Harry Potter & the Shipgirls

[darthcourt10]

SkyeFire

Yellowhammer said:This. this must happen for Colombe and 'Lady Harmony'.

You just had to push the "Evil Idea" button in my brain, didn't you?
*-*-*

Smugging gleefully, Colombe cuddled up to To-chan and opened her latest novel acquisition to the bookmarked page. Given the effect of reading the "Lady Chastity" series together in bed together on her lover, she was looking forward to trying out this "Harper Chamberlain", whose style was so similar to Lyra's, but with a focus on a happily (very happily) committed monogamous couple who made up for variety with intensity

But as she progressed through the opening pages of a scene which made her positively tingle with anticipation, she noticed a small frown on To-chan's face. A frown which slowly grew deeper, even as Colombe tried to salvage the situation by doubling down on her reading, amping up her most sultry voix de chambre. Finally, the mismatch between her own level of... "excitement," and To-chan's lack thereof, became too much, and Colombe closed the book on her finger to face her lover squarely.

"To-chan? What is amiss, mon amour?"

The katana spirit bit her lip, obviously searching for the right words. "Co-chan... don't you find it a bit... odd? Or, oddly familiar?"

"...well, the writing style is very similar to Lyra's, but I don't think that's what troubles you."

"No, not that. It's the characters. Two musicians, shy and reserved to the outside world, but so, ah, torridly in love in private. And the way that, for them, the difference between music and sex seems almost nonexistent, especially with all the erotic overtones whenever they play each other's chosen instrument. And how the line between themselves and their instruments seems to blur...."

Tokunotakai sat up, and met her lover's eyes squarely. "Co-chan... I would almost swear this book is written about Tony and Claire, much the way that 'Lady Chastity' was 'you'."

The world froze solid. The air in her lungs turned to ice. There was an thunderous SNAP inside her head, as if a thousand scattered puzzle pieces suddenly assembled themselves into one horrible, cohesive whole.

Harper Chamberlain.

Harp. Lyre.

Chamber... pot? Potter.

She knew that skewed sense of humor, as intimately as she knew the couple who rejoiced in it.

"LLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Yellowhammer said:Newsflash. Mighty Mo's here and Mo isn't happy. And everyone is well within her range. Stand down or get stood down.

If Mo ain't happy, ain't nobody in range happy.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

The Family That Slays Together.... (I)

15 July 2014

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York

A carved American Chestnut wardrobe opened and Colombe du Chasteler hopped out into an octagonal basement room. The rapier's spirit looked around the room with a scowl on her face. She then gestured angrily at the pile of luggage in her Vanishing Cabinet and floated it across to the other Vanishing Cabinet to lie against the wall beside it in a stack.

Behind her the door of the Cabinet closed, then opened to disgorge a worried Claire and Ehren. Colombe frowned and moved more luggage to the growing pile beside the cabinet to Moulbaix. A third time the cabinet opened to let Toku out and the last of the luggage.

"That's all." Colombe snapped out as she walked to the solitary door leading out of the room. She chanted in Latin and then grasped the brass handle, twisting it fully clockwise in a circle. The door vanished, revealing a lantern lit set of stone stairs. Colombe took them two at a time with her daughters and Toku hot on her heels.

Toku blinked at a corridor going off to the side with some underground rooms with old beds and furniture faintly visible in the light of the Lumos spells the four had cast.

At the top Colombe climbed up a ladder into a lantern-lit basement with bins half-full of apples. She turned on the packed dirt of the floor and helped Claire and Ehren out of the passageway, followed by Toku. Ehren looked at her mother. "Should I do the honors?"

"Oui," Colombe responded absently as she nibbled her lip nervously. Ehren walked to a nearby antique tin lantern hanging from the rafters, and took it down, igniting the Everburning Candle inside it with a spell. As the candle lit, the floor rippled and the entrance to the hidden sub-basement shimmered and then vanished leaving behind no trace of its existence. Ehren then smirked and hung the lantern up to join the other ones illuminating the cellar.

Tokunotakai blinked. "That is an impressive trick. That is no illusion but actually Transfiguration of the floor."

Ehren nodded her head as she walked past the rows of fruit bins. "Ja. It is a spell put into place by Tante Jèzebel a hundred and fifty years ago. This house was used as a way station on one of the lines that helped escaped slaves to flee to Canada. The rooms below us were used to house them as they made their way to freedom."

Colombe opened the cellar door. "It is a clever hiding place indeed. Remind me when we get back to Moulbaix to show you the Priest Hole that we have in the castle to hide the family chaplain from the Jacobin mob during the Revolution."

Ehren followed Colombe up the stairs to the ground floor of the house. "Interesting, Mutti. So, was it ever used?"

Colombe shook her head, "No, Ehren. The family fled the castle in 1792 to Vienna and only returned in 1809 after the madmen were suppressed quite thoroughly. I'm the only person who even knows of it and the other secret passages now."

Then Colombe's eyes widened as she saw Jacklyn in the hall ahead of her. "Jackie! I heard about Del and Zamarad. How are they?!" She asked with a minor quaver in her voice.

Jackie sighed and spoke in a hoarse voice, "They are up in her bedroom. Jez is sitting in with them. They," Jackie's voice broke and Colombe hugged her, "were pretty messed up. One of Jez's operations went really bad on them."

Ehren and Claire joined the hug, followed by Toku. "Jez's letter said that they were in comas. Kasuyu said that he would be helping out when he phoned me." Colombe whispered as she hugged her piratical sister to her.

Jackie buried her head in Colombe's shoulder, "He's been in and out helping, Aomi too. Jez... This is hitting her hard. Harder than when Father left her for good."

Colombe nodded soberly and released Jackie. "I'm here, Jackie, and I'll hold the fort. I promise."
-----------------------

Spoiler: Redeeming A Promise

Colombe steeled herself as she opened the door to Delilah's bedroom.

The large carved chestnut bed was surrounded by six brightly polished brass incense burners in a hexagon emitting spiraling tendrils of sandalwood incense. Beyond the bed, there was a roaring hardwood fire in the fireplace. The drapes had been drawn back to show the darkness of the evening-shrouded fields and orchards beyond.

Jèzebel de Breuil, her face lined and tears slowly falling from her eyes sat in an armchair dragged to the side of the bed like a worn and weary gargoyle overlooking a cathedral.

All these things Colombe saw and processed in an instant, but they were secondary to the two still figures on the bed lying side by side.

Zamarad, her face, limbs, and torso heavily bandaged was lying on the left with her dusky face ghostly pale and her chest barely rising and falling.

To the right, Delilah lay, equally waxen and pale. Fewer bandages covered her though, and her revolver body was sitting on a side table in a clear tank of repair fluid.

Colombe looked over her shoulder at the others and shook her head. "Not just yet, girls, To-chan. I... need to see her first alone."

The others nodded solemnly. Colombe stepped inside and walked slowly to Jèzebel's side, her spine as stiff and straight as her steel and her face stricken.

"Jez, I came as soon as I got your message. I'm...." Colombe's voice broke and her tears began to fall. She swallowed and then resumed, "I'm sorry that I wasn't here for Del and Zamarad. I'm sorry that I was not here to protect my little sister. What happened?"

Jèzebel closed her eyes and spoke in a hoarse whisper. "The network got information about a potential Abyssal Cult in Maine. In a small magical village called Kingsport. We sent in one of our agents to investigate. He... vanished so Delilah elected to act by leading a MIB raid backed up by allies in the FBI and Navy. We had certain indications that it was linked to some elements of MACUSA... perhaps."

The elderly witch opened her eyes and stared at the only children that she would ever have. "It was a rogue MACUSA operation, I believe. They had some kind of a magical locus that could attract and direct Abyssals apparently and were using it to hit no-maj towns and naval facilities in New England."

Colombe's fists clenched and the breath hissed through her teeth. "Delilah disrupted the ritual that they were using, but the locus was active and bringing the Abyssals ashore before any help could arrive. She...." Jèzebel whispered with sad pride in her voice, "goaded several bound wendigo spirits they had into chasing her into the Abyssals to buy time for the shipgirls that she had as backup to land and protect the town. Time that she would be buying with her life. Zamarad tripped a TOTEM Fiendfyre security spell then took control of it to supercharge herself at the risk of her life and went to Delilah's aid. After the battle, the survivors found them lying together and near dead."

Jèzebel looked at her daughter's face and spoke in a bitter tone full of regret. "I wanted Delilah to be a hero that would make the world proud to give Norimune something that could never be taken from her. I promised Norimune that when I found out that I was with her child. Even if the history books wrote Nori out of existence she would still be Delilah's father. For all of Delilah's life, I pushed her, challenged her, molded her, used her...."

Jèzebel broke down and wept as Colombe held her. "....and I may have finally killed my baby girl trying to make her her fulfill my promise."

"Delilah, please come back to me!" The heartbroken witch sobbed as Ehren, Claire, and Toku entered to hug and support her.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

It was a Harry who was exhausted, sweaty, and whose arms felt like they were going to fall off who gave a soft sigh of relief when Okita finally gave him the okay to stop. The reaction of which was something that amused said Samurai greatly... until she smiled a bit wider and chuckled, "Now, for the cool down."

For a few moments, the teenage wizard stared at her before internally groaning, and internally as he knew better than to outwardly do it. Something else that Okita seemed to know and amuse her. That said, the teenage girl went through the same cool down as he did, stretching and the like as she made small talk.

Head tilted to the side as he performed the various stretches and the like alongside Okita, both of them having removed the rest of their armor and placing it to the side for now, Harry glanced at her, "So this is generally the same way that you trained the rest of the Shinsengumi, Okita-Chan? Really?"

Okita gave him a small smile before she tilted her head from side to side, "Generally, hai." She then gave a shrug as she stretched, "Though there are differences, such as the stretches and such. Makes it a lot easier for students now and I am taking it a bit easier on you. But yes, you are right."

Considering that for a few moments, the male teen nodded slowly, "Huh... how long did you generally train them for, if I can ask?"

With a hum, Okita thought it over before nodding, "Well, it was not very long, usually a few months. Give or take anyways."

Eyes widening, Harry boggled at her, "Wait, a few months? But I thought that it took longer to get good at swordfighting." At the snickers from Okita as well as the other two incarnated, he thought that there was some sort of joke there that he did not know, "What?"

Shaking her head, the pale haired swordwoman smiled a little, "It's nothing, Harry-Kun. But..." For a second or two, she paused before shrugging, "You are right that it takes years to truly master the blade. But at the time, we were not quite so concerned with such things due to the fighting that was going on. Rather, we were more concerned with teaching them basics with the sword for those who did not know or polishing what was there for those who did. None of us Captains or Commanders expected them to become swordmasters quickly, but we did expect them to be able to use at least the basics on the battlefield without danger to their comrades or themselves. A strong, well made base of the basics is a foundation upon which you build your ability to use the sword. And one who has mastered even the basics can beat someone who has reached an intermediate level but has not had the same competency in the basics."

At that, understanding bloomed on Harry's face, "So that is what you're doing, helping me polish the basics?"

Just nodding with a smile on her face, Okita chuckled, "Correct." She gave him a considering look, "While extremely rough at the moment, I can see that there is a style there. I take it that the style in particular is from Hoshi-San, who has been your sensei?"

Lightly blushing, the nearly fourteen year old wizard nodded, "Hai, that's right."

Her lips twitching, Okita smiled a touch wider, "Good, and it is likely a style that she has refined over centuries." Briefly, there was a look of wistfulness, "To be able to do such... to take one's style and improve upon it over centuries. That would be something..."

Not quite sure what to say to that, Harry kept silent himself, unlike Nobu who grinned, "What? Would you marry your style if you could rather than your blade? Because I know which one that I would rather."

Both teens look over at Nobu who was waggling her eyebrows suggestively before sighing.

Deciding to ignore that for now, Okita turned back to Harry, "Still, I can take the basics of what she is teaching you and help you to get better via mastering them. In the Shinsengumi, that was what myself and other instructors did, with those under us improving upon their technique as they fought on the battlefield or sparred with us. Perhaps it is not much, but it is what works and did work for us well enough."

Uesugi hummed from where she sat with an amused look on her face, "Perhaps, or perhaps it is what is needed. For a student eventually needs to learn on their own and to make a style personal to themselves." She then tilted her head a bit, "Still, learning the basics and mastering them is important for a swordsman or swordswoman, as the case may be."

Hands behind her head, Nobu shrugged some as she kicked out her legs, "Yeah... both Okita-Chan and Uesugi-Chan are right about that. If a foundation is weak or cracked, than a castle would fall when the earth shudders no matter how magnificent it may be." Motioning with a hand, she shook her head, "I had many men under me who knew the basics and whom I had trained to polish those, and often they were more the match for those who would have been considered higher ranked in their schools, if only because they mastered what they did have, rather than just learn it and move on without mastering."

Slowly, Harry nodded in understanding at what was being told to him. Sure, there was a part of him that wanted to move on and learn the more 'Awesome' moves, he would not deny that. After all, he was a teenage boy and it would have been cool. But, at the same time, he understood what they were telling him as well about the basics. He also knew that they had more experience in such things than he did, so he had no issue believing that they were right in this matter.

Eventually, however, he was done with his stretches and stood up alongside his current 'Sensei'. Stretching her arms wide, Okita grinned madly, "And now... for my payment for the lesson!"

Just sharing a look of amusement with the others, Harry walked over to the box that was off to one side and picked it up before walking over. Opening it, he checked inside before nodding a little and holding it out, "Here you go, strawberry squares."

Her eyes practically sparkling, Okita took the hand santizer offered by Uesugi and used it before taking one of the squares. She noted the slightly crumbly crust above and below the deep red filling before taking a bite and happily humming as she chewed, 'Ah... the best payment...'

Lips twitching as she looked at her friend, Uesugi poured her some tea which she handed over to the pale haired teenage girl before taking a square herself. Taking a bite, she nodded some as she chewed, "This is quite good."

Nobu also took one and bit into it before grinning, "Yeah, this is pretty good." After having another bite, she looked at the dessert with an interested look before turning to Harry, "So where is this from?" Seeing his expression, the former warlord snorted a little, "You were one of the best back in school at baking and things. But you did make various treats from Britain."

Raising a finger, her fellow reincarnate from the Sengoku Jidai spoke up, "That is very true." Uesugi gave him a slight smile, "I remember the oat cakes you made and how popular they were."

A sniffle made them turn to Okita who had a pout on her face, "I miss all the sweet things that you made in class." Seeing their looks, she huffed a little, "What? Don't deny it, both of you do as well."

Snickers came from Nobu before she shook her head and turned back to Harry, "So?"

With a small shrug, Harry shook his head, "Not much to tell, really. In this case? I used a recipe that I picked up from one of the Canadian shipgirls for a dessert that they call date squares, and switched out the dates for strawberries among other things. I've also made apple versions and the like."

Considering that for a few moments, the lone member of the Shinsengumi frowned in thought as she finished off hers before taking a sip of her tea to wash it down. With a hum, Okita took another one and bit into it, "I wonder what the date ones taste like then."

More than a little amused, Harry chuckled some and gave a shrug, "If you want, I can make some of those for the next time? That way you can try it though, uh..." Scratching the back of his neck, he frowned a little, "They are kind of sticky and somewhat sweeter than what most would think."

Only shrugging herself, Okita shook her head, "I don't mind, anything sweet is good."

Unable to help himself, the wizard snickered a bit, "Hai, I remember that at least from school." A thoughtful look came across his face and he looked towards Okita, "Did you always like sweets, or..."

Chewing her food, Okita looked at him and realized his question before nodding, "Hai, I did love sweets even back in my previous life." A soft sigh escaped her as she nibbled a bit at her square, "Nothing like a nice, warm dango..." For a few moments, the former Shinsengumi stayed like that before shaking her head, "But if there is one thing that I am glad about in regards to the modern day, it is the sheer variety of sweets."

Lips curled into a smirk, Nobu glanced at her, "Well, we just need to make sure that all those sweets don't make you fat."

For several seconds the pale haired teen girl looked at her friend before smirking herself and looking down at her chest, "Well, in my case, it goes to the right places unlike some~" Ignoring the sputters from Nobu and Harry coughing, she gave a shrug, "Besides which, all my kendo practice as well as exercise means that I don't need to worry nearly as much about that as other girls."

Glancing at Nobu, who was grumbling, Harry took a sip of his tea, "I see..." A few minutes later, he noticed that Nobu was looking at one of her bangs and grumbling some, "Is... something wrong, Nobu-Chan?"

Just blinking, the former head of the Oda looked over at him, "Eh?"

With a sigh, Okita rolled her eyes some, "She's just checking her hair to check that her dye job is still working."

That really made Harry blink before he turned to Nobu who had a slight blush on her face, "Dye job? You dye your hair?"

Arms crossed, Nobu sighed some but nodded just the same, "Hai, I do." She waved a hand around, "My hair is normally dark brown, almost black but... I've noticed that it has been turning red." Then, the former warlord shook her head some, "It's slow though, just a few strands here and there. From what my Kaa-San told me, one of my great-grandparents was an American soldier with red hair, so... who knows? I dye it to keep it matched."

Both girls nodded at that though Harry frowned in thought and looked at his friend, "You know... you might look good with red hair." He then grinned some, "Heck, claim that it is red because you are a demon and it is colored by the blood of thousands that soak your form."

Upon seeing the thoughtful look on Nobu's face, Uesugi sighed, "Please don't encourage her, Harry-Kun."

In reply, the black haired wizard shrugged some with his response getting a cackle from Nobu, "Can't be helped!" Suddenly, Harry had a thought occur to him due to a history program from the night before, "Hey, Nobu-Chan? Mind if I ask you about something from your previous life?"

Eyebrow raised, Nobu leaned forward, "Sure, I don't mind." A grin appeared on her face, "As these two can tell you, talking about my greatness is one of my favorite things to do!"

Snorting, Harry considered his question before turning to Nobu with an interested look on his face, "Well... last night, there was a history program on and it was talking about Hideyoshi..."

Only blinking, the former warlord hummed, "About Monkey, huh?" Scratching her chin, Nobu frowned a bit, "Well, it depends on when since I was, ya know, kind of dead for part of his life."

With a shake of his head, Harry frowned some, "Well, it is about after you died, but still has to do with you. See... they were talking about Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea after he united most of Japan under him. It's obvious that a good chunk of why he did it was because, well... large army of people who have been fighting decades wouldn't transition to peace easily. So best send them to be someone else's problem."

Uesugi snorted some at that and shook her head, "I will admit that it... makes a certain amount of sense to do so, yes. Still a foolish thing however."

Glancing at her, the teenage wizard nodded before turning back to Nobu who had an interested expression, "Well, one of the things they mentioned was that Hideyoshi did it because it was part of your dream. And that you claimed once you united Japan, you would conquer China next. So I was wondering..."

Very slowly, Nobu nodded with a frown on her face, "You're wondering if I actually was planning on doing that?"

Arms crossed, Okita frowned as well, "I remember reading that myself, both in this life and the next." She then shrugged some, "It does sound like something that you would do."

Laughing, the former warlord grinned widely, "It truly does, does it not?" Nobu stroked her chin a little bit, "As to your question, hmm..."

Shrugging, Harry tilted his head some, "I ask because, well... from what they said, no one else confirmed what he claimed, not even Ieyasu did. I could ask Honjo-San, of course, but..."

Nobu softly snorted at that and shook her head, "She might not know either." Taking one of the last strawberry squares, she looked at it for a few moments before beginning to nibble at it, "Hmm... actually, I do know the answer as well as why Ieyasu stated I never said that. Because, in fact, I both did say it and did not."

That made each of the other teens blink in confusion. More than a little befuddled, Harry frowned at her, "You... did say it? But also didn't?"

With a hum, Nobu nodded some, "Hai." Taking a sip of tea, she had a far off look on her face, "It was about a year before my death in fact, at a Moon viewing party Ieyasu was hosting. Victory looked within our grasp at the time, the full unification of Japan being something that we were close to completing. All of us were well into our cups as it were and pretty drunk. Heh... It was quite fun as Kote-chan is something of a clinger while drunk, you know. And when her kimono became a wee bit loose..."

Coughing, Uesugi gave her a look before adjusting her glasses, "Nobu-Chan... story."

Just blinking, the former head of the Oda nodded, "Right, right..." Rubbing her chin, she frowned a little, "Well, as I said, we were all drunk and could see that we were close to victory and getting closer with each passing day. Oh, we knew that it would be years, but... we could also tell that within a decade, we could pull it off. So, my son, Nobutada asked me what I would do once we conquered Japan." Clearing her voice, and also blinking a small amount of wetness at the thought of her eldest son, Nobu took a deep breath before speaking, "And I said... 'What should we do next after we unite Japan, my son!? Well, we shall make Japan powerful under us and able to stand up to those outside the nation! Perhaps even take China! Yes, that would be a fine thing, would it not, Monkey? Ieyasu? To be Emperor of China as well as Shogun of Japan?' And Ieyasu laughed and said that meant that I would need to wear the hat of the Chinese Emperor and it would look horrible upon my head!"

Only chuckling, Uesugi shook her head, "Ah, Ieyasu... he was truly an interesting fellow."

Laughing a bit, Nobu grinned, "He was at that, trust me." After a few seconds, she shook her head, "Well, I agreed with him about that the hat would look bad on my head and so forth. Then the two of us got to discussion as to whether being Chinese Emperor would make me greater than the Emperor of Japan or not. Because the Emperor had his line go from the fog of history while the Chinese changed their dynasties like one would clothing at times." Waving her hand, she shook her head, "So, yeah, in regards to your question, Harry-Kun? I did say that I would conquer China, but it was mostly in jest at best. Nothing serious."

Intrigued, and finishing off her square, Okita took a sip of her own tea, "So what would have been your plans next, Nobu-Chan? I doubt that you would have stopped with just Japan."

Blinking, Nobu gave a small nod, "And you would be right, Okita-Chan." She gave a chuckle and shook her head, "I didn't really have fully formed plans at the time. Now, I will admit, that if I had the chance I might have tried to take China. But... for the most part I was planning on going either north, to take Hokkaido, or Ezo as it was known fully. If I took that, then chances are that upon finding out about Sakhalin, I might have tried for it as well. Would have been much easier than Korea. Alternatively, go south and take the Ryukyu Kingdom like what was done in a few decades. But those would have been distractions for the soldiery, all the time I would have implimented my planned reforms and made them stick." Then, the former warlord scratched her chin, "Now, if I was still alive after my reforms were complete and able? Then, maybe, I would have tried to go after China as Japan would have been in a stronger position after at least a decade of being united. But unlike Monkey, I would not have advertised it as he did and given them the chance to build up."

At that, the others just nodded in thought.

 

[darthcourt10]

Kab2

I bring you the next part of Sofia's adventures, I hope you like it:

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

Once again, Sofia reached the island she inhabited after a day of exploring, but today she didn't look happy because she discovered the body of one from her fleet, and she felt responsible of her death even if she deserved it, because she knew the reason her fleet were this north of their base was that they were looking for her.

Feeling down, she walked to the outpost to rumiate her guilt, she felt another twinge of guilt as she remembered the friend left behind when she fled her fleet.

As always after she inhabited the island, her captain reached out out and asked for permission to materialize, but this time she turned him down.

"Not today Captain." said Sofia "I want to be 'alone' with my thoughts, sorry."

Saluting he dissapeared inside her hold again and she entered the outpost, but as she passed the door, she noticed the sword at the wall.

Narrowing her eyes she spoke to the sword. "You know, in the month passed since I brought you here some food has dissapeared, do you know anything about it?" Asked Sofia.

If she expected an answer, none was given.

"Well, I suspected as much." she said shrugging. "Either way telling you about my life will help me even if you are an inanimate object."

She started to talk "You know, from my birth I was marked, in my fleet I was the only one with red hair, I didn't know why until much later, I was pointed at because of it, ridiculed for not being normal enough; not much later, I became interested in the humans as beings like me, capable of infinite possibilities, of building things like this outpost or transports through air or water; but when I exposed my ideas to some of my fleet they laughed and began to hurt me, saying that what they were doing to me was the least we had to do to the humans"

Pausing a bit, she put a pained face remembering that moment."And when I went to my ma- to my princess to ask why they had hurt me, she said that they were right, that the humans were subjects to kill or experiment upon, so I have to learn to kill or imprison them." she braced herself as she was saying this."This was a shock to me and I ran from her without a direction, crying as I realized that none of my fleet shared my thoughts. I stopped in the hangar where the Wa-class transports were stationed, feeling safe as they only followed very simple orders without an sliver of intelligence and no one of her fleet came there, I rested near one and spilled my heart out as I wept, but the Wa I was near approached me and put her chest in my head, as she consoling me" she said smiling.

Walking away a bit to get some food, she brought a log that acted as a chair and continued explaining her life. "Do you know how I felt?, I felt relieved, that one of my fleet suported me, even if it was a Wa-class, from that moment onwards she was my support and confidant, I didn't know if she understood what I was telling her or not, but she always did the same whenever I felt sad, I thought she was more empathetic than the other Was, but now I think different." She smiled sadly at the memory of her only friend. "I hid my thoughts about the humans from the others and always complied to the orders of my princess, luckily there were only exploration and research until 6 months ago; I was entrusted with the duty of recognizing the way for a convoy, a Wa-class and two Tsu-class with orders to retrieve some goods from a wreck at the bottom of the sea; it went well until halfway the return, I was exploring the front a bit ahead of them when the shipgirls attacked the convoy from the sides, I was unaware of it until some time passed and they didn't give signals of live when I surfaced, I retraced my steps and I found them dead."

Putting away the empty can, she sighed."I felt sad and guilty as it was my fault, my old Captain saying that I was useless as he always stated, but I was shocked because another thing; the helmet of the Wa-class was broken, and it revealed a face; an human face I recognized from a very rowdy human my fleet captured a year before, whose disappearance I noted, and I remembered that this Wa-class was comissioned not long after it and the disposal of strange lumps from her laboratory sometimes; and the pieces fell in their places; the humans my princess captured she converted them in Wa-class or she experimented on them until they died, or some members of the fleet who failed their mission." she put her hand on her forehead and snorted "And then I saw the shipgirls coming from the south so I panicked, I dived until I hit the bottom and swam as fast as I could to the north, until I reached this island."

Looking down, she said with a sad voice "I escaped from the shipgirls, but my problems didn't finish there; my captain ordered me to refill and go back to my fleet, and I asked him why I should go back to someone who converted humans in mindless transports if not something worse, and he replied that it didn't matter to him, that we were now the superior race and the humans were to be under our feet to do whatever we desired." she paused a bit as she looked at the sword. "I felt betrayed my my own crew and I went to the captain's cabin and locked myself inside. There again I wept and cursed myself for not being the same as the others, I don't know how much time passed, until there was a knock at the door, and I saw that 3 hours passed away, I told to whoever it was out of the door that I won't open it, but Lieutenant Hüttenwerk insisted that he had to talk with me of some very important matters, so he convinced me to talk." A little smirk came to her lips. "Then he told me something interesting, he said that all my imps remembered a life that wasn't theirs, but they all had something in common, me, or more likely the submarine that my princess scrapped to use as materials for me, he got this information from other imps when he asked for permission to leave me for some time at the base, also he supposed that it was the reason they had those memories and the fact that my insides were a copy of that submarine."

She entwined her hands and became thoughtful. "That answered some questions about my situation, but the following information was revealing, as he said the name of that submarine, U-919, comissioned in secret by the magical side of Spain and Germany in an apparently neutral mission to explore the seabed, so that explained my hobby too, but with the name only came a sense of familiarity, not ownership."

"But that wasn't all, he explained to me that he was the secret envoy of the Abwehr to monitor the activities at the secret base, he was originally destined to U-573, but its sale to the spaniards forced him to wait until the post in U-919 that began its construction in 1943; he arrived at May 1944 to the secret island where the construction was, and became horrified at what he saw there, he heard rumours about the jewish concentration camps at home but never believed it until he reached there, but instead of jews there were spanish prisoners, those who opposed the Spanish Minister of Magic, controlled with a curse by the officer at charge of the base, and further investigation confirmed that his superiors lied to him, this wasn't for what he signed for, he wanted a greater Germany but not with those methods; so he resolved to kill the officer, free the prisoners and escape using the almost finished submarine."

Sofia sighed again. "But it didn't develop as planned, the officer had a security plan if he was killed, and as they were getting into the submarine, something exploded and the island turned into hell. Fiendfyre burned all the island to ashes and made a breach in the submarine, so no one survived that day. And when my princess took the island as base, it seems that she inspected the submarine remains and used its structure to design a So-class submarine, me; she used the its remains as materials for me and I was born."

"And then Hüttenwerk told me that the prisoners were still in my hull, but the crew hid it from me; the Captain told me that they were combat imps that needed to be incarcerated as they attacked anything that moved and believing him I didn't feel the need to distrust him, but at Hüttenkerk's request I looked into the expanded cargo hold they were imprisoned, and I saw the Captain's lie."

"I was furious with the Captain, one thing was to scorn me but another was to lie to me, but then the Lieutenant proposed me a plan; a mutiny on the ship, he knew who to trust and who to not as the others didn't knew what happened at the island, so we executed the plan, after the riot I ascended Hüttenkerk to Captain and he commanded the few original crew remaining and the freed prisoners, who accepted the official enlistment to my crew and to be trained in their duties. Afterwards I settled in this island, buried the corpse of a mage I found at the beach and began to explore the seabed."

Warmingly smiling Sofia said. "In one of the expeditions, I saw a transport ship that had a hull breach at the bottom and it was sinking, without thinking I reached to it and towed the ship to a near beach, where I bellowed the ship in the rocks. I surfaced to see if the humans inside needed some help, but the looks I got from the majority were hate 'An abyssal saved us? Impossible!! surely she saved us to play with us until we die.' was one of the milder things they said. I was debating what to do until one said 'Look, a shipgirl is coming to save us! It's Lady Warspite!' looking to where they were pointing I saw one of the protectors of the humans, a shipgirl as they named her. Knowing that I wasn't a match for her I fled inmediately to my base to lay low for a while. But when we reached the island a problem arised. Hüttenwerk remembered that Warspite was an english battleship at the time he was alive, so he said that maybe the shipgirl was the spirit of that ship; at that moment I knew that he was right."

Clutching her right wrist with her left hand she looked at her right hand while she opened and closed them. "Who am I?" she asked. "I am the only abyssal I know that her crew has memories of humans that were inside or commisioned into a ship, but I know I am not the spirit of U-919, and my crew only has the memories of the humans, they know they aren't them." She embraced herself with a frightened expression. "I am me, but at the same time I am not me, I am Sofia, not U-919" she began to tremble "I am a doppelgänger and am I keeping U-919 from being brought back?" she grabbed her head. "Maybe she already came back and loathes me? I don't know, I don't want to know, but at the same time I want to."

After a while she calmed herself and returned to a normal stand.

Sofia continued "After a long break and coming somewhat to terms with it I decided that whatever is true, I am myself, so until I know the truth I will live towards the future." she smiled. "And that is my life, thanks for hearing me, I feel better now." she turned to take a well needed rest.

But as she walked away she felt something, turning around she saw the sword becoming alive, red circles drawing theirselves in its surface as dark sparkles flowed from it until a body appeared from thin air.

It was a human female clad in dark knight armor, yellow hair, yellow eyes and pale skin. she took the sword and putting the tip on the floor, she crossed her hands over the hilt.

"I see we are kindred spirits, so I revealed myself." said the knight in a monotone voice. "You are the one who will be my Master from this day onwards."

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

The Family That Slays Together.... (II)

15 July 2014

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York

The Vanishing Cabinet to Castle Moulbaix opened in the hidden subbasement and Ehren stepped out with a small pack containing the ofudas, gohei wand, brush kit, and other reagents that Tokunotakai had asked her to retrieve from the miko's room at Moulbaix. Her other hand held the mail for her mother that had come in.

And a letter to herself that had just arrived yesterday alongside the news of Delilah's condition. Ehren focused on that creamy sealed envelope to avoid having to think about the possibly dying -- no don't think of that, Aunt Del and Aunt Zamarad had to get better right? -- aunts upstairs watched over by her family.

