rolled her shoulders some. "Well, this is new to both of us." Then she closed her eyes and there was a shimmer that ran across her body. When it stopped, her ears and tails were both visible and she let out a soft sigh of relief. "Ah, much better."

Head tilted to the side, Harry furrowed his eyebrows. "It is? I mean, is your disguise that much of an issue?"

With a look towards him, Natsumi became thoughtful as she considered the question. "Not really? I don't really know how to describe it. Best way that I can put it is that it's a release? Like I'm stuffed into something and by letting go it feels better? Though this isn't quite all the way."

Interested, the black haired boy looked at her. "It isn't?"

Somewhat amused, Natsumi shook her head some. "Not really. All the way would be... Okay, just give me a moment." Eyes widening, Harry watched as where Natsumi had been was a fox now standing as tall as she had. There was a twinkle in her eye as she gave a giggle at his reaction. "Be careful not to catch any flies, Harry-Chan."

Finishing the tea, Natsumi reached into the cupboard and grabbed some honey drops. As she did that though, Shiromizu leaned her cheek against one hand. "Harry, I know that you got a lot of questions and stuff. But... so do we and..."

Needless to say, Harry guessed where her question was going and sighed. "You want to know what happened that night first so that we can spend as much time on... the rest?" After he got a nod from both her and Natsumi, he ran a hand through his hair. "Well, as you know we left about mid morning and got to where the inn was really late in the afternoon. Even before we got out of the car, all three of us had this feeling, you know? That something was going to happen."

Natsumi gave a small nod at that. "Hai, I do know. I've had the same feeling sometimes, it's your instincts trying to tell you something is not right."

Slowly, Harry gave a nod before grimacing. "Yeah, pretty much. Anyways, we got out of the car and soon met the lady we thought was the inn keeper. She took us on a tour of the inn and it was really creepy as no one else was there, but she explained it as it being out of the way. And that she hoped that word of mouth via the lottery would help bring in people."

Both Natsumi and Shiromizu gave snorts at this with the serpent shaking her head. "Okay, sure she did." Then she frowned and furrowed her eyebrows. "Then what happened?"

Remembering that night, Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, she also mentioned about some of the places nearby such as an abandoned village and amusement part. Oh, and that there was some sort of wrecked castle nearby?"

That made Natsumi turn to Shiromizu in interest. "A ruined castle?"

Glancing at her, Shiromizu nodded. "Hai, there's some castle ruins nearby. The only part remaining is the tenshukaku and that's not in the best of shape. But it hasn't gotten any worse either thanks to the Imori." Finger tapping against her chin, she turned thoughtful. "I suppose that it could be repaired with funds and such though."

Now more interested, Natsumi hummed in thought. "Well, there's plenty of Yokai that remember the old building techniques. If you ever want more of it repaired, just let me know and I'll ask some of the old family friends."

Just shaking her head, Shiromizu frowned. "Something to think about... As to the amusement park? Yeah, I have been there and there's not much to see. From what Onee-Sama told me it was built in the 1980s and abandoned in the late 1990s after some people went missing." It went without saying that no one needed to be told the likely fate of those people. "The park itself is pretty small though and not a lot is there."

After a few seconds of thought, both girls turned back to Harry who shrugged. "Well, I was interested in going exploring the next day. But it was getting late and we went to the dining room for dinner. The food was... okay, but tasted off and I bet it was poisoned." His lips curled a bit. "She seemed surprised when we thanked her after eating, at the time I thought it was because we were complimenting her, bit not anymore." Waving a hand, he grimaced at the next part. "It was after nightfall though that giant spiders attacked. The whole thing reminded me of that night in the Forbidden Forest with Aragog really. During it, I got separated from Mum and Hoppou with the landlady when I felt something bite me and I turned to see her pull away with a grin."

Hands clenched, Shiromizu reined in her temper. In her head, she muttered the mantra that Kuroshi was dead before letting her breath out. "I see, which was when she poisoned you?"

Shuddering, Harry nodded. "Yeah my limbs all sort of felt like lead and I collapsed before she stood over me. Then Kuroshi just reached to the back of her head and dug in her fingers before she, um..." With a deep breath, the wizard shook his head. "She sort of tore off the body she was wearing to reveal what you saw, like taking off a costume... but a lot more bloody."

Shiromizu moved until she was next to him and pulled him into a hug. That was followed by Natsumi doing much the same as they stood there. For several moments they held him before his shudders went away and the kitsune gave him a weak smile. "I... think that we can guess the rest. So, how about we go up to my room with the tea and just talk. You probably got a lot of questions about Kitsunes after all."

Feeling her warm fur against him, Harry only nodded with a weak chuckle. "Just a few questions. And I think that I would like that." A small smile on her face, Natsumi gave him a kiss on the cheek which made him blink before she grabbed the tea tray. Meanwhile, Harry blinked before looking down to find that she had her tails wrapped around his waist which made him smile some. 'Huh... that doesn't feel that bad.'

WIth a shake of the head, Harry let himself be pulled along by Natsumi towards her room.

 

S0ngD0g13

Lindisfarne...
..........................................

Skadi smiled a wild, joyous smile, and told her sworn-sister, "Our first target is Lindisfarne."

The others nodded and followed Skadi...

.................................................

They came from the sea, out of the gray mist as the evening deepened to darkness. Skadi was first onto the beach, moving silently with her sword still in its scabbard; Rotte was with her, crouched low as they approached from the north. Tatzel and Nebel came from the west, while Rukh and Stríðsóp moved in from the east.

One of Skadi's imps moved onto her port bridge-wing and raised a stubby brass pistol, then fired two red flares up into the air one after the other. That was the signal. Six Abyssals rushed forward into the town, blades drawn. Skadi howled a warcry as the first defenders emerged; a policeman falling under a chopping stroke from Seeadler.

Stríðsóp fought in silence, her Dane-Axe sweeping and moving in graceful arcs as she advanced into town. She gave no shouts, no roars, no songs; Skadi had named her with a touch of irony, for though her name meant 'Battle-Cry', she never raised her voice, had never raised her voice since the day of her birth. The others more than made up for her silence, however. The five Abyssals cut their way through what few defenders Lindisfarne could muster, until they reached the center of town. What would be most-remarked upon in the years afterward, was that it was only those who tried to fight, who the Abyssals killed. Those who ran, lived; those who cowered and hid, were spared, though three people died from smoke inhalation caused by the many fires the raiders set.

Those who fought, died; it mattered nothing if the defender was man or woman or even child. Those who ran, lived; those who fought, died. Flames leapt high into the night as Lindisfarne was put to the sack, and screams rose among the roaring of the flames...

......................................................

It could have been worse. It would have been worse, had Stríðsóp not spoken up during the journey to the island. Tatzel, Rukh, and Nebel had argued for killing all who lived there; Rotte had been far ahead, scouting. Skadi had remained silent and listened as Stríðsóp made her counter-argument.

"Killing everyone is a poor way to go about this, sisters. I mean, you can only rob a dead man once, right? We kill everyone in Lindisfarne and there won't be anyone to rebuild it; we won't be able to sack it again later. Plus, you all want songs sung of your deeds, right? In time? Who will recount our deeds to the skalds so songs might be written, if we kill all the witnesses?"

"Stríðsóp is right," said Skadi. "And I thank her for her counsel. When we attack, loot and burn, kill all who resist, but let those who flee, flee. We strike fast, and retreat fast."

......................................................

Stríðsóp felt her final Imp come back aboard and saw a pair of green flares rise into the air. She turned for the north shore and cut her way to the beach. As the flotilla took to the water, a sleek wooden sloop sailed into view from around the island, flying a flag that Skadi would later learn was that of the Danish Minister of Magic; the sloop was his personal vacation yacht. Wizards along the rails let fly with spell after spell while broom-riders flew ashore to do what they could.

Tatzel and Rukh hardly spared the wooden vessel a glance before shelling it to splinters; one of those splinters struck and killed the sloop's helmsman, the Danish Minister of Magic.

Just as suddenly as the Abyssals appeared, they vanished into the darkness. Up and down the coastlines of the world, fires glowed, and thunder echoed over the seas, and the great waters were stained crimson with blood in a week that none would ever forget...

 

NotHimAgain

I'm going to be honest, I thought this one would run just a little bit longer, long enough for me to give some resolution to some characters' arcs. Unfortunately, the well it sprung from has been drowned by others, both original and fan-derived, and I find myself having to bring things to a close. To be honest, I never intended for it to go farther than a one-shot, maybe add a few dates farther along the line. And then someone had to get me thinking about how I would build a larger story out of that.

Fortunately, I was satisfied with the ending that I was able to put together--though ultimate resolution is still a ways off, it is self-evidently in the cards. In any case,
Life Continues, As Ever

-----

“And you’re not even mad?” Uzukawa asks, almost glaring at Yakumo.

“N-no? Why would I be?” Yakumo leans away, complaining mentally about how her words sounded like a question rather than a statement. “He loves her, she loves him, what is there to complain about?” Uzukawa’s face looks like it could curdle dairy, but she shrugs.

“Well all righty then,” she grumbles, turning to stalk away. Yakumo stares, watching her walk down the halls. What had she said? What could have hurt her that much? She opens her mouth, searching for a way to ask if everything was alright, and feels Tachibana’s hand come down on her shoulder. Her friend shakes her head with a sad and tired motion, making Yakumo think of a veteran soldier in an unending war.

“Don’t,” Tachibana advises, turning to watch Uzukawa disappear around a corner. “She needs a minute to herself.”

“But… why?”

“I guess she’s just upset with how things played out,” she admits, shrugging. “You didn’t explode at him for betraying your trust, and I didn’t support her position, and she needs time to process that.” Yakumo mulls over her words. It follows that Tachibana would have a better understanding of Uzukawa’s feelings but being upset that things ended well hardly makes any sense to her.

“But he didn’t betray my trust,” she points out, crossing her arms and huffing petulantly. Tachibana chuckles under her breath, but she still looks a little distraught.

“Yeah,” she agrees, “But Yuzuki… in some ways, she’s still a little kid. And I’m not talking about her fashion sense or her or the way she presents herself. She—” she trails off, lost for a moment as she puts words together into sentences. “She had a friend when she was younger, a boy named Mishima. They were partners. I was actually the odd one out in their friendship.” Her lip curls into a bit of a smile, tainted by sorrow. “They were good for each other. And then one day, they ended up having a huge fight. There were circumstances in play, and they both said a lot of the wrong things to each other, but these days she acts like he never existed.”

“That’s too bad,” Yakumo says quietly. “D-do you think we could do something?”

“And what,” Tachibana asks grumpily, “do you suppose we do?”

“I don’t know. We could ask around, maybe Komori-san could—”

“Gonna stop you right there,” she cuts her off with a wave of her hand. “It’s way too personal to just fix it. I’ve tried to fix it, and she stopped talking to me for a month. All that we can do is sit back and watch.”

“That’s sad,” Yakumo whispers mournfully, looking down at her toes.

“Speaking of which,” Tachibana continues. She steps around to face Yakumo. “I know I already apologized to Inoue, and things have kind of blown over, but… Sorry about how I behaved a while back. I… I care about, you, you know? And you went through a lot pumping yourself up to confess, and when he turned you down I guess I just… blew up. So, sorry.”

The subject change, though welcome, is still a little disorienting, and Yakumo has to dig around in her thoughts to put together something that could be called a response. It takes her a few seconds, but she is able to come up with something. “Accepted conditionally,” she replies, molding her face into a stoic mask.

“Conditionally?” Tachibana asks. Yakumo is instantly sorry for dragging it out, Tachibana looks like she stole her dog.

“Yes,” she adds hurriedly. “You have to call me by my given name.” She punctuates her words with a cheery smile.

She is not expecting Tachibana’s feet to slip out from under her, sending her smacking face down on the tile floor.
-----

“Where do you think we go from here?” Nemo asks, looking out over the waves.

Takumi looks up at the night sky, brightened and starless as it is at the hands of the town behind him. “Good question,” he admits, then looks over at Nemo. She is giving him a look that is half annoyance, half amusement. He reaches out and pulls her in to his side. She hums under her breath, squeezing in clover.

“I mean really,” she says, cupping his hand in her own. “The Princesses are talking about signing the Treaty. I’ve got almost a free pass to come here, apparently because th-that carrier thinks that we look cute together.” She looks up at him. Sometimes, when Takumi looks her in the eyes a little too hard or too long, he begins to feel pulled in, as if he’s floating in the vast reaches of space. “Basically, every reason we needed to meet like this is gone. So, in that case, what do we do now?”

He’s never told anyone, but the vast reaches of space seem to be a little bit warmer than popular opinion would have it.

“I guess,” he says contemplatively, “we’ll just have to take it one day at a time. Figure things out as we go. Which reminds me. There’s a theater playing a movie version of Much Ado About Nothing, and I have Thursday night free.” Nemo is still for a second, running calculations in her head. “By which I mean, would you like to go see it with me?” She is still another second, then her pale skin flushes red and she ducks her head.

“I… I… yeah,” she manages to force out after several tries. Takumi smiles, leaning down and resting his head against her own.

Maybe they don’t know what tomorrow will bring. As long as they have today, what does it matter?
-----

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

Harry Leferts

Setting down her tray on the small table in her room, Natsumi sat down herself before smiling as Harry did the same. When he tilted his head in curiosity though, she raised an eyebrow. "Uh, is something wrong?"

Harry furrowed his eyebrows some before he gestured at her. "It's just, well... does it feel any different?" At her confusion, he flushed some. "Being in the form you're in right now compared to you usual one."

More then a little thoughtful, Natsumi considered the question as she scratched the side of her muzzle. Then she gave her friend a shrug while ignoring Shiromizu coiling herself at the end of the table. "Not really? I mean, about the only real difference is that I have my fur and a muzzle." A frown on her face, the Kitsune looked down at her hands. "And maybe needing to remember that I got claws." Only seconds later, Natsumi's muzzle pushed in and her fur melted into skin as she was back to a more familiar form. As she kept her fox ears, the last bit to disappear was the black nose of her more vulpine state. "To a kitsune, anything but fully human is pretty much fine."

Eyes wide at seeing the transformation, Harry gathered his thoughts as Natsumi poured the tea. "Huh... Why is being fully human different?"

Frowning, Natsumi gave a hum. "It's sort of hard to explain and a lot of Yokai feel the same. Like I said, it's sort of like being stuffed into... too tight clothing? Not super uncomfortable and you learn to ignore it, but still." Seeing him slowly nod, she waved him off. "Don't worry about understanding that, Harry-Chan. Every form is a bit different in how it feels. When I go full fox for example, I feel different in some ways from my hybrid forms."

Just thinking it over, Harry gave a frown before he shook it off. "Well, if you say so." Still thoughtful, the wizard pulled out the tin of treats and opened them. Then he began to set them onto the plate that was on the table. "I have a lot of questions but... Um..."

A small, understanding smile on her face, Natsumi reached over and placed her hands on his. "You don't quite know how to ask and are afraid that I might take them the wrong way?" At his hesitant nod, she shook her head. "Trust me, Harry-Chan, I would not get mad about the questions you might ask." Suddenly, Natsumi grinned and plucked a cookie. "In the meantime though, while you're thinking about what questions you want answered? I'm going to start snacking."

That caused Harry to snort and give her a look. "Really, Natsumi-Chan? Seriously?"

Smirking, Natsumi took a bite of her cookie before gesturing at the plate. "You baked some of your peanut butter cookies and peanut butter squares. Did you expect for me not to start eating them as soon as possible?" Still smirking, she popped the rest of the cookie into her mouth and soon swallowed as she reached for another. "Because you should know better."

With a smirk of her own, Shiromizu grabbed a square and raised an eyebrow. "He really should have."

Harry looked between the two of them before shaking his head. "Yeah, I should have known better. Especially with how much you like peanut butter." Frowning, he took one of the treats for himself. "I... guess that my next question should be obvious..."

Expression becoming gentle, Natsumi nodded. "About why there's a difference between what would happen in folklore and what actually happens now?" When Harry gave a nod, she sighed some and picked up her tea to blow on it while gathering her thoughts. "Well... centuries ago it was like that and for some good reasons..."

Listening intently, Harry listened as the Kitsune across from him told the same story she had told Shiromizu. Part of him noted the look in her eyes as she did so, which told the wizard how much it affected her. Once she was done, Harry looked down at the table in thought before relaxing. "That actually helps, I mean I know that you said that you wouldn't disappear, but..."

Once more, Natsumi reached over and held one of his hands and gave it a squeeze. "You were still afraid that it would happen, right?" His sheepish smile told her enough and she snorted. "Like I told you, Harry-Chan, I am not going to stop being friends with you for as long as you're the same. And to be honest..." For a moment, the Kitsune bit her lip before nodding. "To be honest? If it was centuries ago that this happened, I might ignore the usual traditions. Wouldn't be the first in my family after all."

Intrigued, Harry chuckled some. "So I'm right? Your ancestor is the very same Kitsune from the tale which tells how Kitsune got their name?"

Lightly laughing, she nodded. "Hai, she was actually my Obaa-San's Hii-Oba-San. The story is passed down in my family. And before you ask, among us Kitsune, her story is one that many females look upon as the type of thing that they wish to have. A husband who loves his wife so very deeply as he did that even knowing that she was a Kitsune did not change that..."

Nibbling on her cookie, Shiromizu looked between the two twelve year olds with a raised eyebrow. Then she internally snorted and smirked. 'Something that you already think that you might have found, Natsumi-Chan?'

Meanwhile, Harry furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "Okay, so if that happened, then why did they make that a tradition in the first place?"

Natsumi paused in her eating and then set the cookie down on a napkin. For several seconds she was silent before sighing. "For protection."

Seeing that Harry was confused, Shiromizu cleared her throat and he turned his attention to her. "What Natsumi-Chan means, Harry, is that the tradition came about to protect both sides."

With a nod, Natsumi splayed her hands out in the air. "Oba-Chan told me that you met a Hanyou recently? Right?"

Confused as to where this was going, the black haired boy gave a nod. "Hai, I did. Her name is Benio and she's part Yuki-Onna."

Placing her hands back down, Natsumi gave a nod. "And from what I was told she has issues due to her ancestry." When he nodded, she continued. "Unlike what is in anime, Hanyou are don't get super powers. But such children do gain gifts from their Yokai parent and which can be passed down somewhat. Abe no Seimei is an example as his mother being a Kitsune gave him great abilities when it came to the mystic. If an Oni had a child with a human, then said child would be very strong and tough, far more then a normal human. Or a Tengu with human might lead to one who was very good at fighting or might have the keen eyesight of a bird of prey. The child of a Yuki-Onna would not suffer from the cold like a normal human. Someone with the blood of a Kappa would be a great swimmer and able to hold their breath. Stuff like that."

For her part, Shiromizu nodded. "You can guess what this means of course in Ancient Japan. Such gifts for the child would be a boon for any family and you had more than one Lord who wanted to make use of them or their parent. There were also cases where the human spouse might be used as a hostage to make the Yokai do what the noble wished, or else they might be killed. It was the type of thing that did not happen very often, but when it did... The only way to stop this was if the Yokai's true identity was utterly secret. Hence when being found out, the Yokai would have to leave by tradition. Usually though they stayed nearby until their child was old enough that they could take care of themselves."

A frown on her face, Natsumi took over. "Sometimes though, something happened besides a curious husband or something that caused the disguise to drop. The children of said union were Yokai as often as they were normal humans with gifts. They could be born as Yokai or they might transform into one once they reach adulthood. Yuki-Onna were really famous for that among us Yokai. It is how they reproduce after all since they're all female."
Becoming thoughtful, Harry tilted his head. "Does that mean that Benio might transform into a Yuki-Onna?"

That got him a shrug from both Natsumi and Shiromizu before the serpent answered. "It's not impossible for it to happen, but who knows? She'll find out in a few years one way or the other."

With a flick of her ear, Natsumi shook her head. "But yeah, it caused as many problems as it solved to be honest. And after us Kitsune stopped with it, the other Yokai also dropped it... Which was helped by the fact that things changed in regards to the danger to the human parent and the child. Now the big danger is to the Yokai parent due to the Statute. If they get found out... Which is why most human husbands and wives go out of their way to not let the secret out along with being forced to forget their spouse and maybe their child."

Deeply thinking about what he had just heard, Harry frowned somewhat before sipping his tea. Out of everything, he had not expected the explanations that he got. 'Is it bad or selfish of me to be happy that from what she said things have changed? I mean... I feel bad that before you had families and such separated but also happy that it is not going to happen to me...' Shaking his head free of such thoughts, Harry glanced at Natsumi and froze. Not because the Kitsune was talking softly with Shiromizu as they waited, but due to her tails. Both of which were moving around behind her. 'Huh...'

Unfortunately for him, Natsumi noticed his gaze and followed it. After a moment, she grinned a bit and looked at him. "Harry-Chan?" When he turned to her, she leaned across the table. "Do you want to touch fluffy tail?"

Brightly blushing as he realized he was caught, Harry nearly spat out his tea. With a swallow, he glanced away. "I, uh..." Looking back at her, he could see that her grin had widened which made him give her a playful glare. "While Mum hasn't let me played those games, I know all about that meme and how it does not end well."

Softly snorting, Natsumi's grin became a smirk and she raised an eyebrow. "Really? Do you really think so?"

Drinking her tea, Shiromizu hummed with her eyes closed. "Yes, after all I do not think that Natsumi-Chan here would mind you touching fluffy tail." Ignoring the blushes on both teens' faces, she continued. "Of course, you would need to decide which fluffy tail to touch. Unless you want to touch both..."

Just glaring at Shiromizu, Natsumi grumbled some. Meanwhile, the only male of three had taken a deep breath. "Um, right..." He then glanced at his friend before deciding to turn the teasing back on the source. "I guess that you would like me to brush them as well?"

Utter silence descended on the room momentarily before Shiromizu did a spittake and then fell back cackling and coughing. At the same time, an odd whine escaped from Natsumi as she covered her completely red face in her hands. "HARRY-CHAN!"

Tilting his head to the side, Harry gave her an innocent blink. "Well, you're not saying no..."

Across fom him, the Kitsune glared at him from between her fingers as he began to grin and laugh. Eventually, Shiromizu had calmed down and was getting back up when Natsumi looked away and muttered her next words. "Maybe another time."

Yet another moment of silence happened before Shiromizu collapsed again laughing. Needless to say, it did not help the blushes on either of the twelve year olds' faces at all. Glancing at Natsumi, Harry felt his lips twitch and could see hers do the same. Not very long after, both of them were snickering and Natsumi relaxed as Harry grinned. "Well, that helped."

Grabbing a square, Natsumi made a motion with it as if saluting before taking a bite out of it. Said square soon disappeared and Natsumi swallowed what was in her mouth. "Hai, it was getting a bit too serious."

Still smiling, Harry tapped his chin in thought before gesturing with his finger. "Okay... what about tricks? Are the ones in the stories true?"

With a chuckle, the Kitsune nodded. "Generally, yes. I mean, we do love to trick people and pull one over on them. I can pull some illusions myself such as smell..." The boy in the room blinked as he could smell bacon in the air. "Or sight..." Suddenly, Harry noticed that Natsumi's shadow shifted and was making a motion with it's hands that she was not. "Even sound."

Harry jumped a bit as the last bit sounded as if it was right in his ear. After a second though, he was all grins. "Okay, that is actually pretty cool. Any particular favorites?"

Arms crossed, Natsumi reached up to her face. "Well, there are always classics like... this!" She then swiped her hand downwards revealing nothing but a smooth surface where her face had been. Then the teen brought her hand back up revealing her face as it passed. "You would not believe the expressions I get. Taichi-Nii once got in trouble though when he pretended to be a Shirime and got caught. Turned out he had been pulling that one for a while."

Blinking, Harry furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait, a Shirime? Isn't that the one where..."

Exasperated expression on her face, Natsumi raised an eyebrow. "Where the person drops their pants and reveals an eye in their butt? Yeah, that's the one. Haha-ue was not impressed, though Chichi-ue thought it was hilarious. Oba-Chan just said that boys will be boys and then asked him if he made anything look... bigger..."

When she suddenly turned red, Harry frowned some. "Uh, Natsumi-Chan?"

Just wincing, she shook her head. "Uh, it's nothing. I just realized what she meant and why Nii-San turned red. That's all." Natsumi then glanced around. "But yes, we're pretty good with illusions and all Kitsune learn them at a young age. Usually more defensive ones at first like making yourself appear in a place slightly away from where you are..."

To demonstrate, she placed a hand by her cup, but not touching it and moved it. Alongside it, the cup moved as if she was touching it. Furrowing his eyebrows, Harry opened his mouth and paused. "So that's what happened when she tried to kill me."

Natsumi took a deep breath before letting it out. "Hai, I made you appear a few inches to the side of where you were. Thankfully, she thought that you had moved your head and so hit where she thought it was instead of going in the direction she was." Waving an arm, she shook her head. "It's a simple enough thing, but effective and it becomes better as us Kitsune..." With a glance at her tails, the teen continued. "Well, as we grow in strength and gain in tails. Hoshi-San for example can make herself appear a good distance away from where she really is. Or even create an illusion of herself while she sneaks up behind whoever it was she's after."

Reaching across the table, she placed her hand on Harry's and smirked. At hearing Shiromizu snicker, he turned in her direction before blowing the long hair that got caught in his face out of it. Then Harry's eyes widened and he looked at the mirror in the room with his, or rather her, jaw dropping as now the wizard looked exactly like Natsumi. "What the..."

Simply watching as Harry examined one of her hands, the Kitsune smiled though it seemed strained. "I can also overlay an illusion but... it's a lot harder." Pulling away, Harry shimmered and was back to normal. "Though that has gotten a bit easier for me to do since, you know."

With a shake of his head, Harry chuckled. "That was weird. Cool, but weird."

Over the next few minutes Natsumi demonstrated several other illusions much to Harry's amusement. She even showed off some of her Kitsune Bi, something that she did not mind at all. Their conversation continued until Harry asked a question that made her blink. "Kitsune tsuki?"

Nodding, Harry leaned against one fist. "Yeah, is that real or not?"

A frown on her face, Natsumi slowly nodded. "Hai, it's real. A Kitsune can possess a human and make them do things. There were even families that specialized in doing that, though they were usually associated with some human families that they were in a.. what is the word? Symbiotic relationship? Anyways, they were paired off with a human until their mortal partner died. I know that sometimes they were hired to go after some humans though that caused a lot of trouble and make them seem crazy by possessing them. But the Kitsune could leave whenever they want."

Interested, Shiromizu put down her cup. "Does that mean that you could possess someone? If you wanted to?"

Blinking, Natsumi grimaced a bit. "I mean, I could. But... I would never feel comfortable doing it. Not unless I was, you know, with their permission."

Thoughtful, Harry leaned forward a bit and looked at her. "So, you could possess me?"

Now freezing, it took several seconds for the Kitsune's brain to restart. "Y-yes? Though I..." Looking at Harry, her eyes widened some when she realized the underlying meaning of his words. "Harry-Chan... are you actually giving me permission!?"

All Harry did though was shrug. "As long as you ask first? Sure, I don't mind. Besides..." He gave her a smile. "I trust you."

Slowly, Natsumi got up and made her way over to the confused boy and hugged him. "Thank you, Harry-Chan. You have no idea just how much you trusting me that much means." Once she sat down next to him, she grabbed his hand in hers. "Anyways, while I could, that does not mean that I actually can. I know the basic theory, but have never done it myself." Looking down, Harry noticed Natsumi's tails again. Then to his surprise, said tails laid in his lap and when he looked at her, she smiled and nodded. "Go ahead."

Gently, Harry took one of them and softly petted it before turning to see Natsumi still smiling. Both of them ignored the snickers from Shiromizu and Harry tilted his head. "What about Kitsune no yomeiri? Any truth to those legends?"

Finger tapping against the table, the Kitsune nodded. "There is as a matter of fact, though the truth depends on the version. Us Kitsune have festivals of our own after all where a good number gather. And we would use our Kitsune Bi to light the night though in recent years we have only done that in isolated areas and with guards posted in case the Magical Diet shows up. Sometimes they're weddings as well and before you ask, yes sometimes sunshowers happen because you have a number of powerful Kitsune attending a wedding who create them. It's a gesture of good luck to the bride and groom after all."

Petting the tail in his lap, Harry tilted his head and closed his eyes. "Kind of wish that I could see one of those."

Moments later, his eyes snapped open as Natsumi gave a light laugh. "Well, there shouldn't be an issue with that." At his surprise, she smiled and shrugged. "As long as I vouch for you, you're allowed."

Expression brightening, Harry gave a nod. "I think that I might like that." At seeing her expression change though, he raised an eyebrow. "Natsumi-Chan?"

Chewing her lip, Natsumi took a deep breath and then let it out. "Harry-Chan? Did Nagato-San explain what my Oba-San told her? About how my Obaa-San and Ojii-San wanted to meet you?" About to nod, Harry stopped partway through and looked at her. "Hai, they wish to meet you and soon. I'm not sure when, but..."

Nervous, Harry looked down. "Oh."

However, his friend placed her hand on his shoulder and bent down to look him in the eye and smiled. "You trust me, Harry-Chan. So believe me when I say that Obaa-San and Ojii-San mean nothing but good when they say that they want to meet you. The reason that I bring it up is that I suspect that they will ask to do it the day before a festival in the village where my family is from. It's to celebrate when they retook their home from those who killed most of my clan. Probably so that you can come and enjoy it as well." Seeing Shiromizu raise a finger, Natsumi rolled her eyes. "Of course you're invited as well, Shiromizu-Chan."

After that, it took Harry a few minutes to think before he continued with various questions and Natsumi answering them. When an somewhat exhausted Haru came home that evening, she looked into her niece's room and smiled at the sight that met her. Mainly Natsumi and Harry sleeping cuddled up to each other while Shiromizu, in her snake form, was curled up on top of Harry's chest. It did not escape her notice either that Natsumi was in her humanoid fox form and her tails wrapped around the black haired boy. For several moments, Haru stood there with a somewhat bittersweet smile as she remembered doing the same with her own husband.

Then, slowly and quietly, she closed the door to the room and went downstairs to make dinner.

 

Snippet 16: K9Thefirst1

Radio BBC News Announcement of Gateway’s Existence

Announcer: In a Press release this morning, the Prime Minister announced that most of the crew of the lost carrier HMS Ocean, lost with all hands during Blood Week have come home.

HMS Ocean, a helicopter carrier at the time still fresh in Her Majesty’s service, was last seen intercepting an Abyssal Force lead by what has been since identified as the Central Atlantic Princess, who had been pursuing RMS Queen Mary 2. Twenty minutes into the fight the ocean liner managed to escape, but lost sight of the warship in the storm, and HMS Ocean and her crew were never heard from again.

According to the press release, the bodies recovered from the wreck, placed on the dock to the strains of I Vow to Thee My Country and draped in the Union Jack, were delivered a month ago at an undisclosed location, by an unexpected source: An Abyssal cargo transport.

The transport was in the service of an Abyssal Princess that Her Majesty’s government has been in talks with since last February. According to the Prime Minister’s office, the Princess, identifying herself as the Ancient Atlantic Gateway Princess, desires to make peace with the land, and has agreed to offer her own forces and territory – located somewhere in the Atlantic – in the fight to clear out the seas of Hostile Abyssal forces. In return, she requests trade and international recognition as a Sovereign Power. Her grim cargo being but one part of a display of what her people can provide. Also included were Manganese nodules, barrels of oil, and other valuable materials that can only be found in the sea.

According to the Gateway Princess’ envoy, the region where she holds power contains the wrecks of over seventy ships – military and civilian – lost since 1990, and over two-hundred aircraft, all from nations such as the UK, the United States, Canada, and nations of the EU. According to the Press Release, the Abyssal Princess has had these wrecks salvaged for resources but has taken great care to treat any human remains with the utmost care and respect, and she has vowed to send all of them home at the earliest possible convenience.

When inquired by the BBC as to why it has taken so long to announce these talks, and the return of the Ocean’s crew, the Prime Minister’s Office answered that Her Majesty’s government wanted to coordinate the diplomatic response with our allies overseas in NATO and the EU for the first, and wanted to independently verify the identities of the crew before saying anything, verification that was done through both checking the Royal Navy’s records, and DNA analysis.

Included in the Press package was a statement by Her Majesty, which said in part:

“…We are glad to see Our brave and noble fallen returned to Us, and we give Our sympathies to their families, and hope that the return of their son or daughter, or father or mother, or brother or sister, will help bring some closure to their sacrifice; We expect to see similar homecomings in the coming months. Furthermore, We are most glad at the tidings of peace with any fleet of the Abyss, and would be happy to see a proper alliance between Our forces and allies and hers.”

When inquired about what brought about the sudden choice to sue for peace, the Prime Minister’s office stated that, according to the Gateway Princess’ Envoy, the Princess had been looking for an opportunity to extend the olive branch for some time, but did not expect a positive response until she received word of the treaty and alliance with Japan, the US, and other nations in the Pacific with the Princesses of the Timor Sea and the Aleutians, signed last year.

According to the press release, the Princess intends to speak with military and diplomatic representatives from the UK, the US, and the EU and Commonwealth at a classified location in the near future, discussing military concerns and to lay down the groundwork for a peace treaty.

This has been Radio BBC News. We now return you to your music program.

 

S0ngDog13

"So, Canut? Is it true you lacked a name when you came before my mother?" asked Angband as she watched the Battleship Demon hone her axe, a few days after the Battleship Demon was released from the Docks.

"Aye. As Skadi once said, a new name for a new era. Skadi herself took a new name; when first we met in the fleet of the Northern Horde, she was a simple Ru-Class named Runic. By the time our birth-fleet was broken she had attained Demonhood, and after we reaped our wergild for our lost comrades she chose to be called Skadi, after the Norse Goddess of Hunting and Deep Midwinter."

"What was your name? Before, I mean?"

"I was never named by Northern Horde, though Runic named me 'Stríðsóp', the which is Icelandic for 'Battlecry'. Come, Lady Angband; we will practice now."

.....................................................

Angband froze, the leather-sheathed edge of Canut's axe resting against the carrier's neck for the tenth time in an hour, her sword lying out of her reach after yet another disarm. "You are dead. You are also utterly unsuited to sword-work," the Battleship Demon stated flatly.

Angband bristled at the blunt assessment of her skills, especially since she could see the Princess watching from off to her left. "A sword is a noble weapon, Mistress-at-Arms Canut."

Canut laughed. "A sword is a tool for killing, no different than your air-wing or my guns. Used rightly they are noble; used without honor they are ignoble. A sword is not for you, Lady Angband, not for lack of nobility but because you are not thinking properly." Canut grounded the butt of her Dane-Axe and gestured with her free hand. "Tell me, what am I? Not as an Abyssal, but as a Ship?"

Angband responded, "You are a Battleship."

"Aye, I am. Moreover, I am a Pre-Dreadnought Battleship. My ilk are meant to get close, to hack and hammer hull-to-hull, body-to-body. Now, what kind of ship are you?"

"A Carrier."

"And what gave the Carrier supremacy over the Battleship, Lady Angband? I will tell you; it is that your air-wing grants you longer reach, the ability to strike while keeping your foe far from you. Carriers are not meant to brawl like Battleships. Go to the rack there; take up that spear, second from the right."

Angband did so, taking the eight-foot winged-spear from the weapon-rack and turning to face her teacher; as she turned, she suddenly jerked her head backward as the head of Sjo-Ulfr howled through where she had been, the light glinting off the now-uncovered and very-lethal edge...

"Good," said Canut, resetting for a second strike. "Use the spear, use your reach, and hold me off, Lady Angband. I'll not strike to kill, today, but if you'd save yourself a maiming and a convelescence, you'd best learn swiftly."

As Canut stepped in and let her blade arc in once more, she began to speak...

"Let me tell you of another spear,
Long and Straight, Gungnir by name;
Born in the forge of the Sons of Ivaldi
In the land of Svartalfheim,
In thrust or cast never once
Did it fail to strike its mark,
And the wielder of Gungnir was Odin,
The One-Eyed Lord of Warriors and
King over all the Gods of the Norsemen..."

 

Harry Leferts

Walking along deep in thought, Harry was frowning with his eyebrows furrowed. The incident with the Chamber of Secrets along with the more recent happenings with the jorōgumo was making Harry seriously think about where he was. While she was not yet back from her patrol with Shinano, Louisiana had told him that she would have no problems with upping his knife training with her Marines. At the same time, he was once more going over Mikasa's own offer to have those crew with Samurai training teach her.

Haru had also offered to put him in contact with some of the Red Seal Shipgirls for training from them.

All in all, one could forgive the boy for not paying much attention and so missing the quick footsteps heading towards him. Within seconds though, a body smacked into him with a tight hug which made him stumble. But the white hair he saw allowed Harry to know who it was. "Hibiki-Chan?"

Tightly holding him, Verniy nodded as she continued to hug him. "Da, I just got back and..." She took a deep breath and gave him a glare which soon softened. "We heard what happened."

Snorting as she walked up with the rest of DesDiv6, Tenryuu rubbed under her nose. "Yeah, we got word on the way back." Eyebrow raising, the Light Cruiser shook her head. "Seriously, a jorōgumo, a gashadokuro, and a full on battle of Yokai? And finding the truth about Natsumi-San and Haru-San? You don't do things by half, do ya kiddo?"

Just scratching his cheek with one finger as he used his other arm to hug Verniy back, Harry shrugged. "Um, oops? Its not like I go looking for trouble, not really?"

