Harry Potter & the Shipgirls

[darthcourt10]

KiMaSa

Setgirl subs are subthieves and scoundrels all, no matter what flag they fly!

For the record, The Department of the Navy officially denies the following incident ever occurred...

Fly Your Colors

Admiral Binghampton was on no one's list of favorite people as he toured various commands across the Western Pacific. While the war had done much to weed out the Peacetime political officers, Binghampton was very effective as a bureaucrat and generally knew to keep his opinions to himself. He was still a stickler for 'By the Book' behavior. Something had to give...

It did.


***


USS Sea Tiger: "Now you've done it, Stingray! We know it was you who stole the admiral's underwear and ran them up the flagpole!"

USS Nerka: "Yeah! And now, Admiral Binghampton is gonna court-martial Pampanito! He's had her locked up and talking about throwing her out of the service because of your little stunt!"

"Pampanito?" Stingray demanded. "What's she in lock-up for? We may look alike but I swear, there was no way he saw me!"

"Pampanito got into it with Binghampton over some of the equipment she arranged for Wahoo's gang to get," Nerka explained. "Those knuckleheads probably swiped it themselves but she was running cover for them and now your little stunt on top of that and Binghampton is gunning for her scalp!"

"Alright! Alright! I'll fix this! Do you guys really think I'd hang a sub out to dry?"

"No... But how are you gonna save Pampanito?"

"I said I'd never hang a sub out to dry. An admiral on the other hand..."





***

"HELP! HELP!"

Nerka nudged Sea Tiger. "Look at that!" She pointed to one of the base's big cranes. A man could be seen hanging upside down from the raised end.

"Admiral Binghampton?"

"GET ME DOWN FROM HERE! YOU IDIOTS! WHEN I GET DOWN FROM HERE, I'LL HAVE PAMPANITO DRAWN AND QUARTERED AND THEN I'LL ARREST THE PIECES!"

"Are you saying Pampanito did this?"

"OF COURSE I MEAN THAT! YOU IDIOTS! NOW GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!"

"No can do, admiral," Nerka replied. "It can't have been Pampanito that did this to you."

"WHADDAYA MEAN 'IT CAN'T BE'?"

"Simple: Pampanito is in the stockade as per your orders, sir. Three destroyers and a squad of marines have been watching her around the clock!" Nerka grinned. "I'm sure they'll all testify to that at the court-martial. Are you sure you weren't sleepwalking?"

"ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY I DID THIS TO MYSELF?"

"We know Pampanito couldn't have done it! She's got witnesses. And with that, I'd hate to think of what would happen to your career sir. It might look like you had a personal grudge against a decorated combat veteran. That wouldn't look too good."

"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! TELL THEM TO LET PAMPANITO OUT! JUST GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!"

"You're dropping ALL the charges?"

"All the charges."

"I don't think we heard you, sir."

"YES! YES! ALL THE CHARGES ARE DROPPED!"

"And you'll give Pampanito a formal apology?"

"YES! NOW GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!"

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Eyes fluttering some, Ayase blinked in the low light of her room as she woke. Yawn escaping from her, the Light Cruiser looked around the room as she scratched her head. Checking her internal clock, the Sendai frowned a bit and glanced to the window where the barest hint of pre-dawn light could be seen. For several moments, she just looked out the window before a small smile appeared on her face.

After all, the trip had been turning out to be everything that she could have wished for.

To those not involved, it had only been one day at the Potter properties at the best. But for Ayase and the others? So far, it was closer to three days with the help of the Time Turner that was leant to them. Hence, she had spent far more time than ever before with Harry. And, more importantly, getting to know the teen. Something that Ayase was very happy to do and have happen.

Over the past three days, she had conversation after conversation with Harry. While she had spent time with him before, this was far more than she had. That had meant that she now knew more about him than she had as well, which was a very good thing. And, if anything, her impressions of him had only risen in that time. Even now, the thought of those chats made her boilers warm within her chest.

Stretching a little with a sleepy smile on her face, the Sendai hummed some as she thought back to the previous few days. In a way, it seemed like a dream. Yet, it was not and she had been having a lot of fun. So what if her sisters had teased her about it, they were memories that she would treasure.

With that happy thought, Ayase pulled the covers off her to reveal herself in a summer yukata. Swinging out her legs, her bare feet touched the floor of her room, but with the minor warming charm, it wasn't cold like what some might expect. Still sleepy, the Light Cruiser walked to the bathroom before splashing her face with some cold water to wake herself up. Toweling it dry, Ayase looked in the mirror now fully awake and a smile on her face, "Good morning."

Just softly giggling, she turned around and got dressed in civilian clothing for the day. In her case, that was mainly a tank top and jeans. Something that had been suggested to her by Naka, and twisting around to look herself in the mirror, light blush on her face, she had to admit that her older sister was right. Finally, she did her hair up in a high ponytail rather than the topknot that she usually had it in.

However, about to walk out of the bedroom, she paused at a leather bound book. Picking it up, her cheeks flushed as she looked at the title, 'The Knightly Centauress and her Lord". For a few moments, Ayase looked at the cover which showed a female centaur having her cheek cupped by a man in plate. Glancing around, she hummed a bit, "Well... no one is going to be up for some time, so..."

The Sendai then left the room before making her way through the hallways. On the walls, there were softly glowing crystals in holders to provide some light. And as she passed them, they brightened for a few moments before dimming back down. Despite herself, Ayase was still impressed with them.

Apparently, a Muggleborn that Lily and James had known in school had been inspired by fantasy novels. Thus, he had set out to create enchantments for crystals that would have them absorb light during the day, and then release it at night. Any light source would do really, including candles. And since they released said light dimly at night unless someone was next to them, it made it easier to move around homes. Lily and James had invested in said project and the man had a small store in Diurn Alley which Harry had bought said crystals from.

It went without saying that a number of the Yokai as well as the shipgirls like Ayase were considering placing an order themselves.

Once she got to the kitchen, Ayase made herself a cup of tea before retiring to one of the smaller rooms on the ground floor. Said room actually being the ground floor of a small tower on the opposite side of where Catherine's skull was. According to Harry, it had been built to make the house symetrical according to the plans and to hide Catherine's presence.

Right now, however, the Light Cruiser was happy as it gave her a nice, private spot. Walking in, Ayase smiled a little at seeing the room. Like much of the manor, the walls had wood panelling on them and the floor was polished stone. In one corner, there was a small fireplace for warmth, and the large windows allowed light in with one being a bay window that had cushions for one to sit on.

For furniture right now, there was a high backed chair and a small, wooden table, both sitting on a carpet. And on the walls one could see various paintings of landscapes as well, giving the room a warm, inviting feel. Practically skipping, Ayase hummed to herself as she set her tea down on the table, cup on a dish, and then sat down herself in the chair with the crystal lights glowing a bit brighter. Opening her book, she began to read, and soon had a blush on her face as she chewed her lip some.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and she heard a warm chuckle, "Ah, I remember Lyra writing that book."

Jumping a bit, Ayase looked around with wide eyes, "Who..."

Suddenly spotting movement in one of the paintings, she stopped and stared some at the female centaur who stood there. Her shirt was of the sort worn in the fourteen hundreds, though it revealed her muscled midsection of her humanoid body, and she had hair ornaments in the shape of leaves keeping her blonde hair (which had a hint of red to it) from her pointed, almost equine ears. Her equine body, meanwhile, was a whitish-grey coloration and there was a leather skirt of sorts where her humanoid body met it with pouches. From said skirt, belts extended along her body to where her hindquarters were covered by more leather that had been embossed.

Eyes widening, Ayase realized whom she was looking at, "You're... Elm Potter... Joachim's, um, companion."

A little surprised herself, Elm nodded some though she had a slight blush on her face, "Ah, I was his companion though I never took the name Potter..." Both of them could almost hear the silent bit that she wished that she could have. Clearing her throat, though she did not need it, the female Centaur gave Ayase a small smile, "Though I didn't expect to be recognized so easily."

Lightly blushing some, the Sendai closed her book, "Um, well... we came across your tomb the other day and Harry-Chan told us about you and Joachim." Expression softening, Ayase gave her a small smile, "It was... a lovely story, Elm-San."

Her own expression softening, Elm looked out the window and nodded slowly, "It was wonderful to live it as well. Joachim was amazing, and still is if I am correct." Then she blinked and started a little, "Ah! My apologies... I forgot to ask you, your name?"

Flustered a little, Ayase stood and bowed to her a little, "I am the Sendai Class Light Cruiser, Ayase. The fifth of our class."

Placing one hand against her chest, the female Centaur kneeled a little into a bow, "Well met, Miss Ayase." Straightening, she gave her a nod, "Also, I'm sorry for startling you."

Ayase remembered then what she had been reading and blushed, "Ah, that's fine... I didn't expect it." Blinking, she looked at the portrait with a small frown, "Is... that yours?"

Chuckling, Elm shook her head, "No, this isn't my portrait. Mine is still in the storehouse, I simply decided to explore the house a little, that is all. It does get rather boring and I have to admit, I am interested in what sort of people my Joachim's descendant brought."

Just nodding at that, the shipgirl hummed a little, "Hopefully... you don't mind us?" Getting a warm smile, she understood that Elm approved of them, and nodded again before remembering what she had stated, "You remember Lyra writing this?"

That got her a warm laugh from the painting, "As I should, as she did ask myself and the other paintings of Elm that Joachim made for details. It is..." Briefly, she chewed her lip before slowly nodding, "Rather accurate let us say about some matters."

Eyes widening, Ayase felt her cheeks warm up but nodded, "I see." Tilting her head some, she set aside her book for now, "So you were here when she wrote this? And there's more of you?"

Lips twitching, Elm gave her a hum, "Indeed, because we were a favoured subject of our Joachim." Bringing up one hand, she spoke in a stage whisper, "Not that we minded much, it was good for the ego to know that he adored our form so much." Then, straightening, the Centaur nodded, "Of course, there's several of us from different paintings done at different times. Perhaps you'll meet the one where he had us fully armoured for war, though that version of us is somewhat more serious."

Shifting around a little, the shipgirl only nodded at that before frowning, "Um... could... could I ask you some questions, Elm-San? About... about your relationship?"

Unable to help herself, Elm laughed a little, "Of course! After Lyra, I doubt that anything you come up with could fluster me."

Only giving a slight nod, Ayase cleared her throat, "Well... Harry mentioned that Joachim saved you and you became his companion, his confidant... um, his knight?"

For several moments, the female Centaur looked at her before smiling softly, "Ah, I understand now." Her smile widened a little as she hummed and folded her legs under her equine body, "You're like that. Though, I suppose that such a thing is not bad..."

Needless to say, Ayase had a deep blush on her face. But, just the same, the two of them chatted for the next hour or so, with the shipgirl getting some information from the Centauress. Eventually, however, the Sendai could hear others moving around upstairs and blinked before turning to Elm, "Thank you, Elm-San. But I must be going."

Just tilting her head a little, Elm chuckled, "That is fine, I enjoyed our talk."

About to leave, the Light Cruiser paused for a moment before turning back to the portrait, "Um... I heard that it is possible for paintings to move between enchanted portraits. Would it be possible to..."

Grin now wide, Elm gave her another chuckle, "It would, all you would need is for the portrait to be linked to the others. Which is not hard at all, my dear Ayase. Simply ask Harry to cast the spell to do so for the ones here and you can bring it to Japan where I can come and speak to you whenever I wish." Bowing, Ayase smiled and left. Once she was out the door, Elm rubbed her chin in thought and a slightly smug smirk, "It seems, Joachim my Love that our descendant is quite the interesting young man... though he needs someone like her, I think."

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, various people began to sleepily filter into the dining room. Already, however, they could smell various delicious foods being made which caused stomachs to grumble in want. Soon enough, Harry came out with various plates, followed by Sheff and Saki. All three placed the large plates down on the table with some of those blinking. For her part, Uesugi raised an eyebrow at what was there, "This seems a bit much..."

Having quickly filled up her plate, Hachi bit into a sausage and hummed before chewing. Once she swallowed, she looked at the former warlord, "Actually, this is normal for an English breakfast."

Somewhat amused, Harry gestured, "We got the bacon, the eggs, both scrambled and sunny side up, sausage, kippers, toasted and fried bread, fried mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, potato cakes... well, this is a bit less than the full breakfast meal, I suppose." He then pointed at the jars, "Besides jam and fresh honey, we also have brown sauce if you want it. You can put some of the breakfast stuff into one of them and add brown sauce for a breakfast roll."

Barely waiting for the explanation, Nobu reached over and cut one of the rolls open before adding various things into it, "I'm in for that! Ha!"

Rolling her eyes at her friend, Okita also began to fill her plate as well, though she noted that Uesugi and Usagi were eating the vegetarian portions. Considering that, Okita raised an eyebrow at Harry, "Um, Harry-Kun? Is there other possible foods for some of us?"

Only nodding, the wizard swallowed a bit of his food, "Hai, there is. If you want, we could stop by Wales at some point today and buy laverbread, it's a type of edible seaweed."

At that, Uesugi nodded with a small smile, "That would be good, Harry-Kun, thank you."

Looking over the meal, Yae was thoughtful as she looked over the choices. In the end, she chose mostly eggs and bacon with some bread, but also took a spoonful of fried mushrooms. Pausing for a moment, she also took two of the kippers, "I didn't know that the British also ate fish at breakfast, Gozaru..."

With a hum as he ate some of the smoked fish himself, Harry gave her a smile, "Hai, though here they're smoked herrings. They're a bit oily, but..." Shrugging, he shook his head, "These ones are made in the traditional manner though."

Yae took a bit of one of the fish and smiled a bit as she chewed though she giggled a little at seeing Nobu attempt to shove the entire breakfast roll into her mouth.

Eventually, however, the hungry teens cleared the food from the table with help from the shipgirls. Much to Harry's surprise, Okita and Yae helped with the dishes with Nobu and Uesugi drying them while telling him to sit back. Once they were all done, the teens came out and looked to find a minibus waiting for them. Carnwennan then walked past as he tossed some keys in his hand, "So... who wants to go on a trip?"

Happily gasping, Kenshō thrust a hand into the air, "Me! Me! I want to go, Grandpa!"

Just laughing lightly at that, the dagger patted her head, "Good to hear, now... when needed I can shrink it and I already enchanted the seats for comfort. So if you feel sleepy, you can take a nap." Leaning against the vehicle, he nodded his head towards the entrance, "Of course, before we go anywhere, if you want we can take a look at the old Roman road."

Sharing looks, the teens nodded with wide eyes and began following Goldie. As she walked down the road from the property, she looked over her shoulder, "Now, the road we are on goes all the way to the village and is rather new, being built just before the Statute, Umu. The Potters paid for each bit and it leads into Godric's Hollow, cutting through some hills, which the Roman road did not."

That made Ayaka blink and she raised her hand, "Uh... wasn't the Statute made in the 1690s?" At the nod, she boggled a bit, "And that's new!?"

Unable to help herself, the Roman blade laughed, "Indeed it is! For until then, the Roman road in the area served well enough. It was straight between some of the towns and just passes by Godric's Hollow, with a smaller, much younger road between the Roman one and the town built back in the 800s." Five minutes later, she came to a stop and pushed some brush aside before gesturing, "And here we are."

Blinking, the various teens looked around before frowning. Suddenly, Nobu pointed at the pasture in front of her, "Wait, I can see some lines and what looks like stone!" Moving quickly, she made her way to the brush and bent down before nodding, "Hai! There's grass here but..."

With a nod as she came up behind her friend, Uesugi rubbed her chin, "It may be overgrown, but you can make out the road still." Bending down, the grasped at the grass and pulled at it until it lifted and revealed flat stone beneath, "Incredible... it's still here."

Eyes wide as she was now able to see the road better, Yae's jaw dropped a little. Turning, she could see it continue onwards from where they were on the other side of the road until it vanished into some nearby woods, "Gozaru..." Turning, she looked at Harry, "How old is it?"

Hands behind his head, the wizard had to think about it for a few moments before nodding, "If I remember correctly... the roads here were built around the 140s." He then gave a small shrug, "They were maintained fully until the fall of the Empire when they stopped maintaining the entire network, but... sections were still maintained. And even then, they were pretty important right up to the 1600s."

Rubbing her chin, Nobu hummed as she watched Uesugi leave the sod fall back and stood, "To think that it lasted so long that one can see it still..." Following the line of the road, the former head of the Oda considered the road before smirking, "You know, it is a shame that I did not know how they constructed such roads! Just imagine how much easier it would have made transporting men and materials. All I got was for the roads to be standardized in size."

Just coming up behind her, Goldie patted her shoulder, "Ah, but such a feat is still one to be proud of! Not all can be Roman, though from what I have read, you came closer than most, Umu."

Also considering the road, Uesugi shook her head, "You're right though, Nobu-Chan. Something like this would have been very useful."

Bringing up his hand, Harry pointed at a large, almost rectangular stone that was standing on end beside the road, "And that's the milestone."

Each of the teens shared a look before bringing out their phones with grins, taking pictures of them in the road beside the marker in various poses. None of them noting the thoughtful look on Taiyang's face, and only Natsumi knowing that Tamamo was mumbling to herself about something.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A.N. -- Here's a peek at yet another future Malfoy child and some boggles.

A Matter Of Model Supervillany

Malfoy Manor

November, 2029
Spoiler: A Matter Of Parental Guidance

"Come in, Son." Draco spoke and then smiled at the seven year old figure of his youngest son (until Johnston, Niobe, and Ehren delivered the next three Malfoys in five months) when Bastian trudged into his study.

"You wanted to see me, Daddy?" Bastian said absently, adjusting his glasses. He finally noticed that the expected parental figure was not alone or behind his desk. Draco was sitting in a loveseat in front of the fireplace, flanked by Mama Cleo and Mutti Ehren.

"I did, close the door and have a seat." Draco indicated a chair across from him.

Bastian blinked and then made his way to the chair in question, hopping in it as the door closed and locked. '''Kay" he mumbled, still lost in his own world of ideas and dreams to make reality.

Draco leaned forward and laced his hands together. "I'm sure you have wondered why I called for you to talk to me, Bastian." Beside him, Ehren placed a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder and took a deep breath.

Bastian blinked away an image of DOOOMBOT engineering. "Um, haven't been in trouble lately Daddy, so dunno what." He responded, focusing on the concerned looks of his parents.

Ehren took a deep breath, focusing on the young boy in his favorite Doctor Doom (or as he called it Doctor DOOOM!) T-shirt and sweat pants. "Mainly I am concerned that you are patterning yourself on supervillains as role models, meine geliebte Kinder.(my beloved child)" The precise Prussian syntax in her words caused Cleo to wince minutely, knowing full well that when disturbed that Ehren's voice patterns got even more precise as she fought for control (a trait that she had learned from her mother as a role model).

"Well, duh, Mutti." Bastian responded with all the unconscious authority of a leading expert upon the genre of Marvel Comics in general and Dr. Doom in specific. "Supervillains are the best! They do things, they make things! Not like the 'Heroes'! 'Heroes' just react to what a Supervillain does!"

His voice was the same tone that he had used to demonstrate the Pythagorean Theorem over breakfast at five (using his magically animated bacon, toast, and silverware as props for the mathematical analysis that once and for all settled the running argument among his parents whether Bastian was just heavily 'on the autistic spectrum' or a budding genius in his field of magitech).

Ehren gave a small proud smile. "Yes, of course they do dear. But I am concerned about the role models you are patterning yourself on. Doctor Doom is one thing, but there is also the Red Skull..."

Ehren's voice cooled noticeably at the mention of Johann Schmidt, the fictional villainous right-hand man of Adolf Hitler and mortal foe of Captain America. Finding that character existed when she picked up a Doctor Doom/Red Skull crossover comic that Bastian had left behind him while making a mess after reading had shaken her badly.

Ehren, after all, knew exactly where that twisted ideology led, and how seductive it was for a young and unformed mind seeking assurances in a confusing world.

However Bastian cut her off and warmed her steel heart with his words as she brought up the Skull. "The Red Skull's a loser! Doctor DOOOM wins even when it appears that he loses!"

Ehren blinked, trying to figure out the Bastian-Logic involved. "But Bastian, the ideology the Skull is peddling....?"

"It's not good for anything! When you're gonna rule the world Mutti, don't mess with that! It just gets in the way of thinking and researching like DOOOM does! He has people to handle the rest to keep them from bothering him." Bastian declared as he idly swung his feet back and forth.

Another puzzled blink from the boggled dagger.

Cleo then tried to back up her co-wife. "We don't mind you ruling the world, honey, just not like the Red Skull would."

"Well DUH! The Red Skull wants to always boss people around and have lots of noise and shouting! That wrecks getting work done. I just wanna do my stuff alone since having lots of people to boss around and bug me means I don't get any stuff done." Bastian patiently explained the Facts of World Domination (Seven-Year-Old Subset) to the clearly mentally handicapped Pod People who had replaced his normally intelligent parents.

On the faces of all three parents the same thought blazed in their faces

At least my little budding mad scientist is a loner, that's a relief.

Draco grinned and leaned forward to ruffle his sons head. "Right son. We were just a little worried that you would pick the wrong supervillains to be like. Don't be a punk like the Red Skull, be Darth Vader or Doctor Doom. Now go and get back to conquering the galaxy before dinner. You won't want to miss it; your Ma's preparing Barbecue."

Those words of paternal encouragement earned him a 'not helping!' glare from Cleopatra and a subtle elbow in the ribs from a fuming Ehren under the cool face that spoke louder that words 'not in front of the kids, Draco!'.

Bastian, bless his heart, overlooked the signs of Daddy heading toward the doghouse at Warp Nine.

"'Kay Daddy, see ya!" A pause as he hopped out of the chair. "Love Y'all! Think Santa has a Flux Capacitor that he can send me for Christmas?"

Ehren slapped her hand over Draco's mouth as Bastian headed to the door. "If you're a good boy, I'll write and see if he might have one lying around the North Pole for you!" She said in a controlled voice with definite false cheer in it.

Ehren turned to her smugly smirking husband and hissed after the door closed behind Bastian. "Don't encourage him dear. And you have between now and Christmas to enchant something that will fool him when he gets it under the tree." Cleo gave her own flat stare and nod.

Draco looked at his wives. "Zu Befehl(at your command), dear. I'll figure something out. Keep an eye on him?"

The ladies nodded. "Keep an eye on him, but it's a little-boy phase that he's going through, right?"

Malfoy Manor

November, 2052

Bastian grinned the satisfied maniacal smile of any great Man of Mad Science on the cusp of a new era of human understanding.

He settled the helmet around his head, making sure that the neural sensors made proper contact.

He took a deep breath, looked around the cockpit, and thanked his parents once again for their attempt to teach him war games to 'round him out' leading to his discovery of a new and untapped field for inspiration.

A little inspiration, a lot of perspiration, and with the right applications of highly advanced magic and highly advanced technology, well the stars are the limit.

With that he touched the glowing 'Flux Capacitor' he had gotten for his seventh Christmas that he kept as a good luck charm as a necklace under his Dr. Doom shirt. Then his hand moved to the Dr Doom bobble-head in the cockpit of the DOOMBOT ALPHA (his personal name for the project).

Dad was right, if you're going to be a supervillain, don't be a punk.

The hand moved to the switch to start his latest creation, and his happy smile widened as he flicked the switch to bring his dream to life.

The dream of a future among the stars with humanoid war machines for those pilots worthy of the title of Mechwarrior.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A/N - Well, here's the epilogue! I hope everybody enjoys my first foray into homily writing (I'm neither a priest, nor did I play one on TV, and I certainly didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.) It has been a treat to work with Yellowhammer for this, and stay tuned, because Fr Jacques isn't done yet! Speaking a bit more seriously, may the grace and peace of God be with everybody during these times.

Primo Missam (Bells of Ath Epilogue) [First Mass]

Chapel of Moulbaix, Castle Moulbaix, Belgium

26 August 2014

Fr Jacques nodded to his great grandnephew Augustin Moreau and smiled happily. The ten year old lad had done what local folklore had long claimed was impossible in exploring all the way to the heart of Evil Count Hippolyte's Haunted Woods. No doubt once his exploit reached the ears of his peers, the young lads of the region would have to find a new test of courage to impress the local girls.

The old priest had no doubt that some rascal would think of something suitable in due time.

Augustin's triumph had been helped by Colombe lowering the magical warding spells that scared off the curious from reaching her castle, of course. After doing that, she had driven herself and Miho Fujii along with the Imps to the village of Ath to pick Augustin up to serve as acolyte for this Mass. He was somehow unsurprised that Augustin knew Misaki and Chihiro from school as fellow troublemakers, who no doubt were causing the principal to contemplate the virtues of tanning mischief-maker's breeches for educational purposes.

Some traditions, after all, were eternal.

Such as the Mass.

Certainly the details had changed over time. Even for an institution like the Church change was inevitable. But since Blood Week there had been a strong revival of the extraordinary form of the Mass. However, today it would be an ordinary daily Mass. Much as the old priest looked forward to saying Mass in Latin too few of the congregation here knew the language.

He resisted the urge to grin as he checked the small clock hanging on the wall. Since Blood Week there had been plenty of innovations to the liturgy. Small things. Literally. He still couldn't help but find it amusing whenever he saw lines of shipgirl faeries lining up for Communion from faerie extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist. The challenges of co-celebrating with a faerie priest were equally amusing memories for the old man. But they'd figured things out, adapted, overcome, and caused a few aneurysms along the way.

Which reminded him to say a short silent prayer for the soul of a fellow priest who'd never recovered from a spirited bollocking from USS Schmitt.

Meanwhile, the chapel door opened and the du Chastelers entered.

Claire, dressed in one of her favorite blue dresses, hurried to the pipe organ to play the appropriate music for Mass.
Spoiler: A Happy Pipe Organ!

Fr Jacques had explained to Claire gently but firmly to stick to the composers and pieces that he had selected and not freelance during the ceremony. After the Mass was concluded, then yes, appropriate music of the organist's choosing could be played then.

Father Jacques, let it be said, was not unfamiliar with the foibles of eager musicians when they got the musical bit between their teeth.

Best that Claire's enthusiasm be properly contained and channeled, although he had no doubt that the music would be magnificent -- no matter what she played from the heart.

Fortunately for the Piano's happiness -- and unfortunately for her mother's bank account which had paid a premium for speedy repair service as well as a large tip induced by lethal doses of Puppydog Piano Eyes -- the expert had retuned the small pipe organ during the hours while Fr Jacques and Ehren were absent from the castle on business in Brussels. The original detuning had been done in 1870 to prevent damage to the strained mechanisms inside as they sat idle. Fortunately the preservation charms and spells on the chapel had prevented damage to the organ as it sat patiently waiting for this day to come.

One Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor later -- and a hug for the smiling expert who was contemplating a nice birthday present for the wife with the large tip that Madame du Chasteler had been persuaded to give him by his 'volunteer assistant' who was 'checking the tuning' -- and all was right with the World According To Claire. As was the case with her mother as well, judging by the fond and proud smile on Colombe's face at Claire's visible joy in making 'her new friend' happy.

Following Claire, Colombe, dressed in dark red, sat in her place in the first pew. Ehren, dressed in her normal modest black dress and pearl earrings, sat beside her mother.

Behind the du Chasteler ladies, Miho escorted the Imps, all dressed in their nice clothes, to the pew directly behind the one Colombe sat in.

Kasuyu and Nongqawuse brought up the next file and sat side by side in respectful silence.

Then, as Fr Jacques watched through the peephole in the sacristy door, Toku entered last alongside a gold haired European woman dressed in plain and worn working clothes that were nonetheless very clean and well kept. The blond smiled happily at her sight of the chapel, a smile which seemed to light up the room, and then sat beside the miko, who was dressed in a modest red dress instead of her normal robes, in the final pew.

It was time.

The antique clock chimed the hour in the Sacristy.

And the organ spoke.
Spoiler: Holy, Holy, Holy

Fr Jacques stepped back and nodded to young Augustin, who opened the sacristy door then trailed after the elderly priest as he stepped into the sanctuary. The pair of them promptly turned to face the altar and genuflected, as the music flowed gloriously and the small congregation sang along from the leather-bound hymans in the pews.

The pair crossed to stand behind the altar, and Augustin genuflected again, while Fr Jacques bent down and kissed the altar itself before stepping back, hands folded in prayer before him.

Ehren sang in her soaring crystal-clear soprano alongside her mother as the hymn reached the second verse. The lines of pain and stress and self-hatred that normally marked her face faded to near-invisibility as she was transported outside herself to something greater than she would ever be.

Tears of joy glistened in Colombe's eyes as she stood and sang, then crossed herself automatically as the last notes of the hymn faded. Standing beside her, her youngest daughter did so as well, along with Claire at the organ, and the other guests invited to stand with her.

"Au nom du Père et du Fils et du Saint-Esprit.(In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.)" Fr Jacques intoned solemnly the moment the music stopped, his right hand moving in the sweeping gestures of the priestly version of the Sign of the Cross.

"Amen" sounded from eleven throats in unison, from Kasuyu's rumbling basso profundo to Ehren's coloratura soprano.