Ehren's thumb rubbed over the crimson blot of sealing wax that kept it secured. She wasn't familiar with the crest on it, although she immediately recognized the design of the coat of arms as European-derived.
Spoiler: The Seal

A knight's helmet surmounting the field.... Signifying nobility.

A lion rampant in the Dexter Chief point.... Lions signified courage, strength, nobility.... In fact Belgium's coat of arms had a lion rampant.

A serpent glissant in the Sinister Chief point.... That was odd since snakes were extremely ambiguous animals in Western heraldry.... A sign of wisdom, yes, but also lies, vengefulness, and vindictiveness.

A badger passant regardant in the Dexter base point.... Ehren did not know what to make of this one, since in her limited study of history, Folklore, and heraldry she had never heard of any coat of arms that used a badger.... Which was surprising, perhaps, because while they were normally peaceful, when provoked in defense of their families and burrows they would be utterly savage and ferocious....

Ehren's lips curled into a smile as she remembered that the Dachshund was literally bred to go into holes to flush and hunt badgers in the early 18th Century when Mutti was a girl. They were a beloved dog in her native Germany, becoming a symbol of her nation. A flash of memory and she saw Vati as a young boy throwing a stick for Maxi and Fritzi to chase. She then giggled slightly at the memory of the two dachshund pups being caught quarreling over Opa's accordion.
Spoiler: Maxi und Fritzi

With that smile still on her lips, her thumb moved to the sinister base with the last of the four animals.

A bird of some kind with his wings displayed and inverted. Ehren didn't think that it was an eagle (and it certainly was not a Prussian eagle) since the beak was too long. A corvus such as a crow, rook, or raven perhaps?

Perhaps.

And in the exact center, the Fess point was a smaller shield containing the letter H in pretense. And at the bottom the motto of the individual whose arms this was.

'Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus'

'Never tickle a sleeping dragon.'

Ehren chuckled and closed the passage to the subbasement. Words to live by, she supposed, or at least someone in this person's family had a sense of humor.
-----------------------

She gave a smile to Aomi Sato as faint piano music came from upstairs. "Hello Aomi. Is there any change?"

The young Inugami woman shook her head as she turned from the kitchen stove. "None. Jackie-chan is about to come 'off watch' as she is calling it. Colombe-san and Jezabel-san are sleeping now; Jackie-chan spiked their coffee with Sleeping Draught. Toku-san is going to relieve Jackie-chan."
Spoiler: Claire Serenades Aunt Del

Ehren smiled. "Sehr gut. Mutti has been beside herself ever since she heard. I need not ask what my sister is doing."

Aomi shook her head. "She moved the piano into the room and has been playing... Gershwin I believe?"

Ehren nodded. "Ja. Tante Del likes Gershwin. I have learned not to question Claire's choices of music to play." The dagger wiped her eyes with her wrist. "I... remember being injured and lying in bed and hearing her through my pain and distress."

Aomi hugged Ehren. "I'll run this plate upstairs to her, you and Toku before I turn in with Jackie."

"Thank you," the dagger replied before heading to the bedroom.
-----------------------

True to form, Claire was playing piano for the unconscious Delilah and Zamarad. Ehren's lips curled into a small fond smile as she looked at the brunette head pouring her heart and soul into the playing of Tante Jez's Henry Z. Steinway Limited Edition rosewood piano. Ehren remembered that piano had been gifted by Mutti and Jackie to the de Breuils for the Christmas before Blood Week. It was famous in the family for being a piano that Claire had gushed over at first sight, much to the not hidden at all delight of the family who knew that she had selected it. After a 'test run' of Balakirev's Islamey (Oriental Fantasy), Claire then loudly declared 'she was as suitable for her playing as an actual Bösendorfer was' to the assembled family.
Spoiler: Claire's Test Run

Spoiler: Jez's Piano

Beside the sickbed, Toku was sitting in seiza and meditating to the piano music. The Masamune cocked her head at Ehren and nodded in greeting before opening her eyes.

Ehren walked to the side of Toku and spoke quietly. "I have the items you asked for me to get when I took the luggage home."

"Domo arigatou, Ehren-chan." Toku responded. "With luck I can help strengthen and revive their spirits."

The miko sighed and looked at the pale young ladies. "They both... expended much of their spirit in battle, like a flame that consumes all its fuel available and is reduced to just cooling coals. Perhaps I can help them return to their body from... wherever their spirits have wandered."

Ehren hugged Toku around the shoulders. "I shall do what I can to help you save them," the dagger took a deep breath, leaned in, and spoke in a barely audible puff of breath, "Stiefmutter."

Toku's hug tightened. "Thank you Ehren. I shall need an extensive time alone to prepare, purify, and fortify my spirit for the ritual. Can you and your sister take over watching over them, changing the bandages, and feeding them the healing potion laced broth?"

Ehren snapped to attention. "Jawohl, Toku."
--------------------

"What do you have there, Ehren?" The sound of her sister's voice pulled Ehren out of her silent vigil over her aunts. She looked at the piano where Claire was flexing her hands and taking a drink of water.

"Letters that arrived while we were in Japan, Claire." Ehren responded, blushing slightly as she continued, "Draco sent two. Niobe sent one. Nimue sent one addressed to us both. Ron sent one. I have two from Passel House for you -- I think one might be from Summer -- that arrived day before yesterday via owl mail. Last but not least, I was sent this by a mystery sender."

Ehren held up the sealed mystery envelope for observation.

Claire blinked as she took the letters marked for her and the one addressed to both girls by Nimue. "Well, you should open it and find out who your mystery admirer is, Ehren."

Ehren nodded and with a flick of her wrist drew her true self to break the seal. "Ja, Claire."

Parchment crinkled as she opened the letter.

Then Ehren froze in shock as her steel-blue eyes scanned the words on the first page of the letter.
Spoiler: An Unexpected Letter

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY


Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)


Dear Ms. Ehren du Chasteler,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,


Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Ehren's eyes bulged and her unguarded smile lit up her face as she comprehended what this meant for her, for her promise to Aunt Del, for her family, for her friends who went to Hogwarts nine months out of the year.

Claire squealed in excitement at her sister's clear joy and then crushed Ehren from behind with her happy hug as the piano read the letter over her shoulder. "Ehren! You're going to be trained as a witch like Mother wanted to be!"

Ehren blinked happy tears out of her eyes as she reread the letter once more. "Ja, ich werde sein. I'll make her proud. I'll make all of you proud. I promise."

 

[darthcourt10]

AntonioCC

Sorry for teh long delay but Real Life intervened. This is the third part of the misadventures of the group. Nothing big, but necessary as a transition to the next scene.
==================================================================================
"Everybody, this is my sister Ichika." she said in English, and then looked to the female sword spirit, "And, yes, I haven't forgotten that you have already met."

"I wasn't going to say anything." she said.

"Suuure you were." Sakura replied.

"Weren't we in a deadline?" Ichika said in a stern tone, "And you two aren't as funny as you think you are."

"Okay, sorry, I was just trying to lighten the mood." Sakura said, and pointed to the ruined gate, "With this on top of what is going on..., but you are right, we are a bit pressed for time."

"Do we all fit there?" Johann asked, opening his mouth beyond an occasional hmmm or grunt for the first time since

"Yes, it has space expanding charms." Ichika answered as she opened the side door of the van, revealing a second row of seats that by all rights shouldn't fit in the van, "Come in, we need to be on the road ASAP."

Sakura sat into the passenger's seat while Trini and the two sword spirits sat in the backseat. Ichika turned the key and went down the dirt road toward the main road.

"And now that we are on our way, what did happen there?"

"What do you know about Japan's story in the XIXth century?"

"Not much, really." Trini said, pensive, "I know that after Japan was forcibly open there was a civil war between followers of the Meiji Emperor and the ones who wanted to restore the Tokugawa Shogunate, but I don't know the specifics."

"That was the Boshin War, but it was preceded by a period of instability, with Western gunboat diplomacy adding fuel to the fire." Sakura said.

"I hadn't yet met my husband back then, but his father was pretty well known to be a supporter of the restoration of the Emperor's powers, which probably played a big part on what did happen." Ichika added with a sigh.

"They were attacked." Trini stated.

"Yes, Apparation, we think." Ichika said, "It was then when I met my husband. He was just a kid back then, fleeing from the attack with a handful of servants. The complex caught fire, trapping everybody else, including the attackers, inside. There were no survivors."

"And their spirits lingered on..." Trini said.

Ichika just nodded in answer, before Sakura took on, explaining briefly that they were finally sealed in the early 1890s, but they didn't manage to exorcise the yuurei, despite several attempts.

"...We have kept the wards in place, and most of the time you only felt a bit of disquietude when you are inside the ruins." Sakura said, "We should have purified it long, long ago, but... first Kamo, later the war, the post-war crackdown..."

"Have you contacted Masamune-no-Tokunotakai?" the female sword spirit said, "I have met her through her sister Musashi."

"Yes, we did..." said Sakura looking down for a moment, "...It's a long story." she added in a tone that implied they didn't want to discuss it.
Near Yokosuka. A road control. Some time later.

Lieutenant Yusuke Kaneda, JMSDF, approached the small van with a bit of trepidation. There were two Japanese women, very attractive if he had to admit it, in the front seats and three other barely visible people, which he didn't know how they could fit in there, in the backseats.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but this road is closed." He said, pretty formally.

"We have permission, Lieutenant." The woman at the wheel said.

"Allow me." one of the people in the backseat, a Western woman, said in English, presenting a military ID card, of the type used by shipgirls. Spanish Navy Ship Nuestra Señora de la Trinidad. The others also presented their identification documents. He arched an eyebrow to the birthdates of the other people in the back, but shrugged internally, they were probably tsukumogami of some type.

Nonetheless, he called Admiral Goto to confirm, which he did. Apparently she had called before to announce her visit, relative to the same matter that had made necessary the roadblock. He gave back the ID cards, ordered his men to open the control and gave them directions of how to arrive to their destination. As the van disappeared on the distance, he grimaced. It had to be something bad if foreign shipgirls from the other side of the planet were coming to help.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

The Family That Slays Together.... (III)

15 July 2014

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York

Ehren placed the now empty bowls of healing potion-laced broth on the side table to be carried down to the kitchen to be washed and cleaned later. She then picked up the acceptance letter from Hogwarts and reread the first page.

Unbidden, her lips curled in a happy smile. On the other side of the room Claire caught the mood change and shifted her piano playing into a minor key.
Spoiler: Best Little Dagger Sister's Going To Be A Witch!

Ehren's eyes found the seal of the school at the top of the letter and examined it once again. Now that she knew who it was from the heraldry made sense. The four animals clearly represented the four Houses that students were Sorted into their first day in school. The Lion of Gryffindor where her friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were. The Serpent of Slytherin, where her cousin Draco Malfoy was a prominent member like Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa had been before him. The bird... that must be a Raven for Ravenclaw; Hermione mentioned that she almost got sorted there. So by process of elimination, the Badger must be the symbol of Hufflepuff.

Ehren's eyes narrowed as she wondered where she would be Sorted. For that matter, how did Sorting work? Her friends had been vague on the details. For that matter how did it work for Mother, Big Sister Ying and Aunt Del when they were students? Ying had said something about statues at Ilvermorny that picked her for Horned Serpent and Aunt Del for Thunderbird.

That thought caused Ehren to turn and look at her aunt's comatose form on the sickbed. She sighed deeply in concern for her aunts and also....

If Aunt Del never woke up or passed away, her responsibilities for the Black Hills would have to fall on Ehren's untested shoulders. Ehren's spine straightened as she pledged silently -- since she had to keep those matters secret as she had sworn to Del last year -- that she would carry out her duties to the letter and the best of her abilities no matter the cost to her. Just as she had a year ago to her aunt when she was made aware of the need for someone loyal and true to stand as a watchman on the wall of that particular fortress.

Her cheeks flushed slightly and her eyes stung as she remembered the painful conversation with Draco the day before her visit to Malfoy House ended.

No.

It is better this way.

He deserves better than someone as tainted as I am.

The shipgirls he loves and who love him are better than I would ever be for him.

I have my responsibilities and duties, not least in the matter of Delilah's stewardship, which romance would interfere fatally with.

Draco has my sworn word to not interfere with the relationships among him and my other friends. My word and oath, which I gave to him as the one gift that I could give him freely without compromising my honor.

Knowing that being a silent and ever-vigilant loyal sentinel who guarded warmth, love, and happiness that she would not be allowed to experience was the path that her honor demanded of her was cold comfort indeed. But cold comfort was all that someone as flawed and tainted as she was truly deserved.

Ehren shrugged minutely in acceptance and then carefully folded the letter telling her of her acceptance. She would now be permitted to see him at school to enjoy his friendship and that would have to suffice as she protected him and his. Draco and her other friends such as Ronald and Hermione and now Harry Potter, plus any others she met who were closer to the age that she would be disguising herself as would need to satisfy the pains of her separation from Claire and Mutti.

With that, Ehren pulled a notebook and pen out of her aunt's desk drawer. She sat down with the second sheet of the acceptance letter in front of her and began to make a list of things needed to ensure success at school.

First, reread the school supplies list.
--------------------------


HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY



UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1.Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2.One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3.One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4.One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic
by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory
by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions
by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

Spoiler: Ehren Prepares For Hogwarts

Ehren bit her lip as she made notes in her precise hand to brief Mutti once her mother woke up from her induced nap.

I: Send return letter by owl to Hogwarts to inform the school that letter receipt and acceptance is complied with. Get Mutti to countersign acceptance letter. Write personal letters to Cousin Draco, Ronald, Harry, and Hermione notifying them that I shall be attending Hogwarts this fall, ask for advice about school, classes, etc. Attempt to coordinate a meeting with them once school begins.

II: Inventory castle for copies of needed books and school materials. Known books already in hand: Standard Book of Spells, A guide to self protection against the Dark Forces.

III: Once school supply shortages are catalogued and shopping list assembled, plan on trip to Diagon Alley to purchase needed supplies. Ask if Claire wishes to go, possibly coordinate with cousins. Ask Mutti if she wishes to chaperone. Budget for needed additional luxuries while there, ice cream is mandatory, also stop by candy store Claire found to get her a gift, and purchase chocolate bars for self.

IV: Pack. Include reading materials, cellular phone, school supplies, additional clothing, blade maintenance kit, favorite whetstone. Also iPod with songs, business textbooks. Idle hands are the devil's workshop after all and the early bird gets the worm. Speak to Mutti about whether or not to separate Uhu and Bubi after their eggs hatch. If not, ask Cousin Draco, Ron, or Harry if you can use their owls to write Mutti and Claire twice weekly to relay progress reports on schooling and personal anecdotes.

V: Inquire about visitation policies for family. Especially Claire. She would not want to let her big sister get lonely. In fact.....

Ehren paused for a moment and then nibbled her lip in thought as her eyes lighted on the tank of repair fluid regenerating her aunt's true body.

The large tank of concentrated repair fluid.

Memory of a conversation with Uncle Kansha yesterday sprang to her mind.

"So you are a set of knives in fact, Uncle? And can actually be in two places at once?"

"Yes, it makes it easier in the kitchen since I can manifest multiple bodies to cook if needed. It is a bit of an odd feeling at first and this me's memories are slightly different than the me I have back on base cleaning the kitchen after lunch, but once I meet myself again, both of them merge back into me."

"Sehr interessant in der Tat...."(very Interesting in fact)

With that Ehren's eyes widened. She unsheathed herself and looked at her blade thoughtfully.

Repair fluid could regenerate missing pieces of a spirit such as a shipgirl. Or such as her.

And Claire was using a small part of her piano body to manifest....

With that insight and the implications of it thundering through her mind, Ehren carefully disassembled her hilt, blushing crimson as she did with the feeling of exposure that action gave.

She then removed the steel pin that held the ebony wood and leather of her hilt to the steel tang of her blade internally and placed it on the notepad out of the way.

She then reassembled herself without the pin and nodded in satisfaction as she sensed the link between the pin and her avatar. Using finger pressure to keep her blade from sliding out of her hilt, she walked over to the tank. The feel of the magical iron-rich water on her caused her to gasp and her knees to tremble as she submerged herself in the repair fluid.

Giving small barely audible whimpers and with her cheeks flaming as the missing part of herself regenerated, she walked back over to the notepad and seated herself. She took a long moment to steady herself and control the sensations running like fire through her avatar.

Befehl ist Befehl. (An Order is an Order)

With that she dismissed the manifestation of herself from her dagger body. After some fumbling, she then flickered into existence at the desk as the pin shimmered and shone with magical energies.

Ehren's triumphant grin split her face as a second 'her' appeared next to the tank and then vanished as she dismissed that version of herself to lower the drain on her energies.

Ausgezeichnet!(Excellent)

Her fingers found the pen and picked it up. She began to write once more in her precise orderly hand.

V: Inquire about visitation policies for family. Especially Claire. She would not want to let her big sister get lonely. In fact, regenerate five Griffhaltestift to allow her to keep Claire company at Moulbaix with one. Request for Miho to sew the other four into her underwear and swimsuit to allow her to manifest inside Hogwarts without her dagger body immediately visible to conceal her nature while changing clothing. This would allow for bathing, swimming, and showering with other girls to 'prove' that she was a normal witch like they are plus have one available at all times while her other linens were being laundered.

A.N.-If there was any doubt that Ehren would be a Hufflepuff....

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A.N.-The International Date Line makes timelines... fun....

The Family That Slays Together.... (IV)

15 July 2014

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York
Spoiler: Standing Vigil

"Ehren, is there any change?" A heartbroken voice interrupted Ehren's contemplation of the three hilt pins lined up neatly on Delilah's desk next to her list of needed steps to prepare for Hogwarts.

The snapped out question caused Ehren to turn to face the door. "Nein, Tante Jèzebel. They are still healing. Claire ran the dishes downstairs to wash up while I am keeping them company. Tante Jackie and Aomi are asleep, as is Mutti. Toku is preparing a ritual to perhaps help them and does not wish to be disturbed."

Jèzebel nodded and limped inside. Ehren hastily stood and helped the aged witch to the chair that she just vacated to watch over the two comatose spirits. The dagger then turned to go but a soft heartbroken voice halted her in her tracks. "Please... don't go."

Ehren turned and then looked at Jèzebel's stricken face. She nodded and sat on the piano's bench. "Jawohl, Tante Jèzebel." After a moment's pause, Ehren began to play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (First Movement) from memory for lack of anything better to do.

Jèzebel looked to be graven from stone as she looked at her daughter in silence as her tears slowly fell. Finally she spoke without looking in the direction of Ehren. "I should be mad about Jacklyn slipping me that Sleeping Draught, but... she did the right thing. As much as I hate to admit it." A long pause was followed by a deep sigh. "Ehren... I could have stopped her you know. I... suspected that something was up, she's a good liar but not to the mother who changed her diapers. She never could lie to me."

"But I didn't. I knew that she would never betray my trust, betray me. Not like," another long pause followed and then Jèzebel sobbed out the name, "Norimune. Like.... I failed Norimune. Delilah was my second chance. A chance to get it right. She trusted me utterly... and I used her. I... she trusted me utterly you know. If I had asked her to bring me the moon out of the heavens, or even if she thought I would ask her to do that, my little girl would do that for me. Do anything for me. And look what it got me, what became of my second chance with her. She thought that I would order her to walk into the fire this time once more... and it consumed her. It consumed all that I ever had in this world. Nori... and now Delilah." Jèzebel whispered bitterly.

Ehren flinched at the bitterly regretful and self-loathing tone in Jèzebel's voice. She knew that emotion well, for she too experienced it in the dark nights alone as she grappled with her own darkness and evil. The young dagger cast around for something to say to help her aunt.

Finally Ehren took a deep breath and squared her shoulders as she finished playing the movement. "Tante Jèzebel. I know in my soul what blind loyalty, unthinking loyalty is. It is etched into my blade, into my soul. Meine Ehre heißt Treue." Her lips twisted bitterly as she continued in a quiet voice that was as unyielding as her steel, "I know, and I know where that blind loyalty leads as I watched my Vati march under its banner into the Abyss. I also know that Tante Del never marched under that banner. She chose each and every time of her own free will to follow your wishes because you were worthy of her loyalty in all the ways that Hitler was unworthy of the brave and honorable father of mine that he damned and destroyed."

Jèzebel met Ehren's shadowed steel-blue eyes as the SS-Ehrendolch's spirit finished. "Blind loyalty is the ideology of a slave, and a slave-master. Tante Del is many, many things but she and Tante Zamarad were never slaves or slave-masters. She was born free, free to choose, and she chose well because you taught her well."

Whatever Jèzebel was going to say was interrupted as the carved eagle on her cane began to squawk and flap its wings. The elderly witch's eyes became as hard as flint and her voice was cold as winter. "Intruders just tripped the security wards."

Ehren dashed to the tank of repair fluid and fished her dagger out. "Where?!" Ehren demanded as she held it ready.

"Basement." Jèzebel snapped out.

Ehren headed for the door at a flat sprint as her expression became coldly determined and her lips set in a thin line.

As Ehren reached the door, she snapped out in a flat voice, "Get Mutti and Tante Jackie up, I'll send Claire up to here to watch Tante Del and help you wake them up."
----------------------------

16 July 2014

Ken-o Expy Toll Road, Halfway Between Uenohara-shi, Yamanashi Prefecture and Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture
Spoiler: Wednesday's Butterknives Are Full Of Woe

"Can't this hunk of junk go any faster?" The blond avatar in the passenger seat snapped out as she withdrew her gnawed fingernails from her mouth.

"Bite me, Nori! If you don't like it, get the fuck out and walk! I'm doing one-thirty as is." The purple-haired driver shot back as she accelerated through the start of rush hour traffic.

"Fuck you, Akutoku. Dammit, dammit, dammit!" The Unrepentant Blade turned her head to stare at the Sagami River's valley blurring by as her sister's car shot down the road like a bat out of Hell through the early-morning traffic.

"In your wet dreams, Nori." The Sword of Corruption paused as she passed a truck and then spoke again with a bit less heat and more worry in her voice. "I'll get you there as fast as I can. After all, I called dibs on killing that little car stealing bitch."

"That bitch is my daughter so you better smile when you say that Akutoku. Or I'll ram your hilt so far up your ass you'll taste sharkskin for the next decade." Norimune began to chew her nails once more.

"Up yours, Nori!" Akutoku leaned on the horn and flashed her lights at a Honda N-Box ahead of her. Finally the Office Lady in it cleared her path and the Muramasa floored the gas again. "Learn how to drive, Ofukuro!!" She shouted out the window as she shot by, accompanying it with a one-finger salute.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Head cocked to the side as they walked towards their destination through the tunnels beneath Yokosuka, Harry furrowed his eyebrows before looking at Tsukiakari, "My family had what built now?"

More amused than anything else, Tsukiakari giggled a little, "A small Ocean Liner." At his look, she bit back some laughter, "It was launched in 1913 as a matter of fact."

Pinching his nose, the teenage wizard glanced at a snickering Carnwennan, "An Ocean Liner... how and why?"

Tsukiakari hummed some, "Well, it wasn't a large one to be honest, Master. It was based somewhat on the SS Nomadic and her sister ship with a few modifications besides magical ones and slightly larger. As to why..." She gave a small shrug, "A number preferred traveling via ship than to taking an International Portkey or Floo back than. Neither are very pleasant after all." Scratching her chin, the Kyu-Gunto frowned in thought, "Master Ian helped finance it along with his younger brother. Mainly because they knew that the war was coming."

For a few moments, Harry stared at her, "Wait, what? They knew that the war was coming? How?! And why build an Ocean Liner?!"

Now truly amused, the Kyu-Gunto felt her lips twitching a little, "Well... they knew because the two of them knew Cassandra Trelawney, the great-great grandmother to your Divination's Professor and a truly great Seer. She actually saw the war coming and pinned down the year."

Boggling, Harry said nothing for a few moments, "She not only saw World War I coming, but the very year that it would happen in?!" A frown on his face, he glanced at her, "I know that my professor is a bit of a fraud, but her ancestor was mentioned as a great Seer... still, if she saw the war and the year, why didn't anyone actually stop it?"

Voice dry, Tsukiakari gave him a look, "They tried." Seeing his disbelieving look, she shook her head, "She stated that as June died in 1914, there would be a shot heard around the world that would start a war that many would see could end all wars. And that it would happen in the Balkans. So, of course, there was a heavy security presence there. Thus, when they saw a certain blonde rushing towards the Duke with her wand out..."

Facepalming, the teen groaned, "They leapt to conclusions and thus caused a self fulfilling prophecy." When she nodded, he sighed, "How does that tie into an Ocean Liner?"

Smugly smiling, Tsukiakari giggled a little, "An interesting fact about such ships like Ocean Liners... they can be converted into Hospital Ships." Upon seeing his widening eyes, she nodded, "Hai, as soon as the war began to open, the Potters had it come into dock and modified to operate as a magical Hospital Ship. Andria Potter, Master Ian's sister, added a number of spells that were rather interesting as a test bed for them to try and convince Saint Mungo's to use, but... they never did. While she never outright stated it, Master Ian was certain that she was one of the Unspeakables..." A frown crossed her face, "Partially because, somehow, she was found dead due to what looked like an accident, but no one would investigate and the Ministry quickly ruled that nothing untoward happened."

At that, Harry narrowed his eyes, "But Grandfather Ian was certain that it was otherwise and so was Henry."

Only giving him a look, the Kyu-Gunto narrowed her own eyes, "An accident involving potions would not leave her workshop mostly untouched besides her blown apart body, yet somehow destroy all her notes on the other side of the room on her temporal research with absolutely nothing left of them." Her scowl deepened a moment, "Then, as now, the Unspeakables want to keep their secrets exactly that, secret, even if it would help otherwise."

Just rubbing the side of his head, Harry scowled, "I can imagine..." With a deep breath, he pushed that to the side, "So what sort of spells were they?"

Understanding what he was doing, Tsukiakari nodded, "There were two main ones. In the operating rooms, where the major spell damage would be worked on, there was a spell to speed up time. That way they could save more people. Meanwhile, in some of the other rooms, time would be slowed down to give more time to get them to actual hospitals. Or even stop time within the room. You could wear a special enchanted wristband to go into the rooms with a new patient and be unaffected by the temporal magics there."

Eyes wide, for a few moments Harry just stared at her before shaking his head in disbelief, "I can imagine how that would help out a lot..." Becoming thoughtful, he glanced at her, "Was it useful?"

With a hum, Tsukiakari nodded with a small smile, "Hai, it was." She motioned with one hand, "Even if the Ministry didn't want to be involved, individuals could and a number of Healers joined up as well as Potions Masters. And since the Belgium and Netherlands' magical hospitals were overwhelmed, it helped save people until they could get to magical hospitals that could take them."

Slowly, the nearly fourteen year old nodded, "Hmm..." Blinking, Harry gave her a look, "What happened to it?"

Sabah spoke up at that from where she was beside him, "Well, after the First World War was over, the spells were disabled, although not destroyed, so with some work they could be reactivated. As for the the Ship, it was converted back into an Ocean Liner and continued to work. However, by the late 1930s, magicals were more likely to use brooms and the like. It was converted back into a Hospital Ship for World War Two, and after, the Potters used it as something of a yacht for the more richer parts of society. Finally, she was stored in 1963 in a bottle."

Now, that bit of information made Harry blink, "Wait, in a bottle? Like the Kazehana back in Japan?"

With a small smile, Sabah chuckled, "Yes, as a matter of fact as, after all, she might well have been needed again. And she had served the family well for decades."

Thoughtful, Harry frowned a little, "Hmm... I wonder..." Before anyone could ask him what he was thinking, they entered the room with the Vanishing Cabinets and his face lit up with a smile, "Shinano-Chan!" The teenage wizard then bowed to the others there, "Hamakaze-Chan, Isokaze-Chan, Yukikaze-Chan, Urakaze-Chan, Ooi-Nee, Kitakami-Nee! Great to see you all!"

Grinning, Ooi gave him a thumbs up, "And great to see you as well, Otouto!" She nodded some towards Sabah, Andraste, Tsukiakari, and Carnwennan, "Good to see you as well."

Meanwhile, Shinano walked over and gave Harry a hug with a smile on her face, "Ready to go, Harry-Chan?"

Hugging her back, the nearly fourteen year old boy nodded, "You know it, Shinano-Chan." Pulling back a little, he continued to smile, "Might have a look at the manor as well since Victory wrote in a letter that the rebuilding was nearly done."

With a hum, Carnwennan gave a small nod, "Well, Goldie will be meeting us there." At the surprised looks, he shook his head, "She's making sure that everything is clear for us since we're getting the material."

Each of the shipgirls merely nodded at that on agreement. It did make sense to make sure that the area was secured first after all.

It did not take very long for the group to arrive at the Potter's property outside of Godric's Hollow. For several moments, they stood there and looked around curiously. Kitakami's eyes widened though upon seeing the newly rebuilt manor as well as the gatehouse, "Oh wow..."

Her own eyes wide, Shinano nodded, "So pretty."

With her arms crossed, the other member of the Kuma-class gave a small nod, "It is something to see, that is for sure." Checking the time, she gave a small nod before looking at her little brother figure, "We have the time to go and check it out if you want, Harry-Chan. And we're not going to be in any real rush until we pick up the platinum."

Just shaking her head, Kitakami gave a sigh, "I still cannot believe that your family has so much platinum in its possession! Tens of billions of Yen!"

Lips curling into an amused smirk, Ooi reached out with a snicker and ruffled a grinning Harry's hair, "And, of course, my Otouto doesn't give a damn about the money. Because he's awesome that way."

Snickering softly, Harry nodded some, "Well, it's just money after all."

Each of the shipgirls there just shook their heads at that with fond expressions. That was, until a shout made them blink, "Hail the Praetor!"

With a blink, Harry turned and his eyes widened at the sight of Goldie approaching. It was not however that she was there that stunned them. But, rather, it was how she was approaching them currently.

Mainly because she was on a giant, jet black horse with glowing, red eyes and what looked like flames along the hooves.

Briefly, Ooi rubbed at her eyes before looking again and boggling, "What the fuck?!"

Highly amused, Goldie came to a stop before them and they all realized that it was not actually a horse, but an animated statue made of what looked like jet. That did not, however, take away from the fact that it had been carved to near perfection. It looked like someone had taken a warhorse and turned it to stone, the various muscles and the like were defined as if just under the pelt and it moved like it was alive. Blinking, Harry looked from the horse to Goldie in utter shock, "Goldie? What is this?"

Due to be amount of smug that she extruded, some of those there thought that the Roman blade had been possessed by Juuchi, "A good question, Umu!" Gently, she patted the horse's neck as it stood there, "This, Praetor, is what is known as a Stone Horse. A statue specifically animated to serve as a mount. It cannot feel fear, will not ever feel pain, cannot tire out, and will never hesitate! The perfect mount for war, Umu!"

Eyes still wide, the nearly fourteen year old wizard stared for a few more minutes before he remembered something and turned to Carnwennan, "Wait... didn't you state that one of my ancestors had something like this?"

Carnwennan blinked for a moment before smiling and nodding, "I have indeed, Master. Geoffrey Potter, your ancestor and grandson to Hardwin Potter. He was in fact the one who retrieved both myself and Goldie. His, however, was made from granite. This one, despite what Goldie said, is more for walking around the town or perhaps hunting bandits."

Walking up to the stone horse, Hamakaze traced the carved muscles with her finger before turning to him, "Do the Potters have many of these? And are the ones who make them still around?"

A frown on her face, Isokaze looked towards what had been the stables once upon a time, "But what about the stables? Is that where they were kept?"

From where she was on the horse, Goldie nodded with a small smile, "Very good questions! As to whether the Potters had more, they did and of different types. They even had a team for carriages that are made from pure, white marble as carved by Edmund Potter and which he used to pull the carriage of his wife the day they married."

It was then that Carnwennan spoke up, "As to those that make them? There's a few around that still do, although they're rare due to the Statute." He gestured towards the stables, "While the Potters have had horses for many centuries, they especially began to use real horses after the Statute went up. One couldn't exactly ride into town on them any more."

Softly smiling, Tsukiakari nodded, "After automobiles came about, though, Master Ian had them sent to Japan for the Arashi Clan. They still use them during the summer months as a matter of fact for farm work and getting around."

Running a hand along the stone horse's flank, Ooi grinned some, "Hey, Rika-Chan, maybe Harry-Chan will let us borrow one of the white ones. So that we can go for a ride."

Lightly blushing, the other Light Cruiser turned to Harry who suddenly grinned, "Maybe we should get you into one of the suits of armour that my family has, Yuuko-Nee. And Rika-Nee into one of the princess dresses."

Both Light Cruiser shipgirls blusher heavily at that, especially at the snickers they got, but still glanced at one another.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A.N.-I needed a WAFF break from the heavy subject of Del's coma, so....

Let It Doki

Mid-December Of The DDLC's 'First Year Of Life'

Arashi Clan Compound, Hokkaido

"You don't want more cheese, Monika?"

Monika shook her head, her coral brown ponytail swishing back and forth. "I'm stuffed just as full as your father's Duckies are being stuffed, Minato-chan." She gave her boyfriend a smile and a kiss. "I just want to walk around and enjoy the snow for a bit while I let breakfast settle."

He returned the kiss, causing her to shiver and blush a little deeper as she got up from their table. Beside Minato-chan, Sayori gave her a look which Monika easily interpreted as "You'll be OK, right?". Past Sayori, Yuri seconded that with her own concerned look as she sipped her hot chocolate.

Monika nodded and smiled back while her eyes flickered to Minato-chan in her own silent message. "I'll be Ok, take care of him for me will you? Don't let him worry about me."

Natsuki gave her a grin and a subtle thumbs-up before burrowing deeper into Minato-chan's side. "Hey hey, Minato-chan, want to try this 'Gouda' next?"

Monika gave a smile at her love's words as he answered in the affirmative from the table that she was walking away from for now. She didn't deserve him.

Her smile became slightly more brittle as she reached the door to the dining hall and she let a pair of new arrivals, a European looking pair of siblings around her apparent age of 18 in fact, enter.

She gave them a curious look since while they both had the Potter look that Minato-chan had, this brother and sister were the first clearly almost totally western members of the Arashi Clan. Also they were speaking French to each other in musical voices. Right behind them came a more mature man, clearly their father, with messy brown Potter hair, dark soulful eyes and a slightly abstracted air as he hummed a catchy melody.

"Le quatuor Brat est en grande difficulté quand Maman met la main sur eux..."

She shrugged to herself as she headed down the hall where they had come from. She then turned and walked down a veranda looking out on the snow-covered grounds thanks to the blizzard that had hit Hokkaido for the last four days. Snow-covered grounds which were currently a warzone as a massive snowball fight had erupted when the clouds had lifted this morning and the pent up energies from cabin fever had been released.
Spoiler: The Arashi Snowball War

Yuki-onna, Tsurara-onna, and Hone-onna girls ranging from preschool to early twenties were giggling and flinging snow and ice with wild abandon at each other and their male relatives. Who were returning fire, ably aided by some of Minato-chan's siblings who had skipped breakfast or eaten early to participate.

As Monika watched, a door on the far side of the field opened and four European tweenage children with messy hair stormed out in a stampede. At a unspoken signal, the two boys and two girls started a coordinated attack on the nearest victims with broad grins on their faces and snowballs in their bare hands.

Monika stood and watched the brawl with a fond smile on her face. She noticed a cluster of Arashi adults nearby with wistful smiles on their faces as they watched sons and daughters, or perhaps great-grandchildren, experiencing one of the joys of childhood.

Perhaps after her walk she could get the others to help her drag Minato-chan off for a snowball fight? She thought. Suddenly her cheeks heated and her eyes hooded as she thought about one day standing here alongside Him watching her and His' children romping in the snow with their siblings that Yuri, Natsuki, and Sayori would bear to Him.

"Excuse me, have you seen my children?" A shy musical voice asked her suddenly, cutting through her daydream of her and Minato-chan's children.

Monika half-turned to see a short European woman at her elbow. She was motherly in a word, with short ebon-black hair under a knit cap, gold music note earrings, and dressed in a white down jacket with black fur at the collar and sleeves over blue jeans. A younger teenage girl with pale blond -- really almost white -- hair, golden amber eyes, and dressed in her own well-worn camouflage hunting jacket, knit cap, and tailored jeans stood silently at the matron's elbow with a small smug smirk on her angular face.

Monika smiled and pointed at the field. "I think every child in the Clan is out there right now, Ma'am."

The matron turned and surveyed the field. Her eyes alighted on the four newcomers who had just poured snow down the back of a giggling Yuki-onna girl their age's yukata.

Mahogany eyes widened in shock.

The matron's lips opened and her voice boomed across the field like thunder.

"NO HATS!! NO GLOVES OR MITTENS!!! Henriette Claire Du Chasteler!! Amélie Honneur Du Chasteler!! Franz Wolfgang Du Chasteler!! Giuseppi Antonio Du Chasteler!! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU...!!!"

The cry was punctuated with her leaping over the balcony rail to land with a crash in the thigh-deep snow, which flew up in a dense cloud from the impact. The clearly angered mother plowed her way like a juggernaut through the snowball fight in the the direction of her children, who had looks of dread on their faces at the sight of Maternal Doom Approaching.

"Danke. I need to go and prevent my cousins being strung up by their thumbs with piano wire since Mutti is still drinking her morning coffee and my Omas got to bed late last night and are late waking, Miss." The laughing blond said in a dry upper-class English voice with a slight German accent to Monika before hopping over the rail to land with cat-like grace and start sprinting toward the scene of the crime and punishment.

Monika giggled and shook her head as she walked away. She patted some of the snow that the mother had tossed onto her with her landing out of her hair. She should change her clothes and let these dry before resuming her walk.
--------------------------

As Monika reached the guest room that had been set aside for her and the other Dokis, she noticed the screen to the empty room across the hall was ajar. She peeked inside out of curiosity and froze.

Her eyes widened in shock.

Inside was the expected luggage from a guest, of course, but also a grand piano now stood in the open space.

And such a piano.

Sunlight sparkled from golden inlay on the sides and lid, and from the sculpted lion's paw legs. The body was made from some dark brown rich hardwood, like frozen liquid chocolate.

Enthralled, Monika stepped inside, her wet hair and clothes forgotten in the delight of the moment. Her voice echoed in her ears. "Who takes a piano on vacation?"

She slowly walked around it, admiring it from all angles. She reached the inlay with the manufacturer's mark and gave an impressed and respectful whistle. "Bösendorfer, 1873?" She spoke in awe. "They really don't make masterpieces like this any more." She shook her head.

She finally sat down on the incredibly comfortable hardwood bench and reached for the closed cover over the keyboard to protect the keys. Her hand touched the carved and inlaid hardwood denying her access... and paused as she wrestled with herself.

Finally she shook her head and reluctantly stood. "No... no. I want to play this more than anything that I have ever played, but not without permission. I'll just have to find who the owner is and beg him to be allowed to play, or just listen to this beauty." She whispered sadly. She had, after all, learned the hard way about what would happen with her possessive impulses if she let them run amok. Her friends had suffered so because of them.

"Thank you for your consideration." The voice came from thin air behind her.

Monika whirled, and her eyes widened as she saw the mother from earlier, now dressed in an elegant wine-red Victorian ballgown, standing there with a shyly smug smile on her face. Her green eyes locked with the brown of this mystery woman's -- the exact same color as the wood of the piano she was sitting at -- and the yen suddenly dropped for her.

"You're like Minato-chan's mother and Aunt Juuchi, and Tsukiakari-san and the rest. You're... the spirit of this piano." She whispered in shock.

The smile widened and the mystery woman curtsied. "That's correct. I'm Claire du Chasteler-Potter. I and my family came here for the reunion."

"Monika. Minato-chan summoned me earlier this year along with the rest of the Doki-Doki Literature Club before the computer that we were trapped in crashed and killed us all." Monika said as she bowed politely in return.

Claire giggled and nodded. "Oh, I know full well how Potters can be when they find The One for them. Tony, my beloved husband, won this princess from her castle with his music and character," the piano gave a happy sigh with hearts in her eyes, "and I love him just as much this moment as I did the day we first met when he played the heart out of my case under the blossoms of the chestnut trees of Cimetière de Passy as the Eiffel Tower lit up that evening. You are a musician too?"

Monika spoke hesitantly, "In... inside the game I was part of, I played piano. I have taken a few lessons once I got outside, not like the decades I and my friends were trapped there, but..."

Claire smiled gently and waved her hand. As Monika watched, the cover unlocked itself and retracted, exposing the ebony and elephant ivory of the keyboard while Claire's lid was opened by unseen hands to expose her waiting soundbox. "But pianos are not just supposed to be seen and admired. We are supposed to be heard as we spread joy to all those who can listen to our voices."

Monika walked over and hugged the spirit. "Thank you Claire!"
--------------------------

Spoiler: Let It Doki

As Minato walked back to the room along with the other three Dokis, majestic, powerful, and passionate piano music was heard. He grinned at the other girls. "That's Aunt Claire. She must have arrived earlier this morning by Portkey when we were at breakfast; I saw Uncle Tony and my cousins Jacques and Therese there. Let's find her, and then hunt down Monika to listen to her."

The girls nodded as they reached the room where the music was coming from. Then Minato stopped dead in his tracks as he saw the pianist.

It was Claire's true body, true, but the piano's spirit was standing beside her case with a broad and beaming smug smile. Monika was at the keyboard playing her heart and soul out in a duet of love and compassion with Claire's powerful and rich voice.

Monika's green eyes met his and electricity ran through him. She smiled and blushed as she shifted into a song from a movie that he had showed her and the other Dokis right after they arrived. A song sung by a troubled young woman who was striving to break free of the shackles of pain and regret and sorrow forged in her past to eventually be with the ones who loved her.

"And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I'm never going back, the past is in the past!

Let it go, let it go
And I'll rise like the break of dawn!
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone!
Here I stand in the light of day!
Let the storm rage on
The cold never bothered me anyway"

 

[darthcourt10]

mikelima777

(sometime after Savato's 10th snippet) FoL Adjusting to Humans


Yokosuka, Japan,

Tanith was taking a break between her recruiting efforts and managing the Fleet of Laughter visiting Japan. There were a few applicants coming in after the first batch of flyers were posted. Hopefully, there would be more coming soon. In the meantime, she was feeling a bit tired and was urged by her sisters and family to take a break. Thus she chose to spend some time with her mother in the Nagato residence at Yokosuka Naval Base.

Hoppou was still dressed in her uniform, having dropped off her backpack in her room. Happily munching on a cookie baked by Harry, Hoppou spent some family time with her daughter and her mother. Tanith was listening as Hoppou went on about her day in school when suddenly there was a knock at the door. Nagato shook off her Nagamon persona and went to see who was waiting.

She was surprised to see a Canadian Naval Officer, his rank insignias marking him a Lieutenant, accompanied the Canadian Ambassador to Japan, the latter carrying a Briefcase. The officer saluted Nagato before introducing the Ambassador. The seasoned diplomat shook Nagato's hand and spoke quietly with the battleship, Tanith unable to hear what they were saying. Nagato soon led the two Canadians inside her apartment, where the Ambassador went to shake hands with Tanith before Nagato offered him and his escort to sit down.

"Hello, my name is Mackenzie Clugston, I am the Ambassador of Canada to Japan. On behalf of the Government of Canada, I bring greetings to the Fleet of Laughter."

Tanith understood some diplomatic protocol and spoke formally as representative of her sisters and children.

"Greetings, I am the Northern Water Princess, Tanith, of the Fleet of Laughter. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"The Government of Canada wished to express our gratitude for what the Fleet of Laughter had done. With the capture of HMCS Regina, it was clear that the Fleet of Laughter, despite pressure from hostile abyssal forces, treated our ship and crew with dignity and respect, and aided in their escape during the battle for Unalaska. Against all odds, you saved our ship and helped HMCS Regina and her crew return to Canada. My country recognizes that despite tragedy and loss, you saved Canadian lives and brought them home. Given the losses you suffered, Canada owes a debt to the Fleet of Laughter.

First, the Government of Canada is considering a trade envoy to Avrora Island with the potential of the creation of a consulate general. subject to approval we will be requesting permission to establish a trade office on Avrora, with the future possibility of redesignation as a formal Consulate. In short, unless we hear of any reasonable objections to the contrary, Canada is prepared to establish trade relations with the potential for full diplomatic recognition. Given the circumstances, it is the least we can do. Second,"

The Ambassador opened the briefcase and passed several documents and a letter to the tall abyssal Princess.

"We have a letter for the Fleet of Laughter regarding your sisters."

Hoppou interjected, showing a mix of pride and expectation.

"Tandy and my Wardens, they are joining your navy soon..."

"Err, yes, Miss Hoppou. The Wardens will be participating in a ceremony to formally join the Royal Canadian Navy. After some negotiations with our partners, we can permit family and relatives to witness this occasion. We hereby invite your fleet to send a representative or representatives to this occasion. In accordances with the Accords signed, we are granting visas permitting travel to British Columbia, Canada. We will need to know who is going within a week, so Miss Tanith, we ask that the Fleet of Laughter provide an answer of who will represent your fleet as soon as possible. I am presenting a card with contact information for the Embassy."

Tanith skimmed through the letter and nodded.

"We will need time to discuss this. Thank you, Ambassador."

"On behalf of the Government of Canada, thank you for your attention. If transportation or escort is required, please let us know. I hope this may mark the true start of relations between our peoples." He held out his hand.

Tanith carefully shook his hand, before radioing the Fleet.

"This is Tanith, we have news from Canada. We will need to hold a conference soon."

*******

A lorry arrived in front of what appeared to be an old manor, where a well-dressed man awaited. The driver of the lorry stepped out and approached the couple with a clipboard. He looked around with perplexion. The address was in the middle of nowhere and the manor was surrounded by overgrown flora.

"Good afternoon, Mister Greengrass, your shipment has arrived."

"Good afternoon, sir. May we inspect the cargo?"

The driver shrugged, "Sure, right this way, sir. Not exactly sure what all this stuff is for, but not my problem."

Cyrus Greengrass gingerly stepped up onto the back of the lorry, where bundles of wood, junk metal, glass, and jerry cans of motor oil and fuel lay. He nodded.

"Perfect, just need you to drop this off outside my gate, we'll take it from here."

The driver was confused, given he could have dropped them off inside, but he agreed.

After the last of the cargo was dropped off, Cyrus signed the documents with a fountain pen (which also surprised the driver), who soon departed, muttering about crazy jobs. After making sure no one was around, Cyrus called for his house-elves.

"Wally, Tilly, I'll need your help bringing this all to the storeroom next to our new chamber."

They responded quickly.

"Of course, Master"
"Right away, Master"

He used his wand to levitate a pile of steel, while the elves took care of the rest.

Cyrus was helping his eldest daughter with a project of hers and her friend Tracy. They wanted to see if they could summon the family narrowboats, and asked for summoning supplies and help with making a rough summoning chamber. Once they were done school, they would help finish the chamber and start trying to summon the boats back. He had asked Daphne if she could ask Harry for some more information discreetly about what could improve their chances of summoning the family boats.

Cyrus was trying to distract himself from the online humiliation he recently had after several matches resulted in him singling out enemy Japanese destroyers and getting killed in the progress. But in that time, he became interested in a particular destroyer class. It was in a Tier 10 match where an enemy Shimakaze was about to torpedo his battleship yet again when a pan-Asian destroyer, the Yueyang, rushed in and detonated the Shimakaze with a 5-inch salvo. It seemed to resemble the American Gearing, but was shorter and seemed closer to a Fletcher. It was apparently an Allen M Sumner-class, and somehow, he started to research the class and its history.

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

Well, this was fun. Unfortunately, it's not the Olivia McKay snippet (that one might be a little longer yet), but I feel happier for having this out there.
The Chase

"… So now, Nokia's still crying and Arata is stuck up the tree with her." Takumi grinned wryly at the memory, and Nemo giggled. "And it's me, Yuugo, and Yuuko on the ground. The first thing that I've got to do is convince Yuugo not to climb up the tree after them. So we sat down in a circle, and we started talking about what three little kids could do to rescue their friends from a tree. And right about then, Yuuko gets a pretty bright idea."

"Call the fire department?" Nemo supplied. It was what Takumi had prefaced the story with. Her boyfriend shook his head.

"Cut the tree down," he corrected her. A tiny bit in horror ran through Nemo's laughter this time. "I know, it seems impossible in hindsight, but back then we knew that we could do it. Especially since Yuuko had figured out how to get into the drawer where my grandmother kept her cooking knives. So Yuuko and I head back into the house to get ahold of the biggest cleaver we can, while Yuugo stays behind to keep an eye on Arata and Nokia."

Nemo snickered into her ice cream. "Let me guess," she smiled. "Your grandmother found you with it."

"Right after we had gotten it out of the drawer. We were able to deflect for a while, but soon enough we remembered the most important detail."

"Which was?"

"She was the only one who knew how to make dango." She laughed again. "So we caved, and she came outside with us to see. And then…" Takumi pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to hold back a laugh. "You remember how Yuugo wanted to go up the tree after them?"

Almost reflexively, Nemo slapped a hand over her mouth. "He didn't."

"He did. And that," Takumi punctuated the word with a finger jab and a cockeyed grin, "is when my grandmother called the fire department."

Nemo had to hold her ice cream out and away from her body to make sure that she didn't drop it laughing this time.

"What happened to them?" she asked once her breathing was back under control. "Your childhood friends."

Takumi sighed. "Well, Mr. Kamishiro finally got his web browser off the ground. When he got it working, he ended up having to move to America for… economics, I guess. Yuuko and Yuugo went with him. After that… the rest of us just kind of fell apart. Last I heard, Nokia was volunteering at a nature park, and Arata was…" He frowned. Worried at the expression, Nemo leaned into his side, and he gave her a smile. "He moved away a few years later. He stopped writing back after a few months, and… I think that he was getting involved with a bad crowd. He didn't send enough to say for certain."

And she had just brought a bitter memory up like that. Nemo looked down at her ice cream apprehensively. "Sorry for bringing it up," she said quietly.

"Don't be. You were going to hear about them sooner or later." Humming thoughtfully, Takumi crossed his arms behind his head. "Now that I think about it, though…"

"I think that sounds wonderful."

He turned an amused eye to Nemo. "I didn't even say what I was thinking about." She smiled, and flicked him on the nose.

"You don't need to say anything. I'm your girlfriend, I know this stuff. How do you plan to go about getting ahold of all of them?"

"Well now, that's the question, isn't it… Nemo?" The cruiser was quiet, glancing through the crowds nervously. Someone was coming towards her—someone she had taken great pains to avoid for months on end.

One of the Fleet of Laughter ships was coming straight for her.

The Fleet of Laughter. Who she had been ordered to stay the hell away from.

Grabbing a quietly protesting Takumi by the wrist, Nemo began to drag him away from their spot at the outdoor café, never once looking away from the direction of the signature. The crossing signal was on—she pulled him across the street, nearly yanking him from his feet.

"Nemo! Ow!"

… Oh.

"Sorry," she said, glancing aside unhappily and releasing her grip. "Fleet of Laughter—"

The signal course corrected. Still aimed straight at her.

Closing fast.

"HEY!" A voice, one that she didn't doubt was aimed at her, came. "HEEEEEEYY!"

All was lost.

Sweeping Takumi up into her arms, Nemo turned on her heel and ran.
-----

Dana and Regalia watched as their quarry fled past a corner and out of view.

"He hypmatized her," Dana said solemnly.

Regalia nodded. "We're gonna need some help."
-----

That was fun to write. Not my best, but fun. Next scheduled snippet, let's see if I can do some more with Haruka's new... friend.

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Watching as Goldie hopped off of the horse before placing a hand on the flank, said horse shrinking down to the size of a small toy which the Roman blade placed into her pocket, Urakaze hummed some before turning to Carnwennan, "Ah have to ask, are those only horses? Or are there other ones as well."

Hands in his pockets, Carnwennan was thoughtful for a moment before shaking his head, "Not all of them are horses, no." Wagging his hand a little, he continued, "While they cannot be enchanted to fly without a lot of work, there are others like hippogriffs, gryphons, dragons, chimera, lions, and such. Although those were more often used to guard homes and the like. Granted, they were much more common before the Statute."

Eyebrow raised, Isokaze leaned forward, "Really? Why?"

Lips curling a little, the Arthurian dagger shook his head, "Back before the Statute, their most common use was to watch over the household and the children on the property in case 'Witch-hunters' came by. Considering that most of them had actual metal teeth and claws? I don't think that I need to mention what would happen to said hunters when facing something of magically hardened and animated stone when most of what they had was crossbows and perhaps swords with even early muskets not very effective past knocking out chips."

That made more than one shipgirl cringe a little as they imagined what would be the result, which in a word would have been 'Messy', to say the least. Harry just nodded a little bit, "But against wizards and witches with blasting charms would be much less effective."

With a small nod, Carnwennan smiled at him, "That's right." He gave a small shrug, "Though I think we have a few bronze lions laying around. Those, when properly hardened, were like iron or steel and thus more able to stand up." A frown crossed his face and he pointed towards the gatehouse, "One of them has this big old dent in the side from when a group of witchhunters armed with a minion cannon attempted to attack the Potters while the men were gone. Apparently they were going to use it against the manor, but underestimated the females of the family greatly and forgot the old adage about mother bears protecting their cubs."

Goldie had a small, smug smile on her face, "Indeed, that was the first time that I tasted blood alongside Juuchi with Andraste deflecting cannonballs. Many fell to our combined might that day." Her smile then became a frown and she pointed towards part of the village, "We were among the lucky ones, however as were the Dumbledores who had been tending their bee hives for mead. They used spells to direct their bees into their attackers. But a dozen others were killed nonetheless. It was not the first, nor the last time, such groups attacked people, Umu."

A grimace on her face, Andraste nodded a little, "The English Civil War left quite a few weapons floating around for anyone to use them. Add on that a number had fought in said war or during the Thirty Years War..."

Grimace on her face as well, Shinano was staring at the gatehouse in question, "They had military experience. And with how the King and Queen at the time would not put a stop to them..." Only getting nods, she sighed a little, "I think that I can see how the Statute came into being and why it was thought to be a good idea."

Hands in his pockets, Harry was also looking at the gate in deep thought, "At the time, it was heading for war between the magical and non-magical. One that could have spread from Britain to the continent. Don't know who would have won, but..." Shaking his head, he sighed some, "The Statute was likely making the best of a bad situation."

For several moments, they were all quiet as they imagined what might have happened in said war. One that, quite possibly, would have been an equivalent of the Thirty Year War, except it happening across Europe and Britain. Towns scorched by fire magics, magical schools with children inside blasted to ruin, the dead piled high. Very likely, no matter who would win in the end... they would also lose.

Briefly, it felt like the temperature dropped and they all shivered.

And then the moment was gone and they decided to leave such dark thoughts behind with Shinano clearing her throat, "Um, how about we go to the manor and look at it before we... er... continue on?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Harry gave her a thankful smile, "That does sound good."

While they were walking, the Tsukumogami with them pointed out various things and gave small amounts of information. Pointing at the ruins of an old, thirteenth century tower, Sabah smiled, "In the middle of the circle there, about... oh, six feet down? Around that, there is an old stone coffin, inside which there are six or seven cauldrons filled with gold and silver coin."

Upon hearing that, the shipgirls came to a stop with Ooi looking at the ruins with wide eyes. Then, she turned towards Harry with a stunned look, "You have actual buried treasure on your property?!"

More than a little amused, Harry gave a smug smile, "Actually, more than one buried treasure." He gave a shrug at the stunned looks, "There's several spots like that buried around the property, but they're all decoys."

If they had not been shocked before, the shipgirls were now with Hamakaze blinking, "They're... decoys?"

Lightly chuckling, Andraste crossed her arms and smiled, "They are." At the confused looks, she shook her head, "Most of them have galleons or sickles in them. We would not be the first ones to attempt to get around the goblin rebellions by having buried gold and such. And the Potters have always suspected that the goblins have spells to seek out gold and silver that they have worked. Thus, goblin teams and cursebreakers would likely look for gold, sense the galleons and sickles, recover them, and believe that they got the actual Potter treasure. Meanwhile, the actual funds and such would be safe in the treasure room."

Coming to a stop, Kitakami blinked and stared at him, "The Potters... have a treasure room? Really?"

Just flashing her a grin, the shield nodded, "They do indeed." She turned to the other weapons and held a silent conversation before nodding and looking back at the gathered shipgirls, "We can show you if you wish..."

Ooi blinked and looked at the others before coughing, "I... are you sure that..."

More amused than anything, Carnwennan laughed and shook his head, "Well, Miss Ooi, you are joining the family as our Master's sister from what I have heard. As for the others..." He gave Shinano a look that made said Carrier blush and look away while poking her fingers together, making him chuckle, "I don't think that there is much issue there."

For her part, Shinano nodded through her blush, "H-hai..."

Taking her hand, Harry gestured with a smile though his lips twitched at seeing how both Ooi and Kitakami were blushing, "Well, show us the way then, guys." Giving Shinano's hand a squeeze, he smiled up at her, which she returned a little bashfully. It did not take them long to reach the manor, which made Harry blink a little, "Is it in the manor itself?"

With a nod, the Arthurian blade smiled, "It is, as a matter of fact, Master. Now, if you'll open the door, we can go there."

Quickly, Harry pulled out a key ring and unlocked the door before they walked inside. The stone floors were clean and shone, though obviously not yet polished fully. Something that the teenage wizard knew would wait until the walls were painted and the like, but before the furniture would be added. Because of that, none of them were too worried about still wearing shoes from outside.

Looking around the entry hall, Yukikaze shaded her eyes as she looked around, "Oh wow... this place is beautiful!"

Softly smiling, Sabah turned to her and nodded, "It is, and will become yet more beautiful once painted and all the mountings are in place. Trust me on that."

Just walking over to the polished wood staircase, Kitakami ran a hand along the banister before leaning to look up it, "Huh... there's a third floor?"

Hands in her pockets, Tsukiakari joined her, "Hai, as a matter of fact. We can explore a little afterwards if that is what you want."

Eyes wide, the Light Cruiser looked over at Ooi before turning back to the Kyu-Gunto and nodding, "I think that I might like that a lot, actually." Making her way over to Ooi, she giggled a little and took her friend's hand, "So... where to next?"

Motioning with his fingers, Carnwennan chuckled, "Downstairs in the basement, as a matter of fact..."

It did not take them long to reach the basement through the kitchen though Harry summoned a ball of light which allowed for them to see. He could see the lights in the ceiling that could be turned on to provide illumination, but the power was still out currently. Said power would be supplied by solar panels and a small hydro dam near the mill pond that would provide electricity. Seeing a door at one end, he pointed, "That has to be the boiler room."

Brightly smiling, Tsukiakari nodded, "That's right, Master. In there is the magical boilers that will provide for heat. They use a broken ruby gifted to the Potters back in the 14th Century after they rescued the spirit that was inside during a trip in Scandinavia." Seeing the looks, he shrugged, "She wasn't an evil spirit, apparently, and had been trapped by a dwarf clan inside of said gem to heat their forges. There was also a spell to keep her parents and sister from finding her, which Hardwin the II broke along with the ruby freeing her."

Snickers escaped from Carnwennan as he shook his head, "Ah, yes, Eisa. Now there was a real firecracker. Only reason that Hardwin the Second survived the blaze that immolated the attacking dwarves as her family arrived was that Eisa used her powers to shield him. Her parents were quite thankful to him and..." He paused for a moment and then shrugged, "Well, gifted him the broken ruby, which was hot to the touch as it still contained Eisa's essence among other things."

Just slowly blinking, the black haired wizard gave him a look, "Did they...?"

However, Carnwennan shook his head, "Hardwin the II was married actually, and while she was quite smitten, she understood. Though..." Frowning, he scratched his chin in thought, "From memory, a Seer who visited while Hardwin was recovering mentioned that their lines would merge in the future there was a chance that their lines would merge."

Cocking an eyebrow, Harry didn't say anything in regards to it, simply shrugging.

Andraste than pointed at another room as they resumed walking, "And right there would be the wine celler, Master. Though more than just wine would be stored in there including brandy and whiskey." She tapped her chin some in thought, "We do have at least several bottles of Dragon Barrel Brandy..."

Suddenly, Harry perked up and looked towards Tsukiakari, "Didn't you say that Colombe was a brandy connaisseur?"

Understanding the question, the Japanese blade smiled and nodded, "Hai, she is in fact one. Perhaps send her a bottle?" When she got a nod, she smiled though she remembered nights when Ian, Lyra, and Colombe would share a bottle, 'Ah... that brings back memories.'

Eventually, though, they reached the main well under the manor. Blinking, Harry turned to the weapon spirits, "Wait... the treasure room is in the well?"

A grin on her face, Tsukiakari nodded, "Hai, it is." Walking around the well, she tapped various parts and the well glowed before the ground around it fell away a little before a hole in the wall opened and they could all hear grinding sounds. With a nod, she gestured for them to follow, "Come on."

Each of the shipgirls and Harry shared a look before following and finding that, somehow, the inside of the well had expanded until it was big enough for a spiral staircase going down that jutted out of the wall. Slowly, they went down the stone stairs until they reached a platform just above the water level. Tsukiakari reached over and pushed in a group of stones, which Harry memorized, and then the stones pulled apart to reveal a doorway which the group entered into.

Immediately, though, Harry and the others came to a stop as they stared in disbelief.

There within their sight was lots of gold, silver, and the like in various coins. From Roman ones all the way to almost modern including gold bars. So, too, were there chests filled with gemstones that gleamed in the light. Boggling, Shinano swallowed as she looked at one chest that was spilling out with emeralds, some of which were the size of her fist and one nearly the size of her head, "T-this is the Potter treasure room?"

With a hum, Goldie placed her hands on her hips and gave a nod, "Umu, is it not magnificent? Truly, the Praetors have been gifted well."

Reaching into one chest, Isokaze pulled out a handful of silver that had a cross on it, "H-how... how did the Potters come to have all this?"

Arms crossed, Carnwennan smirked smugly at them, "Though various means." He gestured at the chest of silver she was by, "For example, some of the Potters went privateer... and pirate, preying upon the Spanish Main." He nodded towards the emeralds, "A number of those, including the one that you're holding, Miss Shinano, Master Hadrian, who had accompanied James Weasley to the New World to get his 'Vulcanium', bought them from the Spanish."

Blinking, and looking down at the massive gemstone, Shinano looked back at him, "From the Spanish?"

Only shaking his head, the dagger chuckled a little, "Believe it or not, the Spanish sold them for what was cheap. Because they wanted gold and silver, not emeralds. So Hadrian gave them several bags of gold for said gemstones, which they handed over with a laugh." Somewhat amused, Carnwennan snorted some, "Hilariously, gemstones of this quality are very valuable in magic."

Meanwhile, Hamakaze's eye was caught by another chest and this one she opened, "Shinano-Sama? Come look at this!"

Everyone made their way over to where the white haired Destroyer was. Reaching into the chest with wide eyes, Shinano pulled out a massive gold coin, "A Koban..." Eyes furrowing, she read the inscription before staring, "This... is from the Keichō era..." Looking at some chests nearby, the Yamato pulled out another gold coin and frowned, "Um... this one is also Japanese, but... I can't read it."

Leaning forward, Tsukiakari blinked and took a picture before raising her finger, "I'll be right back..."

With that, she left the treasure room and the others continued to look at the coins with Hamakaze. Some were silver Shu, others were of Chinese make from roughly before the Shogunate according to Yukikaze who was able to read the inscriptions. Finally, Tsukiakari returned and they looked up at her with Harry tilting his head to the side, "Tsukiakari?"

The Kyu-Gunto had a thoughtful frown on her face, "According to Senpai, those coins are koshukin that were minted by Takeda Shingen. The Potter that brought her home from Japan collected a large amount of Japanese coins."

Just wiggling her finger in her ear, Ooi frowned a little, "Wait... wasn't that from just after the start of the Shogunate?" When she got a nod, her eyes went wide, "Oh..."

Humming, Tsukiakari nodded a little, "Hai, he also gathered as many unique coins that he came across in Japan, multiple ones. All to show off back here in Britain, after which they were placed here in case the Potters needed funds." She pointed at another group of chests, "Master Ian did much the same and placed them in that small chest over there and..."

Sabah nodded with a thoughtful look, "The Potters liked to gather small amounts of coin until they filled a chest, and then put it down here. There's coinage here going back... a thousand years. There's also the bars of metal as well."

For several moments, Harry slowly blinked before looking at the Japanese coins, "Shinano-Chan?" At her nod, he gestured at the trunk with the coins from when Juuchi was brought back, "Could you place that into your ship's safe? Maybe Haru-San would like to display them, or maybe a museum might want them."

Eyes wide, Shinano straightened and saluted him, "Hai!"

Lips twitching, the nearly fourteen year old gave a nod and they went back to exploring the room. But, soon enough, they left it and the door closed behind them as they did so...

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

The Family That Slays Together.... (V)

16 July 2014

Norimune's farm in Uenohara-shi, Yamanashi Prefecture, 74 miles west of Tokyo, Japan

Spoiler: Casa De Breuil


Akutoku's car fishtailed and skidded to a halt in the driveway of the farm as all four tires smoked from the brakes being stood on. Even before the overheated motor was turned off Norimune had thrown the car door open and jumped out with her oversized body in hand.

"Hey, Wait for me!" Akutoku called as she sprinted after her sister. "I told you, I called dibs on killing her!"

Norimune snarled. "I kill her first for getting half killed then you kill her for the car thing! She's my daughter!" She threw the door to her farm open as she unfastened the last lock.

"Fair enough. Where's the Vanishing Cabinet?" Akutoku conceded as they rushed inside.

"Delilah," Norimune's voice cracked at the mention of her youngest daughter, "put it in the spare bedroom. Second screen on the right upstairs."

The two Muramasas took the steps three at a time neck and neck. The screen was flung open violently and two hands reached for the handle of the American Chestnut Vanishing Cabinet that stood there.

15 July 2014

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York

On the other side of the International Date Line, the doors of a matching cabinet in the hidden subbasement were violently tossed open. Norimune and Akutoku stepped into the octagonal room and looked around.

"So now where?" Akutoku sprinted toward the Vanishing Cabinet across the way.

"No, that leads to Colombe's Castle Moulbaix in Belgium. The door over to the left." Norimune snapped, freezing Akutoku in her tracks as her sister reached out a hand for the other Vanishing Cabinet.

"Asshole!" Akutoku snapped as she headed toward the door behind Norimune.

Norimune grabbed the handle...

...pulled the door open...

...And a split second later was blown into Akutoku as the Haitian Voudou Petro Hex calling upon the fierce and angry loa Erzulie Dantó that was the first line of defense for the De Breuils was triggered and exploded throughout the room.

Upstairs

Ehren burst through the door to the kitchen with blade in hand, startling Claire who was washing the dishes.

"Claire, wake Mutti and Jackie up now then watch over Aunt Del." Ehren barked out in an iron-hard voice as she moved into ambush position for the door to the root cellar. "We have intruders below."

As her sister dashed upstairs, Ehren flexed her hand, summoning a heater shield patterned on those used by the Teutonic Knights to seize control of Prussia with fire, faith, and steel. She then took a deep breath, remembering her grandmother Norimune's words as they prepared to face Verdun.

Ehren, listen well. In there, there's no rules, and no points for second place or neatness. Kill or be killed, and you have a dark side just like me and my kids for a reason. Don't be afraid to embrace it to get an edge to survive.

Ehren's eyes hardened as she took and held a deep breath.

Her family, her sister Claire, her helpless aunts Delilah and Zamarad were relying on her to hold this door at all costs until help arrived.

When she exhaled, her clothing shimmered and reformed into the black wool and silver braid of the Allgemeine-SS. The blade of her dagger gleamed with a hungry light as her hand gripped her hilt more firmly while she crouched ready to spring.

Downstairs

"Owowowow fuck me that hurts." Norimune gasped out as the room finally slowed down its spinning.

"You said it, what the flying fuck was that?" Akutoku groaned as she tried to shake the cobwebs out of her head. The Muramasas slowly and painfully untangled their battered avatars from where they had been thrown into the wall.

"Damn, Jez has gotten paranoid in her old age. Spell I taught her, learned it from... that bokor on Hispaniola when I was pirating around the Caribbean. At least she used the nonlethal variant of it. I think. It's been a while; I don't remember it having so much of a kick." Norimune scowled as she looked at the glowing white hot heart formed from barbed iron crossbars that was shimmering angrily from the door. She then sighed as the matching hex glimmered from the doors of both Vanishing Cabinets. "I'll have to talk to her about using Voudou black magic on me."

"Wait here until she investigates the commotion?" Akutoku asked nervously. "I get the feeling this was her warning shot."

"Yeah, wait here. I can see she's got something else rigged to this hex locking the room down. If I start tampering with it it will blow. I don't want to see her followup." Norimune muttered, staring hard at the veve of the 'furious spirit'. "She must have been really pissed to summon the vengeful aspect of the Dark Mother."

Upstairs

Footsteps sounded, and Colombe headed into the kitchen with her rapier drawn. Behind her Jackie had a cutlass in one hand and a pistol in the other.

"Clear, Mutti. They haven't gotten past me and the cellars are locked down with anti-transport wards." Ehren reported sharply, her eyes still locked on the door.

"Good job, Ehren. I'll take point. You back me up. Jackie, any way to determine where they are and how many?" Colombe snapped out as she moved to cover the door.

Jackie shook her head. "Upstairs is where Jez keeps the controls to her little House of Horrors. We will have to wait... ahh."

Jèzebel's image suddenly replaced a still life painting next to the pantry door. "My older self says there's two unknown intruders in the subbasement transit room. All exits locked down and defensive spells at maximum, but there may be more outside sight of the surveillance spells."

Colombe nodded, and then looked at Jackie. "Right, you know the layout better than I do. Suggestions?"

Jackie smirked smugly at Jèzebel's portrait. "Tell Aomi to get me snuffbox out of me room and run it down to us. We can use it and you to communicate with her upstairs."

Ehren cocked her head as the painting gave a nod and matching grin. "Snuffbox?"

"Aye. I acquired it in 1779 and Jez enchanted it in the 1880s. It's linked to the same set of paintings that her portrait is, so we can communicate to the painting that hangs in her study using the miniature portrait on the lid of the box." Jackie said as she leaned against the kitchen counter. "Then she just lowers one set of lethal chokepoints at a time to let us pass and raises them behind us like an airlock."

Colombe grinned nastily and saluted her younger sister with her blade. "Clever. And that way Jez can monitor our progress while we sweep and clear her basement."

The image of Jèzebel nodded and vanished to return the still life to normal. Ehren chewed her lip while they waited and finally spoke, "Tante Jèzebel is a formidable foe."

Jackie laughed darkly. "She isn't known as the Black Widow of MACUSA for nothing. I happen to know that among other things buried down here she has a way to dispose of bodies. Used it a time or three meself on her behalf."

Downstairs

"Wonder what's taking them so long?"

"Dunno. It would blow goats if they were all out getting potions or something."

"No shit, Akutoku."

"Your ex is a vicious little bitch from the sounds of those stories about her."

"Yeah, she could be. I hope she's not still mad about me knocking her up with Delilah. She could nurse a grudge like Kyoshu could."

"Fuck."

Suddenly the fireplace warped and a trio of figures flash-stepped out from the flames with blades drawn. For a brief second all was quiet, then three shocked voices sounded.

"Dad/Father/Oma?"

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Coming up from the basement, Ooi just shook her head in disbelief, "I still cannot believe how much money your family really has, Otouto. That..." She motioned with one hand, "Well, yeah..."

Somewhat amused with their reactions, though a little stunned himself, Harry nodded, "It is a little surprising, hai."

Only shaking her head, Kitakami snorted some, 'A little surprising he says.' Walking out into the kitchen area, she tilted her head a little as she looked around. It was obvious where various appliances would eventually go, but like the rest of the house the kitchen really only needed such as well as a coat of paint and a nice clean of the floors before it would look nice. Running a hand along the polished stone countertop close to her, Kitakami shook her head, "This is really impressive."

Just nodding as he looked around, the black haired wizard hummed a bit, "Tell me about it, I'm amazed at how nice it actually looks." Head tilted to the side, he looked towards the Potter weapons in thought, "Is this close to how it looked?"

As they closed the door to the basement behind them, Carnwennan nodded, "Aye, it is pretty close to how it appeared, I think."

When he looked at her, Tsukiakari smiled happily, "It is very close to how it appeared, though it needs paint and such." Tapping her chin, she hummed, "I think that won't take much more than a week, however. Same with placing various pieces of furniture throughout the house."

Thoughtful, Harry was quiet for a few moments before giving a slight shake of the head, "Maybe I should invest in some vanishing cabinets myself..." After a few more moments, he gave a shrug, "Should we look at the rest of the house?"

Softly snorting, Ooi gave him a little smirk, "A house he calls it." Reaching out, she ruffled his hair, "Never change, Otouto."

Grinning back, the nearly fourteen year old boy snickered, "I'll try my best, Yuuko-Nee-Chan."

Once more, as usual, Ooi's face lit up in pure happiness before they started their walk through the ground floor. As they did so, Sabah was describing things, "The ground floor of the manor didn't really have any sleeping quarters. About the only ones that they did have were, in fact, the Servant Quarters."

Interested, Hamakaze looked towards her, "The Servant Quarters?"

With a hum, Sabah smiled with a fond look of remembrance on her face, "Yes, a house of this size needed servants after all. The Potters did have a house elf or two, and they were always treated well. While the magic of house elves prevents them from having what some might think were proper clothes, the Potters always made sure that they had the best fabrics available to make their own clothing from." Coming to a stop near a stone wall, she hummed a bit before knocking her knuckles against it, "This is actually part of the original manor that survived even the Death Eaters and was where the house elves stayed."

Fingers running along the wall, she dug into a small crack and pulled with a section of wall smoothly rotating to reveal a room behind it. Said room was roughly the size of a large living room, complete with a small fireplace with rich, wood paneling. The floor itself was flagstone, but polished through years of feet coming and going. Eyes wide, Harry walked in, "Is this really where the Potter elves lived?"

A soft smile on her face, Andraste nodded, "It was, Master. As a matter of fact, it was an argument between your ancestors and their elves as said little beings wanted to stay in the basement. That way, they could be out of sight." Smirking slightly, the shield spirit looked towards him, "Your family got around this by hiring the legendary Nicholas Owen to build a small room for them in exchange for some magical help. It was slightly amusing how they reacted to it as a matter of fact."

Lips twitching, Harry raised an eyebrow as he remembered his own experiences with house elves, "I can imagine..."

Closing the door, they continued on their tour as they walked through the first floor. They were rather impressed with the dining room, especially the size before they left. Entering one large room, Harry and the shipgirls with him blinked as they looked around. The walls were of oak paneling with what looked like antique lighting attached while the floor was of polished granite. At one end, they could see a raised portion with two steps leading to it. Above, wooden arches could be seen crossing the roof. One thing that made Urakaze's eyebrows raise was what hung from one, "Is tha' there a chandaler!?"

Unable to help herself, Tsukiakari giggled some, "Of course, what would be a ballroom without one?' Stepping out onto the floor, she gave a small twirl, "Which is what this is, the manor's ballroom. A small one perhaps, but still a ballroom."

One eyebrow raised, Harry hummed, 'Right, small...'

Meanwhile, the Kyu-Gunto gestured towards the raised portion, "The dais over there would be where the band would play music, though often it was one member of the household or another who would be playing." Tapping her chin, she hummed a bit, "I think that we have the old John Broadwood & Sons piano in the shed under a stasis charm."

For several moments, Harry looked out at the ballroom quietly before suddenly smiling. To the others confusion, he walked over to Ooi and whispered into her ear. Said Light Cruiser blinked for a few seconds before smiling and nodding. Ooi then walked over to the dais and held out her hand with a number of her fairies coming out to stand on it.

Said fairies having instruments that they began to play.

Walking up to Shinano, Harry bowed a little before taking her hand and kissing the knuckles, "May I ask the lady for a dance?"

Her face bright red and steam coming from her ears, Shinano gave a squeak, but nodded just the same. A few moments later, her and Harry were dancing across the ballroom floor. She soon relaxed, however, and leaned into him. And out of the corner of her eye, Shinano could see Ooi dancing with a slightly blushing Kitakami. What she did not catch, of course, was how Hamakaze and the others were recording what was happening on their cellphones.

Both Harry and Shinano looked at each other with a soft smile as they danced, happy, though it had to be said that the Carrier was imagining the room fully done with her in a dress when doing the dance.

Eventually, they did leave the ballroom, however, and continued the tour of places such as the study, the lounge, and what would become the library. That last one got a happy squeak from Kitakami as well as her asking to help Harry set it up when the day came. Something that he readily agreed to happily. Another room had been set aside as a sort of game room/bar for people to enjoy, complete with bar counter. Something that got a few intrigued looks as well as ones of amusement.

With the downstairs done, they walked up the grand staircase to the next floor of the manor and walked along. Footsteps echoing down the hall, Ooi looked around curiously, "Is this where the paintings and such will be placed? Once it's done, I mean."

Nodding, Harry looked at her with a small smile, "That's right." Scratching his chin, he hummed a bit, "Might set up some small statues and perhaps some tables with vases?"

Hands in her pockets, Tsukiakari considered that, "I think that might look nice. And Master Ian brought back a number of Ming vases..." Reaching a door, she opened it, "And this would be one of the bedrooms, all of which are mostly identical."

Jaws dropping as they entered, the shipgirls as well as Harry looked around in awe. Said room was about the size, entirely, of a large apartment back in Japan. Stepping a bit more inside, Yukikaze twirled a little with her arms held out wide, "Look how big this is, Shinano-Sama!"

Bringing up a finger, Isokaze pointed at one wall, "There's even a stone fireplace over there!"

Eyes wide, Kitakami walked up to the fireplace in question and ran her hand along the stone that made it up before looking up at the shield, "Beautiful..." Poking her head inside, she looked up the chimney with a blink, "Oh wow... can you imagine staying in this room on a cold night, Yuuko-Chan?"

Ooi crossed her arms as she looked around, "Actually? If Harry-Chan has the same sort of beds as back in Hogwarts here? As well as seating and such... well, the only thing better would be to have you to snuggle up to, Rika-Chan."

At that, the other Light Cruiser looked away slightly with a blush, "Perhaps... but I could say much the same about you."

The two girls shared a small smile at that, only to blush as Carnwennan spoke up with a slight smirk, "I should note that the Potters do have a few bearskin rugs as well..."

Meanwhile, Harry looked around in thought before humming. Finally, he turned to Ooi and smiled a little, "Well, if you want, you can choose a room here, Yuuko-Nee." At her look of shock, the teenage wizard shrugged, "What? You're my Onee-San, right?"

Upon hearing that, Ooi felt like her chest was about to burst as some tears came to her eyes. Walking over, she gave him a hug before speaking in a voice thick in emotion, "Thank you, Otouto." Everyone watched it with happy smiles, especially Kitakami. Pulling away from the hug, eventually, Ooi wiped at her eyes, "Thank you... you don't know what this means to me."

Looking her in the eyes, Harry smiled back, "I think that I do, Yuuko-Nee."

Only nodding, the Natural Born Light Cruiser gave him a watery smile, 'I think that you do, Otouto. You really do...'

Sabah shook her head a little before clearing her throat and gesturing at the door, "Of course, there are a few other things. We will be bringing in one of the walk in wardrobes for the room. As well..." She gestured at a door, "There is also the ensuite bathroom."

Jaw dropping, Urakaze stared at her, "Ya mean that these rooms come with private bathrooms!?"

Highly amused at the reactions, the Arabian blade smirked and nodded, "As a matter of fact they do come with private bathrooms." Gesturing with her finger, she walked over to the door and opened it, "See for yourself."

Each of them shared looks before walking through the door into the bathroom. Most of them were amazed as it was roughly the size of the main room in an apartment in and of itself. The walls were stone, with tiles coming up partway with flagstone as the floor itself. Over to one side, inside of a small offset alcove was the toilet, with the sink and mirror across from the door. Polished brass sparkled in the light from the sink, while the edges of the mirror gleamed gold.

It was then that Shinano noticed the rest, "An enclosed shower! And look at that bathtub!"

Walking over to the bathtub which was under a windowsill, Ooi recognized it as being very similar to the one at Hogwarts, if smaller. It was obviously large enough for at least two or three people to sit in comfortably and made out of shaped stone. The size was especially apparent when she took off her shoes and climbed into it before blinking as she looked down to where she sat, "It feels like there's a cushion here... magic?"

Amused by her reaction, Andraste happily nodded, "That's right. There's a cushioning charm there as well as a light heating charm to keep the stone from being chilled." Then, she pointed at a slot in the wall above covered by a grate, "And that would be the heating grate which takes heat from the boilers downstairs and pipes it up into the bathroom."

Just nodding, the brown haired Light Cruiser looked around and noted the scones in the walls where one could put candles. Her mind suddenly went to am image of nighttime with herself and Kitakami having a bath in the candlelight and felt her cheeks heat up a little, 'That... might be a little nice.'

Once Ooi got out of the bathtube, the group left for the Master Bedroom and boggled a little. If the other rooms were large, this one was twice as big and had a walk in closet. So, too, was the bathroom bigger than the others. In the bedroom itself, along side one of the windows, was a bench that one could sit on. After that was done, they went upstairs to the second floor/attic, which was mostly empty rooms for storage and the like.

That all done, they went back downstairs and through the one door that they had not been through.

Upon entering, the shipgirls all stopped at the sight of what resembled the Head Boy's Bath at Hogwarts and was roughly the same size though the bath itself was about twice as big. For several moments, they all stared at it before walking over and examining it. They did note that the reason that the bath was a bit bigger was that there was a shallow area, roughly the depth needed for a child to sit in comfortably. Around the walls, there were fluted columns of stone and one area set aside for decorations.

Looking at the windows, which showed the back, Hamakaze turned back to Carnwennan, "Wouldn't that allow for people to see through?"

However, the Arthurian blade shook his head, "Not at all, as a matter of fact. They're charmed so that people trying to look in from the outside will only find the glass too fogged to make out anything, while people inside will be able to see out. Though we did add one bit at a suggestion from Miss Hibiki." He pointed towards one door and smiled, "An actual sauna, Russian style. Miss Gangut sent some of her fairies to build it as a matter of fact."

With her hands on her hips, Goldie smiled and gave a sharp nod, "Truly, a Roman bath, Umu!"

Poking her head into the sauna, Shinano looked around it. She could see the basin where hot stones would be kept, along with what looked like a branch on fire beneath. All the wood that paneled the room was polished and reflected the heat back into the room. However, she could also see a door on the other hand and walked over before opening it. Much to her surprise, it opened to the back of the manor, "Um, guys?"

Moments later, everyone joined her and stepped outside with Harry pointing, "Huh, there's the pool."

Kitakami shook her head and pinched her nose, though she had a smile on her face, "Because of course there would be a pool. Why wouldn't there be a pool out back?"

Blinking, the Carrier turned towards her, "Um, because of the sauna?" At the look she got, she blushed lightly and scratched her cheek, "I went to Vladivostok for a convoy once and met Gangut there. She took me to a sauna and we ran out of it once we were done and jumped into a cold pool of water." Rubbing her arms, Shinano shivered a bit, "It was freezing, but kind of fun. And she says that is how one ends a sauna session."

The two Light Cruisers blinked at that before giving a small shrug.

Of course, that was when Ooi let out a squeal as she pointed to a raised area, "Look at that! An actual hot tub!"

Both her and Kitakami grinned a little and could not help but imagine themselves using it. And they were not the only ones either as the others were also nodding. Granted, Harry noticed that Andraste whispered something into Sabah's ear, which made the Arabian blade blush deeply even as the shield grinned.

Soon after, however, Harry shut the door and locked both it and the front before they began to make their way over to the Potter Storage Shed.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Walking across the grounds, Ooi looked over at Kitakami in interest, "Rika-Chan?" Said girl turned to her, so she continued, "You haven't been in the storage shed, have you?"

Slowly shaking her head as she frowned, Kitakami blinked, "No, I haven't." Then, she turned and gave Ooi a soft smile as she reached over and grasped the other Natural Born's hand before giving it a small squeeze, "But wasn't it where you got the jewelry box?"

Lightly blushing, the other Light Cruiser looked away even as she entwined her hands with Kitakami's, "Ah, hai, that's right, Rika-Chan. Otouto offered it if I wanted to and I paid him some money, though I had to convince him to take it."

Giggling a little, Kitakami gave a nod, "It is a very nice jewelry box, Yuuko-Chan. You have a very good eye. Though the bit about Harry-Chan..." She looked over to said boy who was chatting with Shinano, "He's kind."

Expression becoming gentle, Ooi smiled softly herself, "He's like that and... I'm proud that he sees me as his Nee-San. Because he is the sort of Otouto that I wished for."

Only nodding, her friend didn't say anything for a few moments. Then, Kitakami kissed Ooi on the cheek, "Hai, that is true enough." Turning back to the approaching doors, she hummed, "So what is in there exactly? Some of the other shipgirls speak as if it was full of treasure. I wouldn't have believed them, but..."

Her lips twitching, Ooi giggled some, "Except that you just saw proof for yourself." At the nod, she hummed and continued, "Well, there's all sorts of things in there. Old furniture going back hundreds of years, statues from all over the world, armor, weapons obviously, jewelry, paintings... a lot of things. From what Harry-Chan told me, his family never threw much away unless it was unable to be repaired even with magic, which means that there's a lot in there."

Eyes wide, Kitakami stared at her for a few moments before turning back to the shed as it was opened, "Huh..."

They all watched as Harry walked up to the door and opened it before entering. Upon doing so, Kitakami boggled at all the various items that were there. As Ooi had told her, there were all sorts of things from all around the world.

Meanwhile, the nearly fourteen year old wizard picked up what he had begun to call the "Inventory Book" and opened it before looking towards Sabah, "So... Um... where might the platinum be, Sabah?"

Lips curling into a soft smile, Sabah nodded some and made a gesture with her hand, "If you'll follow me?"

As they began walking along, the shipgirls as well as Harry looked at the various items that could be seen. Kitakami did blush a little as they passed a sculpture in what seemed to be marble of a woman looking over her shoulder at her bare buttocks before looking away. Unfortunately, that meant that she was looking at Ooi who glanced at the statue and then back at Kitakami and winked, making the Natural Born's blush even worse.

Unable to help herself, Ooi leaned towards her girlfriend with a smile before whispering into her ear, "That's a copy of a statue called the Venus Callipyge which means 'Venus of the Beautiful Butt'."

Glancing back at the statue just before they got out of view, Kitakami muttered under her breath that she could see why, which sent Ooi into a fit of the giggles.

There were, of course, other things that caught her interest including statues and the like. At one point, they passed what looked like an old Chinese style table that had sculptures on it carved from ivory of what looked like Chinese figures. Seeing her stop to look at them, Harry blinked and wrote something after examining them and nodded some, "Ian Potter brought those back from a trip to China."

Eyebrows raised, the Light Cruiser shook her head in disbelief, "They're beautiful..." She pointed at another spot, "And that's a really old Go board."

Harry only nodded in agreement before they were once more off. Eventually, they did reach their destination which included an old work bench among other things. Walking up to it, Harry ran a hand along the old, worn wood before turning to Sabah, "Um, Sabah?"

Understanding the unasked question, she walked up and ran a hand along the work bench herself with a small smile, "This was used by Hadrian Potter's grandson, Edmund Potter. He wanted to become something of a jeweler, you see and learned the craft. He was quite good at it as a matter of fact. So much so that during a trip to the Middle East, he managed to gain himself a wife after gifting some of his pieces to her family. She was very good with fire magics and together, the two worked all sorts of artistry."

More than one of those thought that there was more to her grin, from which her white teeth flashed, than she was saying. But none of them asked before Hamakaze began to move around, "So the platinum is here?"

With a hum, Sabah gave a nod, "It is, as a matter of fact." Making her way over to a group of chests, she pulled them out, "Right here." Tapping one chest, the Arabian blade nodded, "This is the cauldrons and the other are the bars of metal. While they didn't quite understand what they called Vulcanium, they thought that it could be valuable in various applications."

Andraste walked over to two more chests and pulled them out, "These are from a later trip. Apparently, Master Hadrian found out that someone counterfeited coins with Vulcanium and managed to bribe one of the Spainards to gift him with a large amount of the coins which he transformed into bars of metal to move it easier. He was going to separate the gold from the Vulcanium, but..."

Slowly, Harry nodded with understanding, "The price fell through on both Volcanium and gold, thus it wasn't worth it to do so. Huh..." Glancing at Shinano, he took a deep breath before opening the first chest, "Well... we're going to need to start bringing them out, I suppose..."

He then brought out his wand and began to stack the bars of platinum from the chest onto the floor in front of Shinano, slowly piling it up. Once the chest was empty, he was not the only one who boggled at the amount in the stack with everyone feeling a bit faint. Swallowing, the Carrier took it bar by bar and placed them into her pocket. Inside of her hanger, her fairies did the same thing they did last time, piling them up in stacks on a pallet, which was moved to the scale to be weighed.

When that was done, the pallets were taken to the enclosed part of her hanger and guarded.

Even as she was doing that, however, Harry was bringing out the cauldrons and using quick transfiguration to make them into bars of metal roughly the size of the others and began to make another pile. He did cast an Onmyouji spell to make sure that none of them had a spirit, and not a one did much to his relief. After all, unlike the Room of Requirement, they were not frozen in time. That said, he did keep a number of cauldrons for future use, including some with artwork on them.

Granted, it was not just his eyebrows which twitched when he brought out one cauldron big enough he could have bathed in it.

Once those were done, and Shinano had begun moving the metal into her hanger, he moved onto the trunks Andraste brought out. From there, he removed the bars of metal inside. They looked liked gold, but the color was slightly off, a bit lighter than they should have been. None of them knew exactly how much platinum were in them, however, but... it could have been enough just the same.

It did not take him long to bring out the other bars of metal so Harry had to wait for a time as Shinano continued to load up. Seeing Ooi walk over to the work bench and look at a nearby ring, he raised an eyebrow before remembering something and walked over to Kitakami and dropping his voice to a near whisper, "Rika-Nee?"

Pulling her eyes away from the mountain of precious metal, one bar of which likely worth more than she had ever had in her life, Kitakami looked over at him, "Hai, Harry-Chan? Is something wrong?"

With a glance towards Ooi, who was examining a ring that held an emerald the width of a person's thumbnail, the teenage wizard looked back at her, "Yuuko-Nee's birthday is coming up, right?"

Eyebrow raised, Kitakami nodded with a thoughtful look, "It is, on the fifteenth as a matter of fact." A small giggle came from her and she shook her head, "The same day her steel hull had been launched... Why?"

Lips curling into a small smirk, Harry had a gleam in his eyes, "Well... is there any place near where you lived that Yuuko-Nee either really liked, or really wanted to go to? One that would be somewhat formal?"

There was a small inkling in the Light Cruiser's mind, but she nodded, "There was this one resturant that Yuuko-Chan went to once or twice when her parents had to bring her along. Never been there myself as the food is slightly expensive... but it is good food and service. I think that her parents knew one or two people there because otherwise they would never have set foot in the door. She really enjoyed it..." Suddenly, the pieces fell into place and she gave him a knowing look, "You want to take her to said resturant for her birthday?"

Grin on his face, Harry hummed a bit, "Hai, I do..."

Considering, Kitakami tapped her chin with an almost conversational tone, "But there is the fact that her parents might hear about it and drop by."

Eyes sparkling and what looked like an evil smirk on his face, the nearly fourteen year old nodded, "Not impossible, of course. But in such a place they would not be able to raise a stink, no matter what." Sighing a little, he motioned with his hand, "Of course, being that it is a formal place, what sort of Otouto would I be if I did not make sure that my Nee-San did not have the best... accessories possible. A horrible one, in such a case."

Vicious gleam in her eye, Kitakami nodded with a gentle smile on her face, "Oh yes, Yuuko-Chan would need to dress the part certainly. And I am sure that there's a few pieces here that she could use that should look good with her. Especially with a dress that I have in mind..."

With a glance at her, Harry cocked an eyebrow, "Of course, you would need something yourself."

Lightly blushing, the Natural Born nodded, "I suppose so, and that will be something that I will deal with for Yuuko-Chan."

Both teens, shipgirl and wizard shared a look before walking over to Carnwennan. Said blade seemed amused by what they asked them and, after a short talk with Shinano, walked off. They did return about forty minutes later with smirks on their faces.

Smirks that made Ooi rather suspicious.

However, she shrugged it off soon enough as Shinano finished loading up on the precious metals. After a few minutes, one of the Carrier's fairies stumbled out with a completely crazed look before handing her a piece of paper. For several moments, Shinano stared at the inocculous piece of paper before her glasses slipped down her nose. Slowly, she turned towards Harry with her eyes wide, "H-Harry-Chan... there's forty tons of Platinum here. A-and... twenty tons of the alloy..."

No one said anything as they just stared at her before Harry gave her an unsure smile, "A-are you sure that..." When she nodded, he blinked, "Oh."

Everyone was utterly silent at that for almost five minutes as they tried to process what they were just told. Seeing Shinano take a step towards Harry, however, Isokaze brought up her phone and began to record with a small smile. About to ask, Kitakami stopped and her eyes widened at what happened.

Mainly, Shinano pulling Harry in and kissing him, hard.

Once more, no one said anything as what happened played out. By the time that Shinano pulled back, Isokaze had put away her phone with a slight smirk. Ooi, for her part crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head some, 'Nice one, Otouto...'

_________________________________________________________________________

Returning to Yokosuka, the group were almost immediately bundled into a Type 89 IFV which made its way to a warehouse. As it was nighttime, almost no one noticed though more than a few eyebrows were raised. Upon arrival, they all got out with the shipgirls taking escort positions around Shinano, Ooi and Kitakami circling as Harry and the Potter Weapons stood beside the Carrier. Internally, Harry did raise his eyebrow at seeing a number of Pre-Dreads standing guard over the warehouse.

Though, perhaps, he thought a moment later, he should not have been so surprised.

Within less than a minute, they were hurried into the warehouse where several armored trucks were waiting along with a number of men, also armed with guns. Somewhat to their bemusement, a number of people in suits rushed over before bowing to them, "Shinano-Sama..." They then turned to Harry and, to his surprise, also bowed deeply which he returned, "Potter-San, welcome back."

Straightening from her bow, Shinano had a small blush on her face, "Thank you, we are glad to be back." Turning to Harry, she smiled a little, "Harry-Chan, this is Hase-San, from the Japanese Mint."

Once more, Harry bowed, "Pleased to meet you."

Just smiling slightly, the man bowed back, "And pleased to meet you as well. You are doing a great service for Japan." With a deep breath, he let it out, "Shall we start?"

Glancing at Shinano, Harry cleared his throat, "We have the full load of platinum, but... there were some other things as well that came up." At the raised eyebrow, he continued, "One of my ancestors apparently bought counterfeit coins from the Spainards in Mexico. They were counterfeit, in their view, because someone had mixed the platinum with the gold, making it valueless to the Spainards. They melted the coins into bars and were going to separate the metals, but..."

More than one of those from the Mint went quiet and stared at him before looking at Hase. Said man licked suddenly dry lips and nodded, "I... see, well, we can easily separate the metals so there is no need to worry, Potter-San. Is there anything else?"

Scratching his neck, Harry gave him a sheepish smile, "Well, my family also picked up a large amount of Japanese coins? Both during the opening years of the Shogunate, some of which were originally from China, and others having been minted by various Daimiyos. Also, from the years during the Restoration. I feel like they should be returned to Japan since they are part of history and perhaps displayed for future generations? Would it be possible to have them examined?"

For several moments, there was silence before Hase gave him a slight smile, "Hai, we can do that, Potter-San. May we see them first before we get to the more... exacting bit?"

With a nod, the teenage wizard smiled at Shinano who reached into her pocket and pulled out the chests from the treasury. Hase gestured for one of the older women to come over and she had a man following who had a camera. Slowly, gently, she opened the lid of the first and gasped at the sight of the coins and koban. With a shaking hand, she grasped one of the smaller ones and stared in awe, "Hase-San... this... this is a Shindan Koshuken... and this..." She grabbed another one, "And this is a Kichi Kobundō!" Seeing a bag, the woman opened it gently and froze, "This... is magic, is it not?"

Confused as to why she was acting that way, Andraste nodded, "Um, hai?" The shield frowned a little and scratched her neck, "It is actually enchanted to keep whatever is inside safe, dry, and in a sort of stasis, why?"

Pale faced, the woman lifted out a small piece of paper. It took a few moments, but one of the members of the mint spoke in a soft, awed voice, "Yamada Hagaki... T-that's..."

Eyes wide, Hase stared for a few moments before looking at the other chest and plucking a gold coin before staring at it, "Ah... this is a Satsuma Mon... Well..." He placed it back, gently followed by the woman placing the note back into the bag and closing it. Swallowing, Hase nodded towards Harry, "I... hope that you do not mind, b-but we shall leave these with Shinano-Sama, for now. We must put together a team to properly look at them. Historians from MEXT and the like."

Just blinking, Harry flushed a little, "Of course." He watched as they handed back the chests to Shinano, who placed them back into her ship's safe. Clearing his throat, the teen gave a weak chuckle, "I guess that we should move onto the business then?"

Rapidly blinking, Hase nodded, "Yes, of course. Let us begin, if you will, Shinano-Sama?"

Walking over to the scale, Shinano had her fairies bring out pallet after pallet of platinum. All of which were weighed by the people from the Mint as they took excited notes. The platinum was then placed to the side until Shinano was done. Once she was, the Carrier began to bring out the pallets of the gold alloy, which were also weighed one by one.

Finally, they were done and the people from the Mint stared at the numbers before looking at each other. Hase took a deep breath before nodding with a smile and one of those members brought out a bottle of sake from one of coolers, which they poured into small cups, each person from the Mint as well as the shipgirls getting one. Much to his surprise, Harry was handed one and he looked up at the older man, "Um..."

A slight smirk on his face, Hase gave a chuckle, "Somehow, Potter-San, I do not think that anyone would object to this considering the circumstances."

Only internally shrugging, Harry drank it much the way as everyone else did, blinking a bit at the burn. Then he returned the cup with a small bow, "Thank you."

That only got him nods and he gave a hug to Shinano before he watched as they had the Yamato reload the platinum and gold alloy onto herself before she stepped into one of the armoured trucks with the other shipgirls following, the door closing behind them. As they left, the teen could see a large number of police cars forming up for an escort as well as various wheeled IFVs. All to make sure that the cargo on board got to the Mint safely and quickly. Smiling a bit, Harry gave a small salute before getting a ride home.

Later, he found out that the gold alloy was 40% platinum by weight much to his surprise, though the Mint and MEXT was also very happy with the historic currency he returned. Haru was able to display two Oban, however, in her little museum.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

The Family That Slays Together.... (VI)

15 July 2014

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York

"Dad/Father/Oma?" The shocked question rang from three sets of throats as crystal blue, honey-hazel, and steel-blue eyes all locked on the battered avatar of the Unrepentant Blade.

Norimune gave a weak cocky smile. "Hello Colombe, Jacklyn, Ehren. Don't mess with the doors, they're booby trapped. Stuck in here too?"

Colombe shook her head. "Just clearing the basement since Jèzebel reported... two.. intru... ders...." Her voice tailed off as she stared at her father and Aunt Akutoku. "Merde!"

Beside her, Jacklyn pulled out an ornate silver snuffbox. "Jèzebel, we found the intruders. Did you invite Dad or Aunt Akutoku to come over?"

Norimune visibly started at Jèzebel's voice issuing from the snuffbox. "I"ll relay that up to the study. Checking."
Spoiler: A Butterknife Family Reunion

Akutoku gave her grandniece a cheeky grin. "Nice job putting on the Reich there, Ehren. It suits you well."

Ehren's suddenly ashen face froze as the blood drained from it. Ehren bit her lip hard enough to draw blood as her blade trembled minutely.

Colombe's grip on her hilt tightened as her knuckles turned white.

Jackie sighed at her aunt and shook her head.

Norimune suddenly whirled and punched Akutoku full in the face. "Akutoku!! Take that shit about my granddaughter back!" Norimune snarled in a voice filled with fury.

"What was that for?!" Akutoku shouted, spitting out a tooth, "All I said was..." Her eyes then focused on the visible self-hatred and pain on Ehren's face as it twisted and her shoulders shook with the whiplash of her barely-controlled emotions. Akutoku swallowed as the light visibly came on for her. "Oh fuck me. Oh. Fuck. Me." She swallowed again. "I'm sorry! I didn't know that you were forged by them."

Colombe stepped forward. "She was." The rapier's voice was heated and yet aristocratic, filled with the pride of her heritage in each precisely formal syllable in the French of her youth, and her eyes blazed with her emotions. "{She may not be my daughter of blood and birth unlike Ying, but she is my daughter of choice and my heiress as du Chasteler. I could not be prouder of Ehren's steel no matter the forge that birthed her.}" Her spine was as stiff and strong as her rapier blade as she said her piece. Her eyes filled with the unspoken challenge that anyone who said otherwise in her hearing would have her steel taste their blood.

Ehren closed her eyes and breathed in and out harshly. She turned her face away from her family as she fought for control over the tide of emotions racing through her. Her shoulders shook violently as she whispered something inaudible and her tears trickled down her pale cheeks from her closed eyes.

Colombe looked into Akutoku's eyes and then nodded in satisfaction at what she saw there. She sheathed her rapier before she turned to her daughter. One hand, calloused and scarred with the trials and agonies of her three centuries, reached out for Ehren and drew her into a hug, uncaring of the naked steel in her daughter's trembling hand.

Norimune gave Akutoku a challenging stare then joined the embrace of her youngest granddaughter alongside her oldest daughter.
--------------------------

Jèzebel's voice sounded from the snuffbox. "I did notify Nori. Jacklyn, confirm. You remember the Polyjuiced assassin in 1868 that used my daughter's face."

Jacklyn sighed and muttered something inaudible under her breath as she shook her head at Jèzebel's words. She then got a broad smug grin. "Hey Dad?"

"What, Jacklyn?" Norimune asked curiously as she looked over Ehren's shoulder.

"What was I wearing when ye came aboard me ship for that run down to get the rum?" Jacklyn's grin grew more saucy and roguish and her eyes twinkled.

"What...? You weren't wearing anything at all but those hickies and love bites, Jacklyn..." Norimune said with a confused look on her face and a slight blush.

Akutoku's jaw dropped and she stared at her smirking niece. Then she got a broad happy grin of unholy delight.

Ehren's eyes popped open and she boggled at her aunt. Automatically she sheathed her dagger body on autopilot.

Colombe stiffened like she had been shot and glared at her unrepentant rogue of a sister. "ME! MY DAUGHTER! DEL'S MOTHER! AND NOW FATHER?!?!?!" The rapier's face turned red and she yelled at the top of her lungs as Jackie doubled over laughing at the point scored on her. "DAMMIT JACKIE!!!!"

Jacklyn got out through her laughter, "It's Dad all right, Jez. Go ahead and release the lock down."
--------------------------

Norimune looked back and forth between her daughters (one fuming, one still giggling) and granddaughter (with a cool expression back on her face) as they waited for Jèzebel to finish releasing the security lock down on the basement. "So... how bad is Delilah's condition?" Norimune asked quietly and hesitantly.

Colombe sighed. "Physically, she and Zamarad are on the mend. We have her in a tank of repair fluid and have been feeding her broth laced with Healing Potion and Blood Restoring Potions. But she's not waking up." The rapier shook her head with concern on her face. "To-chan... Tokunotakai said that it is because they had exhausted their spirits. She plans to try a ritual to strengthen it."

Norimune sighed and shook her head as her eyes grew shiny. Akutoku hugged her sister around the waist. "If there's anything we can do," the Sword of Corruption began, "let us know."

Jacklyn walked over to join the embrace of Norimune, then after a brief moment of internal struggle Colombe followed suit. The rapier hugged her father for the first time and softly said, "Family looks after family... Father. Never more so than when one of us needs help."

Norimune returned the embrace with her sister, and both daughters, then a moment later her granddaughter as Ehren joined. She visibly cast about for something to say to release the emotion of the moment and finally spoke. "Jez's letter said something about a daughter-in-law. What's up with that?"

Jacklyn grinned, "Delilah and Zamarad have been married since 1946. You would not believe what kind of a bash it was."

"Why the fuck wasn't I invited?!?" Norimune snapped out after a moment of stunned shock. "I mean I'm her father!"

Colombe sighed deeply. "We wanted to, believe me we all did, but... you were in jail then. And I was barred by my oath from breaking you out to... settle matters before inviting you to the wedding."

Norimune subsided. "Oh. Yeah. That would make things tough to get me into a wedding kimono to give Delilah away." She paused, then shook her head. "All that time I wasn't there for you. So what other things did I miss?"

Ehren smiled smugly. "In the excitement of your arrival, I was unable to notify Mutti of this news." She pulled a folded parchment out of her pocket and handed it to Colombe. Ehren then pulled out her camera phone and aimed it at her mother's face as Colombe unfolded the letter.

Colombe stared at naked shock as she read and reread the Hogwarts acceptance letter addressed to Ehren.

Tears fell from her eyes and her face split in a proud, happy smile. "Oh Ehren...."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Getting off of Jin's motorbike, Asuka's smiled as she pulled off her helmet at the sight of her friends, "Hey guys."

A grin on his face, Harry gave her a wave back, "Good morning, Asuka-San. Ready for a bit of shopping?"

With a nod, the Tengu rubbed the back of her neck, "Hai, I am." Lightly blushing, she scratched one cheek, "I, um... am pretty excited."

Softly snorting, Jin ruffled the younger Yokai's hair and smirked at the squawk from her, "That's putting it mildly, Bratling. You had trouble sleeping last night." With a small shrug and ignoring the redness in the Tengu's cheeks, she grinned, "Practically had to slip her some sleeping potion to get her to sleep."

Needless to say, Asuka gave the Mizuchi a glare that bounced right off her even as the other teens either grinned or snickered. Shaking that off, the Tengu turned towards where Nobu and the others were, "Nobu-San? What are you doing here?"

Grin on her face, Nobu gave a shrug, "Well, we've been seeing Natsumi-San's and Harry-Kun's velomobiles...?" She turned to said two teens and got a nod, which she hummed at, "Well, we figured that we might as well come have a look ourselves in case there's something that catches our eye."

Rolling her eyes, Okita sighed a little before grimacing, "Besides, it gets really annoying having my... Nii-San drive us around places." Crossing her arms over her chest, she grumbled a little, "Really annoying."

Upon hearing a cough, she turned towards Uesugi who seemed to be caught in a laugh and hiding a grin, "Right, right... sorry about that." She pointed at her throat, "I think I swallowed a bug."

Eyes narrowed, the former Captain of the Shinsengumi glared, "I'm sure."

Taking that in, Jin chuckled a little in amusement, "Anyways, I'll be keeping an eye on things since Kiba's at work. Hope you don't mind."

Just looking at each other, the teens all shrugged before Natsumi shook her head, "We don't mind." Looking the biker clothes wearing dragon up and down, she smirked some, "I don't think that we need to worry about Asuka-Chan getting any bad deals."

That got her a laugh from the Mizuchi before they began heading towards the storefront, "Trust me, that's part of the idea."

It was obvious to Jin as they approached the store that the place had been likely either a car showroom or one for motorbikes. With how gas prices had spiked with the war and rationing, car sales had gone down as well as motorbike ones unless they were either really efficient in gas milage or electric. So, very likely the owner of the store had gotten the place cheap as it was not much use otherwise.

Only scratching her chin in thought, Jin didn't bother looking at the showroom windows before walking in. As soon as she did, however, the undead Kami stopped and blinked as she looked around. It looked like a car showroom, but instead of cars one had velomobiles and the like everywhere, all shining under the light like the top sportcar models, 'The fuck?' Leaning towards the closest teen, which turned out to be Harry, she cleared her throat, "Hey, kid... these are all pedal driven, right?"

Blinking, Harry looked over at her with an odd expression, "Um, hai? I thought that you knew that?"

Yet again, Jin looked around and scratched her head, "Uh, yeah... just kind of surprised?" That got her another odd look before the wizard shrugged it off. Meanwhile, Jin herself was just frowning, 'Right... what the fuck, is this stuff that popular?'

Meanwhile, Asuka was looking around the room in awe, "This is... so cool!"

With wide eyes, Usagi nodded some as she also glanced at some of the models on display, "Tell me about it. These are really nice!"

Right then, the main salesperson came walking up with a smile on his face, though it faded some when catching sight of Jin. Said woman simply gave him a flat, even stare not unlike that of a snake which made him twitch a little before he covered it up with a cough, "Um, right. I'm Takahada, may I be of service?"

Jin gave a small chuckle and walked up to pat Asuka on the shoulder, "Sure, this is Miku Asuka, she's sort of my adoptive niece. We're here to buy a velo-whatchamacallit."

Lost, the Tengu gave Jin a look, "Uh, a velomobile, Jin. Or an enclosed electric bicycle." Still confused at what was going on, Asuka shook it off before looking around, "I didn't know that there were so many though to choose from!"

Giving another glance to Jin, the salesman smiled at her, "Well, they have surged in popularity due to the war. Especially among those who are unable to afford the price of gas or have a lack of space for a car to be parked. Thankfully, that means that we have many options for the discerning buyer."

Interested, Asuka blinked before frowning, "Huh... what sort of options do you have?"

The salesman chuckled a little, "Well that depends on what you want." He walked over to one, "This is the most basic of the enclosed models being a fiber glass chassis, the seat, and aluminum tube body. Nothing more and it comes in at about 65,000 Yen.

Nobu let out a low whistle as she poked her head inside and looked. As noted, it was bare bones and the seating was just plastic with a little bit of a cushion, 'Huh... I think that we will want something more than this.'

Said thought was echoed out loud by Asuka who was guided around as were the others by the salesman. Her eyes were caught by one in particular and she walked over to look at it which Takahada nodded at, "This is the Tanto from Kaze Velomobiles, it is reasonably popular as a matter of fact. Very aerodynamic as well like all their Velomobiles which makes it easier for the rider to pedal at faster speeds, though not breaking the thirty kilometer limit unless you chose that specific version of the model."

Eyebrow cocked, Jin gave him a look, "Thirty kilometer limit?"

With a hum, the salesman nodded, "Hai." He gestured around them, "Electrically assisted vehicles can count as bicycles, and thus do not need a license to use, as long as they do not break higher than thirty kilometers per hour on a level street. Above that, you need a motorcycle license to drive them."

Considering that, Jin scratched her chin, "Huh." Looking over the sleek, black vehicle, she frowned a little. There was something almost predatory in an avian way about the velomobile in front of her. Putting that aside, for the moment, the Mizuchi began to run a practiced eye over it. Walking up to the front, she raised an eyebrow at the headlights which were partially recessed into the "Nose" of the velomobile, "So... these headlights from a bicycle?"

Just nodding, Takahada nodded a little, "In a way though they are slightly more powerful than your average ones. These are LED lights which means that they use less electricity, but are also brighter and last longer than the old headlights."

Only cocking an eyebrow at him, the Mizuchi frowned some, "How bright are we talking about?"

Rather than say anything, Takahada walked to the window and reached in before flicking a switch, which made the headlights come on. Each one was bright, though small, it was easily visible even in the daylight, "They're quite bright, which improves safety when using them at night."

Frowning, Jin grunted a bit before continuing her examination of the outside, though she raised an eyebrow at the back which one red light, once more something from a bicycle and circular about as wide as her fist, as well as a spot for a vanity plate. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as the salesman reached back inside and the backlight came on which made her nod, "Nice and bright, LED as well I suppose."

Lips twitching, the salesman nodded, "Hai, they are."

With a glance at him, Jin noted that Asuka had was looking in surprise and scratched her chin, "These things use batteries, right?" At the nod, she continued, "Wouldn't this sort of thing kill the battery?"

Slightly bowing, Takahada nodded, "If this was five years ago, I would agree with you. But battery technology is leaping forward every year now with more power in a more compact space. They also last much longer than they used to and also are easier and quicker to recharge." He gestured at the Velomobile before them before raising a finger, "There's three main ways to charge the battery. The first, of course, is to simply pedal with most everything else except the electric assist motor turned off, which generates enough electricity to power the motor." Raising a second finger, the salesman continued, "Second is to buy one of the small solar panels and place it inside with one end in the small charger when not in use. Doing so will trickle recharge the batteries. The third..." Takahada walked around to one side and pulled out a small panal, which revealed a cord and a plug, "Is to plug into a recharging station. The velomobile will recharge in about an hour or two."

Eyebrow raised, Jin blinked, "Neat." Crouching down, she looked up at the undercarraige as best that she could with a hum before looking into the wheel wells, "Suspension does look good... what's the inside like?"

Asuka was looking into the window and blinked, "Looks pretty nice."

Catching the look from the Mizuchu Biker, the salesman walked over to the desk and took a few seconds to find a key. Thumb on the button, he smiled a little, "You might want to stand back a little." Each of the teens did so, and he clicked the button with the doors rising up like gullwings revealing the inside. Gesturing at the inside, Takahada nodded a little, "As you can see, the inside is quite nice though this model is only for one person and perhaps a small amount of cargo behind the seat."

To demonstrate, he pulled a latch and pushed the seat forward and down to show a small space.

With a blink, Asuka became thoughtful as she examined it, 'I could easily put my schoolbag there...'

Meanwhile, Jin was examining the doors and blinked, "Wait, the windows use the old style cranks? So you can lower and raise them?"

Slightly nodding, Takahada smiled, "Hai, such a system doesn't need electricity after all and allows for one to raise and lower the windows as you mentioned." He also gestured at the windshield, "There is a small windshield wiper as well with the controls for it here."

Upon seeing him point at a switch, the Tengu glanced at him and got a nod. Flipping it, her eyebrows rose as a small wiper began to move across the windshield, "Wow..."

Hands in his pocket, Harry glanced at Takahada, "Out of curiosity, what sort of features does it have? I mean... my Sinclair has a heater and AC as well as heated and chilled cupholders."

Not missing a beat, the salesman nodded, "Those would come with the deluxe edition of the Tanto. They've made them more energy efficient after all for velomobiles. All models come with a port for one's phone and for a music player as well. I know of at least one man who uses an old cassette player to work somehow for it."

That got him snorts from the teens before they went back to looking. After a minute or two, Asuka rubbed her chin and looked at him, "Um... how much is the deluxe? Just to know?"

Giving Jin a look, Takahada sucked his teeth for a few moments, "Roughly... 450,000 Yen."

It went without saying that everyone winced a bit at that before Asuka coughed, "I, um... I'll look around a bit first."

All Takahada did was nod at that and chuckle, "Understandable."

Once the teens walked off to look at the others, Jin walked up beside him and raised an eyebrow, "So... these velomobiles really are that popular?"

With a small shrug, the salesman shook his head, "Very popular as they don't use gas and one doesn't really need to worry about the weather outside in the fully enclosed models or where to park them as most are small. Granted, most of the types are from Europe, in particular the Netherlands."

Eyebrow raised, Jin gave him a look of some surprise, "The Dutch? Really?"

Lightly laughing, Takahada shook his head, "Hai, believe it or not they're at the forefront of Velomobiles along with Sinclair, which is a British company. They're popular over in Europe after all. But there's some Japanese companies coming up behind them fast such as Kaze while Toyota, Yamaha, and others acquired some companies that make them as well to get a share of the pie."

Simply nodding in thought, the Mizuchi didn't say anything and simply resumed following the teens.

_____________________________________________________________

However, as it turned out, Asuka eventually did buy the Kaze Tanto, in a black color though she had to come back the next day to get it. A grin on her face with the windows down as she pedelled along the streets heading into Zuchi, she gave a laugh, "This! Is! Awesome!'

Beside her, Natsumi laughed as well as she leaned her arm against the side of her own velomobile, "Told you! These are great!"

On the other side to the Tengu, Harry laughed as he listened over his phone before shrugging, "Freeing really."

The two Yokai only nodded with grins of their own before the lights changed and they resumed their drive, feet pumping and hearts pounding. Asuka did make a stop at the donut shop not far from the Zuchi beachhouse before continuing on. Pulling into the driveway, she let out a whoop as she came to a stop.

Said sound caught the attention of Porkchop who was working on his bike and he looked up. Upon seeing who it was, the pig Yokai gave a low whistle as he stood up with a grin, adjusting his leather jacket, "So this is your new ride, huh, Asuka?"

Doors opening before she got out, Asuka nodded with a massive grin, "Hai, it is!" She rubbed the velomobile gently, "So cool..."

Unable to help himself, the Yokai biker laughed, "I can imagine, didn't have this sort of thing when I was younger." Shaking his head, he smiled softly, "I remember my first ride... always special those are." Not saying anything, Asuka simply smiled brightly before blinking as Porkchop called out, "HEY GUYS! ASUKA'S BACK WITH HER RIDE!"

Within seconds, several of the other members of the JNHRO came out to have a look. Rapidly blinking, Koga walked over and looked it over, "The hell? This is a bike?" Frowning a little, he scratched his head as he noted the pedals, "Looks like a car."

Various other compliments were paid to the Tengu, with Asuka preening much to the amusement of the other two teens as well as a number of adults. She then looked over at Kiba who was examining her vehicle with a thoughtful look on his face, "What do you think, Kiba? Awesome or what?"

The Okuri Inu gave a small nod, "Pretty nice actually..." Internally, Kiba gave a small sigh, 'At least it seems to be worth the price she paid. So I can tell Ai to relax about that at least.' Glancing at her, he smiled a little, 'Though she seems happy and proud of herself.' As he walked around, he paused a little at the back before blinking, "Huh..."

Looking away from where Koga had sat down in the seat, Asuka blinked a little, "Something wrong, Kiba?"

With a blink, Kiba looked at her before shaking his head, "Nothing wrong, but..." A bemused expression was on his face as he scratched his head, "Kaze Velomobile? I recognize that name now seeing their logo."

Jin looked away from where Asuka had been trying to push a snickering Koga out with the Tengu also stopping what she was doing. Eyebrow raised, Jin frowned a little, "We told you about them last night, Kiba."

Simply shrugging, the Inu Yokai shook his head, "Yeah, but it wasn't until now seeing the logo that I recognize them. It's been... five, six years now?" At the looks, Kiba scratched his head a little, "I remember them coming to get some money to start up a company and Kaze was one of the names they tossed around. It was like... five or six Kotengu, one of which had a Raiju for a wife. They wanted to start up some bicycle company and we gave them the seed money. Never expected this though..." A slight smirk came across his face as he ran a hand along the velomobile, "Feels good to see their hard work pay off."

If anything, that made Asuka all the happier.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

The Family That Slays Together.... (VII)

15 July 2014

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York

Norimune slowly climbed the polished oaken grand staircase toward where her ex-lover Jèzebel de Breuil and her comatose and perhaps dying daughter Delilah de Breuil rested on the second floor. She felt all her failures, her flaws, her mistakes weighting her down.

Ahead, she could faintly hear the sound of a piano and her lip quirked in a small, bitter smile as she watched the ramrod-stiff resolute posture of her granddaughter Ehren du Chasteler become more erect, stronger, more steadfast, underneath her black SS uniform.

She knew the spirit of the unseen piano who was playing her heart out as her youngest grandchild drew strength from the music helping her struggle with her tortured psyche.

Claire du Chasteler. Ehren's older sister and the gentlest and most kind of all her descendants. Yet... Norimune sensed that the piano's spirit was in her own way no less stubborn and obsessed as any of her kin among the Demon Blades. Just... different.

With that her hand clenched on the banister as she looked at her two oldest daughters leading the way. Colombe du Chasteler, the oldest, was as equally stiff and proud as her daughter Ehren was, yet Norimune could see the signs of tension, care, and worry hidden underneath the cool aristocratic facade of competence and control.

To Colombe's right, Jacklyn Fox was grinning and laughing... yet the smiles and laughter never reached her shadowed and concerned eyes. The Mask of Command, Norimune knew it as, for she had had to assume that mantle too on the decks of her beloved ships when enemies, wind, and wave threatened her existence, or in the hell of battle as she led her subordinates to triumph or die.

Norimune glanced over at her own elbow, where her sister Akutoku walked with a shadowed look on her face too. Both of the sisters knew well the pain of separation, loss, and grief, of friends and owners slain and forgotten.
Spoiler: Father And Mother At The Sickbed

At the top Colombe paused and looked over at Jacklyn, who nodded as she stopped in turn. The French rapier cleared her throat and spoke in a suspiciously hoarse voice. "Del... is behind the last door on the right. Father...." The rapier's voice trailed off and cracked before she resumed after a deep breath. "I need to talk to Ehren about Hogwarts, so I shall be inside the next door with Ehren and Claire if you need me... need us."

Jacklyn chimed in with her own sad expression. "Aunt Akutoku, I'd like you to meet Aomi for a bit. Dad...." The cutlass swallowed. "I'm sorry that it had to be like this for us... but... Just let Jez say her piece.... Please?" Another swallow and Jacklyn finished in a bare whisper. "Del wanted more than anything to have her parents talk... please do it for her?"

Norimune nodded and braced herself as she walked forward alone. Her footsteps sounded loud in her ears, as loud as the drumbeat in her soul as she had marched into battle surrounded by the screams of the dead and dying falling under the steel flail of war. Just as loud as her heartbeat as she braced all her courage for this walk to face what lay beyond.

She finally reached the door and pushed it open.

Her breath caught in her throat at the scene beyond.

Delilah and Zamarad lay side by side with wax-pale unmoving expressions under heavy bandages. A set of braziers surrounded the bed and even from the door Norimune could smell the incense being burned, which reminded her of her service in the Levant and the Spice Islands. To the left, a repurposed fish tank was filled with repair fluid with Delilah's revolver body immersed in it. Even from the door the scorch marks and soot were clearly visible on her daughter's true body.

To the right, a silver-gray head bowed as aged and gnarled fingers changed the blood-soaked dressings on Delilah's... no... their daughter's face. Norimune's heart filled with pain and grief as she saw the tear tracks and etched lines of pain, and loss, and grief in the ancient face of the woman that she had loved a century and a half ago. There were still faint traces of the young woman that she had known even now as she closed on her second century of life.

A woman who had borne her youngest daughter.

A woman whose betrayal had cut her as deeply and violently as the deaths of Sally Gray and Julie d'Aubigny had.

Jèzebel whispered with tears in her voice from her bowed head. "Nori... please close the door."

Norimune closed and locked the door and then walked hesitantly to the side of the bent old woman.

Only a foot separated them as they stared at the unconscious forms of Delilah and Zamarad.

Only a foot... and sixteen decades of pain, loss, and recriminations.

Only a foot.

How long Norimune stood there in silence, she would never know.

Jèzebel finally sighed, and brushed a stray lock of hair from Delilah's cheek. Her lips opened and she spoke in a tear-choked sad and regretful voice without looking at Norimune, "Delilah was my second chance, you know. When... when I realized that I was with your child I promised you that night in my prayers that I would make her into someone that you would be proud of one day. Give you something that could never be taken away from you by the ICW or MACUSA, or the devil himself. That if nothing else, Muramasa-no-Norimune would be known as the father of Delilah Naomi de Breuil. I pushed her so hard to redeem my great failure, and now I sit here looking at my baby girl and wonder where I went so wrong. When she was an infant, I used to sit by her crib at night just watching her sleep. But... not like this. I never wanted this for her... for you. I'm sorry for driving you away by accident, you deserve better than the foolish girl that I was back then, or the fool that I am now."

Norimune swallowed and spoke hoarsely. "You did well with her, Jez. I couldn't be prouder of her. I shouldn't have returned your letters unopened, not run and hid and lashed out. I... should have listened to what you had to say back then. I should have been there for you, for her. I'm a shit father to all my children, but most of all to Delilah. She... she was the first child of mine that I allowed to get close to me. She told me that night that all she wanted was to bring her parents together so we would talk. All for your sake, not so much for hers. But... not like this." Norimune knelt, still not looking at Jèzebel and took her daughter's cold and limp hand in both of hers. Her voice broke and her tears flowed as she swallowed and then spoke to her daughter and her old lover. "You did so much for me, Delilah. Both of you did, I know that now, and I don't deserve it. It's my fault too. If I had been there for her, if I had told her how proud I was of her when I had the chance, she wouldn't have gone into the flames to try to prove herself one more time to me... and to you."

Norimune's tears flowed and she kissed the cold and lifeless hand of Delilah. Her lips parted and she whispered in a choked emotion-filled voice. "I'm sorry... daughter. I'm sorry... Jez. You both deserve someone better than me. A coward who ran and hid rather than fight for what she valued back then."

Jèzebel hesitantly reached out and placed her hand over Norimune's. "We are both such fools. Come back to us, please, Delilah."

Together they squeezed Delilah's unresponsive hand as the waning moon slowly rose. "Please come back... daughter. Please forgive us."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Hands in his pocket, Harry looked up as Nagato spoke to him, the Battleship placing a hand on his shoulder, "Are you ready for the day, Harry?"

Unable to help himself, the teen grinned up at her, "I am, Mum." Raising an eyebrow, he looked behind her, "Though I have to ask if you are since you'll be left all alone with Hoppou and Seiko."

Glancing behind them at the two little Abyssals, the two older members of the family watched as their newest member put a sour lollipop into her mouth. When he glanced back at his adoptive mother, Harry noted the small blush on her face. Seeing that he noticed, Nagato blushed a little, "I... I will be fine, Harry." After another look at her daughters, the Battleship's blush deepened, "J-just fine..."

Only raising his eyebrow still further, Harry crossed his arms, "Uh-huh..." However, he shook it off with a sigh, 'Too late now, I suppose...'

Before either could say something else, however, a car pulled up and the window rolled down to reveal Ooi there with a smile on her face, "Hey there, Otouto! Ready to head over to Rika-Chan's house?" She then gave a small nod towards Nagato, "Good morning, Nagato-San."

The Battleship returned the nod and the smile both with a chuckle added to it, "Good morning, Ooi-San. Happy birthday to you."

Smiling brightening some, Ooi had a slight bit of red on her cheeks, "Thank you." After a few moments, a thoughtful, almost sad look crossed her face, "Hard to believe that I'm twenty six already..." However, whatever thoughts she had, she shook them off with a chuckle, "Twenty six and loving it! Ready, Otouto?"

Lifting up a knapsack, which the Light Cruiser blinked at, Harry hugged his adoptive mother before getting into the car, "Sure am!" A chuckle escaped from Ooi and, after accepting some candy from Hoppou as well as a broach from Nagato, the group headed off. Inside the car, Harry gave a smile to the shipgirl beside him, "Hey, Kita-Chan!"

Kitakami Maru had a small blush on her cheek as she smiled back at him, "Good morning, Harry-Nii!" With a nod, she grinned, "Ready for Kaa-Chan's birthday celebration?"

Noticing that Kitakami, who was driving, was looking at him via the rearview mirror, the nearly fourteen year old gave a nod, "You bet I am. I'm ready and prepared for all of it!"

Somewhat confused, Ooi had a frown on her face as she looked back at him and thus missed Kitakami's smirk, 'Huh... feels like he meant more than he let on there for some reason...' With a mental shrug, she turned back in her seat and glanced at him in the mirror, "So, I heard that you met someone yesterday?"

Just nodding, Harry gave a small chuckle and scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, I met an old friend of my family named Colombe du Chasteler. My great-great grandfather, Ian as well as my great-great-grandmother, Lyra, knew her."

Cocking an eyebrow, Kitakami gave him a look, "Knew her or knew her?"