Arms crossed, Tenryuu gave him a look. "No, trouble just has you on speed dial."

Inazuma was in a similar posture to her mother before wagging a finger at Harry. "Hwawawa! We were all scared for you when we heard about it! Again!"

Nodding beside her sister, Akatsuki puffed out her cheeks some. "It's not gentleman like to make ladies like us worry in that way you know!"

Her face buried in Harry's chest, Verniy sighed. "I'm just happy that you're okay, Harry-Chan." Bringing her head up, she paused for a moment before reaching out and touching two spots barely hidden by Harry's shirt. "Harry-Chan? Is that where..."

It took Harry a few moments but he realized that she was looking at the two puckered scars on his shoulder. "Where she bit me? Hai, and trust me it was not enjoyable."

Walking over, Ikazuchi looked at them and widened her eyes. "Whoa! That's kind of cool!" At the look from Verniy, she waved her hands around. "Well, it's not great, but it's, you know. I mean, scars and all."

Also examining the scars, Tatsuta hummed some in thought. "Ara~ Those are quite impressive, Harry-Chan. And the venom didn't really affect you?"

The black haired boy thought about it and then shrugged. "Well, it sort of did? I mean, I was paralyzed for a little bit there but I fought it off. Haru-San said that the Basilisk venom made my body better at fighting off poison. And also since Basilisks are enemies of spiders, it destroyed the venom pretty quickly."

Somewhat intrigued, Tenryuu thought it over before shaking her head. "Who would have thought it? Still, I would say that you should stop collecting scars. For all the fact that they look badass, getting them is another matter."

Weakly chuckling, Harry gave a nod. "I'll, um, try harder not to get anymore?"

Looking skyward, the Light Cruiser sighed. "Suppose that's the best that we can get." When she turned back to him, Tenryuu tilted her head to the side. "So what exactly are you going to do to prevent it then?"

Only scratching his head, Harry frowned. "Well... I'm stepping up my training with Ryuujou-Oba and Junyou-Oba as well as Haru-San. I've gotten Louisiana to agree when she returns to help me train more with using knives."

Amused, Ikazuchi gave him a look and a smirk. "And likely she'll be keeping a close eye on both you and Natsumi-Chan." With a glance at Verniy, she frowned. "Probably spend a lot of time cuddled up to you."

Holding Harry's arm to her chest, Verniy raised an eyebrow at her sister. Meanwhile, Harry shook his head. "Yeah, I doubt very much that she's not going to do that." He then continued with explaining. "The only other thing is that I might learn stuff from those trained as Samurai on Mikasa-Oba and the Red Seal Ships."

That made Tenryuu blink as did the Destroyers. After a few moments though, the Momboat gave a nod. "Might not be a bad idea. Sure, you're not likely to use a sword anytime soon, but Officers are still given such. And if you know how to use one, you'll be able to use it. Who knows what sort of Magical Wizard Bullshit you can place on one anyways."

Now thoughtful, Tatsuta gave Tenryuu a look. "Do you think that they would allow him?"

In reply, the eyepatch wearing Shipgirl shrugged. "Can't see why not. I mean, sure, usually it's Kendo but I doubt that they would consider it any different if he learned from the spirits of Samurai who actually know how to use a sword in a fight. And it wouldn't hurt his chances either of becoming an Officer."

Moments later though, Harry felt a shiver run up his spine as Inazuma gave him a glare. Then he felt phantom pain at her next words. "Speaking of training, I will be upping yours, Harry-Chan."

As Harry hurriedly agreed, Tenryuu turned away and coughed to hide her amusement. But then she heard Harry speak up and frowned. "Hmm? What is it?"

Glancing around, Harry took a deep breath. "Um, have you gone to see Hanako-San? At the school?"

Her frown deepening, Tenryuu shook her head. "No, why..." Remembering what she had heard about attacks, and the fact that they were Yokai and not humans as the official explanation was, she felt a sinking feeling. "She's okay, isn't she?"

Quickly holding up a hand, Harry nodded with wide eyes at the anger coming from the Light Cruiser. "Yes? But some girls were attacked outside the school and ran inside when Hanako-San held open the doors. She got in fight with the spider and killed it." At the stunned looks, he shook his head. "She got it in the face with the fire extinguisher to stun it and then bashed it to death."

Utter silence met him before Tenryuu looked in the direction of the school. "I'll be heading over there to talk with her. But she's okay?" At the nod, she relaxed some. "That's good to know at least. Was that the only attack?"

With a shrug, Harry rubbed his neck. "The only one in Yokosuka anyways. Hoshi-San has pretty much claimed the city under her protection so..."

Softly giggling, Tatsuta cracked open one eye. "Yes, I doubt that she gave most of them a chance of even entering the city if there were any more."

The group began to walk as Akatsuki nodded before she turned to Harry. "So, Harry-Chan? Is there any news?" Seeing his look of confusion, she waved a hand. "About things on the magical side?"

Understanding entered Harry's expression and he nodded. "Well, from what Haru-San told me there were worries about a big crackdown on Yokai due to what happened. But... while they may still do something the ICW has pretty much stopped them from going too far." At the confusion, he shook his head. "They're sanctioning and fining the Magical Diet pretty badly for the 'Large scale Breach of the Statute of Secrecy' or that was how the Daily Prophet and other newspapers put it."

Needless to say that got him several stares before Ikazuchi raised a finger. "Uh, correct me if I'm wrong, Harry-Chan... But... isn't the Magical Diet on its last legs? I mean..."

Slowly Harry nodded and when he spoke, it was with a tone so dry that more then one of the shipgirls wondered if they should feel thirsty. "Hai, they're just about defunct." He then smirked a bit. "When I was talking with Ryuujou-Oba, she said that they're not going to recover from it and would be surprised if they last the year without fully collapsing. They'll probably be gone by next summer."

For several moments there was silence before Tenryuu ran a hand through her hair and summed up their thoughts on the matter. "Well... shit."

Wincing, Harry shook his head. "It's worse then that, I mean, besides the obvious. Apparently there's fighting going on where North Korea was on the magical side. I guess that some of the normal born magicals there are still loyal and have been fighting those who weren't. Hasn't quite gotten to the point of a free for all, but... it's pretty close. And it's sucking in the Chinese magical government and nearby ones except for Taiwan."

Ikazuchi placed her hands into a "T" shape. "Whoa, wait, hold on... there's a magical war going on in Korea? And what's this about Taiwan?"

A frown on his face, Harry shook his head. "It's not a magical war, at least not yet. But... apparently some of those magicals born to normal parents who were higher up in the North Korean government when it existed have been fighting against the South Korean magical government. Like I said, it hasn't gotten to full out fighting yet, but it was being reported that the two sides have had skirmishes. As for Taiwan... Well, their magical government like the Japanese one was gutted by Blood Week, but they pulled themselves together under the leadership their Education Minister and she's been keeping them stable since. Just one problem..."

Eyebrow raised, Tatsuta looked at him. "Oh? What sort of problem?"

His next words made her stumble out of surprise as did some of the others. "It was just found out that she was a certain magical green snake."

Nearly as one, all of them stared at him before Verniy spoke up. "By green snake, Harry-Chan, you mean..."

Arms crossed, Harry raised an eyebrow. "The one from the Legend of the White Snake? Hai, the very same one. I guess that it was a shock that she was even alive as the last anyone heard of her she was fighting in the Civil War on the magical side of the Republic and against the magical Japanese government at the time. The ICW and others are apparently pissed about it, but are leaving it be as they just don't have the forces to do something with everything else. Not to mention she's been keeping things stable."

Frowning, Tenryuu shook her head and ran a hand through her hair. "Isn't that a fucking shock. Holy shit, are all the old legends coming back?"

None of them had an answer for her.

 

Lord K

A.N./ A big chunk of this (mainly Kudzu's story) is actually adapted out a snippet I originally had floating around. Initially it was supposed to be a discussion between the pilots on how, even if Ai is an amazing pilot and a decent commander, she's actually some what of an annoying wingman to keep up with. One of the original themes was also supposed to be on how, even if they didn't know what was going on, her human friends and fellow pilots were not completely blind to the fact that there was some odd shit going on with Ai's flying abilities.

With the advent of the Tengu Maneuver though, it gets to be re-purposed.

In one minor note that I'll admit irks my sensibilities or realism, but I'm not sure if anybody else has picked up on, Mozu 3 is supposed to be a four man flight, just like the rest of the Abyss Diver's flights. The other two guys just never appear because I can't figure out how to make them work or bring something unique to the table, that isn't already covered by the other five named Abyss Divers at this point, or superfluously bloats the cast with characters who aren't really needed. I just like to pretend they aren't as close with Umiu Flight as Gyaru and Kero are


Questions and Answers

"I can't believe it. I can't fucking believe it."

Watching Kero pace back and forth across the otherwise empty rec-room of the 13th/7th Strike Fighter Squadron, "it's lucky", Boke vocally reflects as he watches the pilot of Mozu Flight mutter and burn off his energy, "that everyone else is currently either in the air or on leave."

Bemusedly tracking the path of the only other non-member of Umiu Flight from the couch and quietly flicking the case of her turned off phone open and closed, Gyaru gives a joking smile and a shake of her head. "Man, and there I thought the only thing up with Tengu was that she needed to get laid."

Boke gives an unamused snort at the Okinawan's sense of humor, while from in front of the TV, Taikomachi finally gives up on scrolling past the same set of recommended TV shows for the fourth time, and spins in around annoyance to face the pacing pilot who is normally the other fellow funny man of the group. "Hey, maybe if you say "Dattebayo" a few times, you might not just believe it, but you'll then be able to pull off your own shonen level bullshit as well."

Looking back at his fellow pilot, Kero snorts. "Oh, I can fucking believe it all right. Even without the gun-cam and targeting footage, or seeing with my own eyes, the fact that Tengu snapped almost every single horizontal spar in her wings, yet still managed to make it back to the base, I'd believe this story of a wild ride with Mr Bones up in the mountains. What I can't believe, is the fact that I was right!"

"Oh boy, not this shit again," mutters Boke, earning an honestly baffled look from the Mozu pilot in return.

"How the hell can you say that now?!" Triumphantly, he then gestures out the window, in the vague direction of the hangers, and a certain pilot's aircraft that is now center-piece to a revived mystery and old topic of discussion in the squadron. "I've been saying for months now, there is something up with Tengu's piloting, that isn't just beyond the range of being exceptionally skilled. It's not normal. It's not logically possible to be that good, every. Single. Time."

Giving a grimace, Gyaru can't help but look like she feels like agreeing. "As much as I hate to admit I was wrong, I think Kero might have been right."

"Might have?" asks Taikomachi in exasperation as he finally tosses aside the controller. 'Gyaru, I was there, and I can tell you right now, that wasn't just MSSB level shit. That blew MSSB right out of the water."

"Well," offers Boke gruffly. "Maybe she's just some sort of exceptionally gifted shipgirl or something? Maybe we're looking at the first ever planegirl, and never realized this entire time?"

Kero however, swiftly shoots that idea down faster than a Corsair on a Zero. "Shipgirls operate on a compressed set of logic and physics that actually make sense, and are technically already somewhat understood when placed within the contexts of naval warfare and ships. If the airship-girls the British and Americans have been using were to be taken as a close approximation for what could be expected from any theoretical planegirl, then the basic rules and limitations of flight that would effect their original forms, should also apply to them as well to some manner or degree."

Taikomachi grimaces, thinking back to what he witnessed. "Which is something that Tengu can apparently ignore at will, judging by what we saw."

"Not quite at will," corrects Boke thoughtfully. "She did put her plane through so many Gs, she basically flexed and sheared most of the internals apart, and barely mad it back to base."

"Which probably explains how she survived that time she got tagged by a 16-inch sanshikidan, and still managed to crawl home despite missing a wing, an engine, most of her nose cone, and a tail." adds Gyaru quietly.

"I think it explains a lot more than that," crows Kero. "Remember all the other shit I brought up the last time we discussed this? All the stuff that you guys said was just me being envious?"

Collectively, the other three shift guiltily in their seats, before Gyaru finally speaks. "Well.... it was kind of nice just to think we had somebody who was that good watching our backs."

"Yeah," says Taikomachi. "Like that time she nailed that Abyssal Ohka with a single cannon burst when it tried to turn around and suicide into the nuggets from Misago Flight."

"Or that incident where she flew low enough to the water in full afterburner, that her back-blast detonated that torpedo before it could hit that freighter," adds Boke.

"Yeah, she got in a hell of a lot of trouble with the brass for that one, just barely escaping the blast and then narrowly missing that wave at the end like she did," reminisces Gyaru. "Although I still don't think that was anywhere near the almost heart attack Ugeki had, after that time Busu took all that damage after his ballsed up run where all his screens and his instrument panels got shredded by shrapnel, and then Tengu followed him into a perfectly mirrored spiraling dive to act as a reference point and guide him out of it."

"She has a thing for dives and acrobatics," notes Taikomachi as he looks back at Kero. "Weren't you saying something about trying to replicate one of her maneuvers in a sim the last time you brought this up."

The pilot of Mouzu 3-3 nods. "Remember when we had the Iruma Airshow last year? And there were the guys we were supposed to have the faux WVR dogfight with?" Upon seeing the other three nod, Kero grimaces. "I didn't want to sound like I was siding with an asshole, because those guys in the F-2s were kind of annoying, cocky, fuckers, but what started me looking into it was that one of the guys Tengu got paired off with, was initially complaining that he got paired up with a drone. That's when I looked up the dogfight again, tried replicate it in the sim, and discovered that she was regularly pulling 11-Gs in some of her maneuvers."

"So?" asks Gyaru with a shrug. "Even if you didn't say it was that much last time, it's not entirely unheard of with particularly sharp movements and high speed pullouts."

"Those are spikes during that usually last barely a second at most during those events, before then returning to a more moderate level as we either pull out or change course, otherwise logic and training force us to release the pressure," counters Kero. "But there was one case where she "slipped up", if you could call it that. After a particularly "tasteless" and uncalled for remark about some of the girls in the squadron, she then took the dogfight into a sustained circling turn that lasted well over twenty seconds, and eventually psyched the other guy out because an interceptor-derived strike fighter was winning in a turning fight against his F-2. Whenever I try it in the sim under the same conditions and altitude, the computer tells me I've passed out from trying to sustain it for so long, and lawn-darted before I can wake up."

"Maybe she just has a high tolerance?" suggests Boke.

"Yeah," agrees Taikomachi sarcastically. "To go along with her uncanny aim, unbelievable understanding of how her plane is flying at any given moment, her baffling ability to pretty much never get hit by anything unless she's off guard, a sense of energy balancing and perception of movement that would make Giora Epstein look like a drunk, and now apparently the ability to casually ignore physics and mechanical issues like which way the directions of thrust and momentum are actually fucking pointing."

Uncertainly, Gyaru bites her lip as one of Taikomachi's observations brings something to mind. "Now that I think back, I did think it was odd that she would just lose the fight after getting jumped by one of the other Opfor pilots from above like that. Tengu has eyes like a fucking hawk, and I'd swear I've seen her react to, and command everyone to dodge flak coming up from below, before it's actually reached us on a few occasions."

"And now we have tonight's little maneuver around the skeleton." mutters Boke. "Which is of course a whole kettle of fish by itself, but seeing as it's hopefully dead, that leaves us with the immediate question at hand. Who or what the hell exactly is Tengu, if she isn't some sort of planegirl?"

"Maybe she has Kanmusu blood in her?" suggests Gyaru.

"That runs into the same issues of "defying the rules" as if she were a straight up kanmusu or planegirl though," points out Taikomachi. "Not to sound like a nutcase or conspiracy theorist, but maybe it's a JASDF thing? It's no secret that they've been wanting to be in on the whole magic business ever since the war started, and to do something more glamorous than blasting hilariously outclassed abyssal aircraft out of the sky between stints of being the JASDF and JMSDF's bomb-trucks. She's an orphan, has that one aunt nobody apparently ever sees anymore, and is the coolest fucking cucumber, no matter what we fly into the throats of. Tell me that doesn't sound like some sort of set up for some sort of government super-soldier-cum-pilot."

"Sounds more like the set up for some sort of anime if you ask me," grunts Boke.

"Regards of what it sounds like, or what's going on with Tengu," interrupts the Mozu pilot before the potentially side track worthy argument can start, "I think I do know one thing about this whole mystery."

"What's that?"

"I think Kudzu knows," says Kero carefully. "Or at the very least, he suspects or has a better idea of what's going on than me."

Gyaru frowns. "Wait, really?"

"Think back for a moment. Every time we've discussed how batshit Tengu's skills are in the past, even just normally." Raising his hand, Kero then begins counting fingers to highlight his examples. "Who is always non-committal about what he thinks of her latest insane stunts beyond the usual friendly checks that she's okay and the congrats on the results. Kudzu? Who is the only person who puts up with her occasional hypocrisy of always telling us to stick together, when she keeps on splitting off for wild maneuvers nobody can keep up with, if they were even physically possible in the first place? Kudzu. Who was the most vocal person in shutting down all my points the last time we seriously pondered about what the hell was actually up with Tengu? Kudzu. Who is the only person who never seems concerned that his wingman occasionally just drops off the face of the fucking earth for hours at a time, when she is supposedly on base? Kudzu."

Kero glowers, having built up steam over the course of his emphatic delivery. "I'm not even sure Tengu realizes he knows something, but after the shitstorm of tonight, he really needs to fucking tell us what the hell he knows or suspects!"

"Who knows or suspects what now?"

Turning around at the familiar voice, the four pilots discover the wingman in question and opposite number to the still absent topic of the night's discussion now standing in the doorway, a cup of coffee in hand. For a moment, an awkward silence seems to pass, as the focus of their current debate almost seems to loom in the doorway thanks to his height, before finally entering and closing it behind him. Communicating with a look how much he does not want questions, Kudzu quietly takes a seat at the table.

Unfortunately, the silence does not last long.

"So. What the hell is going on?"

Kudzu chooses to ignore Kero as her takes a seat opposite him at the table, instead looking to Gyaru as she also takes a seat beside him.

"Where's Tengu?"

"She's with the Colonel still." Waving a hand vaguely, the pilot of Umiu 2-2 then takes a sip of his drink. "Something about a special debrief, though I think the gist of it will probably be delayed until the morning."

"Which is when we'll get filled in too right," asks Taikomachi as he wanders over. "Yeah, OpSec and all that I get, but there comes a time in a man's life when, if he finds himself fighting giant skeletons and watching anime-tier bullshit, he understandably feels entitled to some answers, yeah?'

"I wouldn't bet on it," mutters Kudzu. "For all I know, they might not tell anyone anything. For all we know, keeping this quiet and not talking about it might be for the best."

A stunned silence fills the room, before finally Boke marches over to the table in disbelief. "Now what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"The careful opinion of an observer." responds Kudzu calmly. "Someone who leaves the decision of how we're even going to talk about this to others."

"This isn't the time to be cryptic asshole!" counters Taikomachi as he now joins them at the table as well. "First Tengu does her bullshit that is at least just an extension of the slow list of "beneficially awesome weirdness" she's built up over time, but the last thing we need is you acting like a cagey fucker hiding shit from us we deserve to know."

"You know something!" points out Kero. "You, Gyaru and Tengu were the unit nuggets long before we even turned up, and the three of you even graduated from the same training groups together. Even if you didn't know something, you at least suspect it! So what the fuck is going on, because if you expect me to believe that that shit with the skeleton and the motherfucking dragon Tengu somehow knew to wait for, is in anyway related to the abyssals, I'll eat my damn hat."

Frowning, Gyaru looks at the taller pilot carefully, for a long, uncertain moment. "Kudzu.... Are you.... Scared?"

"Yes." The honest admission between sips of coffee throws the other four for a loop.

"Wait, because of the skeleton thing?" asks Boke uncertainly. "Or Tengu."

"Both." Comes the carefully measured reply. "And the dragon too. But not for the reasons you guys might think."

Gyaru frowns. "Well, sure she kept this shit secret from us, and just off the top of my head, I can think of a ton of cases when it would have been useful for her to do something like that, but I'm sure she had her reasons or something."

"Oh, I don't doubt she had her reasons," mutters Kudzu darkly. "And if you guys want to do what's best for not just her, but all of us here, you'll be careful to who, and where, if ever, you talk about the shit that happened today."

For the second time, the room is silenced by such an uncharacteristically ominous sentence, before finally the questions erupt.

"Cut it with the with the vague bullshit already asshole!" demands Taikomachi

"Fucking hell Kudzu!" Cries Kero "There are monsters out there. Actual ones we might not know nothing about if these really aren't abyssals."

"There are some things people like us are better off not knowing." the lanky pilot heatedly mutters into his quickly emptying cup.

Kero gnashes his teeth furiously. "Do you really expect me to believe that there are things out there that we are just supposed to accept as inexplicable?"

"Yes!" the increasingly riled up Kudzu insists.

"That is horse shit!" observes Kero with equal vehemence.

"There's a reason for it!'

"Then enlighten me!" demands the shorter pilot as he slams his palms of the table. On either side of the two, all Gyaru, Taikomachi, and Boke can do is watch the flow of the increasingly heated argument with worry. "What the fuck makes you so scared of informing us all?! The hell is out there that can threaten Tengu when she can pull of that shit!? What else is under our noses, that you seem to think makes living in willful ignorance of dragons and skeleton monsters the better option!?!"

For a moment, Kudzu stares at Kero. Even as he remains unmoved from his position, an almost helpless anger seems to radiate from him, that leaves the pilot somehow unable to look any of the others in the eye. Finally however, he bares his teeth in a snarl, and slams his empty cup down on the table.

"Fine! You really want to know what I know? Fuck it. I'll tell you. Maybe you'll understand why I suggest being cautious then, You'll want to strap yourselves in though, it's because one shitshow of a tale."

Uncertainly looking at each other, the other four settle into their seats, while Kudzu tents his hands and seems to become lost in thought for a moment. The moment begins to stretch on however, and after almost a minute, the still simmering Kero finally speaks up.

"Well? We're waiting?"

"Shut up, I'm thinking!"

The harshness of the bitten out remark takes even Kero off guard considering the normally calm and rarely raised voice of the pilot. An awkward, uncertain silence elapses, before Kudzu finally takes a deep, steadying breath and at last starts speaking.

"Before Blood Week, I grew up in a small, podunk village in the middle of nowhere. So podunk that every morning to get to school, I had to get on the train with my little sister to the town fifteen minutes ride to the south where her school was, get off there, then catch another train for another fifteen minutes to get to the slightly bigger town where my High School was."

Pausing for a moment, Kudzu then sighs.

"And every day, there was a guy from our village who would take the same train as us, get on the same second train as me, but then get off at an earlier stop where he worked with bunch of friends of his in a logging company. I think there were a few other people from our home town that had similar commutes along the line like that, but Mr Akayama always stuck out for two reasons. The first, was that my little sister was scared of the man. Absolutely terrified. The second reason which ties into that, is that the poor guy was ugly as sin."

Observing the pilot as he tells his tale from the seat beside him, Gyaru raises an eyebrow. "What, like how bad are we talking here? Did he just look weird? Asymmetric features and deformities? Accident with a wood chipper? Faceless fat guy from a hent-"

Thankfully Kudzu chooses to interrupt her. "I'm talking "hit every single branch when he fell out of the ugly tree, then climbed up and did it again for added effect". Bad teeth, permanent glare as a resting expression, and a face that looked like it once got into a bar fight with a brick wall and won, then decided to beat up the wall's friends as well. The part that always used to freak my sister though was his skin tone. Even though he was always sober, he constantly had this crazy, permanent flush like he'd been drinking. My sister used to think he was angry all the time, and that one day he'd get so mad that all the blood would just explode out of his face while we were riding the train with him."

Ruefully, Kudzu gives an embarrassed shrug. "In reality, he was by all accounts a pretty nice guy according to all the neighbors that lived near him on the edge of town. I'd be lying through my teeth though, if I didn't say that whole family looked like Sylvester Stalone's evil bodybuilding clones on a group steroid binge."

Taikomachi snorts and has to restrain himself from laughing at the mental image. Kudzu's face however, turns somber.

"The day Blood Week started, they cancelled classes and told all the students to batten down at the high school since it was somewhat inland, and in defilade thanks to a hill between it and the sea. My sister's school however, was right next to the coast and only hidden from view by a low sea wall, so since most of the kids lived close by, they just told everyone to head for the hills. She wanted to go home though, and before the phone lines overloaded, she pleaded with me to come pick her up. So like the heroic big brother I thought I was, I ducked out and headed for the train station."

For a moment, the lanky pilot of Umiu 2-2 trails off, staring contemplatively at something he can only see in his memories. "I don't think I actually saw Mr Akayama on that first train with me. There were a lot of people trying to head back up the line to their home towns and families, but he must have been in the crowd, because he was definitely on the next train with us, even if we didn't know it at the time."

Stopping again, this time Kudzu closes his eyes and gives a shudder of remembered horror. "We must have only been about a minute from our stop, when the Abyssals went from being something on the radio news bulletins and the emergency broadcasts sirens to reality. The first sign that Blood Week had come to our town was when a pack of, what in hindsight I reckon were probably just destroyers, shelled apart the track directly in front of the train."

Across the table, Gyaru cringes and looks away, no doubt remembering her own experiences of the day the Second Battle of Okinawa began.

"Trains.... Are very interesting things," observes Kudzu with carefully measured words. "We tend to think of them as being solid and unstoppable. Destroying cars, smashing anything unfortunate enough to be on the track, roaring around so fast or with so much weight they take kilometres to stop. But when a train derails at high speed- and especially if it hits something, like a very big hole in the ground, one of three things tends to happen."

"The first carriages that impact" Kudzu begins, "tend to just go to bits. They pretty much explode, as all the walls and everything inside tries to keep moving when the front is already stopped. They break open, spill apart, slice through each other, then throw people and all the shit that was inside them all over the place, killing everyone that was in there. Carriages towards the rear tend to either bend and twist, or if the train is long enough, they might not even derail or be damaged at all. Carriages in the middle, and especially those more towards the front however.... they tend to concertina."

There is an abrupt round of quiet swearing and sharp intakes of breath as the lanky pilot lifts up his shirt to reveal the ropey circle of scar tissue just bellow the line of his rib cage. Taikomachi looks ill, but Boke just furiously mutters "Fucking Abyssals."

"Holy shit man....." Kero looks sick. "I always figured there was a reason you never talked about that thing, but....."

Pulling his shirt back down, the lanky pilot grimaces. "The doctors told me I was lucky I was always so tall for my age. My sister was fine because she ducked down right before the impact, and everything missed her and her seat. But because I was so tall, I put my hands on the back of the seat in front of me to brace."

"If I'd been short enough to duck down in my seat like her, I'd have lost most of my skull. If I had been the height of the average kid my age and done what I did, they reckon the debris would have shattered my sternum and likely perforated my heart and lungs with the shards. As it was, my height meant that the piece of debris just missed the bottom of my false ribs, drove me back into my seat, bruised and lacerated my lower chest and upper belly, stabbed just under half an inch into me, and then got caught on the frame of the seat in front, just in time to avoid actually penetrating the sack that holds the stomach and all of the human body's other abdominal organs in."

Kero looks equal parts green and disturbed as he stares at Kudzu "You're fucking lucky to be alive!"

"That I am." Admits Kudzu, even as he shudders at the memory. "It could have been far worse. Only a little bit deeper, and it could easily have been fatal, or caused lasting damage. Unfortunately, while it wasn't as serious as it could have been, it still looked horrifying and seemed as bad as it could get. I was pinned, couldn't move or breath properly and was in serious pain. A lot of people thought I'd been impaled right through by whatever it was that hit me, and that I was a goner. I.... kinda thought that myself at the time too."

Shaking his head, the pilot of Umiu 2-2 continues.

"Not helping things, was that the Abyssals were still around. After they'd blown up the train tracks, they then turned their attentions to the tsunami barrier that crossed the river the town was built around. Looking back now, I guess their plan was to stop anyone from closing it, since they mainly just targeted the control houses on either side of the barrier, while sailing up toward the river mouth. It would make sense if their original intentions had been to go up the river and then attack a few of the neighboring villages you could reach with deep draft fishing boats before it got too shallow."

Hesitating for moment, Kudzu then gives each of the pilots present a piercing look, carefully choosing his words as he does so. "It is from this point forwards, that the...."official" story and what I am about to tell you, greatly.... diverge."

Kero frowns, equally intrigued and uncertain. "What do you mean?"

"Well....." Gathering his thoughts, Kudzu then lays out his facts. "The official story is that after shelling the train, an Abyssal force of destroyers then destroyed the tsunami barrier control stations, but inadvertently caused damage to the barrier that caused it rolled out into a closed position and collapsed part of the adjoining tsunami wall into the channel. Upon this happening, the Abyssal Destroyers gave up, didn't even both taking pot shots at the town, and then turned tail and ran up the coast, where they did their level best to raze a second town to the ground before a JASDF air strike got them."

The group share a collective glance before then turning their focus back to Kudzu. "And unofficially?" Kero asks hesitantly.

Leaning back in his chair, Kudzu sighs and tries to figure out where to start.

"Mr Akayama happened."

"What do you mean."

The lanky pilot runs a hand through his hair, struggling to put into words something even he doesn't quite seem to believe.

"Like I said, when the train crashed, that front section just totally went to pieces. The front of the first carriage dipped into and got stuck in the shell hole where the tracks should have been, but the rear half and most to the second carriage then just went straight through it. It turned most of the thing inside out. Should have killed everyone in there. But it didn't. I saw him tear his way out of the wreckage with his own two hands. I recognized the high-vis as the same one he always wore on the way to work when we rode with him. But he looked.... not normal."

The other pilots look at each other uncertainly, before Boke finally asks the question. "Are you sure he wasn't just injured?"

"No." Emphasizes Kudzu. "He wasn't injured. His clothes were shredded, but I don't think the guy would have had a scratch on him. But he didn't look human anymore either. Mr Akayama had always been heavy set man, and looked like you'd expect for a guy who climbed up pine trees to manage their limbs with a chainsaw for a living. But now he was at least a foot taller, and he looked like he could karate chop those trees and bench press them. And that wasn't the only thing. His flush wasn't normal anymore either, now all of his skin was this steaming vibrant red, and on his head...."

Hesitating and glancing at the others to gauge their reactions, Kudzu then blurts out the final detail, running a hand from his elbow to wrist as if to emphasise a distance. "And on his head was a horn, about this long and red like the rest of him had become."

Boke's eyes narrows. "Abyssal...." he hisses.

"No...." Kero stares at the lanky pilot with shock. "An Oni..."

Kudzu nods. "It fits with what I saw to a T. He couldn't have been an abyssal or anything all that malicious. Even if I never knew them that well, the Akayamas had been in our town for years. They didn't just pop out of the ether. Friends used to visit them from wherever it was they'd moved from. Their daughter was in the year group below me, and went to all the same schools I did. I remember as a kid, all the adults going around to drop off stuff when their youngest son was born."

Trailing off quietly, Kudzu then notices Gyaru. For once her phone isn't in her hands, her fingers instead worrying at a chip in the edge of the table's faux plastic lacquer. In her eyes, Kiba can see the Okinawan survivor already has an idea where this story is headed.

"What happened to him."

Kudzu winces. "I think he realised pretty quickly what would happen. Nobody knew what we were looking at, but it wasn't hard to figure out what they'd do if they got past the tsunami wall and the barrier, and then up the river. Not with the way they were shooting up everything surrounding the estuary, and what bits of the harbor they could see."

The lanky pilot then shakes his head in disbelief.

"Sometimes I still don't know if what I saw was real, or if it was just the shock but- He grabbed and broke off part of the rail line. Just a whole length of it that hadn't been fucked up from the shelling or the crash. I mean, this thing must have been the length of a freaking telephone pole. And then he threw it." A somber grin tugs at the corners of Umiu 2-2's lips for a moment. "The Abyssals took issue with that."

"It didn't kill them, I don't know if he even could have, but this thing flew like a fucking javelin from the gods, right up until it finally arched down and nailed what I think was an I-Class almost a kilometer away. In and out, straight through the mouth, taking the cannon with it."

"The Abyssals weren't stupid. They realized something had hurt one of them and started maneuvering to dodge further attacks while trying to find it, which got a whole lot easier when Mr Akayama started running down the tracks like a big red Hulk throwing more rail line at them. But that must have been his plan, because it slowed and distracted the Abyssals from shooting at anything else or going up the river mouth, long enough for him to go the kilometer or so from where we'd derailed up on the high ground, all the way down to the river mouth and the tsunami barrier."

"The control houses were gone. The system could have been manually operated from controls on the gate as well, but those would have been useless with the hydraulics and gear assemblies underneath the main control house blown to bits like they were. Because the system was only built in the 70s and we weren't a town with a lot of money to throw around, the old council hadn't be able to afford a gravity drop gate that was tall enough to still let the trawlers through. So instead we got this big sliding door thing that was supposed to roll out from a channel in the seawall to stop tsunamis." Kudzu looks at the others, no small amount of admiration in his eyes. "Mr Akayama grabbed that thing, and started pushing this huge, 12 meter tall and 8 meter wide sliding door made up of layers of I-beams and two inch steel plate, out into the channel, and all while being surrounded by a rain of abyssal shellfire."

"Maybe they didn't hit him directly? Maybe he was just immune to the blunt force and the shrapnel to a certain degree? Maybe what we were looking at was the oni version of the same thing that makes grandmas lift SUVs and parents not notice their skin's starting to fall off after running through a burning building to save their kid? His wife and son would have still been home, and from the opposite side of that seawall, you could see pretty much every single house in the main part of town."

Tapping his fingers on the table absently, Kudzu then grimaces at the memories being dredged up.

"The Abyssals couldn't kill him. But even from where we were, we could see how messed up he must have been. Covered in blood and flesh wounds. Part of his horn was even blown off. It must have been like death by a thousand cuts, yet even then he kept going. After finally getting the tsunami gate closed, he punched the ground hard enough that he collapsed part of the tsunami wall, and what was left of the control house into the channel to add to the barrier. Then he started grabbing bits of it and throwing them, tearing up these huge multi-ton concrete tetrapods out of the wall, and lobbing them off into the bay." A sad, sardonic smirk makes Kudzu chuckle. "Like an oni raining down boulders from the mountain."

"I think that was when the Abyssals finally threw in the towel. The railline javelins could over-pen or miss important internals, but it would have been a bit harder to just shrug off three tons of concrete coming out of the sky at highway speeds. They kept on shooting back until they rounded the headland and went up the coast, but I guess by that point, they realized that unless they brought in anything with a bigger gun, there was easier and more helpless prey to be had elsewhere."

Around the table, the other pilots share looks at this apparently successful saving of the town. One that has a rather glaring hole, considering none of them have ever heard this story before.

Hesitantly, Kero broaches the question on everyone's mind. "So.... what happened to Akayama then? You'd think this would be one of those things you'd hear rumors and stories about all the time. Like how some of the JGSDF guys are always going on about that dragon girl on the Hidaka."

Something ugly and unsure twists at the corners of Kudzu's mouth. "I think the reason no-one ever hears about Mr Akayama, is for the same reason what I'm almost certain is Kiyohime is still only a rumor, despite there being at least five different incidents caught on camera early on in the war, but her notoriety only becoming more common after a few incidents involving her two or three months into the war."

"What do mean?"

"Because of- " Opening his mouth, Kudzu hesitates as if something has occurred to him. Then, practically radiating the image of paranoia, the lanky pilot looks around the room to make sure they are completely alone and there's no one else present, even giving a glance at the window, before finally leaning over the table and speaking low enough that the others have to follow suit and huddle to hear him too.

"fuck this sounds so stupid but- I never figured out a name for them.... Any description always sounds too corny, and I've always stayed quiet about it anyway so.... In my head, I always thought of them as "the Cloaked Men"."

"The Cloaked men?" Seeing the confusion around the table, Kudzu grimaces.

"If you guys thought me seeing an oni was nuts, then you're going to think I'm fucking bonkers for this next part. Before the Abyssals had completely rounded the headland, Mr Akayama had slowly been wandering back in our direction. He was trying to keep up with them, and still tearing up stuff to throw at the undamaged ones. Trees, blown up cars, I-beams from destroyed buildings. I guess he was determined to make sure they couldn't hurt anyone else or wouldn't want to come back. He was almost back to where we were with the trainwreck. People wandering around in shock or dying, while those who weren't too messed up tried to get out the people still injured or pinned like me. And then-" Cutting himself off abruptly, Kudzu is silent.

"..... and then what?" Asks Gyaru with a rare, cautious gentleness.

The lanky pilot exhales, even in his eyes, appearing uncertain and doubting of what he knows and recounts seeing. "At first I thought it was something exploding in the distance. Just this whooshing "pop" or a sharp but muted "bang", like somebody setting off a firework or pulling a Christmas cracker. But then there were more of them, and I realized, this was something happening around us in the crash site, not far away. I could hear people yelling in surprise from outside. And then right in front of the big hole in the side of the train where my window used to be, and through which me and my sister had been watching Mr Akayama having his running fight with the Abyssals, I saw..... I saw this person. This thing that looked like a man in a big old-style cloak, step out of thin air. Just one moment, nothing, and the next there's this guy, almost unfurling into reality in less than an eye blink."