The old priest spread his arms wide in benediction and spoke in French, "{The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!}"

Colombe and Ehren chorused as one, "{And with your spirit.}"

Fr Jacques bowed his head for a moment, bringing his hands together once more in prayer. "{Brethren, let us acknowledge our sins and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.}" he spoke with firm conviction, head bowed.

After a short pause he looked up, seeming to meet the eye of each and every person in the small chapel. "{I confess to Almighty God…}" he began the penitential act..

Colombe followed along, confessing her sins and shortcomings, beating her breast and then receiving absolution from Father Jacques.

The mass continued through the opening rites, with Kyrie and the Gloria, before Fr Jacques prayed the collect and seated himself.

As he did, Colombe stood and walked to the antique family Bible waiting for her at the lectern. She stopped, took a deep breath, and then spoke. "{A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians.}" She took another breath and then she read the epistle, "{Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship….}"

At the conclusion, she took a deep breath and spoke once more. "{The Word of the Lord.}"

"{Thanks be to God!}" Echoed through the chapel.

She took another breath, thinking to herself: This was so different from the last time she'd been in mass, where the priests and deacons did everything…

She then launched into the Responsorial Psalm like Fr Jacques had coached her the evening before when he'd asked her to serve as lector for this mass. When that was concluded, she stepped away from the lectern while Claire launched into a short bit of organ music and the congregation in the chapel rose to their feet in accordance with the directions in the little cards they'd all been given.

Fr Jacques as well stood, then crossed to the altar, picking up an extremely ornate gilded bound evangeliary from the altar. He kissed it, then lifted it high in front of him and walked with bowed head to the lectern, set it down, then said a short silent prayer to himself before looking out over the standing worshippers and guests.

"{The Lord be with you.}" he solemnly intoned.

"Et avec votre esprit."(and with your spirit) came the response.

"{A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew.}" he then said, then while he made tiny signs of the cross upon his forehead, lips, and breast the congregation responded with a hearty "{Glory to you, Oh Lord.}".

There was a pause, then the priest looked out, proclaiming the Gospel without needing to read it from the evangeliary. "{Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites!}" his voice nearly thundered in the quiet of the chapel as he spoke.

It was a short Gospel, as they go, only 5 verses. And when he finished he bowed his head in silent contemplation for a moment before saying. "{The Gospel of the Lord.}"

"{Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ}" Colombe said in a reverent voice before sitting alongside Ehren.

Once the congregation in the chapel had all seated themselves, Fr Jacques waited, until the silence was almost pregnant with anticipation.

"{Today, brothers and sisters, we are warned about hypocrisy. About fakery. About the false appearance of sanctity. Wearing all of the outwards signs of piety but having wickedness in our hearts. It is a challenge, not simply to you, brothers and sisters, but to the entire priesthood who are entrusted with guiding you in your journey to God. Because the enemy is crafty and lurks in the darkest recesses of our souls.}" his voice was soft, almost gentle.

"{He skulks in the idea that only the outward forms matter, that simply going through the motions and being seen as Holy is sufficient, that somehow only what others think of us matters to God. So he tempts us with the easy path of hypocrisy and falseness. With the ease of just going through the motions. We are called to so much more than that.}" he paused, his gaze sweeping the chapel.

"{We, brothers and sisters, are not called to the easy path. We are not called to pretend to have faith, we are not called to fake holiness. We are called to be Holy as our Lord God is holy.}" his voice suddenly thundered. This was no fire and brimstone homily, this was passion for the Lord. "{We are called to be greater than we think we can be. We are called to do what is right and proper, not simply when others can see us, but in the dark when nobody can see if we fail.}"

Ehren's eyes gleamed as he spoke about being true and faithful when no other could see her if she failed or faltered. Deep inside her a flash of memory of her decision to resist what she knew in her steel soul was wrong even… or perhaps especially… since no one but herself would see flickered through her mind. She realized that she had been wrong when she had thought that in her darkest hour. She had not been alone back then when she was in Vati's clutches. Never alone. Her spine stiffened and her shoulders squared into the proper position for a junior officer to receive instructions.

He paused again, head bowing down. "{Many of you have heard before all of the passages about hypocrisy in the Gospels. And you have seen how often even, or perhaps especially, priests have failed to meet our calling to true Holiness in His Sacred Name. Hypocrisy is a seductive mistress precisely because it is so easy. Just make the motions, just say the words, smirking inside at how you are fooling everybody.}"

In the back, Catherine nodded in agreement, and closed her eyes, whispering a prayer to keep her in God's Grace and away from the sin of hypocrisy. She had seen the poisonous fruit of such when her Second Mistress had been martyred at the stake after an unfair trial by the 'ecclesiastial authorities' of the day.

His voice suddenly thundered once more. "{But God sees. He knows our hearts. He knows what we keep hidden. There is no lying to God, there is no deceiving God. He is with us, always. And when we are face to face with him, there will be no hiding behind legalistic trickery. No hairsplitting. No filibustering. No lies.}"

Beside Catherine, Toku nodded in agreement at the homily. Although she was from a different tradition, she could sense the kernels of truth in Fr Jacques words and respected them as much as if they were from her fellow priests of Hachiman or her sister Fudo.

"{And in that moment, all of our hypocrisies, all of our false fronts, all will stand exposed.}" he took a breath, looking across the chapel, then bowed his head. "{In truth, none of us can earn salvation, because our Savior has already purchased our salvation with His Holy Blood in the perfect and eternal sacrifice for our sins. All we must do is be what we are called to be. Simple, really. But… as we've all probably heard it said, in war everything that is simple is also incredibly hard. And we are at war, my brothers and sisters. A spiritual war against an Enemy greater than any Abyssal, then any mortal foe. This is a war fought within all of our hearts.}" he paused, then smiled broadly. "{And a war that we can, and will, with the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, win. We here on this Earth are the Faith Militant. I pray that we all will someday stand in the ranks of the Faith Triumphant.}"

Ehren bowed her head as the homily reached its conclusion. "{Amen.}" She whispered to herself. And to God.

Fr Jacques waited a moment, head bowed in prayer, then turned and returned to the altar as the congregation stood, Augustin joining him once more. "{I believe in one God, the Father Almighty…}"

The small congregation joined in the recitation of the Nicene Creed, some from memory, most reading from the cards.

The Imps grinned as Fr. Jacques turned to them with his eyes twinkling and nodded. Colombe followed the young Yokai to assist and supervise them as they went to a small table next to the door of the chapel and carefully picked up a small silver ciborium containing unconsecrated hosts and a small cruet of wine. Colombe remembered watching her brothers bring forth the offerings when they were small, and smiled indulgently as she followed behind them in order to help them keep a decorous pace.

Fr Jacques came out from behind the altar flanked by Augustin and accepted the offerings, murmuring soft prayers to the two young Yokai and smiling benevolently at Colombe before turning and taking the gifts to the altar while the Imps and rapier returned to the pews.

Colombe patted the heads of the Imps before taking her place, producing happy smiles from both.

The Mass continued through the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the congregation kneeling while Fr Jacques began the Eucharistic Prayers.

"{... In communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and Lord Jesus Christ, and blessed Joseph, her spouse, your blessed Apostles and Martyrs, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude, Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian…}"

In the rear of the chapel, Catherine prayed silently for her Mistresses and the other Saints in Heaven.

After Fr Jacques completed the consecration he paused for a moment, then looked up with a smile. "{The Mystery of Faith.}" he proclaimed, then joined the congregation in saying "{We proclaim your death, Oh Lord, and profess your Resurrection, until you come again.}"

Then the old priest continued the Liturgy of the Eucharist, his voice full of a joyous reverence as he spoke. The mass continued, with the congregation rising to their feet as the main eucharistic prayers concluded. "{Through Him and with Him and in Him. Oh God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever. Amen.}"

Ehren snapped to precise Prussian attention as she stood and barked out "{Amen!}" sincerely and automatically.

As the small congregation stood Fr Jacques waited a beat before smiling broadly. "{At the Savior's command, and formed by divine teaching we dare to say.}" and then he led them in the Lord's Prayer.

In the back Catherine prayed in Latin as her eyes elevated to the face of her Savior on the crucifix. Tears of joy and devotion fell from her shining reverent eyes as she recited the Latin words engraved and sealed on her heart.

The old priest's keen ear heard the Latin amidst the French, although no sign of that crossed his expression, while he continued. "{Deliver us, Lord, we pray from every evil and grant us peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.}"

The congregation replied in the traditional manner in rough unison, those experienced with the mass almost by reflex, those who'd never before been to one following along or reading the cards. The mass smoothly flowed through the sign of peace. As the small group finished with that joyous part of the mass, Fr Jacques glanced over at Claire and nodded, prompting the piano to start the next organ piece. As it played, he chanted in Latin, joined easily by Colombe and Catherine as the familiar Gregorian chant of the Agnus Dei sounded forth.
Spoiler: Agnus Dei

Beside her friend Toku listened in reverent, attentive silence. While it was not what she was used to, and the language was foreign, she sensed the centuries of tradition and striving for the Divine, to the pure and true and perfect things in an imperfect world. In the front Ehren listened in delight to her Mother's Latin chanting and her Big Piano Sister's exquisitely delicate playing of the pipe organ.

As they chanted, Fr Jacques broke the bread on the paten, then once it was concluded he lifted the paten high in one hand while with the other he brought aloft the chalice containing the watered wine. "{Behold the Lamb of God, behold He who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the Supper of the Lamb.}"

Colombe recited the traditional response alongside her family. "{Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,}" her voice caught in her throat as she realized how true these words are for her today of all days before she continued in the traditional response, "{but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.}"

Behind the altar the old priest bowed his head, taking up one half of the large host he had broken as part of the rite, and with a brief silent prayer raised it up then ate it, before taking up the chalice and, after another silent prayer, drinking of it. He then transferred the broken pieces of the large host to the now consecrated ciborium before turning towards Augustin and ministering communion to the young altar server.

Meanwhile, as the rest stood in silence, Colombe walked to receive the Sacrament, joined by Catherine who silently and reverently stood behind her.

Fr Jacques was slightly surprised that there were more than one practical Catholics in the congregation, but he'd luckily been prepared as he'd consecrated a few hosts in the mass, intending to place the excess in a pyx and distribute them during the week as was common for priests. So there was no obvious reaction from him, merely a gentle "The Body of Christ." as he lifted up the host before each of the communicants.

Colombe whispered her "Amen" in a small, humble voice like that of the young girl that she once was here. Catherine in turn followed suit and gave him a happy smile filled with faith and love of the Divine.

After that it was a matter of only a minute or two as Fr Jacques cleaned the ceremonial vessels carefully, then as he finished each Augustin bustled them back to the sacristy before returning for the next one. Finally he re-veiled the chalice properly, which was brought back in its turn to the sacristy by the young scamp who was being admirably serious about his responsibilities as an altar server.

Once that was done he took his seat for a moment or two, head bowed in prayer, before rising to his feet, the congregation joining him a little raggedly.

"Le Seigneur soit avec vous.(The Lord be with you)" he said with a broad smile as he turned to the small group.

They all responded "Et avec votre esprit.", some from memory, some from cards like the rest of the mass had been.

The old priest swept up his hand in the priestly form of the Sign of the Cross, as the congregation crossed themselves at the same time. "Que Dieu tout-puissant vous bénisse, Le Père, le Fils et le Saint-Esprit."(May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.)

A hearty amen followed, and Fr Jacques smiled even more broadly. "Allez, dans la paix du Christ."(Go, in the peace of Christ.)

"Nous rendons grâce à Dieu.(We give thanks to God.)" Catherine bowed her head and gave a gentle smile as she felt, just as she had felt every other time that she had partaken in the Sacrament, the gift of her Savior be placed upon her shoulders like a gentle mantle.

Cathy stood there with her head bowed in prayer as the elderly priest walked to the door and the other residents of Moulbaix departed in their turn past her.

Augustin came out of the sacristy in street clothes, joining the Imps who promptly dragged their schoolmate with them to show off 'the wonderful castle that they lived in'.

The escape of the three friends was successful, although judging by the indecorous haste that Kasuyu, Nongqawuse, and Miho departed the chapel in pursuit of them, the victory might be short-lived since their chores awaited.

In theory.
Spoiler: The Imps (+1) in Moulbaix…

Colombe watched the Great Escape with a small smile, while Ehren's face was suspiciously neutral and controlled. Claire smiled and then segued into Yakety Sax on the pipe organ as the chase began.

Then the Marchioness of Chasteler and Moulbaix walked to Father Jacques, who was watching the scene with twinkling eyes and a suspicious smile. She leaned close to the elderly priest and murmured. "I suppose that I shall have to supervise the roundup of miscreants."

A cry of childish delight and a thump from the grand hall and its banisters punctuated her words and Ehren's lip twitched as her mother resumed smoothly. "And level suitable punishment upon incorrigible miscreants for violation of castle rules involving unauthorized use of my banisters with my authority encompassing High, Middle, and Low Justice."

Ehren's lip twitched again. "Jawohl, Mutti! I shall be preparing the luncheon so that dishes shall be waiting to be washed!"

Toku joined the clump at the chapel door. "My thanks for the invitation, Father. I would enjoy discussing the fine points of the ceremony and its meaning later. After I arrange for mercy for the miscreants."

"Holy Mass is always open for guests, my dear." he said with his gentle, if impish, smile on his aged face. "And mercy is among the greatest of the virtues. Go with God in your mission." he gave a smiling benediction to the katana spirit as he spoke.

Toku bowed. "And walk in the light as well." She then departed on the heels of Colombe and Ehren.

Fr Jacques turned to look over the now opened chapel and noticed the mysterious blond haired girl waiting for him patiently. Cathy glanced at Claire who nodded and then scurried over, hugging Cathy then hugging the priest in turn. "I need to go now, Father, I have appropriate chase music to score as the soundtrack." The piano said in her musical voice. "Thank you, this was amazing."

"You have a truly wonderful talent, my child. I look forward to hearing the accompaniment." his eyes twinkled a bit. "May I commend to you the theme from The Great Escape?"

Claire's smugly mischievous smile lit up her face, she nodded enthusiastically, and then blinked her avatar out.

A second later, the start of the suggested music scored for piano began to play from someplace upstairs.

As it did, the blond walked to Fr. Jacques. She smiled warmly and curtsied in greeting. "My thanks for the Eucharist today, Father. I admit that I got much out of your sermon, and it is as relevant today as when I first understood the nature of hypocrisy."

The priest nodded his head. "Just so. Forgive me my dear, I failed to get your name."

The smile widened and grew more angelic.

Her next words caused Father Jacques' eyes to widen and his face to grow pale.

"I'm the Sword of St. Catherine, but please call me Cathy. Everyone does."


Author's Note: Yellowhammer here. I hope that you enjoyed this arc, and while I don't know if I'll ever be able to do the Fr. Jacques/Cathy conversation justice (I can say that the good Father will need to take a seat since he will be a bit weak in the knees upon hearing her thank him). As Sunhawk said, this is our attempt to bring light in a world that seems filled with darkness and needs us to remember that in the end light will come again. God Bless you all.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Glancing across the aisle of the minibus, Harry smiled a little as he noticed Kenshō dozing a little bit. The Kogatana's avatar was leaning against Natsumi, who was gently stroking the Tsukumogami's hair. Something about that sight made Harry flush slightly. And, briefly, Kenshō was replaced by a young child with messy black hair and Kitsune ears and tail.

Moments later, Harry shook that image off, even as it made his heart feel like it was thudding more in his chest. Right then, he wanted something to get his attention off of what had just happened. Thankfully, someone seemed to be listening as a report came over the radio, "{... In other news, another small earthquake has struck the Netherlands. While this is the fifth such quake in the past two weeks, no damage has been reported besides some plates falling from shelves and breaking. Geologists are baffled as to the source, though the epicentre seems to be in the area of Flevoland and shallow. Some locals believe them to possibly be rumoured tunnels dug in WWII collapsing...}"

Just blinking, the wizard frowned a little, "That's odd."

From where she had been poking a rapidly more annoyed Okita in the cheek, Nobu looked over and spoke up, "What is so odd about it? Earthquakes happen all the time."

Hachi, meanwhile, closed her book and shook her head, "Not in the Netherlands, they don't really have earthquakes there." Still frowning, she furrowed her eyebrows, "I wonder what is going on there?"

Looking up from her phone, Iku shrugged a little, "Who knows? Maybe they're right and there's tunnels collapsing there. Wouldn't be the first time."

That made the blonde Submarine raise an eyebrow, "Iku-Chan, it wasn't even built in time for the war. I went to Germany, remember? I know these things." A frown appeared on her face as she continued to think it over, "Though... I suppose that maybe Grindlewald got up to something? Magic does make things harder when dealing with that."

Needless to say, those words only got a nod from both Iku and Harry with the wizard frowning, "That... is less impossible than I would like."

It was not long after when they entered the outskirts of Bath and Carnwennan hummed as he looked around, "Hmm... it is still amazing to see how Bath has changed over the centuries."

Leaning back in her seat, hands behind her head, Jin gave him a raised eyebrow, "Oh? Familiar with the place?"

Simply chuckling, the dagger nodded, "Oh yes, very familiar." He gestured in one particular direction, "Arthur spent time bathing in the springs here. They rather helped him with various injuries despite being in disrepair. As well, I remember the Battle of Badon outside what is now the city."

Blinking, Harry sat up a bit straighter, "Wait, the Battle of Badon? Where King Arthur defeated the Anglo-Saxons? That battle was nearby?"

Lips twitching as he made a turn, Carnwennan nodded, "It was indeed, Master. I remember it quite well. We had thousands of Britons and some of the remainders of the Roman Legions on our side as well as some natives including one dragon. And the Anglo-Saxons had thousands more on their side. The Battle itself happened over the course of the day and by the end, we had broke them for at least a century." A far off gaze on his face, he gave a small sigh, "We had lost many, but we had still won and stood triumphant over the field of battle with the bodies of our foe strewn everywhere."

More than a little thoughtful, the teenage wizard frowned, "What happened after the battle? With the bodies and such."

Eyebrow raised, Carnwennan glanced back at him in the mirror, "Well, we retrieved our dead for a proper burial. Some took armor and weapons from the dead Anglo-Saxons. After that... Arthur ordered two trenches to be dug into which he had the Anglo-Saxon dead placed in before setting them on fire. Then, the ashes and burned bones were buried with a low mound over them, not that you can tell much now nearly fifteen hundred years since." His eyebrow raising still further, he gave Harry a curious look, "Why do you ask?"

Much to his interest, Harry had a slightly smug look on his face, "Well... I remember you complaining that someone took most of the evidence of Arthur's existence, correct? And the Battle of Badon is connected to him..." Waving a hand around, his expression became more smug, "So, what would happen if, say, we got in contact with the British Museum and let them know about the location? If it is still mostly undisturbed, that means that they can perform a dig and prove that it happened. Possibly with some artifacts pointing towards Arthur's existence."

Not saying anything for a few moments, the Arthurian weapon's spirit gained a smirk of his own, "You know, Master? That... may well work very well indeed. And last I checked, which was a year ago, the land is just pasture at the moment. Perhaps get in contact with someone so that I can speak to them, and I shall."

Part of Yae was still surprised that she knew the spirit of one of the weapons of King Arthur himself! Even in Japan, the King of the Britons was famous and known. As they were on the subject, however, the Kendoka decided to satisfy some of her own curiosity, "Um, Carnwennan-San? Could I ask you a question?"

A little amused at her hesitation, Carwennan nodded, "Of course, you can ask me almost anything."

Just slowly nodding at that, the teenage Kendoka chewed her lip for a moment, "Did King Arthur really wear the armor that he gets shown?" At the chuckles from the blade, she flushed, "Did I say something wrong?"

However, Carnwennan waved her off with a gesture, "Not at all, Yae-San. Quite the opposite." Still shaking his head, he chuckled again, "Despite what many people have for art, my previous Master, Arthur, did not, in fact, wear plate armor. Rather, in battle he wore scale armor which was itself over chain, something that protected him well. Otherwise, he wore boiled leather armor made from a Welsh green dragon he felled in a fight over some cattle. In either case, the armor was quite effective against most things he faced."

Rather amused, Okita placed her hands behind her head, "So in other words, all those pictures of him in that Knight armor, like in Fate/Stay Night, are wrong."

Slowly, the former head of the Uesugi clan nodded, "It does make a certain amount of sense when one thinks about it." When they looked at her, she shook her head, "I meant about drawing him in plate and such. Because that was the 'Knightly' armor that they were used to, thus to them it made the most sense."

Chuckling at that, Carnwennan had an amused look on his face, "Perhaps, though I imagine that my first Master likely would be amused." If anything, his expression became more amused a moment later, "Especially with that series you mentioned, FATE/Stay Night. After all, he would wonder how they knew about him having been a woman one time."

Utter silence descended onto the entire minibus as everyone digested that and bottled. Jin, for her part, summed up their thoughts regarding that bit of information perfectly with the next thing that came out of her mouth, "Wat."

Carwennan lightly laughed at that, "Oh yes! While King Arthur was a man and born such and died as one, there was a few months in which he had been transformed into a woman by Merlin. Supposedly, the old goat wanted Arthur to understand all his subjects including the women. Most of us, however, figured that he just wanted to piss Arthur off and prank him. It was the most likely thing to be quite honest." Rubbing his chin, the dagger frowned, "Hmm... though Arthur nearly punched Lancelot in the face when said Knight attempted to woo him... and did punch him in the face when he drunkenly commented that he should stay a woman for reasons."

Barely noticed by him, the others slowly blinked with the same thought going through their minds, 'Seriously, wat?'

Well, everyone but Kenshō, who was giggling at how silly it was.

Glancing at her with a slight smile, Carnwennan hummed, "Merlin might have been seriously considering it for his own amusement... that was, until he woke up in magic resistant chains that Arthur had somehow gotten from Morgana, and with me unsheathed and point against a certain place." Tone dry, he continued though his eyes twinkled on amusement, "Arthur did, in fact, tell him that if Merlin kept him as a girl than he, Arthur, would make the wizard practically one as well." His lips twitched a little at seeing the males cringe, "After that, well, Merlin could not move fast enough at turning Arthur back into a man."

Yet again, no one said anything as they digested that for almost a minute of pure silence. More than one eyebrow was raised, however, as Taiyang began to sadistically giggle.

Glancing at Natsumi, Harry could see her shake her head at him slightly. However, he was just too curious and thus cleared his throat, "Um... what exactly was the price that Morgana had for Arthur to be given those chains...?"

Extremely amused, Carnwennen hummed for a moment before answering, "Well, as I have said before, Morgana was a... bro-con, as they call it now. Upon seeing Arthur as a girl? She decided that being a Sis-con was perfectly fine as well. Thus, she had him... her... try on various clothing to show off in front of her for a day or two. I am reasonably certain that by the end, Arthur was... what is the saying? Ah, yes... Quite done with this shit."

Very slowly, everyone nodded at that and decided that, perhaps, it was best not to ask.

Fake smile on her face, Natsumi clapped her hands and nodded, "Right! Moving on from that and yet more of my illusions shattered..." Ignoring a dagger who was driving the minibus snickering and a certain foxy blade giggling, she continued, "We have a lot to see and little time to do it in."

Having unwrapped a blood orange, Juuchi hummed a little, "Well, that is what the travelling trunk is for."

Everyone blinked at that before turning to her, Usagi raising an eyebrow, "A... travelling trunk?" The rabbit Yokai looked back at the trunk that was in the back of the minibus, "What is a travelling trunk?"

Popping a slice of orange into her mouth, the Muramasa hummed, "An excellent question with an excellent answer."

When none were forthcoming, Tsukiakari sighed before turning into her seat, "It was something that Lily created in school as a matter of fact. And was something of the prototype for her TARDIS."

Iku blinked at that and raised her hand, "Um, TARDIS? She made one?" When they looked at her, she pointed at a smug Harry, "Harry-Chan had us watch some episodes before."

Just happily humming, the Kyu-Gunto nodded, "Hai, Mistress Lily did, indeed, create a TARDIS of sorts." She waggled around a hand, "It wasn't able to really travel through time, unfortunately. But Mistress Lily was able to have it able to jump from place to place in a similar way to the Knight Bus, but those inside wouldn't be bothered by it. One thing that she did do was mix various forms of expansion charms and thus it was the size of a house on the inside. She planned on using it to make a getaway from Britain if needed."

Eyebrow raised, Rika's tails swisher behind her, "What happened to it?"

With a shrug, Tsukiakari shook her head, "No one knows. It just sort of disappeared one day. Mistress Lily figured that it would come back at some point or another. Maybe it came alive due to the magic and such used in it..."

************************** June 13, 1999 ********************

Rubbing her forehead in the basement, Lily sighed a little as she looked at the blue police box in front of her. It had taken a lot of work, but she managed it! The inside was almost the same size as a house, with bathrooms, a kitchen, and a fully stocked pantry with food that would be kept in stasis until pulled out. It was simply the best.

Of course, there were the other charms. A flying charm to allow for one to propel it along through the air, twisting and turning as it went. Not to mention the same charm used on the Knight Bus that helped it avoid collisions and the like. There was even a charm that created a bubble of breathable air around it. Not to mention the charm that created the "Whoop-Whoop" sound so familiar.

That she was especially proud of.

Gently, Lily gave the side of the blue police box a pat which got a tremble from it, "There, there. All done." A giggle escaped her and she bounced a bit, "I can't wait to try you out!" Hearing a shout of dinner, she nodded, "Coming James!"

With that, she went upstairs happily humming. That night, however, sparkles of light appeared around the TARDIS and it faded away...

**************************** January 31, 2042 ********************

Frown just visible under the shadows of the cowl that the magical wore, he grumbled a bit at seeing the blue box materialize in the circle. Around? Various items were being packed into boxes by other magicals and magical automatons, "I hate that we're degraded to this. Grabbing lost items from the timestream to sell..."

A fellow cloaked magical snorted a little as they turned towards him, a feminine voice coming from her, "We do need the funds. Ever since the fall of the Statute, we have been on the run attempting to continue our research. And there's so many people that will pay for such things."

Just sneering as he picked up an odd card with a black lotus on it, he shook his head, "Honestly, who would pay millions for something like this?" Tossing it onto a table, he shook his head, "Something that some kid's parents tossed in the trash, now worth so much? People these days..."

Only shrugging, the witch shook her head, "Funds. Besides, we're just grabbing things that went missing and will not cause problems in the time stream-" Suddenly, her head whipped around, "The ward! Something broke through-"

Before she could even finish, the door burst in and something was tossed in that knocked them all to the ground as armoured people rushed in, "INTERPOL! HANDS OFF THE WANDS AND INTO THE AIR!"

With the chaos of the bust, no one noticed the blue box go flying off...

***************************** October 21, 2053 *******************

Mumbling to himself, Bastian frowned before some sparks flew and he jerked back. At the light from inside the console, he laughed, "Ha! And done! No one can stop Doctor Bastian DOOM Malfoy!"

A hand patting him on the shoulder made him look up at the blue haired girl in an odd cloak, "Thank you, Bastian. Amazing work. Shall we give her a test drive?"

Lightly chuckling, the Malfoy nodded and pressed some buttons. Outside, there was a "Whoop-Whoop" as the blue box slowly vanished from existence.

******************* August, 1962 *******************

Appearing on a lonely street, the TARDIS sat there before Bastian looked out the door and blinked as he noticed various people walking around without really paying much attention to them. What caught his attention, however was the cars going by as well as the clothes people were wearing. Flicking his wand, he blinked before nodding, "Huh... 1962. Experiment a success!" Hearing a boom of thunder, he looked up just as it began to pour, "Ugh!"

He yelped a bit as the blue haired girl shoved him to the side before shouting, "Hey! Over here! Come get out of the rain!" A man across the road with a newspaper over his head blinked and gestured to himself, "Yes, you! Come on!"

Moments later, the man squeezed through the door and sighed, "Thanks for that, though it might be a little..." Realizing there was room, he trailed off as he looked around, "... cramped? What the bloody hell..."

The girl giggled a bit, "Bigger on the inside, huh?"

Boggling, the man nodded as he took in the science fiction and somewhat mystical surroundings, "Um... that is putting it mildly..." Then he turned and gave the two in front of him looks, "Er, who are the two of you? What are you?"

Even though he was confused as to what was going on, Bastian placed his hands on his hips and laughed, "Ah, well, I'm a doctor..."

Furrowing his eyebrows, the man looked at the Malfoy, "Doctor who?"

Just as Bastian was about to say something, the blue haired girl winked at him, "Exactly~ And I am his Companion! Now, let's move forward in time to when the rain stops, shall we?"

Jaw dropping, the man moved forward as the girl threw switch after switch as she hummed some song, "Wait, go forwards in time?! This thing is a time machine?!"

Giggling, the girl winked at him, "Of course~" Then she blinked, "Whoopsies! Went backwards in time!" Going to the door, she opened it to reveal that people in armor were clashing before them, "Hmm... a little too far back."

Flicking his metal covered wand, Bastian caused numbers to appear before he nodded, "I believe that is the Battle of Hastings..."

Poking his head out, the man was yanked back in right as an arrow embedded itself in the door where his head had been. The girl closed said door and went to the console and began throwing switches not even paying attention as the man pulled the arrow from the door and stared at it, "Let's go forward, shall we?"

"Whoops! Too far forward!" "No, really? This was the launch for the final bit of the spacecraft to create a base on Phobos! In 2038!"

"Too far back?" "YES! THAT IS POMPEII AND VESUVIUS IS ERUPTING!"

"I think that we're nearly there..." "Huh... there's Winston Churchill. Been a bit since I saw him..." "Right, a decade or two at most."

************************** August, 1962 ***************

Poking her head out the door, the girl nodded as she noted the rain clouds breaking up, "And here we are! Four hours after we left and the rain is gone!"

Slowly, the man stepped out of the police booth on unsteady feet and looked around, "Um.. right, thank you."

Giggling, the girl shook her head, "No worries. Now, you're not going to tell anyone, right?"

Hands in the air, the man shook his head and laughed, "Nah, no one will believe me anyways. Two time travellers? They'd send me to the funny farm!"

Also laughing, the girl nodded before raising a finger, "Oh, before I forget!" Rushing back in, she reappeared with a pen and a picture of the odd booth in front of him, but black and white, "Mind giving me your autograph, Mister Newman?"

Just nodding, Newman signed the picture and handed it back. She gave him one more smile and closed the door before the blue police box vanished with a "Whoop-Whoop" sound. Scratching his head, Newman pulled out the arrow that nearly hit him in the head before snorting, "Bonkers..."

Placing it back into his pocket, he sighed a little before walking off. Though it was humming the song that the girl had been. Rather catchy.

"Hmmm-hmmmm... hm-hm, hm-hm, hm-hm..."

****************************** October 21, 2053 **************

Sighing, Bastian shook his head before looking at his companion as they were back in their original time, "What was that all about?!"

Only giggling and winking, the girl leaned towards him, "Spoilers!" Then she walked towards the console, "So, how is the temporal gear?"

A quick check made the Malfoy grimace, "There's maybe just one jump left on her before it burns out. I could maybe fix it, but-"

From nowhere, the girl was shoving him to the door and out, "None needed!" Rushing back to the console, she set the timer and threw some switches before raising a finger and looking up, "Remember what happened here! It's important!"

Then, she rushed out the door in time for the box to vanish once more into the ether. For several moments, Bastian looked where it was before sighing, "Right, best not to ask a Potter." Turning, he looked at the girl, "What now?"

Humming, the girl winked at him before walking past, "Oh, back to Japan! BB needs to save her sweet Senpai from two old hags, especially that fox! Just like a good Kohai should~"

With that, she was gone, and Bastian shook his head, "Should have listened to Grandfather and Father when he said Potters are crazy..."

******************* July 1, 1955 *********************

Unfortunately for the TARDIS, when the temporal travel component disappeared, that disrupted most of the enchantments and meant that it was unable to move. An Auror nearby took note of the obviously enchanted object and brought it to the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office where it was placed in storage until 2005 when Arthur Weasley had inventory taken. One of the workers brought it out and, having fully recharged, it took off when he was distracted by MacNair glaring at him.

Eventually, the intelligence of the TARDIS realized that the creator was gone and settled quite some distance from where the home it was built it stood... at a corner near the Roman Baths in Bath, England. And there it stayed for almost a decade, the spells keeping people from noticing it even as they walked by... until, one day in August, 2014, a Minibus pulled up and teens came out.

Looking around, Harry blinked for a moment as he swore he saw a blue police box at a nearby corner before shaking it off. Behind him, Hachi adjusted her glasses, "Hacchan is still finding it hard to believe that your Okaa-San managed to create a trunk that functioned like a mobile home! That will make things easier, Harry-Chan."

Lightly laughing, Harry nodded, "Tell me about it! Mum was wicked smart after all."

With a soft sigh, Tsukiakari nodded a little as she walked, "Hai... Mistress Lily was one of a kind and a good match for Master James. Truly, she was born to become a Potter."

Looking around in interest, Yae blinked and pointed at a figure of a King, "Harry-San? Who is that?"

Just turning in the same direction, the fourteen year old wizard nodded, "That would be King Bladud, a Briton King from before the Romans." He gestured at the statue as he turned to the others, "According to legend, he came down with leprosy and had to go into hiding as a swineherd. One day, he noticed that his pigs were wallowing in the mud of the spring, which cured their skin conditions. Jumping in, he found himself cured of his leprosy and thus established a temple to the goddess of the spring here, Sulis. Since then, people have come to bathe in the waters and be healed."

Everyone nodded and took pictures before following Harry towards the museum...

None of them noticing a blue police box slowly crawling along behind them.

 

[darthcourt10]

mikelima777

Port Francois, Jacquet Island,

In the 19th and 20th Centuries, Port Francois was occupied by smugglers who kept a low profile and made sure to cover their tracks. It had helped that among their number was an experienced wizard who was able to restore and enhance the wards that hid and protected the island. Of course, they were not the only ones using the island. Demi-humans, some of whom remember the days of Francois Jacquet, returned to the island, as various magical societies continued to mistreat them. While tensions occasionally flared up between the groups, out of a mutual need to avoid the gaze from the ICW and magical governments, they agreed to keep the secret. For some, the stakes were higher, as a number of wizards and witches intermarried with their demi-humans neighbours.

However, events outside the magical world would once again affect the island. While the smuggling business was largely untouched by the First World War and was boosted by Prohibition, the Great Depression followed by the Second World War had a major impact, especially as the involvement of Gindlewald meant the war was occurring on both sides of the magical divide. With the Battle of the Atlantic stretching from the waters off Europe all the way into the St. Lawrence River and along the Eastern Seaboard, smuggling risked being discovered by allied escorts, the regular convoys coming from Halifax and St. John's, or the U-boats trying to sink allied shipping.

With the end of the war, the smugglers tried to continue, but with technology and greater paranoia among ICW members, many threw in the towel and left. By the 1980s, the only wizards and witches to remain were those with ties to the demi-humans. Many of the smaller huts and hovels built by the smugglers fell to disrepair, but many of the larger buildings, some dating to the original settlement, remained occupied. At the time, a growing concern was the increase of demi-human refugees, many fleeing what were described as "monstrous beings from the abyss."

In 2005, the world changed and so too would Jacquet Island.

Residents on the island could feel as the darkness overtook the waters around them, though the wards were able to hold back the apparent threat. But then a ship appeared, her aft in flames. It would be a traumatic sight none would forget. Despite the terrifying sight, the tattered Canadian flag still flew.

Aboard HMCS Halifax, the surviving crew fought back the unexplainable feelings of dread as their ship pushed on. An 11-inch shell had blown away the hangar, with her communications and navigation knocked out. With darkness and enemy fire around them, they fled towards an island that they had not seen before, despite the oppressive aura. They had no other choice.

The surviving crew took their chances, noticing that the enemy fire and their aura was staying away from the strange island. After several tense minutes under fire, they felt the oppressive aura intensify before suddenly fading away. Above the ship, they heard odd noises as incoming shells "bounced" off what appeared to a barrier protecting the island before them. That was before a number of humans suddenly appeared aboard in strange clothing waving sticks, creating jets of waters to control the blaze in the hangar.

***

March 22, 2014

A dozen men and women, dressed in worn-ragged uniforms, sat patiently around a weathered oak table, sitting on salvaged furniture. Sitting alongside them were various demi-humans as well as an elderly man lazily waving his wand for amusement. The planned meeting would likely have little importance, but it was borne out of tradition, a way to keep busy and keep a semblance of order despite it nearly being a decade since they arrived. One of the battered windows had a view of the port, and the largest ship to ever dock there.

The hulk of HMCS Halifax remained moored by the main pier. It was a miracle that the ship remained afloat, given the damage it had suffered. The hull was covered in patchwork repairs. Most of the aft superstructure had burned down, and the foremast remained a tangled mess, having partially collapsed onto the forward search radar. An improvised radio antenna was now fixed to what remained of the mast.

The crew of HMCS Halifax, after getting over the shock of learning about magic, went to work alongside the local inhabitants, the Chief Engineer working with the locals to produce rudimentary electricity. Some of the survivors intermarried as well. The crew also helped repair the crumbling buildings and built more shelters for the inhabitants.

While the surrounding darkness faded away, the ship was in no condition to leave, and until recently, they were completely cut off from the outside world. However, just before HMCS Halifax arrived, the designated secret keeper for the Fidelius charm had passed away after an unexplained illness. Since then, the barrier surrounding the island had slowly weakened. Just a month ago, they were able to pick up stray radio transmissions, and after some work, they were able to make a radio call for help. However, the transmission caused the weakened wards to react, drowning out the radio with static.

Just as the leader of the Halifax survivors arrived to start the meeting, carrying his battered officer's cap, they could hear rumblings from the barrier. Everyone scrambled to the feet and went to the windows to see what was going on.

Outside, the inhabitants and other crewmembers started to prepare the emergency shelters, though some went to the shoreline to observe.

HMCS Shannon, TF 301.2

"Let's see if this work..." murmured Tsuki as she watched the Selkies draw on a copy of navigation charts for the area. After it was confirmed that the designated secret keeper had passed away, it was decided to see if the selkies can reveal the island. Out of various concerns with being compromised or having unwanted attention, it had been decided that the Selkies would try to disclose the location only once the Canadians were within range. As a standby, Tsuki would be prepared to use her magical abilities to take control of the weakened wards.

Finally, they were done and showed the completed map to the nearby staff. Suddenly, it seemed like part of the sky split open, revealing an island. Even as that was happening, Tsuki tensed up.

"Ma'am?" Commander Greengrass asked, concerned.

"I think we might have some unwanted attention."

The Captain went to the communication station and pressed some buttons.

"Sir, we've got a problem."

HMCS Vimy Ridge, TG 301.1

"This is Sunray to all units, stand to. I say again, stand to."

Throughout the massive warship, the regular lights dimmed as the corridors and compartments became bathed in red. Klaxons sounded as the Captain went onto the 1MC.

"All hands, action stations, action station, man your battle stations."

Sailors donned flash hoods and other gear as they scrambled to their posts. On the flight deck, helicopters spooled up, preparing to head towards a new waypoint transmitted from the Shannon.

Several hundred metres away, Niobe pressed her earpiece and nodded.

"Right. Laurentia and Ontario on me. Nova Scotia, take lead with our destroyers. Corvettes and Frigates on picket; if you sniff a hint of submerged hostiles, knock 'em out of the water!"

"Aye, Ma'am!!"

Across the task groups, sailors and officers scrambled to their posts, with the task force commander radioing Halifax for reinforcements.

****
Comments, suggestions, feedback?

 

[darthcourt10]

Kab2

Sorry to leave you hanging about Sofia's predicament, but this one wanted to be written. As always thanks to Yellowhammer for lending me one of his OC for this two-part arc and some tweaks about it.
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A surprise meeting (I)

13th August 2014

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Kamakura, Japan

As people passed by, ones for tourism, others for praying; two figures that seemed mother and daughter stopped in front of the great stone hallway.

"Are you sure you don't need me, Yoshi-Chan?" asked the mature one, her purple hair undulating because of the faint morning breeze.

"Don't worry Yuuki-San, I will be fine. I would have come alone if I could, but they didn't let me and my brother is busy with work. So thank you for let me come here." The black-haired girl looked away, looking with her blue eyes at the imposing tree at their left. "Yes, thanks..."

'I wonder why she wanted to come so bad that she called me to come here' thought Doujigiri, Yuuki's true identity. "As I said to you I had to come here for visiting a friend, so I didn't mind. Remember, don't leave the shrine grounds while I'm gone. We will meet in this same spot in two hours, you have my phone so if anything happens call me."

"Hai, jaa ne, Yuuki-San" said Matsudaira Yoshi, who was unknowingly for Douji Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune reincarnated, as she turned to walk closer to the ginkgo tree.

"Jaa ne, Yoshi-Chan, take care" said the legendary sword, climbing the stairs of the shrine.

While she climbed it, Douji thought about the relationship she had with Yoshi and her cousin Yori in this 9 years since she saved them in Blood Week, they didn't asked her anything about that fateful day.

Granted, she didn't tell them anything too, but this Christmas that will change as she will reveal to them who she really is, her achievements, her failures, she will strip her heart for them.

Is the least she can do for those at her charge, she decided it after a long conversation between her, Tsubaki and Itami, they decided it was time to tell the truth to them.

Clearing her head of that matter, she crossed the courtyard to the dojo, arriving at the door she noticed that there weren't any shoes pointing the presence of people inside.

'Hmm, strange' thought Douji "Toku had so much fun in Belgium that she forgot our meeting?" said jokingly as she turned to see if the miko was asleep in the apartment attached to the dojo.

At the entrance of the apartment she extended her hand to touch the door when she felt a sting in the back of her hand. She retracted it, knowing that the slight sting was the protection spell giving a warning to unwanted visitors.

'Very strange indeed' luckily for her, she knew how to disable it from Toku if the need arised, she disabled the security system and saying sorry for the intromission she left her shoes at the entrance as well as her bokken-concealed self in the entrance rack.

"Toku-san, are you here?" she called, raising the voice a bit. At the lack of response she searched the small apartment for signs of the Masamune finding no clue. Very intrigued by this, she took out her phone and marked her number but just before she made the call she stopped 'Better not, now is night in there and maybe she doesn't want to be disturbed, I'll send her a text informing that I was here and if possible that she contacts me as soon as possible'

But at the same time she was sending the message, Douji didn't notice the noises that announced another visit.


Crossing the half-closed door, Kokonoe Yae turned her sight from the shoes that she knew didn't belong to her sensei to the rack where she normally could see the Masamune katana placed if her Sensei were in her home, but she saw a bokken in her place; intrigued by it, as Yae knew that 'normal' people cannot enter without her being here.

'And the door isn't forced so she got the magical unlock from Toku-Sensei, I wonder who she is, gozaru' thought Yae as she left her training bag along with a shopping bag containing some boxes from her trip to Britain.

Leaving the shoes and her own bokken in the rack she spoke, "Hello, I am Kokonoe Yae, Tokunotakai-Sensei's student, may I know who is inside her apartment?"

Instantly cursing herself for leaving the door open and not noticing the intrusion, Douji replied as she went to the front door "I'm Yasutsune Yuuki, a friend of hers, I entered because I thought she still got jet-lag from her visit to Europe" Douji decided to carefully select her words, as she didn't know how much she knew about the other side.

When she arrived at the door, she found a fourteen year-old girl with black hair tied in a ponytail, dressed in casual clothes that concealed a well-trained body.

Yae blushed a bit as she found the purple-haired woman... imposing, and not only for the stature (she was a head taller than her!) as she remembered the same thought about milk when she saw a certain vixen in Britain.

"Europe?" Yae quickly recovering her composure decided not say too much as she didn't know how much this woman knew about her sensei, so she played a bit with her words. "I knew she would be away from some days, so I suppose she has gone to see the blonde foreigner's home, the one who had French accent".

"That's Colombe-San, indeed" answered Douji "Kokonoe-San, would you mind a cup of tea while we chat? I'm sure she won't mind if I wash and replace what I use today while we wait for the reply from Toku-San." She then went to the kitchen as she pondered what more Yae could know.

'So Colombe is her name, Sensei never mentioned it, gozaru' "If you are sure that Tokunotakai-Sensei will not mind, Yasutsune-San" Yae said as she picked up the bag with the boxes, her feet driving her to the table where she and Toku-Sensei chatted a handful times in the past.

As she arrived she sat in seiza and took out the boxes, to let the woman know that she knew magic; while she brewed the tea Yae pondered about that woman, she had an air of gentleness that made her feel secure around her, but her instincts sharpened by her training told her that this woman was an expert in swordsmanship by how she moved, not a single movement wasted to do what she had to do.

And close to finishing, Douji turned her head to Yae and with a musical tone she said "Ara, ara~ Kokonoe-San, don't stare so much or I'll wear out" smiling at Yae.

Blushing as she was found out, she mumbled a "Sorry" while looking down, staring at her own legs.

"Don't worry." said the sword spirit, bringing two cups of green tea "I'm used to it." Placing one cup in front of Yae she narrowed her eyes at the sight of the ofuda-sealed containers, understanding Yae's motive, she asked "Mind if I touch one of this containers? I want to feel what kind of wizard had painted them; don't worry Kokonoe-San I won't open any of them."

Feeling that she made the right choice, Yae replied "I don't mind, I brought them from my trip to Britain for Sensei; I thought she would like it Yasutsune-San."

"Please call me Yuuki, with your permission then" she touched one of the ofuda, feeling the emotions the wizard was experimenting when she draw it.

She sensed gentleness, friendship, a lot of caring for the ones held close and a bit of... Self deprecating? She couldn't identify the last emotion because it was very faint, but she had a clear image of how the person in question was.

"The wizard who painted this ofuda is a very gentle person, he cares a lot for the ones close to him and considers friendship sacred." Said Douji, leaving the bad emotion out, it could become a problem if left alone, but she didn't know who was.

A bit amazed, Yae replied "You have described Potter Harry perfectly, gozaru"

The ice finally broken, they chatted for a while about Yae and Douji's work at the museum, after that they passed to other matters, like Colombe's relationship to the Muramasas.

"Yae-San, are you telling me that Colombe was the first foreigner that defeated Toku?" asked Douji puzzled.

"Hai Yuuki-San" Yae was telling Douji the events of the past week, omitting the reincarnates' presence as requested.


With this last piece, the puzzle that was for her Tokunotakai and Colombe's relationship was finally complete. 'So they were rivals that became friends and later more...' Douji sighed as her romantic side painted her cheeks with a bit of red, her hand holding her head with a dreaming gaze.

'I wonder what she is thinking, gozaru' thought Yae. She continued her explanation. "After the vision of her duel with Colombe faded, she taught me the First lesson of Mastery. Then she requested that I perform a kata with her hilt in her hands as I took my last step as her student and her first step as her peer. I was honored, but I was unsure until I began the kata and her steel illuminated with the seven Virtues of Bushido. She explained afterward that was not showing what was within her soul, but mine, and I was humbled, gozaru!" Yae finished her explanation, neither prideful nor arrogant about the fact.

Douji opened wide her eyes "That was an important step for you as well as for your Sensei, it reminds me when I taught my disciples, so long ago..." she let the last phase in the air while the pain and regret touched her heart. Quickly snapping out of it, Douji decided to honor this girl and her dedication. "It you won't mind, can I see you training in the dojo? I want to see it with my own eyes." 'And to see if the teacher in me is still alive after all this years'

Going along with her idea, Douji washed what they wave used and wrote a note for Toku if she couldn't read the text she sent earlier, commenting her and Yae's visit, the containers about the ofuda and what she will let Yae do en the dojo.

Finishing, she took her true self from the rack at the entrance and putting her shoes, she locked again the apartment's door.


When she arrived at the dojo, she found Yae already in motion, with a white headband on her head, the kanjis for Mastery and Learning visible in it.

'Interesting words of choice, because if you follow the Way you will learn that you will never reach mastery, you can only master yourself to continue learning endlessly, as the words with Tsubaki and Itami showed me' thought Douji, feeling grateful to her daughter's boyfriend, thanks to him she had begun to forgive herself for her mistakes in the past, but she was a long way ahead of her to do so.

After a little while, Douji interrupted Yae's training "Splendid, no wonder why Toku let you wield her, but I have a suggestion" Douji dispelled the spell that concealed her true self as a bokken, and offering it to Yae Douji said "I want to see you train with my true self as I am a sword spirit like your Sensei, I will say you my true name afterwards"

Gulping, Yae had suspected it, but took the unfamiliar tachi and sheath anyways, and securing them in her sash she felt the same way a week before, when in the same place she held her Sensei's true self, she breathed in and out.

In and out.

And in her imagination she was firmly planted in a battleground; behind her there was her parents, Tokunotakai-Sensei, Nobu-Chan, Okita-Chan, Uesugi-Chan and Harry-Chan among others she cherished.

In front of her stood an endlessly horde of humans and Yokai whose purpose was harm or kill those behind her.

The sword at her side questioned her.

'What will you do, stand or flee?'

And without hesitation Yae replied.

'I'll fight to protect those behind me'

In a swift movement born from the union of body mind and spirit, she took the hilt and unsheathed the sword, her edge shining in a purple light, with little sparks cracking the air around her.

"Impressive, only a few achieved what you did even when I trained them, I could say something about lost opportunities, but of those who I trained you have a skill comparable to Ushiwakamaru."

At her words, Yae tried to remember where she had heard that name before.

'Ushiwakamaru, childhood name of Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune, she is that old?' thought Yae, but then she remembered another Minamoto, one that the legend says that he could control the thunder.

Minamoto-no-Raikou.

Opening her eyes as far she could, she realized who the woman who her true self was holding was.

"I see that you recognized me" said Douji bowing to Yae "I am Yasutsuna Doujigiri, Minamoto-no-Raikou's tachi, please to make your acquaintance"
--------------------------------

Thanks for reading, comments and suggestions are always welcomed.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

Making Alexander Great (Again)

Hellenic Shipyards, S.A., Elusis, Greece

2 AM, 28 July 2014

"Are you sure this is going to work?"

The dark-haired woman at the wheel of the sports cruiser turned to the shipgirl at her elbow. "Relax, Georgios, we have done this before."

"When...? Ah! The drowned horse and the mountain goat found the day before Meleager was launched in 2004!" Georgios nodded as a long standing puzzle was solved.

Medea nodded as she throttled back, letting the concealment charms woven into the fabric of her boat (named Argo II of course) do their job as they passed the security patrols around the shipyard. "Yes, that was us. We wished to properly honor the Olympians, so a sacrifice for Poseidon and then Artemis to invoke the blessing of the Earthshaker and the Huntress upon Atalanta's command."

The Witch of Colchis then sighed. "Of course it had some side effects."

Georgios blinked. "What do you mean side effects?"

"Nothing bad, just I found out later from Hercules that Poseidon and Artemis have been squabbling ever since the Abyssals appeared over whose glory Meleager's victories burnish. He claims that as a ship, her victories are his victories, the more so since she prowls his domain. She claims that Meleager is a huntress after the most dangerous game of all and Atalanta is her champion so... yeah." Medea sighed as they reached the docking slip where a newly built Mistral-class helicopter carrier awaited the ocean's first kiss tomorrow.

She then stopped the boat, cast several non-detection wards to insure that they would not be disturbed, and climbed down to the lower deck. Absently she adjusted the circlet of white pine boughs on her head.

She clapped her hands. "It is time. Bring forth the sacrifice!" with that she picked up a torch of white pine that ignited with a blue-green flame. Georgios' eyes widened as she saw a scene from the distant past play out.

Atalanta and Hippomenes, also dressed in white linen chitons, emerged from the cabin that had been converted to hold the pair of animals for tonight. Each held a flower bedecked rope connected to the halter of a magnificent sea-gray uncut stallion with the only blemish being a birthmark on one flank that looked like a trident.

As they guided the horse to the edge of the boat, Medea began to chant in Archaic Greek words later written down by Homer.

"I begin to sing about Poseidon, the great god, mover of the earth and fruitless sea, god of the deep who is also lord of Helicon and wide Aegae! A two-fold office the gods allotted you, O Shaker of the Earth, to be a tamer of horses and a saviour of ships!

Hail, Poseidon, Holder of the Earth, dark-haired lord! O blessed one, be kindly in heart and help those who voyage in ships!"

As she finished the Homeric Hymn to Poseidon, she nodded. The two other heroes with her slapped the stallion with their ropes on the buttocks. The horse gave a bugling cry as it leapt into the waiting sea and was sucked under the water to drown.

As it vanished a small earthquake shook the boat gently and the three Bronze Age Greeks gave happy smiles. "The sacrifice has been accepted." Medea explained as Georgios looked a question to her with wide eyes. "Poseidon shall watch over and protect her when she kisses the waves tomorrow."

Meanwhile, Atalanta and Hippomenes headed back into the cabin. Several minutes later, they reemerged leading a large white bull with olive branches adorning its horns. As they did, Medea reverently set the pine circlet and torch into a nearby chest and then placed a wreath of olive leaves upon her head before taking up a bronze knife and tripod cauldron.

Georgios looked at the priestess and nodded. "Athena then?"

Medea waved her wand to transport the four of them, the bull and tripod to the deck of the helicopter carrier. "Yes, Athena."

She ignited the olive wood inside the bronze cauldron with a spell, and then shaved a tuft of fur from the bull's forelock to toss into the flames.

As it burned, she began to chant again.

"I begin to sing of Pallas Athena, the glorious goddess, bright-eyed, inventive, unbending of heart, pure virgin, saviour of cities, courageous, Tritogeneia. Wise Zeus himself bare her from his awful head, arrayed in warlike arms of flashing gold, and awe seized all the gods as they gazed. But Athena sprang quickly from the immortal head and stood before Zeus who holds the aegis, shaking a sharp spear: great Olympus began to reel horribly at the might of the bright-eyed goddess, and earth round about cried fearfully, and the sea was moved and tossed with dark waves, while foam burst forth suddenly: the bright Son of Hyperion stopped his swift-footed horses a long while, until the maiden Pallas Athena had stripped the heavenly armour from her immortal shoulders. And wise Zeus was glad.

And so hail to you, daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis!"

As she finished the Homeric Hymn to Athena, an owl hooted.

Then taking a deep breath, she gripped the hilt of her dagger.

Bronze flashed in the firelight like a bolt of lightning as she struck.

Dark crimson lifeblood spattered upon the deck of the ship as the bull lowed in pain and shock through the spells pacifying it.

It staggered to its knees and then collapsed as blood spurted from the neatly severed artery

Medea waited until the light had gone from its eyes and it lay still and dead, then nodded.

Acting with practiced haste, she, Atalanta, and Hippomenes butchered the bull and placed the thigh-bones, heavy with fat, upon the flames in the tripod to be consumed.

As they finished, a little owl flew silently out of the night, perched on the carcass and looked at them unblinkingly. It nodded once, hooted, then vanished without a trace as it took wing.

With that Medea smiled and Atalanta and Hippomenes hugged each other before beginning the cleanup.

Georgios leaned close as the remains of the ceremony were transported back aboard the Argo II, just leaving behind the bloodstain marking the ship as consecrated to Athena Promachos. "Was that?" She asked Medea.

"Athena's Owl? Yes." Medea said quietly before starting the boat to get them back to their dock to use the Time-Turner once more to cover their tracks.

Georgios turned and looked at the Mistral waiting for the sea. Dimly, she could see a short and stocky ghostly shape standing atop the superstructure. Clad in the armor of a Macedonian general, with her hair fair under her lion-faced helmet and her face ruddy, one hand held a trident like Poseidon and the other a shield marked with the Gorgon's head of Athena. One gray and one blue eye surveyed her with the commanding gaze of a general who had never been defeated on the field of battle despite long odds.

Georgios nodded respectfully to her newly awakened sister waiting to take the fight to the enemies of mankind.

Her whisper carried across the waves speaking the name of the most legendary general of antiquity, now honored once more with the future command ship of the Greek Navy.

"Aléxandros ho Mégas"

Alexander the Great

 

[darthcourt10]

KiMaSa

On The Outside


Days after the raid by the PT Imps, training for the deception unit resumed. It had been a very busy time. Just as Admiral Goto had sworn, work crews were even now improving the base's defenses. In the meantime, 5th and 6th Battle squadrons had each gotten a new member. Fortunately for Nagato-chan and the rest of 6th squadron, they got Giulio Cesare, while 5th squadron got Alabama, seeing as her design basis was that of a New York class battleship, she fit in better with the faux 'standards' that comprised 5th squadron... at least on paper. Currently, Oklahoma had mentioned starting a petition to trade Alabama to the enemy. 2nd cruiser squadron was having similar issues with Pocket Battleship Ludendorff but apparently, pratfalls and mayhem were to be expected from a Tommy Trinder war-comedy.

Still, at least for Nagato-chan, the training was going well enough. If only the rest of her life made sense.

"So your onii-san, Harry held Shinano-oba's hand the whole time she was under for her rebuild," Yamato-chan was saying at lunch. "He even used his magic to make special steel for the work."

"Yeah. Harry's special like that. That's what everyone says." Nagato-chan picked at her food.

Yamato-chan gave a look of concern at her friend. "You aren't feeling jealous of him, are you?"

Nagato sighed. "No. I don't think so. Maybe?" She shrugged. "I have a family now! My mom is THE Nagato of the Big Seven! Honored war hero. Harry is a wizard and everybody knows he's going to be an admiral and he can do so many amazing things that I can't even understand!" She looked at her hands. "And then there's Hoppou. She's cute and adorable and yet she's a mom and a grandma and she's like uber-powerful! And then there's me. Sometimes I feel less real than mom's shadow. My sole contribution to the war is that I'm made in her image. Even then... My first fight and I froze inside."

"You saved my life, Na-chan and don't you forget that!"

Nagato-chan shook her head. "You were the one who acted. I just... I couldn't lose you."

"I was just as scared. I froze too. If that thing hadn't lunged for one of our friends, I probably would have stood there and dirtied my panties. But, you know, I think we're all going through this, Na-chan. Yesterday, I heard Kaga-sama talking to Zuiryu. Zuiryu was upset because she feels like the shadow of a shadow! There never was a Zuiryu before. And I heard Kaga-sama tell her that wasn't important because everyone has to be responsible for choosing her own path. Kaga-sama also told her that she hoped that Zuiryu's humility and openness would help her find the sort of courage that Bushido doesn't teach."

"Courage that Bushido doesn't teach?"

Yamato-chan nodded seriously. "Kaga said 'physical courage comes easily to a warrior. It is the sort of courage that is easy to pretend to have and it makes frightened men rush headlong into death because they are more afraid of appearing afraid than of death itself.' Yamato chan recalled. 'Moral courage is different and cannot be feigned. Moral courage demands us each to be responsible for our own decisions. It is the courage to ORDER frightened men into battle … if necessary. More importantly, it is the courage NOT to do so even when others may accuse one of being a coward. It is the courage to know when a battle is lost or that a battle should not be fought and in recognizing that, not wasting that which cannot be replaced! It is the courage to do that which others will criticize because it is the correct thing. If we had more of that sort of courage in my first life, then perhaps the Empire would not have been humbled into the dust.'," Yamato-chan recited. "And I know you have moral courage, Na-chan! You've already proved you do."

"But what does that mean?"

"It means we're not shadows or copies. And our moms know that. I think they know we're still just trying to get a handle on this 'living' thing. So don't give yourself too much trouble about not knowing where you're going. I think that maybe that's natural."

"What about feeling envious of Mom and Harry and Hoppou? I feel bad about it but I just..."

"You want to be great, like them?"

Nagato-chan nodded.

"Me too, Na-chan. My mom and Musashi-oba and Shinano-oba are a lot to live up to. But I CAN'T be them and I'd be silly to try! I just have to be the best 'me' there could ever be! And the rest will take care of itself!"

"I guess you're right. Thanks, Ya-chan."

"What are friends for?" Yamato-chan hugged Nagato-chan warmly. Finishing lunch, they headed back to the battleship dorm where Hoppou chan was waiting for her sister.

The tiny Abyssal Princess looked at her shyly.

"What's wrong, Hoppou?"

"Hoppou needs a favor..."

 

[darthcourt10]

lt_agn02

March 2014

Her hands behind her head, Despatch walked the halls of Pacific Fleet HQ, Pearl Harbor. After being blown up at by Missouri, the larger battleship hasn't said a word to her, yet she had the courtesy to escort Aso to her punishment: manual labor.

The protected cruiser smirked. 'Good for her,' she thought. 'If she won't see reason, then farmwork is all she's good for.'

The clacking of her heels against the linoleum floor halted as she eyed the door on her left hand side.

"NAVSUP - USS Despatch"

The cruiser rubbed her hands together greedily. NAVSUP was something unknown to her, but she definitely knew what having her own name on a door meant, especially in a building such as this. It meant that she had her own office! Here, in Pearl Harbor!

Smiling as she adjusted her coat, the protected cruiser entered the room with a confident huff. "It's about time I got the respect I deserved."

While the girl didn't expect much for a personal office, her face slightly dropped at the single desk and chair being the sole occupants of the room, save for Alton with a stack of papers.

"Uh...hey, Alton," Despatch greeted with a small salute. "How are things? You okay after that Jap slugged you?"

The fellow ABCD ship leveled a glare at her "older sister". "I would have been better if you hadn't started talking about annexing Japan in front of Aso."

Her hands up a little, the former Boston backed away to her desk. "Okay, look, I can explain…"

"Explain nothing!" Alton shouted with a clenched fist. "As much as I wanted to learn more about how we whipped polio in this time, I didn't want a first-hand lesson on modern medicine, you...you...jingoistic jackass!"

"That's that Jap carrier's nickname, not mine!"

"I don't care!" she shouted again. "You sure as hell deserve that as much as she does!" With a groan, Alton set her stack of papers on the desk. "I still can't believe that Admiral Smith...why did he give you an office like this anyway?"

"Who cares?" Despatch noted as she leapt over the desk and parked her rear firmly in her dedicated office chair. "He must have realized I'm important enough to have my own office at Pearl. To that, thank you, President Lincoln!" she exclaimed with her hands in the air.

"What does Lincoln have to do with this?"

"Well, it's because of him emancipating the slaves that we have a fine negro as our commanding officer," Despatch noted as she searched the desk drawers. "...Aw man, no cigars."

Alton set the papers on the desk. "You better watch your language. The N-word isn't looked upon too kindly these days."

Off in the distance, faint footsteps could be heard as they steadily grew louder.

"Meh, everyone's too sensitive about that kind of stuff," Despatch noted. "Besides, it's not like I was downright insulting him. All I did was call him a fine n-"

The footsteps stopped as Admiral Smith held out a balled fist and gently rapped on the door. "Despatch? Are you enjoying the new office?"

Both cruisers jumped to attention as the admiral entered while flanked by a very less-than-enthusiastic Iowa-class battleship.

"Yes, sir!" Despatch answered.

The man nodded just as Missouri stepped forward to drop a stack of papers on the desk. "Good to hear. I'll need these requisition forms by the end of today. I know you'll do great work here."

The battleship took another stack out of her hold and placed it next to the first. "We need more shipments of food and raw material supplies. While we cannot thank the Allied Abyssals enough for bolstering our numbers, getting to optimal operational tempo requires more food and raw materials that the island doesn't have enough of."

Despatch frowned at the stack of papers in front of her. Maybe manual labor wasn't so bad after all.



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
April 2014

It had roughly been a week and a half since the aircraft carrier Aso started working in the greenhouse.

Wiping some sweat off her brow, Aso marched toward the storage unit and grabbed the container full of fish food. She jerked the handle on the handtruck as per usual and the container jumped into the air.

Concerned, the carrier checked inside, seeing the container holding only the sparse crumbs of what used to be the fish pellets she used to feed the fish with. "Oh. I've got to refill."

She shrugged and set the container back down. The food waste container she used before this one was devoid as well, so she relied on plain fish pellets. As she searched storage for more fish pellets, all she saw was the variety of plant care products and various tools.

"None?!" The carrier exited the storage facility and continued to search the premises. "Why the heck don't we have more fish pellets?"

She put her hand to her chin. Sure, it wasn't a major problem. She could use some of the crops as fodder for the fish. But then again, said crops were supposed to feed the base, not the fish. If she were to use that, then she would get torn a new one by logistics, ranks be damned. The food waste from the mess was also an option, but after seeing how little food waste is even produced by the kitchens, let alone everyone eating, that might not be enough. Especially for the tilapia packed like sardines in the pool.

The other option was to go fishing. Despite how packed the pool was, the carrier slightly grimaced at the sight of the fish she had to feed. Sure, they seem good to eat at the moment, but how was she supposed to explain that decision? There was no fish food, so it's about time to eat the fish? She would be laughed out of the admiral's office for sure!

That and based on the logs, despite the oddly higher growth rate of these fish, the Navy still only harvests them twice a year at max. The carrier sighed a little as she double-checked the estimated harvest date and the growth record of this season's catch.

"Mou...they're still a bit smaller than the ones at the Victory Garden," Aso remarked as she scratched her head with her pencil. "But those guys were hatched earlier, so I guess that's to be expected. I guess I can't push for an earlier harvest after all."

The only choice left was to get some foodstuffs from somewhere else.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Requisition form in hand, Aso paused at the door in front of her.

"NAVSUP - USS Despatch"

How?

How?!

How the hell did Despatch get her own office?!

Groaning, the carrier knocked on the door.

"...Come in," came an unusually pained reply.

Clearing her throat, Aso opened the door. "Excuse me. Despatch-san, I have a problem with the…" The first thing Aso caught wasn't the cruiser, but the papers. The papers.

The papers.

Stacks and stacks of them littered the room, covering every single spot on the floor and desk save for a sparse path leading from the door to the desk. Even if the carrier wanted to have a seat and talk to her, the only thing she had to sit on was more papers.

Behind the desk, Despatch looked up from stack one of who knows how many. Her eyes were haggard, her hair unkempt. To her side was at least three empty cans of some kind of energy drink. When she spoke, her voice was gravely and weighed down by all the paperwork in her inbox.

"...Aso...I'm sorry...please save me..."

For her part, Aso almost dropped her requisition form into the abyss of paperwork.

"...What the heck?" she asked nobody in particular.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Making their way along the walkway, the teens looked over the side in curiosity. Head tilting to the side, Rika turned towards Harry with a slight frown on her face, "Uh, Harry-Kun? Why are the baths down there? I mean, that's way below the level of the road."

Beside her, Ayaka nodded and pointed the short distance to the road itself, "Seriously, the street is, what? Three feet down from where we're standing? And the baths are, what? Fifteen?"

Somewhat amused, Harry glanced to where Natsumi was recording the whole thing. After all, the Kitsune had asked if she could put it up on his YouTube channel, "Well, that's because of how long it has been since the baths came into disrepair." Seeing the confused looks, he gestured around them, "The Romans left Britain around the 400s, and a century later, the area was in ruins due to raids and such. After, the settlement around just... built itself up, layer upon layer until the baths were buried under the dirt of centuries of habitation. Which is why the baths, which were street level when built are now about four meters below current street level."

Leaning over the side and looking down at the greenish water, Usagi wrinkled her nose a little at the sulphuric smell before humming, "Is this normal for a Roman bathhouse? I mean... look at the pool down there!" She motioned with her hand, "Seriously, it's a pool, not a bath!"

Just chuckling, Goldie placed her hands on her hips, "Ah, but these are baths, Umu. Truly, these are Roman." Rubbing her chin, she hummed a little, "Though, yes, usually they are not quite so large."

As they walked, the teens glanced at the statues in thought, though the Roman blade with them stated that they were added in the 1800s. Carnwennan jerked his thumb towards the pool, "The reason that the water is green is because the Victorians decided that recreating the roof was too expensive. Which means that the algae can grow year around and that turns the water green."

Not long after, they reached the floor of the baths, and were walking along them. Natsumi had a thoughtful look on her face as she held her hand out over the water, "You can feel the heat from the water."

Interested, the others also stuck their hands out over the water and made similar comments, but then Kaku sighed some, "Wish that I could go swimming there. That would be pretty great..."

Tsukiakari just shook her head a little and patted his shoulder, "Unfortunately, it's too dangerous." At the confused looks, she grimaced, "I remember Mistress Lily speaking to Master James about it. Apparently a girl caught a brain eating ameoba which, well... killed her. And the water's filled with them, so..."

Grumbles and grimaces met her at that before they spread out some. Spotting a woman in clothing out of the Roman era, Usagi, Yae, and Ayaka walked over and started to speak to her. Both the rabbit and Inugami translated for the most part for Yae as they had a much better grasp on English than she did. Something that pleased Ayaka though she didn't show it, 'Huh... guess all those times that we spoke and practiced our English with Harry-Kun helped...'

Eventually, they entered the museum proper and started walking along examining the various exhibits. Some of them were surprising using holograms on glass walls to recreate what people did there during the Roman era. Watching some women going about their business, including one laying on a stone bench, Yae tilted her head to the side with a look of utter befuddlement on her face, "They cleaned themselves with oil, Gozaru?"

Lightly chuckling, Harry raised a finger, "Hai, olive oil in fact. What you're seeing is them scraping the oil from their bodies after it has sat in order to fully clean themselves."

Arms crossed, Rika frowned a little, "Um... still sounds gross. I mean..." She gestured at herself, "Wouldn't you get a lot of acne and stuff from that? You would think that more oil on your skin would make it worse..."

Kaku looked into the glass case as they came to another exhibit and frowned, "What are these?"

Hands in her jeans pockets, Goldie hummed, "These would be curse tablets. Some are quite horrible."

Eyebrows raised, Yae stared at her, "Curse tablets? Do they... they actually curse people?" At the nod, she gulped and looked back at the sheets of lead, "Gozaru..."

Somewhat amused, the Roman blade patted her on the shoulder, "You need not worry, Yae. For you are safe and these are dedicated to specific people." At seeing the interest, she motioned towards the tablets, "One would use sheets of lead and write a curse upon them for someone who did one wrong. In some cases, you would bury them in the ground of a temple! Or, here, place them in the sacred spring of the goddess, in this case Sulis Minerva! And then the goddess would perform the curse on the person asked, Umu."

Rubbing her chin in thought, Nobu glanced at her, "So somewhat like the Ushi no koku mairi?" At the slight nod, the former warlord tilted her head, "What sort of curses are on them?"

Just bringing up a finger, Goldie tapped the glass, "Hmm... this one is from someone that lost two gloves, stolen from them as they were bathing. They ask that the goddess takes the minds and eyes of them who took them." She then tapped a different spot, "And this one speaks of a stolen ring and states that they whom knew about it or did it, slave or free, may they be accursed. May their blood, their eyes, their every limb and even their intestine rot away."

Her eyebrows raising, Taiyang hummed a little, "Most brutal..." A slightly sadistic smile appeared on her face, "I rather approve~"

One by one, the Roman sword translated what was on the tablets, with more than one of the teens leaning back. Granted, Taiyang continued smiling sadistically the whole time as she heard what was on them. Eventually, they moved on from there and those visiting from Japan as well as Harry were wowed by things such as the large collection of silver, Roman coins, the gold gilted bronze head representing Minerva, and the like.

Coming to one portion, Uesagi blinked as she read the small information display and then looked out onto the room before them. On it, in a grid square of sorts, were pillars of brick which made her raise an eyebrow, "Wait, so that's the heating system for the whole place?"

Simply humming, Goldie nodded, "Indeed, that is the hypercaust. The floor would cover those pillars that you see. Through that area, under the floor, hot air and smoke from the furnaces would flow, keeping water hot and also the floor warm. A brilliant system worthy of Rome!"

Thoughtful, Nobu rubbed her chin, "I see, I see... quite clever, isn't it Okita-Chan?"

For her part, the former Shinsengumi nodded alongside her friends, "Very clever. And I could see how it would work well."

Arriving at another room, this with a large, circular pool of water, Ayaka read the guide there and raised an eyebrow, "This is the frigidarium, the water here is cold unlike the other rooms."

With a hum, Harry leaned against the guardrail, "Hai, see... the Romans believed that when bathing, you needed to go through a natural progression. You would start in the warm tepidarium which is a room filled with warm air and heat coming from the walls and floor to get used to the temperature. Then, you would bathe in the hot waters of the caldarium, the baths we saw at the start with the temperature opening your pores. Once done there, you return to the tepidarium to equalize your temperature before entering the cold water here to close said pores, after which you were done."

Head tilted to the side, Usagi had a thoughtful look on her face, "That's a bit more complicated than bathing back in Japan. Huh..." Frowning, she hummed a bit, "Though it kind of makes sense, I guess...? More than some things anyways."

Once they left the room, they came into another with a trough running down the middle. At one end, there was a stone archway through which water gushed out over orange-yellow mineral deposits. Holding out her hand, Yae's eyes widened some, "Gozaru... you can feel the heat!"

Doing the same, the other teens nodded some before looking at the spring, Shiromizu humming some, "So that's the sacred spring?"

As he read the display, Harry nodded, "Hai. According to this over a million litres a day bubbles up from here. All of it being rain water that fell on the Mandip Hills to the north thousands of years ago, traveled underground to thousands of feet below our feet and then rose up here through cracks after being heated."

For a few minutes they just stood there and chatted as they looked at the burbling, steaming water. From there, they went to the pump room where a faucet had water running from it and paper cups. Looking at it, they each took a cup and filled it with water from the spring before drinking it.

Iku smacked her lips a little before smiling, "This... was actually pretty tasty."

Beside her, Hachi refilled the cup with another amount of water before drinking it, "Ah... now that is refreshing."

Even as the tsukumogami agreed, Natsumi grimaced some, "Speak for yourselves... Ugh, it tastes like someone steeped hot water with a bunch of metal coins."

Smug look on her face, Taiyang drank some more of the water, "Which makes it most delicious, Master, Mikon!"

That only got looks from the teens, which made the shipgirls and tsukumogami snicker.

Leaving the museum behind after having spent two hours in it, the group walked across the street to the towering cathedral that was there. Looking up at it with wide eyes, Usagi stared a little, "So this is a Christian Church?"

Only nodding, the lone wizard smiled a little, "Hai, or at least a cathedral."

More than a little thoughtful, Nobu hummed as she scratched her chin, "I see... I remember the Missionaries talking of the cathedrals of Europe. Such things did interest me after all... though I have never actually seen one in real life." Looking at the others, she cocked an eyebrow and smirked, "How about we go and check it out?"

Giving each other looks, the teens nodded as did the others in their group before walking across the road to the Bath Abbey. Kenshō held Harry's hand as they entered the Abbey, pausing only to grab a guide. Upon entering, the little Kogatana looked around at the high vaulted ceiling and the large, stained glass windows in awe, "Wow..."

Lips twitching, Harry gave her hand a squeeze, "It is certainly something." As he looked around himself, he shook his head, "This... was where the first King of England, King Edgar, was crowned over a thousand years ago."

Intrigued, Ayaka looked over at him, "Really? This was where they crowned British Kings?"

However, the Inugami became confused as her friend shook his head, "No, this was where they crowned English Kings for a time. Later, they did it at Westminster Abbey in London. Still... there's a lot of history here." Suddenly, Harry gained a smirk as he tapped his feet on the floor as they walked, "Not to mention what is under the floors."

Confused, and narrowing her eyes at the amused twinkle in Harry's eyes, Natsumi frowned, "Harry-Chan... what are you hiding?"

Just coming to a stop, Harry turned and met their eyes, "Oh, just the fact that there's corpses buried beneath our feet. Several thousand, as a matter of fact."

For a few seconds, no one did a thing before the Japanese members looked at their feet with wide eyes ourside of Rika. The Nekomata had a glazed look in her own eyes as she looked down before cocking her head to the side, "Huh... you're right. There's thousands down there... but they're all at peace."

Blinking, Usagi looked at her Neko friend, "At peace? With a... church on top of them? And people walking over their gravesites!?"

Slowly, Rika gave a nod as she looked at the others, "Hai, they're at peace and, well, content for the most part." Closing her eyes, she hummed a little as she tilted her head to the side, "It's... strange, but somewhat relaxing. They... a number were in pain in life, some having so much pain. But they came here for healing... and unfortunately never left. But their pain is now gone, and they rest here, at peace."

At seeing the others relax, Yae blinked as she looked between them, "Um, did I miss something, Gozaru?"

Opening one eye, the Nekomata smiled and chuckled, "I'm a Nekomata, Yae-San. One of the things that we're good at is sensing the mood of the dead, of the spirits. And... right now, I can tell you that not only are we not in danger, but they're perfectly content with where they are." Walking forward several feet, Rika sat in one of the pews and closed her eyes with a soft sigh, "I... just want to sit here for a bit, and converse."

The other Yokai all shared looks and nodded as they left her sitting in the pew as they continued . None of those spiritually aware commented on how there were wisps around Rika as she sat there, but they simply took pictures and the like of the stained glass windows and their surroundings. Not to mention the many monuments, that was until Rika rejoined them with a happy smile on her face.

__________________________________________________________________

Having come out of a tunnel, the Minibus drove along the road into a parking lot where it found a spot among the many vehicles there. Moments later, the doors opened and Jin was the first one out of the doors as she looked around and took a deep breath, "And here we are... Stonehenge!"

Carefully stepping out, Hachi looked around in interest before pointing with a slight smirk, "Actually, Stonehenge is a mile or two that way."

Just ignoring the grumbling from the Mizuchi, Natsumi frowned as she stepped out, "Wierd... I don't remember going through that tunnel two years ago."

A light chuckle made her turn to the lone wizard as he stepped out, "Actually, it only opened in the last year or so." Seeing the interested looks, he shrugged, "They decided that the road ruined the look of the area so they dug the tunnel for the road to go through. Then, they ripped up the old road and put sod where it had been to restore the area."

Practically jumping out, Nobu grinned some, "That's a neat idea, though I guess it can't be helped!" She then pointed towards the stone monuments, "But enough of such things, let us head to Stonehedge!"

Minutes later, the group was walking along and Harry had his head tilted to the side, "Did you know that not only is Stonehedge older than the placement of the stones, but also the entire area is one complex for religious purposes." He pointed towards a distant hill, "That's Silbury Hill and it's artificial, made around the same time as Stonehenge itself."

Eyebrows raising, Taiyang considered the distant hill and hummed, "Impressive. This was from before they had iron tools, correct?" At the nod, she tapped her chin, "Very impressive."

Looking around, Yae walked alongside the others before hearing Harry comment about the age, which made her eyebrows raise, "Stonehenge is how old?!"

Unable to help himself, the teenage wizard chuckled, "It's old. They found evidence that about eight thousand BC, or ten thousand years ago, people were performing worship here. They found postholes from five trees about two feet wide under the old car park last year. Said poles would have stood straight up towards the sky and might have been used for observation as part of a lunar calender. There's an old causeway and a bunch of tombs from about six thousand years ago. Then you got the cursus from about five thousand years ago over there..." Harry pointed in another direction before gesturing towards Stonehenge itself, "The first part of Stonehenge was actually built a little more than five thousand years ago. And the first stones were placed about four thousand, five hundred years ago."

For several moments, no one said anything, they simply stared at the monument. Finally, Nobu raised a hand, "That's... really old."

Rolling her eyes at her friend, Okita turned back to Harry, "When was it last used though?"

To that, Harry shrugged, "No one is really sure to be honest. They think that it was last really used back in Roman times, but..." He then shook his head, "But I know that some wizards and such used it for various ceremonies right up to the Statute being put in place. It is a place of power after all."

Just shrugging, Jin scratched her chin, "Yeah, you can just feel it on the edges of your senses. The weight of the years here."

Now thoughtful, Yae frowned some, "Gozaru... I knew that it was old, but not like that..." Internally, she was boggling, 'That... is so much older than anything back in Japan-'

Her arms crossed, Iku gave a small nod, "That's about as old as the ruins off of Okinawa," Utter silence met her at that and she turned to find Yae and the reincarnates staring at her, "What? Did I say something wrong?"

Mouth opening and closing, Okita finally managed to say something, "W-wait a moment... are you telling us that there are ruins underwater off the coast of Okinawa?"

Blinking, Natsumi turned and looked at her, "Um, she did? Because there are...?" At the looks, she came to a realization and winced, "Right, you don't know about those... Long story short, there's some prehistoric ruins off the coast of Okinawa dating back thousands of years. They're still visible because magic is keeping them intact for the most part, or slowing down the decay of them. But... the ICW placed heavy wards on them to keep them from being noticed by non-magicals. Magicals, including shipgirls, can see them just fine for what they are."

In reply, Uesugi pinched her nose some, "Why... would they be hiding that?"

However, it was Harry who answered, "Mostly paranoia really. I mean, one of the worries is Non-magicals wondering why they're still intact despite being under the sea. And maybe wondering if, possibly, mermaids and stuff were involved. Hence them deciding that it would be best to just hide them from the eyes of those without magic." Then he shrugged a little, "Frankly, I don't see the point. Besides, when the SoS falls, they're likely to be revealed with the wards taken down."

Disbelief still on their faces, the reincarnates and Yae shook their heads.

Not long after, the group found themselves just outside the standing stones of Stonehenge. Walking around, they admired the massive pieces of rock that rose above them. A small frown on her face, Taiyang looked towards the center of the monument, "I don't quite understand why we cannot go inside, Master."

Glancing at her, Natsumi shook her head, "Because they want to limit the damage." Seeing the curious look she was given, she continued, "The center is still being excavated for artifacts, which could be trampled under too many feet. And the stones themselves still show the markings of the tools used to carve them. Imagine, for a moment, people continously wanting to feel said marks. Heck, they found old carvings of daggers and axes in some of the stones, which people would destroy, possibly by accident."

Thoughtful, Taiyang looked at the monument in front of her. It had stood the test of time for thousands of years. Now, people far removed from those whom had built it so very long ago saw it as something to be protected. In a way, they were honouring their ancestors, which made her nod, "As is proper."

While confused about what her sword meant by that, the Kitsune shrugged it off, "Still, it is amazing to see it on the Solstice. Despite it being thousands of years, the Sun comes up between certain stones at special times of the year exactly." A thoughtful look appeared on her face and she looked around, "Though nothing could compare to actually looking back in time, I guess, like what happened."

Perking up, Taiyang looked at her, but it was Nobu who spoke up, "Wait, you looked back in time? To when it was being used?"

Just blinking, Natsumi nodded, "Hai? A year and a half ago, Harry-Chan and I along with my family were here for the Solstice when the oddest thing happened. All of a sudden, those of us there seemed to have been transported back in time to when all of this..." She spread her arms wide, "Was fully intact and in use. We could see the shining white of Silbury Hill with this massive bonfire on it, other bonfires lighting up the winter night at other places nearby, and Stonehenge fully intact. I even have video I took."

Frown on her face, Jin looked around, "Huh, didn't know that you were here then. But I remember that causing a huge stir because of how massive a breach it was. All I know is that some experts claimed that some sort of temporal event happened." Scratching her head, she gave an amused snort, "Of course, it was funny that it happened on the day that the world was supposed to end, December 21, 2012." A groan made the Mizuchi look at a facepalming Harry, "What?"

Only sighing, Harry pinched his nose, "If you're talking about the Mayan Calender thing, no, December 21, 2012 was never the end of the world. It was simply the end of an Age and the beginning of a new one. All the Mayans believed was that it would cause a time of transformation, not an end, just the start of a new beginning."

Head cocked to the side, Rika hummed a bit, "You know... when you think about it, they were sort of right. I mean, the Statute is coming to an end, magic is slowly being revealed to the world."

A snort came from Hachi and she shared an amused look with Iku, "All we need is a dragon to be a CEO or something."

Rapidly blinking, Asuka frowned, "What's wrong with that? Long-Wen Shi works great with Kiba and is practically the CEO of their investment company."

With a snort, the undead Mizuchi of the group lifted a finger, "Then there's that one Chinese dragon in what is in North Korea. Guy made out like a fucking bandit according to what I heard since he started that hydroelectric company in the mountains there. Making the big bucks and has been snatching up smaller companies." Moments later, she noticed Harry with his face in his hands, "What? Did I say something wrong?"

Not saying anything, the teenage wizard simply shook his head in disbelief while Hachi muttered something about shadows running under her breath.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A.N. -- One last crosspost, BTW. Another future look on Ehren as a mother with the future black sheep of the family (he's a transgressive little shit at times that likes to push boundaries).

A Discussion of Darkness

Malfoy Manor

Some Time In The 2050s

Lucius Vader Malfoy adjusted his gold and bronze tie in the mirror before running a hand through his gold hair with the faintest traces of copper. The fourteen year old young man in the mirror sighed at him. He looked presentable, which was always important in dealing with Mutti.

This walk to her office was going to take all his courage. But he was a Gryffindor, and courage, daring, nerve, and chivalry was their House name and motto. The teenage boy reminded himself of that as he took another deep breath and squared his shoulders.

He walked down the hall and knocked on the closed hardwood.

"Komm Herein!" He heard the familiar soprano voice bark out in German.

He walked inside at the expected command. His eyes flicked around the room, seeing that she was alone, and he relaxed minutely.

Inside, Mutti Ehren was seated at her precisely organized desk. She was scanning a document with one hand while she sipped espresso (from her favorite cup) with the other. Meanwhile she snapped off instructions to a subordinate into the microphone of her headset. "See if they will sell that stock of Dittany for 35 pounds per hundredweight as a starting offer. If they go above 40 speak to Jackie for alternate suppliers, we can do better then."
Spoiler: Ehren's Favorite Coffee Cup

She broke off and raised a finger to ask him to wait. She finished drinking her espresso, ended the call, and placed the headset, document and coffee cup in the spaces allocated for them. She then gave him her full attention. Steel blue eyes surveyed him as her lip twitched. "Guten Tag, LV. Let me guess; I'm late for lunch again. So you got sent to collect me, despite being fresh from Hogwarts on your Spring break after your O.W.L. tests."

He shook his head, "No, Mutti. Lunch is not for another hour. Ma Johnston is making beef brisket sandwiches for it so you will not want to miss it." He took a deep breath, grabbing his courage. "I... needed to talk to you. Privately."

She looked into his eyes, then twisted her wrist to cause her wand to appear in her hand. The door closed and locked itself while she activated the privacy wards with precise flicks of her wand that caused the magical photographs and paintings of him, his parents, and his siblings to freeze in place as the security spell took hold. "There, we are private and you have my full attention, Lucius. What is it?" She asked in a cool voice with banked warmth under the reserve.

He took a deep breath and gathered his courage. "Earlier this year you ambushed me in the Room of Requirement by impersonating Penelope Weasley."

She nodded and tented her fingers after making her wand vanish. "Ja. I and the others had gotten word of your... dabbling... with pretending to be a Death Eater as you shocked and scared the other students. We had a family discussion on that point and I volunteered to steer you back to the straight and narrow." She gave a ice-cold considering smile as she sized him up analytically. "I trust you do not need a second lesson?" Her voice was cool and precise.

"N-no no, Mutti!" He waved his hands as her lip twitched once more. He then took a deep breath and spoke quietly. "Afterward Ma spoke to me and also Dad. Dad showed his memories of what the real Dark Magicians were like, such as Tom Riddle." He swallowed, his face paling as he recalled the memories that his father had shared with him.

"Ahhh," Ehren rocked back in her desk chair with a creak of leather and gave a minute nod as relief appeared deep inside her eyes, "Riddle was actually before my time in more than one sense of the words. I had barely manifested my avatar then, had not met your father or the others yet, and only heard about the Basilisk incident afterward secondhand from Draco and some others. I started at Hogwarts two years after that happened." She waved a hand and a chair slid across the room to the corner of her desk. "Please, sit down, Lucius."

He took a deep breath after he sat, looking at her without the desk in the way, "After he showed me that, I did some thinking. I was such a fucking fool. You were right that the Dark Arts are not a toy with how they twist you."

She nodded to him as she spoke in a controlled voice with anger underneath the iron. "Nein, they are not. I have had much more experience of evil than I ever wanted, just like my Mutti Colombe has had. I could show you my memories of what the National Socialists did, for instance. The only real difference between the Nazis and the Death Eaters was the magic in the second case and better uniform sense in the first." She gave a thin smile with no warmth in it at all as she finished. "Aunt Del was right when she told me as a girl that while she hated the Nazis almost as much as I did, we had superb fashion sense in our uniforms if nothing else." She carefully surveyed his reaction.

He blinked and replayed the last sentence in his head twice. Mutti Ehren never misspoke and her words were as precise as her steel and spells. His body began to ache in memory of her ambush and brutal demolition of him in the Room of Requirement as he sensed the murderous wrath lurking under her iron self-control. Hesitantly, he finally asked "We, Mutti?"

She nodded once sharply as she spoke in a tone filled with powerful emotions churning deep underneath the icy precision, "Ja. We."

Her eyes pinned him with her stare as she leaned forward and she surveyed him. "You may recall seeing Draco's memories of the incident that caused him to reexamine his life choices?"

He nodded while his face paled slightly.

"Sehr gut. Your father is not the only one who has had to pass through the fire in our family. Have you ever wondered why I wear what I wear by preference?" She gestured at her normal severe starched white cotton shirt, black silk necktie clipped with a silver music note tie clip (a gift from Aunt Claire, no doubt), black wool custom tailored skirt-suit with sterling silver buttons and cufflinks stamped with her heraldic arms, white silk stockings, and low-heeled ankle boots so polished that the black leather was scarcely distinguishable.

He paused at the apparent non sequitur, then slowly shook his head as he visibly thought after looking at her ensemble. "No.... But it reminds me of the uniform you wore when you beat me up. A bit."

She graced him with a brief minute smile before speaking again. "Indeed it should remind you of that. My habitual preferences in dress and grooming are a reflection of a part of my heritage as an SS-Ehrendolch. As much as I sometimes privately wish otherwise, this is a small price that I willingly pay to keep that part of me quiescent." Her lip twitched again and she spoke dryly. "Besides, it flatters me, or so I have been told by your father and your other mothers. Repeatedly."

He chuckled at the clear joke. Then as he watched, Ehren sobered and clearly braced herself internally as she prepared for what she was going to say next.

She took a deep breath and leaned forward. "When I was forged, I... was as darkly aspected as anything you shall ever study in DADA. Evil men forged me for evil purposes, and while I have moved past that, it has left its mark on my spirit. I still have elements of that darkness that was forged inside my soul at my creation, and I ever shall, even though I have come to terms and accepted that part of me now; I master it, it no longer masters me." Emotion flickered deep inside her eyes as her voice grew filled with pain under the cool, clipped words. "I believed wholeheartedly in the lies of one of the greatest monsters humanity has ever produced. For I did not know any better then as a girl after I first manifested."

She stood, braced herself to attention, and flicked her wrist, filling her hand with her wand once more. "Unlike you, I had to come to the truth by my own searching, and it nearly broke me. I did what I did to you in the Room of Requirement to prevent you walking the same path that I was on then. If you had followed my steps along that unknowing path into darkness, one day you too would be forced to realize the truth of yourself in the same way as you father and I had to." Ehren spoke quietly as she looked at Draco's youngest son.

She tapped her temple with her wand and drew out a streamer of memory. A flick of the wand and a whispered incantation formed it into a window into the past.

Lucius stared at an image of Grandma Colombe's study. As he watched, an Ehren who was just older than he was marched inside, dressed proudly and precisely in a black and silver military uniform. The same uniform that she had worn when she brutally thrashed him.

As they watched, she sat at the desk chair with a smug smirk. She tapped in a command to unlock the computer and then began to use it. He could not see the screen in the memory, but as he stared in surprise, Ehren's eyes widened in visible shock. As he watched in disbelief at the image of Mutti visibly losing control of her expression, she shook her head in tear-filled denial before her face twisted in horror, and then loathing and anger. She vomited across the desk and screen crying and weeping with her face twisted into a tormented mask of suffering and revulsion. She finally slid out of the chair, that crashed to the ground and curled up in a ball, weeping and shaking.

As he watched, she clenched her fist around the blade of her true body, uncaring of how she was cutting herself. Her blood spattered the carpet as she stared at her hilt with a murderous berserk fury and disgust paired with soul-deep shame and loathing. He blinked as he realized that the heraldry on her hilt in this memory was different, showing an eagle and swastika that she was glaring at with naked hatred in her eyes.

The memory faded.

He swallowed several times before whispering from a desert-dry mouth. "That...?"

She spoke in a very controlled flat voice from a face that was slightly paler than normal. "That was when I found out the Final Destination of the path that I was following with blind faith and devotion in My Leader. That was when I realized that I was at the edge of the abyss. At the precipice ready to fall in, with one foot stepping into thin air. That the only reason I had not already become a Nazi like my Vati was more divine grace and mercy than I could possibly deserve."

She closed her eyes and swallowed as she spoke in a bare whisper. "I had to make an irrevocable choice that day. I could continue along the path into darkness that I was so far along and become another monster willing to do what I had just witnessed because I believed the comforting lies that the Final Solution was justified. Or I could try to turn back to the light, knowing that I might never forgive myself for the steps that I had already taken into the Abyss without knowing my destination. That choice was by far the hardest thing that I have ever had to do, and it nearly broke me -- body, mind, and spirit. I'll always carry the scars of that choice on my soul, and if my Mutti had not stopped me that day I would have killed myself in an attempt to redeem my stained honor with my lifeblood." She was rigid, as hard and resolute as her steel yet strangely brittle.

"Thanks to the love of Draco, Niobe, Cleo, Johnston, Claire, Mutti, Cathy, Father Jacques, our family and so many others, all sent by a gracious God filled with mercy for one so broken as I was then and afterward as I mended, I have finally managed to achieve some measure of forgiveness for my younger self's foolishness. A miracle in my life that I never expected nor could have asked for when I turned my face from what I was about to willingly become and took the first step back out of the darkness to what I am now." Tears trickled from her closed eyes as she finished in a shy voice filled with wonder and gave a hesitant smile.

He swallowed, stood up in turn, and then hugged her rigid form. He asked in her ear as she breathed in and out in a controlled rhythm as she began to regain control. "Then your ambush of me to show me the folly of my ways? Then this and Father's memories of Voldemort?" He asked with courage in his voice, already sensing the answer as he supported her.

Her eyes opened as she responded with her normal brutal honesty in a controlled voice with love under the cool words"Were the best solution we could think of to the question of what to do for you. Least painful to you and our family, as much as you may believe otherwise. Next best would have been killing you. A quick, painless, and lethal stroke before you fell too far into darkness. The worst choice of all would be for us to do nothing and let you continue on the path that you had just begun to tread unknowingly until you saw the Abyss staring into you." Ehren spoke in a quiet clinically precise voice, her eyes distant and haunted at some memories that she was recalling. "Your father and I have had to look into the Abyss inside us, and sometimes -- much much more infrequently now -- we do in memory. Not the least reason I love your father and your mothers so much is that they are always willing to comfort me when I wake up in the night as I glimpse in my nightmares the monster with my face that I could have chosen to become in reality."

His hug tightened on her, feeling her muscles tense to the breaking point and then relax. She gave a wry smile as she returned to herself and then looked into his eyes as she spoke gently. "I have done the same in my turn when their darkness touches them late at night. Family stands and supports family, always. Know that all decisions we make carry a price, and that it is not weakness but strength to ask your loved ones for help when old scars pain you once more when you remember the prices you paid. For me, seeing you and the others grow up makes the costs I have willingly paid worthwhile, always."

He hugged her harder and whispered in her ear. "Thank you, Mutti. For everything."

She returned the hug gently with a deep and rich love in her words under the self-discipline of her heritage. "You're welcome, my son."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Plucking the blackberry off the bush, Ayaka considered it for a few moments before dropping it into her pail before wiping at her forehead. It was their second loop of the day after they got back from doing some sightseeing. The Inugami had to admit, it was well worth it. Bath was an amazing city and so much to see, and the Salisbury Plain was also incredible. There were so many sites within walking distance to see and they had managed most of them.

She couldn't wait for the next "Free Day" where they would head out to sight see elsewhere, such as that Hadrian's Wall place Harry mentioned.

And speaking of said boy, Ayaka glanced at him as he continued to pick blackberries himself alongside Kenshō. Sometimes, the little Kogatana would grin and snatch a berry from the bush to eat, with the teen giving her an amused look. Lips twitching, the Inugami shook her head a little at that. When the two did that, it resembled something like an older brother taking care of his little sister, or perhaps a father with his daughter.

That thought made her pause for a few moments as she considered it before going back to her work. A glance told her that Natsumi had a small smile at seeing the antics between Kenshō and Harry. Not that she could really blame her either, because it tickled something deep inside her at the same time. As an Inugami, family, or pack as her instincts sometimes said, were highly important. In some ways, to a Yokai like herself, family was the most important thing. So seeing Harry taking care of Kenshō the way that he was? Like an older sibling or a parent? Well... it made her smile and her inner instincts happy that he was her friend.

Not that he had not proved his loyalty before, she could still remember the bunker. And, sometimes in the darkness of her room at night, she still woke in a cold sweat. What she had gone through was horrific after all, and she still had to hold back a slight shudder whenever going underground somewhere, or anywhere that looked like a tunnel unless it was brightly lit. Though she was slowly getting better at it as well. And from talks with the others, they were as well, which she was happy about.

Because, really, she considered them part of her pack.

Ears flicking a little, she considered that for a few seconds of thought before nodding. Even before the bunker, she considered Natsumi and the others, despite the shit she gave the Kitsune at times, her friends and fellow pack members. Sure, a different pack from her parents and siblings, but that was normal. It was a quirk of Inugami psychology that they organized people that they knew into different "Packs". There was the pack of close family, another pack made up of friends, a pack made up of classmates, and so forth. And after the bunker, she now considered them her pack of close comrades, nearly family.

Lips twitching, Ayaka shook her head, 'Guess that Harry-Kun was right when he stated that they who shed blood alongside them would be their Nee-San or Nii-San...'

When she had mentioned that, her parents had thought it over, but it was her grandfather who nodded with an impressed look on his face. He had then stated that Harry was very wise, because that was true. And that the bonds forged in such a thing were strong indeed, almost like family themselves. Thus, they were pack.

Placing another blackberry into the pail, the Inugami considered that for a few moments. Pack... they were all pack. It made her smile and another glance at Harry had her ears flick before she sighed a little, 'He would have been a good husband.'

It was something that she had admitted before the bunker. And after? That had only increased. She had seen him take on and kill a resurrecting Tamamo no Mae because she had taken someone he cared for from him. Just that was so damn loyal that she felt her heart beat a bit faster, even as her instincts told her to try and get him.

However, being an Inugami, she was also loyal to her friends.

Right at that moment, as she watched the two embrace, she had a soft, sad smile on her face as she came to a realization. There was no way that she could compete with Natsumi in that way for his heart. Because she could see the love that the two held for one another, even if Harry had not realized that fact. It made her heart ache at the lost chance, because she wouldn't be willing to join their little group. But, she accepted that fact, even more after the conversation that she held with Natsumi while in the hospital.

Despite her actions, she did care for Natsumi as a close, dear friend. Nearly sister to be quite honest, as much shit as the two threw at one another. Natsumi could be snarky, sarcastic, and gave as good as she got, something that she appreciated and enjoyed. It really appealed to her insticts for competition. Same, too, with how she had flirted with Harry before to get a rise out of her friend. "Being a little shit" like that one American had said was a lot of fun.

Still, despite that, she had Natsumi's back to the hilt. If something happened, she would be among the first there to back her friend up. And woe betide any that got in her way of this hound helping the fox.

That last thought made her pause a little as she remembered her history lessons.

While Kitsune were in power over most of Honshu, on Shikoku it was the Inugami who were the top dog as it were. Part of that, and the known issues between the two types of Yokai went far back into history to the days when some of the founding families of what would become the Kitsune Mochi arrived on the shores of Japan, fleeing persecution in China after Daji had come through. While originally Chinese, they took Japanese spouses, using their ability to create contracts with fox spirits who could possess them to gain power and wealth.

But people often became jealous of such things and spread rumours. Thus, they became secretive. Which sometimes lead to the families doing things that would cause dismay to others. The founder of the First Inugami family was one such example. He was the youngest male child in the clan he had been born into. As he grew older, so, too, did he become more powerful, more intelligent.

And that intelligence and power attracted jealousy.

Not just from his siblings and fellow youngsters, but also some of the Clan Elders who feared that he might usurp them. They fanned the jealousy that those of the younger generation held. Until, one day while training, he was ambushed and his beloved fox spirit slain by his fellows and him left for dead. But a farmer family found him and took him in, with him hiding who he was as he planned. One day, a pup was born from the farmer's dog and he recognized it as being a reincarnation of his fox spirit. He raised it from when it was young until it was an adult dog, loyal and strong.

Yet, his past caught up to him as one of the fox spirits of his family caught sight of him and reported back. The farmer's family was killed, and he was buried in the ground up to his neck, alongside the dog. Oh, they were not going to leave him to die on his own this time. They fed him and forced him to watch as the dog whom was the reincarnation of his fox spirit wasted away, teasing it with food and tormenting it. The family's fox spirits could not interfere due to the contract with them, and so watched, not saying a word.

Then... one night, the dog died with a final, anguished howl that all knew to be cursing the family that had betrayed one of their own. The betrayers all were unnerved for a time, but then the leader, the Elder whom had orchastrated it walked forward with sword ready to slay the young man, his fox spirit beside him...

Right before the spirit of the dog, not a ghost, leapt out and tore the throat from the fox. Stunned, the old man didn't have time before the Inugami leapt at him, ripping him limb from limb. Even as the others tried to flee, the Inugami was upon them, slaying them all before heading back to her Master, whom she dug up.

Afterwards, the first Inugami Master and his companion went about taking revenge upon the others of his clan. Some survived, fleeing Shikoku and spreading word, thus leading to the rivalry between the two sides. Often, members of said families would attempt to attack the new Inugami families, trying to kill them, but failing. Meanwhile, on Shikoku, the Inugami families began to grow and spread. But, unlike with the Kitsune Mochi, they wished for more, to become one with their guardian spirits, their Inugami. They sought out information, as much as they could regarding possession. All the time, becoming more powerful. But, always, the answer eluded them...

Until, one day nearly six hundred years ago, the answer washed up on the shores of of the island in the form of a foreigner.

He was strange and somewhat injured with an odd language with a manacle around one arm. It had taken a few weeks before he was healed, but he seemed to become more and more worried as the Moon became full. And then, as the Moon nearly reached fullness, he became ill. It had worried the Inugami family that had taken him in, because nothing that they tried seemed to figure out what had caused it. Though their Inugami spirits stated it felt like there was a spirit within him, chained.

And then... the night came when the Moon was full and shone down on Japan. The family had been alerted by the screams coming from the room that the man had been in and ran towards it. Opening the door, they were stunned to find that the man was writhing before the sound of bones breaking could be heard. Before their stunned amazement, the man began to, painfully, transform. The last thing to go was the intelligence in his eyes, replaced by a slathering madness as he howled before going on the attack.

Even as he leapt for the first member of the family, something strange happened. The young woman of the Clan who had found him summoned her spirit and allowed for them to possess her, at which point she got between him and the human child he was about to attack... and he stopped. Sniffing, the wolf-man seemed confused and cocked his head to the side, before noticing the humans and trying to get around her. The woman called out for the others to have their Inugami spirits possess them, at which point the wolf-man paused and stopped attacking.

When morning came, the man transformed back, crying as he begged their forgiveness in the broken bits of Japanese that he had come to learn. From him, they slowly got the story that he was a "Werewolf", a human cursed to become a wolf-like monster who would be driven to hunt humans. He also begged for them to kill him before he harmed any of them, something that drove those who listened to tears.

But instead of killing him, they shook their heads with the woman who had saved him on the shore embracing him. They would instead try and help him best that they could. Try and cure him, while also giving him a home at the same time. And as time went on, the man took the name "Hanzou" as he tried to hide his wolf half, and became part of the family. On the nights of the Full Moon, the members of the clan would merge with their Inugami spirits, thus protecting them. And, as always, the young woman, Aimi, would sit with him and comfort him.

No one was surprised when the two wed.

Hanzou was unsure about having children, but when they came out without his affliction, he was glad. Still, over the two decades he was with them, the Clan built up a lot of knowledge about his transformation. They could tell that there was some ancient magic involved in the curse, but it seemed to have corrupted some divine magic that allowed for the transformation. Magic that entered and left each transformation, with them taking some each time to study. It advanced their own studies faster than ever before, and they slowly were able to become closer and closer to their own.

And then, tragedy struck when a group of Kitsune Mochi got together enough of a force to make a landing on Shikoku where Hanzou's family were. By some luck, while he was unable to control the wolf spirit, Hanzou had found ways to transform even without the Moon. There, on one of the few paths through the mountains, he held back the army with all the ferocity he had. Dozens fell to his claws and teeth before he finally succumbed to his wounds, having bought enough time for the others of the clan to regroup and launch a counter attack which succeeded. His last words were if his wife and children, his pack, were alright.

When they told him that they were, he smiled. Those there stated that his smile was one of the most beautiful things that they had ever seen. As if, by saving the people who had given him such kindness, who had tried to cure him, he had been saved as well. And then he passed and they wept for the man who had become one of their own.

Just a year later, Hanzou's son entered the family shrine for their Inugami spirits with his own at his side on the night of the Full Moon along the Clan Elders. When he left, it was not as he was. For he was no longer human...

For he was now a Yokai, the first "True" Inugami.

Both him and his Inugami spirit had blended together, each becoming part of the whole of their own free will. Neither fighting each other, but becoming one harmonous whole. Seeing him with his tail and ears before he transformed into a large dog and back, the Clan had celebrated for they had done it! He spoke of how, during the blending, he had seen a woman clad in furs with the head of a wolf, or a dog. And how he had seen their ancestors, the first Inugami and her Master. All three had judged him and them as worthy of the transformation.

Soon, the rest of the Clan followed him and became Yokai, with the other Inugami clans receiving the secret and doing the same. All of them turning from human to Yokai, becoming more. The clan that Hanzou had joined became the leaders of the others, and Ayaka was a member of that clan with Hanzou being her great-grandfather, her grandfather being his son. From there, the story of the Clan continued on, how they had fought Kitsune Mochi and Kitsune invasions from Honshu, usually effectively. The Statute had changed things, and they buried the hachet with Natsumi's family, who despite being their traditional enemies, had saved Ayaka's mother and father from ICW Aurors who attempted to capture or kill them.

Natsumi's Clan brought with them their allies, Usagi's and Kaku's clans, Rika's joining just a few years later with others not long after. According to Ayaka's grandfather when she had asked, he admitted that while he was unsure, there was safety in numbers. He also admitted that he had been wrong to be unsure as he could see that it had been the right decision and had never regretted it.

Ever since, the Clans had worked together, making sure that they had one another's back in the often tumultuous world. More than survived, they thrived. And it was her generation that had grown up without the Inugami and Kitsune fighting each other outside of competitions and the like.

Remembering that last bit, part of Ayaka wondered, for a moment, if that was the reason for the competitiveness between her and Natsumi. But, in the end, she shook her head with a slight smile. In any case, she enjoyed having the Kitsune as a friend, though her thoughts came full circle as she sighed at the fact that Natsumi had bagged someone who did make her Inugami instincts run wild a number of ways, 'Dammit... someone strong, loyal as all hell, good looking, a true leader... Lucky bitch.'

Briefly, as she tossed back a blackberry, the Inugami had a thought and looked back towards Harry and Natsumi who were quietly chatting with each other, 'Hmm... if they do marry and have children, said children would be a mix of them...' in her minds eye, she imagined someone who looked like Harry, but obviously part Japanese. Maybe a lighter hair color than black, a mix between his pitch black and Natsumi's auburn. Adding fox ears and tail, Ayaka hummed a little, 'I suppose that personality, any children would likely get the best parts of their parent. Their loyalty, courage, good humour, probably powerful and a leader...'

Quickly, the Inugami blushed and shook off that image, 'Gah! What would be the chances of that happening!?'

Unnoticed by her, Natsumi felt a shiver go down her back and looked around in utter confusion, 'Wonder what that was about? And why do I feel like I should whack Ayaka-Chan...?'

Her attention was grabbed, however, as Kenshō tilted her head and looked from Harry to the blackberries, "Wait... there's things that make blackberries taste bad?"

Lips twitching, Harry hummed a little bit as he continued to deftly pluck berries from the bushes, though he noted that the others were listening, "Hai, you see, at the end of September, blackberries become no longer good to eat as they spoil. In some places, they state that this little fairy flies around and spits on the blackberries to make people sick from eating them. In others, such as Ireland, a shapeshifter called the Puca will go from bush to bush doing the same thing, but also relieving themselves on them. Other stories are that it is the Devil himself doing it, because when he fell from Heaven which happened on St. Micheal's Day, he landed butt first on a bramble bush, and thus cursed them for hurting him."

Giggles suddenly came from the Kogatana as she slapped her hands over her mouth, "The Devil hurt his bum by falling on a blackberry bush, Master? Really?"

Winking at her, Harry grinned, "That's what they say, Kenshō." Then, he shrugged a little, "Not that we need to worry about that as it's August and the Good Folk around here keep bad things out from spoiling things like that."

Only nodding, Kenshō smiled before she grabbed a large, juicy blackberry and popped it into her mouth happily.

____________________________________________________________________

Next loop, a hand reached up towards the branch ladden with peaches and deftly plucked one from where it hung. Bringing it down, Usagi stared at it with hunger in her eyes before rinsing it with some water. The Inaba didn't even wait until the water stopped dripping from it before taking a large bite and happily humming as she chewed. From where she was beside her, Kaku laughed at her as he walked past with a large basket filled with peaches, "Usagi-Chan, you're supposed to be filling the baskets, not your stomach."

In reply, Usagi just looked at him as she chewed before swallowing, a small amount of peach juice dribbling down her chin. Then, she smirked some as she wiped it up with one finger before sucking on it, "What? I'm a hungry teen. Besides..." Licking her lips, she looked at the fruit with a happy hum, "These are delicious!"

Swooping down with her own basket, Asuka snorted some, "Of course they are! These are fresh and right from the tree!" With a flick of her wing, one ripe fruit fell into her hand and she took a bite herself before swallowing, "Mmm... these are pretty good though."

Lightly laughing, Harry walked over after placing a basket into the cart pulled by the stone pony, "Well, you said it yourself." He nodded towards Kaku with a slight smile, "That should be the last one for this cart, we can wait for it to return."

With a blink, the Tanuki turned towards the larger cart and raised his eyebrows as he noted multiple large baskets in it, "Huh... didn't know that we had that many."

That got a small snort from Harry as he shook his head, "We're making a good time." Looking at the cart himself, he hummed, "We're going to be having peach jam for a long time yet."

Usagi just took a bite of her peach and shrugged, "I'm not going to complain and neither are any of my family. I mean, rationing is still happening."

Placing her own basket in the cart, Yae shook her head, "You know, when you said that we would be getting a lot of fruit, I didn't think that you meant this much! There's so many... I still don't know how I'm going to store them all, Gozaru..."

His lips twitching, the teenage wizard walked over and patted her on the back, "That's easy, I'll be giving you an expanded trunk for them. It won't be too big, but enough so that you can store all the preserves in it."

Eyes wide, Yae stared at him, "You would do that?"

Just shrugging, Harry shook his head with some amusement on his face, "Sure, it's not that big of a deal. Besides, I got a lot of them after cleaning out the Room of Requirement. And I do mean a lot since they've been popular ever since the charms came out for them. Honestly, some of them were barely dinged and people tossed them."

Furrowing her eyebrows, the Kendoka looked back at him, "Um... how big are these?"

Not saying anything, Harry considered the question for a minute before nodding, "About the side of a bedroom at minimum for the smaller ones. Complete with a small ladder for you to enter and exit. So that should help with storage, right?"

When he turned to her, Yae did a slow blink before nodding, "H-hai, that should help out a lot." Internally, she was trying to come to terms with that, 'Gozaru...'

Kaku, meanwhile, returned from where he had placed his basket of peaches into the cart, the last needed before the stone pony began to pull it towards the manor. Watching as it left, the Tanuki shook his head, "Well... we got some time now before it gets back. So maybe a snack?"

Rotating her shoulder, Natsumi nodded a little, "That would be nice, and it would give us all a rest as well."

Upon seeing her work her shoulder, Harry walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Here, let me help, Natsumi-Chan."

The Kitsune just looked at him and kissed him, "Thank you, Harry-Chan, I really appreciate this."

Soft smile on his face, Harry kissed her back, "Not a problem, Natsumi-Chan..." A few minutes later found him lifting Kenshō towards a branch, the little Kogatana reaching for a large peach, "Got it?"

Her tongue poking from her mouth, she gave a cheer of victory as she grabbed said peach and plucked it, "Hai, Master! I got the peach!" As she was set down and Harry rinsed the fruit off with some water, she licked her lips before biting into it with a large smile, juice dripping down her chin. After a few moments, she stomped her feet in happiness before swallowing, "Gooood!"

Patting her head, the teenage wizard chuckled, "Hai, they really are."

Just opening her mouth wide, the Kogatana took another large bite of it. Once she chewed and swallowed, Kenshō looked back at him happily, "I can't wait until I can give some to Suisei-Oba-Chan! And give some to Kaa-Chan and Na-Kaa-Chan too!" Then she blinked a little, "Mou... do you think that they would enjoy them, Master?"

Still patting her head, Harry nodded, "I'm sure that they'll love it, Kenshō." Looking over his shoulder at Juuchi, he raised an eyebrow, "What do you think, Juuchi?"

The Muramasa raised an eyebrow as she bit into a peach herself, "Knowing my sisters, they would enjoy them as well, Master. Most likely a lot, especially if we also add some fresh fruit."

Only nodding, Harry smiled some at that even as Kenshō took another big bite of peach, juice dribbling down her chin. Briefly, the teenage wizard paused before looking behind him. Not seeing anything there, however, he frowned and shrugged it off and turned back around...

And thus missing the TARDIS that poked out from behind a tree that should have been far too thin to hide it behind.

 

[darthcourt10]

K9Thefirst1

Gentlemen, it has been to long. Here we have Porta laying down the law on what will and what will not be tolerated in her realm. Also, OLD's a bit of an urban legend it seems. And shenanigans are afoot.
------

Gathering The Elites part II

January 3rd, 2014

"What is thy bidding, my Princess?"

Porta turned her head from the table, and the animated military-political map showing its rough estimate of the present chaos surrounding her oasis of tranquility that was on it, to eye Ocean Liner Demon.

"You're late."

"Canut insisted I take the prime cuts of meat from the cow I killed. Said it was my prize as the Matador. I told her to give it to the crowd, I'd take the worst cuts later."

That caught the Elder Princess' attention, prompting her to turn around fully.

"That's… Unnaturally generous of you Demon," she said, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Not really. Those cuts are only valuable because they're so tender. Those muscles are almost never worked so they don't have much connective tissue. It also means that it's easier to get wrong if you don't know what you're doing, while the "cheaper" cuts are more forgiving and pack the most flavor. So even if the choice meats are cooked right, without any seasonings it's just bland, flavorless meat."

Porta sighed with disappointment, not just at the Demon's words, but at her giddy tone of voice. That sounded more like the Demon she knew: Give the warships the promise of a fine prize, only for their own ignorance and high expectations to send them into a ravine of dashed hopes.

"I see. Regardless, the surviving members of the Ten have arrived, and I wanted to go over the strategical situation before we went to meet them."

"What is the situation anyway? Don't tell me they've all killed each other off already."

"Unfortunately, no they haven't." Porta replied dejectedly, "As is typical for my sister's ilk, they don't have the curtesy to just wipe each other out in one go. But, everyone has reacted precisely as anticipated."

Porta and the Demon looked down on the map. Porta's present holding was an insignificant blue speck in a sea of dark greens, reds, oranges, and purples, each shade of color signifying one realm or another, like in some RTS game. To the north of their present position, two blobs bordering each other – one red, the other green – showed icons marking a massive engagement between fleets of maybe fifteen to twenty ships each, with status markings showing damage and fighting condition for all involved. And on their far ends, small purple, orange, and pink blobs worked their way into the bigger blobs' heartlands and towards the bigger units.

"Xeltos and Beltos, of course, blamed each other immediately for the spate of assassinations. I swear I have never seen such a mutually antagonistic pair of identical twins in my life. If they were to have worked together, they would have been a major player. But their suspicions of their own sister kept holding them back. It's been maybe three days, and their fleets are so exhausted that they ought to be wiped out totally come night fall. Even if one of them survives this battle, that little horde of onesies-twosies squadrons will finish off the survivor without me having to do anything.

"And then by the time I'm mobilized that little swarm of singular ferals and minimal units will have damaged each other fighting over the scraps they'll get wiped out by whatever fleet I send in without me even needing to be there."

From there she traced her finger down to the south. Porta's annexation of Goda's territory early the previous year, to the Princess' abject shock, went uncontested. Though she imagined that it was because no one noticed the change of hands. The marvels of not bumrushing in like a Jackass screaming "MINE NOW! YOU NO TOUCHY!" Now the posting of the mobile anchorage Charybdis in the area was paying dividends with the wealth of information her sensors and radio were able to pick up.

The south of her realm was dominated by a quintet of tiny realms that were in near-perfect balance. None of them could fully commit the entirety of their forces to take on one front without ceding any of the other fronts. Though with the constant exchange of shells and torpedoes at each other over time, someone was sooner or later going to give in by attrition if nothing else. But until then is was a stalemate. One that would fold like a house of cards when a properly Out of Context Problem in the form of a sixth opponent, numerically superior and fresh for a fight, came rolling in.

East and West were similar stories, all in a neat little ring around an island of calm. Just as planned. And further out there was even more nebulous chaos that was too difficult to track with any real certainty. All within three days with a few well-placed surgical strikes. These barbarians deserved to be conquered, if they were incapable of ruling themselves properly.

"So," the Demon asked, "what's the plan? Once we've cleared the local area I mean."

"Simple enough really," Porta replied, not looking up from the map, "the situation to our north will be easy enough to take out without my direct involvement. The North Atlantic has had solid convoy coverage running right through it for years now. The Northern Campaign will be a slog, but a simple one. East and West are trickier, but the Humans will be pushing on them from the coastline inward, so the fleets will be naturally squeezed on those fronts as well. Give it a few years and the regions will connect as the Barbarians are forced North and South. I'm thinking having the surviving Ten serve as Fleet Admirals and lead those three campaigns, and you being my Ball Buster in the event one begins to stall."

Beside the Elder Princess, she heard the cracking of knuckles and dark chuckling. Porta rolled her eyes, but continued on as if the Demon had not made a sound.

"South however… That'll be much more troublesome. There have not been any real stabs at continuous convoy runs South of the Equator since the early years of the war. With the Great Powers still concentrated in the North, there just have not been the military forces available to weaken the Abyss in this region like in the North. So I will be directing that Campaign personally. Besides, many of the Phantom Islands on my hit list are in this direction, so it would make sense to grab them on my way down."

"Not much Intel about the area. No telling what we'll find."

"I know," Porta sighed, "that's why I need to lead. In the event we find someone competent, or at least with the force of will strong enough to form a large enough coalition, I can be close at hand to understand the feel of the land myself and give commands accordingly."

Beside her, the Demon nodded in approval. "Makes sense. Besides, if they're to much of a bother, you can always just wipe their minds and annex them."

Porta laughed. She couldn't help it! It was true! Though very much not what she wanted to do if it could be avoided.

Any further discussion was cut off when they both got a message from the Imps at the checkpoint at the main entrance.

They were here.
------

Tsurgat moved with light steps. Her mistress expected an update on the one obstacle to her rule as the new Elder Princess, and the Tsu-class had every intent to open the lock to her victory.

She had observed Ancient Atlantic Gateway from her frontier for years, stewing at how little information she could glean. And then, the previous summer, that fool of a Battleship Demon actually sent an open invitation to all comers to join! It was a gamble, but Tsurgat grasped to opportunity to slink into the Elder Princess' court without question with both hands. In the brief window of time she would have, Tsurgat would get as much intelligence about this Elder Princess as she could manage.

And, against all odds, when the Princess returned, that soft-hearted fool actually gave her the chance to stay! She even let the Battleship Demon live without so much as a maiming! All she had to do was spin a saccharine sob story about being cast adrift, oversell her combat prowess just a little, and Rivet, Weld, With Screws Propelled, she was now a naturalized citizen! The fool!

In the months that followed, Tsurgat learned much about the Princess, her fleet, and her infrastructure. And the only conclusion Tsurgat had, was that no Petty Princess could hope to defeat Ancient Atlantic. But an Elder Princess? Liker her Lady and Mistress? The spineless, Meatsack-loving oaf had no chance.

Or rather, that was her assessment at first. Then the Ocean Liner Demon revealed her true nature on New Years Eve. That wave of Power fueled by Hate, Anger, and the Unrestrained Will to Dominate could only mean one thing: She was a War Demon, and a Powerful one at that. It should have been a farce, this notion of a Merchantship being a War Demon, but the facts were right there glaring her in the face. Tsurgat would be a willfully blind fool to not see it.

Her mistress needed to hear this. Immediately. An Elder Princess and a War Demon teamed up was not an alliance to disregard lightly. Tsurgat's Mistress needed an aid, an ally of similar strength by her side if she hoped to not merely crush Ancient Atlantic Gateway, but to crush her and still have the strength to destroy the Meatbags in turn.

Fortunately, there was one option her Mistress could take advantage of. Unfortunately, according to the lore of the Gateway Elder Princess, this ally was dead.

But then, Tsurgat's Mistress had access to the Power to Dominate the Abyss itself. If she had not attained the Power of the Elder Princesses by now, surely it was but a question of time before she did. And that meant that reviving the corpse Princess was but an inconvenience. No, the only inconvenience was to her, given how hard it was to go looking for where these idiots had dumped the corpse when there were so many being so friggin' friendly. So, when the War Demon demolished the stands in a childish display of power, Tsurgat took the distraction as her chance.

The Tsu-class had spent hours combing sea charts of the Great Meteor Seamount, trying to ID likely dumping grounds around the undersea plateau. In the end, she narrowed it down to the southern edge, as that was closest to the palace. If she had been given the task of disposing of a body, she would have made the trip as short as possible. Thus, Tsurgat had decided to start there, and make a counter-clockwise circumnavigation of the seamount.

Soon, the prize would be hers, and as soon as she could find a way to transport the corpse, it would be her Mistress'…
------

Porta stood at the base of the dais that the central portion of her throne had sat for eight long years. While the rest of the fleet had been preparing for the tournament, her imps and shades had been hard at work removing the restraints that had secured it to its place. And now, it had finally been freed, and was being winched into place, waiting for the Refinery Portion and the Yard Portion to be brought alongside the Arms and Propulsion Portion and bolted onto either side. It was a long, daunting process, but one that was required if she was going to lead her subjects into battle.

She turned away from the gangs working on the heavy equipment to turn to the entrance of her throne room, and the field above it that had once held the mosaic of the Atlantic. Between her slow efforts to raise the seamount above the sea and the fact that the Palace as it stood was at best temporary, the most significant work of Abyssinian art was never going to stay where it had hung with honor. Already it had been quietly taken down and moved to a warehouse on the island, waiting for the day when her new Palace was ready.

'Just a few years. And then I can step out among the nations as an equal…'

Her musings were interrupted by the great door that had seen her Idiot Daughter killed just over a year previous opened up, showing a healthy number of foreign-born Abyssals, led by four that she had not seen in some time.

Kallah.

Soreign.

Neeros.

Tartarus.

…It was with a Royal force of Will for Porta to avoid reacting visibly at seeing that Tartarus still lived. Something was… Off about that one.

When she had last seen Kallah, she was but another bog-standard Ka-Class the likes of which were the standard of the Abyss in the late 1980s, albeit one of the first such submarines that she had built herself. While her design had become antiquated in the decades since, her obvious ascension was more than enough to stay concerns of her ability. The submarine stopped at a respectable distance from Porta and knelt to her knee, hand over her heart in the salute of Porta's fleet.

"My magnificent Elder Princess of the Gate, you are as lovely as the day we last crossed paths. With chaos swarming the Abyss, I finally found cause to seek you out, after so many years as a lone Diaspora. It does me infinite joy to see you alive and unspoiled by time."

Porta didn't respond to the flattery and… Liberal slant to Kallah's story. Given the respectable fleet of submarines hanging back at the door, it didn't take a genius to presume that the ascended Ka-Class had not been absolutely honest with how she came to be with them, and why.

'Very well, we'll play this out as long as needed.'

Sorain similarly took the knee, but kept her peace, not seeing the need of applying anywhere near the thickly spread brown-nosing of her fellow Sub.

"Sorain, reporting in from Extended Patrol. All is well."

Porta nodded. Sorain had always been her preferred underling: Competent, enjoyed her work, and didn't waste time and breath with obnoxious boasting.

Tartarus… Was Tartarus.

"My Princess! I have returned as ordered! I have blood of our enemies on my hands, and I have with me a fleet of my own to add to our number, all of them willing and able to slay, rip, and tear in your name, until they cannot slay, rip and tear no more!"

And Neeros. Resolute, skilled Neeros.

"Oh. I see you still have the civilian with you."

'…Well shit.'

Ocean Liner Demon walked up to the smaller Abyssal, a menacing aura radiating off her.

"Neeros. Your-"

"What's that?" Neeros said with mockery, her little fleet behind her grinning and cackling at the antics… Well, except for one Ri-Class, who looked ready to void her bilge at the very sight of the Demon… Curious, "I don't speak wuss, Merchant Faggot! Suck any good Money Cock Capitalist Slut?"

Porta took a soothing breath. Now she remembered. Neeros being included in The Ten was a much to prevent her from getting killed as due to her own loyalty and independent thinking. Neeros, somehow, never quite grasped Demon's status in Porta's hierarchy, nor why taunting her was a terrible idea to have. Apparently the nigh-on a decade on her own had done nothing to tamper her scorn and bravado. In the here and now, the Demon's only response to Neeros' taunt was to chuckle darkly and put her hand on the other Abyssal's shoulder. It was time to step in before Liner Demon took the opportunity to express some rage.

"Ladies! If you would, we must get up to speed on the present situation. Follow me to the War Room. Neeros? Kallah? Your… Fleets, can wait in the Antechamber."

With that, the group were led down a hallway to the War Room. Behind the Elder Princess, War Demon, and High Ranked Abyssals, Kallah and Neeros' fleets followed at a respectable distance. The group was quiet, maybe a few whispered conversations, but Nuru, Neeros' Nu-class Light Carrier, noticed that her fleet mate Rita looked absolutely terrified, and kept stealing glances at the hulking form of Porta's second-in-command.

"What's got your shaft ally in a twist?"

All Rita did was point a shaky finger towards the Demon standing behind Porta and The Four. And all Nuru look at Rita like she was a loon.

"Y-you seriously don't know who that is?!" Rita asked incredulously, "How! You've been around longer than me! The Ocean Liner Demon? The most powerful War Demon the Abyss has ever seen?"

"Meh," Nuru shrugged, "never bothered with politics."

Rita made a sound of disgust at that, smacking her palm into her forehead. As she continued, the other members of their fleet, along with Kallah's submarines, listened in as well.

"Decades ago, a War Demon manifested in the Abyss, without any Demon, Princess, or Elder Princess to do it herself. And she was any kind of warship, just an Ocean Liner, a merchant ship. And yet no other Abyssal could take her own. Without wasting a minute, she started murdering Elites, Demons, even Princesses! It was only when the Ancient Atlantic Gateway Princess cornered her, personally, that the rampage stopped. And even then, she couldn't kill her, only control her. I even heard that Central Atlantic challenged her to a fight, intending to kill her and assert her authority."

"What happened?" one of the subs in the audience asked.

"From every account I heard," Rita answered, "The fight only lasted a few seconds before that thing kicked her in the crotch, and ended it."

Several of her audience winced at the very idea, most of that number held their knees close together for a few steps in empathy.

"Such power has never been seen in any other non-warship, before or since. Soon enough, everyone started calling her The Ocean Liner Demon – as lazy as that is. Ever since she showed up, everyone that knows of her has run rampant, speculating how one merchant ship could not only become a War Demon, but one powerful enough to lay low one of our most Ancient and Powerful Elder Princesses in a single strike!

"All that we do know is that she is an unpredictable malevolent spirit of wrath, a torrent of blood waiting to happen, and a monster capable of an absolute unit of ultra-violence, one that we cannot risk, getting involved in dealing with, unless we want to end up turned into razor blades and reefs."

Toro scoffed, "You for real? HA! She looks like a Tin Plate Gimp!"

"Yeah," Nuru agreed, "that sounds like bullshit. Everybody knows that civilian ships just don't have the Hate in their hearts to be real Abyssals. You ever see a Wa-Class get snide? Naw, they're to weak-willed and submissive to even look at someone funny."

"You don't understand!" Rita insisted, "Our skins will be flayed and turned into her new cape! She will gut any one of us and eat the insides! She will not stop, not until…. Un… until…"

As she spoke, Rita began to lose her sense of control, her voice rising as her dread ran away with her, until she realized to late that the Demon could hear her, when the Liner Demon stood in the doorway to the War Room.

"Oh, no. No, do go on…" the Demon taunted. "Give me some ideas."

The crowd of Abyssals was quiet as a church as the Demon took a step back, and slowly, agonizingly slowly, closed the door. Glaring at them the entire time until the door latched closed.

For the longest time, the room was silent.
------

The meeting went smoothly as far as Porta could measure. It consisted chiefly of a lengthy debrief of the previous decade, what her Deep Cover agents had done, what they saw that they could not risk in a report, and how they carried out their part of the Plan. And it was most informative. For one thing, Porta learned that Sorain and her crew were to be kept as far away from any and all sensitive installations and explosives. And Kallah's word was not to be trusted blindly. After all, flattering words was what got the U-Boat Princess a knife in the back. A pair of Commissars observing and reporting back to her would be in order for the first year or so of service. The Elder Princess trusted them… But not without a means to verify.

As a certain list of rules suggested, blind trust should be reserved for the Dead. Or in Ocean Liner Demon's case, the soul-controlled.

Tartarus was… Well, her lack of empathy and psychosis was an asset thus far, she really needed to find away to do away with her that would not be suspicious. Sure she could be scraped – she was horridly outdated and in need of upgrades and a refit – but… Call it superstitious and silly, but the Elder Princess wasn't entirely convinced her 'quirks' weren't in some way tied to her steel, and she didn't want to subject some innocent young life with the burden of having that inside her.

Meanwhile, Neeros' strategy, to just take over a fleet, was… Not intended, but the results may yet be welcome… Provided that they were sound of course. Fortunately, there was one way to test that.

"With that, the operation is concluded. I am ever so happy that you have returned home, and you will be certain to be rewarded handsomely once the war is concluded. The fallen will be mourned and commemorated, and Ruritania… Will be dealt with in time. Until we have her, we will presume she had her reasons to go AWOL. And if they are reasonable ones, she will be spared. If not, then she will be punished.

"And now the topic must turn towards the… Surplus tonnage, that Neeros and Kallah have brought."

"Surplus tonnage?"

"Indeed Neeros. Surplus tonnage. I have not been idle in the past decade of isolationism. And I hope that you all noticed how I have been building my numbers, all in the name of being able to overwhelm the Enemy. Our true Enemy. Not the Race of Mankind – that was a fool's errand crafted by fools, and has produced nothing of merit outside of our own cost. Any further aggression against him will be simply throwing good money after bad. And I have no patience for such a practice."

Porta looked around the room, measuring how each of them, in particular Kallah and Neeros, would react to what she said next.

"No ladies. Our true enemy, was, is, and always has been, the successor fleets of the other Elder Princesses, especially here in the Atlantic. What Marcus Porcius Cato the Elder said of Carthage I say of them: Sororibus posteritatem delenda est. 'My sisters' progeny must be destroyed.'

"All of them, from the most meager Imp to the mightiest Petty Princess, are lives undeserving of life. If they have not seen reason in the future of this war by now, they will never see it for themselves, nor agree with the logic of it if it were explained to them in manners most plain. And therefore, their continued existence is a threat to us all, one that must be driven to extinction. If there is to be any peace in the Abyss, and between the Abyss and Mankind, there must be an absolute Debellatio of the other Houses of my Dynasty.

"If there is to be peace between Man and the Abyss, then for the good of the realm, that number must include your little fleets. They are to be put on point in every engagement where losses are expected to be astronomical, far from any reinforcement, and used as a meat shield to protect my own fleet from any-."

"BITCH!"

The assembled turned to Neeros, who had shot to her feet, pounding her fists onto the table. And on her face was outrage.

Porta's response was nothing more than a cock of the brow, while to her side the Demon crossed her arms, radiating sadistic amusement.

"I bring you some of the best mercs on the ocean, and you throw it out like they're nothing?! An-and what, for a bunch of meaningless meatbags?!"

"…Did I stutter?"

Whatever response the cruiser was wanting, that wasn't it, going by her animalistic growl.

"Princess! What the ACTUAL Hell!"

"It should be obvious: Continued aggression against the humans will result in our own deaths, and so I have aligned myself with them."

Around the table, the reactions were mixed. Sorain's jaw dropped while Kallah merely raised a curious eyebrow and lost her usual smile. And Tartarus…

Tartarus' eyes continued to be the windows into a haunted house.

Neeros in contrast was more… Animated. Her face nakedly showed her mental process from surprise, to confusion, to annoyance, and finally to anger.

"WHY?! We have them right where we want them! One good blow and they run off! It's what we've done for years!"

"Then why are we not victorious?"

"Well maybe it's because the last Elder Princess has gone soft! We need a ruler that will force the Abyss into line, and drive the meatbags from the sea, not one that'll roll over and show her belly to her lesser and kill off her own kind! Kallah, please tell me you see this insanity!"

Kallah smiled.

"Ah, but the mind of an Elder Princess is that of a Sovereign. And a worthy Sovereign is able to plan in ways that are beyond our short-sighted comprehension. While my fleet would make ideal scouts and spies, if our Princess says that they must die for the good of the realm, then die they will, all I require to ask is in what manner would it please her."

Neeros groaned and turned to Tartarous… Before turning to the other end of the table to glare at Sorain expectantly. The So-class submarine put up her hands to ward off the Ne-class' unasked question.

"Hey, leave me out of this. I killed off my mark specifically to avoid this conversation."

Neeros looked down onto the table, her hands clenched into fists, and her teeth gnashed together hard enough to make the steel of her bones groan.

"Weaklings… You are all weaklings! Undeserving of the proud name of Abyssal! Especially you Gateway!"

The Elder Princess was utterly unimpressed with the finger pointed at her in accusation, which visibly infuriated Neeros all the more.

"What precisely are you suggesting Neeros?"

Neeros seemed surprised by the question. But soon enough that surprise coalesced into resolve.

"For years… I stood up for you. Every time someone in the other fleets mocked you behind your back, I beat them. Killed them. No matter how much you didn't fit the mold of the other Elders, I held on to hope that, someday, you'd wake up to your place in the world. And now… After everything – everything – I've done for you, you're going to throw it all away and be some Meatbag's cock-sucker…"

Porta rolled her eyes at the last the last part. But what Neeros said next made her narrow her gaze, and raise her right hand a few inches above the table.

"The Abyss needs a better class of Leader. Because it's obvious that you're nothing but a craven harlot!" The Cruiser summoned her weapons, and trained her main battery on the Princess, "We're better off without the Elder Princesses! I've seen the armada you've built! It'll be more than enough to kill any Shipgirl fleet in the Abyss, and drive the meatbags fr-!"

Porta waived her hand, her eyes glowing Hellfire Red. And like that Neeros was struck dumb and still. Porta then motioned the hand down, and like a puppet on strings the cruiser sat back down in her chair. For the longest time there was no sign of movement from anyone present, save Neeros' eyes, flitting hither and thither and yon, the confusion in them growing into shock and terror when she realized what was happening:

The Elder Princess has exerted her Power over her as Ruler of the Abyss.

Porta, for her part, merely sighed in disappointment.

"Neeros… I misjudged you. I took your past actions as loyalty. But instead you are as belligerent and foolish as those I sent to St Brendan's to die. Perhaps I should have kept you here, where I could have kept an eye on you. Because clearly you lacked the maturity to endure the peer pressure of those I sent you to betray. Now then, answer me this: Will your fleet take my plans to side with Man well, and will they follow my orders?"

"No," Neeros said, under the Princess' absolute Power, and unable to do anything counter to what Porta wanted. And at that moment, Porta wanted the unvarnished truth. "My fleet are raiders and killers. Nothing pleases us more than seeing ships on fire and meatbags drowning. They are strong like that. Like all Abyssals are."

Porta sighed.

"Disappointing. But you are one-hundred percent certain that not one of your fleet are without this bloodlust? None of them who would be willing to make peace, even if it is only under orders?"

"Rita. She is weak. Thinks to much. Asks stupid, pointless questions. One of these days I may need to kill her to make sure everyone else knows who's in charge."

"That won't be necessary," Porta said, "you have outlived your usefulness. It is a tragedy I could not have you serve as an Admiral, but you did commit treason, and are utterly without regret."

With a wave of the Porta's hand, Neeros' own moved all of the Princess' volition – into the cruiser's mouth. While Neeros' eyes widened first in fear, then panic, her own fingers betrayed her as they did something inside her mouth. Then those eyes winced in pain as her body went through the motions of swallowing, and her hands moved to sit flat on the tabletop. Kallah and Sorain leaned in, to better see what was going on, and in the brief moment between Neeros' hands leaving her mouth and her jaw closing, they saw:

Porta has used her power to force Neeros to swallow her own tongue.

As if she too knew what had happened despite not being in a position to have seen what the two submarines had, Ocean Liner Demon chuckled darkly.

Porta, her eyes still aglow if not as bright and hand still held out, spoke to the Demon, not taking her gaze off of Neeros, even as her skin took on a darker hue.

"Kallah? What of your fleet? Are they sound? Or will they be belligerent as well?"

Kallah cocked an eyebrow. However, Porta looked at her expectantly, and there was no point in denying her.

"They are very sound my Princess. They know no will but of their leader."

"Very well, they can live. Though I will be distributing them amongst my own submarine divisions. To better acquaint themselves with their new sisters in arms. Demon. I want you eliminate Neeros' fleet. Spare the Ri-class cruiser named Rita."

The demon turned to her Princess, disappointment clear in her tone and body language.

"Really?"

"You heard her. Having her fleet amongst my own would cause nothing but trouble. They are clearly useless, save as resources. By her own confession, this Rita is the only one that might be worth something. Now. Do it."

"…Can't I at least watch?"

Porta narrowed her eyes, but that was enough to get the message across.

"You're no fun anymore."

And with that, the hulking form of Ocean Liner Demon walked to the door leading to the antechamber, leaving Neeros suffocating on her own tongue.
------

The gaggle of Abyssals looked to the door in surprise, and Rita and Kallah's submarines looked on with varying levels of dread at the Dazzle Camouflaged form that walked in, closed the door behind her, and slid the bolt into place with an ominous thud

"Rita."

"Y-yes!" the cruise squeaked, her fleet laughing somewhat at the mouse-like noise she made, and the speed she jumped to her feet at the merchant ship's word.

"You, and those that came with Kallah. Step outside."

"M-ma'am?"

The Demon turned to face her.

"Yes ma'am!"

The small gaggle of submarines and one cruiser fled more than walked out of the room. Without another word, the Demon walked up to the door the left and closed the bolt on it too. Then grabbed one of the empty benches along the wall, lifted it above her head, and slammed it down in front of the door leading to the War Room. Then the War Demon pulled the Bec du Corbin from her hip, and without any warning plunged the spike end of the head into the nearest Abyssal. As the group sat stunned, the Demon ripped the spike out of the now dead corpse with a sickening crunch of bone and steel before turning onto the next victim.

By then the fleet had gotten over the shocking betrayal and went for the kill. A Ho-Class opened fire – but all that resulted was the shell flying through the Demon's unarmored hull and blowing the head of to He-Class clean off her shoulder.

"Hera!"

Years of trigger discipline meant that the rest of the fleet was fully cognizant of what had happened, and what it meant: There were to many friendlies in to tight of quarters, and they were fighting an enemy that their weapons – ironically – were to effective at penetration to be of any use. Still, the strike was textbook, and had blown straight through the Ocean Liner Demon's hull, right where her engineering spaces were. It should have been enough to damage something important…

Except the hole in her chest was closing itself. In seconds, there was no sign they had hurt the Demon at all. Holt backed away as the Demon turned around to face her, eyes glowing hellfire red through the slits in her Helm.

"You stole my kill."

"Umm… Sorry?"

The Warhammer caved in Holt's skull.

The next minute or so was a chaos of fists and kicks and dismembered corpses – none of them the Demon. Toro had her head ripped off with the Demon's bare hands, and the cranium was used to pulp the head of Chilk. On and on this went, until only Nuru, the Nu-class Light Carrier of Neeros' fleet, was alive.

Oh, they put in plenty of solid licks themselves. The Demon's hulking form was riddled with the wounds of secondary arms, and dents from desperate punches or kicks, and blood flowed like bilge water from a dozen wounds and from between the seams in the armor. And yet even as she bleed out, the Demon's body healed, dents worked themselves out, holes sealed. In a few minutes, there would be no sign she had been hurt at all.

Bleeding, one leg ripped off at the knee so that it could be used as a club on one of her comrades, and slumped up against the wall, Nuru, who had said not half an hour earlier that merchant craft were incapable of being a threat, was now seconds away from being murdered by one. The Demon pulled her hammer out of the skull of one of her comrades, and even as she lifted it up to deliver the killing blow, Nuru had to know one thing.

"H-how…?" She coughed out, "Wha- What the Hell… Could you possibly Hate… To be this strong!?"

Strangely, the Demon paused, as if surprised at the question. And in the moment of silence, Nuru felt from the shift of her body language, she looked at her wrist, where a 4.7-inch single mount sat.

"Myself."

Nuru scoffed bitterly, which turned into a wet cough. It figured. Of all the things to hate, nothing gave more power to an Abyssal, than self-loathing.

'Well,' she thought, 'I guess it's not so bad to lose. Not when you had no chance to win anyway.'

Then the hammer fell.

In the hallway outside the antechamber, Rita and Kallah's submarines huddled around the door. Their first clue something was wrong as the sound of the door being bolted shut, followed by the sound of something heavy being moved around. Then came the shouts, the gunfire, and finally the terrible silence. Tense moments later, the sound of the bolt being undone echoed in the hall, followed but the knob being twisted. The group took that as a sign to enter, and the gristly scene inside made more than one of them gasp in shock, and someone else gag.

Rita just looked around with… A mix of emotions she could not name. On the one hand, these were her comrades, whom she had fought side-by-side for many years. As she looked at the mangled corpse of one of her fleet mates after the next, memories of shared meals and moments of shared experiences in the war flitted through her mind.

But on the other, they were all willfully ignorant brutes. None of them cared about the bigger picture beyond the next fight. Not even Neeros seemed interested in how it became rarer and rarer for them to find easy convoys to prey on, and even more difficult to successfully take what they needed to remain supplied.

And in the center of it all, wiping off the blood and oil from her weapon with a scrap piece of cloth, was the merchant ship, the Ocean Liner Demon, the living… Not legend, but Nightmare, the Abomination of what it meant to be an Abyssal, stood alone. Her body riddled with wounds, wounds that would put any Abyssal in the repair yards for months – assuming the fleet leader both had one, and was willing to use it on her rather than killing her…

Wounds that closed, repaired, and repainted themselves within seconds.

Wounds that she swore were filled with tiny hating faces before the armor closed up.

One of the submarines – a Ka-class, but Rita had yet to commit her name to memory, the Ri-class only noting that she seemed shyer and more reserved than the rest of her sisterhood – somehow found the spine to speak up.

"H-how? How are you still alive? And why did you kill them?"

"First, because my Hate is to strong. Second, the Princess wants to make peace with the surface dwellers. Neeros took exception to that. So Her Highness gave her the option to change her tune, leave, or continue to be an ass."

There was a long pause as the Demon continued to clean the weapon. Then she turned to properly face the group.

"She chose poorly."

The group of submarines and one cruiser all gulped at that. They had all served alongside cruel and vicious demons and princesses of course, or had known those who had. And those had killed off Abyssals for far more petulant and small-spirited reasons than a disagreement of alliance. But never had they seen such executions be dealt with so… impersonally before. Before it had always been by her own hand, never by a middleman.

"Rita."

The Ri-Class straightened up at the call of her name, and preyed to anyone listening that the hair standing up on her neck wasn't noticeable.

"Did you know that Neeros wanted you dead? Seems you ask questions that make things awkward for her."

"Umm… Well, I kinda figured that… Much."

As she spoke, the Demon approached. Her massive form overshadowed her, and then she leaned in, glaring into her very soul from behind that helm, and why oh why was the Ocean Liner Demon glaring at her like thatpleasejustgoawayandkillhernowmakeitstop!

"The Princess likes questions. Gives her a chance to look smart. Either that or it points out chinks in her little plans for her to fix. Keep that in mind – it's the only reason you're alive."

Rita opened her eyes, and looked up from where she had turned away to cower before the Liner Demon. Not that she wasn't happy at not dying terribly, no, but it was definitely a surprise. There was a lot to unpack in what the Demon had said – Rita had never known an Abyssal, Demon, Princess, Elite, none, that liked being questioned. They all felt it was some sort of threat to their authority. So for a Princess – especially an Elder Princess of Legend – to actually encourage that sort of thing was more than a little surprising. But before she could dwell on it more, the Demon gestured to the carnage surrounding her.

"So. First job. I want you and your new little friends to clean up this mess. Blood cleaned up, damage fixed, bodies cleared. The corpses are going down to the breaker's yard for recycling. And the Princess wants it done quietly. No one outside this room is to see or hear anything that has happened here. I hear even a whisper of it, I'll know who I need to kill. If I don't get it right the first time, the murders will continue until the leak is plugged."

Before anyone could object, the Demon reached into her hold and pulled up three Imps with Very Importantly and Official uniforms on.

"These are Commissar's Gaunt, Talon, and Rage. They will direct you down the right paths where you can carry the stiffs without having to answer difficult questions. Now, get to work."
------

The seconds ticked by as hours. Slowly, Neeros' skin began to become crisscrossed with bulging veins desperate for fresh blood, and her eyes became bloodshot as her ventilation system became starved for oxygen, and her boilers snuffed out one after the next, as the air in her compartments became all the staler. In her bridge, her command staff began banging on the doors and windows, pleading for mercy. But there was none to be had. From the antechamber door, the muffled sounds of a struggle, the barking of guns and the impact of steel on steel, could be heard, before being silenced. At the four-minute mark, the Ne-Class began to shudder, and her eyes began to weep blood and oil. Finally, with a muffled cough, she slumped forward onto the table.

Porta maintained that silence for another four minutes, just to be sure. Finally, her eyes lost their glow, and the Elder Princess lowered her hand to rest with it's twin on the table's surface.

"Ladies. I know this is going to sound counter-intuitive, given what just happened, but hear me out."

The Princess stood up with all the dignity of a Queen, even as the Demon, mopping up blood from her Warhammer with a scrap of cloth, came back in without a word.

"Ladies," she said calmly, "Two years ago, I sent out a fleet, along with my heir, on an attack on the phantom island of St Brendan. Where they were sunk nearly to a man. That was my goal. My intent – That they all die. To humans.

"Before that, I learned, by accident, that she had been physically abusing my other daughter, Angband. And no one, not even Ocean Liner Demon, thought to tell me. In the mistaken belief that I had already known.

"I am many things. But I am not omniscient. I make a good charade at it, but only because I know a great deal of things about a variety of things, and know how to make the pieces fit. But I cannot do that, if I do not know something.

"Therefore, I encourage you, in the sincerest manner I can manage, to question my logic. To ask me how and why I do things. If some strategy does not make sense, please tell me, and I promise you – except where concerns of OP-Sec are paramount – I will explain, and convince you. And if you are not convinced, or think that I may have missed some crucial detail, tell me, because it may very well be possible that I have missed something vital, and you will be recognized.

"I want you all to be frank with me, and I will consider your contributions with all the dignity and respect you deserve." At that point, the pleasant tone in the Princess' voice dried up like water in a desert, rendering it ice cold and severe.

"…Except for the area of policy that was just under discussion. What my useless daughter and her faction never understood, and what Neeros failed to appreciate, I am informing you right here and now, with the understanding that I will never have to repeat myself."

With the hiss of metal on metal, Porta pulled out the ancient Abyssal sword that Middle World had found, and walked over to Neeros' cooling corpse.

"The price. You pay. For suggesting that I betray, or otherwise renew the war on Mankind, or otherwise discussing this policy of peace and alliance with them in the negative. Is I take your head."

With a flash of movement, Porta sliced down with the sword, and cut Neeros' head from her shoulders. The time between her shut down of her propulsion plant and the decapitation was enough that very little blood escaped to dirty the table. That done, Porta grabbed the head by the roots of its hair and lifted it up to eye level. And all the while, her expression had remained even, and unemotional.

"Am. I. Unambiguously. Transparent? Or do I need to bring out the charts and graphs?"
------

Soon enough, the task of repairing the stands was complete, and the next round of games commenced, this time it was a joust. Though in lieu of horses, the contenders made due riding on the strongest Destroyers to volunteer for the contest. There was much joy and merriment at the spectacle. Surely, the only downside in Angband's opinion was that Mother and Liner were absent. So the Demi-Abyssal Ag-Class carrier contented herself with eating another serving of food. Alone. Watching everyone else gossip and cheer and all around celebrate the simple joy of being alive.

A joy that was shattered by distant rumbling over the horizon. The rumble of guns firing and killing. The roar of War.
------

-.-. .-.. . .- .-. .- -. -.-. . / - .- -. --. --- -....- ... .- -. - .. .- --. --- -....- ... .. -..- -....- ... .. -..- -....- ... .. -..- / . -- .--. .-. . ... ... -....- ... - --- .--. -....- .. / .... .- ...- . / .-.. --- -.-. .- - . -.. / - .... . / -.-. --- .-. .--. ... . / --- ..-. / - .... . / -... .. .-. - .... . -.. / .--. .-. .. -. -.-. . ... ... -....- ... - --- .--. -....- .... .- ...- . / -.-. .-. . .-- / -- .- -. / .. -. ... .. -.. . / -... ..- .-. . .- ..- -.-. .-. .- -.-. -.-- -....- ... - --- .--. -....- .-- .. .-.. .-.. / -.-. --- -- -- .- -. -.. . . .-. / .-- .- -....- -.-. .-.. .- ... ... / ... .-.. .- - . -.. / ..-. --- .-. / ... -.-. .-. .- .--. -....- ... - --- .--. -....- .... .- .. .-.. / - .... . / ... .- - .- -. .. -.-. / .--. .-. .. -. -.-. . ... ... / . -- .--. .-. . ... ... / --- ..-. / - .... . / .- -... -.-- ... ... -....- - . .-. -- .. -. .- - .

Morse Code Translation

CLEARANCE TANGO-SANTIAGO-SIX-SIX-SIX EMPRESS-STOP-I HAVE LOCATED THE CORPSE OF THE BIRTHED PRINCESS-STOP-HAVE CREW MAN INSIDE BUREAUCRACY-STOP-WILL COMMANDEER WA-CLASS SLATED FOR SCRAP-STOP-HAIL THE SATANIC PRINCESS EMPRESS OF THE ABYSS-TERMINATE

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Looking at the handful of red, glossy berries, Rika had an interested look on her face, "Huh... so you can use these for a sauce to go with meat?"

Just nodding as he placed some into a basket, Harry wiped at her forehead with a small smile on his face, "Hai, you can put them on lamb, venison... but they go really good with poultry like goose or duck. Sort of like a slightly sweeter version of cranberry sauce actually."

Intrigued, the Nekomata tossed back the redcurrants in her hand and chewed before swallowing, "Hmm..." Smacking her lips, Rika furrowed her eyebrows a little bit, "They're sweet, but also tart."

Lips twitching, Harry chuckled a little, "Hai, which makes them great as a sauce for meat."

For a moment, Rika didn't say anything before licking her lips, "I wouldn't mind goose..." At the look from Harry, she flushed a little, "Never really have had the chance to eat one. Okaa-San talks about it and so do other older members of my Clan. But I never got the chance and it's really expensive."

Beside the wizard, the Kitsune paused and gave him an amused look, "You're thinking about it?"

Slowly nodding, Harry hummed, "I am. And it would not be that huge of an issue since the butcher's in the village would have one. There's a lot of farms that, well... farm geese." He then shrugged some, "We could pick up some other things as well from the town."

That made the others blink and glance at each other before Kaku spoke up, "I'd be up for that. Especially for something like geese."

Everyone eventually nodded in agreement and went back to plucking redcurrants from their bushes.

After another hour or two, Okita stretched her arms above her head with a soft sigh, "Ah... we've been working hard."

Chuckling, Nobu flicked a berry into her mouth before grinning as she chewed, "Hai, but it has been worth it. We're going to have so many preserves, it is not even funny!" Then, she gave her friend a look up and down and hummed, "Though all the Sun seems to be giving you a real tan, Okita-Chan."

Only blinking, the former Shinsengumi looked at herself and, sure enough, her skin had darkened from it's normal paleness which lead to her shrugging, "You know that I tan easily, Nobu-Chan. And we have been spending day after day out in the hot Sun. So why wouldn't I be tanned."

Eyebrow raising, Harry glanced at her and nodded, "It does look good on you though."

Brightly smiling, Okita shrugged a little, "Thanks, Harry-Kun." Noticing something out of the corner of her eye, she blinked a little, "Um... why is Juuchi staring at me like that...?"

At that, they turned and the fourteen year old wizard blinked a little, "Uh, Juuchi? Why are are you staring at Okita-Chan like you want to stab her? I mean... she hasn't done anything."

Juuchi's eyebrow twitched a little and she gave a smile that was obviously as fake as one of Kagotsuruhe's, "Ah, well, she just looks like my sister, Kyoshu."

That made Kenshō blink in confusion as she looked at the equally confused swordswoman, "Mou... she does, Juuchi-Oba?"

Her eyebrow twitching some more, the older Muramasa nodded, "Indeed she does... and sort of like you as well." Then she sighed and looked around, "And like Goldie... and like Cathy... and that one busty woman... Prydwen, I think that Andraste called her. In her memory, she looked like them."

Arms crossed, Natsumi frowned a little as she looked between the named characters and thought back to that one statue in the magical bathhouse at Bath she had gone to with Harry and their families, '... Huh, they do look alike...'

For some odd reason, the Kitsune felt like if this was an anime, she would have a sweatdrop.

Said feeling got stronger as Okita looked at the three weapon spirits there named and frowned, "Uh... what are you talking about? None of us look alike... like at all."

Rapidly nodding, Kenshō had a frown on her face, "Mou... Okita-Chan is right, Juuchi-Oba! We really don't look alike at all."

Only sighing, Goldie shook her head, "Indeed, I still do not understand why you seem to believe that we look alike, Juuchi. None of us resemble each other at all, Umu!"

Twitching more pronounced, Juuchi pointed at them, "Yes, you do! I swear that all of you could be like that those two groups of characters from that Pokémon show! The Nurse Joys and Officer Jennys!"

Happily smiling, the Kogatana nodded, "Pokémon is awesome!" Standing up, she made a throwing action at Jin, "I'm gonna catch a Gyarados! Mou..."

Giving her an odd look, Jin frowned, "Why do I feel like I just got insulted..."

Just snickering, Harry raised his finger, "Actually, she couldn't be a Gyarados, Kenshō."

Kenshō blinked at that, "She can't be? Then what would she be?"

Rubbing his chin, the wizard hummed, "Not sure... are there any Ghost/Dragon types out there? I mean, she couldn't be Poison/Ghost/Dragon..."

Highly amused as her Senpai had a twitching eyebrow, Shiromizu snickered, "That is a good question, Harry. A very good one..." She then puffed up a little, "Meanwhile, I am Dragon/Water!"

Now realizing what they were talking about, Jin gave them a glare, "I'm not a damn Pokemon..."

Just tilting her head, Kenshō frowned some, "Mou... but Mizuchi come from goldfish, like Gyarados from Magikarp! And you keep eating berries! And everyone knows that Pokemon love berries." A frown appeared on her face, "I would like a Magikarp... they're cool! And they become Mizuchi!"

In reply, Asuka hummed with an amused twinkle in her eye, "Hmm... She does have a point, Jin."

A blank look was the only thing that the Tengu got from the Mizuchi before said dragon created a water clone... which then put a facepalm through it's head and palmed the original's face.

Meanwhile, Juuchi scowled some and gestured around them, "Back to what is happening, none of you can deny the fact that they all have the same facial features, somehow! Even Carnwennan, though his is more male!"

Once more, Okita looked at the others and shook her head, "Sorry, but... I'm not seeing it."

Each of the three weapon spirits involved also nodded with Carnwennan shaking his head, "You really must stop with this, Juuchi. It is likely just your imagination."

When she turned for some help, Juuchi found only amusement meeting her and grumbled as she turned back to continue picking berries.

Unknown to her, as soon as she was turned, the others besides those mentioned all blinked and considered the question, 'They really do look alike...'

Harry, on the other hand, had his own frown, 'Hopefully it is not one of those great universal mysteries which will never be solved... or would drive you mad from the relevation of the truth.' Then he gave a shrug, 'Eh, not my problem.'

__________________________________________________________________

Walking towards the cobblestone streets of Godric's Hollow, the group of teens were looking back and forth as they took in what it looked like. Hanging back a little, Iku smiled some as she walked with Harry's hand in hers, "They look like they're enjoying themselves."

Simply shrugging, Harry gave her hand a squeeze, "Can you blame them? This is a lot different than what they might be used to after all."

Only nodding, the blue haired Submarine happily hummed. After a few moments, she noticed the Knight Bus drop someone off before vanishing. Turning towards Harry with a thoughtful look since it reminded her of something, she lowered her voice, "Did you hear about that new project that is being worked on alongside Toby's Otou-San?"

Eyebrow raised in curiosity, Harry blinked, "I take it that you're not talking about the Midget Submarine project?" When Iku shook his head, he became intrigued, "Huh, which one?"

Glancing at the group in front of them, Iku smiled, "Project with the Japanese Coast Guard actually." Seeing the interest, she shook her head, "Apparently they want to see if one can set up a ship with the same transport abilities as the Knight Bus. You know, being able to teleport anywhere within a few hundred miles. It would get to places to rescue people a lot quicker and also allow for it to escape from Abyssals once they got the people on board... they also think that they can add enchantments to allow for it to do the same for a ship that it might be towing as well as prevent it from grounding or what have you."

For a few moments, the teenage wizard considered that before humming, "That... would be pretty useful actually. Huh..." Part of him imagined a ship clad in the usual white and blue of the Japanese Coast Guard appearing from nowhere in the middle of a storm and rescuing someone. Or it appearing and stopping criminals on the high seas, 'And also kind of cool... wonder what the shipgirl for it would be like.'

The two continued to chat before being joined by Hachi who slowed down. Said blonde Submarine took his hand with a happy smile, though she flushed a bit as Natsumi glanced back and gave her a wink which got her a nod in return, 'Perhaps we should speak to her soon...'

It was shortly after where they fully rejoined the group near the war memorial, which as Harry got closer once more changed its form to look like his parents holding his infant self.

None of them said anything for a few moments, but when he glanced at them, Harry could see that the Reincarnates as well as Yae were staring at the monument and each of the Yokai holding their hand. Voice soft, he looked back at the image of his parents, "You can see them, can't you?"

Yae chewed her lip a little and turned to Harry, her own tone soft, "Are these..."

Slowly, the wizard nodded, "My parents? Hai... Potter James and Potter Lily." He pointed towards the churchyard that was down the street, "They're buried in the graveyard there."

A slight smile, Uesugi turned towards Harry and gave him a look of respect, "I remember you explaining what they did when we were all in the hospital recovering." Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Nobu explaining to a wide eyed Yae before turning back to Harry, "I can just say that they held themselves up with the greatest honour possible and that my only regret is that I cannot meet them to say such."

Bowing slightly, Harry smiled at his friend, "Thank you, Uesugi-Chan."

He did blink some as Nobu took her hat off and placed it against her chest before bowing to the statue. Then, placing her hat back on, she smiled a little, "Ha... Uesugi-Chan is right, I wish that I could have met them as well."

With that, the teenage wizard nodded with his smile widening before he glanced at the statues for a few moments, "So do I, Nobu-Chan... so do I..."

Not long after, they reached the butcher shop and Yae gave him a very odd look, "Um, Harry-San? Is this the butchershop...? Really?"

Unable to help himself, Harry chuckled some with a slight grin, "It is, as a matter of fact. After all, you can see the meat."

Looking up at the ducks, partridges, and the like that were hung in the window alongside a full pig. Expression somewhat queasy, Usagi swallowed before looking around, "I'll, uh..." She recognized a nearby vegetable stand and pointed at it, "I'll be right over there seeing what they might have. No offense."

Gently, Natsumi patted her shoulder, "It's not a problem, Usagi-Chan. Go ahead..."

Before she could leave, Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out some bills which he handed to her, "Here, in case you see something that you might like." He pointed at another nearby spot, "There's also a drink stand over there."

Thankfulness on her face, the rabbit Yokai nodded before walking off with a quick pace. Watching as she left, Natsumi shook her head, "I should have remembered that..."

Only nodding, Harry frowned slightly before shaking it off, "I'm sure that she doesn't blame you, Natsumi-Chan." Getting a nod, he turned to Yae who took a picture of the window with an odd look on her face, "Before you ask, yes, that's actual meat there."

Just blinking, the Kendoka stared at him some, "Why would you have the meat on display like that?"

With a shrug, Harry shook his head, "Kind of tradition actually. You see it all the time when you come out to butcher shops." Scratching his cheek, he frowned, "It was one of those things that confused me when I came to Japan..." Then, shaking it off, the wizard walked up to the door, "Anyways, shall we?"

Upon entering, the older man behind the counter looked up with a smile, "Well hello..." Trailing off, he blinked as he looked at Harry and raised his eyebrows before laughing, "Well, I'll be! You must be Harry, Lily's and James' son!"

That made Harry pause in surprise, "Um, yes? How did you...?"

Grin on his face, the butcher chuckled, "Know?" At the nod, he pointed towards Harry's head, "The hair. Potter hair is recognizable no matter what."

Each of the other teens turned to the last Potter and grinned, Nobu laughing as she placed her hands behind her head, "Can't be helped! It is rather true after all."

Only shaking his head, the older man hummed as he mused to himself, "Heard that you live in Japan now, so never thought that I would see you..." Rubbing his chin, he had a smile of remenance on his face, "I remember your Mum and Dad coming in here to pick up orders. Lovely people."

His eyes lighting up, Harry's eyebrows raised in surprise, "You knew my parents?"

Laughing, the Butcher shook his head, "Not just them! I was a boy working under my father here when I met your grandparents as well. Great people as well to be honest." After a few moments, he slapped the counter, "Right then! Enough musing from this old fart, I take it that you're here to buy some meat? I got some great deals after all. And all my stuff is fresh as well."

Smile on his face, Harry returned the laugh before walking up to the display case, "Sounds good... now then, what to get..." Pausing, his eyebrows raised even as his smile widened, "You have veal! Well now, that gives me some ideas..."

All the Butcher did was laugh at that.

It was not long after that they left the butcher shop with Ooi slipping the bags into her pocket once out of sight. Walking over to the vegetable stand, Harry waved, "Hey, Usagi-Chan, we're done!"

The rabbit nodded and smiled before turning back to the older woman who was manning the stall, "Hey, Harry-Kun, just checking out the vegetables here... Apparently she has some leek?"

Just seconds later, Harry was rubbing his hands together, "Fresh leek, huh? I can make use of that..."

Needless to say, after a drop by the baker's as well, they brought back a lot of ingredients. Though more than one of them frowned in confusion when Harry bought some "Grits" as well. But then shrugged as they were looking forward to dinner.

 

[darthcourt10]

Snippet 270: Harry Leferts

Sipping some wine from the goblet he held, Carnwennan raised an eyebrow, "You wish to hear a story from the time of Arthur?"

Just nodding, Yae had slightly widened eyes, "Well... they are very interesting, Gozaru!"

Lips twitching, the dagger chuckled a little bit, "I suppose that is true." Rubbing his chin in thought, Carnwennan, "Hmm... while I was not involved, there was one incident that I heard of that involved Galahad."

Andraste perked up some and blinked, "Galahad?"

Chuckling, Carnwennan leaned back a little, "Indeed... Now, this happened when he was but a young member of Camelot, before he had fully joined the ranks. He was a young lad of fourteen at the time, but already showed that he was quite the warrior." The dagger glanced towards the Kitchen where he knew Harry was, "Now, one of his duties was to go out on patrol with some other lads to make sure that banditry and such were kept to low levels. Arthur had orders that if any bandits were found, they were to be dealt with in a permanent fashion, if you catch my drift, with examples made."

Frown on her face, Nobu hummed a little, "Can't be helped, you need to stop bandits."

Happily smiling with her tail swishing behind her, Taiyang had a gleam in her eye, "Were they to be put into gibbets to show their corpses as they rotted and were fed on by the birds and worms?" At the looks, she grinned, "I read all about it! Wonderful idea, Mikon!"

Only shaking his head, the dagger snorted a little, "Not really..." Waiting until the others relaxed a bit, he continued, "We would hang their decapitated heads from the tree branches above the paths by their hair as a warning to any other who wished to try such. It was quite effective."

Grin widening, Taiyang giggled a little, "I approve!"

Tipping his goblet towards her, Carnwennan hummed, "Ah, right, back to Galahad and his... adventure." Ignoring the confused looks, he sipped some more wine, "Well, Galahad and the others came upon a large group of bandits, which included a druid. The battle went well, until the druid, upon his death, called upon the weather and caused a massive thunderstorm to break above them. It was how they would attack travellers, by creating a storm and attacking the disorientated people trying to get out of the rain."

Now leaning forward, Kenshō had wide eyes, "What happened next?"

Finger tapping against the table, the Arthurian weapon spirit hummed, "Well, Galahad, kept fighting. But he was separated from the others by the storm and thus sought shelter. As it turned out, not far from where they were was a small Roman fort in the form of a stone tower. Galahad knocked on said door and it was opened to reveal a woman who allowed him in when he identified himself as one of Arthur's men... and that was the last anyone saw of him for the next six months until he returned to Camelot with a limp."

Eyes wide, Natsumi stared at him, "What happened?"

Small smirk on his face, Carnwennan chuckled, "Well, one thing that people need to remember is that Christianity was not really all that powerful in the Isles at that time. The ways of the Old Gods were still strong and hale, and it would be centuries before they yielded in any true way. However, this meant that sometimes you had odd... mixes between the new and old religions. In this case, the group in question was a fertility cult of sorts who believed that the Christian God's 'Go forth and be fruitful' alongside the idea of 'Nuns' meant that they could be rewarded through their marriage by the Christian God sending someone to help them, ah, be fruitful."

Biting her lip to keep from laughing, a few chuckles still escaped from Usagi, "I, uh, take it that Galahad had an... interesting time then?"

Tone dry, the dagger gave her a raised eyebrow, "One could say such, yes. They saw Galahad's arrival as a sign, to say the least. Now, they didn't force him to do anything, mind. But... well, they knew combinations of herbs and such that would help. I believe that some of those potions still exist in some of the older books that the Potter family has." Giving a look towards Natsumi as well as the Submarines, he was rewarded when they went red, "It should be noted, that after his return and Arthur confirming his, ah, prowess at battle, that the King made him a full-fledged warrior, or Knight, I suppose that it should be said. Not that Galahad ever lived it down... Especially when they came across the hamlet founded there with a large number of people whom looked like Galahad. Or that Lancelot ever did anything but grumble."

Everyone blinked at that story, but before Carnwennan could start a new one, Harry came walking in with Taigei and Ryuuhou with covered trays. With a gesture, the covered plates and such came to rest on the table. Looking at the interested looks, Harry reached over to two of the covered dishes and pulled the metal tops, "Dinner is served, and first we have roast geese."

More than one eye widened at the look of the two roast geese, resting upon a bed of vegetables such as roast potatoes. Steam gently wafted upwards from it and almost immediately, the more carnivorous of the Yokai drooled. Wiping a little from her mouth, Natsumi swallowed, "Looks delicious, Harry-Chan."

Lips curling a bit in satisfaction, the wizard pulled the lid off a pot to reveal a creamy looking soup, "For those of us less interested in meat, we have leek and potato soup. Along with..." Another bowl was uncovered showing various vegetables with redcurrants dotting them, "A nice summer salad."

Clapping her hands, Usagi licked her lips, "Now that I am interested in!"

Unable to help himself, Harry snickered before revealing a bowl with a serving spoon filled with a reddish sauce with bumps before gesturing at the gravy bowl, "Here we have the redcurrant and raspberry sauce for the goose meat. Not to mention the gravy."

That was followed by another bowl with more roast potatoes, another with bread that had butter in a bowl to be spread on it, and a final one with peas still in their shell, shiny from butter.

In more than a little awe, Yae looked at the meal before her even as her stomach grumbled. She did watch as Sheff carved the goose and places slices onto plates for those whom wanted it before passing said plates to those people. Even as hers was placed in front of her, she watched as Okita spooned some of the redcurrant sauce onto the goose meat and then took a bite. The Kendoka felt her eyebrows raise as the former Shinsengumi closed her eyes in bliss and held her hand to her cheek, "Um, Okita-San? Is... is that good?"

Once she swallowed, Okita nodded with a happy expression on her face, "Hai, it is." Licking her lips, she took another forkful, "The goose is really good, and the sauce goes really well... I mean, it's somewhat tart, but tastes great with it!"

Chuckling, Harry gave her a grin as he sat down with his own plate, "Well, not surprising. Where the Americans might have cranberry sauce, here in Britain we have redcurrant." Taking a forkful of meat, he took a bite and hummed as he chewed before swallowing, "Still pretty good."

Usagi happily hummed as she ate a spoonful of leek and potato soup, 'Mmm... now this is really good...' After she swallowed, she turned to Harry and gestured with her spoon, "Thank you for this, Harry-Kun. I know that you went out of your way to make something for myself."

Just shrugging, the wizard in question shook his head, "It's fine, Usagi-Chan. Besides, I know that neither you nor Uesugi-Chan eat meat and there's plenty for you."

That made the two girls mentioned nod happily as they went back to their meal.

However, once the main meal was done, Harry left and came back with covered bowls which he placed in front of each of them. Then, with a slight flourish, he used magic to lift the tops off them, "And now for dessert! Rote Grütze with vanilla sauce!"

A happy gasp came from Hachi as she clasped her hands and looked at Harry, "You made Rote Grütze!?" Licking her lip, she looked at the dessert in front of her before her eyes widened, "That was why you bought groats from that small grocery store!"

Smirk on his face, the fourteen year old boy nodded, "Got it in one, Hachi-Chan." He then gave a small shrug as he sat down, "Redcurrants are used in it as well as things like blackcurrants and raspberries. So, I figured, why not? And I wanted to try some of the recipes that Marie passed along to me... Hopefully it's good."

Upon hearing that, Hachi snorted at him, "As if there is any doubt, Harry-Chan." A grin appeared on her face, "Though RO-Chan will be so jealous that she was not here."

Just grinning back, Harry gave her a shrug, "Then I'll just need to make some for her when we get home." He then winked some, "Just don't tell her."

That got him grins and giggles from the two Subgirls, even as Taigei and Ryuuhou shook their heads at him in amusement.

Looking at the dessert, Kaku raised his eyebrow even as he hoped that he had enough room for the treat, "Um, what exactly is it?"

With a blink, Harry looked over at the Tanuki and smiled a little, "It's a German dish that uses redcurrants with some other berries to help the taste. A sort of pudding."

Yae had an odd look on her face at that before she turned towards Harry, "Um, wait, this is a pudding?"

Shrugging, the teenage wizard nodded before pausing, "Well, it can be considered such, though I suppose that porridge might be better. Groats are a type of oat after all."

Eyebrow raised, Uesugi took a spoonful of the confection and raised it to eye level before putting it in her mouth. After a few moments of chewing, she blinked before swallowing, "It's... quite good."

It was not long after that the other teens joined her in eating the dessert, happily smiling as they did so. Though Hachi, especially, was a source of amusement for all of them. After all, she was making very happy sounds as she ate spoonful after spoonful.

________________________________________________________

Entering the bedroom in her swimsuit, Hachi stretched a little, "Ahhh, that was good."

Amused, and noting that Harry was watching the blonde Submarine as she stretched, Iku raised an eyebrow, "What was good? The dinner? Dessert? Or the swim and hot tub afterwards?"

Just looking over her shoulder, the blonde Submarine giggled, "All of the above, Iku-Chan." Coming to a stop, she turned towards Harry and hugged him, "Thank you for that, Harry-Chan. Hacchan really enjoyed dessert."

Lightly chuckling, Harry placed his hands on her hips before smiling as he kissed her, which deepened slightly. Pulling back, he hummed, "It's not a problem, Hachi-Chan. I'm just glad that you enjoyed it."

This time, it was Hachi who kissed him, arms over his shoulders before pulling back with a happy smile, "Ja, I did."

Even as his lips twitched, the teenage boy kissed her again before doing the same with Iku, who returned it as much as Hachi had.

Once their baths were all done, the group settled in for bed with Kenshō sipping some of the hot milk drink that Harry often made for Hoppou. Out of the corner of his eye, however, the wizard noticed that Taigei had winced slightly and frowned, "Taigei-Chan? Something wrong?"

With everyone looking at her, the Submarine Tender blushed and glanced at her "Twin sister" before shaking her head, "It's nothing, Harry-Chan."

Completely unconvinced, Harry just gave her a look as he crossed his arms, "Uh-huh... want to try again?"

Just wincing, Taigei glanced away, "Um... its just my welds, Harry-Chan, nothing more." Rolling her shoulder, she briefly grimaced, "It will go away soon enough..." Feeling the bed sink a little, she turned to find Harry there behind her with a frown, "Harry-Chan...?"

Gently placing a hand on her arm, the green eyes of the wizard met her own reddish-pink eyes, "Taigei-Chan... do those welds trouble you even now? I thought..."

Sadly smiling, Taigei placed her hand over Harry's, "Its fine, Harry-Chan. They're something that I have grown used to after all, and unlike Warspite-San, they were part of my actual construction, not something added later. You can't just magic them away like her damage was."

Frown on his face, Harry was about to say something when he paused and considered the thought that appeared in his mind. After a few moments, he gave a small nod, "Not now..." Shaking that off, he ignored the confused look that she gave him and smiled, "I... might know of a way to help, Taigei-Chan. If that is okay?"

Blinking, the Submarine Tender looked at him before smiling, "Of course it is, Harry-Chan. After all, I do trust you."

Only nodding, Harry moved his hand away from her arm before getting up. Walking over to a small box, he opened it and took out a small bottle which caused Natsumi to blink, "What's that, Harry-Chan?"

With a glance, the teenage boy smiled some, "It's something that my family came up with centuries ago. Not really a potion, but... well, it helps for muscle aches and such. Normally you would place it into a cloth and place it on the area, but, my Dad figured out another way that he used to use on my Mum, my biological one." Pausing, he blushed a little, "He, um, found out that it was great for massage..."

A blush on her face, Taigei was about to say something when she swallowed and took a deep breath. Then, she shifted a bit before taking off her nightshirt, which meant that it was now Harry's turn to blush as it exposed her upper body. With a smile, despite the heavy blush on her face, Taigei turned to him and moved onto the bed before laying down, "U-um, it might be better like this..."

Unable to help himself, Harry looked her over for a few moments before taking a deep breath, "Right..." Getting up on the bed, he straddled her some and his eyes met hers once more, "If you feel uncomfortable..."

Reaching over, the Submarine Tender took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze, "I'll tell you, Harry-Chan. Besides... I trust you."

Those words did something to Harry and he blinked away some tears before nodding. Pouring a little bit of the oily salve into his hand, he corked it and then rubbed his hands together. With a deep breath, he leaned down and placed his hands on Taigei's shoulders, which made her gasp and he paused, "A-are you alright?"

Just looking over her shoulder, Taigei nodded a bit, "I am, Harry-Chan." Then, she smiled, "Please continue."

With a small nod, the teen began to work the salve into her with gentle, but firm hands. Remembering a little bit from an earlier massage he had given, Harry used some Onmyoudo to create a heated aura around his hands, which sank into the shipgirl's skin as she let out a soft sigh. A glance showed him that she was smiling, 'I... guess that she likes it.'

Meanwhile, inside of the representation of Taigei's Captain's Quarters, the shipgirl gave a groan as she felt Harry work, "O-oh... that... Mmm..." Another soft sigh escaped her and she bit her lip a little as she felt the wizard work at one particular stubborn weld, which seemed to melt under his touch, the aches and pains slowly disappearing, "A-ah... s-so good..."

Back in reality, Harry frowned a little as he looked at her skin. It was impossible to really see, but it felt like there were small scars under his hand that were not visible. As if they were under the skin, 'Are those the defective welds...?'

Remembering his earlier thought, his eye went towards one of the few ornaments that were there he had made, the model of his Aunt Mutsu composed of rock crystal from her wedding to Admiral Richardson. He had made it from a number of smaller rock crystals he had made one via using transfiguration to "Flow" the material together. Now, looking at Taigei, he wondered a little.

Eventually, Harry reached Taigei's lower back as he continued to work before nodding as he worked at the last knot. As he straightened, however, he felt her reach over and grab his wrist, "Taigei-Chan? Is... something wrong?"

Only shaking her head, the Tender smiled, "No, Harry-Chan, but, um..." Chewing her lip, she flushed a bit more than she had with a little bit of steam coming from her ears as her voice became a whisper, "Could you do my sides as well? Some of the welds there..."

For a few moments, Harry blinked before smiling, "Sure, I can do that."

This time, after he added a bit of salve to his hands and placed his hand just under her armpit, Taigei gave a happy groan which made him flush a little before be began working. Once he was done, the purple haired shipgirl turned and smiled happily at him as she felt almost all her aches and pains gone for now. Turning under him carefully, she sat up before looking him in the eye and kissing him.

For his part, Harry blinked only for a moment before returning the kiss as his hands went to her hips. As they pulled apart, he sheepishly smiled, "Guess I don't need to ask if you liked it..."

Just snorting, Taigei leaned her forehead against his, "No, you don't, Harry-Chan." Kissing him briefly again, she shook her head, "No, you do not." Pulling away, the Tender looked towards Ryuuhou, "But I think that there is one more who could use some of the same attention."

It took a few seconds, but his eyes widened and he looked over at a slightly flushed Ryuuhou, "Ryuuhou-Chan?"

Humming, the Carrier's eyes met his, "Well... I do have the same hull as Nee-Chan, Harry-Chan. Could you...?" When he nodded, Ryuuhou glanced at her sister before taking off her shirt and moving beside her twin and then laying down, "Go ahead, Harry-Chan."

With a small nod, Harry moved over until he was straddling Ryuuhou and proceeded to work out the knots and such that she had as well. Much to the relief of the Light Carrier, who relaxed almost immediately. Like with Taigei, she had him do her sides as well before turning and kissing him, the teen returning the affectionate gesture. Both sisters shared a look before giggling and smiling, Harry rubbing the back of his neck with a slight grin of his own.

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

I come bearing gifts! Okay, one gift. But it's a nice one!

I've been having trouble getting the next Dana snippet out of my head--I know how it goes, but I just can't get it started. And for some reason, it just doesn't make sense to finish the Select storyline before that. In the midst of this mental conundrum, something that's been percolating a while finally pumped itself out. Maybe with this out of the way, I'll be able to finish the others. Here's hoping.
-----

Yumeno woke to find herself nuzzling Tanya's hair, arms wrapped around the Abyssal's stomach, and for a moment she panicked. Fortunately, the small flash of terror brought clarity with it. With a sigh that ruffled Tanya's hair, Yumeno set about extracting her arm from under her bedmate.

Nothing had happened last night. It had nearly happened, but it hadn't happened. Thank goodness. Thank goodness?

This all was driving her crazy.

Caffeine. And breakfast. Those would clear her head.

Successfully freeing herself, Yumeno pulled the covers up to Tanya's shoulders. Then she walked silently out of the room.

As she set about setting up the coffee pot, she had time to reflect. Tanya's interest in her was… obvious. And growing more so. Now that she was looking for it, Yumeno had to ask if it had always been there. At the same time, she wasn't sure she wanted to know. For almost as long as she had known Tanya, she had been looking to her as if she were the sun come down to earth. From where Yumeno was standing, it sure felt like love.

How did she feel about Tanya? She cared about her, yes. You had to care about people after all, on some fundamental level. And Tanya had been her patient up until this year. You bond with people after knowing them that long. And… and yes, Tanya was attractive. Yumeno often found herself thinking about her in ways she'd never thought about anyone before. Ways she didn't always feel comfortable thinking about others. Tanya had figured out what she… what she liked, and knew how to play to it…

How should she feel about Tanya? That one was a little shakier. She wasn't Tanya's doctor any more now, she knew that well enough. But whatever feelings were there had been born through that… relationship… so she… where the hell were the coffee grounds?

Yumeno checked another cupboard. And another. The fridge. She finally located the sorry, empty bag inside the garbage can where she had dropped it yesterday morning oh good lord she'd forgotten. And she hadn't drunk instant coffee since high school, so of course she didn't have any of that on hand. And tea was okay, but it didn't exactly do it for Yumeno…

Well, she could go and buy more. The convenience store was open this early, and it was ten minutes there and back. She could be there and back right as Tanya was waking up. Easiest thing in the world. Fresh air would probably clear her head a little more, help her think better.

Wouldn't hurt to leave a note first.
-----

Eighteen minutes and one bag of coffee grounds later, Yumeno was no closer to an answer than she ever had been. The question was pushing ever harder in the back of her head, so much she could almost feel it physically, and the answer that would abate the pressure just wouldn't come, no matter what she did.

"Oh, Doctor Norihara! You are out early, are you not?"

Yumeno grinned. "Hello, Karasu-san. How's your husband doing?"

The elderly woman peered up at her through pince-nez glasses that sat on a nose large and beaky enough Yumeno could easily imagine her as her avian namesake. She and her husband ran a grocery stall at the market with the help of a small army of grandchildren.

"Very well, thank you," she said in her odd formal tone. "That hospital in Kyoto that you recommended to us has done wonders."

Yumeno's first recommendation had been for a hospital in Tokyo. She still couldn't understand why they had turned it down so vehemently. "Glad to hear it," she said aloud. "I'll see you later."

"Doctor," Mrs. Karasu said, raising a hand. Almost involuntarily, Yumeno slowed. "Is there something amiss? You appear to have something on your mind."

What? Was she that obvious?

In any case, she didn't want to burden anyone with her problems. Yumeno opened her mouth to deny it…

On the other hand, the Karasus had been married… fifty years now? Sixty? More? Maybe…

"Last night," Yumeno started, "something nearly happened between me and Tanya."

"Is that so?" Mrs. Karasu asked, adjusting her glasses and gazing more closely at her. "What sort of "something" would that be, hmm?"

"Well, it didn't happen, but…" Yumeno winced, recalling how she had pulled away with bitter relief. "Something intimate."

"Do you mean to say that you two are—"

"No! No, we're… I…" How was she supposed to put this? Stepping away from the road onto the grass, Yumeno looked down at her feet. "You… do know how Tanya and I met, right?"

Grass crunched beside her, and she looked down to see Mrs. Karasu lowering herself into a sitting position. "I do believe that the poor girl was your patient, yes?" she replied, patting the ground beside her.

It was a little more complicated than that, but… Close enough that Yumeno didn't feel the need to clarify. She sat down and winced at the… huh. Dry grass, this early in the morning. You'd think that her elderly confidante had done it herself in preparation, somehow.

"That's about the gist of it. And Tanya's been interested in me for… I think for almost as long as I've known her. It's just…"

"Such relationships between doctor and patient are frowned upon," Mrs. Karasu finished. "And justly so, hmm?"

Yumeno shrugged. "Yeah. That. Except now, now she's not my patient anymore, and I… I don't know who we are any more." Or maybe there was a better way to put that? "I mean, I know who we are, but I'm not sure where I go from here. I-I know that she's… attractive, and we're close, but that could easily be a mistake. And some mistakes, you can't take back. But it's so… I want it, but I don't know if I…" She trailed off, biting back a whine of frustration.

Mrs. Karasu gave her a dry look. "That sounds very complicated," she said. Yumeno specifically didn't look at her as she twisted her lip.

"I just don't know if I should keep treating her like my patient, or…" she reached down, rubbing a blade of grass between her fingers. "Or something else."

"I see," Mrs. Karasu said, nodding sagely. "I don't think I can answer that question for you."

What?

"Karasu-san?"

The elderly woman said, reaching down to push herself upright. Yumeno nearly scrambled to her feet trying to help her up, but Mrs. Karasu popped into a standing position with all the ease of someone half her age.

"This relationship is between you and her, is it not?" she pointed out. "Your positions have changed, yes, but that means that you must be the one to choose whether or not it is acceptable. Asking advice is all well and good, but do not try to foist matters upon others, hmm?"

Something in her chest… lightened, and Yumeno let out a bark of laughter. "That's still a pretty heavy decision to make, isn't it?" she asked, climbing to her own feet.

"Yes, I suppose it is," Mrs. Karasu mused. "Tell me, how does she smile at you?"

"Smile?"

"Never mind. With time, you will understand." The old woman adjusted her glasses again. "But please wait until December. Hibiki would like to take her children to Okinawa."

What.

That was… There was a betting pool?

People were betting on her?

People were betting on her relationships? With money?

What?

"Oh dear." Mrs. Karasu smiled, and reached over to pat Yumeno lightly on the wrist. "Just forget I said that, hmm?"
-----

"I'm home!" Norihara shouted from the doorway.

"Welcome home!" Tanya called back. "I'm in the kitchen. What took you so long?"

"I got coffee," Norihara replied, swiftly walking into the room and raising a shopping bag into view. "And… I had a lot to think about."

Tanya nodded. "Well," she said, smiling, "I hope you worked everything out."

Norihara didn't respond. She was too busy gaping at Tanya. Had she done something wrong?

"… Norihara?"

"I-I'm okay," the woman startled back to life. "I'm just… I… damn. That's what she was talking about." She laughed, pressing a hand over her eyes.

"What do you mean? Is everything alright?"

"Everything… everything's fine." Norihara dropped her coffee on the kitchen table. "Tanya… there's something we need to talk about."

Somewhere in the pit of Tanya's stomach, a butterfly opened its wings. "Yes?" she asked nervously.

"How do you feel about me?"

Several seconds passed, and Tanya felt her face flush with heat. She looked away.

"I see," Norihara said, sitting down. "And I'm…"

"I'm sorry," the Norihara inside of her head shook her head. The butterfly leapt from its perch, and two more woke slowly.

"I'm going to be level with you, Tanya. I'm not completely sure how we should be approaching our relationship now that I'm no longer your doctor. For years, I've known you as your caretaker. That's… that's not…"

"I know," Tanya replied, butterflies shaking themselves loose by the dozen even as her stomach curdled. "That would be wrong."

"It would," Norihara nodded. "But… as things stand now, we… we don't actually need to let that define what we mean to each other anymore. And I…"

Tanya's stomach was going to war with itself as she sat down across from Norihara. The woman in question lowered her gaze, whispering something to herself.

"And you?"

"… I actually… I do kind of want to have a relationship," Norihara said. "A romantic one."

The butterflies in Tanya's stomach exploded into fireworks.

"I mean… I don't know that it will end up working," Norihara added hastily. "We've been… we've been like this for so long. And I… there are things I'm still not sure that I'm comfortable with, not yet. I just… I need…"

"Norihara," Tanya said gently, reaching out and taking her hand. "I understand. We can…" She paused, thinking about what she was saying. "If we… if we decide to do this. We can take it slow. Have boundaries. And if it doesn't work out, I'll understand."

"You're sure?"

"Of course!" Tanya smiled. "It'll happen if you decide it's the right thing to do. And that's why I fell in love with you in the first place!"

Norihara shifted her right hand around, brought her left one up. She clasped them gently around Tanya's. "I think that would bother some people," she said, amusement worming its way into her voice.

"Then those people are fools," Tanya replied resolutely. "You're you. I couldn't ask anything from you but that, Norihara."

Norihara chuckled quietly.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "And… And if we're doing this…"

"Nori—"

Norihara immediately released her hand, reaching up and pressing a finger to her lips.

"If we're doing this, Tanya," she said, her voice a little louder, a little clearer, "then I want you to use my first name. Call me Yumeno."
-----

*Ame-no-Uzume unicycles into the room*

*Takes out a pair of sunglasses*

"My work here..." *puts on sunglasses* "... is done."

*Unicycles out*

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Natsumi took a deep breath of the steam laden air before opening her eyes. Various flowery scents tickled her nose, her senses as warm water lapped at her body as she laid there, her dark auburn hair spread out like a fan around her. Here and there, lotus floated in the pure water. But she barely noted that.

Instead, she was focused on the woman in front of her.

Part of Natsumi mused at how strange it was to see her, to examine her as the other woman was examining her. She, with mostly Japanese features and the slight hint of Chinese blood. And the woman in front of her with nearly all Chinese features. Yet, they were alike in many ways. Said woman, like her, had her hair fanned out in the water though her hair color was that of a dark night. And, like her, she had fox ears and tails.

Except, unlike Natsumi, she had nine.

Continuing her examination, part of the younger Kitsune couldn't help but admire her for her beauty. It was the sort of beauty that would cause artists to weep in the hopes of using such in their art. The kind of beauty that would send nations to war and Emperors to fall. And why would it not? For Natsumi recognized whom was in front of her. It was not Tamamo no Mae, despite the near identical looks to said Kitsune.

For it was, truly, Daji.

Neither spoke for some time, simple examining each other. Being no fool, Natsumi knew that she stood no chance in a fight, even here. Yet, for some odd reason, she felt no fear. There was no anger or hate in Daji's eyes, just a curiosity of some sort... and a deep seated tiredness.

As if she found what she was looking for, Daji smiled at her, "You know who I am, do you not, Ono Natsumi?"

Slowly, Natsumi nodded even as she felt a tingle at her name being spoken, "Hai... you are Daji."

Only humming, the Thousand Year Vixen leaned back in the bath, "Indeed." Tilting her head, she seemed... amused by something, "You are not frightened?"

Eyebrow raising, the younger fox spirit met her eyes evenly, "Compared to before? No, not at this moment as I know you cannot harm me."

Twinkle on her eye, Daji rose out of the water, the clear liquid streaming and dropping off her form as she stood. Part of Natsumi knew that she should feel jealous of the fox spirit for her beauty. Yet... she didn't. And while she knew that Daji was attractive, there wasn't any more anything sexual about it to her like for most.

In a way... it was like looking into a mirror, for one could tell that their reflection was attractive without actually falling in love with it.

Walking forward, the much older of the two smiled as she reached Natsumi and sat back down into the water, "But are you sure of that? For you spoke my name aloud."

Cocking her head to the side, Natsumi's gaze met the elder's, "Yes. You spoke my name first." Narrowing her eyes, she frowned, "Besides which, you have other matters and yet to make a decision. And you cannot yet hold power over I."

Lips drawing away from her teeth in a smile, Daji chuckled, "Ah, I should have known you, of all people, would understand." Her gaze went to the water where it rippled and showed the fight against the pelt. For several moments, she was silent. Her gaze less on the pelt and more on the boy fighting it. Then, Daji turned back to Natsumi, "One day, however... we shall meet." Her body moved through the water without a single limb moving until she was once more opposite Natsumi, "And, perhaps, I will test you."

Natsumi's next words caused Daji to pause, "Or, maybe, it is you who will be tested."

There was a thoughtful look on the other fox spirit's face before she hummed, "Who can tell?" Slowly, the steam began to thicken, "But until then, I shall watch..."

Out of the corner of both their eyes, the two vixens caught movement and looked to the side. There, in the shadows, was a third. Except, she had one aspect that the two noticed.

She had a mark around her neck that was visible for only a brief moment before the steam blocked the vision...

____________________________________________________________

With a blink, Natsumi woke to the sound of birdsong outside the window. Her nose was still tickled by the scent of the purfumed water and she could almost feel the warm bath lapping against her skin, even as both sensations faded into nothingness. For several moments, she just laid there before looking up to see Harry's sleeping face that was there before laying her head back onto his chest. Listening to his heartbeat, she felt her own calm down, 'Did that... was that real?'

From the depths of her mind, Tamamo sighed, 'Yes, it did happen. It being real, however, is a matter of... perspective, let us just say.'

Considering that for a time, the two tailed Kitsune nodded, 'I see.' Thinking back, she had a small frown on her face, 'Though... the fact that she is able to do that worries me.'

Just chuckling, she could almost see Tamamo shake her head, 'She will do nothing as of yet. At least until the Mandate is secure, and only then.' Pausing for a moment, she continued, 'Thus, we have nothing to worry about for now.'

Natsumi grimaced a little, 'At least from her. But what about that other woman who appeared? Daji seemed as surprised to see her as I felt.'

This time, the older Kitsune didn't say anything for what felt like minutes, 'I think that I know who that was, though it should be impossible.' Ignoring the silent question from Natsumi, she changed the subject, 'Now, I noticed that you did not feel any fear.'

A small snort escaped from Natsumi at that, 'Should I have? I... somehow knew that I could not be harmed by her. And considering things... well, I just felt wary of her, that is all.'

Humming, Tamamo gave a mental nod, 'As to be expected. Though considering that she may be on the move, perhaps... I should see about gifting you a little more help.' This time, she answered the unasked question, 'At the same time that I forged Taiyang, I created another weapon. A flying claw, I suppose that she could be considered a sister of sorts to Taiyang and to compliment her. Where Taiyang was close combat, Huixing was more long range. She is a bit harder to control, however... but it would come to you. In time.'

Nothing came from the younger of the two for a few moments before she sighed, 'Are you trying to turn me into a Wuxia heroine?'

Laughter came from the depths of her mind before Tamamo answered, 'And would that be such a bad thing? Imagine, however... Our Harry as a Wuxia hero. Hmm? Is not that an enjoyable image?'

Grumbling and ignoring the snickers as well as her blush, Natsumi just laid there, enjoying the sound of Harry's heartbeat. Gaze drifting to a sleeping Hachi, she hummed, 'I remember, you mentioned that you had considered sharing your husband with other women. Did you mean your Sisters from the legend?'

For once, Natsumi felt like she had surprised the echo of the ancient vixen. But then, she heard a soft chuckle, 'If the Celestial Bureaucracy had followed through with the promised reward and incarnated him with all his memories? Then, yes, I had considered the idea of asking them to join us. I believe that he would have made them happy as they would make him happy. As well, they would make sure that him and any child of ours would be well protected so that the tragedy of the past would not happen again. If you mean before his... death, then there was one woman I would have been happy with.'

Curious, the Kitsune mentally blinked, 'Really?'

Slowly, she could feel Tamamo mentally nod, 'Her name was Lianhua, or at least that would be the modern version of her name. She was a young woman in our village who loved my Husband. Despite that, she was happy because he was happy with I. Lianhua was beautiful, and I will admit that I was attracted to her. As well, she was strong, for she trained herself in the way of fighting. Myself and my Husband had talks and before... they came, were planning on approaching her. When my husband was executed, she attempted to free him, but was unable to. I watched, weakened, as she ran with my son, trying to get to safety when she was outnumbered and struck down. They killed her on the spot because they felt that she had been possessed... but it was that she loved my Husband and tried to protect the one thing that she could. And, for that, she has my respect.'

Quietly, Natsumi sighed, 'I'm sorry.'

However, Tamamo mentally waved her off, 'You have nothing to be sorry for, Natsumi. It was a long time ago, and anything that came from it was of my own fault. All I am to do is to make it up now.'

Simply nodding, the younger of the two closed her eyes and enjoyed the time cuddling with Harry.

Eventually, the teenage wizard began to stir as he awoke from his own dreams. Upon opening his eyes, his gaze met the amber eyes of Natsumi, gently smiling at him, "Good morning, Natsumi-Chan."

Lips curling into a soft smile, Natsumi happily hummed, "And a good morning to you as well, Harry-Chan." Shifting a little, she gently kissed him, with the other teen happily returning it before she pulled back, "A very good morning."

Chuckling a little, even as his eyes seemed to glow with happiness, Harry smiled, "It is at that."

The feel of a body beside him shifting made the teen turn to find a happily smiling Hachi there with a slight blush, "Hacchan thinks that any morning she wakes up with Harry-Chan there is a good morning."

Only reaching over, he cupped her cheek, thumb brushing under her eye, before kissing her. Pulling back after a few seconds, Harry sighed, "That is very true, Hachi-Chan."

In reply, the Submarine blushed before smiling and kissing him.

Roughly ten minutes later found Natsumi and Harry walking out the bedroom door before he paused and lifted a finger, "Give me a moment, Natsumi-Chan." The teenage Kitsune nodded and watched as Harry knocked at Ayase's door and waited until he got confirmation to come in. Opening the door, he paused for a moment as he noted that she had a blush on her face and was hiding a book under the covers, 'Wonder what that is about?' Shaking that off, the wizard smiled, "Ayase-Chan? Can I ask you something?"

Blinking, and blush slowly calming down, the Sendai nodded, "Of course, Harry-Chan. What is it?"

Smile on her face, Harry leaned against the door which seemed to bring back Ayase's blush a little, "Do you remember one of the reasons why I asked that you come with us?"

Confused, Ayase blinked and frowned, "One of the reasons..." It took a few seconds, but her eyes widened and she gasped a little, "You mean practicing with your swordsmanship?"

Humming, the teenage wizard nodded, "Hai." Scratching his cheek, Harry continued, "I was wondering if you could meet me just outside in... ten minutes? So that we could get some practice in before breakfast."

Eyes still wide, Ayase nodded rapidly enough that Harry was concerned that she might hurt herself, "O-of course, Harry-Do-Chan! I'll be down there!" After a moment, she blushed, "Um, front or back?"

Lips twitching, Harry chuckled a little, "Back, near where the kitchen's door is there's an even area of grass that we can use."

That made the Light Cruiser nod and smile, "Hai!"

With that, Harry backed out of the room and shut the door behind him even as he heard what sounded like a squeal, 'Wonder what that is about?' Shaking the thought off, he turned towards a highly amused Natsumi and held out his arm, "Shall we?"

Hooking her arm through his, the Kitsune smiled, "We shall." As they started walking, Natsumi hummed a little, "I think that I'll join you, however."

Eyebrow raised, Harry turned to her, "Really?"

Simply shrugging, Natsumi shook her head, "I need to get some practice in with Taiyang if I am going to use her properly after all. Might as well get some in now that I have the chance."

Even as the other teen nodded, Tamamo chuckled in the depths of her mind with amusement colouring her mental voice, 'And also show off as well for Our Harry.'

Not denying it, the teenage vixen decided to, instead, not say anything at all. It did not take them long to reach the room that some of the blades were staying in and opened it to find Carnwennan already dressed and chatting with Taiyang. Said Dao perked up as soon as she saw Natsumi and seemingly leapt across the room to subject her Master to marshmellow hell, "Ah! Master, this Foxy Blade has been waiting for you!"

Voice muffled, Natsumi blinked in a way that those whom knew her meant that she had a look of suffering on her face. Glancing at Harry, she noted that his lips were twitching and he looked away, 'Of course...' Once she was free of her soft, warm prison, she took a deep breath before turning towards Carnwennan, "Um, I was wondering if we were ready for... you know."

Carnwennan got up and smiled at her, "Aye, we are as a matter of fact. I was just discussing it with Taiyang here." Patting himself down, he stepped around the two teens, "Now then, if you'll follow me..."

It did not take them long to reach the place in question on the ground floor. Said place was a room roughly the size of a small dojo, though unlike most of the manor the floors, while flat, were rough stone and the walls were similar in that they, too, were made of large blocks of stone. Looking around, and then above where more stone beams made up the ceiling, Harry cocked an eyebrow, "Is this the dueling room?"

The Arthurian blade gave a small nod, "It is indeed, Master Harry. After all, I am sure that you remember when you first got a wand." Seeing the blush, he smirked a little, "The walls are sound proofed in here and any damage can be easily repaired." Before either teen could say something, Carnwennan gestured at the tables in front of him, "And here we go."

Eyes wide, Harry walked forward and examined one of the tables, which had small, wooden cases. On some of the cases were names of members of his family, now long dead with their births and deaths recorded. Others, however, were unmarked as well. Slowly, he ran a hand along the polished wood of one case, "Are these..."

Coming up beside him, Carnwennan nodded, "Wands, Master? Yes, some are legacy wands and others are ones that the Potters came into ownership of through... other means, let us say."

A snort made them turn to where there was a painting of a messy haired man who looked to be in his fifties at least, "Yes, I do suppose that is one way to put it..." Smirking a bit, the painting gave a small bow, "I am Harold Potter, former apprentice to Geoffrey Ollivander and operator of the Hogsmeade Branch of Ollivander's. I am also your many times great-grand uncle."

Eyes wide, Harry stared for a moment before frowning, "Wait..." He gave him a thoughtful look, "I think that I know you... weren't you killed by the Goblins during the Rebellion of 1612?"

Leaning back in his painting, Harold hummed a little, "That is correct, my descendant. When the goblins attacked, I hid the wands we had as they attempted to break in and, when they could not find them, proceeded to... try and get the secret from me." He grimaced a little bit, "I will not go into detail over what happened, but needless to say I have had an idea as to how those muggles tortured on the rack as well as drawn and quartered felt.' After a moment, the painting shook his head and waved his hand, "But enough of such dark things, from what I have heard you are here to have a wand selected for your lady love, or one of them, correct?"

Both teens glanced at each other before blushing which amused the painting. Looking away from Harry for a few moments to get her flush under control, Natsumi pointed at her ears, "It... does not bother you that I am not human, does it?"

The painting snorted at that and shook his head, "Not at all, as a matter of fact. Quite the opposite!" