Harry Potter & the Shipgirls

Barricade Omake: "If it's stupid and it works..."

ZBigGun said:
My point is that it was unnecessary. Vipers can make high speed atmospheric entry on their own. Nothing was stopping him from making a low orbit jump and launching from there. The Basestars were in high orbit, he could easily have gotten behind them and shielded the launch with Galactica's starboard flank. The fact that he was there does not excuse the recklessness (read: suicidal stupidity) of the plan. Nor does the fact that it worked.

You can't expect 'rolling the hard six' to make every crazy plan work, nor should any commander of Adama's seniority and experience have their battle plan rely on luck.

And that is where we should stop this before we derail.​

And to bring this back on topic:

"The axiom is wrong. 'If its stupid and it works, it works', is wrong, short-sighted, and a host of other things I will not say since my commanding officer is currently in that chair over there, but you all know I'm thinking it. The correct axiom, as it should be, is this: 'If its stupid and it works, its still stupid, and should only be done in desperation'. Is. That. Clear?"

"Sir, abou...."

"YOU! Ms. Missouri, do NOT get to talk after pulling your own 'Adama Maneuver' to help out Ms. Shinano last year. So sit down. Yes it worked, and left that one Abyssal about a half a torso shorter. How~ev~er, I also saw the complete and total listing of the damages you incurred upon yourself for doing that stunt, including how you completely wrecked both rudders as if you'd done a Barn Door Stop from flank! Rather than firing your main batteries just prior to soft landing, which would have worked just as well, and with little to no damage to you."

"But.."

"I SAID SIT DOWN."

 

Yellowhammer

Puppy Love II

Hachiko Miyata hummed in the predawn darkness as he finished making bentos for himself and his little brother. Thanks to the mysterious Fudo-sama's generosity, he had been able to restock the household's rice and even get a few pickles for his little brother's meal.

He knew that Aki would enjoy them at lunch. He finished by writing 'Ganbatte!' on the rice in soy sauce before closing the bento box carefully.

"Good morning, Tou-san!" Hachiko turned to see a sleepy Aki making his way to the breakfast table.

He smiled at his Inugami brother and ruffled his ears. "Eat up, Aki-kun, so you can grow up big and strong like Tou-san."

With that, his eyes found the magical photograph on the wall. It had been taken a decade ago, and showed him standing next to his Inugami father who was clad in his uniform as chief engineer of the SS Irabe Maru. On the other side, his mother stood, one hand cradling the slight swell of her belly where Aki was growing.

His voice broke slightly and he repeated. "Big and strong like Tou-san, Aki."

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

Hachiko watched his brother head off to Yokosuka Naval Elementary School as he unlocked his bike and began to pedal to the library.

As he arrived at the back of the building and locked his bike up a figure materialized from behind the rubbish bin next to the staff door. "Hello Hachiko."

He turned and adjusted his glasses then smiled happily. "Aunt Naomi!"

The middle-aged witch stepped close and embraced him briefly. "I cannot stay long. Tokyo has declared Yokosuka strictly off-limits to magicals. I will have to go to work at the Magical Diet as Father's secretary soon anyway, and need to take transport far enough away to Apparate to Magical Chiyoda. Are you and Aki well?"

Hachiko hugged her back, "We are. The school has several other 'special children' including Nagato-sama's Abyssal daughter, so if Aki manifests his ears or tail accidentally, it is... overlooked. Thank you again for arranging matters to get him placed there."

Naomi smiled sadly, "I just wish that Father and I could have done more for you after my sister died. Unfortunately, politics interfere as always." Her lips twisted as her voice turned bitter, "It would be a scandal if the Deputy Undersecretary to the Legislative Assembly was known to have a Hanyō grandson like you, much less your brother when he manifested your father's... traits."

Hachiko nodded soberly, "I know. And I have...kept that bitterness from Aki as best I can. I just wish..." He shook his head and then took off his glasses to rub his eyes. "I had hoped that things had changed enough for Aki to meet his family. For his sake."

Naomi sighed, "So do I, but... there is a scandal in the Diet. Deputy Akamatsu's aide was arrested along with some... political reactionaries. Details are confused, but apparently they attempted an act of terrorism on the Nomaj American Embassy and a hotel downtown. Madness. Utter Madness. Many fingers are being pointed in all directions. So I came to tender Father's apologies, but he will be busy at work holding the Tokyo Diet together and unable to see Aki's ninth birthday. I... may have trouble attending, although I shall make an effort."

Hachiko's shoulders slumped. "I see. Against fate, even the gods cannot fight, then. I heard rumors of commotion in Tokyo even here in Yokosuka among the nomajs. So it was magicals that acted so rashly?"

"Hai. At least I can provide this." She handed over a bulging envelope. "Enough money for the rental and some additional necessities such as food and electricity. When you see Aki... please let him know that he is loved? As you are loved?"

Hachiko replaced his glasses and smiled sadly as he pocketed the envelope, "I shall let him know, Aunt Naomi. Please give Grandfather my regards and let him know that his grandson prays for his health and prosperity. Despite... despite our separation. I shall make him and you proud. And I am knitting you scarves for Christmas. Sayonara."

He unlocked the door, then stepped inside. As she turned to go, Naomi Miyata shook her head as she headed to the train station, "You already make us proud, Hachiko. You already do."

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

"Hachiko!"

The young man turned at the call and looked at his supervisor. "Yes, Odawara-sempai?"

"The Cafe called the desk. Sanae is sick and cannot make it for the evening shift, so they will need you to take her position and wait tables."

Hachiko sighed and nodded. "I shall get changed for it then. Once they release me, I will come back here and resume my duties shelving books.

"Good fellow, now scoot. I'll take care of this cart."

Hachiko scurried off, dodging around a patron in a wheelchair as he made his way past the books on tailoring to the staff area where he could change uniforms.

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

(A half hour prior)

"Moriko-Chan?"

The Okami wolf Yokai turned to see her little sister wheeling herself out of her bedroom. As unawakened Natural-Born shipgirls, they had been assigned their own house on base. While they had to share it, it was a slice of Heaven after the Reserves where they had grown up before their escape.

Moriko's grin widened at the sight of actual color on Sachiko's face. The iron supplements that Akashi-sama had prescribed to help finish the construction of Hull #301, the second Ibuki-class Heavy Cruiser, were making steady progress in strengthening her sister's body and spirit. There had even been some quiet speculation between her and her twin Suzume that one day soon Sachiko might actually be able to walk with a cane instead of being restricted to the wheelchair.

Brushing back her unruly shaggy mane of hair, Moriko walked over to her sister's side. "What is it, Sachiko-chan?"

"I'm done with all the books we checked out last week. Can we go to the library and exchange them for more?"

Moriko nodded, blushing slightly as she folded her muscular arms below her very impressive 'fuel tanks'. "Well far be it for me to deny my studious and intelligent little sister more ways to expand her mind. Pity Suzume is at the kendo range today. I'll just have to keep an eye out for any books she would like."

Silently she spoke to herself, "And I can grab a few more romance novels for myself along with fresh books on naval history and combat to drop off for Suzume."

Sachiko grinned as her big sister collected the books on sewing, fashion history, and cooking from her room. "Maybe...we can get a parfait from the cafe there?"

Moriko nodded as she grabbed their jackets, "I'll grab the iron supplement pills then. After all you will be growing up big and strong as a sister ship heavy cruiser like me, or maybe a carrier like Suzume-chan. Although you would make a great fast oiler too, since you are the best cook of us all! You just have to decide which path you take to be the most awesome shipgirl of all."

Sachiko blushed slightly as they headed to their assigned van. "But then you are the best fighter of all, Moriko-chan! After all the Ibuki Oroshi was the best Yokai Mixed Martial Arts fighter of them all!"

Moriko laughed and helped her sister into the van. "Hardly. Sarutobi-sama is the best. No one ever beat the Dreadnought Destroyer, after all. You know, Sachiko-chan, I actually always wanted to meet him and thank him for inspiring me as a young pup. He taught me that I could fight for what I believed in, like my best Imouto here."

Sachiko laughed back and patted her sister on the shoulder before Moriko started the van up.

 

Harry Leferts

Stretching a bit as he entered the cave opening that lead to his quarters, Christopher sighed. For a moment though, he paused at the monument at the mouth at the caves and traced his fingers along the names of his parents with a small smile, "I wonder what you would think of the situation that I am in, Mom, Dad. Though I think that you would be trying to get them to try on dresses, Mom..."

He stood there for a few minutes before walking further and grabbing one of the torches there. Lighting it, he continued to walk along, nodding to various people as he made his way through the cave. Originally a copper mine, the islanders had expanded it a year before Blood Week in preparation for what Delphi, Grandmother, and others with the ability to sense the future saw and felt.

Rooms were carved out in the rock, and others smoothed out and reinforced. Enough that more than all the residents together could safely live there. There was even pens constructed for the animals. Food was also stocked deeper in the caverns, as was water. All in preparation for what would come. Thus, when the Cruise Ship beached itself, they had more than enough room for everyone on board as well as food and supplies. It helped keep them all safe for the first two years as they stayed inside during the day, and only came out at night to harvest or plant crops.

Eventually, the all clear was given and the people, islanders and Cruise Ship survivors, left the caves.

During that time, bonds were forged between both groups. Shared adversity and kindness bringing them together. It was during this time that Christopher had first met Chloe, who was close friends with Delphi. Both Minotaur and Cyclops had become fast friends with the boy and helped him with his sister. Looking back, Christopher realized that was likely the time that their mutual crushes formed, deep in the caves as they talked and he told stories of the outside, the two girls sharing stories of the island and of the history of their peoples.

Slowly though, as they left the shelter of the caves, the towns and villages on the island were rebuilt. Homes and buildings repaired, bit by bit. Some though still stayed in the caves due to the fact that they did not have homes, or were unable to perform upkeep. Not that the islanders had any issue and helped where they could.

Those thoughts went through Christopher's mind as he walked along the cave before reaching the small "Home" that belonged to him and his sister. Walking in, he could already see her stretched out on her bed. For a few moments, he regarded his younger sister. When they arrived, the five year old girl had clung to him. But over time, she grew more and more independent and, like many of the children, helped out with what chores she could. The currently twelve year old girl was tanned from many days out in the Sun and her baby fat had disappeared from hard work, leaving behind a lanky, somewhat toned form that was dressed in a traditional tunic and dress.

Blowing blonde hair out of her eyes, Alexis gave her brother a raised eyebrow and a grin, "What kept you?"

Weakly chuckling, Christopher shrugged as he walked inside their small home, "Oh, you know... things."

Just humming, the younger girl gave him a smirk, "Things, huh? Odd... never knew that Chloe and Delphi were such." At his blush and sputters, she grinned, "So... I've heard a few things since I got back from the radio station. About the three of you..."

Forcing down his blush, the nearly sixteen year gave her a glare. Something that did not work only as she simply grinned all the more widely. Finally, Christopher sighed, "Okay, okay... the three of us are now together. Happy?"

In reply, Alexis pumped her fist, "Yes!" Leaping off the bed, she rushed over and hugged, him, "About time!"

Rapidly blinking, Christopher looked down at her, "Wait, wait... you knew?"

Scoffing as she crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, something that caused a pang of sadness in her brother's heart as he was reminded of their mother, his sister raised an eyebrow, "Duh. Pretty sure that everyone on the island knew, Chris. What with the three of you making googly eyes at each other all the time, we were just waiting for you to realize it."

Bemused, Chris raised one eyebrow, "And you don't have an issue with this? Really?"

Once more, Alexis rolled her eyes, "No, why would I? After all, I get two awesome sisters out of it!" Her voice took on a teasing tone, "So, when's the wedding?"

For a few moments, Chris didn't say anything, just rubbed the back of his neck. Finally, he chuckled, "Um, well? Next winter." At the look from his sister, he flushed and waved his hands, "What? The three of us have known each other for almost ten years Alexis! And, well, we want to get used to things first. You know how it goes..."

Alexis shrugged and walked back onto the bed, "Yeah? I was wondering more about why you aren't getting married in the next couple of weeks because the three of you have known each other for some time." A twinkle in her eye, she tapped her chin, "Though, I suppose that seizing the brides from their homes might be an issue without some bulking up.... Unless I need to worry about them doing so here?"

Just facepalming, her brother shook his head as he was reminded of that particular ritual, "You know that no one really does that anymore, Alexis. I mean..."

Waving him off, she shook her head, "You're supposed to go and pick her up from her father's home, and carry her to yours as her family watches for a day or two before she goes back home. It is a tradition here... But I doubt very much that you will be able to do that. Though it is more likely that they will toss you over their backs like a sack of potatoes instead and carry you here or whatever."

That made him pull his hand away from his face, "Oh yeah... I, um... forgot to mention about that."

Her foot tapping against the ground, his sister frowned, "Forgot to mention what, brother."

Needless to say, he winced a bit at that before taking a deep breath and letting it out, "Well, after we came to a decision, I went to meet their parents. And... yeah, neither set were too surprised and more happy than anything else that we finally got together. Which meant, of course, I needed to negotiate for the rights of marriage and such with them, though that amounted to me doing as I have been. Also... well, they're going to be building us a house." Seeing his sister open her mouth, Christopher held up a hand with a smile, "And before you ask, you're going to be living there as well..." His expression softened, "I couldn't leave my little sister behind."

Hopping off the bed again, she walked over and hugged him, "Thank you."

Gently kissing her head, Chris closed his eyes and softly smiled, "You don't need to thank me, Alexis." After a few moments though, he pulled back, "So, how was school today?"

With a shrug, Alexis shook her head, "Miss Colombo was hard on all of us, as usual. But... we're getting on just the same. We're starting work on integers and stuff for math as well as everything else."

All Chris did was nod as he remembered his own lessons from the old, Italian woman. She had been one of the survivors and was a retired school teacher. Thus, she began to give lessons to all the children on the island as did some of the other human adults that helped her. It was usually a one day on, one day off throughout the year though in Winter when the weather turned damp and chill, she spent more time teaching. More than that, she treated everyone, human or not, the exact same.

Both siblings exchanged what they had done over the day as they prepared for bed.

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away, Georgios Averof adjusted her armoured helmet which looked like one that Athena was often shown as wearing. More than that, she also wore Ancient Greek style armour, which she shifted a bit before entering the office and giving a salute to the female Admiral that was seated there, "Admiral Aetós."

The woman chuckled a bit and smiled, "Georgios, welcome back. I'm having some dinner delivered if you have some time, lamb tonight."

Smiling back, the Armoured Cruiser nodded some as she walked in, "I would not mind that, Admiral." Upon reaching the desk, she sat on the edge, "After all, the cooks are quite good."

With a hum, Admiral Aetós nodded some as she glanced at her computer in thought, "Very good, better in many ways than what I grew up with." Lips twitching, she snorted, "And what I had to deal when it came to... military rations."

Just glancing at her, Georgios only nodded some before looking around the room. It was not extremely decorated like some higher ranked Officers were. But than, her Admiral eschewed such things as they reminded her of people that she wanted to forget. There was some things though, such as paintings of old Greek heroes. And, inside a frame, there was an old, Greek dagger that was on one wall within sight of the desk. Every so often, Admiral Aetós would look at it in deep thought before shaking it off.

And with that thought, the Greek shipgirl turned to her Admiral. The young woman had barely changed in all the years that she knew her. From what she had gotten out of her, Admiral Aetós had joined the Greek Navy just a few years before Blood Week on a feeling. And she had been instrumental in fighting the Abyssals, more than once seeming to know where the Abyssals were going to strike before even they did. Which had saved uncounted lives and seen her considered something of a hero, propelling her up the ranks.

That, combined with her beauty, had made her wanted by a number of men. But she always turned them down. Privately, she had told Georgios that she had very bad experiences with men. Thankfully, her aunt had helped her out somehow and, from what she claimed, her joining the navy had helped get her out from under someone's control. Despite that though, Admiral Aetós did not want to get entangled with men again. Though the shipgirl understood as she knew a few of the other woman's secrets that no one else was privy to.

Granted, sometimes, the Armoured Cruiser noticed her Admiral looking at her with an odd gleam in her eyes. And there were quiet touches here and there between the two. Recently, they had these meals together, quietly discussing things...

Shaking such thoughts off even as she blushed, Georgios turned to her Admiral and found said woman smirking at her knowingly. Quickly, the shipgirl cleared her throat, "So, Admiral... any word on the searches?:

A frown crossed her Admiral's face as she looked at a tablet with narrowed eyes, "Only that they narrowed down the search area. But not enough, unfortunately." Getting up, she walked over to the large map of the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea. For a few moments, she stood there with a thoughtful look, "The signal stopped, but in all that time, from what can be told it did not move. They're going to continue to listen for it during the night and I have been talking to the Marine Militare to see if Aquilla could be spared."

On the shipgirl's face was also a thoughtful look as she came to stand beside the other woman. After a few moments, she glanced at her, "Do you know something about... other things, in the area?"

For several seconds, Admiral Aetós was quiet before speaking softly, almost in a whisper, "Perhaps... though my aunt..." With a sigh, she shook her head, "No matter, we shall find out in time, I think, my dear Georgios Averof. Until we get the signal again, there is not much that we can do."

Still looking at the map, Georgios only nodded, "Indeed..."

 

Yellowhammer

(A.N.-In the Grim Darkness of the Far Future of the Du Chasteler Family there is only WAFF and Fluff...)

String Quartet, Opus 76 #3, "Butterknife"

Castle Moulbaix, Belgium

Well After Claire and Tony Get Married (AKA: Not Soon)

Claire placed a hand on Ehren's shoulder and gently squeezed it. "Relax, Ehren, it will be all right. You know Tony and I both agreed to this."

"I know, Claire, it is just..." Ehren trailed off and gulped.

Claire smiled serenely and hugged Ehren, pressing her swollen belly against her sister as the child that she was carrying kicked. "It is no different than when I took your hand to lead you on your first step to explore the joys of music the first day that you manifested. And it is your birthday, Little Sister. This is our present to you both as a gift to you, and also to reward you for all your hard work over the last two decades. We wouldn't ask you to do this if you were unworthy or unready."

Ehren swallowed and then nodded firmly. Her jaw set in a familiar expression of determination as she looked at the open instrument case in front of her. Carefully she reached inside and picked up the Antonio Stradivarius from the red velvet interior for the first time with diamond focused concentration.

Ehren marched to take her place alongside her niece Teresa, who gave Aunt Ehren a shy smile before lifting her own violin body with her teenage hands and a matching look of determination for her first public performance.

Claire waddled to the nearby couch and sat down. Her youngest child (until next month according to the doctors) Henriette crawled into Mama's lap and looked up at her with guileless eyes as her father lifted the viola that was Henriette's true form.

"Mommy, why are you crying? Are you sad?"

Claire hugged Henriette to her as her son Jacques adjusted his cello, brushed messy black hair out of his eyes, briefly stuck his tongue out at his just minutes-older twin sister, and then nodded his readiness to the blonde in the lead violinist's chair.

Ehren took a deep breath and her voice filled the ballroom. "Ladies and Gentlemen, family and guests, Haydn's String Quartet Number Sixty-Two in C Major, Opus Seventy-Six, Number Three, 'Kaiser'. Second Movement, Poco Adagio; Cantabile."

Claire's tears intensified as her baby sister's bow touched the waiting strings of Tony's true body for the first time ever in front of all her Aunts, Grandfather, Grand-aunts, and a proudly smiling Mother watching her.

"Nein, Henriette. I couldn't be happier."
Spoiler: Deutschlandlied

Ehren's fingers moved on the strings as she played the notes of the piece from memory alongside her brother-in-law, her niece, and her nephew. Silently her lips moved with words that she had learned the day of her forging. Words that had been set to this very music and had become the national anthem of her country of origin.

Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,
Über alles in der Welt,
Wenn es stets zu Schutz und Trutze
Brüderlich zusammenhält.
Von der Maas bis an die Memel,
Von der Etsch bis an den Belt,
|: Deutschland, Deutschland über alles,
Über alles in der Welt! :|

Her eyes shimmered with the memories, aching even decades later, of Father singing these words at the 1938 Party Congress as one among a myriad of deluded young men. While they portrayed the darkest moments of her country, of her life, they were not the only verse to the song that she loved.

With that a small smile flickered around her lips as she began the second variation of the melody, shifting to the more gay tones of a drinking song. Ehren and Teresa began the duet portion of the quartet, playing off each other as niece and aunt shared a moment of pure unrestrained delight as their two instruments' voices became one.

Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,
Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang
Sollen in der Welt behalten
Ihren alten schönen Klang,
Uns zu edler Tat begeistern
Unser ganzes Leben lang.
|: Deutsche Frauen, deutsche Treue,
Deutscher Wein und deutscher Sang! :|

As it finished and her heart swelled with love, her eyes sought the tear filled crystal blue of her mother. Automatically her fingers on the strings and the bow poured all the emotions that she had trouble expressing in a heartfelt melody especially for Colombe's ears. Around her she felt Tony, Theresa, Jacques, and yes even Claire and little Henriette all lifting her up and supporting her as she played for her mother.

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
Für das deutsche Vaterland!
Danach lasst uns alle streben
Brüderlich mit Herz und Hand!
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
Sind des Glückes Unterpfand;
|: Blüh' im Glanze dieses Glückes,
Blühe, deutsches Vaterland! :|

A single tear trickled down her cheek as her eyes shifted to Claire's warm mahogany gaze. She poured all the love and faithful devotion in her slender frame into the final variation on the melody as her mind shifted to the words written by Haydn himself in 1797 as the first National Anthem of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In those days Kaiser Francis II had ruled from Vienna, where her beloved elder sister had been born at the hands of genius Austrian craftsmen.

Froh erleb' er seiner Lande,
Seiner Völker höchsten Flor!
Seh' sie, Eins durch Bruderbande,
Ragen allen andern vor!
Und vernehm' noch an dem Rande
Später Gruft der Enkel Chor.
|: Gott erhalte Franz, den Kaiser,
Unsern guten Kaiser Franz! :|

Ehren lowered her bow and bowed to the applause of her family as an unguarded smile lit her face up and her brother-in-law, niece, and nephew hugged her, joined by the rest of her extended family.

"Happy birthday, Ehren."

 

wildredlifer Omake: Yet another day on Avrora

Avrora Island 2013

The Hunter stalked its two-legged Prey.

Its prey was unaware that when it separated from its group the Hunter followed it to this place.

'Snap' "freeze" The noise has alerted the Prey, the Hunter freezes as the prey glances around for the source of the sound.

It is a Game between the Prey and the Hunter as the Hunter freezes into immobility as the prey Visually sweeps around then returning to its previous view.

Closer and closer the Hunter creeps up on the Unaware prey, Just as the Prey turns to Sweep the area one last time the Hunter Strikes the soft Belly of its prey.

"Giggle" "Purr"

"You got me Joy" "Yay" "Big Sister says Food is Ready"
The tableau an outside Observer, if they had wandered by to gaze upon this scene, would be a young Girl with Abyssal extras attached being gently nuzzled by a Purring Abyssal destroyer.

 

Harry Leferts

Poking her head into the Submarines quarters, Taigei raised an eyebrow, "Maruyu-Chan? Imuya-Chan? Are the two of you ready to head to Hogsmeade yet?"

Both Submarines soon answered her in the positive and she stood back as she waited for them. Just a few minutes later, the two appeared fully dressed. A smile on her face, Imuya looked towards the other Submarines, "Well? What do you all think?"

Iku gave them a thumbs up and grinned, "Looking good, Imuya-Chan! Maruyu-Chan!"

From where she sat on the couch with a stick of pocky in her mouth, Goya blinked as Hachi and the others chimed in. Head tilting to the side, she nodded as Maruyu was in a white coat with a fake fur lining with a dress underneath it. Imuya, meanwhile, was in a double breasted coat, though it was open to show that she wore a blouse and overshirt. With a nod, Goya smiled some, "You both look very nice, Dechi."

Grinning, Maruyu rubbed the back of her neck, "Thanks, Dechi-Chan. Hopefully Harry-Chan likes it as well."

A scowl on her face, Goya shook her head, "Don't call me Dechi, Dechi!" Unseen by her, various lips twitched in amusement, though she gave various Submarines suspicious looks at their snickers. Instead of commenting though, she crunched her pocky stick and shrugged, "And Harry-Chan should like it. I don't see why he wouldn't after all..."

Lips curling, Imuya began to button up her coat, "That's true."

Turning towards Maruyu, the lone Uboat of the group chuckled, "Excited, Maruyu-Chan?"

Even as she lightly blushed, the little Submarine nodded, "Hai, I mean... this is a date after all, kind of. And we get to spend the entire day with Harry-Chan and after how you described the village? Why wouldn't I be excited?"

With a hum, Hachi crossed her arms over her chest, "Maruyu-Chan does have a point, you know. There is no reason why she shouldn't be excited to be spending the day with Harry-Chan." Getting off the couch, she walked over and helped adjust Maruyu's coat, "And I know that you're going to enjoy spending the day with Harry-Chan. Just Iku-Chan and myself did."

Finishing buttoning up her coat, Imuya gave her friend a look, "Any piece of advice?"

None of the Submarines who had gone to Hogsmeade said anything right away. However, then Iku raised her finger, "Hai, both ignore and go out of your way to avoid Madame Puddifoot's tea shop. No matter how much some people try and convince you or Harry-Chan. Not that he would step foot in that place."

As Iku shuddered, those who had not been to Hogsmeade shared a confused look. Though they did note that those who had been there did, indeed, nod along in agreement with the blue haired Submarine. Something that made Goya raise an eyebrow, "Uh, it can't be that bad..."

Reaching into her pocket, RO pulled out her phone, "I took pictures and some video through a spot in the window that was not too fogged up."

That got her blinks from some of the others, with Ryuuhou frowning deeply, "Fogged up? Why would the windows be fogged up?"

Expression blank, the German turned the phone's screen towards them and played the video. All of them were used to cutesy cafes and the like. It was, after all, something of a common thing in Japan when all was said and done. And while some were... tasteful, others? Others most certainly were not.

Worse, the tea house on the screen outdid them all in how far it tried to carry the 'Cute, romantic' look.

It showed a room that was completely and utterly cramped. From what those watching could see, the tables and chairs were so packed, there was barely any room. Even Maruyu twitched a bit as she could realize that even she, as small as she was, would be literally bumping into every chair and table. Everything on the tables was also frills, lace, and bows, with further lace and bows on the walls. Not to mention, everything besides the table clothes were in shades of pink.

Part of RO was amused when the other shipgirls who had not been to Hogsmeade outright recoiled from the sight of it. With a shudder, Imuya shook her head, "No worries, RO-Chan. Neither of us are going to go there... ugh."

Amused, the Uboat stopped the video and put away her phone, "Gets worse. From what I learned, during the lead up to Valentine's Day, the tea house has animated Cherub statues floating around and dropping petal shaped confetti on everything. Yes, including your food and drinks. All to add to the 'Romantic' atmosphere."

Goya outright gagged at that, "Gah! That's gross!"

Her lip curling some in disgust, Maruyu shook her head before sharing a look with Imuya, "We are definitely not going there. That is just plain disgusting. Mogu, mogu."

Everyone there also nodded in agreement at that before Shioi smiled, "But you'll still enjoy yourself, Imuya-Chan, Maruyu-Chan. Harry-Chan has some really great places all picked out to take you to and it's great!"

Their moods brightening, the two Submarines only nodded in agreement. Checking her watch, Imuya smiled, "I'm sure that we're going to enjoy ourselves... Anyways, we'll see you guys tomorrow!"

With some final hugs and goodbyes, as well as a promise to pick up chocolate, the two Submarines made their way to the Vanishing Cabinet. And through that, they arrived in Britain before taking a portkey to Hogsmeade. Standing outside of the town, Maruyu placed her hands into her pockets as they waited for Harry to arrive himself. Looking over the village, Maruyu smiled some, "It is a very beautiful place, mogu mogu."

Bringing out a camera, Imuya took some pictures as she nodded, "Hai, it is very beautiful. Picturesque, I think is what it is called." With a hum, she put the camera away and looked around, "Looks like they've set up for Valentine's Day too."

Head tilted to the side, the IJA Submarine considered that before becoming thoughtful, "I suppose that makes sense. After all, Valentine's is in a week. This is probably the closest that any of the students can get to it." The sound of wheels coming closer made Maruyu turn and smile as she saw the carriages that carried the students to Hogsmeade coming closer. As soon as they stopped, the two Submarines waited until Harry stepped out and turned to them before Maruyu waved at him, "HARRY-CHAN! OVER HERE!"

Lightly laughing, the teenage wizard jogged over before coming to a stop before the two shipgirls. Smiling, he gave them both a hug, "Maruyu-Chan, Imuya-Chan! It's great to see you both here!"

Imuya laughed as well as she hugged him back, "Well, we wanted to be here, Harry-Chan. Especially after everything that Iku-Chan and the others told us about this place." Kissing his cheek, she smiled, "But thank you for spending the day with us."

Going onto her tip toes, Maruyu also kissed the thirteen year old wizard's cheeks as well, "Hai, thank you."

A blush on his cheeks, the wizard returned the kisses before shaking his head, "If you ask me, I'm the one that should be thanking you both." Taking their hands in his, he nodded towards the village below them, "So, want to go and explore a bit."

Only giving his hand a gentle squeeze, Imuya nodded, "Hai, I think that we do, Harry-Chan."

While they're walking down though, they hear someone call out and come to a stop. Turning, Harry blinked as Cedric walked up with Cho at his side, "Cedric? Is something wrong?"

Somewhat amused by what he sees in front of him, the Hufflepuff shook his head, "Nothing's wrong, Harry..." Furrowing his eyebrows, he suddenly nodded, "Imuya and Maruyu, right?"

Glancing at Imuya, Maruyu nodded, "That's right."

Just humming, Cedric smiled before turning to Harry, "Anyways, it looks like you're on a date. Enjoying the day with these two?"

Even as all three blushed, the black haired wizard nodded, "Well... yes? Um, why?"

Shaking his head, Cedric chuckled, "Just checking really, though if its a date, maybe you could go to Madam Puddifoot's. It's set up for couples after all." To his confusion though, Harry and the two shipgirls winced, 'Something I said?'

Unable to look him in the eye, Harry turned away, "Heh... maybe. Anyways, we got to be going Cedric, I hope that you and Cho enjoy your date as well."

Bemused, Cho shook her head as she watched the three walk off, "Wonder what that was all about..." Getting a shrug from her boyfriend, she frowned, "Though... I have to wonder what is going on there? I know that I've seen him with different girls each Hogsmeade visit."

Cedric grinned and shook his head at that, "Apparently he's sort of dating them? Or something?" At the look from his girlfriend, he shrugged, "I asked that blue haired one, Iku I think her name was. Anyways, from what she stated all the girls know about the others and don't mind it. I mean, it's weird to me-"

Scoffing, the Ravenclaw shook her head, "And weird to me as well."

Once more shrugging, Cedric snorted some in amusement, "Anyways, it's weird to me and everything, but... they all agreed to do this. Not sure why, but they have."

Rolling her eyes, Cho sighed, "Shipgirls... Anyways, we should go and get a table before they're all gone..."

With that, she began to drag her amused boyfriend to the tea shop that they had suggested.

 

Yellowhammer

Puppy Love III

Yokosuka Municipal Library

Moriko Ibuki, the now retired Ibuki Oroshi of the Yokai Mixed Martial Arts circuit, glanced in the direction of her little sister. Fortunately, Sachiko was quite busy speaking to the librarian about requesting books from the Tokyo Library System to be shipped to Yokohama. As the librarian brought out the forms to do the deed, the muscular she-wolf grinned to herself.

Time to hit the Romance Rack!

With that she quickly walked over to the romance books section and grabbed the first five books that she saw, carefully hiding them from Sachiko's sight as she returned to the desk. "Hey Sachiko-chan. So how's my clever and smart little sister doing in her quest to read all the books?

Sachiko giggled, "Hardly, we will have to come back in three days to pick up the book I requested. What do you have?"

Moriko coughed and handed the librarian her selection. "Oh, just something for Suzume-chan. Anyway, I'm sure that with your studies in household finances, cooking, and sewing, you will be the perfect bride for him."

Sachiko blushed and then coughed before hiding her face in her hands. "Moriko-chan!!" Sachiko wailed, "You promised not to tease me about him!"

Moriko laughed and began to wheel her sister to the lobby after putting the books in her bag. "C'mon, I'll make it up to you with a parfait at the cafe."

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

Magical Diet, Magical Chiyoda, Tokyo

Naomi threaded her way through the bustling outer office of the Legislative Affairs Bureau and knocked on the door to the inner private office. "I have the budgeting projections and associated financial documentation that you requested that I pick up, Undersecretary Miyata."

No one in this office called her father 'Deputy' anything no matter what the title on his door said. While he was 'supposedly' just a senior time-server answering to the politicians and implementing policy loyally, in reality he was the spider in his web. He had ruled his personal fiefdom in the Civil Service since joining it during Kamo's time with a fist of iron through a combination of bureaucratic skill, ruthless pragmatic cunning, and some well timed backstabs. Some of those backstabs were even metaphorical.

She was convinced that the day she took over from him here was the day that his ghost would take up permanent residence in the Diet Building to 'assist' her.

"Enter."

She bowed herself in and then closed the door firmly behind her, before engaging the anti-surveillance wards. "Here they are. The Ministry of Revenue was... perturbed when I picked them up."

Her father rubbed the shaved bald top of his head. "I have no doubt. How perturbed, daughter?"
Spoiler: Shigeru Miyata


The witch thought. "Quite perturbed indeed. Especially when I, as per your request, specifically asked for the Hokkaido quarterly revenue intake and the disbursements to the Department of Magical Beast Containment to pay for for the supply shipments to the Reserves."

Her father nodded and waved her to a chair as he began to glance through the figures. He then snorted as he made notes with his writing brush, dipping it into his favorite inkstone as he continued, "Unsurprising. The last time I saw this sloppy a job of track covering, we had just won a 'glorious victory' over the American Navy in Operation A-GO in 1944. Truly the Decisive Battle! Why, we sank six carriers including USS Enterprise again, five battleships, and cruisers and destroyers without number as the headlines in Yomiuri Shinbun blared when I read them the morning after."

Naomi blinked, "Forgive me, Father, but was that not a great American naval victory? The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, I believe that the Americans called it?"

Shigeru's face scrunched up in a feigned mask of thought, which soon changed into one of utter surprise.

"Why it was in fact! So that is why Shoukaku, Taiho, and so many of our ships never returned! What a novel thought!"

Father and daughter shared a rueful smirk and the Deputy Undersecretary began looking through the report in earnest. "Now, was Makoto Kawada in the office physically by chance?"

Naomi thought, "He was, but I did not speak to him."

Shigeru smiled slightly. "No matter. Kawada-san is the best kind of thief. Smart enough to not get caught in his thefts, but wise enough to know when not to steal. He would never allow these sloppy figures to see the light of day if the money was going to his pockets. Kyoto will demand a full audit when they reform the government as part of their mandate to 'sweep out us scoundrels'." His smile broadened, "The incompetent scoundrels of course. These account transfers would be flagged and lead to him as Comptroller if these monies were being diverted illegally to simply be embezzled. But as a matter of department policy with Kawada no doubt able to account for every Knut meticulously with documentation along with orders to juggle funds signed in triplicate.... You see, it is important to know as much as possible about those in positions of power.

"Therefore, since these monies are not being siphoned off to line pockets, well not more than is the normal grease to oil the wheels anyway, they must have been diverted for...what?" Shigeru looked at his daughter with a commanding gaze.

Naomi slowly spoke, "Because they are desperately needed elsewhere?"

"Hai. Which means that the death spiral has begun. Make a dinner appointment for me at Ajitasuke Suidobashi for a week from tomorrow. Private room for a party of... eight should do. I shall pay out of pocket, since it is time to make an investment that shall generate returns for us."

Naomi nodded and made a note. "Will you require my presence?"

Shigeru shook his head. "I wish that I could further your education by acting as my second there, daughter. Alas, two of the men I must speak to are such old fossils that they would not know what to do in a private room with any female apart from a geisha, their wives, or their concubines present. For Miyamoto-san he wouldn't know what to do with his wife or a concubine anyway. Which reminds me, you took care of the errand this morning?"

"I did. They are well, and he asked after the family. He wishes to have you meet his brother." Naomi's voice was quiet.

Shigeru sighed and bowed his head. "No, not at this time. I must be seen as strong as always and even a whiff of scandal would be disastrous. Of all the things I regret involving Yura's... indiscretions... with the sailor that she took as a lover, I regret that I was unable to acknowledge Hachiko as my own grandson the most, perhaps. From what you have told me, he has grown into a man worthy of our family."

Naomi placed a gentle hand on her father's shoulders. "He understands. I think he is aware that Yura-chan's marriage was... strained and only really existed on a piece of paper to prevent scandal. He has not told Aki that, and I doubt that he ever will. Better to let Aki grow up and then find out that his father was a hero killed by the Abyssals in Blood Week when his ship was attacked and his mother passed away when she volunteered to use her medi-wizard training to assist wounded while under fire. Better that than...."

Shigeru sighed, "Better what the official records say than the truth."

"Hai. Better that than the truth."

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

Cafe Bookworm, Yokosuka

Hachiko bowed to the rather buxom mamasan of "A Piece of Heaven"at Table One. "Your bento and cherry parfait, honored customer."

She smiled, and the room decorated in 1950s Americana, seemed to light up a bit. "My thanks. Let me reward you for such prompt service."

The Inugami Hanyō shook his head slightly. "Such is not necessary, ma'am. A job well done is its own reward."

She smiled and pulled out a business card with the sunrise symbol of her karaoke club and wrote on the back. "No, take this. If you find the right person, I insist on entertaining you and your friend properly just as you have entertained me."

Hachiko blinked behind his heavy glasses and absently pocketed the manager's card that he had somehow wound up with as he headed back to the back to pick up the order for the girls at Table Eight. At least they were the last customers in the cafe and soon no more patrons would be allowed to enter.

"Order up! Two bentos with beef, jumbo pumpkin parfait, jumbo caramel apple parfait!"

He headed to the table with the girl in the wheelchair and her rather muscular sister.

He placed the tray on the table and bowed. "Your bentos, a Jumbo Pumpkin Parfait for the lady to the left and a Jumbo Caram---"

Behind him, Ame-no-Uzume, Goddess of Mirth, Revelry, and the Dawn, Terrible Female of Heaven, and manager of the "A Piece of Heaven" karaoke club pushed her chair back as she 'coincidentally' stood up, bumping it into him and sending his glasses flying to plop into Moriko's Jumbo Caramel Apple Parfait.

As the glasses flew through the air, the sound of the Monkees' 1966 hit single began to sound through the nearly-deserted cafe from the radio.
Spoiler: Ship Happens!

 

Yellowhammer

Puppy Love IV

Yokosuka Municipal Library

Cafe Bookworm
Spoiler: Uzume's A Shipper!

Micky Dolenz's voice began to sing over the radio as Hachiko Miyata blushed.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am!" he said contritely as he fumbled blindly for his glasses, which were now sitting in Moriko Ibuki's Cinnamon Apple jumbo parfait like an odd decoration.

Moriko could not help but smile at the sheer comedy of the meganekko waitress losing her glasses and having to fumble for them. All it needed was her to be the boy of the girls' dreams and it would be a shoujou manga volume like she secretly enjoyed.

"It's Ok, let me!"

She reached for the glasses to give them to the poor girl.

Their fingers touched just above the glasses and a spark of electricity ran through both teenagers.

Behind them Ame-no-Uzume placed a large tip next to her emptied parfait and strolled outside. The couple would need the money soon enough. As the Terrible Female of Heaven stepped through the cafe door, a stray gust of wind flipped the sign from OPEN to CLOSED three minutes early. Wouldn't do to have them interrupted right now.

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

"I thought love was only true in fairy tales
Meant for someone else but not for me.
Love was out to get me
That's the way it seemed.
Disappointment haunted all my dreams."

Moriko's eyes elevated to meet Hachiko's, and for the briefest, endless, moment as she gazed into his eyes moment she felt her unawakened true ship-self become one with herself. Her four Kampon boilers thrummed at maximum power as her fire directors locked onto him and her ten 203mm/50 3rd Year Type 2 naval rifles stood ready to speak her words in fire and thunder.
Spoiler: Hachiko Miyata


Here, yes, here is someone worth protecting who will loyally stand beside you! Just like Sachiko and Suzume, here stands he who you must defend as the lead ship and name ship of your sisterhood! And he has such beautiful blue eyes, the blue of a sea that you can sail through endlessly....

A faint part of her mind realized that the 'girl' in the baggy clothing was actually a short and slender bishounen young man. The rest of her mind was not capable of conscious thought at all.

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

Hachiko blinked and then through the normal blur that the world was without his glasses a vision of loveliness filled his sight in sharp focus. Steel-gray eyes, strong and yet shockingly vulnerable, were surrounded by a scarred and battered face. Even her -so cute!- slightly bent nose told him that the girl in front of him, just like him had taken hit after hit from life to protect others.

But just like him, she would refuse to quit or be defeated because people depended on her. Family depended on her.

"I thought love was more or less a given thing,
Seems the more I gave the less I got.
What's the use in tryin'?
All you get is pain.
When I needed sunshine I got rain."

And that unyielding loyal devotion and care under the tough shell and the scars caused his heart to beat faster and his cheeks to flush cutely.

Others might call her too rough, too broken, too scarred, too uncute, too macho.

But she was the most beautiful girl in the world in his eyes.

"Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer
Not a trace of doubt in my mind.
I'm in love, I'm a believer!
I couldn't leave her if I tried."

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

Ame-no-Uzume had a Muramasa-level smug grin as she approached the red convertible waiting for her outside. Her smile widened as she saw the Good doG at the steering wheel with sunglasses perched on her white canine nose.

"Wan?"

Uzume pantomimed blowing smoke from her forefinger as the car began to move.

"Boom. Headshot!"

"Wan!"

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

The song ended and a fresh tune began.
Spoiler: First Sight

Sachiko Ibuki blinked.

Then she blinked again and slowly smiled the smile of a little sister who had just had Heaven send her a prime big sister trolling opportunity. Silently she pulled her phone from her purse and began to film them.

Big Sister Moriko had not moved at all, her eyes locked on the young man who had delivered their food. He was equally motionless like a statue staring at her as two sets of cheeks reddened.

Then slowly, automatically, their hands moved to clasp and intertwine their fingers.

Fingers callused and scarred by Yokai Mixed Martial Arts fights to get desperately needed money for her sisters met equally callused and scarred fingers roughened by uncomplaining, unstinting hard work at whatever jobs he could find to fulfill his promise to be the parent his little brother needed.

Sachiko's smile broadened and she opened a window to text Suzume.

SUZU-CHAN WATCH THIS NOW!!

Sachiko's thumb found the 'send' button and she sent a link of the stream to her sister's phone.

Moriko never noticed that her sister ships were preparing a hunter-killer trolling ambush for her.

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

A cough interrupted the staring and Hachiko blinked.

"Um, I'm sorry ma'am. I'll just find my glasses and...um..."

"Moriko. I'm Ibuki Moriko." The angel of loveliness spoke, and she had the most wonderful contralto growl in her voice....

"Oh, I'm Miyata Hachiko, Moriko-sama. Have you seen my glasses?" His high-pitched tenor voice was like warm honey and caused her keel to shiver in delight....

A giggling voice joined in. "Oh they are in Oneesan's parfait! I didn't know you wanted the special cinnamon apple parfait, Moriko-chan."

Hachiko blinked again and leaned close to have the sight of his glasses half-buried in whipped cream come into focus. "So they are." He began to grin and then giggle helplessly as he put them on and tried to wipe the worst of the parfait off the lenses.

Moriko howled her own laughter through her own smile at the hilarity of the scene and squeezed his hand. "I have tissues in my bag. We can use them to clean the glasses off... Hachiko-kun."

"I'll get the tissues, Moriko-chan!" The restrained evil mirth in her sister's voice registered too late on the blissful she-wolf and her eyes widened comically as the first sappy romance manga hit the table as Sachiko 'helpfully dug for the tissues' in her sister's bag.

SHIT!! Kami, please detonate my magazines and just sink me now!!!!

Moriko blushed crimson as her secret vice was exposed in full view of Hachiko. Well Sachiko too, but she was only the fate worse than death. Hachiko making fun of her for them would be worse.

His fingers squeezed hers as he leaned over to peer at the romances as Sachiko began to clean off his glasses with the now 'found' tissues.

"Oh, I like that one, Moriko-sama! If you like historical romances, there's Outlander by Diana Gabeldon. Um, also if you like light novels, and know English, there's Jane Austen and even well..."

He trailed off and blushed crimson.

Moriko squeezed his hand encouragingly. "Go on, please... Hachiko-kun."

"Um... well... There is also the complete 'Aa! Megami-sama' omnibus that I was going to return as part of the re-shelfing of books I will be doing tonight at the library when I go back there for the rest of my shift. If you want, I can check it out to you before it goes back on the shelves so it does not get snapped up by someone else, Moriko-sama."

Moriko looked at the blushing young man as he took his now cleaned off glasses back from Sachiko and put them on and squeezed his hand. "If you recommend it, I'd like to check that out then."

She shot Sachiko a quelling 'mess this up and I'll kill you slowly, little sister' glare that bounced off her sister's happily smiling face like spitballs off Yamato's main armor belt.

---------------------------------
Spoiler: Ship Begins Construction

"Here it is." Hachiko handed over a hardcover copy of 'The Complete Aa! Megami-sama Manga Omnibus' to Moriko. "I checked it into the computer system and then immediately checked it back out for you."

"Thank you Hachiko-kun!" Moriko, took the books that he had recommended. "So you work at the cafe and at the library then?"

"Yes, I'm taking care of my younger brother after our parents died during Blood Week." Hachiko said shyly.

Moriko reached across the counter to squeeze the now-librarian's hand. "That isn't easy. I know. Um... Can I... Um... you have a phone?"

Hachiko blushed slightly and pulled out a cheap cracked flip phone. Moriko immediately identified the model as something that she would have had to scrape money together to buy in her earlier days, and her estimation of the young man rose higher. He is sacrificing so much for his little brother Aki....

"Let me give you my number. Maybe we can hang out sometime?" Smooth, Moriko, real smooth... the she-wolf groaned to herself.

Hachiko bit his lip and then wrote down his number. She punched it into her phone and then grinned. "I'll call you when you get off work at seven then?"

He nodded, "I'll... I'll look forward to that then, Moriko-sama."

"Sayonara then!"

Moriko wheeled her sister out the van then looked down. "So, Sachiko-chan. How much do I need to pay my best and most wonderful little sister to keep quiet about Hachiko-kun? No need to tell Suzume-chan about meeting him after all."

Sachiko smiled, "We swing by the yarn and quilt store and you buy me more thread and fabric, and I won't tell Suzume-chan a thing when we come home."

Sachiko's inner smug smirk widened. After all, Suzume already knows because she saw the video of you two in the cafe and texted me back a thumbs-up.

 

Yellowhammer

Honor and Devotion

Tsurugaoka Hachimangū, Kamakura

Shortly After The Conclusion Of Dove and Shrine Maiden - A Union of Bread and Butter

Masamune-no-Tokunotakai awoke in the grey darkness before sunrise. Automatically her arm reached for the vacant presence on her futon, but found naught but air instead of Colombe du Chasteler's sleeping warmth that she was beginning to enjoy cuddling up to.

The Masamune of the Warrior's Virtues sighed and began to perform her morning routine on autopilot.
Spoiler: A Shrine Maiden's Meditation

The past three days had been among the best of her five centuries of manifestation. Finding... finally finding someone who loved her so much, and was able to see past the shackles of duty and honor to the woman inside the shrine maiden kendo instructor had been a dream come true. Perhaps the only days that had come close were meeting her sister Masamune-no-Musashi and then learning the Way of the Sword from Musashi's sensei Miyamoto Musashi.

But, as always, duty and honor came first, and Colombe's duties called her to travel outside the confines of the shrine to the larger world. Tokunotakai could not begrudge Colombe that, for she knew that if their positions had been reversed, she would do the exact same thing for the exact same reasons.

She blushed scarlet as she remembered certain parts of those past three days. It had been quite educational and she could not wait for her next lesson in the arts of love from her sensei.

The blush deepened as she remembered her Co-chan had also promised her instruction in the Italian fencing that her love's true body was crafted for.

The unspoken promise in those words was that one day, when her skills had progressed to a suitable levels....

She paused in oiling the blade of her true self and then resumed with a shy smile.

Her fingers caressed the sharkskin and silk of her hilt as she finished, face crimson as she imagined Colombe's avatar's fingers on her true form. In her mind, she was moving with her love in a dance of steel and spirit, the two of them becoming one in the Way of the Sword. Perhaps they would even spar with her wielding Colombe's rapier body against Co-Chan's avatar using her true self. Nothing but the pure joy of Masamune steel on Muramasa steel, body on body, skill on skill, and spirit on spirit.

But, as much as she wished to linger and dream of wonderfully scandalous future activities, the shrine steps would not sweep themselves.

After purifying herself at the shrine's spring, she opened the door to the storage shed and quelled a brief, painful spike of loneliness at the sight of the broom Colombe used when she was here hanging on the rack next to her broom. Co-chan should be here, but...no.

Duty was duty.

Beginning at the top today, she made her way down the 800-year old stone steps, her body on autopilot as her thoughts wandered. Co-chan had confessed to her that she found the simple actions of caring for the shrine were a focus for her to find peace. As she had said, it helped her put matters in their proper place.

Tokunotakai meditated upon this statement as she reached the end of the steps.

Proper place...where was her proper place?

She clapped once to honor the spirit of the ginkgo tree who had witnessed a Shogun's death upon the spot where she stood seven centuries ago, then clapped and bowed to the mated pair of wood pigeons observing her solemnly from their nest in the tree. She knew that the doves were Hachiman' messengers sent to her the night that she had consummated her love for Colombe to show His approval of her decision to accept Colombe's offer.

She then paused as a thought struck her like a bolt of lightning.
Spoiler: A Honorable Petition

A memory of words that Colombe had said to her two days prior when she had mentioned her secret dream of traveling beyond Hachimangū to serve outside the Shrine as a warrior as well as an instructor within the shrine struck her with the shock of satori enlightenment.

"Standing to your duties despite all else in the universe but your will wishing such matters to be otherwise. That is true courage. Duties and responsibilities can never be shirked, and only death removes them from us truly, but they can be adjusted to modify the load that we carry."

The doves took flight and circled around her head as her blue-green eyes teared up at the realization that there was a honorable path through the competing calls of her oaths, her responsibilities, and her heart.

She made her way up the stairs with calm haste, pausing to place the broom away and renew her purification at the shrine's spring. As she washed her hands and rinsed her mouth, her heart pounded with the rhythm of an o-taiko drum summoning samurai to war.

Approaching the Honden, she bowed deeply and reverently to the closed doors of the Inner Sanctum of Hachiman, then in formal motions removed her true self from the sash of her miko robes. Placing herself upon the lacquered sword rack on the Honden's porch, she bowed once more.

Turning, she made her way to the great bronze temple bell hanging to the right, whispering a prayer so that the sounding of the bell would not disturb the monks and priests this early in the morning.

With a deep breath, she swung the suspended log clapper twice with all her strength, the voice of the bell echoing through the courtyard, heard only by herself and the doves that landed on the roof of the Honden.

She turned to the Honden as the second note's echoes reverberated, and bowed deeply and reverently twice.

Rising from her second bow, she clapped her hands sharply twice in Kashiwade, and then bowed once more.

Tokunotakai held her bow as the note of the temple bell slowly faded, her heart thudding.

In the space between the being and non-being of the voice of the bell, a voice echoed in her ears.

He was as powerful as an earthquake, yet compassionate. His voice filled with the sound of clashing armies, and the songs of farmers at peace.

"My Daughter. Arise and speak to me what is on your mind."

Heart pounding, she raised herself to see the figure of a general dressed in Ō-yoroi armor surveying her from His position in front of His Honden. The doves flew down to perch upon the golden wakidate horns of His kabuto helmet.

Tokunotakai licked dry lips, and then took a deep breath, steeling herself as she spoke formally.

"Hachiman-dono. Your Consecrated Blade Masamune-no-Tokunotakai requests permission to be allowed to travel outside Tsurugaoka Hachimangū that she has been ordered to serve at and and guard so that she... I can be your servant in the world outside these walls."

Dark eyes glittered behind His menpō battle mask as He examined her with a piercing gaze.

"Are your duties here not sufficient for your talents?"

Tokunotakai shook her head.

"Iie. I shall honorably serve wherever you wish me to serve to my utmost, but..." She took a deep breath, eyes glimmering with unshed tears as she continued, "what good is a blade that was forged to serve as the protector of innocents according to the Ways of Bushido if she never is allowed to fulfill that purpose for which she was crafted and called?"

"Even if the duty that you request to perform sends you to a place where Colombe d'Aubigny-Muramasa du Chasteler can never travel to?"

Tokunotakai swallowed down a lump in her throat. "Even so, I shall carry out my duties as honor demands. I merely request the courtesy of notifying her personally before I depart from her life... and hers from mine forever. She deserves that courtesy from my own lips."

The silence in response to her statement lingered for an eternity before it was shattered.

Hachiman nodded once then brushed His fingertips along her blade gently.

"Approved." His voice was filled with love.

Tokunotakai blinked tears of joy out of her eyes. "My sincere gratitude, Hachiman-dono."

He raised a hand and extended two fingers. "Two things to meditate upon before you depart. First, prepare your spirit and body, because once you step outside these walls, when you return, if you survive to return, you shall never be the innocent shrine maiden who left. You have seen what War does to other peoples souls, not least your lover's spirit. One who passes into that realm will never emerge unscarred." His voice was compassionate and sad.

Tokunotaki nodded, remembering holding a shivering rapier spirit close as Colombe relived moments from her past in nightmares.

"Second, you are samurai sworn to my service, true, and I have much pleasure in your loyal service. Yet even the most devoted samurai is allowed a personal life and some time to improve herself separate from her assigned duties. Your selfless sense of duty is commendable, but I have been waiting centuries for this conversation. I had intended for you to have at least one musha shugyō pilgrimage long before now. No matter, what is done is done, and one can only lead His child so far and no farther before she must take the next step on her own." His voice was that of a fond father gently chiding a young daughter as Tokunotakai blushed in embarrassment. "Keep that in mind when you have a conflict between giri and ninjo in the future."

"I shall Hachiman-dono." Toku bowed in acknowledgement of His words.

"Good. One last thing. Colombe has suffered much in My service. Yes, your lover has been sworn to me, and sworn herself to my service just as you are, although she knows it not currently. Certain necessary actions had to be taken for events to happen as they should, and I have hurt her in the doing. I regret the necessity more than she can comprehend, but sometimes pain is the only tutor for a needed lesson and other times a small evil is necessary to prevent a greater evil." Hachiman's voice was sad but filled with pride for the rapier's spirit.

Tokunotakai's eyes widened in surprise as pieces fell into place and connections were made inside her memories of what Colombe had spoken of her past.

"Just as you will learn from her about the outside world as you travel alongside her so in turn she must learn about the inward world of the spirit from you. Each of you has something that the other lacks but needs. Be her guide as she shall be your guide so that she can accept the deeper truths that she is fumbling toward blindly. One of which is her role as My Blade." His voice was the firm confidence of an officer giving commands to his soldier as he stared into the Masamune's eyes with calm certainty.

Tokunotakai bowed deeply. "I accept your charge, Hachiman-dono. Thank you for your counsel."

When she rose from the bow, He was gone and His doves took flight once more.

In a meditative trance, Tokunotakai placed her true body at her side and walked to the head of the shrine's stairs as the sky lightened with the coming dawn. She watched the doves escort her, and then fly down to their nest in the tree as she knelt in seiza.
Spoiler: A Journey Contemplated

As the Rising Sun turned the distant waters of Kamakura Bay gold and scarlet before her and her home town stirred to life, she slowly drew herself and mediated upon the patterns of sunlight dancing across her Masamune master-crafted steel.

A fresh wind off the bay blew her dark hair around her face, carrying with it the scents of places and people unguessed by her in her sheltered innocence.

One by one, the kanji of the Seven Virtues of Bushido illuminated themselves magically on her blade as she accepted the cost of her choice. Her duties and responsibilities, after all, were heavier than Mount Fuji's snow-crowned peak across the bay.

Gi, Integrity and Rectitude.

Rei, Respect.

Yu, Heroic Courage.

Meiyo, Honor.

Jin, Compassion.

Makoto, Honesty and Sincerity.

Chu, Duty and Loyalty.

Masamune-no-Tokunotakai.

 

Harry Leferts

Once they were far enough away, Maruyu turned to Harry and weakly chuckled, "Uh, Harry-Chan? We're not actually going to go to... that place, are we?"

Somewhat bemused, Harry raised an eyebrow, "Already know about it?"

Imuya gave a scoff, "RO-Chan showed us some pictures and video." Theatrically shuddering, she shook her head, "I will not be setting a foot in a place like that."

Gently squeezing her hand, the black haired wizard chuckled, "Don't worry, I have absolutely no plans to even enter the door to that place." A grin then crossed Harry's face as he continued, "Besides, why would I need to? I found a much better tea place."

Both Submarines were relieved at that, before Maruyu nodded, "That's good to know, Harry-Chan." Thoughtful, she turned to him fully, "Is it the same place that you took Iku-Chan and the others to? Because that does sound like a good place."

Simply nodding, Harry smiled some, "One and the same, and it is a pretty good place when all is said and done. And I found out something about it..." Knowing that he had the attention of the two shipgirls, he gave a shrug, "They have side rooms upstairs with enchantments like the ceiling in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. Except, it is for one of the walls and the ceiling, giving the sensation of being outside on a patio. But because it is still inside, the elements won't affect people."

Intrigued, Imuya hummed as she looked around, "That does sound rather interesting, I'll admit. But..." She waved a hand around them, "Not much to see really right now."

The thirteen year old shook his head at that, "Not right now, no. But in the warmer months? They got wildflowers all over the place and fields of heather. There's another spell that allows for the scent to enter from outside, but none of the pollen or anything."

Considering that, the red haired Submarine nodded, "That... does sound like something that would be enjoyable." Smile blooming on her face, she softly giggled, "You should go on a date there with Taigei-Nee-San and Ryuuhou-Nee-San when it's... what? May?" Harry nodded at that, which made her smile widen, "Right, May. Because the two of them would really enjoy that."

Head tilted to the side, Harry hummed, "That does sound good actually. So they would like to be on the May Hogsmeade visit?" At their nods, he gave one of his own, "Hmm... Okay than, now for Spring Break..."

Eyebrow raised, Maruyu blinked at that, "Spring Break, Harry-Chan? But I thought that you could only come down certain times of the year. And what about coming home for Spring Break?"

Quickly, the wizard shook his head, "I'm still coming home, Maruyu-Chan. But one of the things that I found out was that us students can come and visit on Spring Break and during Christmas Break. Just that most don't because they would normally need to make their own way from the castle, and with the distance between the two places... well..."

Maruyu only nodded at that, "That makes sense, not many people would want to come down during that time if they need to walk the whole way."

Just frowning, Harry gave a hum, "Yeah, or fly... maybe ride in the older days when there was a stable at Hogwarts for horses." A grin then crossed his face, "Granted, there are all the tunnels from Hogwarts to the town, so you don't need to be exposed to the elements the whole way either." Shaking his head, the wizard snorted some, "There is also the Vanishing Cabinet as well since I can use that to go back and forth. Knight Bus too, despite all the problems it has."

The two shipgirls considered that before nodding in agreement. Glancing at Maruyu, Imuya turned to Harry, "So who would you take with you on a date during Spring Break?"

For several moments, Harry didn't say anything. But then, he nodded some, "Well... maybe Shinano and Regina? Though I could take the Duckies as well since they want to come here." Nodding, he had a serious expression on his face, "And I could stuff them full of food while here."

Briefly, both Maruyu and Imuya had the image of the three Destroyers being fed the giant chocolate bars. Each Destroyer having a happy look of contentment on their faces as they did so. Chuckling, Imuya smiled at that, "They would enjoy that, Harry-Chan. I think that they would enjoy that a lot."