Kero looks like he wants to ask something, but Kudzu holds up a hand. "I know blood loss and shock can do so strange shit, but I know what I saw. I have no idea what the hell if that even was a human, but on the names of whatever the hell is actually out there, and until my dying breath, I will swear that I saw that man appear out of nothing."

The downward turn of Kudzu lips deepens in tandem with his cringing grimace.

"And then Mr Akayama lost his shit. As soon as he saw the Cloaked Men, it was like somebody flipped a switch. It wasn't like he just boiled over, or the dam broke after everything that happened. Mr Akayama wasn't known for temper or that kind of personality when I was growing up. Yeah, he had a face only his wife could have loved, but everyone that actually knew him seemed to think he was just another one of the guys, just another one of us seaside country folk, with the temperament to match. This..... That anger.... I don't think I have even seen anybody ever look at somebody with that much fury and honest, unrestrained hatred in their eyes."

"He didn't go berserk, or into a rage, or even do anything that violent. But the instant he seemed to realize who the Cloaked Men were, he began to rant. I couldn't understand half of what he was saying, partly because his speech was all garbled from his face being messed up, and I think his hearing was gone from being hit by shells so many times, but even if a lot of what he could say properly went over my head, you could get a general idea from the way he kept pointing at the retreating Abyssals, at the Cloaked Men, at what was left of the harbor, and then in the general direction of the capital. He was practically spraying blood everywhere from how wildly and crazily he was gesturing, his eyes almost seemed to roll with how furious he was, and I think his mouth would have started frothing if it wasn't for all the blood and splits in his lips."

"I don't know if he was blaming them for the Abyssals specifically, but he definitely seemed to blame them for things getting to where they were. He railed about something in English called "the Statute" and I think the word "Secrecy" was mentioned alongside it a few times as well. He used the word "Auror" a bunch of times as either a title or a suffix, and kept on bringing up some group called the "muggles", who it sounded like were also caught off guard and with no knowledge of the Abyssals. From the sounds of things, he almost seemed to be acting as if the Cloaked Men should have, or even may have known of the Abyssals before Blood Week. Then he started demanding what they would do to him. He kept on going on about "Reserves" as if he was going to be punished for saving us all."

Kudzu pauses, considering something in his head.

"I think he possibly knew at least one of the Cloaked Men. There was this one guy in particular he kept on bellowing at, and this guy kept on gesturing and pleading with Mr Akayama to calm down in response. The man who was obviously the leader of the Cloaked Men though, along with what must have been his second in command or something, took issue with Mr Akayama stomping towards them and yelling at the top of his lungs. The leader stepped forward as if to try and attract his attention, and then yelled at him in the same way you'd see police officers confront someone on a drug-rage, or who shouldn't be where they are."

"'Cease and desist youkai!' is what he shouted. 'This is a national emergency and as such, your presence shall be overlooked! Turn around now, and return to your registered home at this time!' is generally the gist of what I remeber. No thanks for saving the train or the town, and scaring off the Abyssals, or anything like that. Just a very official 'stop right their citizen, and now kindly fuck off, or we will make life difficult for you'."

The lanky pilot sighs with a grimace. "I don't know if they realized his ears were probably blown out from all the shelling. I don't even know how well he could see either, with all the blood and cuts on his face. He just kept stomping up the hill, homing in on the one guy he knew, with his furious raving just getting louder, and louder, and more incomprehensible, the more worked up he got. 'What are you going to do with me, huh? You going to stick me in a reserve for for saving all these people?' Was the main thing he kept on repeating. 'Are you going to relocate my family too?' Was another question that only seemed to make him wilder every time the poor guy he was bearing down on just stammered and couldn't give him an answer."

"The lead Cloaked Man however, reacted to all this by.... Well to continue the police comparison, he started yelling more and more forcefully and warning Mr Akayama to stop. That it was his final warning, even as he pulled out...."

"Pulled out what?" asks Gyaru nervously, a growing dread for Mr Akayama increasingly written across the faces of the other four pilots now gripped by Kudzu's tale.

"It was definitely not a staff, and it was too small and plain to even really be called a sceptre. Rod might have fit, but again not really. What he raised, I'd have called a wand."

Boke blinks "A wand?"

"Yeah. A few of the other guys followed suit, pointing these plain, wood colored or lacquered sticks of varying shapes, lengths, and styles, but generally the same thing, all in Mr Akayama's direction. One or two also held bits of paper, which I guess would have made them onmyouji practitioners. The lead Cloaked Man shouted what he said was his last warning, but Mr Akayama still didn't seem to realise what was going on. Still kept on stomping up that hill, bellowing and gesturing like a raving madman."

"Then finally, the guy he knew at last seemed to realise that something must have been wrong with Mr Akayama's hearing. He turned around to shout something to the rest of the group, only to see them all pointing their sticks of wood. He raised his hands up, I guess to yell and gesture at them to stop, to not do whatever they were about to do. Something which finally seemed to make Mr Akayama pause as well, look up with his ruined eyes and notice that there were other Cloaked Men about. I remember picking up all these little details in just the span of that moment. How tired and ragged the Cloaked Men actually looked, like they'd been busy even before this. How much the leader looked like he didn't actually want to hurt the oni stomping towards them. The sneer on his second in command's face. The slight shift in what was left of Mr Akayama's face as his expression only just began to change from blinded rage to surprise."

Kudzu pauses, hesitating for a long moment while silently staring not quite at the surface of the table before him, but almost at something much further and distant instead. Slumping, he then gives a defeated sigh.

"The lead Cloaked Man, I think reacted defensively. From it's linguistic similarities, my passing delvings into English and Latin, and the fact that it created a spherical light show around the Cloaked Man Mr Akayama knew, I guess "Protego" must have been some sort of shield spell. A bunch of the other Cloaked Men, shouted various things that fired red bursts of light that only seemed to partially absorbed by, if not bounce off what was left of Mr Akayama's skin. The last guy though. He cast something green, with this harsh sounding incantation that had a sequence of hard "ar" and "var" sounds."

For a long moment, Kudzu doesn't say anything.

"Maybe Mr Akayama wasn't ready for it. Maybe he was weakened by all the other red spells that didn't initially seem to do anything. Maybe he'd just had too much taken out of him by the Abyssals by that point. Maybe that was the straw that broke the camels back. Whatever it was, as soon as that green light hit him...... It was like somebody cut his strings. This giant oni, that tanked gods know how many Abyssal shells to save the town, was dead before he even hit the ground."

Around the table, Gyaru holds a horrified hand to her mouth, while Boke looks like he doesn't know whether to seethe or respectfully bow his head. Between Taikomachi and Kero, the former looks stunned, while the latter looks uncomfortable and guilty at making Kudzu bring up a story with such a terrible turn.

"The Cloaked Men surprisingly weren't of one mind about this event. The leader immediately started tearing a strip out of his second in command, who was pretty unrepentant and actually seemed to believe that the nature of the martial law that had been declared by then, justified his escalation to lethal force." Awkwardly, Kudzu shifts in his seat. "I'll admit, from a certain stand point, that sounds like a justifiable context on paper, but what I saw.... That was just callous and uncaring. Things then really went to shit when, after confirming that Mr Akayama really was dead, the guy he knew then walked up to and started a physical brawl with the second in command. And while all this was going on, the rest of the Cloaked Men were...."

"Were what?" Asks Gyaru nervously.

"Doctoring memories I guess."

Boke frowns. "Wait, like Men in Black with the deneuralizers?"

Kudzu grimaces. "That's not actually a bad comparison really. They were going around casting something, a spell with a white light and the phrase "obliviate", on anybody they could find, who may have seen Mr Akayama's counter-attack and closing of the gate. A lot of people were terrified, but having just been in a train crash, there weren't many who could just run away. Not that you could out run the Cloaked Men when they could teleport, freeze you in place, or put you to sleep." The lanky pilot shakes his head quietly. "Very few of them seemed to be all that keen on it by that point though. I heard a couple of them talking about what just happened as they looked through the carriage I was stuck in, talking about how that was "the final straw" and that the three of them should just say "to hell with the obliviations and clean ups", and just go to Kagoshima or Tokyo, where from the sounds of things, a bunch of other "Aurors" had gone rogue or AWOL to help fight Abyssals."

Frowning for a moment as something occurs to him, Kero then looks at Kudzu curiously. "Wait. If they were erasing everyone's memories of what happened, then how the hell do you remember all that?"

"Good question," says Kudzu with a morbid chuckle. "It's because they didn't bother to erase mine at all." Quietly, the pilot looks out the window. "Those three who were already talking of going rogue.... I remember, can still see that moment one of them actually came up to me. He raised his wand, and even now, I can see his lips moving to begin the first syllable of the incantation. To this day, I can feel that terror. The realization that this guy was going to do something to my mind and memories, and then probably my sister's too, with nothing I could do to stop him."

"And then one of the older Cloaked Men put his hand on the other's, and lowered his wand. Just coldly told him to "not waste his time." That "this one isn't going to make it", and that that "even if he does, he's so grievously injured that nobody would ever believe him". They seemed to think I'd already suffered enough bloodloss, that it would probably ruin my memory.

The lanky pilot then gives an ironic, depreciating snort. "I'm still not exactly sure who the joke's on for that one. On the one hand, I lived and remember everything in perfect clarity because I was no where near as injured as everyone originally thought and my memory has always been great anyway. On the other there hand, after the hospital, when I realized the only other person who remembered and was asking around about Mr Akayama then had his memory doctored a few days into his stay, I never directly spoke of or asked anybody about what happened ever again." Guiltily, he then looks down quietly. "You guys.... You guys are actually the first people I've ever talked about this with since the hospital."

"Holy shit." Kero stares at him with wide eyes. "Kudzu- Saito, why didn't you try and tell anybody about this?"

The pilot of Umiu 2-2 just shrugs helplessly. "Who'd believe me? I was a teenage kid, bleeding out and supposedly traumatised from a combined train crash and Abyssal attack. And then I was also terrified for years after, that if the Cloaked Men ever realized I'd survived with my memories intact, they might come back to do the job properly. And the most gaping flaw in my story was that officially, Mr Akayama's body was never found by the authorities."

"Wait-" Taikomachi looks at him in confusion. "What happened to his body then?"

"The Cloaked Men took it. I think? One of them pointed their wand at it before they all disappeared again, and literally made his corpse vanish into thin air. Whatever he did with it though, that actually seemed to piss off some of the other Cloaked Men who'd been at least respectfully, looking through the guy's wallet for some sort of "registration" so they could figure out where or who to drop the body off with." Kudzu then grimaces, uncertainty and worry writ upon his face. "I don't know if they found anything. But part of the other reason I was so scared of the Cloaked Men for years afterwards, was that from what I heard while I was in the hospital, the Akayama's just disappeared."

Boke pales, shock and anger on not just his face, but chilling the veins of the others as well. "No... You don't think?"

All Kudzu can do is shake his head. "I have no clue. I don't know if they were sent to one of those "reserves" Mr Akayama was yelling about, or if they disappeared on their own. Even today, it still baffles everyone in town. Everyone who didn't see the fight or got memory wiped, just thought Mr Akayama was missing. But the next morning, his wife and kids were gone. The reason I'm not sure if they were taken or just ran though, was that the entire house was empty. Nobody heard anything in the night, and they only owned this little Suzuki that could barely fit the family themselves, but from what I heard, that house was cleaned out from top to bottom. They didn't just take essentials and clothes, they even managed to take their furniture with them, all without any of their neighbors noticing a thing. Just gone. All three of them. Poof, into thin air. Like magic."

"And you never heard from them again?" Asks Gyaru quietly.

"For all I know, they have ended up dead and in a ditch like Mr Akayama was, before being disappeared off into who knows where. But if they did run, I am almost certain I know why."

"The Cloaked Men," mutters Boke.

"And whoever they presumably answer to," considers Taikomachi worriedly. "Those guys sound far too spread out and disorganised to be the leaders or sole members, if they're doing the dirty work, talking about taking orders, and have friends who can abandon their cover up jobs to go help people."

"That's why you never say anything or complain," whispers Gyaru as she abruptly interrupts with an awful realization. "That's why you were the only one who ever put up with Tengu's craziness and acrobatics back in BFT and BCM. You weren't tolerating her leaving you behind all the time. You were protecting her from being paired with anybody who might notice and comment."

Quietly, Kudzu nods. "Pretty much, yeah. Tengu's not as good at hiding her capabilities when put in the hot seat and the heat of the moment, as she must think she is, especially when lives on the ground are at stake. I don't know what she is, but no human should ever have the kind of control over her plane and the level of sustained g-tolerance she has. I'm pretty sure many of her lucky escapes and runs through flak clouds are probably enabled by some kind of shield effect too. I figured that out early on. But having seen the Cloaked Men, I don't know if I can blame her for hiding whatever she can really do or is, and sandbagging whenever anybody is looking."

Turning his gaze back to Kero, Kudzu sighs. "You asked me earlier, if I expect you to believe that there are things out there that we are just supposed to accept as inexplicable?"

Quietly, Kero nods.

"My answer to that is no. I don't think so." For a long moment, Kudzu is silent. "What I think, is that there are things out there, that are not allowed to explain themselves. That fear the consequences if they do."

An awful pall settles over the group as they contemplate Kudzu's tale.

"That," interrupts a familiar, guilty sounding voice that causes all the pilots present to jump in therir seats, "is not all that far from the truth."

"Tengu!" Turning as one and with almost simultaneous cries, the five pilots are shocked to discover the sixth member of their group, standing in the doorway awkwardly. Hovering uncertainly on the threshold of the rec-room, and obviously having caught the last few notes of their discussion, it suddenly strikes the group how different the dark haired pilot is to her usual self.

Normally, Ai is infamous for her undaunted confidence, and aura of reserved professionalism in any situation. On occasions, she has been chewed out by the brass for reckless flying and endangering her aircraft, only to cooly argue back and unrepentantly elaborate in perfect detail exactly how she was in control every single time, and the justification in lives often saved because of her riskier and more extreme maneuvers. Now the very-likely-magical ace looks uncertain. Almost lost and ashamed as she enters the room, not quite able to meet their eyes.

"I.... believe I owe the five of you an explanation..... A personal one before the Colonel officially addresses you about what is- has been going on..... And an apology."

For a moment, the five human pilots share a look, the events of Kudzu's story still hanging in the air between them. Finally it is Gyaru who rises first. Then, to Ai's immense shock and surprise, the Okinawan ace walks towards her and pulls her into a hug.

"Gyar- Misha?!"

"Damnit, you crazy nutcase." She mutters into Ai's shoulder. "No wonder you're so high strung all the time."

Stepping forward as well, Kudzu then settles for resting an understanding hand on their flight lead's free shoulder. "There's nothing to apologies for Ai. We know you. Deception and omission are not your style, and.... well, if you heard the last of my little story, I guess you heard that we can already make a stab at figuring out why you never told anybody." Rising from their seats and gathering around too, Boke, Taikomachi, and Kero all nod or give words of agreement as well.

For a moment, Ai's gaze almost seems to water, though she furiously blinks and remains dry faced. "Damnit you five...." Unable to help it, she gives a helpless chuckle. "You do not even know the full story yet and you still want to-"

Shifting so that she goes from hugging the dark haired pilot, to having one hand slung over her shoulder, Gyaru then playfully nudges at Ai's shoulder. "Come on Ai. You think we'd stop being your friends over this. Or even respecting you as a pilot? You're obviously torn up enough about this, we'd have to be blind to think you did this maliciously. We just wanted to no why. But there's nothing you need to explain if you don't want to."

Smiling, but also unable to mask the worry for her in his eyes, Boke nods. "Are you even.... allowed to tell us? You don't have to if it could get you in trouble."

Ai just gives a rueful laugh and a hopeful smile at the thought. "Maybe before Blood Week that would have been a risk. Back then, I'd probably have been caught out as soon as we landed. If not, even while still in the air after attacking the Gashadokuro. In the years since though, to call the resources and infrastructure of the magical authorities "sparse" and "crippled", is a bit of an understatement."

Boke frowns deeply at Ai's wording. "Wait, so the Cloaked Men are actually recognized as an authority? The hell kind are they supposed to be? The secret police?"

Taikomachi and Kero on the other hand, look alternately confused and horrified.

"The Dark Souls reject giant skeleton was a what now?"

"That was a fucking Gashadokuro?!?!"

Now out of combat and her trained composure that comes with it, even after defeating the giant yokai, Ai can't help but shudder and look sick. "Indeed it was. To be honest, all we were truly doing that entire time was distracting it and annoying it with what could barely be considered flesh wounds given that one's size. Even my maneuver at the end was supposed to just delay and keep it occupied." The pilot shivers at the memory, with the more mythologically inclined Kudzu and Kero looking almost as pale and disturbed as her. "I have no clue what they did on the ground. But I guess congratulations are in order."

"What do you mean?" asks Gyaru, much less familiar with mainland folklore for obvious reasons.

"Do you know the Cazador meme?" Asks the pale Kero.

"Yeah?"

"Well, take the Nope-factor, and then multiply that by cancer."

Ai nods in agreement. "Traditionally, there was no real way to kill a Gashadokuro other than to let them wander around until they either ran out of people to kill and went elsewhere, or the grudges of the collective dead holding them together finally expired. The only real thing one could do, would be to set up wards and seals around your house, and pray it didn't notice you or get in, or that it didn't just decide to wait you out until you ran out of food and water."

As unnerved as Ai still is that they even fought a Gashadokuro, she still can't help but give a wry smile to the other members of Umiu Flight, that from her normally reserved self, may as well be whooping and triumphant grin. "Technically, were are now all party to the slaying of a monster from legend, which historically, has always been to all intents and purposes, unkillable and unstoppable."

Kero still looks mildly disturbed. Taikomachi however, slowly develops a grin. "I wonder if we could add a skull and crossbones to our kill silhouettes...." Ai reflexively shudders at the suggestion.

Boke however, is by this point, well beyond confused. "Okay, I'm sorry. But I am completely lost here. Gashadokuro? Grudges? Magic? When did we become the JMSDF?" Automatically, there is a round of snorts and chuckles at the jab towards their sister service. "No offence Tengu, but we still don't even really know what you've been doing the entire time, other than that it has to be magic. Or how you've managed to avoid the Cloaked Men for so long either."

The disguised pilot can't help the slightly amused twitch of her lips at the appellation Boke uses for magical law enforcement. "Maybe it is a good idea I explain myself then, if only so you can go into Ugeki's debrief without any set misconceptions. For one thing, the Cloaked Men as you refer to them, are officially known as Aurors. They are supposed to be somewhat akin to a police force, and serve under the National Auror Agency for Law Enforcement, who in turn answer to the National Magical Safety Commission."

"Some police force" mutters Boke darkly.

Kudzu however, frowns at the titles. "That almost sounds like somebody copied the National Police Agency and the National Public Safety Commission."

Ai shrugs. "I know the NMSC and NAALE were reformed out of older entities around the same time their non-magical counterparts were during the post-war occupation. Maybe somebody was inspired by the organisational chain and naming scheme? I have to confess, I was not really paying all that much attention to the revisions to the law system when they were first doing them in the late 40s and 50s."

It takes a moment for Ai's words to sink in across the group, before Gyaru suddenly lets out a strangled cry. "You're over 70 years old?!?"

Ai winces, even as she raises an eye brow "Wait, I thought you had already figured out I am not human?"

"You look younger than me still!!!" Wails Gyaru, causing Kero to breakout in giggles, Kudzu to fail at hiding a grin, and even Ai to finally give an honest smile as she facepalms.

"It's a combination of transformation and illusion. Something of a reverse engineered technique normally used by tanuki and kitsune. Without it, I look nothing like this," admits Ai as she slowly rolls up a sleeve. "I am actually a little bit of an oddball when it comes to my magic. Most of my kind are not anywhere near as adept at disguises, while I am not all that martially skilled for one born of my heritage and time."

"You aren't" asks Kudzu in confusion?

"No." Says Ai with a shake of her head, recognising the source of his bafflement. "A lot of what I do in the air is basically mcgyger'ing together heavily supercharging cantrips, what few defensive spells I know, and a bunch of "quality of life" techniques, all being modified far beyond their original or intended purposes." In demonstration, with her sleeve now rolled up above her elbow, a visibly swirling ball of air forms in the palm of Ai's hand, almost like a writhing, spherical mini-tornado. At the same time, the space surrounding her pale skin seems to ripple, and then suddenly from the bicep down, there is an undoubtedly non-human limb covered in black feathers, as well as bird like scale around her forearm, hands and fingers, which in turn are tipped with avian talons.

For a moment, there is a stunned silence, before Taikomachi is finally the first to speak. "Is that a rasengan?"

Gyaru dope-slaps him, while Ai rolls her eyes and disperses the spell. Despite this, the irreverent question seems to put the non-human pilot at ease, even as her limb subsequently returns to it's "normal" appearance. Kero meanwhile, laughs at the irony.

"Holy shit! You really are a tengu! That's what you are right?!"

"Kotengu, technically." Admits Ai. "There is a notable distinction between the Great and Small Tengu, though the last 150 years have.... somewhat blurred the sociological divide between our kind, even if the physical differences remain."

"So...." says Boke, summing up the past few minutes of conversation "You're older than my grandmother, fighting the Abyssals, against the will of some sort of shadow government, using magic to blend in with us normal pilots. I'd imagine there's one hell of a story behind all that?"

Ai nods, thinking for a moment, before gesturing towards the table everyone was only just sitting at previously. "We should sit down. If I am going to properly explain why I am doing what I'm doing, I'll need to start with the events going on in Japan shortly before I was born."

"Which I'm guessing that could take a while, considering you were born in the '50s." agrees Kero with a nod as everyone shares a glance and then begins moving to take seats.

"Actually," corrects Ai with a wry smile, "I was born in 1869. January 15th if we go by the date of the modern calendar."

Kero almost misses and falls out his seat in shock. Taikomachi stares open mouthed. Gyaru can only manage a jealous whine. Kudzu just blinks owlishly. "I thought your birthday was in July?"

Ai just laughs, slightly embarrassed. "Oh, that's a fake date. Once you turn 50, having to plan around getting snowed in all the time loses it's novelty, especially when the few people you know are scattered across most of Japan before the advent of cheap, easily accessible rapid transport. I started listing it in the rough area of June to August after I changed my non-magical identity for the third or forth time. It's easier to travel around then, and the nicer weather usually makes for many more options."

"Is Aina even your real name?" asks Gyaru awkwardly.

The kotengu chuckles in guilty amusement. "Technically it is, and it isn't. "Ai" actually is my real given name, but I've always been absolutely horrendous at picking up when people are calling me by new names whenever I change identity. Which is why I have a bad habit of choosing appellations where the obvious shortening for most people once they are familiar with me, is to just call me Ai."

Taikomachi suddenly explodes with spluttered laughter as something simultaneously occurs to him and he connects the dots, while being reminded of a certain humorous paradox "You're your own aunt!"

With the last member of their group having finally completed his mental math however, Boke then stares at the non-human pilot in almost embarrassed amazement. "Tengu, if you were born in 1869, that makes you 144 years old."

The no longer disguised Tengu laughs, amusement shining in her eyes. "Oh, don't think I am some ancient, curmudgeonly, mountain-sage of wisdom or something. As Kotengu go, I am actually not that old. Maturity is a bit hard to measure when your unaltered lifespan is measured in hundreds of years, and easily lasts beyond a millennium with the right magics, lifestyle, knowledge, or service to higher beings. Under the Old Ways, I would probably only be considered in comparatively the same social standing and age group as you five."

Kudzu raises an eyebrow, obviously still trying to wrap his head around her age, let alone the fact that despite it all, she would still be considered young. "Wait, really?"

"I guess that makes 144 the new 24," Taikomachi absently quips.

Ai gives a small laugh. "I will admit, sometimes I certainly do feel those 144 years, even if I don't look it." Sobering for a second, Ai looks at her hands quietly for a moment, absently tapping her fingers on the table as she finally unclouds her thoughts and figures out where to begin.

"I was born on an estate, just outside what is now the neighborhood of Yotsuya in Shinjuku." Ai then pauses and makes a face. "Actually, back then it was called Tsunohazu. After World War II, it was initially a nice residential district with a near mall, but most people now days only know it for the Kabukicho red light district. I stopped living there after the war however, seeing as the old compound got leveled in the-"

Cutting her rambling off and looking pained for a moment, Ai shakes her head and returns to where she started, voice now much quieter and tinged with melancholic sadness. "My father was a hatamoto. A bannerman and retainer of a onmyouji shugo-dai, primarily charged with managing the finances and operation of the compound and surrounding estate we lived upon."

Ai grimaces quietly. "But the late 1860s were immensely troubled times for not just tengu, or even yokai in general, but all the peoples of magical Japan as a whole. While the turning point of the Bakamatsu resulted in the Meiji Restoration which brought Japan into the modern age, among those versed in magic, it was the hopeless grand finale of a divisive and self-destructive series of events, machinations and finally civil conflict, dating back to the fallout of the Perry Expedition twenty years earlier. By the time I was born, much of the global magic community espoused a doctrine of not just separation, but also absolute secrecy, hiding away from the rest of the world. A policy making mindset we have the Europeans and their slow colonisation of the world to thank for. Japan was one of the last holdouts against this way of thinking, with onmyouji and yokai actually being some of the major backers behind the long standing policy of Sakoku. Most of the daimyo and kuge liked it because it kept the foreigners out, and a tight control on wealth, knowledge and trade entering or leaving the country. The onmyouji and yokai liked it because it kept out western representatives who might subvert those who stood to stand and gain from a shake up of the old order."

Kudzu grimaces, thinking back to what he saw so many years ago. "Which I'm guessing did happen in the end, didn't?"

Ai nods somberly. "The Opening of Japan changed everything. But it wasn't a sudden thing either. To get to what I currently live under, took well over thirty years of political maneuvering, diplomatic pressure, bad luck, and people simply being people. Just like in any large group, there is always going to be at least a few who think they have much to gain and little to lose. At other times, honor and pride can undo even the most rational logic and reasoning. In many cases, the desire to one up someone, or be the biggest at the top of the pile can be a very blinding thing sometimes. So blinding, many didn't realize that while they themselves were only undercutting the pile a little, collectively they were carving chunks out of the ground beneath their feet. And all this culminated in the now forgotten and erased magical politics and actions in the Boshin War."

"There was magic and yokai involved in the Boshin War?" asks Gyaru curiously. "I've never really heard anything all that notable, even as stories, involving the supernatural from that time period?"

The tengu among them gives a resigned sigh. "I am not surprised. Being recent history, it was one of the main things the victors prioritized erasing as quickly as possible, especially thanks to photography increasingly becoming an issue during that time period."

"How could they have won though?" asks Taikomachi baffled. "Wouldn't you guys have had the home field advantage."

Ai just shakes her head sadly. "There were far fewer cases of foreigners supposedly impinging their ways on us and subjugating our way of life, than many liked to imagine or dramatise in later years. More often than not, it was Japanese spellfire and claws that did the subjugating and blood spilling against our own. The Boshin War itself was not the final nail in the coffin for yokai rights or onmyouji freedom of movement either. That was the aftermath, which trapped many who were once the political elite, in a Catch 22."

"How so?" asks Boke with a deepening frown.

"The issue of western interference was actually not all that notable during the war itself. But in the decades before my birth, many onmyouji and yokai prominently sided with various factions of the shogunate, with such political alliances particularly increasing in number to help back and pressure the daimyo into enforcing Emperor Komei's "Order to Expel Barbarians", after he proclaimed it in 1863." Ai snorts deridingly. "Of course, few in the Shoganate actually bothered to enforce the order, if they even supported it at all. But it still ensnared many of the clans in a growing variety of other behind-the-scenes political spiderwebs, that by the time of the Boshin War, would have made a diplomatic map of Europe pre-WWI look rather reasonable and well executed."

"So what?" questions Kudzu looking baffled. "Everyone important just killed each other?"

Unperturbed by his incredulity, Ai shrugs. "I summary? Yeah, pretty much. That is what happened to the line of the shugo-dai my family had served for most of the preceding eight centuries. He died in the same battle his lord did. And then his son died. And then his grandson. So then the title went to his other son. And if I recall correctly, it was in the hands of that man's second son after he and his eldest were slain in battle, just shortly before the end of the war."

Ai then gives an exasperated sigh. "This was all just before I was born, for reference. The Boshin War was comparatively bloodless for the non-magical populace, because some onmyouji picked up on a new tactic that was essentially "scry-and-die" from the westerners, without bothering to read up on most of the western specialized counters. So it quickly devolved into a lot of important people leading groups and playing hide-and-seek in heavily, but ineffectively hidden or not-actually-protected locations in the mountains, and tele-fragging or alpha striking each other with devastating effect and regularity. Unfortunately, when the obvious doctrine is to counter-target the people who know how to do this, and when the only people with the money to afford learning how to do this are the ruling members of your political and social elite..." The tengu shrugs helplessly. "Well..... you five can do the math."

"So what happened after the war?" asks Kero curiously. "Even if a lot of people died, surely that didn't remove everyone with political clout from power?"

"That is where the Catch-22 came in," elaborates Ai. "The mad webs of political alliances and marriages during the war often tore the largest and most politically active clans apart, and then set them against each other on a nuclear-family vs nuclear-family level. Whether onmyouji or yokai, blood was set against blood as alliances, favors, vengeance and opportunism often forced notable families to side with either the Shogunate or the Imperial Court. The problem was that after the war, Emperor Meiji was then restored to power, while at the same time, the court had largely been emptied of it's magical presence as a result of so many high ranking figures' deaths. Many onmyouji and yokai had already been extremely vocal opponents of the modernization and westernization, and unlike with Emporer Komei, relationships with the Emperor Meiji and Imperial court had grown strained. Something that only worsened due to so many having opposed the Imperial Court."

"From without you had westerners, both those who did and didn't know about magic, whispering the ideas of "out with the old and in with the new" for the sake of progress. Other's said that separating magic from the mundane was the modern way forward, along with the suggestions that it would be the easiest way to silence some of the greatest political enemies to the modernization. Meanwhile from within, you had fierce competition from onmyouji and yokai looking to claim positions in the imperial court after relatives and the direct line of succession had often died. In the process, they often ended up undermining each other and collectively shooting whole clans in the foot by bringing up ties to relatives who may have served with the shogunate, even if they themselves were neutral or had fought to help restore the Emperor. The end result was not a good look for anybody, and only made the onmyouji and yokai presence in the court easier to mock, shame, and then politically isolate, by non-magical members, who stood to gain much power from the muscling out of opponents by the slow separation of our two worlds. A process that slowly happened over the next ten years after the Boshin War, saw a final gasp of defiance by some of the more radically resistant elements during the last stand at Shiroyama, which actually made things worse everyone else, and then was basically completed around the late 1880s.

"That's insane" whispers Boke.

"That's politics." Corrects Ai with a disgusted sound. "It is what happened to my father and our family in a nutshell. We never fought in the Boshin ourselves, but our lords, and distant branches of the clan barely even related to us and living elsewhere in Japan did. So when they reorganised the government, they refused to acknowledge my father as the defacto tax collector and administrator for Tsunohazu, because we had ties to the old Tokugawa Shogunate, which was a downright hypocritical load of shit considering all the people who actually did fight for the Tokugawa that they took in."

Her bitter vehemence and and language surprises the others, causing Ai to wince and look slightly ashamed. "I apologise. That was uncalled for."

Quietly, Gyaru reaches out and takes her hand. "I think it's pretty obvious that this.... you're allowed to be mad."

The tengu however, just grimaces. "I shouldn't be. Disappointed and sad, yes. Angry? No. All I ever knew as a child was the slow erosion of my family's status. I was raised upon a doctrine of rose-tinted longing for the "old days" by the my parents and other members of the clan. For the first 60 years of my life, I was only told to be angry and bitter at the inability to reclaim a past, I now in retrospect see we should have evolved with, instead of resisting and trying to return to." Ruefully, the tengu gives a self-depreciating smile. "I have changed much and become a very different person, with greatly diverging views from who I was over a century ago. But I guess we never completely let go of who we were as children."

"Was it that bad?" asks Kudzu quietly.

The kotengu shakes her head. "It colors what I feel looking back. But that time is not without it's happy memories and treasured moments. And though the world around us left us behind, I at least had the love and belonging that any child wants, from my family and and extended clan." Awkwardly, Ai then gives a slightly embarrassed smile. "My birth was actually seen as a fortuitous event by the elders. My elder sister was my only sibling at that point, so my birth would secure the family head's line with a "spare". Security that was especially valued with the Boshin War still taking place at that time."

Making a face, the tengu pilot then frowns slightly. "My mother being of the rather mystically enamoured sort, even brought in a onmyouji to make all sorts of readings about my birth, who supposedly saw all sorts of auspicious signs in it." Adding a slightly faux-spiritual and mocking tone to her voice, she then continues "Born under the zodiac of the Earth Dragon as it prepares it's final cycle before the start of the Earth Serpent. Taking breath with the setting moments of the sun, the hour of the Omagatoki and the appointed start of the of a hyakki yagyo. An event that only progresses, upon the fading of the lingering blizzard that created hardship in recent days. And now revealed above, the first signs of the waxing moon, and the return of light to the darkened land". Ai then gives a deriding snort. "Mother wasted her money with that one. The woman must have been a crank."

"Why do you say that?" queries an intrigued Kero, obviously trying to figure out the meanings in his head.

"Because none of that stuff actually really matters or is a real sign by itself." Answers Ai with an exasperated and yet somehow still melancholic and fondly sad laugh. "In my opinion, most of it was just conjecture and metaphors my mother wanted to hear. If anything, the sunset I was born upon was that of the old Japan. Within a few years of my birth, we would enter the twilight of magic in Japan. And then eventually, the long night it has been since then."

A silence falls upon the group as they digest the heaviness of Ai's words.

"So that was what I was born into. Who I suppose I really am technically." says the disguised pilot with a defeated sigh. "While I have changed non-magical identities a number of times over the decades, I am still legally recognised as by the magical government as the name I was first registered under."

Even in spite of her resigned and heavy-hearted slump, it is notable how even unconsciously, Ai imperceptibly straightens as some small measure of lingering pride and defiance shines through the weight and sorrow in her eyes.

"I am Suburo no Ai. Second daughter of the hatamoto Saburo no Ate and his wife, Saburo no Saku, of the Edo branch family of the Iizuna Kotengu, loyal retainers to the Tokugawa aligned Nagai Clan of old Edo. Heiress to Tsunohazu-Shoen, a manor that has long been erased. Jito to a forgotten estate. Sole survivor, and last hatamoto of the Suburo line."

 

Harry Leferts

Gathering her thoughts, Tatsuta frowned as a thought occurred to her and she turned to Harry. "So, Harry-Chan, from what you said you're studying Onmyouji, getting training in knife fighting from Louisiana, Aikido from Inazuma-Chan, that boxing from Verniy, and sword training?"

With it all laid out like that, Tenryuu blinked and then held her hands in hold it motion. "Whoa, wait, seriously?" At Harry's nod, she raised an eyebrow at him. "Seriously Kiddo? You realize how much work any of that would be, right?"

Harry gave a slow, unsure nod. "Well, yeah? I mean, considering everything that happened... I want to be prepared."

If anything though, that made Tenryuu frown deeper. Then she walked around and crouched down to look him in the eye. "Look at me for a moment, Harry-Chan." When he did so, she continued. "There is a difference between being prepared and being stupid. You're not at that point yet, but I'm going to stop you before you do."

Confused, and somewhat hurt, Harry tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean by that, Tenryuu-Oba?"

Sighing, she shook her head some. "Don't be giving me that hurt puppy look, Kid. As to what I mean? Doing all that shit is going to overstretch you to the point where you'll be lousy at them all. Your Onmyouji stuff? You've been studying that for years now and you're still a novice from what you told me."

Just rubbing the back of his neck, Harry nodded. "Well... yes? I mean, training in it takes years and sometimes decades to get really good at it."

The Light Cruiser gave a small tilt of the head. "And sword training does the same as does everything else you mentioned." Tenryuu grew thoughtful for a moment and then shook her head. "Well, maybe not knife fighting anyways. Pretty sure that takes a couple of months to learn, but the point remains." Reaching up, she poked him in the forehead. "You're overloading yourself with everything."

Looking down at his feet, Harry scuffed his feet some. "What if something happens then?"

All Tenryuu did was shrug. "Then something happens. It might be hypocritical of me to say so, but life is not a Shonen anime. You're not going to be able to train and learn mad fighting skills in weeks or be able to kick the bad guys ass in a short time. And you're not going to know and be good at every form of fighting that you come across. Don't get me wrong, being well rounded is a very good thing. But not when it starts to cause issues which this will. You know that Russian style boxing from Hibiki-Chan here and Aikido from Ami-Chan. That is pretty much all you need to know about hand to hand. Knife fighting? Okay, that lets you use a weapon if needed."

Inazuma then placed her hand on Harry's shoulder and gave him a smile. "Why not focus on what you have been doing for right now? And then in a few years you can move on to other types of fighting once you're good at what you are working on at the moment."

Crossing his arms, Harry looked from one of them to the other. Each of them had smiles and understanding looks on their faces before he finally sighed. "I guess..."

With a glance at her mother, Ikazuchi leaned over and stage whispered in his ear. "Besides, despite what Kaa-San thinks, sword fighting isn't that cool. Now, anchors, using those as weapons are cool. Way cooler then flailing around with a sword like some people."

Eye narrowed, Tenryuu bopped her daughter on the head. "Hey, enough of that." She was amused more then angry though. At the same time, the Light Cruiser made a note to talk with Nagato and explain things. The Battleship would need be on the look out after all. "Anyways... any more uh, whatchamacallits? Unbuilt shipgirls show up?"

Blinking, Harry stared at her. "Unbuilt? That's what they're calling them?"

Akatsuki frowned and shook her head. "Um, some people do? I mean, they were never built..."

With a look towards Akatsuki, Tenryuu shrugged. "It's like how you have summoned and natural borns. If you need to refer to them somehow... Though yeah, I agree it needs a lot of work." Turning to Harry, she raised one eyebrow. "So any more got summoned?"

Thinking things over, Harry gave a shake of the head. "Not that I heard of anyways? Why?"

For several seconds, Tenryuu was quiet before she finally sighed and put her hands behind her head. Tilting her face towards the sky, she looked at the clouds go by before sighing. "Did you know that Tatsuta and I were not the only ones planned for our class? There were six more planned that were dropped because of issues thanks to our size and displacement. And since there are more shipgirls whose hulls only existed on paper..."

His eyes widening, the black haired twelve year old nodded. "Oh..." After a few moments, he shook his head. "Well, I haven't heard of anything. Any idea of what names they were to be given?"

Glancing at Tatsuta, Tenryuu gave a shake of the head. "No, no names were assigned to them." With a look around, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a notepad that she showed to Harry. "I've been working on some possible names though. There's a number of rivers that never had Light Cruisers named after them."

Beside her mother, Inazuma gave a nod. "From what Kaa-San was told they'll probably be used to lead any Kaibōkan as well as Chidori and Ōtori shipgirls that might show up. That way it frees up any Destroyers."

After a few seconds, Harry made a sound of agreement. "I guess that would make a lot of sense. And I know that the JMSDF really wants escort ships to come back."

It was then that Verniy spoke up and made everyone look at her as she was still holding Harry's hand. "Kaa-San?"

Lips twitching, Tenryuu reached over and ruffled the white hair. "You bunch go ahead." TIlting her head towards the main administration building, she smiled. "Tatsuta and I'll make the report to Teitoku. So relax and go have some ice cream."

Once they were gone, Verniy with a large smile on her face as she pulled Harry along, Tatsuta hummed. "Go get some ice cream, Tenryuu-Chan? Really?"

Shrugging, Tenryuu placed her hands behind her head and began to head off to make her report. "What? Destroyers like ice cream after all. Besides..." Her expression softened before looking in the direction her daughters had gone in. "Hibiki-Chan and the others need some reassurance."

With that, Tenryuu continued to walk as Tatsuta softly smiled behind her.

Meanwhile, part of Harry was amused as DesDiv6 moved into an escort formation around him as they walked along. The rest of him though was paying more attention to Verniy as she leaned into him. "Are you really okay, Harry-Chan?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Harry gave a small nod. "I'm pretty good actually."

A frown on her face, Ikazuchi gave him a narrowed eyed look. "Considering how much venom you had got? You sure about that, Harry-Chan? I mean, you got checked, right?"

Despite some exasperation, Harry didn't roll his eyes at his friend. He could understand her worry after all. "Hai, they did a bunch of blood tests and the like when I got back to base." Playfully shuddering he waved a hand. "They took enough from me that I looked like a mummy!"

Huffing some, Inazuma gave him a shove. "They did not, Harry-Chan. Nanodesu."

Eyes wide, Harry mock stared at her before shaking his head. "I'm telling the truth, Inazuma-Chan! They took so much blood from me that I had shriveled up!" Turning, he gave Verniy a pout. "You believe me, don't you, Hibiki-Chan?"

There was a twinkle in Verniy's eyes as she reached up and patted his head with a slight curl to her lips. "Da, I believe you when you say such things, Harry-Chan." The smile on her face grew as he pouted before her expression became one of curiosity. "What did they find though, Harry-Chan?"

Chewing his lip, Harry glanced around and took a deep breath. "Well... they were surprised at how potent the venom was. According to them, a normal person would have been taken down and unable to even move, if only due to pain." At the widened eyes, he waved his hands around. "But I'm alright! Like I said, somehow my body fought it off."

Now frowning, Akatsuki gave him an unsure look. "And you're sure that you're alright?"

Harry tilted his head and then scratch his cheek. "Well... yes? Though I'm not allowed to give blood for a long time." When all the shipgirls there gave him unamused looks, he shrugged. "What? It's true!"

Reaching over, Ikazuchi flicked his ear while Inazuma pinched her nose. Meanwhile, Verniy's eyes continued to head back to where the scar on his shoulder was. At the same time, she could see the one that was on his arm as well due to him wearing a t-shirt due to the warmer weather. Instead of continuing to ask about what happened though, the white haired shipgirl took a deep breath. She decided to just give the hand that she was holding another squeeze.

 

NotHimAgain

Okay. So, a word of warning. I said a while back that a story focused on Tatsuya and Benio would end up being a horror story to some level. Also, the current thing he has going on with the murders and the tablet website is a fairly toned down version of an original story that is fairly dark itself. So.
Night Terror

-----

Whatever it was killing people, Tatsuya just knew that he didn’t want it anywhere near his house. The past few nights had seen him stepping out for “walks,” just to make sure that if something showed up, it wouldn’t be near anyone. Fortunately, or unfortunately, he hadn’t seen anything yet. Just three people that he knew of dead, very likely more.

He looked up at the sky, tracing the milky way with his eyes. Maybe, whatever the murderer had been trying to accomplish, they had pulled it off? Or maybe they were just some aimless psycho who killed a few people and saw no reason to think of it anymore? The thought would have chilled him when he was younger, Tatsuya supposed, but by now he had simply seen too many psychos.

He looked around the park, abandoned in the night. He’d been reasonably sure that somehow, whatever it was killing people would turn its eyes of him, saving him the trouble of a lengthy investigation. Apparently, it was too late now. Maybe Harry had some kind of connection in the police force?

clank

Within practiced seconds, Tatsuya was up a tree. The moon’s light was weak, and he was high enough among the leaves that it would take valuable time to identify him, time that he could use to his advantage.

clank

Whatever it was, it was coming from his left. Slowly, Tatsuya felt his weight and shifted his foot slightly. He turned, surveying the area. And gradually, grindingly, it faded out of the night.

clank

It was hunched over, though by Tatsuya’s guess it stood about six feet tall. It was a mannequin, resembling one of the tiny little ones that artists used for poses. It walked slowly, twisting from side to side as it did. In its arms was cradled a large bundle, dripping a dark liquid. Quietly, Tatsuya factored in how the puppet held its victim, how they sagged, and felt a chill run down his back.

Oh my God. That’s a kid.

Tatsuya squinted, trying to lean forward and get a better view without disturbing the foliage. How injured were they? In what ways? Could he possibly get in close enough fast enough and snatch them?

As seconds ticked past and the puppet slowly walked through the park, Tatsuya figured that maybe he could risk it. He would have to be fast, enough so that the puppet couldn’t react as he struck, but speed was something that he had in abundance. Besides, the puppet was going to kill the child anyway. At least this way, there was some kind of chance that they could be rescued, small or not. He shifted his weight again. Lower, in anticipation of dropping out of the tree and charging.

And then, wouldn’t you know it, his cell phone went off.

It was, as Tatsuya preferred, set to vibrate instead of ring. It was much quieter, and too much noise at the wrong time could be almost immediately fatal. There was just one problem—vibrate wasn’t silent. It still created a low buzzing noise. It was enough, usually, but every so often you ran into the monsters that could hear low buzzing noises from very far away. And given how the puppet was whipping around, looking up into his hiding place, this was one of those monsters. He cursed under his breath and dropped, hitting the ground with a hiss of pain and already running.

As the puppet turned to face him, its fingers flexed outwards. It was something bad, Tatsuya figured, and he was proven right as metal blades slid out, inch-long claws that could cut his arms to the bone if he let it touch him.

Fortunately, he didn’t plan to let it touch him.

Tatsuya dropped into a baseball slide as he closed the distance, thrusting out with his feet. The puppet suddenly found itself topping over on top of him, and as its hold on its package lessened, Tatsuya reached up, grabbed, and rolled.

He hadn’t liked his chances of success before. But in order to pull off a stunt like that, you had to forget it was impossible and try anyways, whether or not it worked. In his experience, it was usually a fifty-fifty chance.

And as he came up on his feet, clutching a five-year old girl to his chest who began to stain his shirt red, it seemed like it had worked out this time. Of course, that meant there was still an evil murder puppet, one that had flipped back to its feet easily and was now advancing on him. Tatsuya began running again as it charged him, ducking as low as he dared, and the claws barely clipped his hair. Tatsuya ran a few more steps, skidded to a halt and began running the other way, just in time to see the puppet fly over his head. It hit the ground behind him with a clatter.

And thus began an insane game of tag.
-----

Ryuusei Ryunosuke watched his father pace madly from one side of his office to the other. The older man snarled under his breath, and Ryunosuke caught half-formed oaths and curses between steps.

“Damn the ICW!” Ryuusei Jusaburo raged finally, striking the surface of his desk. His hand caught the fountain pen (a gift from a political ally) that sat there and sent it flying through the air. “What do they think they are doing? How do they expect us to maintain the Statute like this?”

“I could not venture to say,” Ryunosuke replied in measured tones. Now was the time to remain calm. If the members of the Magical Diet could keep their heads, coming up with a way to use what little budget they had more effectively should not have been too difficult. Instead they shouted, and the voices of reason were subsumed under the noise.

“Do you think I was talking to you!” Chichi-ue roared, jabbing at Ryunosuke with a finger. “You, who could not even bring your sister back home?”

“My sister has married into the family of eight Kanmusu,” Ryunosuke replied, maintaining his even voice. “If I were to force her to return, I may not live to see the morning.”

“Fool! Coward!” Chichi-ue’s wand was in his hand, pointing at Ryunosuke’s eye. “You have no resolve. This is why you cannot inherit my duties!”

“As my lord father says,” Ryunosuke replied.

“Do you mock me!”

Chichi-ue broke off his vitriolic ranting, breathing heavily. Ryunosuke took a step back. He had seen his father like this exactly twice. The first, it was the day he had exchanged his mother for his sister. The second had been the night that they realized his sister was not planning on coming home. At this moment, Ryuusei Jusaburo was at his most dangerous.

“Ryunosuke,” he growled.

“Yes, father.”

“Your sister’s foolishness has gone unchecked too long. Her living amongst the mundane populace places the Statute in even greater danger. Summon the head of the branch family.” Ryunosuke bowed.

“Yes, father. If I may ask…”

“Speak.”

“What of her daughter?” Chichi-ue paused, considering this.

“Bring her, too. Perhaps satisfying her maternal desires will make Himeyuki more amenable. We will make her husband think that she took the child and left him, dissatisfied with what he provided her. I understand that such things happen between young couples.”

Ryunosuke did not comment. Did not speak about how the young woman before him was flippant, spirited, a far cry from the silent waif who never so much as reacted or smiled for the gifts that her father showered upon her and one day, in a fit of rage, revealed that she was able to duel a man who, for all that he was aging, was still one of the most powerful duelists in land of the Rising Sun evenly. His father had given him an order. And his duty was, as always, to his father.

“I understand,” he said.
-----

Tatsuya felt like he would have had a much easier time of things if he had been able to put the girl down. Unfortunately, there was a fair chance that the puppet would immediately switch to targeting its original victim, and he couldn’t take that chance. This also meant that he couldn’t call Benio.

And considering that he was beginning to tire out, that was an especially bad thing.

He had lead the puppet to a train station, one that they had reached gradually in their game of dodges. And now they were standing still. Just standing. Because whoever made the second move would have the advantage.

Without un-tensing a muscle, Tatsuya allowed his eyelids to droop closed for a moment, focusing everything on his sense of hearing. Unfortunately, Puppet-kun (as he just decided to call it) did not rise to the bait. The blasted thing was learning.

And then a flicker of light that hadn’t been there a moment ago caught the corner of his eye. Mind racing, Tatsuya lowered himself into a starting position. Puppet-kun mirrored him, and as Tatsuya counted seconds, he did not move his gaze from it.

Then, as the sound rushed closer, he charged towards the tracks. Puppet-kun ran diagonally, on an intercept course, and Tatsuya dropped low, gathering his legs under him, Puppet-kun was already in the air.

And Tatsuya hopped forward a few inches.

And then the train hit Puppet-kun and reduced its right side to splinters, sending the left flipping through the air to be dashed against the ground, splitting and shattering.

Panting heavily, Tatsuya lowered the girl to the ground. She was almost deathly pale, and Tatsuya tried to clamp down on the knowledge of how quickly people bled and how little blood a child had as he pulled out his phone and dialed 119.

“Yes?” the woman on the other end said quietly.

“I’ve got a kid here,” Tatsuya said breathlessly. “She’s about five, and she’s all torn up and bleeding.”

“What is your location?” the woman asked. Tatsuya looked down at the child, looked around for any other Puppet-kuns.

“Just track my location on my phone!” He hissed impatiently. “You can do that, can’t you?”

“Sir, calm down,” the woman said.

“Calm down? She’s bleeding out! God damn it, send someone!”
-----

Well, Tatsuya thought, at least I know what a curse tablet is now.

The thought brought him no comfort.

He looked across the room, tired and blood-stained, at the small family across from him, father mother and sister to Puppet-kun’s. They were a mess, hastily and half-dressed, fearful and trembling. He cast a sympathetic glance at the ten-year-old girl who sat against the wall, wide-eyed and trembling. He’d heard people talking about the wonders that the magical world brought them. Why was it that he only ever got to see the terrible side of things?

He had called Benio the second he had been able to relay what had happened. Apparently the one who had broken his cover was Harry, calling to inform him of the results of his research. A curse tablet was from ancient Greece, it turned out—a disgruntled party wrote the name of their enemy and a desired misfortune on a tablet, asking a god to carry out their wishes, and buried it. Most often, the deity called on was Hades or Hecate. In any case, for all that “curse tablet dot com” evoked the imagery, it didn’t have the exact same effect or methodology as the actual thing.

A nurse had come up to him earlier, asking if he was alright. He was, just tired physically and mentally. He had asked for coffee to keep himself going. He wasn’t sure, but he thought she objected.

The door opened, and a doctor stepped out. Short and thin, with a pencil mustache and goatee. The father stood, galvanized by his presence and walked toward him.

“Well?” he pleaded. The doctor gave him a mournful gaze, then turned his head downward. The father fell like a puppet with its strings cut. The sister looked around frantically, from her father to her mother, until the tears in her mother’s eyes registered, followed by their meaning.

The girl dropped to the ground, huddled in a fetal position, clawing at her hair, and SCREAMED.

And Tatsuya thought back to the girl, staring tearfully at him and repeating "I killed her" over and over, and realized exactly what had happened.

And burning white hot rage spilled through his veins.
-----

Geez, writing this was an experience.

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

Lord K

A.N./ I have absolutely no freaking clue where this came from. I guess after the heaviness of the last piece, I just wanted to write something aggressively stupid and filled with crack.

*-*-*-*-*-*
"Are you two sure you wouldn't like to come inside?"

Looking back from their quiet vigils of the night sky over a cup of tea from their cheap plastic lawn chairs in the middle of the driveway, the fox and swordswoman turn to glance back at the matronly voice calling to them from the doorway to the clinic.

"We're fine Doc." Says Tomokako with a smile, holding up the still full kettle for reference. "We're just going to finish our tea and come in."

"It is a lovely night." Agrees Chisuheri with the quiet introspection of steel.

In the doorway, the mermaid nods from her wheel chair. "Well, okay then you two. We're turning out the lights and headed to bed. Good night."

The kitsune gives a lackadaisical wave. "Good night Mizuki."

"May your slumber be sound," adds the tsukumogami with a quiet nod of her own.

Smiling beatifically, the mermaid turns her wheel chair around and rolls herself back inside, closing the door behind her. "See you two in the morning!"

Silently, the two return to partaking their tea. No words are said, even as Tomokako's gaze lingers on the clinic and surrounding lawns, slowly watching as the lights go out, while Chisuheri returns to her vigil of the street. With increasing pace, the lights begin to go out, not just in the clinic until even Mizuki and Goro's bedroom is darkened, but also in the surrounding neighborhood. Eventually, all that is left, is the fox and her drinking partner, meditatively sipping at their drinks in the light of the street lamps.

Then, the lamps at either end of the streets begin to die out and dim, an ominous, closing circle, that finally gives cause for Tomokako to break the silence.

"It's a lovely night you said?"

Rising from her lawn chair in time with the fox, the tsukumogami quietly brushes down her business suit in annoyance.

"It was lovely until we were so rudely interrupted."

With the darkened encirclement now threatening to touch the threshold of the clinic's property boundaries, the skittering shapes of many legged forms are just barely perceptible through the shadows they cloak themselves with. From somewhere in the backyard, there is a chittering scream of agony and the meaty sizzle of the kitsune's seal handiwork at play. "You'd think they'd have realized we wouldn't just leave the backdoor open?"

As Tomokako pulls out an ink brush out of her robes and begins to paint something on her palm, Chisuheri doesn't even bother with concern as she carefully begins packing away the tea kettle and cups, practically ignoring the monsters at their doorstep. "Considering the two of us are at the front door and they still announced their presence like this, tactical masterminds, these cretins are not."

Somewhere in the darkness, multiple voices start whispering forth. It's a variety of vile and horrifying things that the kitsune supposes are intended to unnerve normal people. It doesn't work very well on the two women.

"We'Re gonna sUck yoU dry. We shALl sUp uPon yOuR bLoOd."

"Are you sure about that?" asks Chisuheri flatly, complete unfazed by the threats and the voice throwing, as she stares directly into the darkness at a shape that abruptly freezes in place upon being caught under her gaze. "As a bit of advice worth heeding from someone with personal experience in such matters, it can be rather difficult exsanguinating shapeshifters and inanimate objects such as kitsune and tsukumogami."

The fox beside her raises a curious eyebrow. "Wait, you've vampire'd a kitsune before?"

Giving her interrupting partner an unamused look, Tomokako gives a toothy smile to the glaring tsukumogami and shrugs unrepentantly in return.

From within the darkness surrounding their island of lamp light, there is an almost awkward pause.

"KilL tHeM."

Nonchalantly, the kitsune glances at Chisuheri. "You want this first one?"

A tinge of annoyance momentarily passes over the sword set's face. "I have my vow, remember?"

"Just testing?" says the fox teasingly, only to be interrupted as something with far too many legs leaps out of the darkness at tsukumogami.

"STOP FUCKING IGNORING US ALREADY!!!"

With the swiftness of steel through the air, Chisuheri then moves. With the collective skill and grace of 100 years of swordsmen wielding her, honed by centuries of monastery training since, the sword set flows across the yard, seamlessly avoiding every strike and blow, constantly giving ground, but somehow still completely in control in the pace of the purely defensive battle. Seeing his opponent not even bother to raise her arms to defend herself as she seamlessly shifts and shuffles through a series of katas that leave him following in an embarrassing flurry of fruitless swings after her, the spider yokai only grows more infuriated.

"WHY WON'T YOU FIGHT BACK YOU BITCH!?!"

Watching these proceedings, Tomokako openly laughs and holds her stomach like it's the funniest thing ever, only to then be interrupted as a new opponent charges out of the darkness towards her. "I'm gonna spilt you in two!" The kitsune isn't actually sure what her opponent is supposed to be, other than the fact that he smells like filth and death. Even so, she doesn't show the slightest concern for the attacker bearing down on her, and instead feels a smirk grow on her face as she watches her foe rear back with a clawed hand for a swipe.

"LET'S SEE WHAT YOU TASTE LI-"

Whack! Crunch! Snap!

Everything freezes, and for a long moment, even the spider that was chasing Chisuheri can only stare in horror at his comrade. Tomokako herself, gives a cruelly amused grin as she watches her attacker stare in horror at the extra joint his arm has gained thanks to the process of being practically bent back over itself. Then he howls in agony and horror, falling to his knees while the still unarmed Chisuheri lowers her hands from her martial artists stance, to assume a casual pose once more.

"You okay?"

"I'm good. Thanks for the save."

"No," responds the tsukumogami as she reaches behind her back and underneath her jacket to pull out a katana and wakizashi set, then shifts into a new stance with both blades still in their scabbards. "Thank you."

"I THINK YOU'RE FORGETTING SOMETHING BITCH!" screams the spider yokai as he circles around once more, slowly being joined by even more lackies as they drift out of the darkness and into the light of the remaining street lamp. "IT'S A BIT HARD TO KILL SOMEONE WITH THE FUCKING SCABBARD STILL ON!"

The tsukimogami snorts with disdain "I won't kill you. I won't even attack you unless you do so first. Besides, even at my worst, it would have been a insult to sully myself with your rabble blood."

Suddenly, Tomokako's hand lances out, grasping her already maimed attacker in a chokehold. Abruptly his screaming magnifies, as the filthy flesh that comes into contact with the seals on the kitsune's hands immediately begins to smoke and glow. Chisuheri remains completely unconcerned by this sudden and horrifying usage of purifying magic.

"My friend on the other hand, has no such compunctions."

Starring down at her victim as he howls and ineffectually beats at her hand, four tails glowing with golden light lance out and restrain him in place as Tomokako's spell takes effect. "Your forms are given through tsumi and kegere. Your souls are stained by the blood of the innocent!". Dramatically, she then reaches into her pocket with her free hand, only to start throwing fistfuls of salt over her screaming victim, and even into his mouth. "The power of salt compels you!"

Completely ignoring how the yokai in Tomokako's grip explosively dissolves into ash with a final burst of light, Chisuheri can't help but facepalm as best she can while holding both her blades. "I'm not sure what horrifies me more about that. How you used the salt, the Ghost Rider reference, or the bastardization of an entirely different religion's exorcism litany."

Tomokako blinks as she processes the tsukomogami's words. "Wait, you've seen Ghost Rider and The Exorcist!?"

"Is now really the time for this?" groans Chisuheri

Uncertainly watching the byplay, the spider yokai nods to his fellows, indicating for them to slowly begin encircling the women, while he carefully makes his way towards a nearby truck.

"But you're a 500 year old buddist sword set!"

"Just because I'm a buddist tsukomogami doesn't mean I've been living under a rock!"

"And yet you've never watched Star Wars!"

"So? I don't care for sci-fi. You didn't know who the Beatles are."

"They were around before I left Inari's court! Of course I wouldn't know them!"

Chisuheri facepalms with the agony of somebody struggling to deal with how thick their friends can sometimes be. "They only became famous in the 60s. I'm pretty sure most of them were toddlers in the 40s."

The sudden shriek of chitin on steel, and the groan of metal shifting with the transfer of weight, then abruptly draws attention to the spider yokai as he lifts the truck over his head. "WILL YOU TWO JUST SHUUUUUT UUUUPPPPP!!! RAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!" Heaving back to hurl the vehicle towards the two under their streetlight, the yokai has only a moment to process the lightning fast shift of Chisuheri to an iaijutsu stance, albeit one with her hand on her wakizashi, rather than on her katana.

And then suddenly, there is a glint of steel, and in a blink of an eye, only air is left where she was standing.

"How-?!"

*snikt*

Glancing over his shoulder at the sound, the spider yokai has only a moment to process the tsukomogami landing in a crouch behind him, sword looking as if it never left it's scabbard.

"What?"

Even as his mind struggles to come to grips with what has just happened, suddenly he feels something much more worrisome. Looking up, he only just has enough time to scream out in shock and horror as his improvised weapon abruptly splits apart in his hands and collapses atop him in a blended, shrapnel-like mass of what was only seconds earlier, two tons of automotive vehicle. From beneath the pile of metal, plastic and wiring, he struggles to untangle himself.

"HELP ME YOU ASSHOLES!"

"RIGHT ON IT BOS-YEAAARGGHHH"

As his lackey's voice tails off into an agonized scream, it seems to be the signal to begin a chorus of pain.

"No! Please! Arrrggghh!"

"Stop her!"

"Tomo! Switch!"

"Fuck yeah!"

*snap*

"My leg! Myyyyyy Leeeeg!!!"

"Yes! Hit him with the chair!"

"UGGHHHH!!! MY SPLEEEN!!!"

"Salt! Now!"

"ARRRGGHHHH!"

"My eyes! It's in my eyes!"

"FUCK THE THIS, RETREAT!!!"

"Wait! Don't leave m- urk!"

"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!"

"No! No! No! NO!NO!NO!NO!N-"

*bampf*

Finally, the sound of what is not so much fighting, as much as combat enabled biological disassembly, slowly tails off, replaced with a scant few remaining groans of agony, cries of mercy, and the whisper of fading grudges and ashes on the wind.

Abruptly, a hand then tears through the pile of debris burying the spider yokai, hauling him out of what's left of the truck, before violently choke-slamming the humanoid-arachnid onto the hood of a nearby car to make sure he stays down. Splattered with blood, and with a trail of yokai cradling fractured and hyperextended limbs marking the path she has walked, with the cool ease of someone who could execute prisoners for a living, Chisuheri jams her sheathed wakizashi underneath one of the the spider yokai's armpits, and then violently levers upwards. With an agonized cry, the spider yokai howls as his shoulder is dislocated.

"YOU RUSTY FUCKING BITCH! I'LL KILL YOU! YOU BLUNT OLD CUN-" *CRACK* "-YEARGHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Cut off by Chisuheri dislocating another of his shoulders, Tomokako then wanders over, doing her best to beat the dust off her now ashen colored robes.

"Ew, I hate having dead person grit on me. What do you want to do with this one?"

"He seems like the ring leader of this group. He's notably more powerful and potentially problematic at the very least." observes the tsukomogami, with all the enthusiasm of a janitor examining a particularly curious Rorschach pattern formed in the latest patch of filth they have stumbled upon. "Not exactly the sharpest knives in the draw, this lot, but maybe there is an unlikely chance that if his employer was so unwise as to employ this group of dullards for anything other than mashing potatoes and licking glue, then maybe she was enough of an imbecile herself to tell him something worth knowing."

"I- I An't t-telling you shit!" Chokes out the spider yokai between gasps of pain. "S-So you bitches can take a sword each, a-and go sit on-" *CRACK* "ARRGGGHHHHH!!!!"

Calmly removing her scabbard bound sword from the armpit of the latest shoulder she has dislocated, Tomokako raises a curious eyebrow as Chisuheri picks her next limb to victimize.

"Aren't you supposed to be a pacifist?"

*CRACK*

"ARGHHHHHH!!! Ah... aha....wah... whaha... whaaaaaa." Quietly, the spider yokai begins to sob, as the tsukomogami shoots her compatriot a dry look.

"Just because I took a vow of non-violence, doesn't mean I'm stupid."

"So what, you're just going to break all his arms?"

"And his legs," adds the tsukomogami with all the inflection of someone telling her friend that the flag of Japan's colors are white as well as red. "You can never be certain with spiders. They can be annoyingly ambidextrous like that."

"Chisuheri, this guy has six arms and two legs." The tsukomogami pauses, looking up at the kitsune in surprise and frozen partway between wedging her sword into the armpit of one of his last two unbroken shoulders.

"Huh. Well would you look at that. So he does."

*CRACK*

"M-M-MOMMA!!!"

Tomokako face palms. "Damnit Chisuheri, shit like this is why they call you guys the Demon Blades. One little bit of blood and violence, and you all immediately perform personality flips and turn into sociopathic assholes."

"Mhmm. I'll take that under consideration the next time I meditate."

"I'm warning you Chisuheri. Legs are harder and more painful to fix than arms. Break his legs, and you're gonna feel real disappointed in yourself in the morning. Do you want to feel like you ate that last bit of cake you shouldn't have again?"

Grumbling in annoyance, the sword set finally lowers her scabbard and looks to the kitsune blandly. "Fine then. What the hell do you suggest we do then? Have you break his legs instead?"

The Kitsune beams and eagerly palms the piece of drive shaft she reaches down and picks up like a bat. "Now you're speaking my language."

At that moment the street gains a new source of light, as without warning, the front door to the clinic is thrown open, and one of Goros' interns stares out into the darkness blearily with a high powered torch.

"What the hell is going on out here?!? We got patients trying to sleep!"

Seeing salvation, the spider yokai desperately weeps with hope and joy.

"S-SAVE MEEEEEE!!!"

For a long awkward second, the intern can only stare at the beaten and groaning forms scattered about the clinc's front drive way and lawn, interspersed with the small piles of dust and ashes that were Tomokako's handiwork. Finally, he then looks to the two women, standing over the broken and sobbing form of the spider yokai cratered into the hood of a car.

"What the fuck!?! I just cleaned out here and- wait, is that my- MY TRUCK!!!"

As the intern falls to his knees and begins screaming to the heavens about his insurance premiums, the tsukomogami and kitsune share a look.

"I bet you wherever Jin and Ai are tonight, they don't have to worry about this kind of shit."

 

K9Thefirst1

In which we learn that an Ocean Liner Demon in the presence of Gateway is Darth Vader, but an Ocean Liner Demon on her own is a Jason Voorhees.

Palace of the Atlantic Gateway Princess

Canut lay in to dry dock, unconscious at the insistence of her own engineers, proving once more that the Chief was truly the one in command of a ship. Observing the process of the armor plates being cut away to gain access to her machinery spaces, the Gateway Princess nodded in approval at the recommendations of her Foreman and Canut’s Chief Engineer and signed off on them. Leaving the Pre-Deadnought to the tender mercies of the yard, the Princess and the Foreman turned to the other surprise that came with the Old Stock warrior’s arrival – A WO-Class carrier, captured by boarding action of all things, and greatly damaged. Judging by the drool flowing from her slack jaw, it was clear enough that there was more wrong with her than her command officers being killed in action.

“What can you tell me about this one? Ocean Liner Demon said all of Goda’s carriers were sunk, and yet here’s one staring me dead in the face.”

To any present, they would have heard nothing but the typical language of Abyssal Imps. But to the Princess and the Abyssals in ear shot, it was a typical conversation.

‘Welp, first off, the hanger is right fucked. Something caught fire, and while it didn’t get to the avgas lines it sure as Hell charred the place real good. Her island got a nasty set of hits with AP and High Explosive, killed her entire officer complement, so it’ll need to be completely rebuilt. Well, except for the radio aerials, those somehow made it through untouched. Under the waterline she’s taken two torp hits, but between the torpedo bulge on one and the sub-division inside for the other all it really did was kill her engines on that side. Way I figure, the destroyers Liner sent to off the cripples sank two, saw that the third was burning, slowing down and listing and figured good enough.’

The Princess narrowed her eyes in Royal Disapproval.

“It would seem that a division or two needs a re-education is the value of the Double Tap. How long should it take to repair her?”

‘Not at long as you’d think. Her machinery spaces are untouched, port-side engines aside, so in that regard the most she’ll need is a patch job and a pump out. After that it’s basic maintenance to get everything up to spec. Hell, we’re already almost done with that as is.

‘The hanger and the command island though? Not so easy. This here’s the most recent variation of the Wo-Class design, so all of our schematics and blueprints on file are worthless. Fortunately, her engineers were really the only members of the crew to make it through the battle and Canut’s capture alive, and they have blueprints for just about every room aboard. Between those and the crew it’ll be a lot easier.

‘As for how long… Well, she’ll have to get demo’d all the way down to the strength deck, which thankfully wasn’t touched by the shells or the fire. That alone’ll take a solid month if we focus on nothing but that. Rebuild will take another two, but only if it’s round-the-clock. Taking into account the possibility of setbacks due to unexpected complications… I’d say you’re looking at five months before she’s fit for service if we dropped everything else, though it’s closure to ten months if you want a realistic work schedule.

‘But then again… We don’t exactly have the planes on hand to give her, now do we?’

For a long time, the Princess thought on all the factors she knew: The ongoing discussions with the British and the humans, the likely timetable of the upcoming initial conquest and the role she intended to have Air Power play, and the potential of changes to the calculus after she solidified her hold in the region…

“After we establish ourselves properly, we will need as many flight decks as we can manage. It won’t be this year, or even next year, but after that we will need to rebuild our air branch. Furthermore, Angband tells me that she has almost completed her survey of the air craft wreckage, and ought to have a flyable reconstruction before summer is out, and if we secure trade with the humans, bauxite and aluminum won’t be a bottleneck for plane construction anymore. With the Wo-Class plans you have on hand, how long would it take to build a carrier of this variation?”

The Foreman scratched his head, tipping his yellow hard to the side as he thought. He ‘hmm’d’ and ‘haww’d’ for a few moments until he figured out a likely answer.

‘Welp, for the first one, given that we haven’t built a new carrier in years, and this variation is just different enough that it might as well be a new ship in comparison to the Wo-Class from the start of the war. Even with the engineers of this here Wo helping out, I’d give you a solid year as an estimate for the first one. Now, given what I’ve seen my crews pull off… Lessons and experience learned from that ought to shave off a good two or even three months off of the second, and so on and so forth that eventually we can get the time down to our usual time for a new capitol ship of four to five months.’

The Princess nodded at his estimates, especially given that they matched her own. Thinking on the issue some, she gave her decree.

“Carryout your demolition, using her scrap metal as the priority source for steel while that is going on. Once that is complete, move her into mothballs. Rotate your work crews to studying her hull, so that everyone gains familiarity with her layout and construction. That ought to cut off at least about five weeks off of the construction schedules all around.”

The Foreman rubbed his chin in thought, then grinned and saluted. He then went on to bark the requisite orders to the work crews. In minutes, teams with cutting torches and air drills descended on the carrier and began their grizzly task. The Foreman turned to comment to his Princess… When he noticed that she wasn’t really seeing the scene before her. She was looking, but her gaze was off somewhere else.

’Princess?’

Gateway shuddered a bit, then turned to the imp beside her.

“Ah. Apologies. I’m just… Worried about Demon.”

’Really? What for? She may be an ocean liner, but she’s one scary broad.’

“It’s just… this will be the first time she has been on her own since I enthralled her… And considering what she had been doing… And her own past haunting her…”

In the crack of lightning, the creature of steel plate and confusing blotches and strips of colors looked like a monster, even without it hunching over the long dead corpse of one of her submarines, killed not by shell fire, although the Ocean Liner was well-appointed, but by brutal pounding of fist…

“I worry about her…”
------

Ocean Liner Demon sailed at full ahead through the waters of the North Atlantic. At twenty-three knots, she would reach her destination in about two days. Sadly, in her eagerness to depart, she neglected one critical fact of her voyage… She would be alone, save only for her thoughts.

’My life was nothing but one sorrow after another… The courts ignored the testimony, blaming me for that cruiser being to close… That damned April… Her not being protected… The lightship… The company… Even the fucking Cunard bitches. Everyone around me suffered, and I just kept on moving forward, unharmed.’

Back home, with the Princess, there was always something to focus on. Be it enforcing the Princess’ will, or their chats, or simply standing in her presence, it seemed as if the blackness of her first life was nothing more than a bad dream. But every April, every November, the memories returned, taunting her. The April now past was the worst.

But as the hours ticked by after her departure, that darkness returned. A mocking voice of her many failures, two hating voices demanding answers in-between pained sobs. And the face of a U-Boat, smiling in superiority at her murder. More than once she found herself drifting off course, towards territories known to be controlled by the many Submarine Demons and Petty Princesses. It was by pure force of will – a will that was powered by the Will of an Elder Princess – that Ocean Liner Demon managed to prevent herself by descending into the blindness of her hatred. But alas…

“By the Name of the Northern U-Boat Princess! Fork over all of your fuel and ammunition, or face my wrath!”

All of the will in the universe could not account for when trouble wants to be found.

Ocean Liner Demon drifted to a stop, then slowly turned her head to the source of the impertinent command. At point-blank range as the torpedo sails was an Abyssal submarine of a class Ocean was not familiar with, being that she seemed to be fashioned after some sort of clam or some other mollusk, with a bio-mechanical shell with a humanoid female torso, one that didn’t seem to be much more than a young adolescent, inside. The figure held up her right arm, which terminated, not in a hand, but in a pair of torpedo launchers.

The Demon did nothing but stand there, staring. Her breathing turning deep and raspy.

”Chii~ii… chaa-chaa-chaa…”

”Hey! You hear me? Or are you just dumb, I said fork over your shit or die!”

”Chii~ii… chaa-chaa-chaa…”

The submarine scoffed and smirked.

”Fine, you’re funeral.”

And let fly with two fish barreling towards the target, hot and true. However, all Ocean Liner Demon did was stare at the weapons as they sailed right towards her. And then, the eye holes in her helm were aglow with a Hellfire Red light. Instantly one of them made a nearly ninety degree turn to avoid the target. Which left the last torpedo soaring straight towards the Demon… With a comical doink it impacted… and shattered against her hull.

There was a pause at the two Abyssals stared at the impact point. And then the Demon turned her head towards her assailant.

”Chii~ii chaa-chaa-chaa…”

The submarine turned to the Demon, and her complexion turned ashen as she watched Ocean Liner Demon walk – not sail, walk – towards her, the Demon’s Iowa-Class size making itself readily apparent as she blotted out the moon and dwarfed the adolescent submarine.

”G-get back! Y-you hear me? Get lost! Go away!”

But the Demon did not seem to hear her, and so the submarine began to crash dive away from the monster in Abyssal form, thinking herself safe… Until she felt a strong hand firmly grab her by the scalp and pull. On the surface Ocean, arm into the sea up to the shoulder, effortlessly stood straight up, lifting the submarine clear out of the water. Ocean stared at the submarine, heedless of her screams of pain and growing fear, studying her face. She did not see an Abyssal submarine, little more than a teen scared out of her mind and looking like a cybernetic attempt to made a clam-themed mermaid. Instead, she saw a figure that daunted her mind constantly in the darkest corners of her mind. Instead she saw a German subgirl, clad in Imperial Era rigging and uniform, and smiling sadistically at the Abyssal Liner.

”U-73… How many times must I kill you, you filthy Hun…”

“I-I’m not her! I swear by Mama’s pen I’m not her!” U-73 lied, as she always did. And just like she did each time they met, she even made a convincing plea with her tone of voice. But just like she did every time, she couldn’t wipe that sadistic kraut smirk from her face.

And just like she did every time they met, Ocean pulled back her mighty fist, and powered it into the scuba-masked face of the poor Abyssal Submarine, cracking the glass and drawing blood. And she pulled back that titanic fist and powered it into that face a second time, breaking the submarine’s nose. A third time, then a fourth, a fifth, a sixth, until she stopped bothering to count. Each time, the submarine screamed, then pleaded, begged, and eventually called out for ‘Mama.’

Finally, Demon grew bored and released her hold of the submarine’s scalp. Said sub took the chance to try and shrinking back into her shell. But alas, ‘bored’ did not mean ‘finished.’ Rather, just as the submarine once again thought she was safe with the closing of her shell, she screamed in pain and horror as the ocean liner grabbed each half of the shell in hand and pried it open as wide as she could. Through the opening the submarine could see the Demon lift her foot… And the propeller attached to it, spinning a full speed. And then it fell upon her.

“M-Mama! MAMA! MAM-URBKUHR!!”

The next thing Ocean Liner Demon was cognizant of was standing still in the open sea, and holding up a giant bio-mechanical clam shell on her leg all the way up to the hip, the sea around her coated with blood and oil.

“Well… Shit.”

Without empathy or ceremony, Ocean released the remnants of the submarine and let it sink into the abyss from whence it came. And then she was off once more at full ahead, looking at her trembling hand. Not in remorse for the deed, but in the knowledge of what it meant.

’I need to free her and get back, soon. Please… Let me atone for something I failed in…’

 

Harry Leferts

Walking into the ice cream parlour, Harry waved at Miyuki who was at her usual station at the ice cream counter. "Miyuki-San!"

Despite her tired expression, the Yuki-Onna perked up some at seeing Harry. "Harry-San! It's good to see you." Smile falling some, she gave him a searching look. "How are you feeling with what happened?"

That made the wizard blink before he figured out that Haru must have told her. In reply though, he simply shrugged some. "I'm okay really. I..."

Seeing him look around, she gestured for Harry to come closer. A small smile on her face, she dropped her voice to a whisper. "You know the truth about Haru-San and Natsumi-Chan from what I heard?" When he nodded, her smile grew a touch and she tilted her head. "And from your gift to me, you know who I am?"

A blush on his face at being caught out, Harry chuckled weakly. "A Yuki-Onna, right?"

Her smile brightening a touch, Miyuki nodded. "As a matter of fact, yes. My whole family are Yuki-Onna... well, except for my male relatives anyways. But Harry?" When he hesitantly gave a nod, she continued. "You don't need to worry about anything, alright?" Seeing the black haired boy relax, she shook her head and straightened some. "So then, what can I get all of you?"

Just as Harry was about to choose though, Ikazuchi motioned towards one of the corners. "How about you leave us to get some ice cream, Harry-Chan? You and Hibiki-Chan can rely on us!"

With a small smile on his face, Harry chuckled some. "Hai, we know that, Ikazuchi-Chan."

Upon reaching the spot, Harry raised an eyebrow as he realized that the corner had a booth in it that was a half circle. Before he could do anything, Verniy pulled him along. "Let's sit at the far end."

Even though he had his own suspicions, Harry gave her a nod and squeezed the hand that was in his. "Sure thing, Hibiki-Chan." Once the two of them had sat down, Verniy got a surprise as Harry placed his arm around her waist. "Better?"

Leaning into him, Verniy placed her head on his shoulders before grabbing his free hand. "Da." After playing with his fingers, the white haired Destroyer let out a sigh. "I'm happy that you're alright, Harry-Chan."

To her enjoyment, he leaned his head against hers. "So am I." Getting a snort, his lips curled upwards. "Sorry for scaring you."

Verniy shook her head with a soft sigh before closing her eyes. "Nyet, you shouldn't be. You did nothing wrong, Harry-Chan. And I will have to get used to such things when you become part of the JMSDF. It's just... it is different when it is I being worried for someone fighting then the other way around. How it should be."

A frown on his face, Harry gave her waist a squeeze before nodding. "I know that, Hibiki-Chan. And like I said, I'm sorry about it."

Opening her eyes, Verniy's blue eyes looked up into his green before she smiled. "And as I said, you have nothing to be sorry about." Expression turning thoughtful, Verniy looked off into the distance at nothing. After a few seconds, she seemed to come to an internal decision and smiled. "It was a good thing that Natsumi-Chan was there protecting you when I cannot."

Confused, Harry could tell there was more to her words then what she was saying and narrowed his eyes at her. "What do you mean by that, Hibiki-Chan?"

Twinkle in her eyes, Verniy leaned up some and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Smirking at the blush on his cheeks, she hummed. "Just that perhaps I should work with Natsumi-Chan in trying to keep you out of trouble, Harry-Chan."

Still confused, Harry scratched his head with a frown on his face. But it was another voice that spoke up and they turned to find Inazuma there with a small frown on her face. "Work with Natsumi-Chan, Hibiki-Chan? About Harry-Chan?"

Even though her cheeks were stained crimson, Verniy gave a small nod. "Da, perhaps I should consider it. Harry-Chan might use it if he keeps getting into trouble."

If Harry was confused before, he was even more so at this point as the four Destroyers held a silent conversation with one another. What was said, he did not know but he decided to simply watch their expressions change and shift. Such as Inazuma's eyes widen while Ikazuchi's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. Akatsumi though flushed deeply and held a hand to her mouth. Then the purple haired Destroyer tilted her head in thought as she stared at her white haired sister.

However, it did come to an end as Harry coughed and snapped them out of their conversation and then pointed at the ice creams. "Uh, maybe we should eat before they melt? I mean, with the AC it's not really hot in here, but still..."

Flushing, Inazuma set down Verniy's black cherry in front of her and a mango for Harry. Then Ikazuchi placed some milkshakes down in front of them before all three of the other Akatsukis slid into the booth. Oddly, they pushed well away from the edge and forced Harry to be pressed up against Verniy, something that brought a blush to both their cheeks and made Harry fidget a bit. It was then that Harry noticed something and raised a finger. "Um, Ikazuchi-Chan..."

With a hum as she ate a scoop of her ice cream, Ikazuchi raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah? What is it, Harry-Chan? Something wrong with your ice cream?"

Not noticing Verniy's eyes widen nor her shoot a glare at Ikazuchi, Harry frowned. "No, my ice cream's pretty good. Just wondering... there's only four milkshakes and..."

Even though he had the suspicion that the expression of surprise on her face was fake, Harry did not call Ikazuchi out as she blinked. "Oh yeah..." Waving a spoon around, she nodded at Inazuma. "Well, we were going to get yours last you know, but the milkshake machine had a bit of a malfunction."

Inazuma gave a nod at that. "Yeah, Nanodesu! There was ice cream stuff all over the place so Miyuki-San had to turn the machine off and it's going to be a bit before we can get it repaired. But I don't think that Hibiki-Chan will mind sharing hers with you."

Blinking, Akatsuki turned some with a frown. "The milkshake machine broke? Really?" Moments later, she winced and then quickly nodded with a smile on her face. Below the table, a foot pulled back from her shin. "Oh yeah, I was wondering what was going on there. Nothing else."

As one, both Inazuma and Ikazuchi facepalmed while Verniy tilted the brim of her hat over her eyes. "Bozheh moi..."

Meanwhile, Harry continued to look at the sweating Akatsuki. "Hmm..." After a few moments though, he shrugged and turned towards Verniy with a slight smile on his face. "You don't mind sharing, do you Hibiki-Chan? I mean, I don't mind if you don't want to."

Quickly, Verniy shook her head. "I do not mind, Harry-Chan." Glancing away, she smiled some. "So if you want some of my milkshake, it is very Khorosho."

Nodding, Harry smiled back at her before glancing at the milkshake in question. Like the ice creams, it was what was termed "Shipgirl sized". In other words, a normal large milkshake would have been half the size and it needed a large straw. Bemused as he pondered that, Harry chuckled some. "Well, I don't think that there's going to be much trouble."

There was a grin on Ikazuchi's face as she leaned over as Harry took his first bite of his ice cream. "Hey, Harry-Chan?" Once he was looking at her, she smirked. "Maybe you should share some of your ice cream with Hibiki-Chan-"

Suddenly, she cut off with a pained look as under the table, Verniy's foot retracted from where it had nailed her shin. Her face red enough that it matched the cherry on her milkshake, Verniy glared at her. Inazuma just sighed and facepalmed. "Aki-Chan..."

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Verniy turned and froze as Harry was holding out a spoon with his mango ice cream on it. "That's not a bad idea, here you go."

With a swallow, Verniy leaned over and took the offered ice cream. It was only as she pulled back that she remembered that Harry had used said spoon and felt her boilers overheat some. 'Like an indirect kiss...' Shoving that aside though, she gave him a smile. "It is very Khorosho, Harry-Chan." Then the Destroyer took a spoonful of her own ice cream and held it out. "Here, try this."

Unnoticed, or ignored by the two, Ikazuchi was grinned madly before Inazuma glared at her. Just as her twin was about to comment, Inazuma prevented it and kicked her in the shin. Pulling back her foot, she sighed. 'Aki-Chan...'

 

Harry Leferts

Arm around Verniy's waist as they walked along, Harry just glanced around and took in various sights. Yokosuka had been badly hit both in Blood Week and in Abyssal attacks afterwards. Since the Abyssals had been well pushed back though, Harry had noticed that the city had rebuilt itself. And that was especially true around the waterfront and near the base itself, which meant that with each year, you had new sights to see.

One example was the small cinema that had popped up close to the ice cream shop. It wasn't too big and for the movies it played, which were a lot of older movies, it was a good size. Especially those movies from the 1950s and the like which many shipgirls remembered. Needless to say, said place was rather popular among the shipgirls who wanted to watch movies that they remembered or were close enough to what they were used to. Granted, Harry did have his suspicion regarding the owner of said place. After all, it should have been near impossible to get some of the movies in their original reels, and yet the male owner somehow had.

Besides shipgirls though, there were a number of others who lived in the area who went to see the films. Harry could remember seeing Haru slip in for a silent movie marathon from the 1920s. And she was not the only one either.

Needless to say, the little cinema was doing very well for itself.

Another example was one empty lot that was along the waterfront. Said lot contained a fair during the summer months with rides of various sorts. From where they were walking Harry could just see the farris wheel rising into sight. It was popular as a way for people to forget the war for a time. More then once, Harry had gone there himself with others after all. When autumn came though, the fair would leave for further south, sometimes arriving near Sasebo.

However, their destination was neither of the mentioned places. Rather, it was what had been a warehouse before the war and had somehow survived everything after. Once they were through the doors though, Harry felt the temperature drop from the AC inside. More then that though was the sound of various arcade games being played. Looking around, Harry tilted his head some in thought. "So... what first?"

Frowning, Akatsuki looked around in thought. On the upper levels, she could see pool tables, air hockey, and the like from where they were. Then she pointed at one group of screens. "Well, there's the naval simulation games over there."

Now looking in that direction, Harry gave a small frown. "Any new stuff for it? Because I'm pretty sure that I beat them all before." He then glanced at her. "And you can only play so much before it becomes boring."

Inazuma shook her head and frowned. "Um, well they did add a Submarine Simulator as well."

Beside her, Ikazuchi grinned and pointed at something else in the simulator section. "They also added to the plane simulators. The newest one puts you into the cockpit of the JASDF F-15J(S) Fighters. From what I heard, you're flying alongside the Abyss Divers on various missions."

Head tilted to the side, Harry gave a nod. "That sounds sort of cool actually. Especially after what happened. I take it that the tank simulators are the same." At the nods, he sighed and shook his head. "Why am I not surprised..."

All Inazuma did was shrug bfore she pointed in another directio. "Hawawawa! They also got some new stuff for the dancing games too! Those are always fun."

There was a frown on Verniy's face. "Nyet, you say that because you always win them with Aki-Chan."

While Inazuma weakly giggled and scratched her cheek, Akatsuki crossed her arms some. "Hmm... There's also the VR games as well. A lot of those are pretty fun."

Placing her hands behind her head, Ikazuchi shook her head. "We played most of those before, Akatsuki-Chan."

A small smile on her face as Akatsuki grumbled, Verniy gestured with her head towards a doorway. "The owner bought the warehouse next door, Harry-Chan. And also turned it into a place for laser tag. It is very... Khorosho."

Now also grinning, Harry let himself be pulled along by his friend. "Sure, now that sounds like fun." It went without saying that the two had a few hours of fun before they headed home. Hands in his pocket, Harry smiled at Verniy just outide the Battleship Dorms. "Thanks for spending time with me, Hibiki-Chan."

Shaking her head, Verniy smiled back at him before hugging him. "I do not mind, Harry-Chan. It is a fun thing to do after all..." With a glance to her sisters who all nodded, Ikazuchi with a massive grin on her face, the white haired Destroyer took a deep breath before leaning in and kissing the wizard. Then Verniy pulled back and smiled a bit wider at the stunned look on his face. "I'll see you later, Harry-Chan."

After a moment, Harry snapped out of his shock and blushed before smiling. "See you later, Hibiki-Chan." That time, it was him who kissed her and then quickly made his way into the dorms before pausing. "Wait a second..." Going over the afternoon, he frowned in thought. 'Was that a... nah, no way. That can't be.'

Confused, he scratched his head before making his way to his family's apartment. Walking inside though, he paused at the sight of Haru who was there. "Good evening, Harry-Chan."

Head tilted to the side, Harry gave a slow nod as he tried to figure out what the Kitsune was there for. "Good evening, Haru-San..."

Understanding the issue, Nagato gave Harry a smile. "Myself and Haru-San were just discussing some matters that she brought up today, Harry. Just a few thoughts regarding Maruyu-San and any other Transport Submarines."
Interested, Harry walked towards the fridge as he looked between the two. "Maruyu-Chan? Really?" At their nods, he frowned some. "What sort of things?"

With a hum, Haru leaned against the counter. "Ah, just the sort of things that she was built for originally."

Eyes widening some, the black haired boy furrowed his eyebrows. "You mean mole runs? And transporting supplies?"

Lips curling as she sipped her tea, Haru nodded. "Hai." Looking up at the ceiling, she frowned slightly. "Mainly in regards to one of the Yokai Reserves down in the Ryukyu Islands. They have been having problems regarding supplies and it has been hard to sneak some in there... Not that it's much easier to do so with the other Reserves though."

Harry blinked at that with widened eyes. "The reserves are having issues with supplies? Why? I mean, shouldn't they be getting them even with rationing?"

Snorting, Haru gave him a shake of the head. "One would think so, but no. It's something that has been brought to my attention and I was thinking that Maruyu-San and the others could sneak some in if possible and when they can do so. Hopefully it would take the strain off the Ryukyu reservation at least."

As he opened the fridge, Harry rolled the issue around in his head before his eyes widened. "Um, Haru-San? I think that I have a solution..."

Bemused, the Kitsune chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Really?" At his nod, she held back a smile. "Well then, if you have I would like to hear it."

In reply, Harry pointed to his room and the next words from his mouth made Haru pause. "Owl boxes."

For a moment, Haru blinked and then turned her attention onto him fully. "Owl boxes?"

Quickly nodding, Harry looked between Haru and his mother, who had a dawning look of realization. "Hai? I mean, if you buy a bunch with one of a pair in a reservation and the other outside, you can slip in supplies like that. Unless they check the reserves?"

Leaning against the counter, Haru went over what she knew of the owl boxes and groaned as she facepalmed. "No, no they do not, Harry-Chan. And you're right, that would help out a lot. How I missed that..." With a deep breath, she turned to Harry. "If you could get a hold on a number, that would be a big help."

Only shrugging, Harry gave her a smile. "I can put in the orders for them right now... How many do you want?"

Now smiling, Haru held up one hand. "Four pairs might do it for now. And they don't need to go too far, so hopefully they get made quickly." After Harry made his way to his room, the Kitsune grumbled. "I should have seen that."

Sipping her own coffee, Nagato shook her head. "Both of us should have as a matter of fact. But we forgot KISS." At Haru's look, she continued. "Keep It Simple, Stupid."

That got a laugh from Haru and a nod. "Hai, that is true enough..."

 

Lord K

A.N./ I think I'm still mildly riding the warm and fuzzy humor train.

Also, random thought of the day; For some reason, despite multiple playthroughs of each of the three games, it only now occurs to me that the reason you get kickass swords after chopping the tails of dragon bosses in Dark Souls, is probably because Susanoo acquired the sword that would become Kusanagi after cutting off one of Orochi's tails.

*-*-*-*-*

The house is a nice one she thinks, walking down the street and looking like just another old, if rather severe looking, elderly woman out for a stroll and enjoying the pleasant sea side air of this coastal community in urban Japan.

At a distance, some might recognize her strict and bearing as that of some sort of retired headmistress. An image further enforced by her lined face, bun-bound white hair, and thin lipped frown as a resting expression. A more experienced or trained observer however, might truly recognize her as somebody from law enforcement or the military. The slight signs and motions of body language and movement that never really go away, especially after years of veteran service render them not just beyond habit, but outright second nature.

It is only when she removes her sunglasses though, that it becomes obvious that her features are that of a western woman. Checking the concealed wand-holster hidden in her right sleeve reflexively, as well as her spare at her ankle, and other assorted back up tools hidden across her form, with a regimented stride, she then undauntedly turns up the drive of the luxury house she has been looking for.

Seasoned eyes note the presence of six different cars, two motorcycles, and a moped messily crammed into the open garage, clogging the driveway and parked up on the lawn of the house. Instincts sharpened by decades of service also automatically pick out at least three different spots in the yard formed by the location of the privacy hedging, that would easily enable rapid apparition to and from the property, while dampening sound and without being seen from the road or the neighbors.

A third motorcycle is carefully parked under an eave of the house, but as with the previous two, it is not the late 90s Hayabusa she is looking for. Her intel is supposedly flawless, and by all reports, the one she seeks has reportedly no plans to leave this place any time soon, due to other events that are soon to happen, as well as her ongoing recuperation.

Walking up to the door, she politely raps on it, before then reaching into her jacket pocket with her left hand, while automatically curling her right hand into a discreet pose that could automatically allow her to flick her concealed wand into her hand at a moment's notice.

There is a short flicker of movement through the frosted glass for but a moment, after which the door is carefully opened by a crack. A heavy set man in biker garb then stares out at her with suspicious piggy little eyes, through the gap allowed by what her senses tell her is actually a heavily warded manacle pretending to be a dinky little security chain, holding in place a door that could probably shrug off two or three good casts of a bombarda maxima curse with the amount of enchantments warded into it,

"Yeah? Who're you? I don't remember hearing to expect anybody looking like a hardass old lady? Izzat you Mika?"

Pulling out her Auror's badge and ICW papers to display her identity, the woman purses her lips thinly at the knowledge of who the now shocked pig yokai likely assumed her to be.

"I am not Kurosawa."

"OH GOD, IT'S YOU!!!"
-----------

Five Minutes Earlier

It's been a while since he's been back here. But the beach house at Zuchi isn't really one of those places you forget all that easily, no matter how old you get. It's also one of those places where everyone has their little hangouts in the house.

Appearing in the purposely cleared and secluded corner of the garage with a small pop and a click of his stately cane upon the concrete, immediately the team of two itachi, a nekomata and a tanuki look up from where they are attempting to cram a trio of 1m X 1m crates labeled "Pepperup Potion", "Murtlap Essence" and "Yum Yum's Banana-Mash Baby Food" into the trunk of a blue mid-2000's Subaru. Upon noticing the elderly human wizard in their midst, the four youths stare in shock.

"Wait- Mr Naito!?" Almost dropping the crate, and causing the the weasel nephews to swear in annoyance before the Tanuki remembers they're in the middle of a delicate operation, Kensuke grins widely and regains his hold on the crate. "Oh wow, now you're here too! It's like the whole J.N.H.R.O. is going to pass through here at this point! If this pace keeps up, we really are going to return to the tempo of the old days." Excitedly, he beams at the prospect of seeing revived, something he only ever really watched from the outside in the early 2000's and was never directly involved in.

Naito Osamu laughs, a fond but exasperated and crotchety sound. "Oh, I'm feeling this pace already. If this keeps up, you young kids are all going to be able to keep the tempo using my hip!" Slapping his thigh to highlight his problem, there is a clicking meaty-pop of a noise, that causes the elderly politician to laugh at the horrified faces of the four long-lived yokai youths. "Ha! Be thankful you kids don't have to look forward to this sort of thing for another half a dozen centuries at the least."

Taping his cane on the ground to emphasize his point, the elderly human then gets down to brass tacks. "Anyway, my apologies for being so rude, but I am actually in a bit of a rush. I'm looking for Jin, and assuming her to be lazing around in front of the television like she always is when here?"

"Got it in one sir."

Osamu gives a polite nod of appreciation."My thanks kids. And kudos for all the hard work with the car as well. You kids have been doing even more good than usual with it out there lately I've noticed."

"Ah, thank you Mr Naito!" says Kensuke, echoed by his friends as they all do their best to respectfully bow while still manhandling the crates into the trunk.

Entering the house through the door adjoining it to the garage, Osamu takes note of the surprising number of people present. Some congregate in groups the halls. Others clutter the dinning room with a plethora of maps, lists, and inventory papers. The office has become something of a nerve center, with people chained to the internet router and power strips by their dying or recharging devices, even as they continue to use their laptops, tablets and phones. In the backyard, a wizard and a badger argue with each other over who gets to read the journalistic "Shikigami Messenger" first, vs the yokai focused "Ayaayamaru Shinbun" and it's occasionally hit and miss, Mad Magazine-esque mix of commentary, satire, self-aware humor and memes covering politics and current events. A couple of people have even taken over the kitchen, in order to dedicate a crew to working on preparing the next meal for the easily dozen and a half people present in the house.

Almost everyone greets the old Magical Diet Representative like either an old friend they haven't seen in ages, or a respected community figure they are finally meeting for the first time.

At last though, with the tapping of his cane announcing his way, Osamu arrives at his destination, and the reason for today's visit. A reason that is currently heaped and splayed out upon the couch in the lounge, like the tangled coils of an electrical cable no one can be bothered winding up. Albeit, if it were a cable, it could be justified by the fact that much of the length is the the thickness of a man's waist, and covered in gleaming scar-crossed scale. Rounding the side of the couch, the elderly wizard then takes in the sight of Jin in all her victorious glory.

Looking away from the horror movie on the screen and digging her good hand out of the box of pop-tarts she is eating straight out of the box, the beaten and bandaged human portion of the dragon on the couch realizes who her latest visitor is and grins jauntily. "Hi Osamu!" A rather undignified release of pop-tarts crumbs accompanies this greeting, before she then unnaturally swallows her mouthful of sugar and carbs like a snake. "How's it going?!"

"Fucking terrible." grumps the elderly wizard without mincing words. "I'd say "like shit", but then I just now realized that at least I don't look like you."

The ex-river kami snorts, turning over the cold slab of meat she has pressed against one eye with her tail, due to her hand on that side being in a cast, and the other being covered in traces of draconically devoured pop-tart.

"Ha! I'd like to see what you look like after getting used as a punching bag by a Gashadokuro. You think I look bad now, you should have seen me when I first crawled up here."

To be entirely frank, the Mizuchi still looks bad. While the swelling has gone down, the side of her face is still pretty much one contiguous fading bruise, interspersed by cuts on her brow, cheek, lips and nose, which will likely only adding to the scars already marring her visage. Her eye is also still faintly tinged with bloodshot lines, surrounding her vibrant green iris. And then of course, there's her hand and wrist in the cast.

"I've been living off a diet of bone-repair and minor healing potions for the last few days," Jin complains.

Silently, Osamu looks to the lounge coffee table and it's scattered battlefield of empty packets of fast food, scattered pizza boxes, hollow bags of chips, raided boxes of cereal, and drained bottles of soda and ramune. It is like an altar of gastronomic excess, somewhat literal in the case of the soda cans and ramune bottles, seeing as they appear to have been carefully stacked up on the table, arranged like a veritable shrine to which ever onryo is currently starring in the tale upon the TV screen at the moment. Expression unreadable, the politician turns back to the semi-human mizuchi who is doing her best to surreptitiously wipe her crumb covered hand off using the fur of her still lengthy but downsized-tail, which she has also allowed to unfurl across herself and the couch like someone exploded a can of anaconda sized silly-string on the furniture.

"I see."

"Hey!" counters Jin with faux offence as she flips the raw steak covering her face once again, taking a moment to bite a chunk out of it before gingerly laying it back onto her bruises. "I was pissing blood for most of the first night after the fight! I'm entitled to a little treat for my contribution."

"A contribution that has caused me no end of headaches," groans Osamu tiredly. "That's actually why I'm here. You've more than just toed the line one time too many Jin. You just took a swan dive right over the-"

Suddenly there is a girlish scream. What throws him of though, is that it isn't from on the screen, where he can hear a slow clicking death rattle. Nor was it from Jin, or anybody elsewhere in the house either, but practically right in front of him. Seeing the mizuchi doing her best to restrain a laugh at the hidden viewer's reaction, Osamu frowns before quietly examining one of the particularly tower-like coils of tail piled up on the couch beside Jin.

"Is that a daitengu hiding underneath all your tail?"

The dragon laughs, while Asuka's face flushes an even deeper red of embarrassment, then ducks back down to hide in the nest of scaly lengths wrapped around her until Kayako's staircase scene has passed. Osamu however, frowns disapprovingly.

"Should she even be watching this?" he asks.

Jin shrugs, watching as Asuka gives a quietly terrified "eep" as she peeks at the screen through a peephole formed between two of the lengths in her blanket of scale, before averting her gaze from the screen and hiding in the coils once more. "She's old enough. I was sneaking into the cinema to watch horror movies when I was 12."

The elderly statesman gives a resigned sigh, and refrains of pointing out the marked differeance between what was scary in 1950s America, and horrifying by the standards of the early 2000s Japanese horror aficionados. "Don't blame me when Ai and Kiba get mad with you."

The mizuchi gives a cocky grin. "What are they gonna do? Kill me? Besides, Asuka here ain't got nothing to fear."

"Yeah!" chimes the daitengu as she pops up from within her nest of dragon tail. "Jin fought a Gashadokuro. She could kick Kayako and Sadako's butts!" The sudden reappearance of the latter on screen then causes Jin's latest fan to gasp and duck back into her scaly hiding spot.

"You showed her Ring too?"

The dragon smiles sheepishly and awkwardly picks at her cast with her good hand. "She may have started watching when nobody else was around, because she wanted to keep asking me about the Gashadokuro and other kinds of grudges."

Osamu sighs tiredly and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Speaking of the Gashadokuro and other certain grudges in particular, that's actually why I'm here in the first place."

"Aww." The wounded dragon pouts in faux-offence. "And there I was thinking you wanted to congratulate me for not getting my head ripped off and my blood sucked out."

"Knowing your blood, you'd have probably poisoned it, and caused it to die of dysentery like the irreverent pain in the ass you can really sometimes be." The elderly wizard looks at her with exasperation."Honestly, for the past few days, I haven't been sure whether to start praying to you, have an aneurysm, or make an offering while puking in your shoes once I got here."

"Hey, some prayers would be pretty nice," says the mizuchi jokingly, while gesturing at her cast bound wrist. "Some river kami have been deified for less. Hell, Yodogawa is so thick, she still doesn't get the thing with the three calabashes, and that's like the oldest trick in the book against us mizuchi."

"Well then, you can be the kami of the "River of The-Endless-Assburn-And-Headaches"," snarks Osamu with an irritated tap of his cane upon the floor. "Do you have any clue how close you've come to getting yourself in truly serious trouble this time? How much of a palaver and diplomatic nightmare you've, managed to find yourself right in the middle of this time?"

"Hey, this time I tried to help the muggle aircraft, not eat them."

The wizard's glower says just how ineffective her joke has been.

Guiltily, Jin winces. "Come on Osamu... What was I supposed to do? Just let that spider do god knows what to those kids after she already beat, killed and body-snatched her way across most of Kanto? Leave everybody else to fight against a Gashadokuro already rather unsubtly rampaging it's way across the countryside in full view of a kanmusu and Ai's muggle strike fighter squadron? They needed help, and the only other ones down there already tainted enough and with anywhere near the strength to go toe-to-toe with it, were the Abyssals."

The wizard sighs tiredly, obviously unable to disagree with her actions himself, but still frustrated with the bureaucracy and politics surrounding the fallout. "I don't fault you for that Jin. Not at all, for one single second, do I even consider an iota, that what you did could have been wrong. But by all that is profane, do I wish I could have flipped off those damnable British and American ICW diplomats I've had to have nagging in my ear for the last week."

The mizuchi actually does manage an honest, apologetic grimace this time. Or at least as best she can with a slab of meat covering half her face. "Sorry about that.... really. I know how busy you've been with all the overtime and under-table stuff preparing everyone for the move to Kyoto." Awkwardly, she meets his tired and overworked gaze. "How bad are we actually looking now? For me, and the Government?"

At last, a grin seems to work it's way onto the corner of the elderly wizards wrinkled cheek. "Actually, for the government, things aren't quiet as bad as they could be, even if it already works to our benefit thanks to the ICW finally pissing off the last of the fence-sitters with this latest move."

"Oh? And how'd you manage that?" asks Jin curiously.

"Ah, it was a simple thing. Rather genius actually if I do say so myself, once I realized there was a possibility to salvage something of the situation to our advantage." Preening slightly, the elderly wizard poses with his cane proudly. "They wanted to push harshly with the enforcement of the ICW's penalties, thinking we would fold from the bluster and knowing that nobody had the time to seriously go around organizing an Investigator. They thought we'd prefer to avoid the embarrassment of dealing with an inquiry, not realizing we not only knew they had nobody loyal or capable as a mouthpiece they could spare, but that I actually had the perfect candidate in mind."

The dragon frowns. "Wait, are you saying that-"

The wizard laughs. "Yes indeed. To lower the cost of the penalties, we threw you under the bus so to speak."
-----------

Earlier that Morning

She knows she's being watched.

Not followed though.

The guards of this place do not need to.

Unlike most of her co-workers, she's well read on the nuances and adaptability of not just modern muggle surveillance technology, but even the multitude of options and capabilities offered by a simple well placed watchman with a basic cellphone, and a contact list full of other custodian's numbers.

Most likely, the first ones to pick her up would have been not the motorcyclists loitering in the car park like she initially thought, but actually the mechanics in the garage across the street. A position offering very advanced warning, thanks to a wide field of vision down at least two of the street approaches to the apartment block she is now climbing the staircase of. To be honest, it's one she missed entirely at first glance, and only noticed in retrospect upon realizing the connection it could have to the enforcers masquerading as two-wheel enthusiasts. Even though she's long since passed into the building and blatantly allowed her presence to be tracked via the numerous security cameras she has noted on her path, the slip is still something she reprimands herself for.

Age and semi-retirement have made her sloppy, she observes as she leaves the stairwell and approaches the door of the apartment she seeks.

She should know this modus operandi like the back of her hand. This isn't the first time she's encountered it.

Throughout the hall, there is the sound of numerous doors being locked, and more than a faint tingle of magic and wards going up. It reminds her of operations raiding emigrant safe houses in the States, back the early, more distasteful in retrospect, days of her career. No doubt, like many such places that cater to the native magical races back home, a sizable number of those living in the building are outside their reserves or reservations illegally and without registration, surviving off the protection and connections of their patron. Unlike in the US however, where such safehouses are overnight stopovers on the paths non-humans take in their unauthorized movements to illicitly emigrate across the border, in a twisted inversion of the muggle illegal immigration situation, this is a place of semi-permanent residence. The yokai of Japan have nowhere else to run to.

For a place her government driver warned her not to go to due to it being a "notorious" yokai neighborhood, the people here are certainly more terrified and wary of her rather than anything else. So much the opposite of the aggressive and obstructive urban gangland that everyone else seemed to assume somebody human, let alone official in appearance, would likely be presented with. More than a few of the bikers she observed outside, and even the residents in the halls, looked to be human wizards and witches themselves. Then again, that could just be a heightened presence in response to the reports of a recent spate of magical attacks across Japan, including upon the Greater Tokyo underground community if the rumors were true.

Reaching the door she has been seeking, politely she knocks, concealed wand ready to be retrieved at the first sign of trouble. After a few moments, the door opens only the tiniest crack, and a sickly, snake-like eye stares back at her, the surrounding face pallid from either sickness, nerves, or possibly both.

"What do you want-ssss?"

"I'm looking for Molly Belinda-Tanith Maleficus. Also known as Jin of the Hisakawa."

Somehow, the sickly serpent's face gets paler, especially at the authoritative and official sounding tone of her voice.

"SSShe'sss not here right now. Pleassssse, I tell the truth, now go away."

Before the fretfully frail and pollution-sickened snake can close the door, the woman smoothly impedes her attempt with a steel-toed boot in the doorjamb, leaving it wedged open. Reaching into her jacket, she smoothly pulls out her I.D.

"Then where perhaps, might I find her?"


-----------

"What the hell Osamu?!" The Jin stares at the laughing wizard in horror and confusion. "The fuck is you guys angle on this one?!?"

The wizard grins. "Our angle was one to trap the ICW in the political hole they dug for themselves, with a capstone they unknowingly even offered to let us choose. And as it just so happened, that I remembered the perfect choice. One you yourself mentioned to me only a few months back."

"What?" The mizuchi looks up at the wizard in confusion as he smirks and smugly begins to elaborate.

"Well. Part of the reason the ICW shot themselves in the foot with this one, was that they had no available representatives with the credentials, experience, and skills left to investigate." The elderly representative then grins, looking pleased as punch. "I then pointed out that actually, due to all the emergency reinstatement of retries at the begining of the war, often with many of their old positions and bona fidas, MACUSA actually did have somebody available. Someone who fit the bill perfectly on paper."
-----------

A Day Earlier

"Reason for visit?" asks the Immigration Officer, with a barely concealed frown as he looks over not just her MACUSA passport, but also the associated forms and paperwork that have been handed over with it.

"ICW Business." says the woman in near-perfect Japanese, unflinching and steely with her gaze. "I'm here to represent MACUSA as part of an investigation into a recent incident and oversee the enforcement of it's conclusions."

"I see..." The man looks at her with careful scrutiny and an equally carefully concealed simmer of annoyance and frustration. "Well everything looks to be in order."

Frowning, he then glances in confusion in the direction of the wand weighing station behind him. "Hey, what's taking so long back there. The lady needs her wand back."

At the table to the side, the second officer finally looks up, tearing his gaze from the readings coming out of his equipment, to the wielder the wand belongs to with his jaw agape.
-----------
The dragon wrapped up on the couch gapes at the politician.

A slowly dawning look of horror crosses Jin's face as she connects the dots.

"You didn't...."

-----------

Two Days Earlier

"I heard they're sending the boss to Japan," quietly murmurs one auror to another around the water cooler.

"What, like on holiday?" asks his partner curiously. "Well, I wouldn't blame her if she did take it. She came out of retirement for Blood Week."

"It'd be nice to not have the hardass hovering over our shoulders for a few days," butts in a member of the peanut gallery, looking for an excuse to procrastinate acknowledging his paperwork.

"I dunno," chips in somebody else as they contemplate bludgeoning the office coffee machine to death, in retribution for messing up their drink for the umpteenth time. "This sounds like it could be pretty long. Somebody from the big NYC office came down to talk to her specifically."

"Well." Says the auror who originally started the conversation. "The rumor going around town is that something Huge went down in Japan recently. And I mean Huge with a capital H."

The procrastinator shrugs. "Doesn't the boss have all that blacked out stuff in her file regarding her time in the army? That's probably why they want her. Somebody who can speak the lingo."

"I think the blacked out stuff is why the wanted her specifically", chips in somebody from behind his desk. "People sit up and pay attention when you've got that much shit in your file that's crazy, especially when the black ink keeps going on after WWII. Maybe it'll make them sit up and take notice of the boss, before she even needs to show them what an old firebreather she is."

"I dunno," says the coffee maker uncertainly. "The way they seemed to be talking, it's almost like they thought the boss had experience dealing with whatever they want her to go take care of."
-----------

"You couldn't have found a perfect resume if you'd forged it," laughs the wizard. "A near fluent grasp of the language. Experience intermittently working here in Japan, across most of the last 70 years as investigations required. A seasoned career as an investigative auror in California. A combat veteran of WWII and Korea. Some surprisingly cordial diplomatic experience and relations with not only figures in the Japanese government and law enforcement, but also elements of the Kanto yokai community leadership." The wizened politician then gives and almost fox-like grin. "That last point alone would have been almost enough of a certain sell to the ICW, but then when I revealed that the candidate we wished to accept for the investigation already had a history of dealing with the mizuchi in question going all the way back to the 40s...."

Jin's jaw practically hits the floor.

"The ICW actually brought that?!?

Osamu shrugs, even as he blatantly grins and and enjoys himself, watching her growing realization. "It was the perfect "politically inconvenient" option for everyone involved."