Only shaking his head, he gave a weak chuckle, "Um... the second. Not that I know the specifics, thankfully."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Ooi frowned, "Huh, somehow I'm not too surprised."

Harry shook his head a little and grinned a bit sheepishly, "Well... I'm not either to be honest." Then he frowned a little in thought, "We were going to do another meet up, but... something happened and they needed to go home early. Something about family, which I don't mind."

Glancing in the mirror, the brown haired of the two Light Cruisers gave a nod, "I can imagine, Harry-Chan." Ooi gave him a small smile, "After all, family is important to you."

Simply watching as he nodded, Kitakami smirked, "Very important indeed..."

Needless to say, that got her a look from her fellow Cruiser, but she didn't say anything more on that. Meanwhile, Harry was looking around the car they were in with a thoughtful expression. From the sound he could hear, it was obviously an electric vehicle which did make him wonder...

Eyebrow raised, he looked towards Kitakami, "Rika-Nee? Where did you get the car?"

Humming a little, Kitakami glanced over her shoulder, "Where?" Getting a nod, she shrugged a little, "Yuuko-Chan and I did one of those advertisement campaigns. You know, where we have a car, they shoot some video for commercials, and we actually show up places with it? Also going around to tell people that to help with the war effort they should go electric to save gasoline. That sort of thing."

After a few moments, Harry gave a small nod, "Like Ryuujou-Oba and the like?"

With a small nod, the black haired Cruiser nodded, "Exactly! And, afterwards, we got the car for payment for it. They consider it free advertising and let's face it... this is a nice car."

Leaning back, Ooi nodded a little, "Sedans are pretty nice." Sighing, she scratched her cheek, "Though I sort of wish that we could have done one for Kia for those new cars of theirs. I mean..." The Natural Born sat back up and started doing a dance, "You can go with this, or you can go with that! You can go with this, or you can go with that!"

Snickers and the like met her, especially from the two younger people in the back seat. Unable to stop himself from grinning, Harry shook his heads, "You don't look like a hamster, Yuuko-Nee."

With a sigh, Ooi shook her head with a grin, "Sad, but true. One could always dream though~"

It went without saying that laughs met her at that which made her shake her head in amusement. As the conversation drifting to other things, Ooi looked to the window and paused at the sight of her reflection. Something that brought up what she had mentioned before to Nagato as well as the thoughts that said realization created. When she awoke, almost ten years ago, she had been seventeen years old. And now? She was twenty six...

And looked roughly eighteen, maybe nineteen at the most.

Twenty six and she looked about eight years younger. Kitakami's parents had started to get wrinkles and from grey hair, while their daughter and her friend had stayed youthful. And she was not the only one either from what she could see because a number of shipgirls who awoke older than her also stopped aging, or did so at a crawl. Naka was another one who barely looked this side of twenty and that was when she dressed up to look a bit more mature. Ooi would say that it didn't bother her much, after all who didn't want to stay young forever...

But, looking in the rearview mirror, she grimaced slightly at seeing Harry laugh.

Not because he was laughing, not in the slightest. In fact, if she had her way? Her little brother figure would be all smiles and laughs all the time. But what bothered her was that while she had barely aged, Harry had grown from the young, shy boy into a more confident teen. She had barely changed at all, while her little brother, who she loved as much as if they were flesh and blood, had gotten older.

It made Ooi's boilers hurt and ache at what that meant. Because one day, Harry would look the same age as she did right now. And then he would look older. If what some of the others said was true, she would still look young and hale even when Harry himself was covered in wrinkles and grey. Eventually, he would pass and she would still be alive and the thought of that... hurt. It hurt a lot.

Her thoughts were derailed, however, when she noticed Kitakami giving her a concerned look. Laughing a bit, Ooi gave a small shrug, "Sorry about that, Rika-Chan. Just thinking about a few things."

While it was obvious to her that her oldest friend did not believe it, the other Light Cruiser only gave a nod, "Ah, I see."

Once Kitakami turned back to the road, Ooi let out an internal sigh of relief before scratching her chin in thought, 'I... suppose that the only thing that I can do is make sure to spend enough time with Otouto and build up the good memories... and maybe summon my hull so that he can sign my crew log.' Stretching some, she sighed, 'At least Rika-Chan agreed that when he becomes an Admiral, we'll serve under him. He needs some Light Cruisers at least, and we're some of the best!' Ooi gained a grin and clenched her fist, 'And only the best for my Otouto, fufufu!'

Unnoticed by her, Kitakami gave her a glance before shaking her head at seeing Ooi's "Yandere Mode" expression, 'Either she is thinking about me, or about Harry-Chan.' Hearing Harry clear his throat, she blinked a little and perked up some, "Is there something wrong, Harry-Chan?"

Just shaking his head, the teenage wizard frowned, "Not wrong, but... I'm wondering about your parents. What are they like and such." Catching the glimpse in the mirror of Kitakami looking at him, Harry shrugged a little, "You've talked about them before, but..."

Slowly, Kitakami gave a small nod, "It is not quite the same about telling you more about them."

Arms behind her head, Ooi had a smile on her face, "Actually? Rika-Chan's parents are great. They're nice, kind, friendly, and the like." Briefly, she felt a sour taste in her mouth, "Everything that my own aren't."

Wincing a little, Harry nodded, "Ah, I see..."

Beside him, Kitakami Maru shook her head, "You'll see, Harry-Nii! Obaa-Chan and Ojii-Chan are great! When they met me they gave me hugs and all sorts of treats!"

At that, the teenage boy nodded slowly, "I see..."

Lips twitching, Kitakami giggled a little, "Not yet, but you will, Harry-Chan. Trust your Nee-Sans on that."

Simply nodding, Harry looked out the window at the passing landscape. Eventually, however, they entered the two Cruisers' home town on the outskirts of Tokyo. Looking around in interest, the nearly fourteen year old blinked, "So this is where you grew up?"

With a hum, Ooi gave a small chuckle, "Hai, both Rika-Chan and I grew up here. Hasn't changed too much, thankfully..." A small grimace crossed her face, 'It has weathered the war better than Sangenjaya...'

The reminder of said district always made Ooi's chest tighten with pain. Her grandparents had been visiting a friend that lived there with her family when the Abyssals first attacked Tokyo. Abyssal Bombers with incendiary bombs had turned it into a charnel house... her grandparents having been among the uncounted dead that could not be identified due to being burnt to ash in the resulting firestorm. Even now, Ooi was unable to visit said district and always made sure to go as far around it as possible. Her grandparents were the only ones in her family that had actually loved and cared for her, and that was why she avoided the area entirely.

Feeling a hand squeeze hers, however, she looked up to find Kitakami giving her a gentle, understanding smile. Which did not surprise Ooi as her friend likely knew what she was thinking after all. Taking a deep breath, the Natural Born let it out before nodding and squeezing back, her gaze telling her best friend of so many years how thankful she was for it and getting a nod back.

Shaking that off, Ooi chuckled a bit as they passed a school, "Hey, Otouto, that was where Rika-Chan and I went in elementary you know?" A grin on her face, she looked towards her fellow Cruiser, "Maybe Rika-Chan's Okaa-San might show you pictures of her in her old uniform. She was so adorable!"

Cheeks flushed, Kitakami gave her a look, "Stop..."

Meanwhile, in the backseat, Harry gave a wink to Kitakami Maru before turning back to them with mock wide eyes, "You went to elementary school? Really?"

It took a few moments, but the two Light Cruisers clued in. Gobsmacked, Ooi twister around in the seat, "Oy! Are you calling us old?!"

Still with a wide eyed innocent look on his face, though the twinkle in his eyes betrayed him, Harry shook his head, "Didn't you say that you were twenty six? That's like... ancient, prehistoric even." Looking out the window, he cocked his head to the side, "I wonder where you used to keep the dinosaurs you rode to school..."

Unable to help herself, Kitakami Maru giggled madly as Ooi puffed out her cheeks, "Grrrr! If we were not in the car right now, Otouto, I would make you regret that! I am not old, right?! Rika-Chan?"

Expression carefully blank, Kitakami looked at her, "Well... you might want to look for a few grey hairs..."

Ooi's shout caused laughter to burst out in the car, not just from the passengers in the back but also the driver. And after a few moments they were joined by Ooi as well.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

The Family That Slays Together.... (VIII)

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Spoiler: A Hero's Reward

Thunder shook the earth and split the endless skies as a thousand upon a thousand buffalo stampeded before the waving torches and cries of the hunters.

The pounding hooves of White Leg, her beloved spotted Appaloosa horse, caused the endless green of the tallgrass prairie to flash the same color as her eyes as the joyously laughing young woman galloped along the flank of the herd. Chestnut-red hair, confined only by a beaded headband, flew like a banner in the wind of her passage as she soared above the endless grasslands that she loved so dearly.

Suddenly a second horse and rider joined her in the pursuit of the stampeding herd. This Appaloosa was a fellow mare with a black coat and white snowflake spots ridden by a fellow member of the tetonwan, the people of the Great Plains who had joined her in the buffalo hunt. A copper-skinned young woman's face with dark soulful eyes grinned broadly as her blue-black hair's braided pigtails streamed and waved in the wind of their passage. The two horses and riders moved as one in this perfect moment of time as they paced the stampede.

Behind them both a third horse followed, this one a purebred chestnut Thoroughbred, carrying a stocky young man dressed in ranching clothes with a wide grin under his mustache and pince-nez glasses who handled reins and rifle as an expert would.

The Sioux woman pointed out a massive mature bull barely visible in the dust and heaving bodies of the herd and grinned at her friend. A teasing voice spoke in the throaty sounds of Lakota. "{Think you can drop that one, Kills Many?}"

A smug smile split Delilah de Breuil's face as she drew her bow from the saddle holster and nocked a flint-tipped arrow. The Thunderbird feather marking her fletching tickled her cheek as her eyes gleamed with unbridled joy. "{You're on, Louise Winona. When have you ever seen me miss a shot, my blood-sister?}"

As the bowstring sang, Theodore Roosevelt leveled his Winchester rifle at his own chosen buffalo bull with his own broad grin of delight.

The arrow flew from Delilah's bow in a perfect arc through the air of the Happy Hunting Grounds.
--------------------

Bright golden flowers flamed under Zamarad's bare feet as the growling Ifrit chased a giggling toddler through the meadow filled with beautiful wildflowers

Eventually longer legs and superior skill gave the Ifrit princess the advantage as she finally 'caught' her niece.

Zamarad scooped up the giggling messy-haired young girl with a sudden dash, cuddling her to her chest as they whirled around under the cloudless blue sky.

A warm perfumed breeze blew and rustled the flowers around them as Zamarad finally lifted the dizzy child to her shoulders. They then began to walk back toward the two figures waiting for her.

"Down, down!" the toddler demanded imperiously and squirmed as they neared the man and woman.

Zamarad laughed out. "At your command, oh Sultana!" She then swept her niece around before lowering her to the grass.

Zamarad then walked to the dark-haired woman waiting for her as the toddler made a beeline for the laughing blond-haired man standing by his wife's side. She embraced the slightly taller and older woman warmly as she felt the joy flame in her heart.

Emerald eyes met dark pools filled with emerald flecks that shared the flame of her heritage as they hugged. Tamenokalt Potter, her beloved elder sister, gently bopped her giggling baby sister on the nose.

"You are such a tease spoiling my little Easel so." The man's voice joined them as Karl Potter held his drowsy daughter in his arms as he walked to join his wife and sister-in-law.

Zamarad laughed happily and nodded with a broad grin to her beloved oldest sister. "She is such a dear." Zamarad reached out and gently ruffled the messy hair of the young child.

The three turned to see the sun slowly sinking into the western ocean as the first stars lit in the skies above the Fortunate Isles. "Easel is. She is such a wonderful little scamp."
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Spoiler: A Hero's Choice

Moonlight silvered the fields and trees of Elysium as Zamarad stirred in the carved hardwood and soft silken cushions of her canopy bed. Emerald eyes blinked open and she snapped her fingers to create a small flame.

She had dreamed...

She had dreamed of...

She had dreamed of an endless ocean of grass...

She had dreamed of a horse and rider traveling across the prairie...

A laughing young woman with chestnut-red hair and leaf green eyes full of fire and life....

The Ifrit frowned, then slid on her slippers and walked outside in her nightgown.

The full moon silvered the fields and trees, and turned the sea into an endless expanse of quicksilver.

The beauty was enough to make her weep.

But it was lacking the person who was part of her very soul...

Zamarad closed her eyes and listened, hearing the faint beat of a heart in rhythm with her own fiery pulse.

She slowly turned, and followed the sound as she began to walk.

She did not know how far or where she walked, but when she finally opened her eyes, she found herself contemplating two gushing springs of water. She stood on the crushed marble of a path next to a broad basin containing the one spring. To the right, a slate-gray path led to the black basin of the other path.

She slowly looked back and forth between the springs and finally spoke into the waiting silence. "This... this is not real, is it?"

A powerful and yet not unkind male voice spoke from behind her. "It is as real as you wish it to be."

She turned to see a broad-shouldered man dressed in a jet-black chiton with gold embroidery at the hems. Dark and powerful eyes surveyed her and white teeth shone from his jet-black beard.

Zamarad's eyes widened and she curtsied. "You are the ruler of this realm that I am in?"

He nodded sharply. "I am."
--------------------

The Council Fire lit in celebration of the hunt along the bank of the great river where the camp had been pitched was guttering and dying as Delilah de Breuil stirred under her buffalo hide blanket. She looked around at the racks containing the hides and blankets, then at the sleeping faces of her friends who she had celebrated with earlier today.

Louise Winona.

Her head turned the other way.

Emily Dickinson.

She closed her eyes, remembering the excitement of today's buffalo hunt. The joy of being with her friends in this world that she had fought so long and so hard to protect and save and preserve caused her to sob from the beauty of it all.

Driven by an impulse she could not enunciate to herself she grabbed her holstered revolver and stepped out of the thípi. Her lips curled in a happy smile as she saw the one next to her where Theodore slumbered between his wives, both Alice who had been taken so young and so terribly from him, and Edith who had filled the bleeding hole in his heart.

Clad only in her skin, she walked to the campfire and knelt there, watching the sparks flare and join the river of stars overhead.

A branch popped and the flames flared green briefly.

Emerald green.

Emerald.

Zamarad.

The name struck her with a sudden meaning that shot fire through her very being.

With that, still naked under the stars, she turned and began to walk up the bluff. As she did a faint white glow, more sensed than seen, formed before her.

At the top, she stood for long moments, looking down on the camp. She then turned to the now-visible white glow as all became still and silent. Her voice sounded harshly in her own ears. "She cannot come here, can she?"

The glow solidified into a pure white buffalo who spoke to her gently. "Not yet. Not until the choice is made by you both. Once she passes on, then yes, she can join you here as you can join her."

Delilah's eyes widened and she spoke with respect "Ptesanwi." She bowed her head. "Then this?"

The buffalo looked into her eyes with infinite compassion. "Is the reward that you have gained with your heroism, Delilah de Breuil. You know where you stand."

Delilah nodded and looked out across the endless starlit prairie as a clean, fresh, fierce unspoiled breeze blew through her hair. "The Happy Hunting Grounds. So I am dead then." Her lips twisted in a sardonic smile. "I knew that I would die there at the end, but if I could trade my blood for time...."

White Buffalo Woman spoke gently. "Which you did. The innocents in the town were saved and your foes were routed. Your father and mother even now are speaking once more."

Delilah breathed out a sigh of relief as tears fell from her eyes. "Good. I was worried that my sacrifice would count for nothing."

"Oh my child, heroism such as yours never counts for nothing." The compassionate words warmed Delilah's heart. The spirit flickered into a regal Sioux woman dressed in spotless buffalo-hide robes who hugged Delilah gently before she continued, "But now we come to it. You have a choice to make."

Delilah returned the hug before whispering. "You speak of a choice?"

White Buffalo Woman squeezed her in the hug and stepped back, turning back into the great snow-white buffalo. "As you fell mortally wounded, your love Zamarad came to your aid. She was able to save the last flickering embers of your spirit from destruction, but she too fell in your defense with her own grievous injuries as she sacrificed herself in turn for you. Now you both stand on the border between life and death."

Delilah nodded slowly in deep thought, biting her lip. "That is why you said a choice. I can stay here, or try to go back."

"You can try, but of all the warriors who have sought a return to the Lands of Pain, very few have completed the trek." White Buffalo Woman said sadly.
--------------------

Zamarad looked at the springs in front of her. "The white marble basin is Lethe, I shall forget all the agonies and pains of my life and return to Elysium to wait happily for Delilah to join me and me her in bliss eternal."

Hades nodded. "Correct, The other in the black slate is Mnemosyne, the Spring of Memory. If you drink it, you shall remember all, and be barred from entrance into this realm until your fate claims you on the future date Fated. It is possible that your future actions shall bar you from Elysium and send you to a different darker fate. As well, in order to leave My Realm, you must be tested for worthiness. Many, many heroes have failed that test."

Zamarad looked at the two springs. "And Delilah faces the same choice as I do in this instant. If I leave and she stays I shall never see her again until I fall at last."

Hades nodded compassionately. "Correct." A golden goblet formed between the two springs. "It is time now."

Zamarad nodded solemnly and picked the beaten gold up in both hands. "Delilah. I shall be with you." The Ifrit whispered as she scooped a cupful of shimmering water from the spring that she Chose.
--------------------

White Buffalo Woman reared and then slammed Her hooves into the bluff that Delilah stood on.

Two springs gushed forth from her hoofprints as she stepped back.

A waterskin crafted from the stomach of a buffalo formed at Delilah's feet.

A spring of pure water poured down in a singing waterfall to the river that flowed past the waiting camp.

The other was an alkali pan filled with bitter water.

"It is time, My Medicine Woman. Make your Choice." White Buffalo Woman's dark eyes stared into Delilah's as she spoke quietly.

Delilah picked up the waterskin at her feet and knelt by the spring of her Choice.

"Zamarad. I shall be with you."

 

[darthcourt10]

K9Thefirst1

Well, took over a week in Amicus, but it got approved (though personally I doubt it needed approval, but Harry asked) - Here we have ze frank's likely video for the Shirime.
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Transcript of video True Facts: Shirime - by zefrank1, premiered on 6-17-2021

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Spoiler: Required Audio



True Facts About the Shirime

*footage of a Shirime - the species being grey in color and with smooth skin, and looks largely like a mutated human about 4.5 feet tall if standing upright - plodding along in a woodland*

What the- Jerry, do we need to blur that out? No? But it's a naked man- oh, that- that's him isn't it? All right, but don't come crying to me when YouTube demonetizes this thing.

This is Sammy. And his is a Shirime.

*footage of Shirime from various sources, sometimes singly, sometimes in groups*

The Shirime is what is known as a Yokai. Native to Japan, Yokai represent an entire chunk of the Animal Kingdom that Scientists suddenly have to find places for, despite their defiance of all previous understanding thereof. Kind of a d*** move really.

Now, you may have noticed something off about this creature. And if you said anything at all you would be correct. But one of the most astonishing traits of the Shirime is how it is shaped like a hairless man, a man that looks like his got in a fight with an octopus and lost his face in the process, and yet it walks on all fours and walks backwards. And that is because of it's most startling feature: It's giant eyeball. That is in what ought to be its anus-

*close up of footage from a lab, spreading the 'buttcheeks' to show the eyeball, roughly the size of one's fist, an almost reptilian 'secondary eyelid' blinks over the eye*

Oop, yep. That's.... That's a butt-eye all right.

*more generic footage of Shirime*

Imagine having only one eyeball. That is in your butt. And your tears are your own digestive juices- Jerry what in the world is this that's not a- ...Oh my.

*last clip shows a Shirime 'squat' over a refuse pile and "cries" a stream of "tears" onto it*

Well. That's... That's how the Shirime do. I guess.

*footage of Shirime rummaging in refuse piles, 'weeping' on them, getting comfortable, occasionally bubbles come up around it as it sits in the juice pool it makes while absorbing it*

The Shirime has no orifices, no digestive system, nor any reproductive organs of any kind. So in order to attain newdtriuntzh, it cries a caustic stream of enzyme-rich fluuurd called 'eye-pee' by me, and dribbles this eye-goop from my nightmares onto poop. Or your neighborhood garbage pile. Or any place with rotting, decaying organic matter. This turns it into a thick, soupy leekuid which Sammy here then rolls around in, and sits, looking like a filthy idiot, sucking in the trash juice through tiny little pores on his skin. And it's disgusting.

And amazing.

Because of this method of eating, scientists presume that the Shirime is in fact a very advanced species of fungus. One that can walk around, and make terrifying-yet-cute movements.

*pictures of Shirime in a domestic setting among Youkai in the reserves, almost like a pseudo-dog*

*footage of a group of Shirime wandering around a Youkai reserve village*

The Shirime is prized among the rural yokai communities of Japan. Two or three of these amazing beasts can easily convert a small villiage's poop, trash, and table scraps into fertile so-ill. Some are even kept as pets! I mean, look at him, this one is dressed up like a cowboy.

*focus on a picture of a Shirime in a canine Woody costume in the arms of a little inugami girl dressed up as Jessie*

With the sheriff badge pinned to his butt! Actually that's likely rather painful. I mean, can you imagine, having a safety pin jabbed into your butt-meat? I know it doesn't have a nervous system, but come on man. I mean, that's rather rude isn't it?

*more footage of Shirime 'in the wild'*

Considering their awkward posture and docile-seeming disposition, you may be wondering, 'how can something that stupid-looking have survived?' Well, like all such wonderous creatures, the Shirime has a unique adaptation thanks to it's magical nature - it is a master of camuflauzhe.

*footage of a forest floor, specifically a small boulder and a rotting log*

Here we see a Shirime in it's natural environement, taking advantage of the terrain to hide from potential predators. You see that rock?

*the log turns into a Shirime*

[narrator speaks around his giggles] That wasn't him! And with a little training, the Shirime can camuflauzhe himself as a person!

*footage of a Shirime standing on it's front legs, hobbling for a few steps before falling on it's back*

[narrator sighs] Try again David... There you go. See, very convincing, isn't he? And when threatened, the Shirime can use his eaty-holes to take in air and squeeze it out, like when playing with a whoopy-cushion, and some owners train their pet Shirime to talk!

*footage of a pet Shirime, jerking and twitching, making noises that can vaguely be made out to be the Japanese words for "hello," and "excuse me."

[Narrator struggles to contain his laughter] And that is terrifying to look at. And amazing. Apparently, this is an old traditional prank.

*cut to drawings from the only folk tale of the Shirime, where a samurai encounters one in disguise on the road and runs away in a panic*

Dress them up in some clothes, train them to repeat a couple of words, shove them at some random stranger on the road late at night and watch the fun. Which sounds like a fun Saturday night at college when you and your friends get drunk and can't think of anything better to do.

And it's quite a neat trick when you think of it. You try walking around on your arms, dressed up as if you were a normal, leg-standing-person, and try and hold a conversation for any length of time before stripping naked.

That is how the Shirime do.

*footage of the Shirime preparing to reproduce, which is largely as described: it gets comfortable among a refuse pile and the budding begins*

After three years, the Shirime goes into a dormant period, a little bit like me on Thanksgiving when I eat too much turkey. And then the miracle of life begins. You see, the Shirime has no reproductive organs. No corkscrew penises, no eggholes, no pouches, none of that. The Shirime instead undergoes an asexual method of repruduction called Budding. Which sounds less terrifying than it really is. After finding a nice big pile of sh*t to sit in, the Shirime's body develops teeny-tiny bumps, hundreds of them, form, all over its body, which over the course of weeks grow and gestate, like tiny, Horror Movie tyuumuurs. Growing tiny legs, and arms, with little feet and grabby-grapy hands. And eyeball anuses. Then, like something from an Alien movie, the young proceed to pee on their parent, dissolving them, and then consuming them, like the ungrateful little bastards that they are.

*footage of the tiny Shirime babies - no more than maybe a half-inch long - weeping on the parent, absorbing the juices, then they wonder off into the wilderness*

Then the young behbehs go their separate ways, never to see each other again.

Which is likely a good thing. I mean, can you imagine the conversation at the reunion? 'Hey Timmy, long time no see! Why, the last time I saw you, you were peeing on Dad and eating him!'

I mean... It would be awkward.

And so, the miraculous circle of life, continues...

Until they end up in someone's soup.

Because apparently Shirime behbeh ramen is a delicacy in some places. Don't judge, after all in some cultures it's no big thang to just gobble down live cockroaches. But don't google it, it's disgusting.

*screen goes blank, then the footage and audio credits appear on the screen*

I mean sure, they're basically mushrooms that walk but... Goodness, that is some next level desperation eating sh*t right there.

*footage of juvenile Shirime baby walking along a log, then loses balance and falls in a creek*

Da- David, honey, just stand up.

*"David" thrashes, trying to clamber onto a loose log*

I mean, it's not even that deep, just stand up and- no, no! That log's not going to-

*the log tips over and "David" falls back into the stream*

[narrator sighs] Jerry I told you not to use David anymore... Because he's an idiot obviously.

Kids these days, I tell you.

*end video*

 

[darthcourt10]

Savato93

Okay, I've been sitting on my ass for long enough. Time to wrap up this arc...

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hmm." Hoppou brought the end of the pencil to her lips, offhandedly nibbling on the eraser. She looked up to the Abyssal sitting across from her. "Hoppou struggling to come up with any ideas. Does Regalia have any thoughts?"

"I… I'm not sure." The young Re-class tilted her head. "This is nothing like the stuff you've gone over with me…"

Two piles of documents were laid out on the kitchen table between the two Abyssals. One cluster of papers showed familiar blueprints and layouts: designs for a Ri-class. The rest of the papers displayed similar designs… but those Ri-class blueprints were missing key components. They lacked the majority of their forecastles; there were large gaping holes in their deck where their main guns should have been; many important parts of their superstructure were gone. The one thing they did have over the normal designs were two sets of reinforced cranes set at the fire and aft sections.

Today, the two were taking a break from mentoring. Instead, they were brainstorming solutions to Carrie and Sherri's self-dismantled hulls.

"Have you considered… I dunno, reclassing?" Regalia suggested. "Like, converting them to tenders, or armored ammunition ships?"

"Easier said than done," Hoppou replied with a huff. "Converting to ammo ships would be simple enough—armor over turret holes, rebuild cranes into permanent fixtures, and replace defensive armaments—but then, if they ever got pushed into battle, they'd be so much more vulnerable. Carrying so much more ammo that could be hit and blown up." Regalia flinched at the thought of that. "And becoming tenders? That would require MUCH more extensive refits, which Carrie and Sherri have already said they don't want."

The Re-class sagged a bit in her seat. "Oh. Right." Thinking for a few seconds, she spoke again. "Maybe we're looking at this the wrong way. They like how they are now, right? Pretty much normal on the outside, no metal bits sticking out anywhere?"

"Yes… Hoppou believes that is so."

"Could you not just redesign their rigging, then? Give them back their turrets and torpedoes and stuff, but give it a different form that isn't constantly visible, like the shipgirls have?"

Hoppou sighed. "...Hoppou tried that. Couldn't find an angle on it. The issue is that Abyssal rigging isn't designed by a Princess; it forms by itself, based on designs of the hull. Hoppou doesn't have the faintest idea of what has to change, to alter how their hulls express themselves."

"Surely, it can't be THAT hard for you, Grandma…" Regalia said. "I mean, you made the new bodies for the destroyers, right? That should mean you already know how to alter us physically."

The Princess shook her head. "Just puppets for the puppies to control… Hoppou is still working on the actual conversion process. Even then, it's not the same thing." Sighing, Hoppou leaned forward and rested her chin on the table. "Honestly...? Hoppou is worried if operating on Carrie and Sherri is even safe for them."

"Safe? What do you mean?"

"Carrie and Sherri have… changed. Hoppou is afraid that, by denying everything they were for so long, they've put themselves in a unique and unnatural state."

"Like hybrids?" Regalia asked.

"No. Hybrids are a mix; not Abyssal or human, but something in between. But Carrie and Sherri? As far as Hoppou can tell, they're both human AND Abyssal… at the same time."

Regalia sat back in her chair, head tilted in bafflement. "...what? How can you be two separate things at once?"

"Quantum science stuff. It's confusing to explain. Like, normally something can be in one state or another... but then, it can also be in both states at once while nobody's looking right at it, or something…? Uhh." Hoppou pressed her hands to her temples, like she was squeezing her skull. "Big Brother tried to explain it to Hoppou with a flash drive—said that it has just two sides to it normally, but unless you actually check it it won't fit in a slot either way because it's somehow face-up AND face-down. I think."

Regalia rubbed her forehead. "You're right, that is confusing." She looked back down at the schematics. "So you're worried that if… if you were to try and operate on them… it might cause them to stop being both human and Abyssal?"

Hoppou nodded slowly. "They could revert back to ordinary Ri-classes… or they could lose their hulls completely, and become normal girls."

The Re-class was quiet for a little bit, thinking. "If… if what you're worried about is true… then what can we hope to do? Are they just stuck the way they are for good?"

"Po… I don't know. And I hate that I don't. Carrie and Sherri seem happy and healthy now—but what if their condition causes problems later? I can't even put them under to help them, if there's a chance they would transform completely in the process."

Regalia noted her grandmother's switch to first-person—this was obviously stressing her out. "Maybe leaving them alone is the only option… for now, at least," she reasoned. "I doubt this is a one-Princess job… you might need to call in help from Aunt Wanko, or Uncle Harry, or even the shipgirls. Find some other people who can look at it a different way. Don't you think?"

After several seconds of silence, Hoppou finally picked her head up and nodded slowly. "Regalia is right. This is too complex for Hoppou to handle alone; it's stressing Hoppou out. But what can Hoppou do to take her mind off of it…?"

There was a knock on the wall. The two Abyssals perked up, turning around to find Nagato standing a few feet away with a concerned look on her face. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything too important… but, Admiral Goto's office received a call from shipgirls stationed at Pearl Harbor. They wanted to speak with you immediately, Hoppou-chan…"

XXXXXXXXXX

The first thing the Tsu-class felt was the sensation of her body being steadily lowered into warm water. It had an oddly soothing feeling to it… everywhere it touched, sank in, she could feel years' worth of accumulated wear and tear on her hull start slowly bleeding away. She opened her eyes, blinking several times as they adjusted to the brightness of her surroundings. There was now a tiled roof overhead, instead of clear skies.

"Wha… where am I?" She asked groggily.

"Repair bath."

Her gaze fell to see two other Tsu-classes sitting cross-legged at the edge of the tub she'd been laid in. She recognized them by their older designs—Tsunami and Tsubasa, two of Mother's only dedicated anti-air ships at the time of the siege. "You had a panic attack, a bad one. All but fainted on the water." Tsunami said. She gestured to the room around them. "The shipgirls let us bring you two back here to recover. Lord knows you two needed it." As if to punctuate her sister's statement, the Tsu-class felt and heard a muted crack, as the plating bolted to her arm was broken open by several imps with cutting torches.

The Tsu-class rolled her neck to the side. Tampa was laid back in the bath next to her, surrounded by at least a dozen more imps. One of them, the head of Sunny's damecon team, was angrily babbling about how everything in Tampa's body was wrong or out of place; Tampa herself could only sit back and nod numbly as the imp listed off her numerous abnormalities. Undersized boilers, set too far astern; countless stress fractures in the steel around her A turret, lacking the proper bracing for her higher-velocity Ru-class guns; woefully-inadequate fire control systems that more than halved her effective firing range; and not least of all her mess of an armor belt, which had all the consistency of Swiss cheese but masked an inexplicably intact interior.

And several of the imps swore that her steel was growing back.

Turning her attention away from Tampa, the Tsu-class looked over her surroundings… and in doing so, she realized it was just the four of them in the room. Sunny, Nuri, everyone… they were nowhere to be seen. "Where are the others?" She asked.

"Our group was about to set out on a diplomatic voyage before you showed up and the shipgirls raised the alarm," Tsubasa answered. "The Fleet needed to get moving, but we couldn't leave you here alone; with the reduced air presence in the Atlantic, we were the best choice to stay behind and look after you."

"Diplomatic…?"

"Some Abyssals in the Atlantic sided with the humans. Wanted to build their own nation or something." Tsunami waved a hand. "But we can discuss that later. Right now, there's something more important for us to work on."

Before the Tsu-class could ask what she meant by that, a nearby door creaked open and a human man stepped in, a flat black square in hand. "Alright, the call's set up. Just try not to drop the thing in the bath—it's water resistant, not waterproof," he said simply, handing the phone over to Tsunami.

"Thank you," Tsunami said with a nod, carefully pinching the phone in her oversized fingers as she brought it to her ear. "Hey. We all made it to Pearl in one piece… it's alright, the locals have been pretty nice to us." A few seconds of quiet chatter on the other end of the line. "Nuri? She and the others moved ahead, actually. It's just me and 'basa here now… why? Well… we found a couple of girls here, that we think you should talk to." Looking down, Tsunami offered the phone to the Tsu-class in the bath. "Here."

The Tsu-class hesitantly reached out with her unarmored hand, awkwardly gripping the flat rectangle, and brought it up to her own ear. "H-hello…?"

"You… that voice!?"

The voice on the other end of the call was small, soft, uncertain… and all too familiar. "...Mom?" The Tsu-class gasped quietly.

"Hatsumo…? Is… is it really you, Hatsumo?"

The tsu-class was suddenly struck by a wave of powerful emotions, hearing her long-lost mother speak. Disbelief, relief, wonder, joy, love…

And overwhelming guilt.

"Mom… Mom, I'm so sorry…!" Hatsumo choked out.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

The Family That Slays Together.... (IX)

16 July 2014

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York
Spoiler: A Sickbed Meeting

Norimune sat in a hardwood chair beside Jèzebel, looking at her daughter's comatose form on the bed in front of her. Only the barest hint of movement from her bandaged chest showed Delilah's breathing. Directly behind her, a solemn and quiet Akutoku placed her hand on Norimune's shoulder, letting the Unrepentant Blade draw what strength and comfort that she could from the Sword of Corruption.

At Jèzebel's right elbow, Jacklyn sat with Aomi beside her grasping Jackie's arm. For once every trace of the devil-may-care insouciance was totally absent from her middle daughter's serious face.

To Norimune's left, the still and composed face of her oldest daughter sat. Colombe looked at her little sister's unmoving face with suspiciously shiny eyes in a very controlled face. Behind and supporting their mother with a hand on each of her shoulders, Claire and Ehren sat hand in hand.

Norimune glanced at Colombe's solemn features with her eyes barely holding the tears that she would never shed in public. Norimune wondered to herself if this is what her oldest daughter had looked like when she sat the deathwatch vigil for the adopted father who had been more of a Papa to her than Norimune ever would.

A vigil two and a half centuries in the past that was yet one more failure of the many, many that she had subjected her children and lovers to.

So many failures.

But she would not fail her family now.

The fireplace coughed up a fireball that formed into a pair of Jinn. The strong red-headed form of the Emir in black robes clutched the more slender and delicate beautiful form of his wife around the shoulders. They walked slowly to the chairs set for them across the bed at Zamarad's hand and took a seat there.

A chime sounded in the stillness of the room.

The door opened and Masamune-no-Tokunotakai stepped through.

Dressed in pure white kimono with subtle embroidery of doves white-on white in the silk, and a brilliant scarlet hakama with her hair braided with red and white silken ribbons, she carried a tamagushi wand made from a sakaki-tree branch and shide zigzag strips of spotless white washi paper.

Norimune and Jèzebel reached out and took Delilah's cold and lifeless hand in theirs. On the other side of the bed, Rayhan and Periezade took the equally cold hand of their youngest daughter.

Tokunotakai bound the three hands on each side together with a short length of shimenawa rope made of rice straw and festooned with shide. She then shook her wand to begin the ritual, rattling the paper strips as she chanted to cleanse the negative energies in the room.
---------------------------

Springs of Lethe and Mnemosyne
Spoiler: A Journey From The Underworld

The cold and bitter water she was drinking hit Zamarad like a knife in her stomach. She gasped and choked as the memories hammered her with the force of the Abyssal shells fired at her and the agonies of her mad charge through the water to reach Delilah.

She felt her spirit flame to life with this new fuel. As she ignited, a ghostly Delilah stepped out of the spring and stood by her elbow.

Hades looked deep into her flaming emerald eyes and then spoke solemnly. "The path to the surface is illuminated for you to lead the shade of your love to new life. Beware, for if you look upon her face before the rays of the sun kiss her, forever shall she stay parted from you."

Zamarad nodded and began to travel down the crushed slate of the path ahead of her, uncaring of the razor sharp stones slicing her feet as the flame animating her began to slowly wane. "I understand, and thank you Lord Hades."

Delilah's shade silently followed her.
---------------------------

The Happy Hunting Grounds

White Buffalo Woman's parting words echoed in Delilah's ears and heart as she ran through the shadowed grass of the prairie toward the distant mountain peak ahead of her. "You must travel to the lodge of Wiyohiyanpa, the East Wind, before Anpetu Wi illuminates the earth. Petition him for the bravery and fortitude to travel with him to where your parents wait for you."

Razor-sharp stems of grass sliced into her calves and thighs as she used a spell to boost her speed and stamina to superhuman levels.

The bitter alkali water she had chosen to drink had ignited a flame in her heart, a flame that she knew was where Zamarad waited for her.

A flame that even now was burning far far ahead of her at the lodge of Wiyohiyanpa.
---------------------------

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York

Norimune clenched her daughter's hand tighter as she felt Toku channel part of her spirit into Delilah's still form.

"Live..." She whispered through her teeth, echoed by Jèzebel's equally quiet words.

Norimune squeezed Jèzebel's hand gently. Their conversation yesterday had been hard and painful, admitting all her failures and mistakes, but it had been equally hard for Jèzebel to open herself to the tsukumogami who had abandoned her.

But she would endure the pain and regrets for Delilah's sake.

And a few good things had come out of it.

Norimune was shocked to her core that her efforts and example had inspired Jèzebel's unceasing efforts to fight for MACUSA's ideals and soul, to redeem the promise of the American Revolution that Norimune had helped birth. To make her efforts to fight slavery in the Civil War bear fruit by working for full equality and citizenship for the freed slaves. Norimune genuinely did not know how to take the fact that she had inspired so much good in those who followed the trail that she had marked. A cynical, bitter, hurt part of her had whispered "where they were when she needed them?" but she had started to move past that poisonous whisper. Yes, she had failed and fallen short time and again, but her efforts had not been in vain.

She and a young dashing swordswoman full of light and life and energy had birthed a hero who would follow in her parents' footsteps as an example of the best and brightest of the era that they had met and loved and lived in. A hero who would fight for what she saw was right with equal tenacity, honor, and elan as her parents no matter how hard her road would be.

Her oldest daughter added her strength and purpose to the effort to reach to Delilah as Colombe took Norimune's free hand and squeezed it.

She and a fellow pirate and rogue had sailed the seven seas, exulting in the freedom they gave to set her own course through life.

On the other side of Jèzebel, her middle daughter leaned in and added her support to their efforts with her joy of life and wanderlust.

And...with the woman whose hand that she clutched, she had birthed a third daughter. A young woman who heard the promise -- and challenge -- in the words she listened to as a young girl speaking of liberty, equality, and freedom for all men. Calling for a new birth of freedom in the soil watered and consecrated by the lifeblood of those brave men who redeemed the meaning of the Declaration of Independence by liberating the slaves.

A woman who... followed her footsteps to make the promise of a nation that Norimune had believed in at one time into a reality. A woman who was as great a hero, along with her mother Jèzebel, who had been inspired by her to make her father proud. No matter that Norimune was only a figure of stories and memories in a Pensieve, present only in her absence in Delilah's life.

She was the hero who Delilah had patterned herself on... and Norimune was proud of her child for doing so.

For were not children supposed to follow in their parents footsteps?

With that insight, Norimune channeled every ounce of her spirit into trying to help her daughter.
---------------------------

The Road From Hades

Zamarad whimpered with pain as she staggered forward, leaving a trail of blood behind her. The path had been hard and rocky, and she had heard nothing from Delilah, even when she called out, asking her how she was doing on this path out of the Underworld. It had taken every ounce of willpower and faith in her love to not look back and help her.

She reached the great bronze gates ahead of her, and grabbed the rings set into the doors.

Gasping with effort as she strained every burning sinew and every ounce of willpower that was in her body, she pulled. A ray of sunlight sparkled ahead as the gates opened enough for her to pass.

"Just a little farther, Delilah. Just a little farther and we will be together." Zamarad gasped out as she began to crawl toward the life-giving light.
---------------------------

The Mountain Of Wiyohiyanpa

The mountain stood in the east of the Happy Hunting Grounds. Snow-crowned and majestic, it rivaled Everest in its grandeur and might.

Delilah gasped as she climbed the cliff face just below the summit as the sky lightened in front of her. Cold winds buffeted her and her teeth chattered as she grasped for another snow-covered handhold. The top of this cliff was in sight and the Lodge was there according to the Lakota.

Then her foot slipped and she began to slide toward the drop that she had spent this journey climbing up out of.

One hand desperately reached out and grabbed an icy rock, clinging to it as the rest of her body slid over the cliff face.

She hung there over the abyss, suspended between success and failure, defeat and victory without the strength to pull herself up.

Slowly her fingers began to slip.

Far far below, the jagged ice, stained with the blood of those who had failed and fallen here gleamed hungrily.

Cold green eyes narrowed, and then her lips curled back in a smug smile.

She deliberately released her grip before her strength failed.

As she began to fall, her free hand pulled her revolver from the shoulder holster and threw herself with every ounce of strength and spirit remaining in her being.

Delilah Naomi de Breuil gasped out as she fell endlessly. "Zamarad... I'm coming."
---------------------------

Spoiler: A Return From The Grave

The Road From Hades

A silver ring formed on the finger of the exhausted Ifrit who crawled into the pool of sunlight with the embers of her strength and will driving her.

The life-giving light flamed from a fire agate carved in the Seal of Solomon surrounding the name of the true love of the woman who wore this ring. A woman who closed her eyes and wept fiery tears as she whispered, "Delilah. I'm here for you. Please... Please redeem my faith in you."

A second, deathly pale hand with the matching wedding ring reached out and grasped Zamarad's hand in an unbreakable grip.
---------------------------

The Lodge Of Wiyohiyanpa

Delilah manifested on the grassy ground next to the fire burning at the entrance of the lodge. Wearily, she picked up her true body, and turned.

With a thunder of hooves, and shining like the Sun that He was, a great red buffalo bull walked to face her. Blazing eyes met her leaf-green eyes, measuring her.

Delilah met his gaze and bowed. "Anpetu Wi. Please grant me your strength, fortitude, and courage so I can rejoin my family. Rejoin Zamarad."

Satisfied with whatever he saw in her spirit the solar bull nodded. "Mount me, and I shall take you home."

With the last of her strength Delilah grabbed tight and closed her eyes.
---------------------------

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York

Suddenly two sets of eyes fluttered.

Zamarad blinked her eyes open and focused on her crying parents. The shimenawa binding her to them flamed to ash in an instant as they embraced their daughter.

Delilah focused on the familiar faces side by side at long last. "Mère? Père?" she whispered out before closing her eyes once more. "I'm glad that you are together."

She then flopped her head over to see the Ifrit next to her.

Leaf green and emerald green eyes met and tension left them as they interlaced the hands with their wedding rings.

Forevermore.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

As they calmed down from their laughs, the two Light Cruisers continued their chat with them pointing out various places to Harry out the window. Pointing at one small resturant, Ooi grinned widely, "Hey, Rika-Chan! Himura-Jiji is still in business I see!"

Looking out the window, Kitakami smiled a little and laughed at the small ramen bar, "Hai, though his son has started to take over now. Still as good as it ever was though."

With a hum, Ooi gave a small nod, "Remember how we used to go there all the time after school for a snack before heading home?" Patting her stomach, she shook her head, "We had to have kept that place afloat."

Her lips twitching, the other Light Cruiser chuckled, "I can honestly see him say that to us as well. But hai, I remember the two of us going there all the time." Reaching over, she poked Ooi just under where her ribs were, making the other Natural Born squirm, "Of course, you always had more than I did. Surprised that you did not blow outwards."

Crossing her arms, Ooi snorted some as the two in the backseat snickered, "I will have you know that I had a great metabolism. And it went to the right places anyways." Thoughtful, she tilted her head a little, "I used to go there for dinner when... when my parents went on business trips and left me money to go out and eat."

Kitakami grimaced a little bit even as she tightened her grip on the steering wheel, "Or when they went out to dinner with their bosses or clients, or to business meetings outside of town, or..."

Just reaching over, the brown haired Light Cruiser gave her friend's hand a gentle squeeze, "Hey, look at me, Rika-Chan." When her friend turned to her, she smiled some, "Your Okaa-San and Otou-San often took me in and fed me. Let me stay over as well more often than not, which helped out a lot."

Taking a deep breath, Kitakami let it out, "Fine... but one of these days, I will get them back. I swear it..."

Simply shrugging, Ooi had a sad look on her face, "I was never really a daughter to them, I think. Pretty sure that they saw me as no better than something than a display piece that they could pull out to impress someone and shove away in a dark closet after."

In the backseat, Harry glanced between the two girls before looking outside and brightening, "Hey, look, an ice cream shop!"

He noticed Kitakami give him a thankful look in the mirror as Ooi perked up, "Ooo! That place is still here? I remember the two of us going there as well on the hotter days. They always had some of the best ice creams after all."

Glancing at Kitakami Maru, the black haired wizard smirked a little, "Huh, and here I thought that you claimed not to be that old. And yet, you sound like an old woman, Yuuko-Nee... maybe I should call you Yuuko-Baa-San?"

For several seconds, the car was utterly silent even as Ooi went red in the face and pressed her lips together. Snorts and the like came from Kitakami as she make a choking noise, "Harry-Chan, please... I'm driving here. And I don't want to explain to anyone that I got into an accident due to fainting from a lack of oxygen because I was laughing too hard."

Sputters came from Ooi as she threw her hands into the air with a wail, "Rika-Chan!" At the snickers from her friend, she huffed before crossing her arms over her chest and looking away, "And here I thought that it was my birthday, not 'Pick on Yuuko Day'!"

Each of the others, however, could see her lips twitching a little telling them that she was really amused by it.

Not long afterwards, Kitakami pulled into an parking lot for an apartment building that was slightly raised. Harry noted the signs that underneath said parking lot, there was likely a shelter for the surrounding buildings in case of an Abyssal raid managed to make it this far. They were relatively common and he had seen that a lot of buildings had shelters built into them as well wherever possible, complete with food, water, first aid supplies, and the like. Shaking off that thought, however, Harry turned his attention to the apartment building, "Is this where your parents live, Rika-Nee?"

With a happy hum, Kitakami shut off the car and turned in her seat, "Hai, it is, Harry-Chan. My parents make good money, but..." She waved a hand in the air, "They're far from rich, so they own a good sized apartment rather than a house. I do send them some money from my paycheck to help out though."

Unbuckling herself, Ooi gave a nod as well, "I do as well since, well..." A soft smile appeared on her face, "They're kind of like a second set of parents to me and have been since Rika-Chan and I first met."

That got her a smile from her friend before the other Light Cruiser gave her a hug, "And as you know, they love you as if you were their own daughter as well, Yuuko-Chan." Getting a hug and nod back, Kitakami moved back and opened the door, "Anyways, we should be going to meet them."

Everyone nodded at that and got out of the car, Kitakami locking the door behind them as she did so. With that done, they entered the apartment lobby and, after she gave a call up to her parents apartment, were let inside. Soon, they were standing outside a door and Kitakami gave a knock only for it to be answered by a middle aged man with laugh lines and hair that was salt and pepper in color. As soon as he saw the Light Cruiser, he gave a laugh and hugged her, "Rika-Chan! Welcome home!"

Hugging him back, Kitakami gave a happy sigh, "Good to be home, Otou-San." As he pulled back, a woman who greatly resembled Kitakami appeared and gave her a hug as well, "Okaa-San..."

Brightly smiling, the older woman tightened the hug briefly, "Rika-Chan, my daughter..." Pulling back, she looked Kitakami over before nodding and smiling, "You are looking very good." Lips curling into a warm smile, she turned to Ooi, "Must be because Yuuko-Chan is doing her best to do so."

Lightly blushing, Ooi scratched her cheek, "Ah-haha, I try, Oba-Chan."

Only shaking her head, the woman walked over and pulled her into a tight hug, "Come here and let me hug my other daughter and welcome her home."

Tears in her eyes, Ooi felt her throat tighten as she hugged her back, "H-hai..." After almost a minute, she pulled back, but was enveloped in a hug by Kitakami's father, "Oji-San..."

Just leaning from side to side, the older man grinned, "As my wife said... welcome home, daughter."

Sniffling a little, Ooi buried her face in his chest, "H-hai... thank you for welcoming me home."

Almost as soon as they pulled apart, Kitakami Maru was right there with a big grin as she hugged the man, "Ojii-Chan!" Letting go, she hugged Kitakami's mother, "Obaa-San! Thank you for having us!"

Unable to help herself, the older woman chuckled, "You are very welcome, Kitakami-Chan. And how could we not have our daughter and adorable granddaughter here? Especially as one is celebrating a very special day." Twinkle in her eye, she smiled, "Not every day one turns twenty six after all."

Brightly smiling, Ooi just nodded as she wiped some tears away, "Hai, that is true, Oba-Chan." She waited a moment before gesturing towards Harry, "Ah, right, Otouto? I would like to introduce you to Rika-Chan's parents, Chisaka Hiroaki and Shigemi."

Harry bowed to them a little bit, "Hello, I'm Potter Harry and..." He glanced at Ooi, "I'm Yuuko-Nee-Chan's Otouto."

It did not escape either parent that Ooi's expression brightened to the point that one could swear that it was blinding in how happy it was, which made them smile as well. Bowing back, Kitakami's parents smiled at him with her mother speaking for them both, "It is very good to finally meet you, Potter-San. Rika-Chan and Yuuko-Chan have told us quite a bit about you."

As he straightened, Hiroaki reached out and took Harry's hand in a handshake before smiling, "Hmm, a good, firm handshake. You're a fine young man."

Just placing her hand on her face, Kitakami groaned, "Otou-San..."

However, he just winked at her, "Ah, don't worry about it, Rika-Chan. Just making sure that he's worthy of being our Yuuko's Otouto is all."

Only grinning, Harry chuckled a little, "Don't worry, I would have done the same in your place."

That only got him a laugh from the older man before Hiroaki gestured for them to head inside, "Well, come on, we won't get everything done if we just hang around out here flapping our gums. After all, we have a small party for us all."

Moving out of the way, he let them all enter the apartment before he closed the door behind him. Taking off his shoes and slipping his feet into the slippers provided for guests, Harry followed behind as they left the entrance. He noted how the dining room and living room were one room with a worn, though comfortable couch before a television and a seat. The dining room itself was of a normal worn table with a number of chairs while in the kitchen just over the counter, one could see food being cooked which Kitakami's mother went to.

With a hum, Harry bowed a little, "Your home is very lovely, Chisaka-San."

Laughing a bit, the older man gave him a smile, "Thank you, Potter-San. Lunch will be ready in just a bit."

Only smiling, Harry chuckled a little, "Thank you." Taking off his backpack, he pulled out several bottles, "I brought some drinks for you, if you want them."

Eyebrow raised, Hiroaki took the bottle and examined the label, "Huh... don't recognize the maker..."

Upon looking, Ooi had a grin on her face, "Alright! I know that brand, it's from Britain made by magicals. It's really good beer."

Raising his eyebrow, the older man blinked at her and then at the beer, "Huh... I know that shipgirls exist and you told us about that, uh, Hogwarts, I think it was called?" At the surprised nod, he shrugged, "Right, still kind of hard to imagine that magic exists like that."

Kitakami turned to Harry and smiled some as she rubbed the back of her neck, "Um, sorry about that, Harry-Chan. But I don't keep secrets from my parents, or at least ones that don't matter."

Simply shrugging with his shoulders, Harry shook his head, "Doesn't really matter to me, Rika-Nee. After all, the Statute is coming down sometime in the next few years. But, um..." He turned to both adult humans there, "Might not want to advertise that you know."

Taking the beer from her husband and setting it into the fridge, Shigemi gave him a nod, "Rika-Chan and Yuuko-Chan have warned us both about that, Potter-San. So don't worry, we can keep a secret." In return, that got her a nod from the teenage wizard and she smiled back, "Now, Rika-Chan mentioned that you would be bringing some food that she asked you to?" The older woman glanced towards her daughter, smirking at the blush that appeared with her next words, "I'm thankful if you did. After all, even before becoming a shipgirl, both Yuuko-Chan and Rika-Chan were big eaters. Our daughter gets that from her Otou-San."

Instead of being insulted, Hiroaki laughed and patted his stomach, "She does at that!"

Unable to help himself, Harry snickered at the embarrassed expression on both Kitakami's and Ooi's faces at that. Shaking his head, he reached into his backpack and pulled out a small box and gave a smile to the two older adults, "Want to see some magic?"

At their nods, he placed the box on the table and tapped it. Almost immediately, it quadrupled in size to their surprise. He then took off the ofuda sealing it and opened the box, revealing a plastic container. And inside that...

Ooi's expression brightened almost immediately, "General Tsao chicken! Alright!"

Eyebrow raised as he looked at the food inside which steamed, Hiroaki made a thoughtful sound, "Huh, that was impressive. So this is that Chinese food you like, Yuuko-Chan?"

Shaking her head, Kitakami smiled a bit, "Chinese-American, Otou-San. Yuuko-Chan." Ignoring the other Light Cruiser hugging Harry for now, she shrugged, "Yuuko-Chan tried it once when we went to America and really liked it. As in, she inhaled the stuff."

Cheeks flushed, said shipgirl gave Kitakami a look, "Like you were any better with some of the food over there! I remember when we first came to Canada on convoy duty and you had that ginger beef! And you talk like I was a pig, how many plates did you have? Six? Seven?"

Now blushing herself, Kitakami looked away, "Shut up."

A smirk on his face, Harry raised another box while cocking an eyebrow, "Well, does that mean that you don't want some ginger beef as well?"

The pout on Kitakami's face made him snicker some, while he went through the same process to reveal it. Leaving the stove, briefly, Kitakami's mother looked at the food and hummed, "Well, Rika-Chan was always one for beef... Perhaps leave me the recipe when you leave, Potter-San?" That got her a nod and she went back to cooking, "How ever did you start cooking them?"

In reply, Harry shrugged a little, "We get shipgirls from all over, Chisaka-San. So they teach the cooks recipes and such from back home, and, well... I learned from them."

Licking her lips as she looked at the chicken, Ooi made a hum, "Hai, though Hinata-San is already taking in as many recipes as she can." Turning her Kitakami's parents, she nodded, "She's a Jorogumo back on the base, but really nice and not like the ones from the legend."

Just shrugging, Hiroaki shook his head, "Well, if you say so. Both you and Rika-Chan would know more about this than little old me after all." Walking over to one of the cabinets, he began to pull out plates, "Now, let's get some of this food out because that smell is making me feel like I'm starving..."

Also rubbing her hands, Ooi grinned and nodded, "Hai, same here..."

Only minutes later, Chisaka brought out the other dishes. Each person got a plate with Katsukarē on it followed by a plate of Omurice. However, Ooi paused at seeing her plate because, written in the ketchup, were the Kanji for "Happy Birthday, daughter". Eyes becoming blurry, she looked up to find Kitakami's parents smiling at her. Swallowing, she wiped at her eyes, "Th-thank you... Kaa-San, Tou-San."

Both adults smiled a bit wider at that and nodded before they all began to dig in.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Leaning back on her chair, Ooi gave a satisfied sigh as she patted her stomach, "Ah... that hit the spot and was a wonderful meal. Thank you, Harry-Chan..." A light blush on her face, she looked over towards Shigemi with a bashful look, "And Kaa-Chan..."

Simply giving her a smile, Kitakami's mother gave her a nod, "I'm glad that you enjoyed the meal, Yuuko-Chan." Somewhat amused, she picked up said Light Cruiser's plate while Harry helped with the others, "Though with the amount that you ate, I would be surprised if you didn't enjoy it."

With a hum as he leaned back, Hiroaki gave a rumbling laugh, "It was pretty good." Scratching his chin, he gave a nod, "That General Tsao's Chicken and Ginger Beef were both good and I can see why you like them. A bit too spicy for this old man to have often though."

Unable to help herself, Kitakami gave a giggle, "I suppose so, though spices don't bother us that much."

All of a sudden, Ooi gave a shudder and rubbed her arms, "Some more than others." When she noticed the confused looks sent to her, she grimaced a bit, "Souryuu and her Spice Brigade."

That caused winces from all of them, and when she saw her parents were confused the other Light Cruiser shook her head, "Um... Souryuu-San, HMS Dragon, New Mexico, and the like are all, well, spice lovers. The spicier something is, the more they like it and want to try it. As in, um..."

His tone even and emotionless, Harry spoke, "As in, it gets so spicy that your tongue not only burns, but actually becomes numb to sensation from the pain it is under." Seeing the looks, he shuddered, "Neither you or Yuuko-Nee were here when it happened, but Souryuu-Oba and the others had one of their cooking experiments with a pepper that they got from somewhere. It had to have been magical... anyways, New Mexico made a pot of chili and added it to it. I swear to this very day that the steam and smoke that came up from the chilli looked like the Grim Reaper and the bubbles released the screams of the Damned."

Eyebrow raised, Kitakami gave him a look, "Harry-Chan, you're exagerating."

But the dead look in his eyes made her blink, "The metal of the pot was actually pitted from whatever they used in that and I saw a plastic spoon literally corrode before my eyes. Thankfully, no one took them up on their offer after seeing them nearly keel over from the amount of hotness in that chilli to try some." Pressing his lips together, he looked off into the distance, "Pretty sure that if someone had, they would have had to go to the hospital for chemical burns." For a moment, he paused before frowning, "I'm pretty sure that Jin cried tears of joy... and agony, when she had some."

Only blinking, the two Light Cruisers and one Food Ship looked at each other before looking back at him and speaking as one, "They were as bad as Hiei!?"

Just scoffing as he crossed his arms, Harry shook his head, "No, it was like Hiei-Oba and Isokaze-Chan teamed up to cook. Except in pure spiciness." He shuddered a little, "Somehow, Hiei-Oba got one of those peppers.."

It must be said that the other shipgirls all had looks of horror on their faces before Kitakami Maru spoke up in a shaking voice, "W-what happened?"

A moment later, however, they were all relieved as Harry spoke up, "Arizona-Oba confiscated it before she could do anything. Saw the picture and it's this black, shrivelled thing with what looks like the images of skulls on it. They needed a biohazard team to destroy it as no one wanted to take a chance."

Everyone blinked at that before Hiroaki coughed, "Um, right..." Unsure if what he was hearing was true or not, he decided to leave it rest, "Well, the food was good anyways."

More than a little relieved at the change of subject, Kitakami got up, "Well, I thought that you might like it." With a sigh, she stretched a little, "One of the benefits of being a shipgirl on the convoy routes is travelling all over and trying new foods after all."

That got her nods from her parents as well as smiles.

However, after a few minutes, Ooi took a deep breath, "I... um..." When the two older adults looked at her, she chewed her lip a little, "Y-you see me as a daughter, right? B-but does that mean that you, um... accept Rika-Chan and I..."

Upon hearing a snort, she looked up to find Shigemi giving her a smile, "What? That the two of you are together in the lovers way?" Seeing the blush on her daughter's face as well as Ooi's, she walked over and gave him a hug, "You silly girls, of course we accept that. It makes you both happy and that is what matters."

Hiroaki shrugged some from where he sat, "What Shigemi-Chan said. You're practically a daughter to us, Yuuko-Chan. And if you marry Rika-Chan? Then you would be a daughter, so it doesn't bother us any." Rolling his arms, he gave her a bemused smile as he crossed his arms, "Besides, it really is not that much of a surprise to either of us."

When the two Cruisers turned to Kitakami's mother, the older woman had a smug smile on her own face, "It was clear as a blue sky in midsummer how both of you felt even before becoming shipgirls. Hell, both Hiroaki-Kun and I discussed adopting you into the family for that reason alone, Yuuko-Chan, so that you could be together like that." Smile turning softer, she glanced at Kitakami Maru, "Besides, as shipgirls you both being girls isn't a barrier to us being grandparents one day."

At the wink she gave them, both Natural Borns blushed a little, but had happy smiles on their faces just the same. Glancing at her girlfriend, Ooi gave Kitakami a kiss on the cheek before smiling back at the two older adults, "That might be a few years yet. But, um... since there's already talk of marriage being allowed..."

Grinning, Shigemi chuckled some, "Just make sure to invite us to the wedding."

Both Ooi and Kitakami told her that they would make sure to do exactly that and the conversation turned to other matters. Soon, however, the two Light Cruisers got up and lead Harry to one of the bedrooms before opening the door. Stepping inside, Kitakami turned back to him with a smile, "And this is my bedroom, Harry-Chan."

Poking his head in before fully entering, Harry blinked as he looked around. It was, in a word, nice. The walls were done wine color and there were still some posters up on the wall. Mostly, they were of idol groups, but he noted at least one movie poster. Besides that, there was also two small bookcases, one with manga and light novels while the other held what looked like trophies.

However, what caught the teenage wizard's attention was the photographs that were on the wall.

There were various ones there of Ooi and Kitakami from before and after they became shipgirls. From the ones before, Harry could see various ones that were of the two in Junior High, with one having Ooi putting her arms around Kitakami with a giant grin on her face and doing the peace sign while Kitakami had a smug smile on her own face. Another was of the two sitting on a bench having an ice cream in what was likely High School as they had not changed much since, obviously with one holding the camera and taking the picture. One picture showed Kitakami with a violin while Ooi had a Bass in her hands.

Seeing him look at that, Ooi chuckled a little, "I remember that, Rika-Chan. We both joined up with the school band and that was our first recital."

A smile on her face, Kitakami giggled a little, "Hai, I remember. You're great on the Bass after all."

The Light Cruiser glanced at her friend and saw a look of fondness on her, though she herself felt a flash of anger. Not at Ooi, but at the memory of how disappointed her best friend was that her parents never showed for that, or any other one. Oh, they told Ooi that they were proud and happy, she remembered, but that they didn't have time for such things. After all, they were busy people, far too busy to come.

It had taken everything for Kitakami not to grab the phone that they were speaking through and throw it at the wall in pure rage at what they did and how tears ran down Ooi's cheeks.

With a deep breath, she let out said feelings, not wanting to let them ruin said memory. Head tilted to the side, Kitakami chuckled, "Those lessons really paid off."

Blinking, Harry looked over at the black haired girl in curiosity, "You both had lessons?"

Ooi gave a small shrug as she looked at him and ruffled his hair, "Sure did... well... I had lessons and just invited Rika-Chan to them. Sensei didn't mind too much about it and found that it was nice. Said that the two of us made for a good duet with each other." Considering that for a few moments, she glanced around, "Hmm... might want to bring our old instruments out at some point."

Just nodding in agreement, Kitakami reached over and took her friend's hands in hers before embracing her from behind. Chin on Ooi's shoulder, she placed their clasped hands on her fellow Cruiser's stomach, "Mmm... You did look good in the school band uniform."

Lightly blushing, Ooi looked away from her, "Not as well as you."

The two younger people in the room snickered and giggled respectively at their actions before both Natural Borns pointed at various other pictures telling story after story. Harry could see just how happy that made the both of them and smiled some. And it was not just the photos either, as there were a few trophies and medals as well that both had earned. Looking at them, it struck the teenage wizard that he was seeing a history. A history of two people whose lives had been closely woven together and even now stayed strong.

It made him smile a bit softly and, when asked, he told both Light Cruisers that. Their reaction was to blush before looking at each other and smiling. After a few moments, they agreed with him.

Eventually, however, Kitakami was looking back at the band picture and tilted her head, "You know, Yuuko-Chan, while you were good at the Bass, you were great at the guitar."

His eyes becoming wide, Harry looked at them in surprise, "You play the guitar, Yuuko-Nee?"

Grinning, Ooi gave a laugh and shrugged, "Sure can." A thoughtful look came over her face and she looked around, "Hmm... I wonder..."

Moments later, she reached into her pocket and pulled out an old, acoustic guitar from inside before working the strings. Seeing it, Kitakami gave a small nod, "I remember you learning that from Jess, the exchange student who lived in the building when we were in... oh, elementary? Both of us went to the apartment he was staying at and you learned it from him."

Lips twitching, Ooi chuckled, "Hai, and he sent us this via your parents when he went back to the US. Took care of it ever since..." Her inspection done, she hummed and noticed that Kitkami had joined her with said shipgirl's violin, "Now... let's see..."

Sitting down on her friend's bed, she took a moment before her fingers began to work. Both Harry's and Kitakami Maru's eyes widened as the two began to play "Hotel Califonia", Ooi nodding her head as she played while Kitakami smiled. Despite everything, both girls were in perfect sync as they played, happy looks on their faces. When they finished the song and bowed, both younger people cheered and clapped their hands.

And they were not the only one as Kitakami's father was also in the doorway clapping his hands, "Been a while since I last heard the two of you playing. Does me good to see that you're still just as good as always."

Both Kitakami and Ooi smiled at that before laughing and then launching into another song. For the next half hour, the two shipgirls played guitar and violin together. Kitakami's father was joined by his wife as they stood in the doorway and smiled as both girls enjoyed themselves playing together.

When they were done, Harry shook his head in disbelief, "Wow... that was so cool, Yuuko-Nee! Rika-Nee!" He then became thoughtful, "Why don't you ever play the two together back in Yokosuka? Like when they had that shipgirl orchestra event?"

Simply shrugging, Ooi shook her head, "Just didn't feel like it. I mean..." She made a gesture with her hand and chuckled, "I've always preferred the guitar, but that doesn't quite cut it in an orchastra. Besides which... I've sort of gotten used to hiding that I play it."

Under his breath, Hiroaki muttered something, and Harry caught something about Ooi's parents in it. But then, Shigemi elbowed her husband in the stomach and shook her head, "Well, it is still good to hear the two of you play." Glancing at her husband, she turned back to them, "Now, those beers that Harry-San brought are chilled if you want to try them."

Practically jumping off the bed, the brown haired of the two grinned widely, "Alright! You'll love it, Otou-San! The beer is brewed by this guy doing it for over a century."

Eyebrows raising high enough to nearly meet his thinning hair, Hiroaki gave a grin of his own, "Now this I have to taste, and it's sure to be good." A few minutes later, he sipped some from a bottle, swishing it around in his mouth. Swallowing, the older man looked at the bottle and gave a nod, "This is really great stuff."

Grin on her face as she took a sip of her own, Ooi laughed a little, "Didn't I tell you? Premium stuff." Turning, she gave a smile to Kitakami's mother who was sipping from a different bottle, "What do you think of the Butterbeer?"

Humming, Shigemi nodded a little, "It's quite good actually, a bit on the sweet side. But creamy and sort of like..." She paused to gather her thoughts before frowning, "Like that pudding Rika-Chan brought back from the States, butterscotch I think." That got her nods before the older woman got up with a smug smirk on her face, "Now, I noticed that you were going down memory lane a little while back. And I have an album to show the youngsters here..."

Face feeling like it was on fire, Kitakami had an expression of horror, "You're not, Kaa-Chan! No!"

Brightly smiling, her mother giggled a little, "Kaa-Chan, Yes!" Reaching under the table, she pulled out an album and opened it as her daughter groaned, "Now then, let's see... Ah! This is Rika-Chan and Yuuko-Chan in kindergarten soon after they met."

Kitakami-Maru and Harry leaned over to see and blinked. It was obviously both the two shipgirls, but much younger. They were clad in light blue, buttoned shirts with large, yellow hats on their heads. Glancing at Ooi and Kitakami, who were blushing, Harry grinned a little, "So this is what you looked like?"

Placing her face in her hands, though she felt a smile on her face, Ooi softly moaned, "Hai, Otouto... that was us."

With a glance at her, Shingemi turned to another page, "Now, this is what really solidified their friendship, just a few months after they met."

Yet again, the two younger people blinked at the picture, but that was because of the state of the girls in it.

Mainly because, in the picture, it had Kitakami with a cotton ball dabbing at a scrape on Ooi's knee. Said brown haired girl, by the way, had her clothing all dirtied and scuffed, as well as scrapes and bruises. But what really caught Harry's and Kitakami Maru's attention, was how she was missing a tooth and grinning. The little Food Ship turned to her "Mamas" and boggled, "What happened?"

Blushing a little, Ooi scratched her cheek, "Well... there was this bunch of bullies here that were picking on Rika-Chan. I told them to back off and... they didn't like that and pushed her into the mud. So I jumped on the biggest one and began to beat him before his friends tried to help him out." Placing her hands on her hips, she thrust out her chest and closed one eye, "But I scared them all off and they never bothered Rika-Chan again."

Also blushing, Kitakami only nodded a little as the two younger people turned to her, "Hai, Yuuko-Chan did that." She hugged her friend close and kissed her, "My hero..."

Sheepishly laughing, the other Light Cruiser had a massive blush on her cheeks.

Unnoticed by her, Harry and Kitakami glanced at the clock and smiled as they had almost the same thought, 'Almost time...'

Then, they turned back as Kitakami's mother turned the page for another group of pictures...

 

[darthcourt10]

lt_agn02

Setting down the paperwork in his hands, Vice Admiral Settle put his head in his hands. Beside him, Rear Admiral Smith pocketed his pen and stood up.

"Permission to speak, sir?" He asked.

Groaning, Settle only waved him to continue.

"I think Aso and Despatch got along rather well."

"Yeah, like oil and gunpowder."

Smith shrugged. "Considering all other factors, this was probably the best outcome."

"'The best', you say…"

"My youngest daughter broke her friendship with the best friend she had for years over a stupid argument based on just one different opinion. Now they won't even work together in the same group for class projects. The way I see it, it's best to get all the bullshit out of the way first, then build from there, already knowing what parts of a person you don't like. Always keeping them in separate units is a luxury we cannot afford."

Settle looked toward his subordinate. "I can understand where you're coming from, but if it were any other sailor at any other point in time, they would be given a DD-214 with 'Dishonorable Discharge' stamped on it."

"I'm not disagreeing," Smith commented. "But scrapping a ship girl, if it's even possible, is a very last resort. Still, we managed to keep everything under control."

"Under control? How would you call what happened under control?"

"They didn't kill each other."

"That's a given. Try again."

"Save for Alton and Sergeant Kaneshiro, the two of them were isolated in just one briefing room," Smith noted. "Since the Sergeant left to get Missouri, there were only minor bruises here and there only between the ship girls involved. The only collateral damage was two tables and Alton."

"You say that like that's a good thing."

The rear admiral nodded. "It's the difference between destroying a building via controlled demolition and the Abyssals dropping a bunker buster. Based on what Admiral Shimada said about Aso and my observations of Despatch's behavior, they would have blown up at each other eventually. Better for that to happen early and on our terms."

"And for you, that means isolating them in the same room together until they do, then have me handle the rest?"

Both admirals turned to the door and spotted the Iowa-class battleship with a now-broken clipboard. Tossing what remained of it into the nearby trash can and putting the papers on the desk, Missouri crossed her arms.

"I can't say I'm a fan of that plan," she said.

Smith glanced at her and shrugged. "I'm not saying it's the perfect plan either, but at least they know now that turning on each other won't be tolerated."

Settle groaned. "Fine. For now, have the two of them confined to quarters," he said as he leaned back in his chair. "You better know what you're doing, Smith."

Smith grinned. "Sir, you can leave those two to me. I've got this under control."

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

The Family That Slays Together.... (Finale)

17th July 2014

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York
Spoiler: The Family That Slays Together Theme

Delilah felt Zamarad's warm hand in hers and gently squeezed it as her eyes met her love's. Emerald flame warmed her heart, pushing back the pain and agony of her battered body as the Ifrit in turn drew strength from the cool, soothing presence of Delilah's leaf-green eyes.

Delilah closed her eyes, breathing in and then out before a cough caused her to direct her gaze to the rest of the room as she opened her eyes and weakly looked around. The first pair of figures caused her breath to catch in her throat.

Mother, with tears in her eyes, next to Father's equally crying avatar.

Holding hands.

Matching looks of joy, concern, and love in their faces.

For the first time in her life.

For once, the presence of her half-sisters Colombe and Jackie, Tokunotakai, Aomi, and her nieces Claire and Ehren didn't register compared to the vision of her parents together at long last.

The next second, their embrace drove the breath from her body as she was hugged.

Vaguely she noticed Zamarad getting embraced by her own crying parents Rayhan and Periezade.

But that didn't matter.

Weakly her arms lifted and squeezed the two figures clinging to her as they sobbed tears of mingled sadness and joy, pain and pride into her bed sheets.

"Mère? Père? I'm glad that you're together at last..." Delilah whispered like a little girl through the whirlwind of emotions filling her.

Deep down inside her innermost heart, a hard knot of pain that had been buried and hidden there ever since the day as a young girl she learned that her Father had left Mother without coming back because Mother was not good enough for a hero such as Norimune finally relaxed and became a scar instead of a bleeding wound.

She would never get back the lonely years and decades that she had toiled with a Father only present by her absence save in stories and memories more precious than diamonds when she saw them in a Pensieve.

Nor would she get back the painful years and decades that she had toiled trying to live up to Mother's expectations to be the hero that would make her absent father proud and redeem her mother's folly and failure that had shattered their relationship.

Jèzebel's sadly disappointed words 'What would your father think of you if Nori saw this, Delilah?' spoken to her time and again when she fell short of what she was expected to accomplish as a child, a student, an Auror, and an agent of the Winters Network would no longer be a red hot whip on her back, laying her soul open to the bone as they touched that bleeding wound in her life.

For she had finally filled the hole in her heart.

She had finally made her family more whole.

Not perfect, for all of them were imperfect.

But in the words of the Constitution that she held more dear than her life and had sworn herself to protect, preserve, and defend, it could become 'a more perfect Union'.
-----------------------

Tokunotakai leaned wearily against Colombe's chair and then spoke, cutting throught he excited babble of voices. "They are both very weary. Although the crisis is past, they need rest and sleep now. When they awaken, then you can spend time with them." The miko paused and then continued. "I do recommend that someone keeps an eye on them. I recommend Claire for now."

"Me?" The piano squeaked out as she blushed.

"Yes, you. Your music has a gift to soothe souls and relax hearts, Claire." Tokunotakai said as the others present nodded in agreement. "That is what they need now. Conversation can come when they awaken and get some food in them."

Claire nodded in acceptance of Toku's words. After accepting a hug from Ehren, Claire walked to the piano and began to play softly. The family members began to file out. As Colombe approached her post at the door, Toku gave her lover a meaningful look which resulted in a head nod from Colombe. The rapier then took a deep breath and turned to her father in the hall outside. "Father, if I may have a moment of your time?"

Norimune looked into her eldest daughter's eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes, we need to talk."
-----------------------

Toku, Colombe, and Norimune filed into the upstairs Blue Parlor and closed the door behind them. Colombe took a deep breath as she sat down on the sofa across from her father. "Father, I... want to say thank you for being there for Delilah. For the family when she was injured." The rapier stiffened her spine and took a deep breath as Toku squeezed her shoulder reassuringly while sitting beside her.

Colombe took several deep breaths before speaking with tears in her voice. "I... when Papa died in 1763, we sat the deathwatch for him. With my brothers and sister all through the night. Delilah brought back... memories of those dark days."

Norimune winced and sighed deeply, remembering times when she had provided what comfort she could with companionship to someone she loved as death came for them. "I understand... daughter. I didn't know about you then, but that is no excuse. I should have been there for you to sit alongside you to honor the life of a better father than I will ever be."

Colombe wept uncontrollably as she nodded, "I thought that I was Papa's daughter... until just before the end, when he called me over and told me the truth, that I was only his by choice and not blood. The daughter of someone else with a woman that he loved. He kept that from me to keep me from more hurt from my heritage. He handed me my brooch showing my true parents and begged for my forgiveness for letting me live a bright lie instead of the sordid truth. I... was so angry, I felt betrayed because you were not there as Papa had been. That was when I swore the oath to avenge the dishonor you did for abandoning Mother and me." The rapier's voice was choked with emotion.

Toku squeezed and steadied Colombe as the rapier took a deep breath. "However, tonight, I saw you sit the deathwatch for Delilah. I saw, and know what it took to do so for the family, for us... for her. Honor dictates that I must admit to myself, as much as I don't like to admit it, the person I blamed at Papa's funeral would never have done so. That... if you had known of me, you would have stood beside me then as you stood beside Del now."

Colombe locked her eyes with Norimune, blue meeting blue. Colombe took a deep breath and spoke in a formal voice filled with the self-control that she was using to force the words out of her heart. "I am sorry for misjudging you, Father, for accusing you of motives that you lacked for a crime you had no intention of committing. I have wronged you for all my life with my oath sworn against you at Papa's deathbed, and I declare it is discharged honorably and utterly by the authority of my titles as Marchioniess of Moulbaix and Chasteler and head of the Family."

Norimune was shocked to her core at the words, then took a deep breath of her own as her tears flowed. "I accept the apology only if you can accept my own apology for not being there for you, forcing you to suffer and endure alone without the father that I should have been. Forcing you to raise children without a grandmother. I am sorry, Colombe, and I'll do my best to make it up to you, although I don't know where to begin."

A slight smile flickered around Colombe's lips as she wiped her eyes with a tissue. "I shall do my utmost to accept your apology, Father. Oh! Actually, there is one thing that you can do for me."

"What?" Norimune asked as she took the box of tissues from Toku.

"Come with me and Toku to Kannazuki. Hachiman requested all three of us to attend. Toku thinks that it is to be rewarded for our faithful service as His Blades."

Norimune dropped the box of tissues with a curse as her face paled. "No fucking way!"
-----------------------
18th July 2014

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York

"Mutti."

Colombe looked over at her youngest daughter as Ehren entered the kitchen. "Hungry too, Ehren?"

"I could use a sandwich, yes." the dagger responded as she placed a neatly tabbed file folder on the table next to Colombe's elbow. "I wished to go over plans for my upcoming schooling."

Colombe gave a mental sigh at the clear signs of her wonderfully infuriating Prussian daughter in full 'Brief The Great General Staff' organizational mode. "Oui. So what do you have for me?" She spoke, deciding to tear this bandage off now rather than later.

Ehren handed over the second page of her acceptance letter with the list of needed school supplies from the folder. Three pages of neatly handwritten and organized notes followed in bullet point form. The dagger then snapped to attention with a heel click and spoke in her precise diction. "This is my detailed analysis and action plan, Mutti. To summarize, I already have an owl, although I need to find out if we should wait for their chicks to be fledged before separating them. I shall need school robes, the school books listed, a wand, a cauldron..."

Colombe coughed to derail the runaway train of Ehren in full Eifrigkeit Mode. "Actually, Ehren, you shall use my old silver school cauldron from Beauxbatons. It is up in the attic and I saw it during the spring cleaning in 1975."

Ehren blushed rose pink and her eyes lit up behind her cool professional face. "Mutti... but!"

Colombe raised a hand. "I insist. Papa had that commissioned for me in 1717 by Paul Crespin during a business trip to London. Later it was used by my grandniece Marie-Josephe Julie Feliciane du Chasteler in 1795 when she attended Hogwarts. After her marriage into the German Potters she passed it down to her children, until her great-grandson Karl Potter realized that it was crafted for me and returned it in 1913." Colombe's lips quirked and she then smiled smugly. "After all, it has the heraldry of du Chasteler on the sides and lid, and you are du Chasteler."

Ehren marched over and embraced her mother with tears in her eyes and voice. "Jawohl, Mutti!"
-----------------------

19th July 2014

De Breuil Estate, Upstate New York

"You're grounded, young lady! Totally off field operations!!" Jèzebel's voice was firm and unyielding

Leaf-green eyes opened wide in a bandaged face. "But..."

"But me no buts, Delilah Naomi de Breuil! You could have been killed out there! What would your father...? No. Nori will tell you herself once I'm done with you." Jèzebel snapped out, leaning heavily on her cane.

"TOTEM claims that they were involved. I personally bagged Whateley for you." Delilah protested weakly, trying to slide up in the bed with a hiss of pain.

Jèzebel glanced over at the impassive form of Norimune before answering, "and Zamarad consumed their archives there so we can find out some of their secrets. Yes, I am well aware of that." A pause. "Well done, dear, you made me proud."

"And you made me proud as well, Daughter. So very proud of you." Norimune chimed in.

Delilah blushed, then the color drained from her face at her mother's next words. "I'm also aware that you went behind my back to falsify the time sheets and duty activities for the Aurors as per normal for our off the books operations with Tina's help. AND checked out a Time-Turner so you could 'get more done' to make ready for the inevitable crash of the Statute. Which I have had confiscated."

"But... I can explain...." Delilah said weakly.

"No buts, young lady. I am letting it be known that you perished in that crackdown on the zombie cult in New Orleans that I was EXPECTING you to be on instead of gallivanting around Maine. And 'Emma' is likewise deceased for the foreseeable." Norimune nodded along with Jèzebel's unrelenting words.

"Mère!" Delilah spluttered indignantly. "You never do this to Colombe and she gets into five, no fifty times the trouble on her actions! Much less covers up behind herself afterward!" Delilah looked to her father with a desperate plea for aid.

"Colombe is not being discussed here. You are." Norimune ground out as she shook her head. "I spent so long without you, I won't lose you now. You don't have to prove a goddamn thing to me, Delilah."

"Don't Mère me either, Delilah Naomi!" Jèzebel snapped out as she pinned Delilah with a basilisk glare. "The only way you get out of that bed is with an Unbreakable Oath to us that you shall not go on field operations for the network until I personally clear you for specific operations! Furthermore you shall not go on operations until fully healed and combat capable! Finally you shall provide me grandbabies at the earliest moment since I am not getting any younger and this little stunt of yours shaved a century off my life!!"

Delilah shrank into herself, "But... the Black Hills?"

Jèzebel relented, "Yes, the Black Hills." At Norimune's glance, the elder de Breuil shook her head. "I'll explain about that in private Nori. Very well, the oath shall include that you and Zamarad can travel to there as per normal operations, and you can perform basic ward checks, upkeep, and maintenance. If... if anything is breaking loose out there, you shall notify myself, Norimune, and Ehren at the earliest possible instant and wait for our arrival and assistance along with sufficient additional backup before engaging. I don't care if San Francisco is about to get eaten, I don't want to lose you."

Norimune chimed in, "Besides, Frisco was an utter manure stinking, muddy shithole armpit of the earth when I passed through there in 1854. It getting munched would be a net gain. Even if I met Jez there, it still was a shithole". Jèzebel made a face and nodded.

Delilah muttered, "It got better after the Earthquake in 1906 destroyed 80% of town. Somewhat."

Norimune laughed, "I'll believe that shit when I see it with my own two eyes."

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

It's a new snippet! Not the next scheduled one, unfortunately, that one's still taking some time working out. However, I was finally able to beat something out tonight.

It's more Select stuff, and a viewpoint that I have been wanting to write for a while now.
-----

Time

"I still say we can't trust her," the one who Scylla had learned was named "Fudo" insisted angrily. "She was working with the old bastard! Who knows what she could be up to?"

"She fixed you up pretty nicely," another sword girl, who's name she hadn't gotten, cut in snidely. Fudo growled.

Well, Scylla supposed it was to be expected. For a prospective ally, she hadn't exactly come from the best place. Miss Kumogai's recommendation, however glowing it may have been, probably didn't hold as much water with these people as she would have hoped—Fudo wasn't the only one uncertain of her, just the loudest of their number. If she was to win them over in some degree, it would probably have to be under her own power.

The question was, how did she do that?

"Ladies, please," she said, holding out her hands. "I understand that it might be hard to trust a mad scientist such as myself—"

"You're a witch," one of them—her name was… Tongo? Tonto? Ton-something—pointed out, and Scylla felt her jaw lock up.

"It's true that my heritage affords me the ability to use magic," she said as best she could without gritting her teeth. "I have trained that ability as far as I am currently able to take it, yes. But. I approach all magical things through the scientific method. I research and study magic using those same methods. Though born a witch, I consider myself a scientist," she finished, "and greatly prefer to be referred to as such."

"… Right," Tonton said, almost completely halted. "You can say that, but… can we really take you at your word? How do we know that you won't turn around and start doing your own sword experiments?"

"Having that many pointy things aimed in your direction is a great motivator to stay on the up and up," Scylla smiled.

The swordgirls were quiet.

"You know, we could just have them stay at Junsui's place," someone suggested. "That way, she can just jump her if things go pear-shaped."

A red-haired girl shook her head. "No, I don't really want to separate them—"

"Separate who?" Fudo asked, and was summarily ignored.

"That's a good point," another girl noted. "Maybe Junsui could stay at your place while she works?"

The slight, blue-haired girl shook her head. "Can't. Kaito hurt his arm, needs help around the house."

"Who's Kaito?" the one who had first suggested the idea asked. Junsui blinked.

"My husband," she explained.

There was a brief silence.

"Your what?"

"My husband. No one told you, Honjo?"

"N—Musashi?"

"He has good reflexes," someone said in a dark tone.

"Hakumei?"

"I-It was twenty years ago. I couldn't attend the ceremony, but they've visited with the kids once or twice—"

"You have KIDS?"

Junsui whipped out her wallet. "Kirimi and Hiro. I have pictures."

"WHY AM I ONLY HEARING ABOUT THIS NOW?"

Amused, Scylla watched as the scene before her dissolved into chaos. It was a welcome chance to figure out how to explain her story—that was going to come up in time, so how to tell it?
-----

The problem with time, Olivia McKay mused, was that you never had as much of it as you thought.

"Th' judge's boy. D'ye think 'e'd be int'rested?"

The manor's head of staff, a tall man by the name of Higgins, looked down at the dossier she was holding. "If you don't mind my saying so, ma'am, I have met the lad. While he's of an age with Miss Gillian, I don't believe he's the marrying type."

"Marriage 's of noo int'rest ta me."

Higgins nodded slowly. "I… suppose he would be," he admitted.

She nodded, placing the dossier at the top of a growing stack and picking up a new one.

In all honesty, she should have seen this coming. Anna, little wretch that she was, had tried to keep her granddaughter from the Duty for as long as she could. After all the strings she had to pull, the girl had resisted her training and the Duty with all the strength she could. Olivia McKay thought that she had beaten it out of her within a year, but if recent events were any indicator, the girl hadn't had the strength to deal with it as she ought.

The girl was crazy. Unable to perform the Duty properly. Worthless.

Beginning training at five years old had ended a failure. Now, Olivia McKay knew that beginning at three would end similarly. Later, and a child would not be properly prepared for the Duty and its rigors. Thus, it would be necessary to start earlier.

The Duty needed to be done. Olivia McKay would start as soon as possible.

She closed the dossier and placed it to the side on a pile larger than the stack of potential suitors. Too religious—breaking him down would take too much time.

"These ones. Track 'em doon, make th' offer."

Higgins picked up the stack. "A question, Ma'am. What are Miss Gillian's thoughts on this matter?"

"Higgins."

"My apologies, but I do not believe—"

"She'll consent."

And she would, whether or not she wanted it. Even insane, the girl knew the consequences of not performing the Duty.

Higgins gave a curt nod, and left Olivia McKay to her plans.

It was uncertain when the girl would return home. Ideally, there would be a partner for her by the time she arrived. If not, then Olivia McKay would have to lock her down. The Duty would go briefly undone, unfortunately, but for it to be done in the future there had to be a female McKay born.

One that she could prepare for the Duty from the cradle. The perfect servant of the Duty.

There was a knock at the office door.

"Enter," she said.

The girl who entered was a new hire, not yet privy to all the secrets of the manor's history. She was from the town, and knew of the McKays' history with the Duty, but nothing more than that.

"Beggin' yer pardon, Ma'am," she said, voice ragged from running, "bu' there's two young women ta see ye. They say they've a search warrant."
-----

I'm still not entirely sure how I'm going to finish Mrs. McKay up, but I will enjoy doing so. Next scheduled snippet is still Faraway Harbor IV.

Also, if someone knows how to do the really, really strong Scottish accent, would they be willing to touch this character's lines long enough to translate them? I really wanted to write them like that, but just didn't know how.

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

RCNAnon

Weasley's Warship Workshop 15

Abyssal Interlude

Passel House, Hampshire. Late Novermber 2013

"Checkmate."

Brigid looked down at the board in front of her, not believing her eyes. She'd won! The small surge of victory she felt at winning what was the closest thing to battle she'd engaged in since she'd first been wounded filled her with a small measure of pride. Of course it had taken her entirely too much time to even get to where she was considering she was facing a destroyer.

"Aww man, I lost!" came the cry from the blonde haired destroyer.

Ardent was far from the ideal partner for Brigid to play with but she was often the only one she had. Acasta was simply uninterested most of the time and Ardent was much easier to bribe to do so. Said bribes consisting of cookies she managed to snag from the kitchen when the Head Maid would let her. The damn woman had eyes in the back of her head according to Ardent and as much as Brigid wished she could disagree, she really couldn't. Not when all of her attempts prior had been foiled by the supposed menial, until somehow a certain point had been reached and she'd managed… to get one cookie.

"You beat me pretty good too," Ardent pouted slightly, glancing down at the chess board where her white pieces had been rather soundly trounced by Brigid's black.

Brigid had been introduced to the game by watching the two other battleships play it together one of the afternoons they'd both been around. At least until she'd been chased away by the Head Maid. A few days later and a couple of questions to others, a set of pieces, a board and a book had appeared in her room. Likely the Head Maid again but her opinion of Brigid clearly hadn't improved that much given the book was rather small and basic, with the pieces clearly being on the rather used side.

It at least gave her something to do though, aside from simply reading more books.

"You should play somebody else next time," Ardent said as she stood up and stretched, headed back towards the door where she normally was, "I'm not very good anyway."

Brigid had no trouble believing that, the blonde destroyer was far from what she'd consider… intellectual and it seemed she mostly played because Brigid supplied her with cookies.

"Would you… have any suggestions?" Brigid didn't particularly like relying on the blonde for anything but at least she could converse properly, unlike some of the more animalistic abyssal DD's she'd had the displeasure of meeting on occasion.

"Mmm… No… No… No…" Ardent thought for a few moments and then shook her head. "I don't know anybody who's better than me but not like… SUPER better than me. Maybe some of the girls who come to visit."

Brigid fought back a grimace at that. Though most weren't outright dismissive of her, there was always a wariness from the girls who came to the house on what they considered "relaxation" visits. Not that Brigid particularly wanted to talk to them either. She'd prefer to see their sinking hulls going underneath the waves but she didn't exactly have much choice. Not unless she wanted to go even more stir crazy. Still there was one more option.

"What about Ron?" Surely the small if somewhat clever young human couldn't be that good.

Ardent burst out laughing immediately, grasping her stomach as she fought back the laughter. She managed to restrain it after a few more guffaws but Brigid was still rather shocked by her reaction.

"What is so funny?"

"Ron is like…." Ardent stood on her tip toes and held her hand above her head, wavering as she balanced back and forth. "This good. He could probably beat me blindfolded."

Brigid felt herself frowning as she stared at the destroyer.

"Surely he's not that much better. He's only a child."

Ardent shook her head and giggled.

"No he's even better than that! He plays Lady Warspite regularly and wins! I even saw him beat Victory once! Then there was the time that they were playing with like three boards stacked on top of each other! I couldn't even understand that one. So you could play Ron but you'd lose worse than Acasta and I did against Scharnhorst and Gneisenau."

Brigid still wasn't quite sure Ardent was telling the truth, though she at least seemed to believe her own story. Which might explain why the human had battleships that were fond of him if he could put up a challenge.

"I see." Brigid only partially saw but it was best to acknowledge Ardent before the destroyer continued speaking at length. There was only so much Brigid could take.

"So what are you going to do now? Cause if you're going to stay here I want another cookie."

Brigid pondered the question. She could go back to reading but she really didn't want to. Not now. Everything she learned seemed to simply generate more questions than answers, especially when it came to the strange human who owned the manor. If there was anyone to explain it would be…

"I… am going to see the Installation."

"Who? Oh you mean Summer. Why do you want to go see Summer?" Ardent took Brigid's words in stride, not noticing the way Brigid pronounced Installation.

"I need to ask her some questions."

"Well then lets go. Through the house though, Victoria said she was making scones!"
Brigid had no idea what a scone was but if the destroyer was excited about it, the foodstuff was likely sweet in some manner.

"Very well." It wasn't as if she could escape her guards. Especially not with both of them there, as Acasta's unwavering blue eyes followed her as she stood.

The strange little convoy, well it was her daily life now but it was still somewhat strange to comprehend for Brigid, consisting of the overly excited blonde destroyer, herself and then the even quieter black haired destroyer headed into the house. Once they entered Brigid smelled something in the air, which she assumed was what Ardent was after. The route to the kitchen was a familiar one, as it was one of the few places she was allowed inside the house. At least without being stared at strangely.

Unsurprisingly, given that she'd noticed Ardent seemed to have practically psychic ability to arrive on time, Victoria was pulling out what she assumed were scones from the oven. Another form of baked goods that she'd never seen before. Ardent of course immediately ran over to the maid and was greeted with a light tap on the hand for grabbing at the whole thing but then only a few seconds later was given a slice on a plate. Two actually, as Ardent ran back to Acasta and passed her one.

Brigid of course did not expect one. The maid, whom she was still uncertain was merely a maid based on her reading of how that should work, did not favor her with the same sort of smile Ardent got. Nor would she really appreciate such a grin either but she did not receive the respect the other battleships received in turn. She was clearly a prisoner in the maids eyes.

"Victoria! She needs one too." Ardent of course, was not of that opinion, strangely enough. At least, if she was she felt that prisoners deserved access to sweets like everyone else.

"Oh?" Victoria favored Ardent with the same humoring look before glancing up at Brigid. "Was she good today?"

"Yeah, we played chess and she won. So we should celebrate!" Ardent had an excuse for any sort of situation.

"I suppose that's as good a reason as any." Again a smile for Ardent, then Victoria somehow had a plate for Brigid in an instant. "Apple scones. Please enjoy."

Brigid took the plate carefully, not scared to take it but certainly wary enough of the woman. "Thank you."

There was an infinitesimal look of satisfaction that Brigid couldn't even swear she'd seen on the maids face before she nodded her head, acting like she was deferring to them but Brigid was sure that was not the case.

"Lets go!" Ardent mumbled around her already half eaten scone, heading towards the rear door. Brigid followed after her because she'd rather not spend more time under the gaze of the Head Maid. The destroyers were both quiet for a few more moments as they exited and headed the short distance to the workshop that Summer spent most of her time in.

The door was open as it usually was unless nobody in there, Summer for some reason never closed it while she was working. Turning the corner it was easy enough to spot the Installation… and what she was doing.

Brigid watched as Summer's mouth closed down on a bar of iron. A normal past time of any Abyssal was remaining stocked up. This was different. Brigid watched as Summer shivered with power, her skin flushing as some kind of sheer rush filled the installation.

That was merely the first bite and Summer had two more to finish it, along with another whole bar as well. Each bite seemed to fill her with power, yet it quickly disappeared once more… at least if she wasn't paying attention properly. Actually fetching the records she had and quickly pouring over them with the help of her shades showed that Summer was growing in power rapidly… which could only mean that her actual power as a Princess had been so low for so long that there was nowhere to go but up.

Yet that meant somebody was granting her that power and there was only one answer to that question given how she fawned over the redheaded human.

Before Summer noticed the three of them, she turned on her heel and headed back towards her room. She needed that sort of power on her side if she was to escape and regain her rightful place. The question of course was how.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
AN: Not really where I thought this one was going when I started back in December but I think it works. Comments, questions, etc very welcome as always.