As Harry nodded in agreement, Maruyu tilted her head some and considered as he walked beside her with his hands in hers. One thing that she noticed was that he was a touch taller than she was again. Not by much, maybe an inch or two, but it was there. That fact also made her smile a bit as it meant that he was growing up. She could also see that his features had matured slightly, just enough to be noticeable. Briefly, she had an image of an older, taller Harry holding her close before bending down towards her face.

Her face red, the small Submarine shook her head rapidly to clear it.

If the other two noticed, they didn't comment on it as they continued to walk towards the tea house that Harry had found. Upon entering, Imuya looked around with a smile as she unbuttoned her jacket, "This is a really nice place, just like Iku-Chan and the other said that it was."

With a hum, Harry nodded as he took Maruyu's jacket from her and hung it up. Granted, out of the corner of his eye, he noted how the Transport Submarine looked in her dress and blushed a little. A fact not missed by either of the sharp eyed shipgirls with them sharing a secret smile. Gently taking Imuya's jacket from her, Harry smiled a bit, "It is, which is why I am so glad that I found this place. I mean, the service is great here and so is the food and drinks."

Licking her lips, Maruyu grinned some, "And that is something that I am looking forward to." At the amused look from Imuya, she shrugged while still grinning unrepentantly, "What? I've got smaller fuel tanks than you guys do. So I run through my supplies faster."

Both Harry and Imuya grinned and snickered at that while sharing a smile.

Now with their coats hung up, the three walked further into the tea house and soon chose a table to sit down. Somewhat to Harry's amusement, it was the same place that Iku and the others had chosen on separate times. Dismissing the thought, he pulled out the chairs for the two girls and pushed them in once they were seated. Once he had sat down himself, he looked between them, "Any thoughts on what you want to have? My treat."

Tapping her chin, Imuya looked at the menu before noticing a separate one. Opening it, her eyes lit up at what was inside, "Oh wow! They got treats here specifically for Valentine's Day, Harry-Chan, Maruyu-Chan! "

Eyes widening slightly, Harry leaned over to look himself, "Really? Any good ones?"

Finger running along the page, the red haired Submarine nodded, "A lot of them, though most are chocolate. They're all really good looking..." Licking her lips, she swallowed, "Really good looking."

Glancing at each one, Maruyu frowned some in thought. Suddenly, she smiled and pointed, "How about we buy one desert and share it among us? I don't think that any of us will mind... in which case, I vote for the Valentine's Chocolate Tart. That looks delicious and it comes in sizes up to a full pie."

Harry and Imuya looked at it in thought before nodding and smiling in agreement. It was a few minutes later before the waitress came with their pie, setting it down. The three teens all licked their lips as the giant chocolate tart had whipped cream on the top of it in the shape of a heart, dusted with chocolate itself. Looking it over, Harry smiled at the young woman who served them, "Thank you, this looks delicious."

Lightly laughing, she shook her head and waved him off, "You're very welcome, but I just hope that you enjoy your food and drink. And if you need anything, just give me a call and I'll be over for it."

With that, she moved off and Imuya cut off a slice of the pie, "Oh wow... this looks amazing."

All the other two could do was nod as they took slices themselves. Using her fork to take a piece, Maruyu put the chocolatey delight into her mouth and hummed as she chewed. Swallowing, her eyes lit up, "This is really great, Harry-Chan!"

On his other side, Imuya nodded as she ate a piece of her own pie, "Maruyu-Chan is right, Harry-Chan, this is just plain awesome."

Brightly smiling, the wizard just smiled before turning to his own food, with all three enjoying their small meal.

 

Savato93

“You know… given what we knew of the island before this, I’m surprised we didn’t discover something like this before now.” Rivet threw her hands up. “I mean, there’s a volcano—not like it’s going to erupt during our lifetime, but there was bound to be hot stuff in the vicinity.”

The expedition members sat lounging in one of the cabins. Suffice it to say, nobody expected to uncover a vein of water running underneath the wild pigs’ nest—almost all the Abyssals who had participated in the hunt had been covered with dirt and mud to some degree by the sudden eruption, failing to realize what was about to happen when they got close. Fluffy had arguably gotten the worst of it, being engulfed by a blast of water measuring around 170 degrees Fahrenheit; the poor Princess was currently soaking in a tub of cool water upstairs, her entire body having a pinkish, almost human-looking skin tone from the scalding water.

Regalia sat off to the side, munching on a small ingot to restore her lost top. “I can’t help feeling kinda guilty,” She grumbled. “My intimidation tactics got Fluffy burned, literally.”

Rivet shrugged. “It was a freak accident that nobody could have seen coming, given the circumstances. Once she gets over her burns, I’m sure she’ll be able to look back and laugh at this incident.” She gripped the Re-class’s shoulder and shook her gently. “And look on the bright side—we can build a hot spring!”

“Do we even know how?”

“Admittedly, no.” Regalia turned to the doorway to see her mother Tanith enter. “But we can reach out to others in Japan for help or instruction. But anyway, good work, everyone.” She nodded towards her daughter with a small smirk. “Especially you, Regalia. I heard your warcry from all the way back here.”

Regalia inclined her head, trying to subtly hide her blush. “Thanks, Mom.” Tippy got her attention with a shoulder nudge, prompting her to feed what was left of the ingot to her tail. “I was actually kinda surprised, myself. I mean, Tippy’s let off some roars every now and then, but none of them have ever sounded like that.”

Tanith hummed. “Perhaps it is because you were doing something you’ve never done before: issuing a challenge.”

“And one hell of a challenge, if you ask me,” Rivet added. “Some of those pigs didn’t even try to avoid us… all they could focus on was getting away from you.”

After a few seconds’ thought, Regalia shrugged. “That makes sense, I guess.” She pointed to the floor above. “Anyway, Mom… if you want to talk to Fluffy, she’s upstairs. I bet Aunt Renita is worried about her.”

“Actually… Renita has been playing with the children. They seem to like her.” Tanith gestured to the window. Outside, the Re-class was playing goalie—both herself and her tail working, albeit halfheartedly, to keep the kids from bouncing the ball off the cabin wall behind her. “That said, I do think I will pay Fluffy a visit. She must be commended for her work scouting out the nest—and locating a valuable commodity, however accidental and painful it may have been.”

As Tanith made for the stairs to the second floor, Regalia spoke up once more. “Hey, I haven’t seen the other flagships in a while. What have they been up to?”

Looking back, Tanith brought a claw to her chin, thinking. “...I believe they have been cooperating on a project.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Ritou sat back on her haunches, letting out a sigh. “Okay… that should about do it, wouldn’t you say?”

The other installations pulled away from the dry dock, bags visible under their eyes. It had been a taxing few days for them—putting together a hull from scratch was no simple task, especially when there had never before been a ship like it. Every little detail needed to be looked over once, twice, three times over, to ensure the schematics were being followed to a T. Of course, they could have made do with a few more hours of sleep per day, but what’s done, was done.

Thankfully, their diligence had paid off. Laid out before them was the completed hull of the Mi-class heavy repair ship... the first of her kind. She was motionless, dormant… but with the imps donated to her by all of the installations, there was at least a small spark. Something that, hopefully, would eventually grow into someone new.

Nuri lifted her arms over her head with a yawn, stretching to loosen her muscles after several days with little movement. “I guess we’ve done all we can… for now, we just wait and see if she will wake up.”

“You really think it will work?” Patty asked.

Ritou shrugged. “Maybe. We just did what Tanith does when she makes new ships: we struck the imps from our crew manifests, and released them into this new Abyssal. All that remains to be seen is if they’ll take it from there, and start actually populating the hull.”

Yoko rubbed her eyes. “Yeah… I just hope that, if it works, it takes at least twelve hours. I need to sleep.”

There were sounds of agreement from her sisters. After taking some time to clean up their work area, the flagships were finally able to amble sluggishly out of the room, eager to seek out a bed to lie down in. Behind them, the dry dock chamber was left quiet, the sounds of machinery finally gone after several days of nonstop activity. For now, at least, their work was done.

So it was that, just minutes later, nobody was present to see a finger twitch...

 

Harry Leferts

Leaving the tea house behind, Harry smiled first at Maruyu and then Imuya, who both took his hands in theirs, "Well, you two seemed to enjoy that pie."

Eyebrow raised in amusement, Imuya poked him in the side of the head and made him snicker, "And you didn't, Harry-Chan? Besides..." She grinned some, "It was chocolate!"

A serious expression on her face, though one ruined by the amused twinkle in her eye, Maruyu nodded, "Hai! And it being chocolate was the most important part."

Unable to help himself, the wizard snorted and shook his head even as he smiled, "You two..." Both girls giggled and leaned into him for a few moments before pulling away. As they walked though, Harry glanced around at some of the roadside stalls that had various things in them. Each of them had a theme though, and that was for Valentine's Day. At one point, when they walked past a river, Harry blinked, "Huh, that's sort of nice."

Confused, the two shipgirls turned in the same direction and their eyes widened a touch. Because sailing down the stream were swan shaped boats. But more than that, said boats were animated with wings fluttering out every so often and their heads turning in this direction and that one. As one passed by close, they could see that it was even propelled by the "Feet" of the swan, something that made Imuya raise an eyebrow at, "Huh, that looks sort of neat."

Turning to her, Harry cocked his head to the side with a considering sort of expression. After a few moments, he smiled and chuckled, "Want to go and try it out?"

With a glance at him, Imuya opened her mouth before pausing. Then, she too, gained a thoughtful look and slowly grinned, "You know... those are built for two people. It might be a bit of a squeeze for three..."

In reply, Harry blinked and tilted his head, "Poi?"

Something passed between the two shipgirls and they nodded before pulling Harry along. Soon enough, they reached the 'Dock' where people got onto the swan boats and off before they waited for their turn. It did not take them long, though the attendant there raised one eyebrow at the three of them before shrugging.

After all, it was none of his business... though he was somewhat jealous of the thirteen year old boy.

Once they were all seated, though squeezed together as Imuya mentioned, the boat headed away from the dock and down the river. Glancing around, Maruyu noted that there was no breeze or wind, but it was also somewhat warm. A glance down at the floor of the boat revealed one of those magical heaters which explained the warmth, but not the missing wind. When she mentioned it, Harry shrugged, "Probably some sort of shield charm that keeps out the wind, which means that the heat stays in to some extent."

Leaning back, Harry was somewhat amused as the two Submarines leaned into him in a cuddle. Chewing his lip briefly, he let go of their hands and wrapped his arms around their waists. Which was something that, going by their smiles, was the right thing to do in that situation. Watching as the river banks passed by, Imuya sighed, "Now this is nice."

Just humming, Maruyu nodded, "Hai, it is nice..."

Softly smiling, the black haired wizard kissed first Maruyu on the cheek and then Imuya. Something that the two returned back before going back to cuddling. Eventually, the ride came to an end and they got out, with Harry nodding at Ron and Duke who were getting into one, much to the confusion of the attendant.

Once more with his hands in theirs, Harry was glancing around before Maruyu grinned and pointed, "Can we try that one, Harry-Chan?"

With a blink, Harry turned in the direction given and spotted a small booth where people shot spells at targets at different spaces. As he watched, one young man got a hit close to the bullseye and turned to the person in charge of the booth. Said attendant nodded with a smile and handed a teddy that the younger wizard gave to his girlfriend with a smile. Considering it, Harry nodded, "Why not?"

Reaching it, they waited until the man who was in charge of the booth realized that they were there and he smiled at them, "'Ello there, want to give it a try?"

All Harry did though was nod and grin, "Sure, any rules?"

The man seemed amused by it and rubbed his chin in thought, "Well, no dark magic is the only real one. Also, no attacking no one either." When he got nods, he continued, "Now, there are different targets fer one ta hit. Each one is at ten foot distances, so one at ten feet, one at twenty, and so forth. As well, each one is a multiplier by the tens. So hit a target at twenty feet and the area is two times the points of one at ten. At thirty, it is three times, savvy?"

While Harry nodded, Imuya hummed some, "Does it need to be outright magic that one uses?"

Eyebrow raised, the attendant frowned, "Not really?" Reaching behind him, he pulled out a well kept bow and an arrow, "Yeh can use these as well, or one of them crossbows. Same rules as the spells, no attacking one with them."

Simply nodding, Maruyu held up her hand, "I'll take the crossbow."

A grin on her face, Imuya shook her head, "Then I'll have the normal bow." Taking it, she examined it and hummed, "Nice."

Just snorting, the man shook his head, "Of course it is, I keep them in good shape since some always use them trying to impress someone by mastering something 'Muggle'. Not that it ever really works out all that well fer them, mind yeh."

When the man turned to him, Harry shook his head, "I'll use my wand for this." After giving the man some money, the thirteen year old walked to the firing area with Imuya and Maruyu. Glancing at the red haired Submarine, he raised an eyebrow before softly speaking, "You any good with that bow, Imuya-Chan?"

The Submarine just grinned at him before speaking just as soft, "I'm pretty good, some of my crew were into Kyudo, and I learned from them." Winking, she continued, "So don't worry about me."

Harry just smiled some and took up his position, "I'm not, Imuya-Chan, because I know that you're just that awesome." Because he was looking away from her, he missed the blush on the red haired shipgirl's face. With a glance at the man attending the stall, and getting a nod, Harry took a deep breath and cast his first spell, the Arrow Creation spell. It shot from his wand, solidifying shortly afterwards and hit the second target close to the center, "Got you."

Lining up the crossbow, Maruyu chuckled, "Not bad, Harry-Chan." Firing it, her bolt impacted even closer to the bullseye, "But I can do better."

With a scoff, Imuya brought up her bow and took aim. It hit roughly on the other side of the target from where Maruyu's bolt did, "You're not the only one, Maruyu-Chan! For I am a Sniper of the Seas!"

Rapidly, Harry snapped off another arrow spell, this one hitting right between the two Submarines' own hits, "And I am a wizard, Imuya-Chan."

Each of them glanced at each other and smirked before turning it into a competition as they each tried to outdo the other. Soon enough, they switched to the thirty foot target and then the forty foot one. Much to the two girls' surprise, Harry was especially good at hitting that target. Their competition only ended when the attendant called out, "Okay! You've hit your limit for what you paid."

Still smiling, Harry walked over, "So how did we do?"

Only rubbing his chin, the man tallied up the points and nodded, "Not bad. The young wizard here just barely beat out both of you young ladies, in which case it was a tie or close enough." Handing them the paper, he gestured at the stall of prizes, "You did well enough that you get to chose your prize, so go ahead.

It didn't take long for the two girls to choose their prizes, with Maruyu choosing a stuffed dragon which wiggled some in her grip, while Imuya chose a unicorn plush. Both shipgirls were happy with their chosen prizes and gave Harry a kiss, ones that made him grin madly even as the two Submarines snickered.
__________________________________________________________________

Groaning in relaxation, Imuya walked out of the bathroom in the guest quarters at Hogwarts with a pleased smile. She was wearing her usual sleepwear which consisted of a T-shirt declaring no hedgehogs allowed, sleep pants, and one of Harry's old robes that she had grabbed alongside Iku and Hachi. Reaching the two chairs where the thirteen year old wizard was across from Maruyu, she snickered some, "Maruyu-Chan's beating you at Go again, Harry-Chan?"

A frown on his face, Harry just nodded, "Hai, she is." Pouting, he gave a playful huff, "She keeps massacring me in this and won't let me win."

Unable to help herself, Maruyu giggled and wagged a finger at him, "Sorry, Harry-Chan, I can't go easy on you. Otherwise, you would never improve." Examining the board, she crossed her arms and leaned back with a smug smirk, "Speaking of, I win again."

Theatrically moaning, the wizard threw his hands into the air to the amusement of the two shipgirls, "See what I mean, Imuya-Chan? She's so harsh."

Mock serious look on her face, despite the twinkle in her eye, Imuya nodded as she patted the young boy's head, "There, there, Harry-Chan. One day you'll beat her." Moving around the chair, she sat in Harry's lap, something that flustered him even as she placed her arm around his neck, "Today was a great day, Harry-Chan. I really enjoyed myself."

Across from her, the smaller Submarine nodded with a smile as she put away the game, "Same here, I really enjoyed myself as well, mogu mogu!" Placing the gameboard into her hull, she sighed, "It's nice to have times like this away from the war."

Expression softening, Harry looked at her, "You only need to ask, Maruyu-Chan."

Her expression just as soft, and understanding, Maruyu gave a nod, "I know that, Harry-Chan. But that does not make days like this any less refreshing." Getting up, she walked over before getting into his lap as well and hugging him, "Something that I am thankful for."

With a sigh, the teen smiled at her.

Glancing at her plush unicorn, which neighed softly, Imuya remembered something from their day, "By the way, Harry-Chan, you did really well with those spells when we won that aiming game. I mean, you were hitting close to the targets nearly all the time, even that one that was moving."

The wizard blinked at that, "Hmm? Oh yeah, I've been practicing with my spell accuracy. Hoshi-San has been having me do a lot of that. Especially with the arrow spell because it can be used against things resistant against magic."

Both shipgirls nodded at that before they changed the subject to other things. Such as their favorite activities of the day, all of which they were rather excited about. Then, they turned in, cuddled up together in the bed. Lights turned off, Maruyu looked up at Harry and gently kissed his cheek, "Good night, Harry-Chan, and thank you for today."

On his other side, Imuya did much the same, with Harry lightly blushing before kissing them both on the head, "No, thank you both for today, I really enjoyed myself. And hopefully you both have pleasant dreams."

Imuya and Maruyu snuggled more in and the red haired of the two sighed before yawning, "I... don't think there is any worry about that, Harry-Chan." Eyes closing as his heartbeat lulled her to sleep, she hummed, 'No worries at all...'

 

baofengyu

Omake- The Disguise

Drops of crimson tapped the floor in a slowing beat as the windows rattled. Eyes flashed not to the light and sound outside, but to the door. Feet ghosted silently across the floor as she finished her grisly treat, her face a mask of horror.

“Gēge?”

Her hand flashed again and a small body fell as she held aloft a second prize.

She closed her eyes as a wave of pain, terror, and fear washed over her from the city. It had been…too long…too many countless centuries she had been deprived of such a repast. And yet, she was very aware of her danger. She was no stranger to war and strife, and despite her experience there was always the possibility of defeat. She would need…camouflage.

She dropped to all fours and slinked across the room to the body. It was still warm, as if the life had not yet left it. Without a second thought she stripped the clothes away, her hands moving over the soft tissue. It would do.

Nails elongated as her fingers teased the flesh before slipping beneath. Centuries of learning allowed her to strip the flesh off and wear it as her own. Normally to do such would require a bargain with a human, a heart for a heart, skin for skin, but an oathbreaker and a liar…the Laws of Heavens were no protection for such a person, and Yen Lo Wang would have his due.

She sent a sliver of power out.

She blinked.

The Gates of the Tian were sealed shut. The Heavenly Emperor was silent. Even prayers to Nuwa, whispered from frightened voices, were unanswered.

And yet, this battle raged between Tianxia and the Darkness. She could feel it calling to her. This Darkness. It was like a warm, familiar friend. A banquet served from the depths of Diyu.

Her breath caught, and the turned to the East.

An echo.

A mirror of her own soul.

Like calls to Like. Soul calls to Soul.

She hesitated.

Time has made her whole once more, and that part of her that separated so long ago could only be a singular entity like herself now.

Perhaps one day there will be a reunion, perhaps even reunification, but for now, she turned away.

She stood at the window and watched the city burn.

Her ears twitched as did her nose. Others approached. A flick of power sent the discarded sword flying across the room and to her hand. Another flick altered the skinless body to the visage of another.

“Jin Yong,” A breathless voice raced into the room. “What-”

“A Jiuweihu,” She replied. “Perhaps seeking to cause mischief in the confusion.” Her invisible tails wove a subtle spell.

“Ah,” the man blinked. “I see. We need to go. The city is lost and we dare not tarry any longer should the Westerners seek to impose further restrictions due to the violations of the Statute of Secrecy. The others will happy that you survived.”

Statute of Secrecy? “Then let us be off. I am sure the others will be most…pleased.”

She followed the man from the room without a glance back. I have much to learn of this new world, and this will be most…enjoyable…

 

Savato93

It was dark, damp. The ground beneath her was cold and hard.

Where was she…? WHO was she?

She took a deep breath, her chest rising, when she realized there was something over her mouth and nose. Slowly, hesitantly, she brought a hand up to her face, fingers brushing against some sort of crinkly fabric, and pulled it away. Her eyes fluttered open… and hanging over her face, grasped between her fingers, was a white face mask. Where did this come from?

She took several seconds trying to get up off her back, her motions jerky and sluggish. It took her a few seconds, but eventually she lifted herself upright. Looking down at herself, curious as to the mysterious weight in her shoulders, she let out a soft grunt at the pair of large, soft, heavy mounds of flesh hanging off her chest. It was probably going to get annoying lugging these around…

Setting that matter aside for now, she started to look all around herself, taking in her surroundings. The chamber she was in was dimly lit, with only just enough ambient light for her to not be blind, and littered with several piles of scrap metal. She seemed to be alone… but some other sense that she couldn’t quite identify, told her that that wasn’t the case. Somewhere nearby, there were others of her kind… and among them, her progenitor.

One would think that this realization would bring her comfort… but instead, it only filled her with great unease. Waking up in this cold, dark room, all by herself… suddenly it all felt so wrong to her. She didn’t want to be alone, not in a place like this. She wanted to be somewhere brighter, warmer… she wanted to be with her kind.

She had to find someone.

She shifted herself over until she was on her hands and knees, crawling to the nearest wall. Using the rough stone surface to brace herself, she slowly rose up on her untrained, wobbly legs. She took one shaky step, then another; with each step, her movement became just a little bit easier. After several more steps, she had reached the door that she assumed lead out of this chamber. She tried to push on the door, open it… but it held fast. A glance at the corners told her that this door hinged inward, not out. While she could have just worked her way to the other side of the door and opened it there, something in the back of her head told her there was a quicker alternative.

On a whim, she decided to go with it.

There was a flash of black steel, a blaze of light… and the door’s hinges fell away, glowing with dissipating heat.

She didn’t know what to expect, when she pushed the door open. What would she see on the other side? A hallway? A path outside? Was there anyone waiting for her…?

Whatever the case, she should have seen what was about to happen next—freed from its hinges, the door had nothing actually holding it up, meaning when she pushed against it, it simply fell over, hitting the ground with a loud crash.

XXXXXXXXXX

Renita slumped back in the beanbag cushion with barely a sound, her body aching and her eyelids heavy.

Playing with the children had been… fun, she supposed. For a few hours she was able to set aside her near-constant worries, and just try to give the children a good time. At the start, she couldn’t help feeling she’d be unable to live with herself if she didn’t do her best to make these kids happy… but as time passed, she actually found herself enjoying it, as well.

But spending time with the children had taken a lot out of her. While she might have been healthy on the outside, the fact remained that her spirit was fractured and frail; it took significantly less to exhaust her, mentally and emotionally, than anyone else. Honestly, just getting through her normal day was enough to tire her out. After several hours actively exerting herself? She didn’t think she had it in her to make it to her bedroom—she’d be better off just tapping out here.

Renita shifted weakly in the cushion, trying to make herself more comfortable. Once her weight was better distributed—and she was sure she wouldn’t accidentally flatten the cushion—she let out one last sigh, and drifted off to sleep.

At least, that was what she had planned to do. Instead, she was abruptly jostled by one of her crew. She turned inward, mildly disappointed at being kept from sleeping… but perked up when her imps told her that a new IFF had suddenly popped into existence on her system.

It was nearby… and it was like no signal Renita had ever seen before.

Slowly, she picked herself up from the cushion, and started lumbering towards the strange new signal. Over the course of a few minutes, she made her way across the throne chamber, down the side hall, and around a couple corners, all the while pondering the signal, where it could have come from.

Finally, she rounded one last corner into a hallway that ended in a single door… which fell forward from its frame before her eyes.

There was a booming crash, echoing through the hall... and into the deepest recesses of her mind.

surrounded on all sides by hungry, hateful glares, screaming hoarsely as she fired the last of her ammunition—

no

tearing at a Ru-class’s flesh with her bare hands, howling in pain when the Abyssal’s sixteen-inch guns went off mere inches from her head, rupturing her eardrum and scorching the right side of her face and neck—

no no no

her tail issuing a challenge in a strangled, gargling growl, its lower jaw ripped off by the War Demon—

no no please no make it stop

letting out a raspy growl at the Demon, her throat ruined after hours of screaming and pain, fighting past her agony as she clung to the scorching-hot barrel of her foe’s turret—

make it stop MAKE IT STOP MAKE IT STOP

managing to warp the barrel, bend it, even as the flesh of her hands caught fire, just moments before it went off—

explosion

everything burning

PAIN

and darkness consumed her.

XXXXXXXXXX

She flinched at the loud noise; that was bound to attract a lot of attention. But as she took in the hallway past the door, she realized that was a moot point—standing at the end of the hall was a Re-class battleship, standing stone-still, staring at her with impossibly-wide eyes.

“...uhh… H-hello?” She asked quietly.

And then, without warning, the girl screamed.

She jerked away from the doorway in shock, falling back to the floor. In front of her, the Re-class collapsed clutching her skull, continuing to scream; her tail writhed behind her, emitting a distressed, keening howl.

What the hell just happened? Why did the Re-class suddenly completely lose it? Why did she know this was a Re-class, and what even was that!? So many questions that she desperately wanted to find answers for… but looking at the girl, those questions fell to the wayside. Something in her just couldn’t bear to see someone in so much anguish.

The girl needed help. She needed comfort. And her heart demanded that she be the one to give that help and comfort.

Shakily getting back on her feet, she stumbled past the door, towards the frenzied Re-class. A small part of her was worried that the Re-class might lash out at her if she got too close… but once she had gotten right up beside the girl, it became apparent that she was trapped in some sort of nightmare, completely oblivious to the world around her. Trying her best to tune out the Re-class’s shrill cries, she grabbed her by the shoulders and brought her close. “I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry… please, snap out of it!” She pleaded softly. “Everything is okay—you’re fine, I’m fine, we’re fine! Just calm down, please…”

For a moment, she feared her actions were having no effect… but then, the Re-class’s screams began to sputter. Her cries got just a little less loud, a little less ear-piercing. Emboldened by the deescalation, she pressed on, adjusting the Re-class so her head rested against her own soft chest. “Th-that’s right… we’re all fine, see? Whatever you’re scared of, it’s n-not real. You don’t need to be afraid… I just want to help you. So please, try to calm down…”

XXXXXXXXXX

Tanith paced through the palace, Regalia beside her. “How long ago did it happen?” She asked.

“Two, maybe three minutes,” Regalia answered. “I was coming into the palace to get something from my room when I felt a weird new IFF. Then I heard a really loud sound, and next thing I knew, someone was screaming.”

“And you did not go and check it out yourself?”

“I didn’t know what I would find. I wanted some backup.” Regalia looked around. “It’s quieter, now.”

“Hmm.”

Tanith’s rigging manifested as they rounded the corner, where the unidentified Abyssal was supposed to be right in front of them. She was prepared to take on whatever threat they might face… but what she found instead left her at a loss for words.

A pale, voluptuous woman dressed in a monochrome nurse outfit... a freakish capital ship, the likes of which neither of them had ever seen… laid on the floor in front of a broken door, holding a trembling, sobbing Renita against her bosom.
Spoiler

https://forums.spacebattles.com/attachments/capture-png.40942/

 

Yellowhammer

Puppy Love V

Yokosuka Fleet Activities Archery Range

Suzume Ibuki stepped back from the shai archery line and bowed to Houshou in the instructor's kamiza seat to her right. Getting a nod back in return she moved to the hikae waiting area against the back wall as Kaga and Akagi took her place on the firing line.

Soryuu joined her, removing her hachimaki headband and then retying her twintails. "That was some good shooting, Suzume."

The she-wolf smiled and unlaced her muneate breastplate, "Thank you, Soryuu-sempai. I am getting used to shooting with a muneate on in case my rigging requires it."

The Blue-Green Dragon nodded and stretched as they walked to the storage area. "Good thinking. And even if you don't end up with equipment like First and Fifth Carrier Division's, you never know what a Kai remodel will bring." She then hefted her significant fuel tanks. "Fortunately, Hiryuu and I do without, I fear they do not make one in my size."

Suzume started to laugh and then paused as her phone vibrated. Slowly she removed it and then smiled at the text message.

SUZU-CHAN WATCH THIS NOW!!

She clicked on the link as Soryuu peered at her friend. "What is it?"

The She-wolf started to giggle through her grin as she turned the phone so Soryuu could see the video stream of Moriko enthralled by a short bishounen waiter at a cafe. "Ara ara, I fear my romantic of a big sister has been found out at long last."

The laughter redoubled as Zuihou poked her head inside the storeroom, "Hey guys, what's so funny?"

"Give me the link, Suzume-chan, and I'll post it on SGO!"

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

SGO General Forums/Ship Happens

Post #11453 by Blue Dragon (Midway Veteran) (We Are CarDiv2 But We Try Harder!) (Kidou Butai)

SUBJ: "Cute Couple? Discuss!"

Is this not the sweetest thing that you have ever seen? *^_^*

(can we send a temporary access link to Suzume? Expecting some prime video from her in a hour)

link: Sachik003/BigSisGotABoyfriendArooo

Post #11454 by BattleshipX (Moderator) (USN) (Verified Badass) (Scientist Boat) (BB-57)

RE: "Cute Couple? Discuss!"

GENERAL QUARTERS! GENERAL QUARTERS! ALL MODS MAN YOUR SERVER MELTDOWN STATIONS! HOT GOSSIP INBOUND!!

(I'll get her a link sent and will just upgrade her server access after she Awakens)

(and I need some insulin in here ASAP)



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

Moriko unlocked the door to their apartment and wheeled Sachiko inside, humming happily. Even the devastation inflicted on her bank debit card by her needed payoff of sewing supplies to keep her little sister from spilling the beans could not quell the song in her heart. As she flung the door wide, the song reached her lips and she began to sing with her head tilted back and her eyes closed.
Spoiler

"I know you,

I walked with you once upon a dream

I know you,

The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam..."

"Sleeping Beauty, Moriko-chan? So who is Prince Charming?? Ara ara, so my big sister has finally found her type! Weak, slight, and waif-ish little girly boys~!"

The she-wolf's eyes popped open to see her twin sister sitting at the table recording her reaction with a phone. Her ears popped out and flattened and her tail manifested and sank as she whined.

"Shit! Suzume-chan how could you?"

Sachiko wheeled to Suzume and gave a high-five to her sister.

"You too Sachiko-chan?"

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

SGO General Forums/Ship Happens

Post #11506 by AirWolf (Probationary Member)

Re: "Cute Couple? Discuss!"

As promised here it is:




link: suzume002/GotBigSisGOOD

Post #11507 by xX-BushidoSamurai-Xx

Re: "Cute Couple? Discuss!"

Sailed broadside on to a CVL's trollpedo bombers on her airstrike?

That's a paddlin'!



/Jingles'd



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

Moriko closed her bedroom door behind her and groaned.

She was dead, dead, dead, dead.

She trudged over to her desk and started to pull out the romance mangas. She was never going to hear the end of the teasing from her sisters and her friends.

Ugghh...

She then paused as she pulled out the last book. her head snapped around to the alarm clock.

7:03

SHITSHITSHITOHNOWHATIFHEDOESN'TPICKUPI'MLATECALLINGHIMSHIT

Frantically she grabbed her phone and punched in his number with shaking fingers. As the phone rang, she squeezed her eyes shut and tears formed as she trembled.

Please pick up...please pick up....!

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

Yokosuka Municipal Library

Hachiko smiled as he unlocked his bike. He couldn't believe that such a beautiful girl had wanted his phone number.

Maybe, just maybe she could be the mother that Aki needed.

If she called, surely a girl like that could do better than someone like him, a Hanyo with no magic and a young brother to care for.

He blushed and adjusted his glasses as he fought down the worry that she would come to her senses.

She was also really sweet, maybe....

He sighed and shook his head, and then gulped nervously. He...didn't know if he was ready for an actual girlfriend. He certainly wanted one, but he didn't want Aki to get caught in the crossfire if things turned out badly.

What happened at the end with Father and Mother...

With an effort of will, he pushed away the memories of those times.

The arguments, the yelling....

He wouldn't let it happen to Aki no matter what.

Besides, somehow, deep down, he knew that this girl wouldn't let things come to that point.

He hoped.

His phone rang.

"Moshi Moshi, Miyata Hachiko desu." He responded automatically as he accepted the call.

"Hachiko-kun!" He closed his eyes luxuriating in that contralto growl.

"Hello Moriko-sama, you and your sister are well?"

"We are, thank you. Um, I was wondering, um... "

The sound of a door opening sounded through the phone's speaker followed by a snarl of "GET OUT SUZUME-CHAN!!!"

He blinked. That was the name of her third sister. Clearly there was some kind of domestic disturbance on the other end with the baby of the family. "Um, moshi moshi?"

"CAMERA, NOW! Or I'll feed it to you!" More indistinct noises.

He blinked again, and then reached his free hand in his pocket as he waited.

He paused as he found the business card and pulled it out.

'Couple's Karaoke Special, Two enter for the price of one!'

He smiled shyly realizing that thanks to his share of the tip, he could actually afford a day out... and this was on his next day off.

Aki would even be in after school kyudo class then. Lucky!

A door slammed and then Moriko spoke again, "Hachiko-kun!" She was out of breath, clearly her baby sister had run her ragged.

"Yes, I'm here. Are you free next Thursday? I... um... I have a coupon for a Karaoke bar trip. So, um, if you want...." Hachiko spoke slowly, fingering the coupon.

"YES!!!! I live on base so you can't visit, but I can pick you up at the main gate! When does it open?" Moriko's voicce was husky and her growl made him suddenly think of a large dog protecting her pups.

"According to the coupon, noon and it stays open to 2 AM. I'll have to pick up Aki at eight though from his kyudo class."

"Aki.. OH! Your brother! That's great! I'll see you at eleven-thirty at the main gate here and... um..." She paused and then continued with a bit of a desperate tone in her voice. "We can get dinner too."

Hachiko blinked, "I'll make us bentos then?"

"Great! Um and... er... you can... call me any time if you want to talk or... something?"

He smiled. "I'll call you after I get Aki fed and help him with his homework and clean the house then?"

"Yatta!" He could see the toothy smile in her voice as she proclaimed victory.

"I can't wait, but I do need to head home and take care of Aki."

"Hai, be safe, and I'll see you Thursday. Ja ne!"

Hachiko smiled as the call ended and he pedaled home, humming a happy song and with his mind filled with the thoughts of a bent-nosed goddess.

Across the city at the Naval Base Moriko began to throw clothes onto the bed and whined, "Oh no!! I don't have anything to wear!!"

 

Yellowhammer

And some bonus SGO fun on the Moriko thread. H/t to K9Thefirst1

Shimakaze: They need to slow down! Love's not a race, they'll make babies! (BotRC reffs!)

Dreadnought: Oh how precious. However, Miss Moriko must take caution if she is to go courting. I am in agreement with Miss Shimakaze, this sort of thing must not be rushed, lest there be some sort of scandal. If you are in need of arranging an investigation into this young man's background, I would be more than happy to offer my Quartermaster's services.

Akigumo: Hate to bust your bubble, but it's pretty clear that she's batting for the other team!

Dreadnought: Don't be ridiculous, that is a man. A very effiminant man, but masculine nonetheless.

Akigumo: Please, this is the 21st century, get with the program! They're in lesbians with each other!

Dreadnought: And the adam's apple in his throat?

Akigumo: ...Shut up!

*Rhode Island - [BCV-01] [Good Ol' Girl] [New Girl In Town] [Fully Armed And Operational Battlecarrier]: Shoot, that right there's a prime sight of a coon dog treein' her prey!

*Rhodie will have been revealed to the world by now.

 

RCNAnon

Ron, Duke and Warspite 11

The house was much dirtier than Ron had expected it to be, though he did not complain as he moved through it with Duke, Warspite and Summer. It was their house, which meant that it was his job to take care of it. At least some of it would be. Warspite and Duke had already mentioned a maid and he now agreed with them, even if it would be nigh impossible for it to get this dusty again.

As they reached the rather large kitchen in the back of the house, the group was greeted with even more dirt, as well as what looked to be several rather large and old stains, as well as a possible fire mark on one of the walls and ceiling. At least heavy smoke damage.

“We’ll need to get that cleaned.” He muttered, looking everything over.

“I think we’ll need to do more than that.” Warspite’s voice was confident as she moved to what looked to be several old appliances, her steps marked clearly in the dust. “A full refit would be my preference.”

“I agree.” Duke stayed next to Ron, looking around with her nose scrunched up. Ron couldn’t blame her, it was rather gross and there was the simple possibility that she was about to sneeze.

“Well Mum and your Mum did get us a deal on the house. Even more than we already did I mean.” Ron cast another few cleaning spells to get rid of the worst of the dust. “We could use that to help.”

“Duke and I didn’t use all of our savings Ron, we can certainly fix this.” Warspite turned and smiled at him. “Besides, it’s not as if we don’t have friends to help us after all.”

Ron nodded, thinking of what Harry might do with a kitchen this size all to himself. He could feed dozens. It was then that he brain realized something else. The kitchen was actually meant to serve dozens. The house was meant to contain quite a few people as well. The three, no four of them would practically be swimming in the place even if they did get a maid or two.

“That’s true.” Ron spoke, looking around for a moment as his brain ran through a number of different ideas. “Do you think we could help them out as well?”

Warspite paused and turned to Ron, quirking an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” Ron looked to her, then over to Duke who was looking at him as well.

“I mean there’s what… easily a half dozen bedrooms or something in here?” He gestured at the kitchen. “The kitchen is way more than the four of us would ever need.”

“”There’s at least a dozen bedrooms if you count the smaller ones.” Duke commented. “What are you getting at Ron?”

“I… uhm...” Ron shook his head, turning around to look at Summer who was in her normal dress. The flowy, relaxed look of something meant to take your ease in finally clicked what he’d been trying to process in his brain.

“I mean what if we renovated this place not just for us and Summer but for everyone?” His mouth was now having trouble keeping up with his thoughts. “Admiral Whitcomb already mentioned that the Royal Navy was interested here and your mother said something as well. I think they mentioned it more as a place to keep people if necessary but what if we made it bigger than that? A home away from home for people? We could get everything refurbished, maybe get a repair bath put in and let others cycle through if they want to. A little bit of a break between missions and if we can get another vanishing cabinet set...” Ron suddenly stopped as he realized he’d been rambling.

He coughed to clear his throat and looked between Warspite and Duke.

“At least that’s the idea I had. Since we’ve got so much space.” He waved his wand vaguely around the kitchen.

Warspite looked to Duke with one of her incomprehensible (to Ron) smiles and then back to him.

“I think that’s an idea seriously worth considering.” The smile she gave then was not incomprehensible at all and quite pleased.

Ron felt himself flush with pleasure, especially after Duke placed a hand on his shoulder.

“I agree. There is quite a bit more space we have yet to see and there is no way we need all of it to ourselves.” Duke’s voice was calming to him as well and Ron nodded before again remembering something and turned back to look at Summer.

“Would you be ok with other people around, Summer?” He looked up at her pale blue eyes, the Abyssal Installation looking confused.

“M-me?” She pointed to herself.

“Yes you.” Ron nodded. “If you’d be upset if there were other people around then we can’t do it. You’re supposed to live here too after all.”

Summer looked even more surprised, glancing between Ron, Duke and Warspite before continuing.

“W-will they be n-nice to me?” Her voice was soft, nervous but still ever so much better than it had been before.

“Yes they will.” Ron surprised himself with the strength of his voice. “If they aren’t I’ll make them go away.”

If he’d been able to see the smiles and Duke and Warspite’s faces from where he was, Ron would have realized that he’d taken another step along a path he’d been unknowingly traveling for quite some time. A step along the path that would eventually see him be a commander of thousands of tons of armor and firepower in truth and not just in their hearts.

“O-ok.” Summer nodded, smiling again at the young human who’d rapidly gone up in her esteem, largely building it as he went. “As long as they’re nice and d-don’t break my stuff I don’t mind.”

“They won’t, I promise.” Ron nodded to Summer once more and she let a faint smile come across her face.

A cough came from behind him, causing Ron to turn suddenly. Dreadnought and his mother were standing there, each of them sporting a small smile on their face.

“I think we’re done with the downstairs.” Molly spoke first. “It needs refitting of course and a thorough cleaning but you were already discussing that.”

“Err… yes.” Ron glanced between Duke and Warspite, who still seemed pleased and back to the elder women. “We might do a bit more than we thought.”

“We heard most of it.” Dreadnought spoke with what Ron could think of as approval. “If you do offer up such a thing, I believe we could rightfully have the Royal Navy assist in the refurbishing. Some of it at least. Adding a repair bath at minimum.”

Ron nodded, feeling Duke give his shoulder a squeeze.

“Thank you.” He said sincerely.

“So should we check the upstairs or perhaps head out back?” His mum’s voice cut in. “There’s a lot more to see.”

“Lets go upstairs first.” Warspite spoke again, gesturing back to the door from the kitchen. “That way we can start to think of things we might need to change before we go outside.”

There was a general murmur of assent and Ron turned, noticing the second stairwell just outside of the kitchen.

“Lets go up this way.” He said, taking the lead while everyone else followed behind.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The eyes had watched as the Young Master cleaned up his new property with his own hands. The ears that went along with them listened as he spoke to his companions, two clearly the mother and mother in law(?) of him and what appeared to be at least two if not three partners. The fact that he was so young and yet clearly held their respect only spoke more highly of him. Yet he was also clearly being guided in a few ways, even if the touches were light and he made his own path for the most part. That spoke well of his companions.

The idea that the Royal Navy would be using the house as a rest area for weary sailors was a good one. It had been empty for so long but the eyes knew that if given the chance and half the refit the Young Master was suggesting then they would be quite happy. They’d make sure of it.

The observation continued as the group went upstairs. The Young Master got the Master bedroom of course, with the two blonde companions getting ones to each side. There were appropriately no doors between them, as the Young Master was still a bit young for some of the more adult things that had happened there previously. It was clear the two matrons approved and there was talk of new, larger furniture as well. The large pale one was not a partner as they’d thought originally but more of a ward. A happy ward but a ward nonetheless.

Talk continued about the rest of the bedrooms, needed furniture and refits to the plumbing and electric. Wealth appeared to not be an issue for the Young Master or his partners, which meant all of it would have been top notch even without the help of Her Majesties Government but he appeared to be doing quite well for himself there too.

As they finished with the upstairs and headed back down to examine the rest of the buildings, the presence smiled and continued to follow them. Though it seemed like he would be a good master, it did not hurt to form as full of an opinion as you could first.

The Young Master would see her soon enough after all.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Took long enough but stuff is progressing for Ron.

Comments welcome as always.

 

Harry Leferts

Maruyu's eyes slowly fluttered open to reveal the bedroom bathed in the early morning light. A glance at her internal clock made her smile some as she snuggled in, 'Still have at least two hours before needing to go home.' Closing her eyes, she just enjoyed the warmth of the body beneath as well as the slow heartbeat while Harry breathed in and out slowly in his sleep. Times like this were ones that she treasured greatly, even as common as they had become. Some might think that it made it less precious due to how often it happened.

But then, to Maruyu's mind, that made them just as precious.

Each experience like what she was going through, she made sure to engrave upon her memories. To be forever part of her, part of her very soul. Such things were far more precious than any gemstone, any amount of gold, or treasure. Memories, like the ones she was building, were her treasure in her mind.

Briefly, her thoughts turned back to when she had returned years ago. No one had been quite sure what to do with her. She had no weapons that could be used to kill Abyssals, nor were there really any island installations that needed her to run supplies to. Not to mention, she was an Army Submarine serving in the JMSDF.

At the time, she had been depressed about how the world had changed. Japan, her nation, had been defeated though she had not seen this as quite a bad thing seeing the modern Japan. However, Maruyu had known that it left her without a place of sorts. Especially when she realized how the IJA was seen, the part of the Japanese military she had been part of. Shortly after, she had begun to perform trips up and down the coast, basically acting as a courier for the other shipgirls and delivering things as needed from base to base. It... was not much, but it was something.

One day though, she had met Harry when visiting the other Submarines. Meeting her, he had been curious about her and what she did. And, Maruyu had indulged that curiosity. Why not? After all, few really were curious about her. It was after she had talked about her lack of weaponry that Harry had tilted his head to the side and asked a question that brought her up short...

"Why can't you use normal weaponry as well? Like, rocket launchers and stuff."

Confused, Maruyu had been about to say that she couldn't due to being a ship, when she remembered that she wasn't just a ship. She was now a shipgirl. Shortly after, she started experimenting and working out how she could do things. Which lead to her as she was now, likely the closest to a Special Forces Operative in the Japanese Shipgirl Corps. And she felt that she owed the first steps on the road to it to young man who slept beneath her.

There were other things as well which caused her to come to deeply care for the thirteen year old wizard.

Maruyu was not blind to the fact that compared to her friends, she was somewhat plain. After all, both Iku and Hachi were busty and curvy, while RO and Shioi had the legs. Even Imuya was what one could call 'Balanced'. Now her? She was shorter than the others, even RO, with barely anything that could be confidently called a 'Figure'.

Oddly, the one time that she had blurted it out to Harry? The than ten year old had given her an odd look and asked what she meant? After all, to him, she was pretty like the others. And no, she was not short, she was petite. He had stated it with such confidence and surely, that Maruyu had believed him, and still did every time he told her that.

The one time she had mentioned it to Iku, the bluette had laughed and told her that she was lean, not figureless. And that was nothing to be ashamed of. A fact shown to her as the others had taken her out shopping and showed her how to dress in a way that brought it out. Much to her shock and embarrassment, Hachi had commented that she sort of wished that she had a body closer to Maruyu's. Easier to get nice clothes for, and also because if she had longer hair, she would look like the epitome of a Japanese beauty.

It went without saying that every time she remembered that, Maruyu felt a pang of thankfulness towards her friends.

Eventually, she opened her eyes to find Imuya also awake. Softly smiling, the red haired Submarine's voice was a soft whisper, "Good morning, Maruyu-Chan."

Smiling back, the smaller Submarine nodded, "Morning, Imuya-Chan. You have a pleasant sleep?"

With a hum, Imuya's smile widened a touch, "Hai, I have." Her eyes closed partially and she sighed, "Times like this are wonderful, aren't they?"

From where she was, Maruyu gave the barest nod possible, "They are, Imuya-Chan. And makes it all worth having come back along with new friendships and the like."

Reaching over, Imuya grasped the Army Submarine's hand in her own, "Hai, and I am glad for it."

All too soon for the two shipgirls, Harry woke up and blinked away sleep from his eyes before smiling down at them, "Good morning, Imuya-Chan, Maruyu-Chan. Have a good sleep?" Just watching him stretch, the two nodded which made him smile more, "Good to hear."

Internally glancing at her clock, Maruyu sighed within her hull before sitting up, "We should be getting up, Harry-Chan. After all, it is nearly eight and if we're to have breakfast before leaving..."

Harry just nodded at that before sitting up himself and kissing her cheek, "Hai, that's true." With groan, he stretched again, "Though I wouldn't have minded a bit more of this."

Unnoticed by him, the two Submarines lightly blushed at that even as they smiled. Getting changed, the three of them headed to the Great Hall for some breakfast, and then left for one of the rooms beside the Great Hall. Looking out onto the snow covered grounds, Maruyu let out a sigh, "This was great."

Walking up beside her, Harry leaned against the window frame and nodded, "It was, and I really enjoyed myself."

Imuya gave a hum as she placed her arms behind her head, "Maybe we should do more like this back in Yokosuka, Harry-Chan. When you're home, I mean."

Head tilted to the side, Harry just nodded, "I'd like that." With a sigh, he gave both of them a hug, "I'll miss you."

Just tightly hugging him back, Maruyu nodded, "And we'll miss you, Harry-Chan." Standing some on her tip toes, she kissed him for a few seconds and pulled away, both their faces feeling like they were on fire, "I'll see you in Yokosuka in a few weeks."

Backing away, she let Imuya do much the same, the other Sub's cheeks about as red as her hair after giving Harry a goodbye kiss. They then waved after Harry returned said signs of affection and were whisked off back to the Vanishing Cabinet that leas to Yokosuka.
__________________________________________________________________

Adjusting her clothes, Hanna looked herself over in the mirror and gave a sharp nod to her reflection, 'Good, I'm all ready for the day.' With a chuckle, she turned to where her two "Shadows" were waiting, "Mia? Mila? Are you ready as well?"

The Veela twins nodded silently before smiling as they spoke as one, "We are." Heads tilting to the side though, they chewed their lips, "Are you sure about this, Hanna?"

Simply ruffling their hair some, the Heavy Cruiser chuckled, "Ja, I am sure about this you two. Harry is both a very good man and a very good friend. And I have been looking forward to spending the day with him for some time now." Her eyes softened some and she gently placed a hand on their heads, "Just give him a chance, trust me. You will not regret it."

Watching as Hanna turned before she took a heavy jacket and placed it around her shoulders, though she did not need to being as she was a shipgirl, the twins frowned, "So you say. And while our family have told us about how the Potters are, we... are somewhat concerned with how Herr Harry has more than one girl apparently involved with him."

Just pausing, the older girl turned and regarded them, "Hmm... Ja, I can see why you would take issue with such." Internally, she added a little more, 'Especially considering your history.' Outwardly though, the Heavy Cruiser shook her head, "But it is not too big a deal for me." For a few moments, Hanna was silently regarding them before she smiled, "Well then, get ready." Turning, she continued to put on her jacket as she glanced at the mirror, "I suppose a Heavy Cruiser could use some escorts."

Her lips curled some as she heard rushed movement behind her as she continued to get ready.

Meanwhile, in Japan, Tenryuu was looking at Verniy as DesDiv6 walked along the corridors under Yokosuka towards the Vanishing Cabinet, "Are you sure that you are going to be alright, Hibiki?"

Softly smiling, the Destroyer adjusted her hat, "Da, I am sure, Kaa-San. I can handle myself in Hogsmeade, besides which, Hanna-San will also be there." Pink dusted her cheeks as she continued, "And so will Harry-Chan."

Pinching her nose, Tenryuu muttered some to herself, "That... is true..."

Holding up one finger, Akatsuki nodded as she closed her eyes, "Just remember! You are a really elephant lady! And that is what is important! Also, Harry is a very elephant gentleman."

Eyebrow twitching, Ikazuchi gave her sister a look, "It is 'elegant', not 'elephant', Akatsuki-Chan. E-le-gan-t."

With a blink, the purple haired Destroyer blinked at her sister, "That is what I said, elephant." Ignoring the sounds of an annoyed sister, she turned back to an amused Verniy, "So just enjoy your time with Harry-Chan."

As Tenryuu sighed at Ikazuchi who was opening and closing her hands, Inazuma gave a nod and a smile, "Akatsuki-Chan is right, Hibiki-Chan. You go and have a lot of fun with Harry-Chan today. We'll see you tomorrow when you get back."

Finally huffing, Ikazuchi placed her hands behind her head, "Yeah, what Ami-Chan said. You can rely on us holding things down." Suddenly, she grinned, "Though between smooching with Harry-Chan, remember to bring us back some chocolate! Those chocolate bars are huge!"

Expression blank, her mother slapped a hand over her daughter's mouth as Verniy went bright red, "Aki, that is enough." Ignoring the mutters from behind the hand, she gave Verniy a smile, "You just enjoy yourself, Hibiki. Don't worry about anything else than that."

The Destroyer gave a nod and a smile, "Da."

When she turned towards Tatsuta, said Light Cruiser gave her a thumbs up and a closed eyed smile, "As Tenryuu-Chan said, have fun~'

Soon enough, Verniy left behind the base and was in Britain. The usage of a Portkey found her on the outskirts of the village and she blinked as she noticed someone and walked over. A small smile on her face, she gave a nod, "Hanna."

Lightly smiling, the Heavy Cruiser chuckled and nodded back, "Hibiki..." A thoughtful look came over her face, "Or is it Verniy?"

However, Verniy shook her head, "Either is good, though my friends can still call me Hibiki." Spotting the other two shipgirls, she tilted her head, "Hello."

With a gesture from Hanna, the twin shipgirls bowed, "We are Mila and Mia, M-Class Cruisers."

Only shaking her head, Hanna turned back to Verniy, "Don't worry too much about them, Hibiki. They are..." For a moment, she thought over her next words before nodding, "Apprehensive about some things."

Raising an eyebrow, the Destroyer just nodded and didn't say much more. She understood that there was a story there that she was not being told. However, Verniy also understood that the story was not Hanna's to tell either. Instead, she turned to the road and waited.

And it was not before Harry arrived and greeted them. First, she hugged Verniy who had walked up to give her own hug, and then Hanna. Both of them, he kissed on the cheek before noticing the Twins watching him. Softly smiling, he gave them a nod, "Hello." The two glanced at each other and introduced themselves quietly, though Harry noted that they seemed a bit uneasy around him. A glance towards Hanna, and he understood that there were good reasons, though not what those were.

It didn't mean that he did not have some suspicions though, he was not an idiot after all.

Just smiling, he took Hanna's and Verniy's hands in his, fingers entwining with each other, before nodding, "So then, it has become something of a tradition to start off at a tea house here in Hogsmeade... my treat."

Each of the shipgirls smiled and nodded at that before they began to walk, with Harry guiding them along.

 

Yellowhammer

Fear God...

English Channel

2005, Shortly After Blood Week
Spoiler: The Battle Of The Channel

The water of the English Channel churned with the winds and rain of a unnatural gale. Thunder both natural and man made split the air and the flash of gunfire dueled with bolts of lightning as once again the waves of the Channel ran red with the blood of brave men and brave ships on the battleground that it had become.

Just like in 1066 when Duke William the Bastard of Normandy earned his title of 'Conqueror' when he claimed England for his descendants to hold.

HMS Duke of York grunted in pain as a trio of eight-inch shells slammed into her upperworks. Seconds before they detonated and severed the power cables for her fire control radar her own rifles roared in response, blowing the Ni-class that had blinded her sky-high in the flash of a magazine detonation.

Just like in 1588 when the Grande y Felicísima Armada sailed from Spain to challenge the Royal Navy for control of the seas.

HMS Warspite snapped out orders to her division-mate over the howling gale as her own rifles lowered to their loading angles. "Come left to three-three-zero!" Once again, the Royal Navy stood alone in defense of the British Isles against seemingly overwhelming numbers attempting to force the Channel.

Just like in 1804 when Horatio Nelson set sail on a voyage that would end off Cape Trafalgar in the naval victory that would stymie Napoleon's ambitions for Europe.

More waterspouts bracketed Warspite as sixteen-inch shells from the Ru-class she was dueling threw tons of salt water over her battle-scarred decks, putting out the fires amidships as she stabilized with counterflooding to keep her afloat. Her fifteen-inch rifles trained out again and took aim at the leader of the column of battleships bearing down to smash their way through the thin red line barring their path to the helpless civilians beyond.

Just like Warspite had done in her first action off Jutland in 1916 as the High Seas Fleet challenged the Royal Navy to a death grapple in the largest big-gun warship battle in history.

Duke of York cursed as A Turret reported a jam in her shell room, her secondaries firing starshells to illuminate the demons from the deep coming for her and her comrades as her fourteen-inch rifles from B and Y Turrets took aim. In the remnants of her rain-swept superstructure, one of her engineering officer faeries braved the elements, splinters and shrapnel from the shells pouring in around her, and death from the live wires he was handling as he fought to repair her fire control radar.

Just as she had done off the North Cape of Norway in 1943 as Duke of York and Scharnhorst savaged each other in a howling arctic blizzard in the last battleship duel in the Atlantic during the Second World War.

The Ru-class staggered as five Armor-Piercing shells slammed into her and turned to port to unmask her aft turrets to fire on Warspite. A second Ru followed her sister, taking aim at Duke of York as the younger battleship followed the Grand Old Lady into the mouth of Hell. Another flash of lightning illuminated a third Ru who turned to starboard instead, looking to pincer the British battleships as she broke through their escort screen behind them. A fourth Ru followed in her sister's wake as the Abyssal forces split.

Warspite's lips thinned as she realized the jaws of the trap that was starting to close on them. If she turned to engage the second battleship division, the first two would rake her and Duke along their bows. If she fought the first two the third and fourth would be allowed to fire relatively unmolested as they maneuvered to rake Duke astern.

"Orders, Warspite?" Duke shouted over the radio through the thunder of battle.

Warspite's jaw firmed and she drew deep on the centuries-old tradition that was as much a part of her and her sisters as the steel of their keels. One could hardly go wrong by giving the final order that Nelson did at Trafalgar, after all. Ships would sink, and men would die like Nelson did on Victory's blood-soaked deck, but the tradition of victory at sea would endure.

"Engage The Enemy More Closely." Warspite responded calmly as she braced herself for the worst to come. Her faeries stood to their duties, and the signal flags for that order were run up her mast and nailed to it.

Warspite's rifles elevated from their loading angles and took aim at her opponent. Behind her Duke loaded her own rifles in turn and felt her damage control faeries stand by to keep her afloat as long as possible in the crossfire that would hammer them mercilessly.

Just like on board HMS Victory at Trafalgar as wooden ships and iron men sailed into the mouths of hundreds of waiting cannon in the Franco-Spanish line of battle awaiting them in the battle that would decide the fate of empires for a century to come.

As the signal flags reached Warspite's yardarm, a trio of lightning bolts hit the ocean ahead of the second battleship division. In the aftermath of the blinding flash, an argent glow formed in the depths of the Channel where they had struck.

-------------------------------
Spoiler: The Tradition

Once she was the most powerful warship ever afloat, making all others obsolete by her presence. The symbol of the greatest empire to ever stride the globe writ in cordite, iron, steel, and brave men at the zenith of British power.

ACTION STATIONS...

Her very name became a synonym for the Queen of the Seas, the pride of the Royal Navy, and the pinnacle of Marine Engineering.

ACTION STATIONS...

Soon afterward her daughters came, built in British dockyards and then in those of the other Great Powers, because only a Great Power could hope to proudly christen one of the princesses that were her children to rule the waves under their banner as a symbol of their might.

ACTION STATIONS..!

When the Great War broke out, she was too old and viewed as outdated, and her daughters fought it in her stead while she rested at anchor and patrolled home waters. Dark irony that her daughters did too good a job, and the most powerful ship of her era never once fired her guns in anger before being sent to the breakers after the War.

ACTION STATIONS.!!

But her fate did not matter to her then. She had done her duty as the matriarch of her family should and set the standard that all others, British-built or foreign-built, would strive to attain.

ACTION STATIONS!!!

England expected every ship to do her duty. And her duty was calling her once more with the tides of war once again reaching British shores as her daughters fought for their lives.

-----------------------
Spoiler: ...And Dread Nought
The silver glow solidified into the form of a short and curvy Edwardian matron with dark hair in fashionable curls. Her ankle length steel-gray dress was gathered at the waist with a sash patterned on the White Ensign before puffing out over her ample bosom and ending at her throat and elbows, where her arms emerged in creamy white lace full-length gloves. At her throat a brooch glittered with her crowned coat of arms of a mailed fist holding a key above the waves announcing to the world a name legendary in naval history.
Spoiler: The Coat Of Arms


Disapproving sea-green eyes narrowed minutely under her ostrich plumed hat as she surveyed the Abyssals. Her normally smiling mouth thinned in the kind of unamused look that was given to naughty children caught red-handed making a mess in their nursery by their governess. Her hand holding the gold crowned lion handle of her closed parasol tightened fractionally.

Duke of York's lookouts rubbed their eyes as they looked through their binoculars at the spiritual hull surrounding the matron. Five double turrets were laid out in odd arrangement with one forward, two abeam amidships, and the final two in line aft but not superfiring the way hers were. Two funnels belched coal smoke as at her mainmast the White Ensign fluttered proudly.

Duke whispered to herself as she took aim at the trailing Ru in the division. "It can't be..."

Warspite had no such confusion.

Unlike her much younger compatriot, she remembered well that dark day in 1921 when her mother sailed serenely to the breakers past her mourning children with her head held high. Tears of joy filled her eyes to match the tears of sorrow on that day for the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow.

As her shells slammed into the lead Ru, Warspite's happy voice matched the thunder of the detonation as the Ru foundered and began to sink. "Mother!"

Caught with their turrets rotated the wrong way, the two Abyssal battleships steamed toward Dreadnought as their crews frantically calculated a firing solution while their turrets turned hastily.

The leading Ru of the pair confronting Dreadnought was too close for its guns to bear so swung a fist at her face. Dreadnought absorbed the blow unflinchingly on her armor belt and in a flash of steel, the sword hidden in her parasol impaled the Abyssal battleship. As black blood, oil, and even more noxious substances dripped from the dying Abyssal's mouth, the first true battleship leveled her broadside at the trailing Abyssal.

For a brief moment, hate-filled jade-green eyes met calm, resolute sea-green as HMS Dreadnought's ten BL 12 inch Mark X rifles elevated to take aim at the doomed Abyssal.

"Open fire." Her voice was crisp and controlled.

Dreadnought's guns roared and the Abyssal collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut as the shells blew its boiler room to pieces. As the Ru sank back to the Abyss that it had crawled from, Dreadnought set course for the spot where her daughters had just finished pounding the final Abyssal to scrap. Around them the gale broke and the seas began to calm.

"Warspite. This is a most unexpected reunion. These uncultured rabble actually make Jerry look almost welcoming." Dreadnought's voice was filled with reserved pride as she gave a smile and a nod at the elder of her daughters while carefully cleaning her sword before replacing it in her parasol. "You look quite well considering your habit of getting into scraps. Well done as always, 'Spitie."

"Thank you Mother. It has been too long for me too." Warspite's voice cracked slightly as she continued to shed tears of joy.

Dreadnought's eyes found the still visibly stunned Duke of York. "I don't know your companion, but I believe that I should."

"HMS Duke of York, ma'am. Pennant Number Seventeen. I was launched in 1940." Duke responded, licking her lips nervously under her mother's cool, considering inspection as her faeries announced that her turret had finally been unjammed.

Duke's boilers thudded in relief as an approving smile broke out on her mother's face. "Duke of York, then? I see that standards are being maintained properly. You'll do." Dreadnought moved close and hugged the younger battleship as Duke teared up and returned the hug. "You'll do and well done, Duke."

 

Harry Leferts

Spoon clinking as he stirred the tea in his cup, Harry turned his head slightly and smiled at the two younger girls, “How is your chocolate mousse? Any good?”

Mia blushed some and nodded as her sister spoke up, “It is very good. And so is the chocolate.” Glancing at Hanna, they nodded, “Thank you.”

All the teenager wizard did was nod and smile, “That’s good to hear.” It had not escaped his notice nor either Hanna’s or Verniy’s that the two girls seats were at a different table from theirs, and on the opposite side from where Harry himself sat. Turning back to the two sharing his table, a large smile broke out over his face, “It’s good to see you again, Hanna, in person I mean.”

That made the Heavy Cruiser chuckle warmly and smile back at him, “Ja, it has been a while.” Holding her cup of coffee before her face, Hanna’s eyes twinkled some, “Though I am glad that we get to catch up now.”

When he turned towards her, Verniy blinked when he became extremely amused due to there being some chocolate on her face. At his amused look, she blushed and wiped it off upon realizing what had happened before giving him an even look, “Do not laugh, Harry-Chan.”

Holding up his hands, he just smiled, “Wouldn’t dream of it, Hibiki-Chan. Just like I don’t need to ask you if you are enjoying your cake.”

Still blushing, Verniy turned back to her snack, “Molten chocolate cake is good.”

On Harry’s other side, Hanna nodded, “Ja, it is.” Taking a forkful of her own cake, which was drizzled in chocolate, she took a bite, “Mmm... very good.”

Taking a sip of her own tea, Verniy turned towards the Natural Born and tilted her head some, “By the way, Hanna-San, can I ask how you have been doing? Since you have awoken?” When Hanna looked at her, she blushed lightly, "I want to compare it to what Inazuma-Chan and Ikazuchi-Chan as well as what Kaa-San has told us."

Not having expected that, the German girl took a few moments to gather her thoughts. Then she nodded some with a small smile, "That is understandable, I suppose." Finger tapping on the table, Hanna tilted her head to the side, "I... am afraid that I have not noticed too much difference between before being awoken and after. But then, I was only a few days away from awakening on my own by that point."

A frown on his face, Harry furrowed his eyebrows, "So why didn't they let you awaken on your own?"

Lightly chuckling, Hanna shook her head and gestured with her fork, "For a very good reason, Mein Freund. No one could tell exactly when I would awake, just that I was mere days away from such. What if I was sleeping and I did so, unable to control my weight? I would have fallen straight through my bed and the floor!" Once more, she shook her head, "Nein, they decided that I was close enough as it was."

Slowly, the wizard gave a nod to that, "Makes sense, I suppose."

Continuing after taking another bite of her food, Hanna hummed before placing her hand on her chest, "But as I said, there does not feel like there is much difference. I am stronger now than I was, more durable which I know. Though thinking on it, the biggest difference is that now mein heart no longer beats, because it has been replaced by boilers and turbines."

Much to her slight surprise, Harry reached over and took her hand, "Hanna?" Seeing her attention on him, he smiled, "Your heart does still beat within your chest, it just isn't physical anymore is all. But you still have that big heart that I know you for."

Needless to say, the Heavy Cruiser had a bright blush on her face at that. Though she noted that the Twins were silently nodding in agreement which made her smile, "Danke, Harry." Leaning to the side, she kissed him on the cheek and pulled away with a brilliant smile, "Danke."

Rubbing the back of his neck, Harry grinned, "Bitte."

Lips curling upwards, Hanna shook her head and turned back to the Destroyer before frowning, "As for any other differences..." She tugged some on her shirt and her next words caused Harry to choke a bit, "I, uh, found myself with a bigger upper superstructure than I expected."

Ignoring Harry pounding on his chest, Verniy hummed and nodded, "Da, I can understand that. Kaa-San complained about such things and I think that Yahagi-San has as well."

With a shrug, the Heavy Cruiser frowned a bit more before tugging at her shirt, "At least others have the same problem. It meant that I had to borrow clothes from mein Schwester for a time."

Off to the side, the Twin Light Cruisers seemed amused with Harry's reaction to Hanna as did the lone tea house employee who quickly got out of sight as she tittered.

It was not longer after that they left the tea house and began walking back into the town. Amused as Harry pouted at them, Verniy poked him in the cheek, "Come on, Harry-Chan, that was funny."

Eyebrow raised, the thirteen year old frowned, "Funny? Hmm?"

Unnoticed by either Verniy or Hanna, a twinkle entered Harry's eye. Meanwhile, not knowing of the danger, the Destroyer nodded with a slight upturn of her lips, "Da, very funny-"

However, she was unable to finish as Harry quickly stole a kiss from her leaving her frozen. Something that he then duplicated with Hanna, who flushed deeply as she stood there. With a hum as he placed his hands into his pockets, he smirked, "Yes, I suppose that it was funny."

After they managed to reboot, the two shipgirls glanced at each other and Harry yelped as Hanna grabbed his arms and Verniy his legs. Both girls grinned as they carried him over to a snowbank and tossed the laughing teen into it. Landing, Harry gathered up some of the snow into snowballs and pelted both Hanna and Verniy, who dashed for cover as it soon turned into a snowball fight between the three. Off to one side, Mia and Mila sat and watched as they giggled at what they were seeing, the same thought going through their minds, 'This is fun.'

Of course, that was when they joined in as well on Hanna's side after rushing over.

It was a laughing bunch of sodden teens that walked away from that. Upon noticing that Harry was shivering a bit though, Verniy stopped laughing, "Harry-Chan? Are you okay?"

Lips twitching, he rubbed his arms some, "Yeah, I'm okay."

Frowning, Hanna looked around, "Nein, you are not, Harry. Let's find somewhere to warm up a little, Ja?"

Meanwhile, the Twins were looking around when one of them pointed, "What about there?"

When he turned in that direction, Harry's eyebrows rose a bit, "The Hogsmeade Theatre?" Considering it, he smiled a bit and nodded, "Alright. Besides which, they might have a play on since it is Valentine's Day."

As they entered the theatre, the group of five felt warm air rush over them and Verniy glanced around. It was not a large theatre to say the least, but... it was cozy. Walking over to the bulletin board, she cocked her head to the side, 'Hmm...' Looking over her shoulder, the white haired Destroyer pointed at it, "They have two plays one after the other, Harry-Chan. One is Twelfth Night and the other is... Fountain of Fair Fortune?"

Coming up beside her, Harry gave a nod, "Huh, that's actually pretty good luck. As for the second, it's a story from Tales of Beedle the Bard. Not to spoil much, but the ending is a bit romantic, I suppose." Glancing at Hanna, he cocked his head to the side, "You want to watch? I'll pay."

Not saying anything right away, Hanna glanced at both Mia and Mila who had a silent conversation. After a few moments, they turned to her and nodded, which made the Heavy Cruiser smile, "Ja, that sounds good. Though afterwards, we should do some shopping as well."

Harry simply nodded at that and paid for their tickets, being told that the first of the two plays were about to start. Entering the theatre, Harry found somewhere for them to sit which was easy as the first play only filled the room halfway, though he noted a lot fellow Hogwarts students that he knew to be muggleborns in the audience.

It was also then that Harry noted a familiar looking female "Student" next to someone he heard her call 'Sister'. He had seen said student in Ravenclaw robes before, but this time she wore Hufflepuff ones. The fact was that he also recognized the older seeming of the two as well, who glanced at him and smugly smiled before it vanished from her face, 'Hmm...'

But the thirteen year old's attention was grabbed when Hanna sat on one side of him and Verniy on the other. As the seating was benches, both girls pressed close as they waited for the play to start, which it soon did. Lips twitching, Harry placed his arms around them as they watched the famous romantic comedy play out, though this version definitely had a magical twist. Such as Viola using transfiguration to make herself appear like a male for instance...
_________________________________________________________________

The horizon had barely lightened when Hanna awoke in bed next to Harry and on the other side from Verniy, who was also awake. The Heavy Cruiser could just barely hear the sound of the Twins in the bed also in the same room, which told her that they were awake as well. But instead of saying anything, Hanna sighed and closed her eyes as she simply savoured the moment in time.

Right now, in the moment, the German shipgirl felt warm, peaceful... and content.

And so, she didn't feel any need to actually hurry up. Instead, she decided to enjoy the remaining time she had. Her arms wrapped around Harry, Hanna shifted her body a bit before humming softly. For some odd reason, the thirteen year old reminded her of Hans, her stuffed bear. A feeling of safety and contentment from the young man in her arms.

Neither Verniy nor Hanna spoke, because there was no need to do so. Instead, they just laid there as the seconds ticked by into minutes. As they did so, Hanna's mind drifted back to the day and night before. All throughout the trip to Hogsmeade, Harry acted just as she had expected towards the Twins.

Something that both shipgirls had greatly appreciated, and slowly their unease ebbed away.

Which was not to say that it was totally gone, not yet. And Hanna expected it would take a while before they would be as at ease with Harry as they were by people such as Hartmann. But she knew that it would likely happen, though they would likely never be completely at ease around him. For they had been through far too much for that.

If anything though, the trip had helped put her more at ease with things regarding Harry. Despite there being another girl there who was also affectionate towards the black haired wizard, she had enjoyed herself. Something that had surprised her to say the least to some degree. Yet, it was true, the date was rather fun.

As a matter of fact, it was so much fun, that she was saddened when it had to end.

Opening her eyes, Hanna looked up at the sleeping thirteen year old and smiled, 'Yes, I think that I will be looking forward to more of this, Harry. And, perhaps...'

Less than an hour later found Harry waking up himself. Blinking away sleep, he looked down and gave a lopsided smile, "Morning."

With a light laugh, the Heavy Cruiser grinned up at him, "Guten Morgen, Harry."

Verniy gave a smile of her own and nodded, "Dobroe utro, Harry-Chan."

Stretching a bit, the wizard chuckled before giving them both a kiss on the cheek. With a glance at the time though, he sighed a bit, "Sort of sad that you're going to have to leave soon."

Just shrugging, Hanna sat up revealing that she was dressed in a tank top and shorts, "Ja, same with me, Harry. But it happens." Looking over her shoulder, strawberry blonde hair cascading over her freckled shoulder blades, she smiled, "That just means that we should makes sure that we have other times such as this, Ja?"

Even though he had a light blush on his cheeks, Harry nodded, "True."

On his other side, Verniy stretched a bit and hummed, "Da, and it is good advice." Reaching for the side table, she grabbed a brush and was about to comb her hair when a thought occurred to her. Cheeks warm, she held it out to Harry, "Harry-Chan? Would you mind brushing my hair?" Glancing at Hanna, the Destroyer smiled, "And perhaps, Hanna-San as well."

Gently taking the brush, Harry simply smiled, "I'd love to..." Fingers running through his friend's white hair, he began to brush it slowly, "How is that?"

A smile on her face, the Akatsuki looked over her shoulder slightly and smiled, "Wonderful."

Much too soon for any of them though, the time came to get changed and head to breakfast. After which, it was when they had to say goodbye. Standing in one of the side rooms, Harry gave first Verniy and then Hanna a hug, "I'll miss both of you."

Hanna just chuckled and shook her head, "And we shall miss you, Harry."

Beside her, Verniy nodded and Harry turned to regard the Twins. Bowing slightly, he gently smiled at them, "And while we have not known each other long, thank you and I'll miss you as well." His smile softened a bit, "New friends are always good to have."

Shifting a bit, the two Light Cruisers hummed a bit, "Ja, and thank you for taking care of us."

They didn't hug him, nor did Harry expect them to. Something that they understood and were thankful for. He then turned back to Hanna and looked her over as she was back in her uniform. Lips curling, he could only shake his head, "By the way, you do look really good in that."

Arms wrapping around him, Hanna kissed his cheek, "Danke." Pulling back some, she paused and looked into his eyes. After a moment, she leaned in and kissed him softly for a few seconds on the lips and pulled back, a slight amount of steam escaping from her ears, "Danke."

For a few seconds, Harry just blinked, "Um..." Shaking it off, he stood on his tip toes and gave her a kiss back before smiling, "You're welcome." The German shipgirl pulled the brim of her hat down some as she blushed deeply. But before Harry could say anything else, he felt Verniy's hand on his shoulder turning him, "Hibiki-Cha-"

He was interrupted though as the Destroyer kissed him for a few seconds and pulled back, "I'll see you in a few weeks, Harry-Chan."

It took a bit to reboot, much to Verniy's amusement. But then, Harry stole another kiss from her, "Hai, I will, Hibiki-Chan."

Pulling back, he waved them both goodbye as they took their separate portkeys in hand, the twins sharing Hanna's. With a final goodbye, the shipgirls were vanished as they headed home.

Though not long after, Verniy was blushing as her sisters tried to get every detail about what happened, not knowing that Eugen was doing much the same with Hanna...

 

NotHimAgain

Flash Back: Interlude
The dark-skinned woman knelt down by the wrecked car, shaking her head at the body that hung in the broken window. The perpetrators had already fled, and the fire department had not yet arrived to deal with the flames (which were beginning to spread, maybe she should jump back a little?). For that matter, the police hadn’t either.

She glanced back at her companion. The old wizard was looking around the street with a mournful expression on his face.

“Gates,” she said, loud enough to break him from his reverie. “How much longer on the Somebody Else’s Problem field?”

The old man coughed. “We have a few more minutes,” he said, counting off on his fingers silently. “And I’ve already explained this many times before, but the spell is not called—”

“No, but that’s what it is,” the woman replied, waving him off. “I call it like I see it, always have.” She stood, looking up at the hotel. A Chinese woman looked down at her, waving. “Oi, Xiang! You guys got Absalom?”

Xiang gave her a thumbs up.

“Great! Now let’s get a move on, we’re running out of time!”

She turned back to Gates. “Don’t be too hard on yourself,” she said quietly. “Way things were going, you probably would have ended up dead, too. Ah—” she cut him off as he opened his mouth, “don’t go raising a fuss. The only thing you can really do now is raise a glass for them.”

“But, aren’t you going to—”

“Go home, kid!” she snapped. Argh. That came out a bit harsher than she had been thinking, hadn’t it? “Just let me be selfish here. Besides, bringing anyone along will slow me down.” She shoved her hands in her pockets, glaring down sullenly at the corpse. As the sound of running feet came closer, she looked over her shoulder and spoke up louder. “In fact, that’s a blanket order. Okay everyone? Hear that, Xiang? Boss is hogging the McKay girl and her friends all for herself.”

Xiang gave her an entirely unimpressed look, bordering on utterly put out.

“Don’t be like that, I mean it.” The woman turned and began to walk away. “I’ll be back home in a week, tops, so you’re in charge until I’m home. Understand?”

Absalom… Dare… Jimenez… You just had to go and die like idiots, didn’t you? Just the way I made everyone promise not to go.

And now I’m gonna have to avenge you all.
-----

Wow, it's almost like being an Ax Crazy (and all-around crazy) Blood Knight can cause pretty major problems, huh?

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

K9Thefirst1

The Power Behind The Throne (A Puppy Love Sidestory)

In the Magical side of Chiyoda, deep within the metropolis of Tokyo, rules the Glorious Capital of Magical Japan, the Imperial Magical Diet of Japan. Or rather, it was once glorious. In the early days of the Abyssal War, the Enemy attempted to destroy the seat of Japan’s two governments as second time. They were repulsed, but not before they succeeded in half of their goal. The Magical Diet was in session on that day, and the quiet but pervasive rot and decay in the Magical Government’s various departments and bureaucracy manifested in a failure for the Aurors to fully comprehend the danger the sea demons posed to the civilians and their government.

By the time the Aurors had mobilized, the shipgirls had already broken the momentum of the Abyssal attack and were well on their way to pushing them back out of the bay and into the open ocean to be destroyed. And by then, a single 16-inch shell from one of the battleships in the fleet impacted the Magical Diet building, gutting it, and slaughtering the vast majority of that body, including the Japanese Minister of Magic and his Deputy Minister.

Transitional Diet Members stepped up to the role, and a snap-election took place, but by then the damage was done: The Diet that shambled out of that attack was much weaker, feebler, more divided than the already corrupt government it replaced. Scores of representatives and councilors that were in the peak of their careers were snuffed out. And they were replaced by less talented, less skills, or less experienced politicians. The ones that were simply to inexperienced to be ready for their role, or were the incompetents that were only available to step in because they had been elbowed out of the way and were in ‘harmless’ positions where it was thought that they couldn’t do any harm to their parties.

In the near decade that followed, those underwhelming politicians made an already corrupt (but functional) government into one whose shortcomings were all to apparent, and growing more blatant every day. Even with subsequent elections, those steeped in corruption has simply groomed successors that were just as bad, all of them irresponsibly blind to the threats they were to themselves. With the turn of the decade, one scandal after the next further damaged the reputation of the Diet. So much so that the least corrupt began to break away, establishing themselves a new Diet, in Japan’s historical capital of Kyoto. And with the turn of the year in 2014, only the willfully blind, cravenly desperate, or depressingly nihilistic remained.

And while the once dignified Tokyo Diet withered and died on the vine, the Civil service carried on. While before the war they were a source of obstructionist corruption, with the obvious transfer in power and the clear and present inevitability of the fall of the Statute – and all that meant – many of those same servants began to quietly change their methods and goals. Where once the civil service was only interested in its own interests, they were now doing what they ought to have been all along: Competently advising the Diet and ensuring the smooth execution of legislative and government policy of the Diet.

The Kyoto Diet. Everyone loves a Winner after all.

One such bureaucrat, Deputy Undersecretary to the Legislative Assembly Shigeru Miyata, loyal subject of the Tokyo Diet, was taking the time to meet an old Colleague, Takato Kamiya. The fact that Takato Kamiya, lifelong friend, was also the Deputy Undersecretary to the Legislative Assembly, and a loyal subject to the Kyoto Diet, was of no matter. Politics did not matter between civil servants. This was understood by all of the other co-workers also dining in the club. After all, The Gentleman’s Lounge was a private club for both the service and the Diet, and foul play was above suspicion amongst the Civil Service, and the Diet Members were just as content to ignore them in favor of their own colleagues at dinner and over drinks as they were in the Diet Hall over paper and cigarettes.

Indeed, foul play would have been most frowned upon had it been found out that Deputy Undersecretary Miyata was abusing the confidence of his position to betray the Tokyo Diet by selling out to the rebels in Kyoto.

“You know,” Shigeru said around a mouthful of Kobe steak, looking at the contents of the manila folder in his hand, “I fear the Financial situation in Tokyo is quite depressing. It would be a grave coup if Kyoto were to find out about it.”

Takato hummed in agreement as he accepted the folder from Shigeru, cocking an eyebrow at the numbers.

“Yes, quite the embarrassment,” he said, swallowing from his glass of wine and reaching for his wand and a small stack of blank paper, “if Kyoto were to find out about this appalling misuse of monies, why, it could be used to squeeze additional concessions from Tokyo. Or result in the Kyoto Service stealing even more competent servants from under the Tokyo service, leaving them with only the dregs and sacrificial lambs.”

“Most assuredly,” Shigeru replied with resignation as he watched Takato copy the contents of that folder onto the blank paper, “it would be a travesty, yet one more irreversible blunder as Tokyo falls further and further into irrelevancy.”

That done, Takato put away his copies of the budgets, returning the originals to Shigeru. The old friends sat in silence for a few minutes as they enjoyed their meals. In time, Takato reopened discussion.

“Tell me Shigeru-kun, how goes Tokyo Representative Kobayashi’s bill on opening the government?”

“I’m not at liberty to say.”

“Mm…”

“And Kyoto’s Representative Iwasaki’s efforts on the same? Obviously Takato, the group intending to be a government of liberty and representation for the people, as opposed to Tokyo’s apathetic myopia would be working on their own bill, right?”

“I’m not at liberty to say.”

“Mm…”

“And your family, Shigeru? How is Hisako?”

Shigeru nodded, his expression warming just slightly at the mention of his wife. He took the time to swallow his mouthful of mashed potato before answering.

“Fine. Hisako and her lady friends have made great progress in organizing private gardens, to offset the food rationing, that sort of thing. Takashi has managed to secure a position for himself as a board member for MUFG, thus securing a presence for the family in the non-magical side of things.”

Takato smiled.

“Outstanding! I told you that he would go far!”

“Yes, he is quite excited about the new car he has been promised, almost as much as his own son and daughter-in-law’s upcoming first child. Now if only he could find a place to hide the damn thing until after the fall of the statute.

“Next is Yuuko, she and her husband are struggling to maintain their little bakery, but no matter how much I insist she refuses to accept my financial support. Calls it ‘dirty money’ for some reason.”

Takato nodded in understanding as he cut another cube from his own steak.

“Might it have something to do with your ties to the, shall we call it, underground elements of employment?”

Shigeru rolled his eyes.

“Exactly! Which is what I find so odd. It’s not ‘dirty,’ I know exactly what that family does for a living, and that it is one-hundred percent legitimate! …I simply prefer not to inquire into it.

“Naomi continues to climb the ladder of the Civil Service, and she feels to me like a potential successor.”

“In good time?”

“In good time… At present she is doing fine work as Administrative Aide for Councilman Ito.”

Takato smiled warmly at the name, his mind flowing back to happier days.

“Ah yes, Councilman Ito. A safe enough master I suppose. Of all the politicians to stick with Tokyo, he is certainly the one I regret never convincing to transition to Kyoto.”

“Why is that?”

“He’s easily manipulated.”

“A fair point.” Shigeru agreed with a nod, taking another bite from his meal. “Though he isn’t quite as easily manipulated as one would think. He made a bit of a mess for himself this past week on the floor.”

“Oh dear, what happened?”

Shigeru sighed and took another sip of his beer.

“There was a motion to revise the Emergency Budget to cut back on funding to the reserves. You remember how sympathetic he was to those JNHRO people?”

“Yes,” Takato replied, “not the wisest position politically back in the day, but quite topical and popular now.”

“Well he was dead set on opposing the bill. Against Naomi and my advisement, he went ahead and made a passionate speech.”

“It backfired?”

“It backfired. The bill would have passed regardless, he simply ensured that it was almost unanimous rather than by a landslide. And on top of that he has made enemies of almost everyone on in the House of Councilors.”

Takato merely shook his head before washing down his steak.

“Politicians. Fortunately for him it looked good for his constituency, yes?”

“Oh yes,” Shigeru said flippantly, looking over one shoulder as she scratched at his jaw, “the Councilor’s constituency is one of the few urban areas where the JNHRO’s message resonated with something resembling strength. But we digress. Aomi, well… She is being difficult.”

“How so?”

With more force that strictly necessary, Shigeru banged his fist on the table, rattling the dinner setting as his voice creeped just that much higher.

“She refuses to talk sense into her soft-hearted doctor husband of hers! He refuses to ignore the medical situation of the reserve just five minutes from his practice! He always goes in there at any time of the day or night, and what is worse he refuses to be compensated for his time or the medical supplies he brings with him!”

The Tokyo Deputy Undersecretary shook his head in agitation, his voice holding a characteristic of amazement, “Don’t they realize what a difficult situation such economic frivolity such practice this puts on our family name! And over those animals in the reserve system? It’s simply irresponsible, foolhardy is what it is I say!”

Shigeru stabbed his fork into his steak, cut it with restrained fury with his knife, and stuffed the cube of rare Kobe steak into his mouth. After a moment of furious chewing, Shigeru and leaned toward his friend to speak around his food.

“…Do you think they heard that?”

Takato nodded slightly as he sipped his wine. Two tables behind Shigeru, one set up for a large party, a collection of Diet members and Civil Servants known to them to be dyed in the wool Pro-Statute upholders has started to take notice of the pair.

“They did.”

“And their reactions?”

From the edge of his vision, the Kyoto Civil Servant watched as the group slowly turned away from them, showing all the hallmarks of desperately ignore something that was none of their business.

“Sympathetic… And now they are going back to their meal, I think we threw them off.”

“Good.” Shigeru said with a sigh and a smile of relief, “Always a pleasure, taking advantage of the Japanese need to ignore anything not one’s concern. I don’t know how the civil service does it in the West, everyone is so… So friendly, wanting to be a help to total strangers.”

Takato shook his head in disapproval as a waiter refilled his glass.

“Barbarians, the whole lot.”

Shigeru groaned as he remembered something that he desperately wished to forget, leaning his head on his fist.

“Well, not that we’re any better. We had a scare recently.”

“Scare? How so?”

“One of the younger members of the administration staff got it into his head to go hunting for smugglers in one of the reserves.”

Takato balked at that.

“What an absurd notion! A member of the Civil Service doing, Kami Forbid, field work!”

Shigeru put his hand to his temple to help stave off a migraine.

“It gets worse. He had an on-site medic he had some sort of grudge against beaten trying to get the information out of him.”

“Ghastly.” Takato groused, shaking his head in disgust and disapproval.

“Yes. We managed to keep it out of the press thankfully, the Tokyo Diet is dying as is, it doesn’t need another scandal.”

Takato raised his glass in agreement, a motion Shigeru returned, and they took a drink.

“By chance,” Takato inquired innocently, “did he find anything?”

He managed to not look relieved when Shigeru shoot his head in the negative.

“No, the medic made a point of not sticking his nose into things he was not interested in finding. Meaning that he had a much better head on his shoulders than the uncivil servant in question.”

“What’s his name?”

“The medic or the servant?”

“Yes.”

Shigeru narrowed his eyes at his old friend in amusement, while Takato looked utterly innocent.

“I can’t recall,” the Tokyo Bureaucrat answered at last, “and I don’t think it’s worth remembering. Especially the servant. He won’t last past the transition even if it were. He is far too ambitious.”

Takato pulled his glass away, looking at Shigeru with not to little surprise and curiosity.

“I thought a touch of ambition was good in a young civil servant? Kept them from getting any bright ideas and eager to not step out of line.”

“It isn’t when the servant has the good sense to hide it.” His friend answered hotily, “By the kami I remember when I first met the man. He barely looked at me during the whole interview, instead he was admiring my office as if measuring the windows for curtains. Furthermore, he yaps so often about being the Minister someday.”

Both men suppressed a gag of disgust.

“Atrocious.”

“Yes.”

“Unsightly!”

“Yes! In the ‘80s you and I both watched so many of our colleagues running out of the civil service in order to get into the Diet. Spouting such drivel about how it was ‘where the action’ was. When they didn’t have the eyes to see that it’s the service that carries out and influences that action!”

”You have my sympathy.” Takato said, with earnest, genuine empathy in his voice and face.

“Well… He is an idiot, but one that has his uses. We will need a few sacrificial lambs in all levels of the Tokyo government for Kyoto to put in prison for life, and junior is a perfect fall man for the Civil Service… So long as he doesn’t do something in public before then…”

“So other words, he is completely useless.”

There was a pause, Shigeru took a sorrowful sip of his beer. Takato gave a friendly smile and cut himself another bite of steak.

“Cheer up Shigeru. It’s better in Kyoto, what with us getting the people with good sense, but we have our idiots too. We too have managed to keep it out of the media, but just this past week, we had a small scandal with a Representative’s son making a small crime ring in Hokaido with yokai orphans, pretending to be with the Yakuza.”

Shigeru stared wide-eyed at his friend, sincere shock and horror in his eyes.

“By Amaterasu’s tears!”

Takato nodded as he swallowed his steak and sipped his wine.

“One of the children made the fortunate mistake of taking a shipgirl’s purse, and she uncovered the lot of them. Leading to an Auror of the Kyoto government to make the arrest. And the son made a very big scene-“

“Because of course he did.”

“…And made threats about using his father to punish the children. And Kyoto couldn't hold the boy because he has an Uncle in our Diet, and if holds to much influence in the oversight committees to ignore.”

Shigeru and Takato stared at each other for a long, pregnant pause… Before Shigeru buried his face in his hands.

“Please tell me this shipgirl shot him.” He muffled.

“Unfortunately, no. However, she made sure to smooth things over with the local chapter of the Yakuza: gave them his name and face, convinced them to leave the children be, that sort of thing. Unfortunately for the Kyoto Representative and his family, the order for Auror protection from the inevitable reprisals will be misfiled and won’t be found by the Kyoto Civil Service until it is far far too late to prevent the worst of it. And the note I didn't write to your office to warn you of the coming attacks on that boy and his family in the Tokyo Diet will not doubt be lost in the Post. It will be quite a tragedy, and a blight on my own personal record given that it would have all passed my desk…"

Takato stared into his food, looking for all the world as if mourning the collateral damage done by his own decisions, the burden of being a Hard Man being tasked with making Hard Decisions… Then he smiled gayly, “Oh well! Nothing of value lost! Now, on to more important matters, what is your opinion of when the transition ought to take place?”

“I actually wanted to ask you the same question,” Shigeru replied, keeping his voice low as he leaned in, “When do you think?”

“Difficult question,” Takato answered, brow furrowed in thought, “Like debating on the right time to release the maniacs from the asylum. But you know Shigeru, these things cannot be rushed. But… Certainly no later than… Middle of 2016, in the middle of the election cycle, with a few months before the election to let everyone know who was still running.”

Shigeru’s brow also furrowed as he sipped his beer, digesting the information.

“That is awfully soon isn’t it? Why not wait another… Two years or so?”

“We could.” Takato admitted, cutting another bite of his steak, “However, there are two reasons why it must be rushed. For one thing, the Statute of Secrecy only has months to live. The last thing we need is for the Magical Diet to be in the middle of the transition when it falls."

Shigeru audibly swallowed, and there was a heavy tension around them as they pondered what that could mean. Both for Magical Japan, and themselves and their families.

"For another," Takato continued, "Tokyo won’t last until 2020, right?”

“True.”

“Meaning that Kyoto would need to step in as a Transitional Government. And the trouble with Transitional government is that, if elections are to far in the future, it will become the official government.”

Shigeru nodded.

“Yes, I see your point. Without any sort of elections soon after the transfer, marginalized districts risk feeling left out of the new government, meaning we could end up with a counther-transitionary movement. Meanwhile, if the transitional government is as short as possible, everyone participates and – regardless of outcome – even the Anti-Kyoto remnants will feel a grudging amount of acceptance of the new government.”

Takato nodded, confirming Shigeru’s assessment.

“Indeed, the shorter the transitional period the better. Ideally soon enough to warrant a snap election, so that we have a transitional government that feels legitimate for the length of time until the 2016 elections. So the real question to ask is who to have as our first Post-Transitional Minister.”

“Do we have any candidates?” Shigeru asked, eyebrow cocked as he supped up some of the juices from his steak with some left over bread. Takato wagged his hand in reply.

“A few. None are really heartening as far as the civil service is concerned. You remember that sensation last year, where Councilor Konohana Akiyama revealed how his family used his sisters as Hitobashira before defecting to Kyoto?”

“Yes, I think I have heard rumors that he gave his surviving elder relatives the choice of seppuku or isolation for life.”

“It’s true. All of it. He has become something of a Darling for the Liberal faction of Kyoto. Among them and many in the other factions in the Diet he is a favorite for being Minister. Another is someone in your camp actually – Osamu Naito.”

“Is that a fact?” Shigeru asked, then nodded after a moment of thought, “Likely because he’s a mole I assume. Even if he fills a seat in Tokyo he also mails in his votes and his speeches to Kyoto. So, what problem does the service have with these fine gentlemen?”

Takato sighed, putting down his utensils as he addressed his friend.

“Well, Konohana-san, it is feared, will be heavy-handed in the Minister position. Using his position to above all dismantle the civil service before rebuilding it to his liking. In essence he is an interventionalist, having a foolish notion of running the government on his own. Furthermore, there is concern that he will alienate and antagonize the conservative faction of the resultant Diet, given agitation over his actions to his family over what happened with his sisters. Make them dig in and oppose him on every little thing.”

“Are we so sure that there will be a conservative faction?”

“Don’t be daft,” Takato said, sipping his wine, “of course there will be. Only an idealistic fool would think otherwise.”

“Indeed. Meaning that if the first candidate is a firebrand – or a perceived one – he or she will split the Diet, turn Kyoto into a new Tokyo, making all our work a waste of time. Yes, most unfortunate. And Osamu?”

“Osamu brings similar political concerns. His association with the JNHRO has always been absolute, and even though the service is now far more united in the cause of relaxing the government’s policy towards yokai than we were even five years ago, we recognize that we cannot do it if a large portion of the government feels threatened by thinking him a fanatic or an extremist.”

“Even if he isn’t?”

“Especially if he isn’t. So our allies in the civil service are hunting for a compromise candidate, and I was hoping you could offer an insight to any possible candidates in Tokyo.”

Shigeru put some serious thought to that. He leaned back in his chair, face turned up in concentration, giving the matter serious consideration.

“Hmmm… I’m not certain that is possible. It would require any Tokyo candidate to survive a Post-Transition election. Any from the House of Councilors would be poison if they have stuck with the Tokyo Diet this long. If any leave now, they will simply be seen as disloyal rats fleeing a sinking ship.”

Shigeru and Takato sank into meditation over the matter, each listing off a characteristic that would be ideal for any Post-Transitional Government Minister that would also work well with the Civil Service.

“He would need to be malleable.”

“Flexible.”

“Likeable.”

“No firm opinions.”

“No bright ideas.”

“Not ideologically committed.”

“With no strength of will to carry through with major changes.”

“Someone who could be manipulate- I mean, ‘professionally guided.’”

“And willing to leave the task of running the government to those that know how to do it…” Shigeru scoffed at an idea that came to mind. “Sounds like Councilor It-… Ito…”

The pair stopped short, slowly to look at each other… And began to laugh. Loud. Shigeru had to bite on his napkin to avoid barking with laughter outloud. After what felt like hours, the pair calmed down, and Shigeru sighed.

“Unfortunately, he’d never make it to the new Diet anyway.”

Takato, still grinning like a loon as he sipped his wine.

“Don’t be so sure. If I recall the numbers correctly, Councilor Ito’s constituency had appalling voter participation when Kyoto held their elections last year, and the fellow that won that sit is… Well, a twat. If he had an actual opponent – even a man like Ito – he would lose easily. So long as he doesn’t do anything divisive, Councilman Ito should ride easily into the Post-Transitional Diet. And from there into the Ministership. Much of the government would welcome a non-interventionalist Minister, especially after so many years of one abysmal scandal or controversy after the next.”

“Mmm… True enough.” Shigeru said, then rubbed his chin as he considered the notion. “And thinking on it, if our departments frame his sticking to Tokyo as less spineless waffling and more Honor-bound determination to stick to his post where his constituents Democratically sent him to be, then the rest of the new Diet wouldn’t see issue with him. Furthermore, having the first Minister be from the old government can offer a sense of legitimacy, a passing of the torch for the governance of Japan.”

Takato clasped his hands in front of him, the light of the room just happening to glance off of his glasses as he spoke.

“Furthermore, his known Liberal slant for things regarding the Yokai will make him a shoe-in for the JNHRO faction, and his status quo track record means that, internationally, the ICW won’t feel a need to intervene, helping to bring over those that are on the fence. And yet he is conservative enough to be palatable to that faction of the Diet. So the Kyoto House of Councilors would gladly vote for a ‘Minister Ito.’”

Shigeru solemnly shook his head.

“Not the two candidates though.”

Takato simply smiled and hummed as he sipped his wine.

“I wouldn’t be so sure. It’s probable that they will either not bother, or be persuaded to stand aside.”

“Why is that?” his friend asked, pausing in mid bite and looking at the man from Kyoto with suspicion.

“Well,” Takato replied, “Representative Naito has stated in private and semi-publicly that he wishes to retire once the Transition is complete. Go into veritable hiding for at least two years in his constituency. If we in the Kyoto service can convince him that the new government is well in hand he would gladly stay home.

“And Councilman Konohana, I imagine, is not as radical as he is feared. I looked into his Magical Security Intelligence Agency file, and he seems more interested in settling accounts with his family than to continue public service. By the way, I suggest you take the time to look up the MSIA files of Diet members, especially if you are in need of a good laugh.”

Shigeru considered that, and made a mental note to do just that once he returned to the office. As the pair returned to their meals, Naomi walked up to the men, a document folder in hand. She nodded to Takato, and made no comment on her father, the Deputy Secretary of Legislative Affairs, meeting with his counterpart from Kyoto.

“Deputy Undersecretary? I require your alterations and your signature for this budget proposal.”

“Ah, Naomi, welcome, please sit down would you.”

The wizard’s daughter thanked him and sat in the free chair at the table. Meanwhile, Shigeru skimmed the document, crossed out anything he disapproved of, jotted down his suggestions for the redraft, and signed it. As he did so, he addressed Naomi.

“Tell me daughter, how are things under Councilor Ito?”

The woman blinked in surprise.

“…Fine, I suppose. Nothing unusual… Why?”

“Well, what would you say, to your present master… Being the first Post-Transitional Government Minister of the Magical Diet?”

“…Councilor Ito. Minister?!”

“Indeed.”

Naomi stared at the two older men for a long moment, when she smiled.

“Pull the other one. It’s got bells on it.”

She had expected there to be laughter at her quip, but she was instead met with solemn expressions…

“You’re serious.”

Takato Kamiya leaned forward, and Naomi had the strangest feeling of being cornered.

“My lady, are you suggesting that you do not hold faith that Councilor Ito is not up to the job?”

“Oh! Uh, no it’s just…” the witch’s mind rifled through a number of different ways to tactfully answer that loaded question, only to find all of them were terrible or damning by faint praise. In the end, she defaulted to the first generic answer her father ever taught her when she joined the service: “I’m but a civil servant, and it would be inappropriate for me to comment on government policy.”

Deputy Undersecretary Kamiya straightened up, relieving the feeling of pressure Naomi felt, and spoke as if he was addressing a councilor himself.

“There is a considerable body of opinion that feels favorable about the notion of the Councilman’s appointment.”

Her father barely suppressed a snort.

“No there isn’t-“

“Shut it Shigeru – for the best interests of Magical Japan, as we move forward into this turbulent time.”

“Ah, y-yes!” Naomi replied, as if that made perfect sense. “Of… Of course… He… he would?” Which she didn’t of course. Meanwhile, her father leaned in, and spoke in hushed tones so as to take extra precaution about being overheard.

“Yes daughter. And it is vital, you understand? Vital, that the Councilman does nothing, absolutely nothing to cause a scandal.”

“Or a controversy.” Kamiya supplied helpfully.

“Yes, he must not say anything incisive, decisive, or strongly held, on any, one, thing, for the next year or so. Is that clear Naomi?”

The civil servant, still utterly and hopelessly lost about what sort of mad world she had stumbled upon, slowly nodded.

“…Well, sure. In fact, I’m sure that was the Councilor’s intent to begin with.”

 

RCNAnon

Ron, Duke and Warspite 12

Ron led the group back down the rear stairs of the house, the group heading outside to examine the remaining buildings. He was still a little internally shaking his head a little bit, as both Duke and Warspite had insisted that he get the largest of the bedrooms. Yes his name was on the deed but they were both bigger than him! At least that’s what part of his mind thought. The other part had quite happily picked up on the fact they were both to either side of him and while he knew he’d be gone for school much of the year, they were both nice to cuddle with.

He felt heat rising on the back of his neck at the mere thought, the boy young and understanding of his situation but still vulnerable to hormones just as much as any other. He managed to shake the thought as they reached the back door, holding it open for his companions as they headed towards the nearest of the outbuildings.

Built in a clearly blocky style and with a number of windows that needed replaced or cleaned thoroughly, the building had one large door at the front and another on the side that was more sized for a person.

“I suppose this is the garage then.” Ron looked at the trail of gravel that had once been a proper path leading up to the door.

“I think it’s even older than that.” Dreadnought spoke lightly, raising her head slightly as if to try and look through the windows. “It was likely a stable first and might still be if they never converted it.”

“I don’t think we’ll be needing horses here, so it might need another refit.” Duke shook her head. “Might be a good spot for the repair bath.”

“Those are usually better purpose built though aren’t they?” Ron asked as he stepped up to the large front door. They were clearly stiff but seemed to suddenly give way after his first tug. There was a massive creaking sound as he managed to get the door open and sunlight washed into the structure as dust billowed outwards. Waving his hand and pulling out his wand to start cleaning again, Ron froze as he finally caught sight of what was inside the building.

There was a vehicle inside of it, a broken down 2 and ½ ton truck that had been taken apart and left in pieces in the center of the building but that wasn’t what drew his attention.

Instead it was the vast array of shelves on the right side of the building, along with the mess of what appeared to be machinery and gadgets on the left side.

As the rest of the group came up beside him to look, he heard Summer gasp in what was clearly happiness and what sounded like clapping hands.

“What’s all this?” Warspite looked back and forth at the mess.

“Workshop.” Summer sounded rather pleased at the fact and Ron felt himself growing excited at the prospect as well. It was clear that whoever had built the place had quite enjoyed their work, as the shelves were cluttered as close together as they could while still allowing proper access and there was a headboard of a bed visible next to a table on the left side.
“A Wizard’s workshop.” Molly spoke up, pointing to the right where there was a broomstick still tied to a beam, floating several inches off the ground.

“Is it dangerous?” Duke peered back and forth, her hand on the hilt of her blade.

“It shouldn’t be.” Molly shook her head. “At least I don’t see anything that would make it so.”

Ron made to take a step forward but a hand fell on his shoulder. He looked up to see Duke shake her head at him.

“Let me go first.” She rigged up immediately afterwards, her turrets appearing and her weight clearly settling the ground a bit more before she took a few steps inside. When nothing happened, she took a few more and then turned around. “I don’t sense anything either.” She said, dismissing her rigging as she toed what looked to be the drive shaft of the old Deuce and a Half.

Ron immediately took a few steps inside and then turned to the left as he began examining the machinery and other assorted objects. Aside from the clear patina of dust and rust that some of the items sported, it was clear that they were old just from looking at them. Some of the clearly wizarding items like the abacus and cauldron looked downright ancient, while the muggle items were clearly no younger than late WWII vintage. Still he examined each one a bit before he moved on, Summer following him close by.

When he came back to the middle of the structure, Ron found his mother and Dreadnought coming back from their examination of the other side of the building.

“It’s mostly reagent storage.” His mom spoke as he looked behind her. “Much of it is expired past any usage and will need to be cleaned and sorted.”

“There’s a large quantity of more mundane things as well. Steel, copper and the like. Some old oil barrels which are remarkably rust free.”

“Rust resistance charms.” His mother said. “Good ones.”

Ron looked over to Warspite and Duke who were nearby, smiling.

“Can...” He started to say before they both immediately said “Yes.”

The two blondes glanced between each other and smiled before Warspite continued for the both of them.

“Yes you can use this as a workshop Ron. I think it’d be silly to do anything else with it.” She waved at the various shelves.

“You’ll need to clear it out and make sure everything is safe first.” Duke said, though she had an indulgent smile on her face.

“Thanks!” Ron said happily, moving to give both Warspite and Duke a quick hug. “This will make all my research easier!”

As Ron stepped back from hugging Duke, he heard a small sound from behind him. Turning, he saw Summer standing with a slightly embarrassed look on her face.

"C-can I… uhm..." She flushed to the mild extent she was able to, when she saw Ron looking at her intently.

“Of course you can Summer. I mean it’s not like I could use all of it myself.” Ron gestured behind him to the building, which was easily large enough to hold a small family by itself.

Summer nodded, her big hat bobbing as she smiled eagerly.

“So where to next?” He turned to the rest of the group and was somewhat surprised when Dreadnought raised her hand and pointed.

“I believe that building over there is an Orangearium.” Ron turned to look and a building that seemed to be at least half made of windows came into view. “I’ve not seen one in a while and we shall probably need to evaluate it for repair or demolition.”

There was a general murmur of assent and the group head toward the building. As they crossed the yard there were a number of old paths threading through wild piles of either dead bushes or wildflowers in almost equal measure.

“Replanting the garden wouldn’t go amiss.” Duke said, looking down at one of the flowers as they passed.

“Mmm.” Dreadnought replied. “I know many of the girls do appreciate at least some time outside. A cup of tea and smelling the flowers is always enjoyable.”

“We’ll need a gardener or two but I think we can manage that along with everything else.” Warspite nodded in agreement.

“Do people still sign up to be permanent gardeners and maids?” Ron asked, looking back to Dreadnought and Warspite. “I know a lot of wizard families use house elves for that but I know we can’t do that.”

“There are some around.” Dreadnought said, considering his statement. “It shouldn’t be a problem to find a few.”

“There’s a work program that your father knows of.” Ron turned to look at his mother as she spoke. “Helping people from the magical side get mundane jobs in preparation for the SoS falling. I’m sure we could find some there.”

“That might be a good idea.” Ron said, thinking things over. “If we have someone who can use magic it won’t be as hard to clean up. Especially if we have a lot of people over.”

“I think that sounds like a good idea as well.” Duke chimed in, with Warspite nodding along.

Molly glanced at Dreadnought and then nodded to the rest of the group. “I’ll put some inquiries in or get your father to. I’m sure we can have someone hired by the time everything is renovated.”

With that little matter solved, it was only another minute until they made their way to the Orangearium. The building was rather large, easily big enough to fit a tree inside of it given that Ron could actually see a number through the broken and dirty windows.

“It looks a little bit rough.” Ron said, looking to the broken panes of glass that had clearly fallen inside the building.

“Mmm, it does. The trees all appear to be dead as well.” Warspite seemed to agree with Ron.

“It’s to be expected, an Orangearium is for growing things you would not normally be able to in this climate.” Dreadnought spoke with experience in her voice. “The underlying structure seems sound enough and you could fill it with whatever sort of plants you wanted.”

“W-w-whatever you w-want?” Summer piped up suddenly, causing everyone to glance back at her.

“Essentially yes.” Dreadnought spoke to Summer directly, the enormous abyssal looking like she was about to wilt away simply from being looked at by they matronly battleship. “I know tropical fruit trees are a favorite but flowers and other plants from all over are quite common.”

Summer pulled her hat off her head, the enormous blue and black flower it sported coming into view for Ron as Summer stroked it lightly.

“C-could you m-maybe… keep it?” Summer nearly froze again after she asked the question and Ron looked to Warspite and Duke.

“I don’t see why not.” Duke spoke first. “As mother said the structure is sound enough and it would be nice to have a place to sit in the winter aside from the house.”

“There’s some magical plants that still need hot weather too.” Ron spoke up. “I could ask Neville for some that are pretty as well as useful.”

Summer again flushed as much as her pale face could and nodded happily.

“T-thank you.” Summer said, looking between everyone.

“Yes thank you, I’ve been quite fond of the Orangearium ever since it went in. It’d be a shame to lose.” A female voice spoke from behind them, the tones smooth and level. It took a second for Ron to realize he didn’t recognize the voice and then everything happened at once.

Duke and Warspite turned around almost instantly, their rigs shimmering into existence in the time it took them to do so. Dreadnought turned as well, stepping between Molly and the voice while Summer immediately moved and wrapped Ron up in her arms to protect him.

Yet somehow he managed to get a very clear view of Warspite and Duke pointing their rigs at a very surprised looking maid before his vision turned to white.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Woo, more updates. Almost through the house bit I swear.

 

Harry Leferts

The office was filled with the sound of clicking as the Greek Admiral looked at her computer screen in deep thought, thumb extending and retracting her pen’s point. On said screen was a map of a section of the Aegean Sea. Said place being somewhat north of Crete. Various icons pulsed showing the rough locations of different shipgirls, their identification numbers above their positions. Some were Italian and some Turkish. But the majority were Greek, as were the steel hulled ships in the area. The female Admiral was brought out of her thoughts though by a mug being set down on her desk, “Here you go, Admiral Aetós. Fresh from the machine.”

Gratefully smiling, the Admiral grasped the mug and nodded, “Thank you, Georgios.” Sipping it, she hummed, “Good as always.”

Lightly blushing, Georgios nodded with a small smile, “You are very welcome, Admiral.” Walking around the desk, she took a seat on the top of it with her hands against the well worn wood, “It is one of my jobs, after all.”

Chuckling, Aetós had a twinkle in her eye as she placed her hand on top of the shipgirls, “And you do your job very well, my dear Georgios. Very well indeed.”

As the last word came out on a purr, as well as the hand on top of hers, Georgios Averof’s light blush deepened. Especially as the Admiral’s thumb brushed along her knuckles. Wanting to distract herself before her boilers exploded, Georgios looked at the screen, “Is that the new data regarding the SOS signal?”

With a hum, the Admiral removed her hand from the shipgirl’s much to Georgios’ slight dismay. Something that, unknown to her, Aetós had noticed. Internally smirking, the female Officer nodded, “Yes, we’ve narrowed it down.”

Before Georgios could say anything, a choking sound came from her right when she opened her mouth as the Admiral placed her hand upon the shipgirl’s thigh. Despite being a woman and her apparent young age, the Admiral’s hands were rough from what had to be years of work. Roughness now laid against the smooth skin of Georgios' leg. Swallowing, Georgios found herself wishing for the hand to move just a bit upwards, before she squashed that thought.

And squashed it hard.

Something, she noted, that somehow Admiral Aetós knew from the knowing smirk on her face, ‘Damn this woman! She knows what this does!’

With a deep breath to calm herself, Georgios let it out and was about to say something when she squeaked a bit as the Admiral gave her thigh a light squeeze. Expression one of innocence, Admiral Aetós looked up at her. But it was ruined by the mirth hiding in her eyes, “Something wrong, Georgios?”

Clearing her throat, the Armoured Cruiser shook her head, “No, n-nothing.” The last bit came out as a stutter as the Admiral’s hand moved to her knee, fingers tracing along the skin gently, “S-so, we have narrowed down the source?”

Now thoughtful, Aetós placed a finger beneath her chin, though she did not remove the hand on Georgios’ knee, “Hmm... we have a general area, yes. The signal is not that strong and comes and goes. One of the Intel personnel thinks it may be a spark gap, which would explain the range and weakness of the signal. Unless, that is, this is some sort of Abyssal trap.”

Considering that for a few moments, Georgios shook her head as she crossed her arms over her breastplate, “No, that does not sound right. Besides which, there has been little Abyssal activity on the Aegean, let alone the Mediterranean as a whole.” She then glanced at her Admiral with a knowing look, “But then, you already knew this.” Just sipping her coffee, the Admiral didn't reply, which made the Cruiser shake her head, "Of course." Shifting slightly, Georgios internally smirked as she caught the Admiral's eye glance at her bare legs before tapping the screen, "Still, we are narrowing down the search area."

Lips twitching, Aetós gave a nod, "We are, which is the important thing. Aquila's planes are helping a lot in regards to search patterns." After a few moments, she drained the rest of her coffee and stood up, "I'm going for a walk, Georgios. For a while, anyways."

With a bemused sigh, the Greek shipgirl shook her head, 'Of course you are.' Outwardly, she chuckled, "Is there anything that you wish for me to do while you are out, Admiral?"

Pausing from where she was shrugging on her uniform coat, the Admiral frowned for a moment. After a few seconds, she turned and looked towards her secretary ship and once more, with the light coming in the window, Georgios was struck by how beautiful her Admiral was. Right now though, she could see an emotion that she hardly ever saw in the other woman's eyes...

Nervousness, with a hint of fear and unsureness.

But then, it was gone and the normal confidence was back, "Actually, there is something that you could do for me, Georgios." Taking a deep breath, her Admiral let it out, "Check the schedules and see if either of us have something on Friday? I recently bought some wine and some nice beef. It would be... nice, to have some company for dinner."

Checking her logs quickly, the Cruiser shook her head, "No, neither of us have anything booked for Friday..." Eyes widening, she glanced at Aetós who stood there, "Friday, which is Valentine's Day."

Slowly, the Admiral nodded, "Yes, it is Valentine's Day."

For several moments, neither of them spoke. Licking her lips, Georgios turned her full attention to Aetós, who stiffly stood there just watching her, "Valentine's Day... Are... are you inviting me for..."

Much to her shock, Admiral Aetós had a small blush on her face, "I am, Georgios." With another deep breath, she continued on, "I... will admit, I have little experience in this. And, well, I am attracted to you. But at the same time... I-I'm not like others, it is your choice and I will respect whatever it might be. Just know..."

Getting up, Georgios walked over to her Admiral and stood in front of her. Then, she softly smiled down at the other woman, "I understand, Admiral. Believe me, I do." Reaching up, she cupped Aetós' cheek with her hand, eyes gentle, "Also, I know that you would be loyal to me, and I can tell you now, I would be such to you as well. You have told me much, and I figured out more. But I will never betray you."

Only nodding, Aetós looked up at her before speaking in a quiet voice, "Thank you."

Both of them looked at each others eyes for a few moments before Georgios leaned in. It was nothing more then featherlight, but when the Cruiser pulled away, they both were breathless. Lips curled into a smile, Aetós' eyes practically glowed before she gave a nod. Neither said anything more, because nothing needed to be said. Standing there, Georgios helped her do up the last bit of her coat and nodded, "Now, I will be waiting, my Admiral. I can ask nothing more."

Aetós gave a nod back, "And I will come."

With that, she turned and left the office with the Greek shipgirls standing there. Walking to the window, Georgios watched as the Admiral, her Admiral, walked out of the building with a smile. Chuckling, she shook her head, "At least now it is in the open..."

Meanwhile, Aetós walked along with her hands in her pockets. On her face was a happy smile unlike most of her other ones as, for the first time in a truly long time, she had someone to love and who would love her back. Even the small voice in the back of her head that sounded like a certain man's from her past and which had claimed she would be betrayed was silenced. And it made her feel light on her feet as well. Already though, she was planning what would happen that Friday, while another part of her was putting together some thoughts as to a different issue. One that would need resolving soon enough, but in a way that would not cause any trouble.

Looking around as she walked, the Admiral could only nod as she made her way through the shipgirl section of the base on Salamis Island. Most would have expected Athens to have a shipgirl base, and said city did. But the main headquarters for the Greek Shipgirl Program was here, on Salamis. From their base, they were able to cover the Aegean Sea easily enough. And it was not just Greek shipgirls either, as others from the EU used it as a base in the Eastern Mediterranean as well.

It also meant that for some of the other higher ups in the Hellenic Navy, they didn't have to hear about shipgirl shenanigans right away.

Soon enough, she came upon the person that she needed to speak to which was another female Hellenic Navy Officer, one in the uniform of a Captain. Said woman was in the middle of a group of young girls looking not much more then ten years old. Almost immediately, Aetós identified them as being the Thyella class Destroyers. Coming to a stop, she waited until they noticed and each of the little girls gained a serious expression before they saluted, which Aetós returned, "At ease."

Head tilted to the side, Thyella frowned, "Is something wrong, Admiral?"

Only shaking her head, the Admiral waved a hand, "No, nothing is wrong. I simply wished to speak with Lana for a time about some things. But I can wait."

Looking at each other, the Destroyers shrugged and turned to the Captain who smiled and nodded, "We'll go to the bakery as promised."

Now grinning, the group of shipgirls hurried off and Aetós chuckled, "Ah, to be young again. I remember those days... though they were much different. Same most likely with you, Lana."

The other woman's eyebrow twitched a bit, "I could say the same... Maddy." At the smirk from the Admiral, she sighed, "Okay, what is it? I made a promise after all."

Eyebrow raised, the Admiral hummed, "Trust me, it won't take long... Atalanta. Just a few minutes of your time."

Arms crossed, Atalanta frowned, "Very well, but make it quick, Medea..."

 

MagisterAurelius

Ship of Fools Part the Tenth

In which the House was Rocked, a Block was Busted, and Draco Saw Something Nice


In minutes Draco, Johnston and Cleo had managed to make their way through the line and into the venue. Finding their seats, Draco was jostled by Johnston as she held his arm against her. “Wow Cleo, these are going to be great seats! We're close enough to the mosh pit for the energy and far enough that we can still see the stage.”

The light cruiser giggled, the act causing her blond shoulder length curly ringlets to bounce. “I know I know! My sister Black Prince just gave me all these tickets too!”

Johnston moved her hand to Draco's and entwined her fingers with his. Draco felt his face flush and the corners of his lips formed a small smile. Merlin she's pretty. Wait, concentrate Draco. Don't forget what Father said about being a gracious guest. “Please convey my thanks to your sister as I appreciate hers and your generosity in inviting Johnston and myself.”

“It is weird,” Cleopatra continued while pursing her lips in thought, “I know she was looking forward to the concert too. Black Prince wasn't exactly happy about giving me all the tickets either. But she's taking a lot of university courses right now, so that's probably why.”

Johnston piped in, “Oh wow. That's really cool.”

“Yeah, but because of her classes and her boyfriend she doesn't stay over at the manor or the dorms much anymore. But the house she's renting with Effingham and Agamemnon is close to the base and is really cute and it even has a dungeon!”

“Generally only castles have dungeons.” Draco interjected. Following Cleo's conversation seemed to be like conversing with the Lovegood girl.

“Yeah Cleo,” Johnston added, “a basement sure. A dungeon would be a bit much.”

“But that's what Effingham called it when I went to visit Prince. 'Prince is downstairs in the dungeon with her boyfriend' is exactly what she said.”

Anything else Cleo was going to say was drowned out as the band took the stage and began the set with 'Lion of the North'.

-0-

At a quiet cafe just outside the concert hall at this time:

Cu Cuchlainn stared over his beer at Lugh. "Seriously? All of Morrigan's shit has led to this?"

"As much as it pains me to say it, yes." Lugh took a swig of his own lager and slammed down the pint. Unsurprisingly not a drop spilled from the mug to the table. "Loki found out what Amaterasu pulled and he opened his damn frost giant mouth. We're just lucky that enough pantheons spent their IOUs for us to even have this Plan C option."

"The kid has potential, but some seriously dark leanings Lugh. Curse Morrigan and her project! We've got another Age of Heroes coming up, and thanks to her, our best candidate is probably an anti-hero at best. I do want to thank whoever had the foresight to put that shipgirl in front of the kid before they became unsalvageable."

"I know Cu. But that shipgirl is one of Taffy 3. If things go well we get a John Wick. If not, let's just pray Johnston never takes the Malfoy boy to see the Deadpool movies."

-0-

Across the room of the same pub, Washington sat with Ostfriesland at a small table. Ostfriesland had dismissed Niobe to go keep an eye on Derfflinger along with the light cruiser Leipzig. Washington, with her gaze on her drink smiled and raised her head. “Hello Mütter.” Her voice cracked with emotion. “I've missed you so much...”

Ostfriesland moved her chair over to the side of the American battleship and put an arm around Washington, hugging her. “And I am overjoyed to see you tochter. I told you that you would become a beautiful battleship one day. Now you have.”

Washington played with the thick burgundy braid of hair hanging over her shoulder as she smiled at receiving a hug from the German battleship. A ship that instructed her on how to be a battleship, that kept up her spirits, admonished her for despair, and had given Washington the strength to resist the call of the Abyss. There was no question in her mind that Ostfriesland was her mother. And it was no surprise that the next question from her mother was in Osty's 'do not bullship me fraulein' tone of voice.

“So what's this I hear about you telling the US Navy to bugger themselves and running off with a young boy?”

“You make me sound like a deviant. The Navy never asked for me. Draco declared that he wanted the lost and forgotten to come back, that he was asking for me to come back and live. Who do you think I would choose to follow?”

Ostfriesland smiled indulgently, “The one who wanted you of course. But do consider, you chose a civilian as your admiral, don't you think that having that kind of firepower under a civilian's control a little matter for worry to any government?”

Washington frowned and replied quietly. “What firepower Mütter? I was only seventy six percent complete when they disposed of me. I didn't even have turrets. Suppose I summon my rigging? What does it say if I summon my rigging,” and her voice broke into a frightened whisper, “and there's NOTHING THERE?” Washington began to quietly sob into the German battleship's shoulder. “What if I really am so useless that it was a waste to even want to call me back?”

All Ostfriesland could do was rub circles on Washington's back to try and comfort her. She gently whispered to the hurting battleship. “Nein, it was no waste and you are not useless. Mein liebstes kleines Mädchen. And once you have succeeded in getting your young man to his goals, you will always have a home in Germany should you want it.”

“And your admiral would accept that?” Washington asked as she wiped tears from her watery grey eyes.

“Jawohl.” Ostfriesland grinned. “I would kick his manhood into his tonsils if he did not.”

-0-

Three blocks down a short time ago

“This must be the place! A symbol of Englander football! Damp and full of failures!” A raven haired shipgirl with amazing legs stopped to admire the main pub for FC Celtic football fans in Glasgow. “Time drink England dry of gin!”

The light cruisers Leipzig and Niobe followed the Imperial German battlecruiser Derfflinger through the door of the pub, pausing only to share a long suffering sigh between the two. Then Niobe's face paled at Derfflinger's next exclamation.

“I WANT TEN BOTTLES OF THE BEST GIN IN THE HAUS! OH ALLO THERE INVINCIBLE!”

Niobe grabbed Leipzig's arm and dragged her down the street in search of Ostfriesland, the sounds of a dull roar growing louder behind them.

-0-

Back at the concert

The music being played was a new experience for Draco. The pulsing beat of the drums and guitar chords felt like they were literally vibrating their way through his body. He imagined that if he stood still he would move around by the vibrations alone. That, and the two girls who were alternating pressing themselves against him in time with the music.

Johnston was a whirlwind of motion with himself at the vortex. He tried moving in some semblance of time with her, assuming that it was what considered dancing. I have no idea what to do though. It all seems just random to me. The volume of the music was such that he couldn't even hear what Johnston or Cleopatra were saying to him or each other, so he just smiled and nodded where he thought it appropriate. It seemed to be working since they were both smiling.

As the song Carolus Rex ended and the lead singer started talking as an interlude, Draco's view of the stage was suddenly blocked. The reek of alcohol roiled of the four chavs now standing in front of Draco and the girls.

“Oi, you girls look like you need some real men. C'mon, me and my mates will show you a good time.”

As the drunken fools swaggered and preened, Draco could see Johnston and Cleo scowl. They looked about to paste the idiots themselves. A certain dark part of Draco's mind was cackling at the prospect and was even trying to goad him into jinxing them insensate. A part of his mind that Draco had been unaware of stepped in however. Draco gave both girls' hands a quick squeeze in reassurance.

Draco's right hand then came up in sort of a passing wave and he spoke to the chavs, “These aren't the type of girls you're looking for.”

The leering expressions of the chavs went slack, and the leader repeated, “These aren't the type of chicks we're looking fer.”

Draco repeated the motion and said, “You should move along.”

The chav leader turned and started to move away, “We should move along.”

Draco turned to look at Johnston. As he was about to speak, he was stopped by Johnston's lips on his. Johnston let her kiss linger for at least twenty seconds before her lips parted from his. Then she and Cleo both squee'd.

“Omigodomigodomigod! Draco, you totally just mind tricked those shit-stains!” Johnston was bouncing up and down again and before Draco could blue screen, he felt a pair of hands turn his head in the other direction. He had only a second of recognition that it was Cleopatra before her lips met his.

With a smack their lips parted and Cleo giggled. “There! A proper hero's reward!”

“Cleo, you just kissed my boyfriend!”

“But Johnston, Draco just saved two pure maidens from being dragged off to be violated in unspeakable ways by those chavs. Don't you think he deserved to be rewarded?” Cleo kept giggling while batting her eyes at Draco.

“Ugh. We are going to talk about boundaries and trying to poach boyfriends later.” Johnston rebutted in frustration as the lead singer announced the next song 'A Lifetime of War'.

The rhythm of this song seemed slower, so Draco decided to take action to reassure Johnston. Moving behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned his head forward so his cheek rested against hers. “Do you really consider me your boyfriend? I mean, I've never really asked you if you wanted to be my girlfriend. I think of you as my girlfriend, but I... now I want to ask. Johnston, will you be my girlfriend?”

Johnston twisted around in his arms and put her arms around his neck. “Yes to both questions you very cute silly boy.” She then caressed his cheek with her left hand and gave him a gentle peck on the lips. Turning back around she and Draco swayed back and forth to the remainder of the song.

-0-

Three blocks down from the concert a major riot had broken out. There was masses of football hooligans brawling in the street. Windows were smashed. The FC Celtic bar was on fire. And as the riot grew, the instigators of said riot were slowly brawling their way towards the concert venue. Three buildings were beginning to crumble under stress from the sudden violent removal of key supports. Said removal due to the ship-girl sized demolition holes in the walls and beams.

-0-

As the concert finished and the crowd left the venue, Draco, Johnston and Cleopatra made their way towards the cafe across the street.

“So what did you think Draco? Pretty badass for a concert right?” Johnston asked Draco while grinning.

“It was. I had a great time. But everywhere I go with you is a great time Johnston.” He then turned to Cleo, although he did slightly blush as he remembered her kiss. “Thank you for letting us attend Cleopatra. I really appreciate it.”

Cleopatra blushed slightly, but to Draco's eye looked a little disappointed as well. Before she could reply, Johnston cut in, “Draco, sweetie, could you get Cleo and me something cold to drink from the cafe? Thanks!” Draco shrugged and went in to the cafe.

“So Cleo..."

“Look Johnston, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to try to poach your boyfriend. But... it's so hard to find a boyfriend when most guys think because I act like a ditz that I'm easy. And Draco is really cute and has that wannabe badboy thing when he's really just an innocent little muffin and I think I really like him too..”

“Whoa whoa Cleo calm down. I'm not mad or anything.” Johnston stopped Cleo as it looked like the blond light cruiser was about to start crying. She sighed. “I.. I have 174 sister ships Cleo. So I get a little nervous about the thought of sharing someone that I can call mine alone. But if you really want to date Draco too... I guess that's okay. And anyway, Draco's mother was really really fucking clear that I had to wait four years before we can get to the fun stuff. So yeah, I'm cool with it. Just remember that eventually I'm the legal wife.”

Both girls started to giggle uncontrollably, until two shipgirls burst out of a building Kool-Aid Man style half a block away. The two began slugging each other hammer and tongs in the middle of the street.

“Oh fuck, that's HMS Superb,” Cleo stated shakily, “but she was at the football game so that must mean the other ship is Derfflinger.”

“Crap, what the hell are they thinking? Stand back Cleo. I got this. TAFFY THREE!!!” Johnston charged the two brawlers.

“Hey Cleo, here's your drink where's Johnston?” Draco then looked where Cleo pointed. He paled as he saw Johnston attempt to restrain one of the brawling warships, only for the short muscular ship girl to grab Johnston and hammer throw her away. As Johnston went flying back in his direction, Draco didn't even stop to think, but ran forward as fast as he could to try and catch his girlfriend.

He was certain there was no way to make it in time, yet as he ran time seemed to slow around him. Then with an almost audible snap time to speed back up. Draco's brain had only time to register that somehow he had misjudged the difference and then his vision went black.

-0-

Cu Cuchlainn looked at Lugh. “Ok that went hilariously wrong.”

Lugh simply looked forward out the window. “I'm putting it down to ship girl MSSB.”

“And those Japanese cartoons that Amaterasu left behind that you enjoy so much had nothing to do with it?”

“Not at all.”

“If you do that finger steeple thing, I will stab you until candy comes out.”

-0-

Draco's hearing and vision slowly came back to him. He realized that at some point he had fallen and was now lying on his back on the pavement. Something weighed down on his shoulders and chest so he couldn't sit up or really even move. Suddenly the weight shifted down to his lap and his vision returned. “Wha happen?”

He tried to sit up but then a bright light flashed in his eyes. “Aaaaa!!!”

“Don't move yet Draco, you might have a concussion.” He heard Washington's voice from somewhere off to his right. The light flashed off.

“He looks alright for now. I would have him checked out later though to be sure.”

“Thank you doctor.”

“He's going to be fine?” Draco raised himself on his elbows to look at the speaker straddling his lap. Johnston had tears streaming down her face.

“What's wrong Johnston, I think I'm okay, please don't cry.”

Johnston sniffed. “Dummy. I'm a ship girl. Why were you trying to catch me? You're squishier than I am.”

At this moment, Draco tried to summon a little teenage bravado. “But isn't that what boyfriends are supposed to do? Catch their girlfriends when they're falling.”

A very laconic German voice cut in, “Ja, you aren't supposed to catch her with your face though.” Draco turned his head to the voice to see the girl who had ridden with them on the way. Niobe grinned at Draco. “Unless you're that hard up for a peek of course...” Draco could only blink numbly, completely oblivious to her meaning.

Washington looked on at the scene and sighed. Turning to Ostfriesland she said, “Thanks to the riot there's no transport back to Germany at the moment. Do you want to come back to Hogwarts with me and Draco for the night?”

“Nein tochter. Leipzig and I will remain here to bail Derfflinger out of this. Niobe can go back with you.”

“All right then.” She clapped her hands, “Time to head back.”

As they entered the Common Room of the Slytherin dorm Washington turned to Draco. “Alright young man, off to bed with you. You've had a needlessly rough day.”

“Wait!” Johnston exclaimed. “It isn't a good idea for Draco to be alone. He should be under observation for the night.”

Washington raised her eyebrows. “And how will that happen?”

“A cuddlepile! We can even stay here in the Common Room, the sofa is big enough!” Johnston smirked.

“Yay! Great idea Johnston!”

“Wait what? Whaa...”

“Ohhh Draco's bluescreened!”

-0-

Ok, there will be another bit with aftershocks and other stuff. But I needed to get this out and done. Just a reminder, this is just Saturday of the Hogsmeade Weekend. There is still Sunday to go. And Hermione finds out.

 

Savato93

“You…who are you?”

The nurse-like Abyssal’s gaze briefly shifted to Tanith, before quickly going back to the Re-class in her lap. “I… I don’t know. I just woke up. Who I am, how I got here… I barely know anything.” She carefully stroked Renita’s tousled hair, continuing her desperate efforts to soothe the tormented soul. “Do you… know this girl? Could you tell me why she would have had a sudden panic attack?”

Tanith struggled to respond, utterly baffled by this turn of events. Unable to find her words, the Princess simply took in the hull of this mysterious newcomer. For such a massive ship, big enough to match some of the Standards, she was shockingly undergunned… wielding only enough small-caliber guns to compete with a light cruiser at best, although the AA complement was excellent. But then she took note of the multiple heavy cranes hanging over the hull, the numerous bilge pumps and welding tools, the heavy-duty skiffs on standby atop her deck. This was no capital ship... this was an auxiliary ship.

A repair ship.

This was the Mi-class.

Pieces of the puzzle immediately started falling into place. This had been her sisters’ project… somehow, they had produced a fully operational, fully cognizant Abyssal, in just days. If the fact that the installations were all in the village was any indication, they probably didn’t even expect the Mi-class to wake up so soon. She would have to speak to them about this later…

Part of Tanith couldn’t help feeling thrilled—this apparent newborn was only minutes old, and yet she already exhibited the gentle-hearted concern one would expect from a ship whose purpose was to care for others. She didn’t even know herself, much less Renita... but here she was, holding the poor girl to her breast, doing everything she could think of to try and ease her spirits, setting aside her own fears. That alone spoke leagues of her potential as a healer, a caregiver for her fellow Abyssals, and possibly others as well. Frankly, however, another much bigger part of Tanith wanted to throttle her sisters, for leaving a newborn to awaken completely unattended. Surely she had been distressed, waking up alone, her Princess nowhere in sight…

The Princess shook her head. Take care of newborn now, reprimand sisters later. She turned to Regalia. “Please go find Fluffy. Bring her here.”

“Okay, Mom.”

As the younger Re-class raced off, Tanith stepped forward, kneeling down next to the Mi-class. “I am sorry, little one. You must be so confused… so scared. If it is any consolation, I very much doubt your Princess intended for your awakening to be like this.”

The Mi-class looked up to her again. “My Princess…?”

“Your creator… your mother.”

“Oh…” the girI’s gaze fell. “Yeah. It was scary. It was… dark, and cold. I was lonely.”

Tanith nodded. She reached out and gripped the Mi-class’s shoulder gently. “As your aunt, and as the leader of this island and fleet, I promise that you will never need to go through that again. We take care of our family.”

The Mi-class relaxed slightly at her touch. “...thank you.” In her lap, Renita let out a small sniffle. “So… who am I, exactly?”

“You are a repair ship,” Tanith answered. “A Mi-class, first of your kind.”

“Hmm…” the Mi-class looked down, examining herself. “What’s my name?”

Tanith shrugged. “That is up to you.”

For the next minute the Mi-class was silent, a thoughtful expression on her face as she tended to Renita. Eventually, she spoke.

“...I think... I think I’d like the name Millie.”

XXXXXXXXXX

“God...” Ritou groaned as she slumped over the table, rubbing her forehead with one hand and clutching a coffee mug in the other. “I need some stronger brew.”

All around the table were the other flagships, along with Fluffy, Renita, and the fledgling Millie. Fluffy was busy fretting over her flagship, who was barely conscious after expending so much energy through her breakdown… while occasionally giving a wary look to the fidgeting newborn, who was herself being fretted over by Nuri. “I’m so sorry, sweetie,” the Demon whined as she hugged and nuzzled Millie, who embraced her in return. “I’m an awful, ignorant mother, leaving you alone the way I did. I’ll do whatever it takes to make this up to you, I promise!”

“It’s okay… Mama…” Millie said quietly. Now that she had been united with her mother, she seemed much more relaxed. “I forgive you.” She looked over to the Re-class. “And I’m… really sorry, about how I set off your panic attack. I had no idea you were even there… I was just trying to get out of that room…”

Renita’s head rolled slightly, her tired gaze focusing on the Mi-class. Her eyes were still bloodshot, and her cheeks still stained with the tears she shed. “N-not… your fault…” she whispered. “I’m… damaged, inside...”

Next to her, Fluffy let out a soft sigh. “Hearing your side of what happened… I can kinda understand what you were going through,” she told Millie. “So… I won’t hold this against you.” The Princess gingerly tried to wrap her flagship in a hug, her skin still sensitive from her earlier burns. “I just wish I could have been there when it happened, to help calm her down…”

“Don’t we all…” Tanith shook her head, before turning to the Mi-class. “That aside… I saw the hinges on the door were cut with some sort of blowtorch implement. Your doing, obviously… but I do not see anything on your person that could have let you do so. Where is your rigging?”

“...rigging…?” Millie asked, her head cocked. After a moment, there was a flash of realization in her eyes. “You mean this…?”

Slowly unwrapping herself from Nuri, the Mi-class stood up. Then, to everyone’s mild surprise, she turned and presented her rear end to them—showing them what they all had failed to take notice of until that point. Extending from just above her tailbone was a set of five black tendrils, each tipped with a different tool… with the middle one ending in a stinger-like syringe.

“I was just starting to wonder what these were…” Millie continued, as her tails waved in the air behind her. “Didn’t look too deeply into it while breaking out, of course, but now...”

“Those,” Nuri spoke up, “are your work implements. You’re equipped with a lot of tools to care for other Abyssals. Blow torches, bilge pumps, generators… all sorts of things.” She tilted her head. “Still not quite sure about the necessity of the syringe, though.”

“You’ll thank me one day...” Ritou groaned with a raised finger.

Millie examined her tails with a thoughtful look. “So… my purpose is to help people?” She asked. Slowly, a small smile crept onto her face. “...yeah. I think I’d like that.”

Her mother chuckled. “It would be weird if you didn’t. It’s what the Mi-class was made for, after all.” She rose up from her chair, taking Millie’s hand. “Now, you must be hungry, after everything you’ve been through since you woke up. What do you think about going to get you some food, and meeting the rest of your family?” Millie perked up, eagerly following her mother out of the palace towards the residential area.

Once they were gone, Tanith turned back to the other three installations, frowning. “So… would you three care to explain how Millie showed up on such short notice? Exactly what kind of ‘experiment’ were you running?”

Patty sagged in her chair, looking guilty. “It was Nuri’s proposal. She wanted to field test the Mi-class as soon as she could, so the designs could be passed on to our counterparts in the Atlantic to aid in their campaign. To that end… she wanted to find out if Abyssal construction could be sped up.”

Tanith’s eyebrows rose. “...what gave her that idea?”

Ritou lifted her head up, taking a draught of coffee. “It was partly from watching Mother rebuild Regalia and Renita… and partly my own knowledge of your construction process, which you told me a while back. Her idea was to skip the egg, and the growth process itself, and just build the complete hull with her own hands, seeding it with imps afterwards to let the new Abyssal’s spirit grow.”

“...and it worked.” Tanith couldn’t help but sound a little incredulous.

“Better than we’d hoped,” Ritou admitted. “We started planning this a while back, when Mom brought Carrie and Sherri to the island; we actually got Mom’s approval on the idea, when she evaluated the Mi-class’s final draft. Our work began on Millie’s hull just a few days ago; we finished this morning, and when we left the room to get some rest… well, she woke up. We had no idea her consciousness would develop so quickly, once Nuri donated the imps to serve as her foundation…”

Tanith pursed her lips. “Interesting.”

It sounded unbelievable… but she’d seen the proof with her own eyes. Despite not growing in an egg like the rest of them, Millie appeared perfectly normal. The circumstances of her awakening were less than ideal, of course… but it seemed it really was possible to make an Abyssal by hand and animate her in less time than it would take for her to incubate. Given some better setup, more coordination… knowledge of such a procedure just might prove useful in the future.

That said… coordination. Tanith folded her arms. “Well, I will not refute your results. But should this be attempted again in the future, I suggest you warn your other sisters. Renita’s breakdown could have been avoided, if you had had someone stay behind to supervise Millie…”

“Yeah, that was an oversight on our part. It won’t happen again...” Ritou grunted. She looked to the others. “So… all in favor of declaring this experiment a success?”

All hands went up.

“Alright. And all in favor of never pulling 60-hour drydock shifts again?”

Several of the sisters lowered their hands, leaving just the three installations present.

“Okay, good.”

With that, Ritou let her head drop to the table with a dull thunk, out like a light.

 

TempestK

Harry Leferts said:
She technically is a minor goddess/demigod. But her being a "Divine Agent" is extremely new, before she just sort of wandered around and did her own thing. Some of which will come up... but the Olympians were desperate when they saw Blood Week coming and had to get someone to help out on Earth like the other Pantheons. However... most of those they asked told them to go and fuck themselves due to the shit that they pulled.​

Hmmm...

---
Before Blood Week, location: ???
---

There was a quiet crackle of flame, the welcome snap of a hearth as it kindled, before a young woman dressed in warm clothing appeared in a tongue of fire. The room she was in was opulent, decorated with gems and minerals of every color of the rainbow, arranged to create a cascade of colors pleasing to the eyes and reminding the viewer of a spring field of wildflowers in full bloom. Turning, a statuesque woman dressed in a light green chiton with a darker green, nearly black peplos over top. Her eyes were also green, the light verdant green of new shoots. Smiling, she stepped forward and kissed the shorter woman on both cheeks in greeting.

"Ah, it's so good to see you. Here to check up on him?" The taller woman smiled, and the shorter of them giggled.

"Yes, after what happened I thought that I should talk to him instead of one of our brothers." The taller woman rolled her eyes.

"I take it they were just glad to put the whole business behind them and stopped paying attention?" She led the other woman through halls of stone; marble, onyx and granite all carved masterfully. Out of the corner of the eye could be seen the occasional flicker, a ripple as if a disturbance in a pond's reflection.

"You know them so well. And I felt best to vacate the area before those harpies started in on their bitching." The was a crackle of flame in the shorter woman's eyes for the breifest of moments, before she relaxed. The two heard a crashing sound coming from the large set of doors they were approaching, but neither seemed to be all that worried.

"That does sound like them. I'll leave you to talk privately, I need to see to the fields." The taller woman's face dropped into a meloncholy frown. "I imagine we'll be getting quite a few new residents there." The shorter woman patted her hand gently.

"Yes, but that's why he built them in the first place. For those who deserve the rest of heroes, no matter their origin." Another crash and a long rumbling growl came from beyond the doors. "I suppose that I'd best get in there before they get too involved in their play." She gave the other woman's hand one last pat.

"Thank you Aunt Hestia. I hope you have a productive talk." The Goddess of the Hearth smiled, and opened the door.

Beyond was what could best be called a war zone in minature. A small arena, the land was scarred by deep gouges and charred spots. At one end stalked a massive three headed dog, hide black as night while manes of serpents thrashed and hissed down its necks. A serpentine tail extended from its rump, sinuously weaving back and forth as all three heads tracked their target.

At the other end of the arena stood a man, bare-chested and clad only in a perizoma. He was smiling, elegant lips turned upwards, while an aquiline nose crinkled. Black hair was brushed out of his eyes, before he made a "come at me" gesture. "Is that the best you've got? You're getting soft in your old age Kerberos!" The dog snarled... lunged... and the man lunged to meet him; a shockwave rising from their clash. The man was actually wrestling the dog into submission! As Hestia watched with fond amusement, a short sharp whistle cut through the sounds of combat.

Immediately the dog disengaged, while the man actually pouted before stepping back and looking to the side. "Uncle, it was just getting good. Why stop there?" The voice that responded was level and cool, although not cold.

"Because I've another guest to entertain, and I'd rather not have you and my dog end up tearing apart the arena on accident." The man looked abashed, rubbing the back of his neck, before he seemed to actually process what had been said. Looking around, his eyes fell upon Hestia and lit up. Rushing forward, he moved to embrance her.

"Aunt Hestia! It's been ages!" Hestia smiled tolerantly, but held out a hand, stopping the man in his tracks.

"It's been four hours Herakles. And you're covered in sweat and dog slobber. Go bathe, we can talk properly later." Scuffing his feet like a chastened schoolboy, the Olympian nodded. Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, she crooked her finger. "Oh... come here you." His smile was bright as he came over, and leaned down, receiving a peck on both cheeks in greeting. "Now, to the baths with you." Herakles saluted smartly, before gathering up a pelt and club that had been lying in an alcove along with his chiton, and made for the exit.

As he left, there was an exasperated sigh. "Some days I wonder if he'll ever grow up." A shimmer in the air like a mirage began, rippling violently, before warping into a man with fine features and jet black hair, dressing in a black chiton bordered with ash-grey trim; having just removed a helmet from his head. Kerberos approached with a whine, and received a scratch under his center chin. "That's enough boy, back to your cave for now. You can play with Herakles again later." Hades, lord of the Underworld, smiles slightly as his favored pet chuffed slightly, before heading towards another exit to the arena. "So Hestia, to what do I owe the pleasure?" he led the Goddess over to a side area, where a tray of meat, cheese, olives and nectar had been prepared.

"I was just curious... why'd you do it?" Hades paused, one brow arching, before smiling ever so slightly again.

"I'm not sure what you mean sister." Hestia's cheeks puffed, and she stomped a foot.

"I'm not Zeus you know. I could tell. You practically threw those negotiations with Medea once you were brought in." Hades paused, before carefully selecting an olive and popping it into his mouth.

"Because after everything the rest of the family put them through, the least I could do was help her get what she asked for." He paused again, frowning slightly. "I'm only sorry I wasn't able to lead her into asking for Hippomenes to be revived as well, just to salt Aphrodite's wound that much more." Hestia winced at that, but didn't remark on it otherwise. "Herakles was actually the one that brought the whole affair to my attention, and well... my nephew owed me a favor; so when Zeus tried to weasel around the negotiations by asking me instead of ordering me, I agreed. After that, well..." he picked up a date this time, wrapping a slice of meat around it before taking a bite. "At that point he was backed into a corner. He'd given me the power to negotiate on his behalf, and any agreement we made was to be sworn on the Styx itself. From there it was all a matter of putting on a good enough act."

Hestia sighed, taking a bite of the food herself, and looked to her brother. "Do you think it'll be enough? Just having the two of them in play?"

Hades' eyes grew hooded as he looked in the direction of the Asphodel fields, and the Elysian fields beyond them. "It's going to have to be. The family has burned so many bridges it's a wonder we're not swimming in charcoal. All we can do now, ironically" he smirked sardonically, "is pray."

 

Harry Leferts

Not answering right away, Medea waved her hand while wriggling her fingers. Almost immediately, Atalanta could feel a tingle on her skin which told her that the other woman had placed privacy spells over both of them. Something that brought back memories of talks on a ship rocking in the sea while the stars twinkled high above...

Before she could get too far into her thoughts though, Medea sighed and placed her hands into her pockets with one of them rooting around, “I assume that you know about the search in the southern Aegean?”

Glancing at her, the huntress snorted, “Of course I do. How could I not know?” A frown crossed Atalanta’s face, “It has been over the news after all.”

Amused, Medea laughed lightly, “Yes, I suppose so.” Pulling her hand out from her pocket, she revealed a wine skin that she tossed to her friend, who easily caught it. “Though I will admit that I enjoy the fact that stories and such can travel so quickly. Some are exaggerated of course in the telling, but still far better than in our day.”

That got her a snort from Atalanta before she took a deep swing of the wine, “You sound like an old woman, Medea.”

Lips curling a bit, Medea wagged a finger, the wine skin returning to her as she took a drink, “That is because I am an old woman despite my looks.” For a brief moment, she looked ancient and Atalanta felt for her, “Sometimes far older than I would like.”

Grimacing, Atalanta decided to change the subject as she took back the wine skin, “Now, about this search? I realize that I am a hunter and thus well able to perform searches as I have done so before, but still.”

Medea glanced at her and took back the wine skin. Taking a drink, she swished it around a bit before swallowing, "The area that the search is in... it is where Aeaea is located.”

Brought up short by that piece of information, her friend paused before holding out her hand. Taking a long drag of wine, she only had one thing to say, “Shit.”

Slowly, Medea nodded with a small grimace, “Shit, indeed.”

Watching as the other woman drank deeply, Atalanta frowned, “So they have been alive all this time? Really?”

Just signing, the Sorceress nodded, “It would appear so. And somehow have cobbled together a radio. Not sure how, but they have.” Glancing at her, Medea shook her head, “And before you ask, I have not heard anything from my Aunt. Not that I would have expected to in any case. She is alive, and that is all I know.”

Only nodding, Atalanta rubbed her chin in thought, “Hmm... troublesome. From what I remember, the island has Cyclops, Minotaurs, and others correct? Placed there by the ICW? Or that was what you informed me after... well.”

Avoiding that subject for now, Medea nodded, “Yes, my Aunt’s spells made sure that the island was well hidden. And as it was already used to hide ‘Creatures’ from the outside world...”

The huntress could hear the scorn in the last few words, but didn’t comment on it, “So they are in perhaps need of help. But why come to me?”

For several moments, Medea was silent before she spoke, “Because this whole situation places me in a tough position. One that needs careful thought and planning.”

Her eyes narrowing, Atalanta passed her the wine skin, “Go on, Medea. How?”

Drinking deeply, Medea sighed as she pulled it away from her lips, “It will not take long before certain people begin to notice where the search area is slowly shrinking. And those people would most likely react... badly or in a way that could cause an issue. Even as crippled as they are, they could cause a lot of problems.” Turning towards her fellow Argonaut, she frowned, “The best way to prevent it is for the source to be found. But unfortunately, that means the island must be found, hence the issue.”

Considering it, Atalanta nodded, “I see. Both of us could easily point out where the source is. However, that will just cause people to wonder how we knew it was there. Questions that can’t he answered right now without causing more problems then they would solve.”

With a nod, Medea turned towards her fully, “Yes, hence the issue. But if a ship helping to search was to... stumble upon the island on the other hand, well... that is different, now isn’t it?”

Simply humming, the other female Officer nodded with a slight smirk, “Yes, it would be. Give me fifteen hours and I can have the Meleager ready to set sail." She turned her gaze to where her Submarine sat, "It would not take us long to reach the location, maybe a day or two to ‘Find’ the source of the signal.”

Much to her surprise though, Medea waved her off, “No, no, no need to rush. We have the time after all and besides...” A smirk appeared on her face, “Friday is Valentine’s Day. I couldn’t ask for you to be away on that day.”

To her great amusement, Atalanta blushed deeply at that and looked away, "I... thank you for that, Medea. You could have ordered me to put out today, but..." With a sigh, she nodded and gave her friend a smile, "I don't say this enough, thank you."

Now it was Medea's turn to blush lightly, "You don't need to thank me, Atalanta."

However, the Huntress placed a hand on her friend's shoulders, "Yes, I do. And I do not say it often enough. Medea, you have done so much for me and..." Chuckling, Atalanta looked down at the wine skin and took a drink before sighing, "Sometimes, I have to ask why? Why me, of all people when you could have asked for so much more."

Staring out at sea, Medea was silent before speaking in a voice so soft, it was nearly a whisper, "Because you were my friend." Turning, Atalanta's eyes widened slightly at the tears in the Sorceress' eyes, "You were my friend when I needed one. I was a lost, scared girl in a group of heroes, obsessed with one of them. How many times did you softly speak with me, to see if I was alright? You cared, when so few did. You, Herakles... and few others. Despite how long I have lived, I never forgot that, Atalanta."

Gently, Atalanta gave her friend a hug, "I know, Medea. And also..." With a shuddering breath, she continued, "I remember after Zeus turned both myself and Hippomenes into lions, because Aphrodite was angry at him because he was waiting until we reached his home to give her tribute for the golden apples. She was angry, so when we stayed at the Temple of Zeus on our way home, she had us nearly driven mad with lust for each other, causing us to..." Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, and then opened them, "I was a lioness, Medea. But despite that, I remember. I remember one day you appearing before us. I remember you falling to your knees and weeping at what had happened to us both. And... I remember, you taking us in."

Her own eyes closed, Medea leaned into the hug, "I controlled your minds though, with magic. And also... I failed to return you both to your true forms..."

Just holding her friend closer, Atalanta shook her head, "You controlled our minds because they were that of beasts, Medea. We would have thought nothing of attacking you in the states that we were in. To eat you, like we had deer and the like. But you still took us in, cared for us. And I do not blame you for not being able to return us to our true forms, because it was Zeus that turned us, and you had yet to reach the levels of power needed..." Pulling away, she placed her hands on either side of Medea's cheeks and stared into her eyes, "But you still tried, Medea. You tried. And even though you failed, you were still there. I remember when as a lioness, I grew old, and infirm. How you fed me meat by hand to keep me going. And I remember when I died of my age, you holding me close and weeping so very much, stating how sorry you were that you failed me."

Lump in her throat, she shook her head, "Because I did fail you. My one, true friend, even more so than Herakles, and I failed you." Arms coming up, she grabbed Atalanta and held her close, "I failed you." With a deep breath, Medea pulled back some, "Thus, when the idea of 'Payment' came up for acting as an agent and protecting Greece? That was one of the first things that came to my mind. I did not expect Hades and the others to allow, it, yet they did. I have been alone all these centuries, few bothering to know me. Hiding who I am. The idea that I could have you back as my friend once more..."

Only humming, Atalanta nodded, "And I am glad for it, though..." A small laugh came from her lips, "Growing up all over again as your... sister, was not what I expected."

Now smiling herself, Medea cleared her throat some, "You say that as if it was a bad thing."

Softly snorting, the Huntress shook her head, "No, it is not. Far from it, and if I had to have a sister, well..." Atalanta shrugged some, "I could do with far worse despite what some myths claim. Though also being your foster daughter was also odd."

Grimacing, Medea shook her head, "I had no choice if I was to get you into the system. Especially as we needed backgrounds to be able to join the navy, though that was not as hard as some would think."

Just rolling her eyes, Atalanta sighed, "No, it was not. Especially with the money that you threw around." Looking at her Submarine once more, she snorted again, "Such as helping to rebuild the Hellenic Navy."

Her lips twitching, the sorceress shook her head, "I have had a lot of time to build up riches, Atalanta. And what use are they if I do not use them from time to time."

Voice dry, Atalanta gave her a look, "There is riches and then there is being able to front a good amount of the cost of rebuilding Greece through fronts and charitable donations. Or helping the nation afford what they needed."

Chucking, Medea gave her a smirk, "What? I cracked how to make a Philosopher's Stone and Mineral Stone centuries ago. Add in all the money that I have invested over the decades, and it barely made a dent. Probably make it all back in a few decades anyways..." She then made a motion with her hand, "And you forgot all the other rebuilding in other nations that I have helped with."

Atalanta rolled her eyes again, "Of course."

Bemused, her friend shook her head, "Also, you cannot say that you don't like being able to hunt Abyssals in the way you do. You've made a name for yourself both in the Med and working alongside the rest of NATO in the Atlantic. Apparently even the Germans have been impressed with you."

Shrugging, Atalanta didn't bother hiding the pride on her face, "I will admit, while different to the hunting that I have done before, this... is challenging." A smile crossed her face, "And I will also admit to enjoying it. So, once more, thank you for both this and..." She lightly blushed a bit, "What you used your... bonus from the gods for."

That got her a smirk from Medea, "Yes, and I have not regretted it. Hades actually laughed even as his brother fumed and so did Aphrodite." She grinned a bit and winked at her friend, "And you enjoyed that present, do not deny it."

Concerned even though she blushed, Atalanta gave her friend a look, "Be careful not to antagonize them too much, Medea. I realize that you had them by, what is the modern term, 'By the balls', but do not push them too much. You pulled a lot of concessions from them as it is."

Despite that, the other woman looked utterly unconcerned, "Yes, and? I have no need to push further than I have." Thoughtful, Medea tilted her head, "Which, I will admit, is rather far...'

If anything, that made Atalanta more concerned, "What did you do...?"

Hands behind her back, Medea hummed, "Well..."

 

Yellowhammer

(A.N.-I was trying to bang out the next Puppy Love chapter, but this demanded to be written)

The Price of Arrogance

Tsurugaoka Hachimangū, Kamakura

1230 AM, 10 March 1945

Masamune-no-Tokunotakai stood at the head of the shrine steps like a statue.

The red-orange firelight from the north illuminated the flowing tears on her stricken face.

Her hand clenched on the sheath of her true body, turning her knuckles white, as she quietly prayed for mercy, for protection, for all those suffering tonight.

She did not even know anymore what she was praying for.

She only knew that her prayers were not answered tonight.

That her prayers had not been answered for eight long years of war.

In the skies overhead, an endless stream of B-29s droned, lit by occasional flickers of searchlights on their silver bellies.

The red-orange glow filling the northern sky illumined them as fresh cascades of firebombs fell into the inferno that was Tokyo.

A hot wind filled with smoke and the smell of burned flesh lashed her face, drying her tears on her cheeks.

She had seen fires before, of course.

But even the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 had not spawned this Jigoku-on-Earth that was happening before her eyes.

Fresh tears flowed as she remembered the arguments with her beloved sister Fudo about the policies of the government ministers that the elder Masamune supported.

Toku had tried to tell her that while, yes the Land of the Gods was divinely blessed certainly, any attempt to spread their rule by force to other lands with other Gods would be most unwise.

That madness and arrogance, that hubris, would be punished harshly.

Fudo had not listened.

Toku closed her eyes and sobbed, whispering a prayer for her sister's safety.

She feared that her prayers would not be enough.

Not anymore.

Arrogance had its price, after all.

She had suffered for her arrogance and misplaced pride eighty years before at the hands of a gaijin blade.

She feared that her punishment then would be merciful compared to what Fudo would have to endure now.

She just prayed that the price for Fudo's arrogance would not be her life and her soul.

March 12th, 1945
Spoiler: Reuinion

Tokunotakai helped the horribly burned heavily pregnant Inugami matron to sip the healing-potion laced broth that she had given her. Her hoarse voice spoke as the dog Yokai relaxed slightly. "Once you finish that, Mrs. Kokonoe will find you a place to rest."

As the Masamune turned to the next person in the endless line of refugees heading to the shrine where she had set up an emergency hospital, the Inugami grasped her wrist with a bandaged hand. "Kami bless you, girl. After losing my husband to the war and my family to the fires, I feared that the Gods had forsaken us."

Toku gave an exhausted smile. "Faith. Faith that our leaders will find the wisdom to end this war before we are destroyed. Pray for that."

She closed her eyes for an instant of weakness as she steeled her will to keep pushing on through the pain and fatigue to serve those who the Protector of Warriors had sent to her care. She had not slept and barely eaten in two days since the first of the wounded and homeless made their way to her from Tokyo. She prayed for fresh strength to perform her duties.

Opening her eyes, she headed to the next patient sent to her by the children and elders that she had trained as her assistants. Unrolling bandages she knelt beside the pallet that two of them had carried up. Gently washing soot and blood away from the face of the figure so she could bandage it, she froze. Masamune-no-Fudo's haunted amber eyes blinked back at her.

"Fudo-nee!" Toku exclaimed in joyful relief. Hastily, she smeared some of the shrinking amount of burn ointment on the bandages before applying them to her sister's wounds. Finally she fought with herself mentally before pulling out one of her last vials of healing potion and carefully pouring it into Fudo's mouth. Fresh tears flowed as she did so, falling on her sister's avatar.

"T-toku-chan?" A dazed whisper and a trembling hand interlaced fingers with hers, soot and blood mingling on the sisters' hands as they held each other. "Is it...is it really you?"

"Hai, Fudo-chan, it is." Toku looked at one of her other nurses who nodded and came over to relieve her as she picked her sister up in her arms. The elder Masamune hugged her around the shoulders then and sobbed into her shoulder.

Staggering with bone-deep fatigue she made her way to her quarters in the dojo and laid Fudo down on her sleeping mat gently. "Rest now, Fudo-chan. I'll be back as my duties permit."

As Toku turned to go, Fudo's hand shot out and grasped her wrist in an iron grip. "P-please don't go? Don't leave me? Y-you are all I have now."

Toku looked into her sister's eyes with an unvoiced question. What of our sisters, Honjo, Kotegiri, Suzume, Musashi?

Fudo's pain filled eyes answered her. All gone, all consumed by the War and the fires. I don't know anymore if they are alive or dead.

Toku nodded sadly in acceptance. "I'll stay, Fudo-chan. Let me make you at home here." With that, she carefully removed the scorched and burned tanto from her sister's waist and carried it to the sword rack where her own true self rested, placing it there.

"Toku-chan?" A plaintive whisper from behind her as Toku wondered where she could find the materials to help heal the damage to her sister.

"What is it, Fudo-chan?" Toku turned to see her sister looking at her.

Toku gulped and then whispered miserably. "This, this is all my fault. The War, the fires, all of it..."

Toku knelt beside her sister's bedside and took her hand in Toku's. Fudo grasped Toku's hand with bone-crushing force as the Blade of Hachiman spoke to the Blade of Fudo My'oo. "It doesn't matter, not anymore. You are my big sister. Get well and you can make amends, perhaps. Speak to the people you know and get them to stop this madness before it consumes us. This is a war we cannot win. Not anymore."

Fudo closed her eyes and whispered bitterly, "I should have said something. I was so sure that I was right. That the West was weak and unworthy. That we would win, even after Midway. When I suspected what was to come after the fortunes of war turned against us, I did not share my fears. I dishonored our sisterhood with my actions."

Toku squeezed back. "I equally regret not helping you see the truth before now. But none of that matters now, we cannot change the past. All we can do is tend to our present duties. My duty is to heal you and others who come to the Shrine as I protect it. Yours for now is to mend and heal. Once you are better, you must share your insight with those in power. Let us pray that it is not too late."

Fudo nodded with a hiss of pain before falling asleep at last. Beside her, Toku held her hand until she in turn finally rested for the first time in days.

 

Harry Leferts

Sitting at a roadside café, Medea hummed some as she kicked one foot back and forth under the table. Meanwhile, a radio nearby was talking about how Argentina was invading some islands. Just snorting, the Greek sorceress smirked slightly, 'Someone is going to be getting their asses kicked. The more things change...' Then she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and silently sighed, 'I thought that they understood that no meant no though at least they sent them.' When they arrived at her spot, Medea gave them both smiles, "Hestia, Herakles, been some time."

Herakles waited until she motioned at the chairs which appeared at the table and sat down, something that got her a slight nod of respect, "Medea, it has been some time."
Practically bouncing, Hestia sat into her own seat before waving for some coffee, "Longer than it has been for me!" Briefly, she looked over the other woman and nodded before giving her a quick hug, "You are looking well."

Just shrugging, the Sorceress shook her head, "Perhaps, though I could say much the same for you." Amused, she gave the other woman a look as the goddess pulled away and sat down and could only shake her head. Hestia, as per her portfolio, as the humans called it, definitely had a matronly figure. One only enhanced by the clothes that she wore. Something that made the goddess grin as she noticed the amusement from Medea. Then, Medea turned to one of her few, and oldest, friends, "And you are looking well too, Herakles. How are Hebe and the children?"

Lips twitching into a smile, the giant of a man laughs as he shrugs, muscle shirt shifting with the movement, "Hebe is doing well as expected. As for the children... they miss their Aunt Medea."

Only shaking her head, Medea sighed, "Tell them that their Aunt Medea misses them as well. Though I assume that Hera must twitch every time she hears them."
Now widely grinning, Herakles chuckled, "Why do you think that I have no trouble with them calling you that? Or that I encouraged them?" With a mock worried look, he glanced around before leaning in, "Just don't tell anyone that I said that, okay?"

From where she was seated, Hestia wagged a finger, though there was amusement in her eyes, "Now, now, you should both stop riling up Hera..." Taking a sip of her newly arrived drink, she smirked, "As amusing as it is."

Unable to help herself, the Sorceress shook her head, "Both of you, be off." A small smile on her face, Medea sighed, "I have not seen any of the children since World War Two. In particular when they informed me that Grindlewald and the Nazis were after the Lernaean Hydra... separately."

***********************************************
Coughing, in the modern day, Atalanta boggled at what she just heard, "Wait, are you serious? They were after that monster?"

Grimly smiling, Medea nodded, "They were as a matter of fact. I do not know if they believed that they could control it or if Grindlewald wished it to breed monsters. But I do know that they found it and had cut one of the stumps of its necks open to produce a head that they took while trying to remove the rock on the middle one. Grindlewald's forces got away with that head while I had to fight a partially freed Hydra. Granted, it also killed the Nazis attempting to get at it as well. It... was one of my more memorable fights over the centuries."

A grimace on her face, the Huntress shook her head, "I have no doubt of that."

With a sigh, Medea shrugged and scowled, "Yes, well... if it had gotten free, it would have been like one of those giant monster movies. Most likely would have devastated most of the area if it had. Thankfully, I burned the new head stumps and buried it once more under the ground." A frown crossed her face, "I should check up on it after those Death Eaters attempted to free it. Though I am thankful to that one witch, Lily Evans, I believe her name was. She helped along with her husband to keep them from finding it."

Throwing her hands up, Atalanta groaned, "Idiots! Magicals and the occultists in this day and age are idiots!"

Simply sipping her wine skin, the other woman shrugged, "I would not say all of them, and there were just as many in our day. That said... you will get no argument from me, Atalanta. Because they are far too sure in their superiority." Chuckling, Medea shook her head with amusement, "Did you know, some of the magical history books claim that Bellerophon was just a normal, if somewhat foolish wizard, and Pegasus a normal flying horse? Nothing more and nothing less?"

Face in her hands, Atalanta groaned, "Why...?"

Just scoffing, Medea shook her head, "As I said, magicals of any age can be arrogant and sure. I was less surprised when I read that than I should have been, to be quite honest." With a sigh, she waved her hand, "Anyways, after we had made small talk, the real reason for the visit came up and it was as I expected..."

*************************************

"I refuse."

Just sighing, Herakles shrugged some while nodding understandingly, "I told them that you would say that, but... you know Father."

Now glaring at her friend, Medea snarled, "Yes, I unfortunately do." Suddenly, she was grinning, "After all, how many of his would be paramours have I rescued from him or his wife?"

Sipping her coffee, Hestia piped up, "Enough of them to annoy him!"

The Sorceress gestured at the Hearth Goddess, "As she said, but... I suppose that you have an explanation as to why me. Why would I, who have been the thorn in the side of your fellow Olympians, suddenly be given an offer to become an agent of sorts?" Leaning forward, she looked Herakles in the eye, "Because you, I trust to tell me the truth. Hestia as well. But the others?" With a shrug, she sat back, "Lord Hades, perhaps, Hephaestus possibly as well as your wife, Herakles. But the others...? No."

Herakles only shrugged and didn't defend his family, he knew just how bad they could be after all. Picking up his own coffee, the cup looking small in his hands, he took a drink, "Apollo has been having visions again. Ones of mass death, of fire, and of destruction. He claims that it is worse than World War Two. Perhaps causing the destruction of Greece."

Frowning, Medea considered that before raising an eyebrow, "And what sort of threat are we talking about? I lived through World War Two and fought against the Axis, so I know how bad modern warfare can get."

Much to her surprise though, it was not the former Argonaut that spoke. Instead, it was a serious looking Hestia, "Unfortunately, we don't know."

Eyes widening, Medea sat up straight, "You... do not know? How can you not know?"

Grimacing, Hestia shook her head, "Whatever it is, the disaster is just too large to pinpoint. Except, somehow, it affects all of Greece. So we can't see an underlaying cause except, maybe, war. Or such a large natural disaster that it would have far reaching effects."

After a few moments, Herakles picked up where his aunt had left off, "Thus, we can't be sure what will cause it. Father has been visiting Tartarus to see if the Titans' bindings are loosening. He has also been checking on Typhon and various others. I have been talking with some of the other Pantheons and they been getting similar visions. So it is not limited to Greece. And they been looking for agents as well."

Her eyes narrowing, the Sorceress bit her fingernail in thought, "That... does the exact opposite of narrowing it down. I can name at least enough large threats that I could count off on all the fingers of my hands with none left over that could return and cause widespread devastation. Damn... even the non-magicals have the possibility with their biological weapons and nuclear ones."

Only shrugging, Herakles sighed, "Something that I will not dismiss the possibility of, even if Father does in regards to 'Mortal weaponry'. More the fool is he, though even I have become surprised with how destructive they have become." Shaking his head, he pressed his lips thinly, "He seems to regard it with some amusement, 'Oh! Look, the mortals think that they have powers that can equal the gods in destruction! Ha!'" A scowl on his face, the muscular man glared at nothing in particular, "Foolish, but not unexpected."

For almost a minute, Medea was silent before she shot her friend a narrowed eyed gaze, "You are an asshole, Herakles. Of all people, you know..."

Completely unrepentant, the Demigod gave her a raised eyebrow, "That you will not let this lie and will attempt to help? Whether you have our support or not? Yes, I do. It is not like you have not helped out over the centuries after all. Though I do say that you still looked, what is the current word? Cute, in that nurse's outfit during the First World War. Gave Hebe some ideas that we both enjoyed..." Ignoring the sputters and deep blush on his friend's face, as well as Hestia's snickers, Herakles continued with a serious expression, "But I would rather you be informed about it one way or the other." With a fond smile, he chuckled, "After all, you have fought for Greece for centuries in your own ways. Defending her and being a hero, if from the shadows."

Medea just glared at him before huffing, only to turn as Hestia spoke up, "If I may make a suggestion?" When the Sorceress looked at her, the goddess smiled, "My brothers and sisters, as well as nephews and nieces are getting rather desperate. After all, there are not many that would act as an agent. Circe, perhaps, but..."

That got a laugh from the other woman, "My Aunt? Oh yes, I can imagine how well that would turn out. Though, perhaps, 'Well' is not the word."

Continuing as if she did not hear, Hestia drained her coffee, "Yes, they want an agent here on the mortal realms badly. But, as you can guess, they burned far too many bridges and have only realized this now. And really, they only have their own selves to blame." Setting down her cup, she gave Medea a smirk, "I cannot say this in an official manner, but between us friends? Well... there is... much... that they would agree to."

When Medea turned to Herakles, the large man merely smiled and said nothing at all as he looked away as if not hearing a thing. Which, in and of itself, was telling. Humming, the Sorceress looked at the radio, "Did you know, I own this café...? It is a nice little place and I would not like to see it ruined." At their continued silence, she sighed, "Give me a few months to come to a decision as to if I will humour you or not. But, if I do, I will have a list of demands..."

All the two Olympians did was nod in agreement, small smiles on their faces.

*******************************************************

Several months later, a fist slammed down onto a table hard enough to crack the stone, smoke coming out of the cracks, "I REFUSE!'

Leaning back, Hades only hummed some, "Please, sister, do be careful with the furniture. While I do not lack for funds, I would rather not spend money that I do not have to." When Hera glared at him, the God of the Underworld simply sighed and waved the glare away, "I do mean it, I rather like this table. Persephone chose it and would be saddened if it was destroyed." With a look around, he stage whispered to her, "She claims it matches the drapes."

Head turning, Herakles coughed into his fist which made Hera glare at him. Shaking his head, he cleared his throat and pointed at it, "Sorry, swallowed a bug, I think." With some more suspicious coughs, he growled, "Mmm, a big bug."

Eyebrow twitching, the goddess turned to her brother and gestured at the scroll, "You still cannot be serious! These... demands! They are simply not acceptable!"

One eyebrow cocked, Hades spread his hands out, "Truly? There is nothing too objectionable in them. Well... except for one bit, but that I will allow considering the circumstances even though normally, I do not. Frankly, the other two are extremely lenient considering things." Making a show of examining the scroll, he hummed, "For example, I do not see any demands to allow for her to live upon Olympus. Or for us to raise her to our level, as much as I would not mind such."

Across the table, Medea snorted, "No offence, Lord Hades, but I would not wish to live there in any case. Not so close to... certain personages, shall we say."

The glare that Hera gave the Sorceress would have immolated a lesser mortal. For Medea? It simply bounced off her as she smiled, Herakles once more coughing. Looking towards him, Hades pulled out a wrapped item, "Cough drop, Nephew? Wonderful things that the mortals make for such issues. It helps, I find."

Sniffing, Herakles nodded as he took the offered item, "Yes, that does sound good."

With a nod, his uncle turned back to Medea and tilted his head as if to grant her the point, "Yes, I do suppose that makes sense." His next words cause Herakles to choke a bit on the cough drop, "After all, that is much the reason why I live here. Certain personal issues, you understand."

Her eyebrow twitching madly at this point, Zeus's wife growled as she ignored what was just said, "The rest though-"

Yet again, Hades waved a hand, "Are, as I said, perfectly acceptable. Only your pride are issues, which is why I suggest that you drop it, dear Sister." At her glare, he continued, "Your husband, our King, did give me full leeway with these negotiations." Thinly smiling, he hummed, "Unless you do not want us to have an agent or have a better choice?" At the silence, he hummed before turning to the scroll. Looking at the list, the God of the Underworld scratched his chin as if in thought, "Having you remove the cursed love that you forced upon her is a small issue, for both you and Aphrodite. Though why you have not done so before now..."

As his eyes fell on her, said Goddess of Love grimaced, "Yes, I suppose that would be easy. Though I do not see why it would be much of an issue."

For the first time, Medea gave a glare to someone there and growled, "Oh, not an issue? Why, it is not like I have lived for over two thousand years unable to stop loving a bastard while hating and despising him the whole time! Because said love being completely unnatural! It has prevented my from loving anyone for that time as it makes me feel like I am betraying that asshole!"

Hades sighed and nodded, "Yes, frankly, I agree with Medea my dear. This has gone on for far too long. Remove it from her at this moment in any case."

With a deep breaths, Hera snarled, "I see that you are ignoring the real issue! And that is-"

Now standing up, the Lord of Hades gave a glare to his sister and she quelled beneath it as he seemed to loom over her, "Is what, Sister dear? Do you have another choice of Agent? Hmm? No? Then swallow your damn pride for once and act like the 'Queen' you declare yourself as! What is the mortal saying? Ah, yes, 'I told you so!' After all, I have warned you, and the others, many times that your actions have consequences! Well, this is one of them!"

Face paling, Hera looked from Hades, to Medea, to Herakles, and Aphrodite. None of them had any sympathy, though Aphrodite also looked glum, "You... you cannot-"

Looming more over her, Hades walked around the table, "I can and I will! Our brother, your husband and King of Olympus have granted me full power! She quite literally has us by the balls, Hera! Now stop acting as a child!" Pointing at Medea, the Lord of the Underworld snarled, "I hereby swear upon the Styx that this deal is accepted! So, you will get upon your knees and both apologize for the harm that you have done to Medea of Cholchis, and admit that you were wrong to do so! And you shall do so right now in front of me as a witness!"

Utter silence fell over the room while Zeus' wife looked like she had been struck dumb. Nothing was said or spoken for a time, when one of the chairs slid out and Aphrodite got out of it. Looking as dignified as she could, the goddess walked over to where Medea was. Then, slowly, she got down on her knees and bowed, "I, Aphrodite , Goddess of Love, hereby apologize for the harm that I have done to Medea of Colchis. What I have done is unforgivable, and I was in the wrong to do so."

Medea, meanwhile, had her mouth wide open in surprise while her eyes boggled. After a few moments, she swallowed, "I... apology accepted."

Nodding, Aphrodite got up and stood as straight as she could before turning to Hades, "I... believe with this, that my part in this is done." Snapping her finger, there was a glow around Medea that faded away, "There, the cursed love is now removed from you."

She then gave another nod before signing the agreement, though she paused for a moment and she glanced at Hades. With that done, she walked out of the room. Body shaking, Hera looked around the room before growling. Practically stomping over, she kneeled down and apologized much like Aphrodite had. After Medea had accepted it, she stood and shot one last venomous glare at everyone before signing the agreement and leaving. Several moments of silence went by before Herakles gave a low whistle, "Damn, never thought that you would do it."

Hand running through her hair, Medea shook her head, "I didn't actually think that she would..." She then shot a look at Hades, "Or that you would go for it. I would have given it up for other things. All I wanted was to see her face when she read it."

A smug smirk on his face, Hades spread his hands, "My sister, as much as I love her, needs to have some lessons in humility forced upon her. And a kick in the ass every now and again." Glancing at the paper, he frowned, "Though, I must ask... just one?"

The Sorceress nodded some, "Yes, Lord Hades. Unlike the others, you have never given me cause to be... angry... about. I can admit that you are fair at least, so I see no need to be greedy."

Chuckling, Hades bowed his head some, "And I thank you for that, it is part of my duties after all." He had a small, amused look on his face before he continued, "Now, I will admit that I added some to the agreement that my dear sister did not notice." Sliding it across the table, the Olympian smiled a bit, "I do hope that is to your personal enjoyment?"

Eyes wide, Medea stared, "Two hundred years in which neither Hera nor Aphrodite can do anything to me in regards to harm. And... if I prevent enough deaths, as decided by you, a bonus favor?"

When she looked at him, Hades sighed and nodded, "My family has done you wrong, Medea. And for that, I apologize myself as for reasons I could not interfere. Consider this part of that, now, who is it that you wish to be brought back?"

Lips curling, Medea told him and he laughed, stating that he could hear his brother's bellows of anger from where they were...

***************************************************************

For several moments, Atalanta stared at her friend before shaking her head, "I... should be surprised, and yet I am not." A snort escaped her, "Though that explains so much, such as how Hebe deaged me in my new body."

Simply shrugging, Medea smiled, "Actually, that was a boon from Herakles. He stated that he had never seen Hera so enraged in centuries, and decided that deserved a reward."

It was then that the Huntress frowned, "You should be careful. Hera will not forget, nor forgive that."

Glancing at her, Medea shook her head, "I would not worry too much." At the confused look she got, she hummed, "Zeus, it seems, has been considering if mortal forms of birth control could well protect if magically strengthened. Hades, it seems, sent him a pack of Trojans as something of a gag gift and his brother did not realize what was meant and misunderstood. And to that end, according to Hestia, has been seen sniffing around Metis again..."

With a sigh, Atalanta rolled her eyes, "Of course. The problem would solve itself in that case, dammit." Several seconds passed before she sighed with a soft smile, "Though having you exchange the free favor from Hades for my husband to be returned to life as well..." Tears in her eyes, she turned to her friend, "Thank you."

The Sorceress smiled a bit and took back the wine skin, "I would be a fool not to notice how much you missed him, Atalanta. And you missed him deeply..." Letting out a breath, she gave her friend an understanding look, "Thus, the decision was easy when Hades came to me and stated that the favor was available. One decision that I did not regret due to seeing the two of you embracing after he was restored to life."

Atalanta gave a sigh as she nodded, "And, once more, I thank you." Turning towards the ocean, she hummed, "Perhaps, if you ever find someone we could go on double..." It was then that the Huntress noticed the light blush on her fellow Argonaut's face and her eyes widened while they sparkled with barely concealed glee, "Do not tell me..."

Even though she attempted to keep her dignity, Medea knew that she had failed. Especially as she could feel her own lips curl upwards into a happy smile, "I... have spoken with Georgios, and admitted to some things. And she has accepted, fully and without hesitation. We shall have our first true date this Friday on Valentine's Day."

Her teeth revealed due to how large a grin she had, Atalanta laughed and gave Medea a hug, "That is great news, Medea! If there was anyone who deserved actual love, it would be you." Pulling back, she gave the Sorceress a happy look, "I am so happy for you, Medea."

Voice slightly choked, the other woman nodded, "Thank you, Atalanta. Though I ask that you wait a few months before suggesting any double dates. I... need time to get used to this first, you understand."

Softly snorting, Atalanta shook her head, "Medea, you do not even need to ask." Placing a hand on her friend's shoulders, she chuckled, "Take things at your own pace, friend. No one else's. Though you should be warned, considering things Herakles might well ask for you to go on a group date with him and Hebe, possibly alongside us."

That got a snort in turn from Medea as she smirked, "Yes, which means that we can spend such a date needling him with all the tales we know about."

Both of them shared a grin at that, while on Olympus, a certain muscular man paused in his match and looked around at the shiver that went down his back, 'What was that?'

However, his thoughts derailed as Ares punched him in the face, "HA! GOTTEN DISTRACTED AGAIN, WHELP!"

Meanwhile, back in Greece proper, Atalata nodded, "But I'll be looking forward to it, and I hope you have all the best of luck, Medea. "Checking her watch, she smiled a bit before giving Medea a hug, "Unfortunately, I will see you later, Medea. Those Destroyers have waited long enough, after all."

Just patting her on the back, the Admiral nodded, "They have at that, and say hello to Hippomenes for me when you get home."

All her friend did was nod and headed off at a fast run, while Medea herself turned and began to walk back to her office... she had a Armoured Cruiser to tease and flirt with after all.

Life, was good.