"B-But her file!"

"Overlooked!" the elderly Representative crows triumphantly, reveling in the success of his political hoodwinking, and all but doing a little jig as best he can using his cane. "Those are primarily MACUSA's records from American investigations, and everyone who knew back then is either dead or retired! And we manage to make everything happen so fast, before anybody could actually look too closely, because the ICW themselves were so desperate to look like they were immediately stomping down on us! So by the time any of the new people on the ICW's end make it through the bureaucracy of getting clearance from the Americans to read the blacked out portions of those files, if they even bother to get to them or wonder what's inside at all, it'll be too late! We might even already be in Kyoto by the time anybody seriously starts to get the ball moving on replacing her!"

By this point, the shocked and horrified mizuchi's jaw is only a few points away from simply unhinging like a snake's.

"I can't believe you got her her old job back!? When does she get here?!"

The elderly wizard cackles. "I had a rather lovely chat with her this morning, due to my known shared association with the Japanese Non-Human Rights Organisation."

At that moment, a loudly porcine bellow of "OH GOD, IT'S YOU!!!" from the front door makes what parts of the mizuchi aren't bruised, rapidly turn even paler than her scales.

Osamu wheezes with laughter at what he knows is coming
-----------

Three Days Earlier

Roughly dumping the faded green footlocker on her desk, the woman ignores the sound of crushed paperwork and the dislodged detritus of bureaucracy as she pulls the vintage WWII artifact open. On the top of the pile within is an old passport, marred by the red ink of an expired stamp and with part of the cover purposely cut off as a method of marking it's expiry. Past the ink marks on the inside page, a youthful face of sharp and ethereal beauty proudly stares back in the auror garb of a era 70 years past.

Lacking time to sort through the clutter within, a new I.D. is one of the first things thrown in. The sharpness is still there, but now it is the face of an aging veteran, a hard-boiled stare of self-control, and deep frown lines that help lend a dignified aura of razor poise and commanding presence. Once flowing brown hair now pulled back into a tight bun of white and grey, the severeness it adds to her face only increased she as spares a look for the older picture, and somehow manages to look even more dour in life.

Then she starts taking gear out of the trunk. A veritably eclectic mix of equipment gathered over decades of experience teaching her than there's no such thing as unorthodox when it works. Low grade dragon-skin vest. Steel-toed boots. Concealed sleeve holster. Back up ankle holster. Enchanted muggle Ka-Bar. And finally, one particularly chipped and scarred wand of Southern Live Oak and White River Monster spine core.

For a moment, she examines the veteran for another war long ago, that once saw her through equally world changing times. Even without casting anything, simply moving through the lightning fast wand movements perfected through decades of experience tells her that the long lasting, iron-sided veteran is just as in tune with her as the day she first picked it up at Ilvermorny. And yet, it ends up relegated to her ankle holster.

Because while the wand chose her, it's components didn't.

Instead, into the wrist holster goes the wand of water-stained sakaki wood and dragon tail-bone core, with it's grip of made out of a single carefully beaten and molded scale.
-----------

Slowly into the room walks the woman, eyeing her surroundings with a single careful once over, and with hawkish gaze of a veteran, taking everything in at an instant. Catching sight of Osamu, she raises an eyebrow, but still nods respectfully. "Representative Naito."

"Investigator Maleficus." The politician bows politely in return, while easily making his escape, looking at Jin like the cat that got the canary. His getaway is made so easily, specifically because the previously sharp and severe auror suddenly freezes upon noticing the tree trunk-like coils of white flesh and scale, lazily draped across the floor, covering all of the sofa, and even spilling over the back furniture's back.

Jumping slightly at the sight of Asuka nervously peeking up from her tower-esque nest of looping serpentine lengths of dragon tail before then ducking down, the auror is broken from her pause, and at last quietly begins approaching the couch. Slowly, she rounds the side of the sofa to look down properly upon the figure splayed out so completely across the furniture. Her tightly drawn headmistress-like visage almost seeming to soften as she finally looks upon the source of the scaly lengths hogging so much of the lounge. Starring up from her position in the couch, Jin sheepishly pulls the steak off her face and offers a guilty smile.

Carefully, the Investigator's gaze brusquely catalogs the multitude of injuries painting the semi-human mizuchi's face and body with the analytical intuition of both a seasoned auror scanning a victim, and a self-studied expert on dragons noting one's condition. Then at least, even her steely-eyed aura joins the last of her commanding presence in fading away, replaced by a controlled, but still unsteady expression of care and worry.

"Oh Molly."

The ex-kami shifts awkwardly at the name that confuses the daitengu peeking through the gaps in her scaly nest, but nevertheless manages an expression encapsulating a multitude of emotions, in spite of the lingering damage to her face. Shock and horrified surprise at the woman's presence. Equal happiness and pleasant surprise that she's so unexpectedly appeared. Dawning awkwardness and then mortified surprise at the rather embarrassing state of affairs she's left the lounge in over the course of her mid-recovery movie marathon.

In the end though, it is a smile that Jin wholeheartedly gives, even if it is somewhat tinged by guilt at the obvious effect her current state has on the older woman.

"Uhh.... Hi Mom... fancy seeing you here?" Unable to resist, a cheeky grin tugs at the corners of Jin's smile. "So.... what brings you to Japan all of a sudden?"

At last, her composure breaks, and Investigator Mary Aglaec-Wif Maleficus is unable to resist kneeling down and pulling Jin's mostly human form into a crushing, motherly embrace. "I can't believe you fought a Gashadokuro."

"Hey, hey, hey, the ribs are still bruised." reprimands the mizuchi in jest without any serious heat, and an ever more confidant smile on her face. "Although, I think I've more than satisfied my "giving death the middle finger, while pissing of the ICW again" quota for another 10 years."

Looking like she isn't sure whether to be horrified or groan at the joke of her troubled history with the ICW, the Investigator at last settles for a laugh as she shakes her head. "Of course you'd say something like that. Aren't you always telling me it's not a real kaiden or J-Horror, unless the onryo is revealed to have survived and be at work once more in the very last scene?"

Together the two trail off into laughter at the morbid joke at their past, only to be stopped as a gasp sounds from within the coils of tail the Asuka has been hiding in. Awkwardly freeing herself, the daitengu then leaps from the couch and takes to the wing in terror, barely avoiding the roof with her pins-and-needles afflicted wing beats. "Noooo! It really is just like Coffin in the Sky! Aiieeeee!!!"

Practically emulating Ai in how quickly she disappears, Asuka all but hugs the ceiling as she darts off in the direction of the kitchen, likely in search of someone versed in spiritual protections or onmyodo. Jin can only blink in confusion at the disappearing form of the daitengu teen. The sound of a clearing throat however, then makes the mizuchi woodenly turn around.

"Molly...." With a suspicious and carefully raised eyebrow, the veteran auror's gaze observes the latest round of events taking place on the wide screen tv, before next drifting over the numerous dvds scattered between the piles of junk food refuse, and even the odd paper bound volume bearing such venerated names as Koji Suzuki, Otsuichi, and Junji Ito. "...what exactly have you been letting that girl watch and read with you?"

Unlike Osamu's earlier attempt at reprimanding her, this time Jin wilts, sinking into her seat with a nervous, guilty chuckle.

 

Harry Leferts

Looking up from her book, Shiromizu raised an eyebrow at the sight of Harry laying back on his futon. He wasn't doing anything but staring at the ceiling with an expression of being deep in thought. After a few seconds, Shiromizu cleared her throat some. "Harry? Is something wrong?'

With a jerk, Harry gave her an unsure smile. "Ah, nothing's wrong actually. Just... thinking about something is all, Shiromizu."

Her eyebrow only raising further, the Mizuchi hummed. "Oh? Nothing is wrong?" When he nodded, Shiromizu continued. "So it doesn't have to do with that date that you went on with Verniy-San then?"

Much to her amusement, Harry went red in the face and then grumbled some. "It wasn't a date."

Chuckling as this predicted to be much more entertaining then her book, Shiromizu set it down and smiled. Laying on the floor, she propped up her chin with her hands. "Not a date, hm? And why would you think that?"

Still blushing, the black haired boy took a deep breath. "Lots of reasons." Getting a giggle, he went a bit redder. "For one thing, Hibiki-Chan's sisters were there as well."

Lips curling upwards, Shiromizu gave him a look. "Really? You think that would make it not a date? They could have been just escorting you around after all while you and Verniy-San were going around."

The red in his cheeks deepening, Harry paused for a moment at the image that was put into his head and then let out a sigh. "We didn't actually go to any date places. Or do any date stuff.

Amused, Shiromizu snickered. "Really now? From what you told me the two of you went to the ice cream shop. More then that, you also shared each other's ice cream and then a milkshake. That's date stuff, Harry."

Glancing at her, Harry narrowed his eyes. "We went to the arcade as well. That's not something that you do on a date."

Only shrugging, Shiromizu smirked. "I may not have gone on a date myself before to be honest. And I have not found someone who caught my interest in that way..." She frowned somewhat briefly. 'Granted, about the only guy who could meet my standards is you, but I don't feel like that.' Then she continued with a wave of her hand. "But going to the arcade is not something that might not count as a date. In fact, I am pretty sure that it could count as a date. Especially if the two of you had fun."

And so it went, Harry coming up with reasons and Shiromizu shooting them down with an amused expression. Finally, the black haired boy huffed and laid back. "It couldn't be a date because there's no way she could be interested in me. Or anyone be interested in me."

Something about the tone made Shiromizu frown before she slithered over and looked down at him. "And why would you think that? Because from where I am there is a number of girls who are interested in you."

Now looking at her, Harry's furrowed his eyebrows. "That can't be, Shiromizu. I mean, look at me... what sort of girl could be interested in me? I mean, I got a rat's nest of a hairdo and-"

He did not get much further then that as Shiromizu reached out and grabbed his lips. Scowling, she looked down at him. "Harry, you listen to me and listen well. There is nothing wrong with you in the slightest. In fact, you're one of the best guys that I've ever met and if I did not feel like you're my little brother? I might well have gotten interested. As it is, as your Onee-Chan, you better believe me when I say that there's a number of girls out there who are interested in you. Most of them are more than slightly interested to be honest."

Even though he didn't quite believe her, something in Shiromizu's voice made Harry pay attention. And when she removed her fingers from his lips, he only frowned for several seconds before speaking. "Really now? And yet none of them have done anything like that."

Arms crossed against her chest, Shiromizu gave him a look. "Reeeeally now? You think that? Because that is not what it seems like from where I am standing." Seeing him look at her snake-like lower body, she rolled her eyes as only an older sister could. "You know what I mean, Harry."

Shrugging, Harry gave a sigh. "Yeah, I guess so."

With a wave of her hand, she had him shift some before laying down beside him. Before the nearly thirteen year old could do anything, she had him wrapped up in her coils. "However, I am telling you the truth, Harry. You are a good man and anyone who got together with you would be a very lucky girl. I know that for a fact and as your Onee-Chan and a Kami? Believe me when I say that's not a lie." Then giving a shrug, she hummed some as she laid back with her head supported by her hands. "Besides, the only real issue is your age for most of them and that will solve itself in time. And they'll come forward when they're ready and have gotten the courage to do so."

Despite not really believing her, Harry gave a shrug. "Sure, I guess."

Rolling her eyes, Shiromizu turned to the owl box as Hedwig came out with a letter tied to her legs. The snowy owl gave a bark before hopping over and coming to a stop by Harry and holding out her leg. "Looks like someone brought you some mail from Britain."

Interested, Harry took the letters from Hedwig and nodded some. "Probably a good thing that I asked Hermione to hold onto the other owl box for me so that Hedwig can go back and forth." Opening the letter, he read through it with his eyebrows raising. "Huh... it's from Neville. And.. oh."

Turning to him, Shiromizu raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh?"

Rapidly blinking, Harry read through the letter a second time before slowly nodding due to shock. "Uh, they were at Portsmouth and some Abyssals managed to attack it. One of them was a Re-Class."

Eyes widening, Shiromizu looked at him. "Is he okay? Neville's not hurt or anything, is he?"

His eyebrows furrowing, Harry frowned. "He's okay, he was helping a little girl and was almost killed by the Re-Class. From what he wrote, he was going to use some magic against it for all the good it would do when Orion interfered."

Just shaking her head, Shiromizu let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. But Neville? He's changed a lot, hasn't he?" At the look she got, the snake woman shrugged. "Can you imagine the Neville we met in First Year facing a Re-Class and willing to fight?"

After a moment, Harry shook his head and snorted some. "Maybe, I mean there was always something there. Guess that it just needed something to bring it out." Still re-reading for the third time, he continued. "Anyways, he got in some trouble for his near use of magic in front of non-magicals. Orion came to his defense again and so did his Gran."

Facepalming, Shiromizu grumbled. "Stupid idiots. Really, punishing for helping is complete and utter bull."

More then a little amused as she continued to grumble about the British Ministry, Harry chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so." Coming to the end, he gave a nod. "Anyways, Neville's Gran apparently invited Orion and her sisters to the Longbottom Estate to meet them and give them a proper thanks for their actions in saving her grandson. Also, he wrote that he'll be coming for the wedding."

Smiling some, Shiromizu gave a nod at that. "Well, that's good to hear, isn't it? Is he coming some days early like the Weasleys and some of the others?"

With a hum, Harry nodded and tried to get up. However, he only got pulled into a hug by Shiromizu and sat up, Harry in her lap. Then the Mizuchi used her tail to bring over one of his lap desks with the box of stationary inside it. "Well, you better write him back."

Eyes rolling, Harry chuckled some. "Sure thing, Shiromizu." Opening his box of stationary though, he blinked some. "Um..."

Raising an eyebrow, Shiromizu frowned. "What's wrong..." Inside the stationary box, a small form with white hair climbed out and then plopped down. "What the..."

The tiny version of Hibiki looked around with a dour expression and then looked up at Harry and blinked. It then gave Harry a nod. "Biki."

In return, Harry blinked back and then looked at Shiromizu who was staring at the Smol. "Hibitki?"

All Harry did was just chuckle some as the Smol smiled slightly. "Biki, biki."

Minagato though only gave a sharp nod with a stern expression. "Gato, gato gato gato! Gato."

Head tilted to the side, Harry just shrugged and then held out his hand. Hibitki climbed into it and he brought it up so he could see her better. "Well, hello there. I'm pleased to meet you, Hibitki."

The smol just gave him a bigger smile which reminded him of Verniy's own as she nodded. "Biki, biki biki biki."

Smiling, Harry chuckled some while Shiromizu shook her head and muttered some. The next morning though, the black haired boy had to blink as he felt something moving around under his covers and sighed. "Shiromizu, you know..." Spotting said snake's tail poking out from her castle, he blinked and lifted his blankets to find a tiny version of Shinano there on his chest. "..."

With a large yawn, the Smol rubbed at one eye with a pudgy hand and then gave him a bright smile. "Shina!" Getting up, she walked over and hugged his chin. "Shina~"

Bemused, Harry just used one finger to rub her head before chuckling.

 

Harry Leferts

"JANE! IT'S NEARLY LUNCH!"

Perking up, Jane blinked from where she was putting up the wallpaper border in the room before calling back. "OKAY, ARI-MAMA! JUST GOT TO GET CLEANED UP SOME!" A smile on her face, she looked over at where Shimakaze was working on the mobile that was going to hang from the ceiling. "Almost done there?"

With a nod, Shimakaze gave her a thumbs up. "Ou!"

Up on her sister's shoulders, Karakaze let her tongue poke out from between her lips before slowly nodding, "Just one... moment..." Then she grinned and gave it a spin. "All done!"

Quickly coming down the ladder which one of Shimakaze's other sister was holding, Jane walked over and looked up at the mobile. "Wow..." Above them, various fishes swam through the air as Submarines made their way. Hearing the soft tinkling, Jane's smile grew some. "They're going to love it."

Kiyokaze set down the dresser and leaned against it. "Almost all done here." Head tilting to the side, she glanced around the room in thought. "Do babies all need this much work?"

Frowning, Jane made a thoughtful sound as on her shoulders, Smolzona and Minimu both had the same expression. All three tilted their heads to the side before finally Jane gave a nod. "I think so, or at least all the books said as much." Then she smiled at an orb that was on a small, metal stand. "Hey, Shimakaze, close the curtains I want to see if it all comes together!"

Brightly smiling, Shimakaze rushed over to the window and closed the curtains. Not happy with that, several of her fairies came out with heavy blankets. It went without saying that very soon, the room was pitch dark though Jane could just see while Kiyokaze closed the door. Swallowing a bit, the thirteen year old made her way through the room until she reached the orb before running a finger along the base. After a few moments, the orb began to glow softly and lights shone from it to the ceiling, creating the feel of moonlight reflecting from the waves. Eyes wide, Karakaze let out a gasp. "It's so pretty..."

Her own eyes wide, Jane grinned wide enough that it hurt and then pressed some symbols around said orb and one could just hear the soft crashing of waves. "I really got to thank Cuz for this, this is really awesome."

Closing her eyes, Shimakaze took a breath and could just smell the sea and smiled as she leaned form one side to the other. "Ou, Harry-Chan did better then expected with finding this."

Softly smiling, Jane gave a hum as she looked around the room that would soon belong to her baby sisters. With her father doing lots of work, she had volunteered with the others to decorate it. Along the ceiling was borders that showed warships and others. There was also a portrait of Mutsu as a steel hull warship on one wall that moved through the waves. And quite literally at that as it was a magical portrait. A glance brought her eye to a small object on a dresser. From what Jane could remember, it was something that created a field to keep minor dark creatures out.

A memory of a soft, musical voice asking to come with her came to the thirteen year old and she shuddered some. 'No, no, she's dead. Dead and won't hurt anyone ever again...' Shaking it off, Jane took a deep breath and let it out. "I got to thank Cuz for all this." With a nod, Shimakaze opened the curtains and Kiyokaze opened the door. Jane meanwhile turned off the magical device with a smile. "There! It's perfect for them!"

The group shared a smile before they rushed out to quickly wash up for lunch. Upon their arrival in the kitchen though, they took a deep sniff before their mouths watered with Shimakaze swallowing. "Kaa-San?"

Looking over her shoulder from the large pot in front of her, Arizona gave a small nod with a smile on her face. "I hope that you don't mind some chili. I also made some bread along with it."

Needless to say, all of them licked their lips which made the Battleship chuckle some and shake her head. While she did not cook often, Arizona was a rather good cook. Especially with Southwestern cuisine which everyone in the household enjoyed. Eyebrow raising at Hiei, she frowned some. "You could set the table..."

Before Hiei could say anything though, there was a clatter of dishes as Zuihou brought them out and started to set the table. At the look from Arizona, Hiei chuckled weakly. "Um, whoops? Too slow?"

From the table, Shimakaze spoke up to giggles from the rest. "Tooo slow! Like a slug, Ou!"

Arizona simply sighed and shook her head as she went back to finishing the chili for the others while Hiei just pouted.
______________________________________________________________________

Setting down her tray, Bowers was just about to take a bite of her breakfast when she looked across at Gale. After a few moments, she blinked and stared at her friend. "Gale..."

With a hum as she wiped her lips, Gale took a sip of orange juice. "Hmm? What is it Jen?"

The Yeoman stared at the other woman's plate before weakly speaking up. "Is that... Are you having steak for breakfast?"

Gale was barely paying attention as she took another bite of said steak, a second one beside it. "Yes? Having steak for breakfast isn't that odd..." Chewing, she looked down at the steak and then sighed before swallowing. "Had a craving for rare though."

Now looking over the rest of said plate, Jen swallowed. There was not just two steaks, one of which would have more then filled herself up. Along with it was what looked like a pile of bacon, a small mountain of eggs, several slices of ham, and a log jam of sausage. "No... I suppose that steak is not odd for breakfast. But, uh... isn't that a bit much?"

Looking down at her plate, Gale shrugged some. "I was feeling slightly hungry when I woke up."

Unable to help herself, Jen Bowers looked from the plate to Gale and then back. "A... little hungry?"

Only nodding, the Warrant Officer continued to eat her breakfast. She did pause though to pop open one of the bottles next to her and roll out what Bowers recognized as a magnesium tablet before following that with an iron supplement. "Just a bit." Her expression softening, Gale patted her stomach. "I am eating for two at least after all."

Sadly for Jen, that brought her eyes to Gale's stomach. Despite all the food the other woman had been eating, snacking on various things whenever possible, it had not affected her figure much at all. At one time, Jen would have teased her friend about it.

That time though was well and truly past as Gale had started to eat at the levels of a shipgirl as her pregnancy had progressed.

And yet, despite that, Gale's stomach had only gotten somewhat fluffier. Something that various Destroyers and Destroyer-Escorts had become extremely happy about. More then once, the Warrant Officer was found with various Destroyers and the like with their heads on her stomach as she snacked. Granted, looking at the various mineral supplements, part of Jen pitied Gale. After all, she was eating them like they were candy. And as Gale crunched one, Bowers winced. 'Yeah... I'd like to be able to eat all I want and whatever, but damn... Not worth it.'

Half mindlessly, Gale tapped her fingers against her belly as she ate a chunk of ham. While a part of her was happy with how she did not need to worry about her figure, she was still annoyed. She was pregnant! With Washington's daughters! And yet, she barely showed it in the slightest. The one damn time that she wanted to gain weight, she found herself completely unable to do so. It was infuriating in the 'Be careful what you wish for' strain of things considering her own jealousy in regards to how much shipgirls ate.

But with that said, Gale would not give it up for the world. Her annoyance was soothed by the fact that Kirishima was often around to give a hand with Wash. Or when she needed help, the Kongou was right there and ready. And yes, Gale had figured out a while back what was going on with her. Something that she still had some major issues believing considering her own problems with self-image. A much younger Sarah Gale would have been flabbergasted at it and probably more then a little hot under the collar at the thought, but the present day one just found it confusing. Mainly because she did not know what to do in this case, and she was alone as Wash had obviously not clued in.

Suddenly, Gale blinked and looked around in utter confusion. "Did you hear that?"

Eggs partway to her mouth, Jen frowned briefly. Then taking a bite and swallowing, she snorted. "Hear what? Borie causing trouble again?"

Gale shot the shipgirl in question a scowl which made her pause long enough in holding the syrup over one of the visiting Destroyers, that soon she ended up with it on her hair. "No, not that." Chewing a bite of sausage, Gale frowned. "I heard a ping just now."

Frowning, Jen raised an eyebrow. "A ping?" At the nod, she waved a hand. "Uh... A ping-ping, or-"

Just looking around still, Gale narrowed her eyes. "A Submarine Ping. You know, from one of those old movies? Like Red October? I just heard one a mom-" She whipped her head around and scowled. "And there it is again!"

Eyebrow raising, Jen eventually shrugged. "So someone is using their sonar. Probably trying to annoy someone or something." Gesturing with a piece of bacon, she waved it around. "Not really something to be worried about. Good hearing though, almost Mom level."

All Gale did to that was roll her eyes and go back to her meal. She did wonder where it came from as it was close enough she swore she felt it somehow...

 

Lord K

Harry Leferts said:
Not just Haruna either as Akagi would see it as a challenge as well... Wait, has this turned into Initial D?​

Challenge Accepted
*-*-*-*-*
Initial-MSSB

"Hey Kiba!"

"Yeah?" Looking up from his Kenmeri as the engine slowly gurgles away and warms up, the okuri-inu glances across the garage to where Kensuke and company are finally closing the trunk of the Scubaru, now loaded to the gunwales with supplies for yet another night of blasting across the hidden backroads and offroad tracks of Japan to deliver supplies to isolated yokai communities.

"You're headed up Iruma way right?" asks the tanuki curiously, causing the dog yokai to nod, while Asuka perks up and peers out the passenger window curiously.

"Yeah, I gotta go pick up Ai, then take her to her apartment. Apparently with all the stuff that's happened in the last few days, we're finally going to be doing that meeting, but now Kogamaru and Ai want to get all their formal stuff together for it."

"Oh, that's neat." Says the yokai mechanic, before thumbing back at the Scubaru and his team who are already pilling in. "Hey, I know it's a bit of a detour off the main highway, but would you mind giving us a bit of a boost up to Odake? We got a few deliveries up that way, and having you chasing our tail could really let us cut loose and shave off some time."

The okuri-inu frowns, looking uncertain at the prospect. "Errrr, I dunno Ken. I'm gonna have Asuka with me, so responsible driving and all that jazz. Right Asuka?"

The daitengu however, beams excitedly at the prospect imagines. "Yes! Let's race them!"

"It's not a race Asuka," explaining the tanuki's request. "As an okuri-inu, if I chase them, nothing else will be able to keep pace or catch them as long as Kensuke drives a perfect line and avoids letting me catch or overtake them as well. In the old days, it used to just be other yokai or bandits that the presence of an okuri-inu would scare off or dissuade from following, but for some reason it still works with cars and also seems to flake out cops and speed cameras. Me catching them isn't really a problem either, since I'm obviously not going to eat them."

Asuka listens intently, only to grin after still arriving at the wrong comparison after this clarification. "So it's like a Sudden Death Touge! If if you pass and the Scubaru can't overtake again, they loose!" Eagerly she beams. "Oh, can we do it?! Can we?! We used to sneak off from the orphanage and watch the racers higher up in the mountains all the time!"

Valiantly, Kiba does his best to resist the dreaded Eyes™ that the excitable young diatengu ends up unintentionally using against him. "Oh.... I dunno Asuka....."

"Pleeeeease?" She pleads childishly. "I don't care if you don't need to win, but I've seen and heard about all the cars you used to have! I know you're an awesome driver and I wanna see!!!"

"He couldn't win anyway." Chips in Kensuke with an entertained smirk. "Maybe with his GT-R34 or his FC, but not with the stock settings on a Kenmeri."


Kiba freezes, and even the vintage Skyline seems to give a particularly offended splutter and carbureted growl as the engine turns over.

"I'm sorry, I feel I missed that," asks the dog yokai politely.

A trickster grin spreads across the tanuki's face. "I'm saying no amount of skill could let you keep up with the Scubaru, even without the magical enhancements."

"Hah!" Kiba gives a sarcastic laugh. "That's funny, because it's like you're forgetting who taught you how to drive."

"And you learned from my pops." smirks Kensuke with victorious measure. "We're both drivers of the Hashida pedigree, but even if you are better than me, there's no way you'd ever be able to take your 40 year old FR coupe-muscle car, against a modern 4WD with a rallying pedigree and multiple aftermarket modifications, even with a no-magic handicap on the Scubaru."

"Oh really?" asks the okuri-inu, eyes narrowing. "Is that a challenge?"

"Only if you're happy to feed your Kenmeri''s intakes my dust for the entire trip."

"Oh it's on now." growls the dog yokai as he spins around. "Come on Asuka. Let's buckle up and show this overstuffed raccoon how real drivers did things before they started stuffing everything full of fancy computers to do the driving for you."

"Yay!" Beaming and vibrating with excitement, the daitengu quickly straps herself in, but not before looking up and spotting the tanuki joining his team in his own car. Silently shooting the other driver a thumbs up of thanks, Kensuke laughs and returns it in with a grin.

"Oh, that was too easy."

Getting into his car with a satisfied chesire smile, his phone then buzzes with a text from Kiba

"Thanks for the out man. I'll be sure to pour one for you in memory when Ai inevitably hears about who egged me into this. > : D "

Looking over from the passenger seat as she straps in, Naomi facepalms. "Oh Ken. Please tell me you didn't convince him."

The tanuki looks at the nekomata and laughs awkwardly. Peering over the driver's shoulder, one of the two itachi facepalms, while the other groans. "You better win this man. Because if we get beaten by a fucking stock vintage vehicle, we'll never hear the end of it."

"Well then," Kensuke says with a grin as the heavily modified Impreza's engine roars to life at a turn of the key. "At least we have two things going for us."

"What's that?"

"So, first of all is that an okuri-inu's magic is all about catching people. Overtaking them technically counts as something different, because at that point, you're technically not chasing or pursuing someone anymore."


"So what's the second?" The tanuki's grin grows even wider at the question.

"Kiba may have taught me everything I know about driving-" Flooring the accelerator, the Scubaru roars in response, launching itself out of the garage and down the driveway, before then clawing for grip as Kensuke handbrake turns into the street, burning rubber in the direction of the hills between Zuchi and Yokosuka. "-but he long ago showed me little trick he knows about driving in the process."

Hot on their heels, the white and black form of the Kenmeri fishtails out of the driveway and into the street behind them, it's S20 engine bellowing as all 160 of its horses are supplemented by both the driver and the car's own magic, creating a hungry, supernatural desire for the chase. Rear end kicking out furiously at the sudden shifts of power, weight, and tire pressure, inside the car, Asuka whoops and hollers with excitement while kiba's fangs gleam in the darkness of the cabin. Gritting his teeth in equal parts excitement, determination and strain as he fights the lack of power steering, the okuri-inu then throws his vintage Skyline into another turn, hot on the trail of the red tail lights of the Scubaru already accelerating out of the turn.

It's a competition of two different styles as the classic car constantly overcompensates and pushes the limits to maintain it's pursuit. The modern 4WD and it's clean lines of grip, vs the RWD which doesn't even have ABS, and is constantly entering turns too fast and having to perform power slides and Scandinavian flicks to keep up.

Another wild slalom through a series of S-bends, as the car eagerly performs beyond its intended capabilities to keep up the chase while climbing up into the hills, elicits another round of cheers from Asuka. "THIS IS AWESOME!"

Laughing as they finally begin to inch ever and ever closer to the Impreza using a series of turns where the modern vehicle's top-speed and acceleration is not as much of an conquerable gulf, Kiba grins with her, eyes shining with the gleam of a monster in the dark that can't quite be seen, but is always there and following. "Don't tell Ai about this alright?"

"And miss out on doing this again?!?"

The daitengu cheers as they then almost catch air, going over the rise that will begin the downhill via the backroads of Yokosuka until they can get on the Toll Road that will get them up to western Yokohama, and then east to the base of the mountains surrounding Atsugi. Slamming down on the other side, the red beams of the Scubaru dance wildly across the dash, as the Kenmeri's suspension lurches to compensate with the sudden increase of grip and power, only to roll once more as the rear end swings out through yet another breakneck turn.

"WHOOOOHOOOO!!!!"
--------------


Sitting in silence, the only sound is the twin rumbles of rotary and in-line engines as the cars turn over to keep their engines warmed. Finally tiring of the the unbroken quiet, Haruna looks out the window of her AE86 and frowns at Akagi in her FC3S on the opposite side of the road.

"Um... Haruna wonders if you are sure this will work?"

Eyes still focused on the dark shapes of the mountains ahead, Akagi doesn't spare a glance for the lights of the city and the highway off ramp behind them. "It's best chance we have," declares the aircraft carrier as she palms her hand in determination. "You'd think that Impreza was tuned for the wagan with the way it drives on the highway. And it never stops or lets itself get flagged down by anybody. No." The Red Castle then nods with certainty at her plan. "The only way we'll be able to race that Impreza, and prove who's the best in Yokosuka, will be if we catch it just as it enters the mountains."

"But how can you even be sure this is where the Impreza will pass?" asks the battleship. "Nobody's ever managed to keep up with it on the highway."

"Because according to rumors, this where the Impreza always disappears. Strangely enough, it smokes everyone on the highway, but from the sounds of things, it may actually be trying to get off the main roads and into the mountains as soon as possible." The aircraft carrier then grins. "That's why I wanted to invite you along for this specifically." Her annoyance at previous failed efforts to catch the increasingly infamous blue Subaru then finally shines through as she pumps her fist with a furious glare of determination. "Because if there's anybody who can beat that damn car in a mountain touge, then surely it is the battleship named after the real life inspiration of Mount Akina!"

The battleship in question smiles nervously at the carrier's intensity. "S-Sure, no pressure. Haruna is alright with this."

Just then, Akagi's phone chimes. "Hello? Any news Yubari?"

"The Impreza's on it's way! Thirty seconds out and counting-!"

Akagi nods, looking to her racing partner for the night. "Haruna! It's coming!"

"Haruna will give it all she's got!" the battleship shouts, rolling her AE86 out of the breakdown lane in preparation. It is then however, that Akagi realizes that Yubari is still shouting.

"-But you aren't going to believe this! There's someone fucking racing it already!"

The battleship's eyes practically boggle in shock.

"WHAT?!?"


In the distance, the distinctive echoing scream of aftermarket twin-turbos heralds the coming of their quarry.

"How can somebody already be racing it?!?" Across the road, Haruna looks up in surprise at this suddenly announced development, while Yubari's own voice sounds baffled at the fact.

"I don't knoooow!!!! It looked like a muscle car of all things, and it left me in the dust just as bad as the Impreza!"

Glancing up at her rear-view mirror, Akagi then catches a glimpse of light beginning to creep up the off-ramp some 300 meters behind them.

"Sorrygottago-" Hanging up and feathering the accelerator, the white RX-7 strains eagerly against the handbrake, a beast waiting and willing to be unleashed at it's owner's command. "Haruna!"

"Haruna, is now ready!" echoes the battleship as her own white and black racer revs and strains to be released.

In the reflection of her rear view mirror, Akagi then catches the moment her blue foe tears into view, high beams blazing as it sweeps through a perfect racing line to make the left-hand turn. Immediately hot on it's heels comes the boxy shape of it's unknown pursuer, madly drifting through it's own turn before violently snapping back to correct, yet somehow completing the 90 degree change of course in a position that leaves it sitting almost perfectly on the Subaru's bumper. Akagi isn't sure whether to be envious of the driver's skill, or jealous with fury at them having already done part of what she and so many others have failed to do.

'You may have kept pace with the Impreza, but you have yet to overtake it.' Heart pounding in anticipation, she then gazes at the darkened mountains up before them. 'Is your plan the same as ours?'

With the two vehicles now charging up the road towards them, and the narrowing lanes that mark the beginning of the mountain roads up ahead, both shipgirls simultaneously release their handbrakes and floor their accelerators.

"TOUGE ATTACK SQUADRON, LAUNCH!"

"Haruna questions you calling us that!"

With the roar of engines and screaming rubber, AE86 and FC join the fray in tandem, tearing down the straight away and trying to build as much speed as possible, not only before the Impreza and unknown racer can reach them, but also before the road narrows down from four lanes to two. The night thunders with the sound of mechanical heartbeats, as they climb through their gears, all while the closing distance between the two groups of cars shrinks in tandem to the narrowing margins of speed.

Finally, on the very last portion of the straightaway, the four vehicles are almost flying in diamond formation; The Impreza in the lead, followed by the muscle car directly behind it, and with the FC and 86 narrowly ahead of it on either side, chasing the flanks of the Impreza.

Then, with a flurry of curses that could make her fairies blush, Akagi realizes the road is now in the final stage of seceding entirely to the mountain pass' width, and that she can't keep up the pressure up while maintaining the entry line for the very first corner they will soon encounter. "DAMNIT!" she broadcast loudly over the radio to her partner in the race "Haruna, we'll have to fight the muscle car to get on the Impreza's tail!"

"Already on it!"

Eyes widening, Akagi glances in her wing mirror, and finally notices that her aggression has now completely put her in the worst position of the race, before even getting to the first corner. Anticipating the upcoming issues of trying to race three-aside through a two lane corner, while chasing the Imprza's currently occupied tail position, Haruna has already conceded to the extra step they'll have to conqueror by slipping behind the mystery racer instead.

"Shit!" With no choice but to pay for her over aggression in the pre-mountain drag, Akagi then allows herself and her RX-7 to fall into fourth place behind Haruna's 86.

Catching sight of the corner up ahead, the battleship in the unknown's chase position then mentally runs over her knowledge of the road from scouting it out earlier in the evening. "We can still make it back!" Haruna declares encouragingly over the radio. "A car that big and heavy will be difficult to manage through the turns on the S-bends up ahead, especially if it's been tuned for sprinting to keep pace with the Impreza on the highway."

"I'll be counting on you then Haruna!" cheers Akagi. "If it's too long and heavy to hold the inside line, your 86 should be able to cut in at the corners!"

At that moment, the first gentle rolling right ends, starting what will next be a blind left incline hugging the mountain side, that should abruptly terminate in a hard 90 degree left hand turn that is obscured until the last moment. This sudden snap over then begins a further series of closely placed 90 and even 45 degree switchbacks. That their two opponents continue to attack the corner at high speed, though makes the shippgirls stare in disbelief.

"No way-"

"Haruna thinks the Impreza possibly could, but that older car-"

"- is that driver seriously trying to go for-

Abruptly the Impreza's brake lights bath the opponent behind it in a gleaming red glow. The white and black muscle car however, bears down on it's target, closing what distance the faster vehicle has gained on the straight away, and playing Russian roulette with it's late-breaking margin for error. Finally, it's brake lights flare, only for the rear to weave; first yawing inward of the turn, only to flick outward at the last moment.


"AN INERTIAL DRIFT?!?"

Even as the Impreza screams into the touge, and strains to follow a grip-focused, high speed racing line between the chicane-like turns, it's immediate opponent goes mad.

Engine roaring with carbureted fury, the muscle car careens through the corner, back end flaring out so wildly and regularly that Haruna is simply unable to attack with confidence that she won't get inadvertently side-swiped in an over-correction by her opponent. Left, right, left, right, then right once again as if intentionally placed to throw the pattern off. At last, the sequence of S-bends and switchbacks ends with one final chain of both Lift-Off and Clutch-Kick techniques, leaving Haruna shocked that a vehicle that is even more of an antique than her AE86, is some how managing to keep her in check.

Sliding into another turn, once more she is stymied by the combination of the vehicle's unrestrained yet controlled wild motions, a frustrating bulk that causes it to take up most of the road in it's more extreme swings, and an adherence to roughly the same driving line she is trying to use, which is in turn trapping Akagi behind them. If things keep going the way they are she reflects, they might not even get a chance to battle to Impreza, and be defeated by this fellow competitor instead.

"What the hell is that thing?" cries Akagi in frustration. "It's driving so crazily, I can't see anything back here!"

Watching her headlights play over it's rear end as the tail of her opponent falls one way, her bumper goes another, and the two vehicles swing into another left hand drift together, Haruna stares, raking through her memories as to what their mystery opponent could be. It almost look American. Like a late 60s or early 70s pony car. But there is none of the usual badges or livery that any of her immediate candidates that come to mind would have.

At last however, they pull out onto a straight. A ridge line run, dividing the uphill they just did, from the downhill into the next valley. Seeing it's opportunity, the ridiculous Impreza floors it, the spooling of it's infamous twin turbos audible even over the carbureted roar of the muscle car struggling to keep pace behind it. Putting the pedal to the metal herself, Haruna's 86 claws through the distance separating her from the mystery vehicle which seems to suffer on the uphill even worse than hers.

And then, just before they cross the apex and begin their decent, unhindered by it's wild movements and closer than she's been yet to her foes tail, Haruna is at last able to make out the subtle inlay and badges adorning the mystery racer's rear panels, between the obscuring red glare of it's brake lights.

"Skyline GT-R? Wait, Haruna can't be reading that right-?"

"Reading what right?"

"This-"

The battleship stares agog as the mystery racer screams into yet another power slide. But this time with the distance between them closed, Haruna can at last now make out yet another set of badge and livery on the rear quarter panel.

"This is a Kenmeri?!?!"

For a brief moment, Haruna has the startling revelation that this must be what people feel like whenever they get overtaken by a 25 year old corolla.

"There's no way that's an actual vintage vehicle!" declares Akagi over the radio. "It's kept pace with the Impreza on the highway, and now it's stayed ahead of us in an uphill battle!"

Trying to edge in on the inside of a turn, the classic GT-R has none of it, engine notably increasing in angry volume, as it somehow finds the power and grip in the middle of a drift to push it's nose into the inside line by the smallest enough degree to cut her off.

"Haruna would like to point out that it is also currently staying ahead of us in a downhill dogfight as well!"

"Dogfight..." mutters Akagi, before suddenly shouting with gleeful inspiration. "That's it! Dogfight!"

"What?!" asks the battleship in confusion as the fly through another sequence of turns where each result is still the damnable rear end of the vintage Skyline occupying the road in front of her.

"Every dogfighter has a wingman." Excitedly, her mind rushes, plotting out the route up ahead and trying to recall when the next generally straight or high speed corner sequence will be." But these two don't!"

"You're not making any sense!" cries Haruna, wondering if the carrier has finally made one turn too many, and scrambled her brains in the middle of the switchbacks.

"These two aren't working together! But we are!"

"So? The Kenmeri's here for the Impreza like us!"

"Exactly," says the carrier with a genius' grin. "With no one to back it up. Which is why on the next inclining straight, this is what we're going to do......"
--------------

Initial D - Mikado (HD)

Kiba had thought that after the first half an hour, the experience would have gotten old.

"WOOOOHOOOOOO!!! LET'S DO A REAR ENTRY ON THE NEXT HAIRPIN!"

Apparently though, watching the world go by like a rollercoaster was something that never got old for tengu, regardless of age or subspecies.

While it isn't quite a rear entry, the tail-heavy drift he ends up pulling as the downhill curvature of the outside turn exacerbates the Kenmeri's issues, still garners yet another round of ecstatic cheers. Trying to make up for the lost distance in the next corner, Kiba then slaloms into an outside line that puts a trail of smoking rubber on the ground, and leaves only inches between his rear fender and the guard rail. A sight that Asuka watches in the wing mirror with awe.

"YOU'RE THE BEST! YOU'RE THE BEST! YOU'RE THE BEST!"

Slamming the accelerator down however, Kiba's attention is then grabbed by an equally reoccurring and much more problematic issue in his rear view mirror.

"Jeez, you two are f-freaking persistent."

"Hah!" laughs Asuka, glancing at the mirror herself, trying to catch a glimpse of the pursuers on their tail. "I don't get why you keep on trying to correct yourself. I've heard it all before."

"Yeah, but if Ai hears about it, I get to hear it from her!" counters Kiba with a grin as he purposely throws the Skyline's tail out yet again to counter the AE86's attempt at an outside pass. Something that is quickly overcome as the Corolla's driver then attempts to push what becomes the inside line when the corner abruptly snaps back.

Refusing to shed anymore speed in yet another corner fight, Kiba keeps to his line, knowing he can make it back at the next hairpin that will once more hand the inside back to him. A late entry and wide sweep through corner should put him ahead of the AE86 and mess up their line, however, the okuri-inu instead finds that the driver has predicted his maneuver, with the result being that the car-culture icon is still doggedly on his tail. "Damn, you're good."

Not for the first time, Kiba curses that he doesn't have his GT-R34 for this night or all nights. A monster almost as powerful as the Scubabru, even if it lacks the kind of aftermarket work and sorts of enchantments Kensuke has performed to his blue beast, being behind the wheel of "Godzilla" would have made for a much less frustrating fight due to constantly having to deal with the AE86 and it's friend trying to crawl up his ass.

As if detecting his thoughts about the other remaining Skyline in his car collection, the Kenmeri bellows with all 160 of its iron horses of power, hurtling itself over the asphalt with a noise that only gets more ferocious as they tear out of the hills and across the floor of the valley between the moonlit mountains. Now on the straightaway once more, Kiba curses as his incremental progress towards the Scubaru's taillights begins to slip away once more.

"Awww..... Player Three has left the game I guess."

Frowning at Auska's words, Kiba then looks up in confusion at the sight in his rear view mirror. "Player Three" as the young daitengu had so happily named the AE86 that slid onto their tail just before entering the mountains, has now yawed into the opposite lane. Rather than trying to overtake however, the Corolla is slowing slightly, a difference which at the speeds they are traveling at, allows the white RX-7 that's been at the tail of the pack the entire time, to begin clawing it's way forward, closing the distance on his fender.

The move perplexes Kiba and makes him suspicious. True, the RX-7 is more powerful than either the Hachiroku or the Kenmeri. But with it's older engine, heavier weight, and slightly lower horsepower, the vintage 70s Skyline is actually already at a disadvantage to the comparatively newer 80s era corolla, especially on the uphill which they are rapidly approaching once more. And more than that, the driver of the Corolla is damn near a machine, practically perfect and flawless in both their immediate driving skill, and their planning for corners ahead. With each rotation between uphill and downhill, the gulf his unpredictability provides, shrinks with the distance of the cars. A factor multiplied by their growing confidence in predicting him as well.

Which begs the question of why the AE86 would want to switch to the tail position at all.

Something is afoot.

Glancing at the first of the upcoming corners of the new mountain's incline, Kiba narrows his eyes suspiciously. Tearing through the turns sideways and at speed, two things quickly become apparently about the RX-7. It's driver is far more aggressive, even if they're very technical about it. And secondly, keeping ahead of a 90s model car in the hands of a driver almost as insanely skilled as the Hachiroku's, is even more nightmarish then trying to maintain the lead against the corolla. Gritting his teeth, Kiba strains as the dizzying sequence of turns forces him to dedicate only one hand to the wheel, fighting the lack of power-steering with his right hand, while constantly making lighting fast shifts in time with his heel-toe technique. The mad roller coaster of an uphill climb almost makes him curse Kensuke, and wonder if the Impreza driver chose such a physically and mentally demanding route on purpose.

Thus, it's almost a relief when the next relatively straight length of road appear. An otherwise gently curving stretch that Kiba can see carved out of the mountain side for almost a kilometer, with few variances in gradient or curvature. It would be great if he didn't have to worry about the RX-7 and AE86 trying to crawl up his tail pipe.

The Kenmeri's straight-6 screams as it hauls ass up the incline with all it can give. But all it can give is not enough to outrun the much newer Mazda, even with the hungry magical desire to pursue the Impreza fueling the S-20 engine beyond it's normal limits.

Kiba's misgivings only grow as he watches the RX-7 now sit practically bumper to bumper with him, even as he idly notes it's exactly model with how close it is.

'Well,' he thinks to himself. 'At least it's a nice FC3S. Somebody knows how to look after their vehicles'

The Kenmeri growls angrily at the thought of another car, only to then be interrupted by a "Wow..." of awe from Asuka. Glanicng at the diatengu, Kiba then freezes as he notices the vaguely-distant-yet-still-focused look Ai sometimes gets. One that usually results from her becoming distracted by, or funneling all of her focus onto the air currents around her. Watching the daitengu tilt her head over the car and then stare back towards their pursuers, suddenly everything all makes sense as she gives a whistle of appreciation.

"That's really neat how the air's flowing around everyone right now."

Initial D 5th Stage SOUNDFILES - Takumi's Theme I

"FUDGE! THEY'RE DRAFTING!"

That's what they were doing. The RX-7 had the power and size to keep up with the Kenmeri easily, while also helping to aid the Corolla in it's climb up the incline. But that then begs the question of how his opponents plan to make use of the speed they are building on the 86.

Looking back at the RX-7 in the mirror, Kiba's mind races for options, and quickly finds the prospects wanting. He's already going flatout up the incline, just on the cusp of shifting to fifth. He can't pull to the side because he's already trying to block them in, and they have yet to actually do anything other than maintain the draft. Shifting his current racing line would also be less than optimal, because the sharp corner at the end of the climbing curve's gentle bend is finally coming up-

THE CORNER!

Furiously, Kiba scans his mirrors, trying to figure out what their intentions must be. Then he notices how the 86 occasionally shifts to the right of the their teammate, as if attempting to check on something the driver can't see on the road ahead, past the FC and the lip of the incline in front of them. Turning his own focus forward, he then spots the only thing it could be.

A drainage ditch, wrapping it's way around the inside of the climbing right hand u-turn ahead, and the only thing separating the road from a steep, tree-filled drop down to the valley floor they just left minutes earlier below.

"You're ballsy, I give you that!" commends the okuri-inu as the turn races towards them. "But you're not gonna fool anyone using one of the most famous things you can do in a hachiroku!!!" Releasing the accelerator, Kiba simultaneously feathers the brakes and revs up, before downshifting and properly flooring it once more. Entering the turn early to hug the inside line and cut off any prospective gutter run, the hair stands up on Kiba's neck when he realizes the 86 is the only vehicle he can see to his right.

'What- but- the FC?!?'

A glance in the rear view mirror, even as the Kenmeri's tail swings out, provides the answer. Rather than taking a drifting line to give the 86 room to cut in like he expected, the RX-7 is smoothly taking the far outside like a grip racer. And with the drainage channel on the right for this section of road, that leaves plenty of verge between the road and the retaining wall on the left.

'FUCK! I'VE BEEN DUPED!'

Releasing the accelerator from the floor, Kiba then begins feathering it, extending his drifting turn into a power slide that carries him into a wider arc, hopefully checking the progress of the FC's attempted overtake, while maintaining a close enough distance that is would be possible to push back in and block the 86 if it tries to go for a gutter run.

Except..... The 86 isn't going for a gutter run....

And yet it's somehow managed to slowly begin creeping inside of his turn.

"WHAT!!! IMPOSSIBLE!!!"

Eyes wide, Kiba scans the ground lit by the beams of his headlights.

Tires screaming as it cuts inside of the corner, the 86's front left wheel sits on the very edge of the road, but where it's right currently is, should only be thin air, and a long drop to the trees below.

With a thrill of horror, Kiba realizes he's fallen for the wrong trick.

This isn't the gutter run. This is the weight transfer technique used against the Miata.

Time and sound all but disappear, leaving only the sound of heartbeats. One mechanical. One his own.

Nathalie - Heartbeat

Slowly, and with increasing speed, the 86 crawls through the all but frozen world.

Helpless, all Kiba can do is watch.

It's now even with his rear wheel

'I won't be able to push far enough forwards to block the corolla before the turn ends,' he thinks with despair.

As he stares into the now equal cabin of the 86, Kiba has the mildly surprised thought of 'I just got beaten by a girl.'

'Because I already sacrificed my grip to slide into a position to block the FC, my momentum is inclined to carry me outward, rather than to the inside of the corner if I accelerate hard.'

Finally, the iconic flip up headlights don't just draw even with his, but then surpass them entirely

'I took the early inside line, and so can't turn any harder without losing control and spinning out. But I'm already off the optimal line thanks to blocking the FC.'

Like a nail finally being torn free, time flows once more, a fact broadcast by the dull thud and screech of rubber, as the hachiroku simultaneously cuts him off and drops its wheel back onto the road to take the lead.

So stunned is Kiba, it's only the natural surge of instinct that saves him from sliding into the wall, snapping back onto course and charging back into the attack. No longer though, is he looking upon the frustrating blue of the Scubaru, but now the black and white of a panda AE86 Toyota Corolla.

For a long moment, Kiba can only stare, not even sure what to say, even as he reflexively counters an attempted pass by the RX-7 on the next corner in a state of near autopilot.

Jaw equally agape, Asuka is finally the one who sums up the display of teamwork, technique and mindgames they have just witnessed.

"HOLY FUCK!!!"

"Hey!" Kiba shoots the diatengu a frown. "Don't use that kind of language. At least, not in front of Ai or anybody that'll tell her."

At that moment, there is a chime of the okuri-inu's cellphone. Without even looking at the caller I.D. on the hands-free set on the dashboard, Kiba just knows who it is. "Oh boy." As soon as he hits answer, the dog-yokai is assaulted by the sound of laughter.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA-"

Kiba hangs ups, punching the button before throwing the kenmeri into a series of wild switchbacks, warding off the FC, while fruitlessly attempting to reclaim his lost position from the insane driver in the 86.

The phone rings again. Kiba rolls his eyes. Finding it rather entertaining herself, Asuka then presses the call accept button.

"AHAHA- OH FUCK!- HAHAHA- DID-?! DID YOU JUST GET OVERTAKEN BY A FUCKING HACHIROKU?!?! AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

"This ain't no Hachiroku!" curses Kiba with annoyance. "This is either some sort of yokai messing with us, or mother-ducking Fujiwara Takumi himself made flesh."

"O-really?"

"Ya-really," growls the okuri-inu as he hauls the Kenmeri through a high speed switchback. "Ken, this chick in the 86 just did a weight transfer so she could overtake me, via cutting inside the corner by sticking her front-right wheel out over a 25 meter drop."

Kensuke's laughter actually seems to pause at that. "They what now?"

"IT WAS JUST LIKE THE SHOW, BUT EVEN MORE AWESOME!" crows Asuka with all the elation of a newly made fan, before suddenly something hits her. "ARRRR! Nooooooooo! I wish we'd recorded that!!!"

"I'm not kidding you Ken, whoever's behind the wheel of this 86 is good enough, they might just catch up to you at this rate. Either that or they're gonna go off a cliff." With mild annoyance, Kiba then glances up at the lights of the RX-7 still determinedly sliding over his rear view mirror. "Their friend's actually mildly nuts as well. If this keeps up, this FC's gonna end up parking itself inside my tailpipe, rather than just on it. These guys want you bad."

The grunt that comes over the phone in response, is one that signifies a slowly growing, mildly more serious turn. "You think we should hit the mojo and leg it?"

Kiba considers things as the vintage Skyline goes sideways once again. "I don't think they're malicious. They just really want to beat you for some reason."

"I wonder why?" comes the smug response.

"Har-de-har-har you stupid raccoon. Rub it in."

The tanuki's response is more laughter. "Well, if they want to keep chasing us, they won't be able to do so for long. Our turn off is up ahead, and that's only paved for a few more kilometers before it goes to gravel and dirt."

"I guess that means this is where we part ways." Rounding the next corner, Kiba sees the unrelenting 86 slowly gaining ground on the Scubaru, itself rapidly bearing down on the junction up ahead in turn. The main road to the north and eventually Iruma continues straight ahead. Kensuke and the others however, have a different destination to visit. "Been seeing you Ken."

"Bye Kensuke!" chips in Asuka merrily.

"Catch you two on the fly!" The Tanuki then laughs victoriously at his unchallenged arrival at the point of their parting, suddenly lunging forwards with power and leaving the 86 in the dust in a manner that would be more expected of some kind of supercar on the track, rather than a modified sedan in the back roads of Japan.

"Smell ya later suckerrrrrs!"

With a squeal of abused rubber, the Scubaru whips sideways, causing the 86 to overshoot it, before finally it's engine roars and it's wheels scream for motion and traction. In an almost cartoonish defiance of physics, the blue beast finally obtains its grip on the ground, and proceeds to haul itself in it's new direction of travel. Darting down the side road with a cloud of tire smoke and a twin turbo-charged whine, there is only a final glimpse of the blue spoiler and vanishing red taillights, before then Kiba and Asuka themselves have blown past the intersection, with the Kenmeri almost giving it's own final carbureted roar of farewell as well.
--------------

"AKAGI!"

"I SEE IT!"

Suddenly in an instant, everything changes. Already stunned by the yet undisplayed power the Impreza abruptly seems to pull from nowhere, Haruna is then caught completely off guard as their blue foe slams anchors and goes into a sideways slide.

"SHIT!"

Unable to react in time, all the battleship can do is watch as the Impreza simply leaves the race at high speed and without any forewarning. If the Kenmeri has any feelings about this development, they don't seem to mind, roaring past the side road the Impreza disappear down without even a waver. Akagi however, has other plans.

"No! YOU! DON'T!" With its own shriek of screaming tires and straining rotary engine, Akagi throws her FC into a turn that narrowly escapes putting her car in a ditch, zooming down the side road and off in pursuit of her blue foe. "I won't let you escape this time!"

Catching sight of all this in her mirrors, Haruna stares in shock as Akagi now joins the Subaru in disappearing from view.

"Haruna is turning around to help!"

"No!" Comes the carrier's desperate command. "I can stick with the Impreza! Keep the lead on the Kenmeri!" A glance in her rear view mirror shows the vintage Skyline slowing slightly, but still on her tail. "That guy knew how to set up a race with the Impreza! If you can beat him to the end of the road, maybe you can convince him to stop and ask how!"

Running over the mental map of the remaining road in her head, Haruna considers their options. Unless the Kenmeri deviates down any other side roads like it's partner, eventually this path should slowly meander northeastward and back out of the mountains.

But before that, there is still two more sections to go. One is a sequence of ascending hairpins and switchbacks up a ridge line. And then there is the descent down the opposite mountain side, almost similar to her own home mountain, with a rolling series of wide corners, perfect for high speed drifting.

She knows she has the advantage in the uphill attack. And now she will be in the lead for the next downhill defense.

Initial D 5th Stage SOUNDFILES - Takumi's Theme II

"Haruna will do her best."
--------------

"Hey, hey!" Already staring at the source of Asuka's pointed finger, Kiba eyes the AE86 in front of them as it slowly yaws into the opposing lane, then carefully deaccelerates until it is almost level with them. Starring into the darkened cabin opposite, Kiba can then feel the unknown driver's gaze upon himself as well.

Then, her high beams flicker.

Enamored, Asuka then spins around to face him excitedly. "Player Three still wants to race!"

Silently Kiba considers his options. He still has plenty of rubber on his tires. His brakes feel fine. The road conditions up ahead should still generally be good, with a lot more runoff and verges to provide wiggle room for the longer and heavier Kenmeri to play with in a chasing battle. And as physically intensive as the last stage was, he has plenty of strength yet left to give.

The Hachiroku's headlights flare once again in challenge.

"Please Kiba! One more race! This time against somebody we're not completely outclassed by as well!'

Kiba can't help but internally debate that point. Maybe there might only be 13 years difference dividing their cars, but while he would normally consider that gap closeable through superior driver skill, in this case, he's not entirely sure he's the superior driver. Anybody not just willing, but capable enough to do a weight transfer to cut inside a corner above a 25 meter drop, deserves some kudos, regardless of how insane they might be.

Reving and launching like a horse straining against the bit as it flashes it's lights once more, this time Kiba feels the throaty roar of the Kenmeri answering in kind, it's S-20 powered heartbeat longing to be unleashed for the pursuit once more.

Finally, Kiba acquiesces with a grin, the gleam of the night monster overtaking his eyes once more, as he blinks the Kenmeri's lights in answer. "Alright, fine. You guys win."

"HAHA! YES! ROUND TWO!"

Flooring the accelerator and shifting up, the vintage Skyline eagerly responds to the request for more speed, and answers it's acceptance of the challenge with a carbureted roar of it's own.

Teeth barred like the creature in the dark as his power takes effect, the okuri-inu laughs, knuckles whitening as he grips the wheel. "I don't know if we can win against this girl. But at the very least, we can give her one hell of a race!"

Rocking back as it's own driver accelerates back up to racing speeds, both cars are neck and neck as they quickly bear down upon the start of the first bends of the final uphill section at blistering speeds. Engines screaming in tandem, unfortunately the first turn is one that puts the Hachiroku on the inside, an advantage the driver ruthlessly exploits to full effect, crawling through the turn to edge ahead of the heavier Skyline trapped on an outside line. Even as they then swing into the next hairpin almost immediately after, Kiba can tell the lead has already been lost to the nimbler and more agile 86.

This time however, there is no anger or frustration. Only the thrill of the race, and the adrenaline of the chase.

"Ha! I suppose it's fitting that our positions be reversed! Let's see how well you do on the defense then!" Hollering with mechanical fury, with Kiba no longer needing to drive with such wild abandon to simultaneously keep up with the Scubaru and ward off chasers, the Kenmeri streaks through the turns in much less deranged manner.

No longer having to take into account defending his position, now it is true duel.
--------------


"HARUNA!" In the middle of blazing through a chicane of turns, the sudden interruption by Akagi over the radio almost throws the battleship off her game. "YOU CAN'T LET THAT KENMERI GET AWAY! WHAT EVER YOU DO, DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF IT!"

"I'm sorry?!" Glancing in her wing mirror, Haruna sees the glaring headlights of the vintage car, still doggedly refusing to fall behind and with the steel roar of it's straight-6 bellowing in her ears.

"I lost the Impreza!"

"How?!?"

"I don't know how!" Cries Akagi in frustration. "The road turned to gravel, and then it kept going like a rally car, and now it's turned to mud, but it still kept on going anyway and completely left me behind!"

"Then where are you?!?"

"I don't know??? I don't think this road even has a name!!! I stopped when the gravel ran out, but now I'm stuck driving in reverse because there isn't even enough room to turn around in here!"

Absorbing these developments with baffled shock, the battleship then looks to the vehicle occupying center focus of her rear view mirror.

"..... Haruna is racing the Kenmeri."

"WHAT?!?"

"Haruna is also winning."

"Then keep winning! PLEASE!" begs the Red Castle, sound almost even more desperate then when she begs Kaga for pocket change to buy food while out. "That guy is now our best chance to catching the Impreza! You NEED to beat him!"

Up ahead, the battleship then spots what she's been waiting for. The final sequence of repeated, consecutive switchbacks on the uphill. So steep, tight and closely set together, that the differences in weight, horsepower, turning circle between the two vehicles will become an immeasurable gulf, that no amount or torque or wild, barely restrained driving skill will be able to compensate for.

Takumi / Neo

"This is it. The final decisive battle takes place here!" Flooring her accelerator, the Kenmeri strains to keep up with her 86 on the slope, riding a fine margin for error as both vehicles hurtle themselves upon the turn.

"GO HARUNA! GO!! FOR THE PRIDE OF YOKOSUKA'S TOUGE ATTACK SQUADRON!!!"

Tires squeal, rubber burns, and the smell of clutch and handbrake fills the cabin as both cars perform simultaneous rear entries into the first hairpin. Clawing for grip and fighting momentum however, the Kenmeri's weight betrays it, and it is the 86 that shrugs off the effects of physics first, launching forwards into the exit of the turn more easily than it's pursuer. Only milliseconds behind her, the Kenmeri's engine roars at it follows after her, however immediately it faces the incline to the next turn, a setting that continues to pit is at a disadvantage against the greater power-to-weight ratio of the 86.

Still barely moments out of the first turns, both cars are then forced to throw themselves into the next switchback of the ascent. But already at an energy disadvantage to the 86, the Kenmeri struggles to keep a similar maintenance of it's entry speed through the drift it is forced to perform, to make to take such a tight turn in the first place. A turn that only leads to yet another short incline, and a further compact switchback.

Sweat beads on Haruna's brow as she tears through the vicious, unrelenting turns in sequence. Each one is a razor's edge of performance and control, burning rubber, barely missing guard rails, and managing her clutch and accelerator against factors such as weight, grip, tire pressure and momentum. All to maintain the perfect line, that with each brutal turn, puts an exponentially growing gulf between herself and the Kenmeri, which simply can't maintain the energy to perform at the same relentless pace and assault of the corners.

By the final hairpin, Haruna's grip on the wheel is white-knuckled.

A sense of relief overcomes her, as for the first time, she looks into the rear view mirror, and doesn't see the vintage Skyline lurking behind her like a beast in the night.

Banking into a slow left as the road at last crosses the rise that divides the uphill from the last downhill, the battleship then frowns, realizing she can't see it's headlights at all.

Surely she didn't leave it that far behind?

For a second, she almost feel worried

It's driver didn't push too far and finally crash did they?

Suddenly, just as she slides into a right hand curve that marks the beginning the downhill descent, there is a blinding burst of light from the left, rising from below the bushes demarcating what should be a drop over the edge of the embankment.
--------------

"Aw, they're getting away...." observes Asuka with mild disappointment as the AE86 tears though the unforgiving switchbacks and inclines of the mountain road, far more capably than the Kenmeri can match.

The okuri-inu however, laughs in time with the predatory gurgle of the Skyline's S-20, even as the distance continues to widen. "That's where you're wrong kiddo."

Eyes scanning the corners furiously, at last Kiba spots what he has been looking for. With two more switchbacks remnaining, Kiba instead throws the handbrake, streaking into a drift to the right and up what looks like a driveway, rather than following to the left after the AE86, which is already swerving into the next turn on the main road ahead of their point of divergence.

"What are you doing!?!?" cries Asuka in shock. "The 86 went the other way!"

The wolf laughs, ignoring the occasional leaves that beat against the windows and side panels, while the Kenmeri kicks up a tail of dust and gravel in it's eagerness to climb the well worn path. "That 86 driver may be good, and has likely driven the road before, but they obviously don't know the road like I do."

Eyes still gleaming in the dark, the dog-yokai's grin only widens as the path abruptly clears to reveal a rotting tourist overlook, terminating in a dilapidated car park and rusting barricade. "Back in the day, this was a shortcut!"

Asuka screams as they hurtle towards the poorly protected abyss, only increasing in volume as Kiba then spins the car into a tail first, rear-entry style slide. Flooring the accelerator as the Skyline at last halts it's progress towards the cliff-face only a hairsbreadth from the collapsing guardrail, the Kenmeri roars with an almost nostalgia fueled power born of past victories and eras. Hurtling back the way they came, Asuka then sees what she first missed in their high speed entry.

A second entrance to the car park heading further up the mountain. Blasting into the darkened trail with carbureted fury, the Skyline takes to the ascent like a fighter buoyed with a furious second wind. Then Kiba pales.

"Ohhhh FUCK!"

The daitengu looks at him in horror "What?!"

"They finally finished putting in that damn verge at the top to stop people cutting down here!"

Seeing the small lip of grass and plants blocking their path, the diatengu then screams as Kiba doesn't just refuse to slow, but instead increases the relentless pace. Downshifting at the last moment, the sudden application of torque and power causes the Kenmeri to suddenly lurch, not quite doing a wheelie, but still incrementally lifting the front wheels off the ground momentarily, as the forces at work cause the weight and energy of the car to transfer and pivot around the rear axle.

"Hold on! This'll be rough!"

The front wheels just barely brus over the edge of the verge. Then the back wheels make contact, catching with a violent kick that lifts and launches them into the air.
--------------

Haruna has seen many crazy things when driving the roads of Japan at night.

She's been responsible for more than a few of those crazy things herself over the years.

She's not sure however, that she's ever seen a Kenmeri apparently somehow climb from the outside line of a hairpin ten meters below, up an embankment, and then launch itself out of the bushes and into a flying leap through the air to land on the outside edge of the hairpin above.

For a moment, all she can do is stare, mind struggling to process what she is looking at in slow motion.

'Is this..... a Reverse-Irohazaka jump?!?'

Dusty - Crazy for love

With the crashing slam of abused shocks, flexing bodywork, and tires abruptly screaming to regain traction and spin, the Kenmeri hits the ground beside her running, fish-tailing slightly, but somehow none the worse for wear despite a maneuver and landing that would have written off even hardier vehicles in a lesser driver's hands.

Watching as it shrugs off the last of it's landing, and it's engine hungrily bellows with victorious glory, with a thrill of shock, Haruna realizes that they are now neck and neck once more. With one crazy shortcut, the Kenmeri has closed the entirety of the gap she has slowly built since the beginning of the duel. And now they are barreling down the mountain into the slalom of the downhill section, without the presence of anybody behind the vintage Skyline to divide it's attention between both attack and defense.

Even worse, the next section is much less unforgiving in it's turns. There's much needed room for the Skyline to maintain its speed and wider lines through the turns, negating the agility of her 86. The one advantage she could claim is that it is rather similar to the roads surrounding her namesake mountain, but that means little when her foe is a familiar enough with the territory to jump up switchbacks.

"Fine then." Sparing a glance out her window, Haruna eyes the Kenmeri with a flinty gaze of resolve and determination.

"If it is a fight of skill it must come down to-"

Initial D 1st Stage Soundtrack - I NEED YOUR LOVE

"-then it is a fight of skill Haruna will give you!"

Seeing the first of the wide, arching curves coming up, the battleship hugs the inside, inching ahead of the Kenmeri on it's outside path. Flicking back in as they swiftly flow into the next turn however, now it is the Skyline's turn to edge into the lead, clawing for distance and pushing it's nose out past her's.

The next corner is a harsh 90 degree right followed by a lazy bend to the left, with Haruna using her 86's smaller turning radius and nimbleness to reclaim lost ground on the first corner, only for the kenmeri to take a purposely take a smoother and earlier entry through the smae right, in order to start with and more rapidly build speed through the ensuing left.

Rubber burns as another pair of harsh turns follow, this time with the Kenmeri pushing the lead via the inside first, only for it to be stolen by the 86 when the inside next passes to her.

Calling upon all her technical skill and racing instincts, Haruna directs her car like a master through a pair of wide lefts, only for the vintage Skyline to attack from the outside when the ensuing short, sharp right comes with a runoff lane widen enough for the muscle car to swing it's tail out in a massive drift.

Still neck and neck, and each refusing to succeed the lead to the other, both cars slalom through the next pair of S-Bends practically side by side, bare inches away from trading paint, and alternating who is a risk of tail-striking the guardrails the fly by at blistering speed.

Incessantly, the speed warning of her 86 chimes from the paces they are maintaining through the turns. Above the hood of her car, Haruna can practically see the ripple of heat, as the engine fights to keep the punishing tempo she is pushing, in the endurance race their battle has become.

No longer is it a fight between who is more skilled.

Now it is a battle to see who will make the first mistake.

Watching as the lights of suburbia and the last of the mountain's foothills get closer and closer with every passing turn, Haruna grits her teeth and jockyes with ever increasing intensity against the Kenmeri for any sort of lead. Screaming through each turn alongside her, the Skyline fights back with every ounce of power it can manage, and puts the pressure on her to equal degree.

Neither of them can definitively pull enough of a lead ahead of the other, to box their opponent in. And with the road widening out as they leave the touge proper, both are rapidly gaining the double edged sword of more room to maneuver at high speeds, at the cost of equally growing options for their opponent.

Edging out ahead once again in a longer corner, Haruna cruses as the Kenmeri once again cuts inside of her on the next sharp turn it has the inside line of. With their vehicles so even and close placed, Haruna has no choice but to take the outside, lest she fall entirely into second place, even as the Skyline pushes it's nose once more until Haruna finds her self staring at the now frustratingly familiar GT-R badge of the her opponent's rear-quarter panel.

"THAT IS NOT OKAY!!!" Who ever heard of an AE86 having to rely on their advantage on a straightaway?!?

That's the only way she'll be able to win she realizes.

If she can maintain her equal pace with her foe, the incremental difference in horsepower may just be enough for her to edge ahead on the final stretch.

Her skill has carried her this far. But now it comes down to one of the less considered factors of racing. Of not just who has better maintained and tuned their vehicle, but also who has preserved the performance of their car better through the brutal intensities of the race they have just run.

Tearing around the ultimate corner, Haruna hears and sees the sounds and motions she has come to identify as her foe exiting a hairpin in low gear, just before they shift up. Her own 86 straining and eager to make the leap from 2nd to 3rd gear as well, the two cars fly down the final straight.

Almost a kilometer of unbroken asphalt, descending downwards to the unofficial finish line created by a railway crossing at the very bottom of the hill.

Initial D 5th Stage SOUNDFILES - Battle I

"This is it! The final attack!"

Putting her peddle to the metal, the roar of her opponents engine can only mean they have done the same in unison.

Smoothly shifting through gears with lightning speed and perfect precision, slowly the gaps between their front bumpers begins to close.

The roar of engines consumes the world, as both cars hurtle towards the finish line, each driver eking from their vehicle, every ounce of power and speed they can get.

Finally neck and neck with the Kenmeri, Haruna suddenly realizes something is wrong. Slowly, the closure rate between the two vehicles is dying off. With a start, she glances down at her tachometer.

'Haruna has already hit her redline?!?'

Beside her, the older vehicle has also reached it's limit.

But while she took into account the power difference, she forgot to account for the slight advantage weight would also give her foe on such a steep descent.

With horror, the battleship realizes that it is almost impossible to gauge who has the lead. Even with her accelerator pressed as hard into the floor as it will go without breaking, there is nothing left in either vehicle to give, that will provide the final bit of something needed to definitively clear the other.

And then the lights of the railway crossing start blaring.

Rather than immediately beginning to slow however, Haruna finds herself starring at the tinted windows of her opponent's vehicle. Through the darkness of the glass, she can barely make out a shape, something that makes Haruna suddenly feel a chill run up her spine. A cold shiver spreading from that ancient part of the human hind-brain that once, and still does fear the things in the darkness beyond the torch's light at night. Suddenly, she very seriously questions what she has been fighting this whole time.

Tearing her gaze away, Haruna looks back to the road and the slowly descending crossing arms that have joined the flashing lights.

Her foot stays glued to the peddle.

Beside her, the Kenmeri roars down the slope beside her with equally mad abandon.

Both vehicles release a spray of sparks as they abruptly cross curvature that marks the end of the slope and the even ground of the valley floor. Across distant rice paddies, the light of a freight train carrying war-materials can be seen. And yet even as it begins to pass through the crossing, both cars continue to barrel down on the rolling walls of metal.

Then finally in unison, they both hit their brakes.

Ceramics glow with furious heat in the midnight light, as both cars slam anchors, finally digging in their heels at the very last moment of the nigh suicidal charge towards the train.

In a final scream of rubber and smoke, both cars strain to come to a halt, a result that finally comes only a hairsbreadth from disaster.

With a gentle bump, the rubber protector on the crossing arm bobs lightly from the soft nudge it receives from the two cars' hoods.

Initial D 5th Stage SOUNDFILES - Project.D I

At last coming to a stop, it takes Haruna a moment to release her hold on the steering wheel. Hands clammy and sweaty, Haruna shivers as the rush of the race fades, replaced by suddenly exhausted muscles and shot nerves. Trembling slightly at the abrupt comedown from the heart-pounding adrenaline roller coaster, the battleship looks across to the Kenmeri.

Shocked, worn and feeling like she just fought an Abyssal Demon with all the stresses involved, all Haruna can do is stare, likely imagining the other driver isn't much better off.

For over a minute, the two vehicles simply sit in silence, even after the train passes and the crossing arms are raised once more. The only noises breaking the calm of the countryside night, are the quite rumble of engines, and the crinkling crackles of cooling brake pads and hoods.

Eventually though, Haruna sees motion in the cabin of the Skyline. Suddenly hearing it's accelerator floored, the battleship watches in confusion as it swings into a fishtailing burnout, carrying it in a circle around her 86, to place it driver-side to driver-side with her window.

Then, the tinted window lowers, barely revealing a hand holding a pair of paper slips out the window, but shedding naught else about the driver's identity.

Uncertainly, Haruna lowers her own window just enough to reach out, hesitantly accepting the papers.

To her shock, the Kenmeri then immediately accelerates away once more, swinging around behind her to face the crossing once more, then charging past her 86 and across the rails towards the lights of civilization on the other side.

For a few moments, Haruna stares after, quietly watching the taillights disappear into the distance. Then she turns her attention to the slips the unknown driver handed her.

The first for some reason, is an offuda, warm to the touch, and the ink even still wet. At the heart of it, is some sort of archaic symbol for "mountains", another for the "roads", the modern kanji for "car" and "crash", rounded off by a third and final esoteric word for "protection".

"..... one use only?" Frowning in baffled confusion, Haruna then looks to the second slip of paper she was handed, discovering a messily scrawled message in modern ballpoint pen.

A message written on top of a business card for a "Hashida Automotive Garage".

"If you think Scubaru was good, the old guy is even better than both of us - The Sending-Off Wolf."

 

Jaws.7

Credit is given to Lord K who wrote the original snippet this is based on and some advice for tailoring this to fit in with it.
*-*--*--*-*
Initial MSSB A Fairy Good View

10 minutes after arrival at the highway off-ramp:

The two observation planes Akagi carried were awaiting the order to get airborne, set up to taxi from the break space, and take advantage of the tailwind from the cars to assist their take off, they were there to record the interception of the Impreza by the two Ship girl’s and hopefully the subsequent race that followed.

So when Yubari’s call came through they started their engines and began to taxi, while one of the crew started up the camera’s in each plane, within 5 minutes they were in the air ascending to get the best positions to film all the contestants one plane per team.

Another crew member began a running commentary with their co-commenter, on the other plane, on a separate radio set connected to the recording equipment, filling the plane with good-natured if sometimes heated HEY ‘s as the race progressed.

The Yasen battle between the Yokosuka Touge Attack Squadron and the Impreza and unknown Challenger begins.


The race started as a straight sprint to build up speed before the end of the highway and beginning of the mountain roads to get the most advantageous positions, by the time they had entered the mountain roads the Impreza was in the lead followed by its own challenger with Haruna then Akagi in the rear.

The Impreza and its challenger were heading for the first S-bend at speeds recommend for experienced drivers who knew their car and the roads, which was more surprising considering the suspected age of the challenger car.

What followed next was several high-speed game of chicken through the chicanes with the Impreza putting effort into maintaining its course, with the Muscle car pulling out an inertial drift to press its advantage around the corners while manoeuvring to keep Haruna in place, with Akagi following behind. This continues for a time until they hit a straight where the Impreza accelerates ahead making use of its Twin Turbos.

At this point, the two Spotter planes have switched to one plane staying high in the sky to capture the action in its entirety while the other would be making close up shots and passes to capture the action more intimately.

Half an hour into the Race and the line-up had not changed though this was not an uncontested race, at least for the Impreza which had a reasonably untroubled run, the Muscle car had been fending off the large number of attempts to overtake it by Haruna.

Though In a change for the current standoff (and the fact that the Planes had both girls on radio so they could anticipate somewhat) Haruna decelerated marginally enough to allow Akagi to Take her place as Pursuer as they begin to execute a series of complex maneuverer’s on the next series of uphill turns and curves until the next straight appears allowing Akagi to advance until she Is Practically bumper to bumper to the Muscle car.

In this time the Action Plane had taken the chance to move in to capture the beginning of the Touge attack squadrons plan in action and was therefore in place to capture a great shot of Girls cars when they perform a feint on the Muscle car driver by convincing him that Haruna was to use the gutter to advance forcing him to spend time blocking Akagi as Haruna Advances on the inner turn performing a risky move leaving her front right wheel hanging over the side, Making the Commentators wonder if she is increasing her weight by drawing on her original weight to balance it out.

The Moves payoff allows the Plane to get a great slow-motion shot of Haruna undertaking the Muscle car, Haruna punctuating her victory with the squeal of rubber as her wheel touches back down on the road and the Muscle car making some quick adjustments to avoid hitting the wall while still blocking Akagi before they head into the next set of switchbacks.

The race continues with Haruna gradually making ground and defending her position from the muscle car as the plane spots a junction coming up and prepares to ascend when.

Suddenly lunging forwards with power and leaving the 86 in the dust in a manner that would be more expected of some kind of supercar on the track, rather than a modified sedan in the back roads of Japan.
With a squeal of abused rubber, the Scubaru whips sideways, causing the 86 to overshoot it, before finally its engine roars and its wheels screamed for motion and traction. In an almost cartoonish defiance of physics, the blue beast finally obtains its grip on the ground and proceeds to haul itself in its new direction of travel.

Darting down the side road with a cloud of tire smoke and a twin turbo-charged whine, there is only a final glimpse of the blue spoiler and vanishing red taillights, before then the Muscle car has blown past the intersection, with the Kenmeri almost giving its own final carburetted roar of farewell as well.

This abrupt bait and switch cause’s one of the commentator’s to call shenanigans while the Action plane decides to take on the Role of capturing Haruna and the muscle cars continued to dance while the other plane speeds up and descends beginning to follow the new road to follow the Scubaru along with Akagi chasing it aggressively after a quick turn that could have ditched her car.

Akagi and the Plane, which by this point had alerted her to its decision to follow them, chase the other car up the road that quickly begins to degrade into a gravel road forcing Akagi to stop and turn back while the plane goes flying further on for some time before turning back after marking out their location on a map.

Meanwhile the other plane had been Following Haruna and the Kenmeri as they duked it out on a uphill battle to see who would be the winner; they had now entered the final Sequence of Turns simultaneously, fairly even but Haruna gaining the advantage until Haruna had a decisive lead at the last hairpin bend, though this was because the Kenmeri had taken an unknown shortcut when he had driven up what looked like a driveway, which the Plane adjusted to record.

This shortcut allowed the Kenmeri to get the drop on Haruna as it jumped over a verge from the hidden tourist overlook in a Reverse-Irohazaka jump when they landed the distance Haruna had gained was eaten up in one fell swoop as they are neck and neck.

The final set of S-bends see the competitors almost side by side as they jockey for inches each corner to edge one another into the lead, Then they reach the Final straight a Kilometre of unbroken asphalt descending downwards to the unofficial finish line created by a railway crossing at the very bottom of the hill.

What happens next is a breakneck display of skill and redlining their engines to get a win, with the Kenmeri edging out due to its downhill weight advantage before the Railway crossing lights activate and the barrier starts dropping, while most drivers would begin slowing down at this point, the plane captures a few seconds of no change before both drivers slam on the breaks.

Ceramics glow with furious heat in the midnight light, as both cars slam anchors, finally digging in their heels at the very last moment of the nigh suicidal charge towards the train.

In a final scream of rubber and smoke, both cars strain to come to a halt, a result that finally comes, only a hairsbreadth from disaster.

With a gentle bump, the rubber protector on the crossing arm bobs lightly from the soft nudge it receives from the two cars' hoods.

The plane catches it all, a draw shouts the commentators too much the cheering in the planes when the barrier lifts and the cars part ways the Plane radios Haruna for her to arrange a pick up from which the wait until Akagi and the other plane arrives before heading back to base.

3 Days later

It took a few days to recuperate from the race and go over the Video too much cheering and shouting on the base then edit it so that it could be readied for their private collection with the rest of their race videos.

The editing took the longest due to the number of shots as well as having to dub the video twice, once with the Fairies commentating and then a second which had to be subtitled twice, once with the fairy commentary which was just numerous Hey’s all over the screen bar where the action is taking place and having human write in the Subtitles as the fairy speak did not translate over.

The second time was having Naka Dub all the speech and subtitles for ease of listening for people not used to fairy commentary. So on this third day, one of the planes that had been recording the race took off from the Yokosuka, after clearing its route with ATC and a Memory stick securely packed in the shockproof container in the Torpedo/cargo bay, plotting it’s course to one specific location.

Hashida Automotive Garage 12:45

Life at the garage was busy as normal, though Kensuke’s father was taking a break outside the shop when he, along with a number of other residents, began hearing an odd but recognisable Engine noise approaching before realising what it was: A plane though rather a quiet one, looking around for a few moments, along with other residents, before he spotted it a low flying reconnaissance/torpedo plane was barrelling down the street heading towards the Garage. Now quietly concerned about what it was doing here and preparing to go inside he noticed a miscellaneous round shaped brown package attached to it.

Meanwhile, the Plane had spotted its target and after adjusting course and checking the wind, pulled up, then when it was about 5 meters away from the shop mid climb released its package before ascending further while pulling a corkscrew to ascertain if the parachute had opened then levelling out and Heading back to base.

Kensuke’s father almost dived back in to the garage out of the way of the package before noting that while it had travelled most of the 5 metres towards the shop it was now drifting in on a parachute, assuaging some of his suspicions along with a surreptitious detection spell, walked out and grabbed the floating parcel noting a label on it:

To the Sending –Off-Wolf and old man of Hashimida Garage a gift from the Yokosuka Touge Attack Squadron, and the Scubaru driver on the mountain 3 days ago.

Scratching his head, he brought the package inside and opened it up to find the memory stick and enclosed letter:

Thanks for the Exhilarating night out, we thought you might want a copy of your own, Please watch.

Now very intrigued Kensuke’s father went to the nearest computer and inserted the memory stick prepared to watch what was apparently a race, not expecting the shocking identity of the racers or the Commentator’s.

 

Snippet 154: S0ngD0g13

Akizuki was bored. Her ELF was up on jack-stands waiting on a new rear-axle and the electric kit-car she'd ordered was still in-transit, so she was rather-lacking in wheels to get out and go places...

All at once, she had an idea...

"Akashi-san, I need to borrow a welder for a bit for a project!"

........................................................

An hour and a half later, the Destroyer gazed upon her creation. It consisted of a long low-slung frame of welded-steel tubing, with a small pair of foot-rests at the rear and a tall bowed handle for her to grip, all resting atop a series of heavy-duty swivel-casters that ran down the length of each side.

A quick trip to the Minesweeper Kennels and the excuse of exercising the hounds had gotten her harnesses and dogs. Skirmish and Scuffle were hitched side-by-side as wheel-dogs, behind Rebel and Barricade, Bombard and Assail, and her favorite, Barrier, out in front.

Akizuki tossed a pack full of snacks onto cargo-area of what amounted to a homemade wheeled dogsled and stepped onto the foot-rests. "Mush!"

........................................................

Kiba was sitting at a red-light in his Kenmeri when a girl stopped beside him... On a dogsled. Pulled by scenthounds.

The Hell?

Akizuki waved and smiled at him; the light turned green and she mushed the dogs onward, accelerating far faster than seven hounds had any right to before vanishing around a curve...

The Okuri-inu was jolted out of his stupefied reverie by the Toyota behind him honking at him for holding up traffic.

 

Harry Leferts

Standing beside Tanya as the Ta class is moving using a walker, Norihara gave her a small smile. "You're doing great, Tanya. Just keep taking it slow and don't push yourself too far. We want to build you back up after all."

The Abyssal gave the doctor a bright smile as she concentrated on what she was doing. "Yes... Norihara. And thank you."

Amused, Norihara gave a combination of a chuckle and a sigh as she ruffled Tanya's hair. "Just remember that, we don't want you to take another spill by pushing too far, okay?" Blushing, Tanya only nodded before turning back to using the walker to make her way down the hall. As she did so, Norihara looked around the building that her and Tanya called home. Built on the shores of Lake Biwa, it was a traditional style Japanese home which meant that everything was on one level of the building. Something that made it perfect for Tanya considering her condition all those years ago.

Much easier to get her around using the wheelchair after all.

While at first it had taken Norihara some time to get used to it, the doctor had. More then that, she had fallen in love with the house as the months went by. It was the sort of home that she would have never been able to get otherwise unless she had saved most of her money for decades. But both the JMSDF and the government had paid for it in return for her taking care of Tanya and making note of anything about Abyssals that she could. Of course, that meant one of the rooms was turned into an office/lab for her and another was a library. It was not uncommon for Norihara to be found in working at all times of the day in one of the two rooms.

Lips twitching, Norihara had to shake her head at how her life had changed since she had taken on Tanya. Before, she was just a general practitioner and now she was considered one of the world's foremost experts on Abyssal biology. Even Hoppou and Wanko, for all that they were Princesses and thus had instinctual knowledge, had complimented her on her knowledge. In fact, from what the doctor could see, Wanko had been pleasantly surprised just how much she knew when they had talked during the negotiations for the treaty.

In fact, Wanko had all but outright demanded that if any of her fleet was in Japan and injured with Hoppou unable to be reached, Norihara was the one to be called in.

Norihara was still not quite sure how to take it.

However, that was not to say that Norihara was just a doctor for Tanya. She had become one for the locals in her area since her arrival. Yes, some of them were not quite sure how to take the Abyssal and her doctor/companion moving in nearby. But after the first year that had calmed down. Enough so that Norihara had become one of the few doctors for the area. Sometimes Norihara would head out and perform housecalls. Other times, her patients would travel to her. In fact, one of the other areas of the home was where she would sometimes see patients that traveled from nearby. Tanya often was the one who greeted them.

Oddly, now that the Abyssal was starting to walk again, Norihara sometimes had the image of the Abyssal acting as a receptionist for her. It was a humorous image, but also a thought provoking one... before the doctor would rapidly shake it off. Partially due to some of the other thoughts that brought up.

Despite her isolation and how others might have seen her though, Norihara had gotten a number of friends. Two of the doctors she had become friends with Kawa Goro and Kawa Mizuki. She had met the three during a conference in Tokyo and soon hit it off. The married couple had been surprised to meet the "Abyssal Doctor" as some called her and had become close friends. Both had been impressed by how Norihara fully bought into how a Doctor's life should be dedicated to helping. Not once did they insult her for being too "naïve" or "idealistic" like a number of others had.

As a matter of fact, the two had complimented her especially when she explained that she helped Tanya because she saw her not as a monster, but as a patient. They both had gone quiet for several seconds after that. And then the two other doctors gave her a smile and nod before stating that they wished more were like her.

However, more than that though, they even spoke up when another doctor had commented on her. Something that Norihara did not forget and afterwards her and the couple continued their correspondence. Much to her surprise, she got a number of patients in the area who showed up at the recommendation of the Kawas. While Norihara did have her suspicions about some of them, she let it rest. Tanya never reacted badly to many of them and Norihara used her as a danger gage of sorts.

More surprising was the time when in the middle of the night a number of bikers had shown up. They had been in the area when one of them had an accident and needed help with the Doctors Kawa telling them that she could help them as she was closest. Norihara had helped them get their friend into the house and all of them had froze when they saw Tanya watching curiously. But they had soon shook it off and Norihara had gone to work. While she may have been a General Practitioner, she did work in Yokosuka's base hospital during the worst years of the war. And so she was very good that fixing people up, which she did.

Norihara was brought back to the present by a sound from the Ta-Class that made her lips twitch as she made her way towards Tanya. "Okay, Tanya, I think that's enough for the day."

Frowning, Tanya ignored the soreness in her legs as she looked at her walker and then at the hallways. "But I can... continue, Norihara. I can do this."

Simply walking over, the Doctor shook her head and placed a hand on Tanya's shoulder. "Yes, but pushing yourself too far will be worse. And it would actually push back your recovery." Getting a nod that reminded her far too much of a little girl, Norihara bent down to better look Tanya in the eyes. "Hey, we'll get there eventually. This?" Tapping the walker, she continued. "It's temporary. One day, and one day soon, you won't need it and you'll be able to walk around again easily. But until then, we got to work on it slowly."

After a few moments, Tanya looked up and then nodded with a smile. In her mind, she knew that Norihara knew more in regards to this and cared about her. "Okay."

Reaching out, she placed her arms around Norihara's neck and was not disappointed when the human placed one arm under her knee. Seconds later, she was in her beloved doctor's arms in a bridal carry before burying her face in the crook of said woman's neck and closing her eyes. Somewhat amused by Tanya's actions, Norihara only internally shook her head. For some odd reason, the Ta class looked... cute... whenever she did that. However, she also squashed down such thoughts because she was Tanya's doctor. "Now, I'll run a bath and add the repair fluid to it. That way, we can allow your legs to recover some more... Sound good?"

Only humming, Tanya nodded against Norihara's neck with a smile. Inside her head, she was imagining one day in the future. One day soon that the woman holding her would not need to worry about such silly things as her being a patient.

Perhaps she'll carry Norihara then...?

Several minutes found both of them in the bathroom with Tanya on a stool. Taking one of the Abyssal's legs in her hands, Norihara slowly began moving her fingers along the slightly cool flesh and muscle. With a glance up, she smiled at just how happy Tanya looked while continuing to make sure to work out any possible forming knots and strains. "You seem happy."

Nodding, Tanya's smile only widened before she let out a hum that was more like a purr. "I am, Norihara. Because... you are here."

A blush on her cheeks, Norihara sighed and shook her head some. 'No matter what I say, huh?' Looking up, she tilted her head to the side as Tanya's eyes met her own. Now, Norihara would not deny that the Abyssal was beautiful, because she was. There had been times when she found herself just a little bit jealous of that fact. Of course, the one time that she had mentioned that...

Tanya had blinked and told her that she had nothing to be jealous of before smiling brightly.

It... had taken the blush some time to die down from that. Shaking that off, Norihara let out a breath. "Well, I suppose that you should be. After all you've been doing a lot better now with your physio and exercises." Once more looking Tanya in the eyes, she smiled. "I'm really proud of you, Tanya."

Flustered, Tanya looked down but there was a happy expression on her face. "Thank you, Norihara... I am happy to hear... that." That got the Ta-Class a smile that made her boilers warm. Then she closed her eyes and simply focused on the feeling of Norihara as she continued to work her legs.
_______________________________________________________

Night had fallen on Japan and Kaga had one hand on the wheel as she glanced at her quiet companion. After a few moments, her lips twitched some. "I believe that the American expression is that if you keep it up, your face will stay that way Akagi-San."

Huffing some, Akagi crossed her arms against her chest. "It will not."

Simply humming, the converted Battleship watched as their surroundings passed them by. "Perhaps. But I think that it would be a shame if it would." Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the Red Castle's mouth twitch and felt herself smile slightly. 'I see that it is still bothering her.'

Also looking out the window, Akagi confirmed this a moment later. "You know what is wrong, don't you?" When Kaga gave a silent nod, she sighed and shook her head. "You weren't there to see it, Kaga-Chan. That Impreza should not have been able to disappear down that road in the manner that it did. One moment it was there, and the next it was gone before I got stuck in the mud."

Considering that, Kaga frowned slightly herself. Yes, she was annoyed both at Akagi heading out without her and being woken up to help her drag her car from the mud. An annoyance only partially relieved by Haruna's reactions to when Rose had come out from Kaga's vehicle with a glare on her face from also not being invited. But the whole story... "Yes, that is troublesome."

Finger tapping on the dashboard, the converted Battlecruiser sighed. "I keep replaying it over and over in my head to figure out how it happened. But I cannot see how it disappeared in the manner it did."
With a glance at her internal maps, Kaga gave a shrug. "Perhaps you are not looking at it in the proper manner." At the confusion, she continued. "Instead of wondering how it could have lost you, perhaps wonder how it disappeared."

Opening her mouth, Akagi paused and then became thoughtful. "You think that magic was involved in some manner?"

Kaga gave a slow nod as she turned over the story in her head. "It is not impossible. One only needs to look at the vehicles that we both were told about by Nagato-San. Such as Weasley Arthur-San's car and how it can fly."

That brought a smile to Akagi's face before she giggled. "True enough, that was a surprise to hear about after all." Her expression turned thoughtful. "Yes, I suppose that does make a certain amount of sense. And it would explain how and why it keeps disappearing like it does."

Relieved as her close companion's mood had lightened as much as it had, Kaga gave one of her chuckles. Seeing the bemused expression being given her, she looked Akagi in the eyes and gave a shrug. Something that made the other shake her head. In this life together, as in their last, both of them were close. More then close enough to hold entire conversations without either of them speaking a word. Eventually, Kaga let out a breath before smiling. "Hopefully this place will be as enjoyable as suggested."

Eyebrow raising, Akagi gave her friend a look. "Speaking of, where are we going?"

Glancing at her, a hum escaped Kaga. "It's a small inn that I heard about from Haru-San that is just off the main roads. There's a small side building where there's live, yokai entertainment of sorts each night."

If anything, that made Akagi's eyebrow raise still further. "Oh? I would not have thought that there would be any such places like that."

All her companion did though was shrug before turning off onto a side road. "As would I considering things. But it is mostly ignored as long as they do not cause much trouble from what Haru-San stated. Since we have some free time, I thought that it would be interesting to go and see what they may have."

Leaning against her fist, Akagi smiled some. "Well, it does sound interesting to say the least. And I guess that I need something to cheer myself up." Roughly an hour later found the two sitting at a booth in said building. Rubbing her hands, Akagi smiled down at the plate of food in front of her. "I have to say, the Karaage does look good."

Softly smiling, Kaga sipped her beer before giving an appreciative nod. "And the drinks are good as well." Glancing at the stage, she made a hum of interest. "Well now..."

Akagi looked up at the tone and blinked as she looked to the small stage and the people setting up. "Is that Taichi-San?"

Lips curled upwards, Kaga gave a nod as she watched. "Hai, it's Taichi-San. And I think that we're about to hear his band perform."

It was just then that the group began their first set and Akagi closed her eyes and listened. When they switched to the second song, she gave a chuckle. "They're quite good at it..." Frowning she looked down at her plate and then up at Kaga who was eating with a smirk. "Did you just steal some of my food?"

On Kaga's face was a surprised expression though Akagi could easily see through it. "Steal? Of course not, Akagi-San. I would never do such a thing."

Rolling her eyes, Akagi muttered some to herself. "Sure, you wouldn't." At the smirk on Kaga's face, the converted Battlecruiser raised a hand for more food to be brought to their table as they listened to the performance. Head moving with the beat, Akagi hummed some. "You do have to admit, it's different but nice."

Leaning against her hands, Kaga nodded in agreement. "That is true." Eyes glancing around, she became thoughtful as more then one of the patrons were openly revealing what they were. Taichi himself was out in the open as a kitsune. "Perhaps we'll return for another night?"

Just nodding, Akagi smiled some before agreeing. Meanwhile, the band on stage continued to play until near the end Taichi walked to the front. "Thank you all for the wonderful time we had here tonight. Before we go though, we'll do one final song..." Much to Kaga's surprise, Taichi then changed into a version of her in her usual outfit, but with fox ears and tail. However, her jaw dropped as he spoke in her voice. "Now, enjoy."

Moments later, the first strains of the song she was known for, Kaga Misaki began to play. 'That's...' When he, or rather she currently, began to sing it was exactly like her own. "Well now... What do you think, Akagi-San?" Not getting a reply, Kaga frowned and began to turn. "Akagi-San..."

Trailing off, she sighed at the sight of the sparkles in Akagi's eyes as she made a grabbing motion for the Kitsune on the stage. "Kaga-San... with Fluffy tail." Then she blinked as a thought occurred to her. "Do you think that he knows that we're here?"

About to take a drink of her beer, Kaga paused and thought it over. Then she observed the kitsune closer before smiling. "I don't think that he does actually. Interesting..." Her lips then curled some more. "He is quite a bit better then what Zuikaku's attempt was."

Softly snorting, Akagi shook her head. "Zuikaku-San was outright trying to get under your skin that time, Kaga-San." A moment later, Akagi smirked some. "Something that you fell for."

Blushing slightly at the reminder, Kaga turned her full attention onto Taichi in her form on the stage. Unlike what some would think though, she was not angry. In fact, she was actually impressed as she watched him closely. Once was done, Kaga stood up clapping with the others and internally chuckled as Taichi finally caught sight of her as did the rest of his band. He was not the only one either as various other patrons noticed and froze as she began to walk towards the stage. Dropping the illusion, Taichi swallowed some as he did know how some people reacted to Kitsune imitating them. "Uh, Kaga-San, I-"

However, to his shock, Kaga simply stepped up onto stage beside him. "Well done, Taichi-San." As he blinked, she raised an eyebrow. "If you could recreate the transformation?"

Utterly confused, Taichi swallowed a bit. "You... want me to transform back?" At Kaga's nod, he frowned and did so. 'I wonder what is going on here...?'

Now closer, Kaga took a moment to examine him before smiling and taking the microphone. Looking over her shoulder, she cleared her throat. "If you would start playing the song again?"

Each of them looked in confusion at Taichi who had an expression of deep thought on the face he wore. Both of them glanced at the squeal from Akagi at the ear twitch before he turned back to Kaga and spoke in her voice. "You... want us to play the song again?"

Nodding, Kaga raised an eyebrow and held out the microphone. "I will admit, I have always wondered what two of me singing it would sound like..."

A small blush crossed Taichi's cheeks before the Kitsune nodded. "Well then... this is an opportunity that I never thought that I would have. Guys?" Moments later, the first strains began to play as neither noticed Akagi began to record it on her phone. Then both versions of Kaga took a breath and began to sing. It took a moment, but soon they harmonized their voices with each other and moved to the beat as one. As the song faded away, along with their last words, Taichi blinked as it fully hit him what happened and he turned to Kaga who had a smile on her face. "Um..."

Kaga, meanwhile held out her hand which Taichi shook. "Thank you for the performance, Taichi-San." Her hand then gestured to where Akagi was still seated. "Would you like to come to the table with Akagi-San and I? We still have some food after all and I have to admit, I think that I would like to learn more."

Just about to say something, Taichi froze as Seki giggled. "Well, he does have time." When he turned to her, she just gave him a wink. "But I think that the rest of us need to be going."

Eyebrow raised, Kaga blinked some. "Oh? Does Taichi-San have a car then?"

However, the tsukumogami shook her head. "Oh no, he doesn't. But he did say that he was heading to Yokosuka to meet his Okaa-San there? From what I hear, he also wanted to check up on Natsumi-San as well."

Taichi was about to say something when Akagi looked towards Kaga and got a nod. A smile on her face, Akagi looked at the kitsune. "Well then, we could take him there with no issue."

Scratching his cheek, Taichi looked from Akagi to Kaga before eventually giving a nod. Both of them carried the smells of seawater and steel, smells that only shipgirls had so he knew that they were not disguised Yokai. He had also gotten to know them pretty well over the Christmas holidays while staying in Yokosuka. "I... suppose so?"

All he got was smiles from the two Carriers before they lead him back to their table. Much to his surprise, he found that he enjoyed the next two hours as well as the conversation in the car heading to Yokosuka. Unknown to him, both Kaga and Akagi also found the company enjoyable.

Oddly, when Taichi explained to his mother the next day, she gained a grin that made a shiver run down his back to the tip of his tail.

 

NotHimAgain

I thought that this would continue on just a little longer. I guess I was wrong. Oh well, I'll be pretty glad to put it behind me.
Expected Consequences

-----

Tatsuya sat back to back with Benio, watching the light fade across the horizon. They were resting on the park’s grassy lawn, in an open space without much cover. Benio leaned back, resting her head on his shoulder. Tatsuya could be quiet and pensive sometimes—with all that they had to deal with, it would be a wonder if he wasn’t—but today his walk had been the light step of a prowling wildcat, anticipating the chance for violence. It worried her when he got like this.

“I’m fine,” he reassured her stoically.

“No you’re not,” she admonished him. “Do you honestly think I can’t tell?” He was silent for a moment, then nodded imperceptibly, the only sign of it being the brief jerk of his shoulders.

“You’re right,” he said. “When do you think Harry’s help gets here?”

Benio shrugged. They had tried calling in a favor from the boy wizard, figuring that he could light up any puppets while they dealt with the perpetrator, but his mother had put her foot down quite firmly. When she thought about it, it made sense—not everyone’s life was an endless boss rush, after all. Harry had compromised by promising to send one of his destroyer friends. Tatsuya had not been thrilled in the least, but a combination of Benio's cajoling and Harry's spirited endorsement seemed to have brought him around to the idea. Hopefully.

“Soon, I hope,” she said, looking up at the sky. It was orange, fading to deep purple, and if she had been sitting facing the same way as Tatsuya (maybe on a beach) she would be able to see the barest sliver of the sun peaking out over the edge of the earth. “We’re basically inviting this guy to come see us. I hope he’s polite enough to take it.”

They were silent again. Benio began to breath in deeply through her nose, out through her mouth. She needed to relax, to be ready whether or not the latest psycho they were dealing with came out to meet them. She began to hear rustling of clothes and muffled clacking of wood against wood, and she glanced over at the sakura trees that stood next to the green. It seemed that their mysterious friend was both much less subtle than they believed themselves to be and confident enough to accept such an invitation. Good, that worked for her and Tatsuya.

The sunlight faded, melted into the purple and blue-black.

The moment that the last bit of orange vanished, they were not alone.

A small group of men and women in cloaks walked out from amongst the trees. Flanking them were massive wooden mannequins, three on each side. Their hands were spread open, fingers splayed to show inch-long claws mounted on them.

Benio stood slowly, feeling Tatsuya do so behind her. He stepped forward to stand beside her, scanning balefully over the nine human figures looking at them. His eyes finally stopped on the man in the center, who pulled back his hood to show Japanese features. His hair was a mess, his beard a scraggly mess that was little better than peachfuzz, and he was smiling with a vacant look that made Benio wonder if he had prepared to come and meet them in a less than normal fashion. She glanced over at Tatsuya and made a face. He didn’t respond, continuing to glare at him.

“You,” the man said, pointing at Tatsuya and speaking in a deep, sonorous voice. “You have interfered with the Great Ritual, and now you will—”

“Oh, did I?” Tatsuya shot back snidely. “My mistake, I thought I was messing with someone else’s ritual. Guess I was wrong.” The man stared at him, gaping slightly. His mouth opened and closed, as if trying to form an answer. Benio glanced across their ranks again. No one was doing anything—not stepping forward, not producing some kind of weapon, just standing vacantly. Oh wonderful, she always enjoyed fighting idiots.

“So,” Tatsuya continued, shoving his hands in his pockets, slouching carelessly, “what exactly is this Great Ritual of yours, anyway?” The man blinked, then began again.

“Hecate has sent us her children from below,” he said smugly, gesturing widely. “They take revenge every day for the destruction we have wrought on the green Earth, but it is not enough. Through our sacrifices, we create a great magical circle that will bring Hecate herself to this earth to complete her punishment! The screams will—”

“Oh my God,” Benio groaned, shaking her head, “you’re just another Abyssal cult, aren’t you!” She liked fighting idiots. Cultists, not so much. They were just so annoying!

“No!” the man thundered. “We know the truth of the Abyssals, of their birth and their purpose! We will help them fulfil it! It is our duty!”

“… Akechi Momo,” Tatsuya replied. The man paused, glancing at him.

“What?”

“That was her name. She was five, a bit of a brat from what I heard from her father. Always demanding snacks, or more play time, you know—grade schooler stuff. One day her older sister Sayaka gets tired of it, goes surfing the web, and finds a revenge website. She knows that this stuff is fake, but she’s feeling a little short on her temper and decides to blow off some steam. And wouldn’t.” Tatsuya pulled his hands from his pockets. “You.” Straightened his back. “Know it.”

Benio’s jaw clamped down shut. She clenched her fists so tightly her fingernails began to dig painfully into her skin.

“So?” the man asked.

“Oh, nothing.” Tatsuya’s face was almost completely expressionless. Benio, with her long experience, could see where the muscles were tightened, holding everything in place and stopping rage from spilling from his eyes to the rest of his face. “I just wanted to see if you would react. To see if you would care. You tricked a ten-year-old girl into killing her little sister, after all. They say things like that sould matter to you, don’t they?”

“She was a sacrifice!” the man repeated, spittle flying from his lips. “To call upon the powers of Hecate—”

“Yeah, sure,” Tatsuya cut him off again. Benio let out another breath and began to lower her center of gravity little by little. “Of course she is. Because one of your buddies in the cloaks came to you with the idea and talked you into forming your little friendship circle with you as the leader, and then he came to you with this whole SACRIFICE PLAN!” Tatsuya’s face warped into a twisted smirk. “And you didn’t even think to ask for some I.D., did you.”

The man stared at him, mouth working without creating words again. Benio took a dark amusement from it.

“Brother Belen?” he asked, turning to face the man standing directly on his right. “Belen” turned around to stare at him, stunned if she went by the way he jolted around. Tatsuya laughed.

“I mean,” he said, addressing the apparent mastermind, “I can understand how hard it is to find good help. But geez, what possessed you to go and find these guys?” Minion Mart finally go under or something?”

Belen turned again to stare at Tatsuya this time. Because of this, the thundercrack explosion of one of his puppets took him by surprise. The girl in the seifuku ripped the thrashing device apart and moved on to the next as the cultists cried out and jumped away.

“Speaking of help,” Benio murmured, “I do believe that’s ours.”
-----

Tatsuya only peripherally heard Benio’s words, though he would have agreed with her if he had. He was charging toward the man named Belen. The Fake Leader charged toward him screaming something about ruining plans and “children of Thetis,” but he didn’t catch it. He dropped into a leg sweep, knocking the man’s own feet from under him, and was up again and moving in an instant. Another cultist charged, but Belen was turning and running and he had no time for that, opting to sucker punch her in the diaphragm and leave her gasping with consciousness fading, continuing to close the distance on Belen.

And then the man turned, his hood falling away to reveal dark hair and olive skin, aiming a pointed stick at him, and shouting something that sounded vaguely Arabic—Ava-something or other. Tatsuya simply went into a roll, allowing the sickly green light to pass over his head, and another voice cried out in pain. He spared a glance over his shoulder to see that the Fake Leader had gotten back up and had been running at him again, now falling on his face limply. No time for it—as he turned back, Tatsuya could see Belen bringing the stick—wand, definitely a wand—back around to point at him. By now, though, Tatsuya was close enough that it wouldn’t matter,

One hand came up, clamping around Belen’s own and preventing him from swinging the wand. The other came across in a chopping motion, snapping the wooden rod in half. The roundhouse chop became an uppercut, sending Belen stumbling back. Tatsuya clasped his hands together and brought them down on the recovering man’s shoulder, sending him sprawling on the ground. The boy was on him in an instant, raining punches on his face.

He slowed, breathing heavily and pulling his hands—oh hey, they were hurting and probably broken. Why had he gone for the head again?—away from Belen’s face.

“Why?” he hissed. “Why all this? What could possibly inspire this madness?”

Belen laughed wetly, choking as he did. It was not a pleasant sound. “You… muggles… Taking resources… things we need… forcing us to hide… Why can’t… I help my own kind… where they need m—”

Tatsuya’s left hand cut him off, gripping across his windpipe. His right came down on Belen’s eye, again and again, like a blacksmith’s hammer and he heard a bone crack, though he couldn’t tell whose it was. He screamed, voice hoarse and animal and tearing itself from his throat like a ripped bag.

And then a hand closed around his arm, yanking him from the fallen wizard’s form and throwing him six feet to tumble across the ground.

“That’s enough!” the shipgirl screamed, and Tatsuya realized that she’d been saying it to him repeatedly. “Any more, and you’ll kill him!”

“You think I haven’t?” Tatsuya replied, voice breaking. “Do you honestly think I’ve lived like this without taking any lives?” The two stared each other down. Adrenaline began to stop flowing, and Tatsuya began to realize that his hands were hurting far worse than he realized. The shipgirl looked down at her feet.

“Maybe not,” she turned to look down at the man laying at her feet, “but you don’t have to this time. He’s broken his own people’s laws. They’ll be happy to deal with him.” Tatsuya looked down at Belen. Turning to face away, he kicked at the ground and cried out again, putting as much anger and helplessness as he could into the motion. Then he stalked away, going to join Benio and stand amongst the crumpled forms of the men and women the wizard had helped indoctrinate into doing his bidding.

“Muggles…” Belen grinned mockingly. “Just… herd animals…”

He didn’t get to say anymore, cut off by a great weight on his chest that left him coughing and gasping for air. Looking up, he found himself staring at two gleaming metal tubes right before his eyes.

“Say one word more,” the shipgirl said to him, voice steel, “I dare you.”

Somewhat intelligently, Belen decided not to rise to her challenge.
-----

“So will you two be okay?” the shipgirl asked. Tatsuya wondered briefly if this—surrounded by prisoners, a dead body, and splintered mannequins, was a good place to have this talk. On the other hand, as soon as they knew where these people were based out of they were probably going to have to head over and make sure that there were no more puppets, so there was probably no time like the present.

“It’s fine,” he said, waving her off (and wincing, he had really done a number on his hands), “this isn’t our first time around the block.”

“But—” she attempted, grasping for words, “Harry said—everything that happened—”

“Miyuki-san,” Benio murmured sadly. Tatsuya found he shared her pity—for being a weapon of war, the girl was surprisingly unprepared for the shocks that the two of them had encountered.

“Look… Miyuki-san?” At the girl’s hesitant nod, he continued. “Like I said. This isn’t the first time we’ve had to fight. I’ll remember the girl, Momo, that’s all I can do for her. Everything else? In a couple of months, it’ll just be buried under all the fights, all the villains and monsters that have and will come. That first guy, the one who I dumped all those potions on, and ran as the flames started? I can’t even remember his face, all I remember is that I had to save someone. It all bleeds together, on and on and on. I’ll be fine, it won’t matter any more in a few days.”

Miyuki looked stricken and horrified, and Tatsuya realized that he probably hadn’t done anything to reassure her.

“Miyuki-san,” Benio cut in, “if you hadn’t come, this would have taken at least another week, you probably saved lives tonight—”

And then the shipgirl had wrapped her arms around Tatsuya’s shoulders, standing on her tiptoes and squeezing him in a bone crushing hug. Tatsuya struggled for a moment, trying fruitlessly to escape her grasp, but stopped as he felt his shoulder begin to get wet. Miyuki was crying, he realized.

“I’m sorry,” she wept, burying her eyes in his shirt. “I’m so sorry.”

Benio walked over to his side, resting her hand against Miyuki's back and beginning to rub gently.

“Don’t be,” Tatsuya reminded her gently. “It doesn’t matter.”

“You said that,” she replied. “That’s why I’m sorry.”

He didn’t have a response to that.
-----

Well what do you think, sirs?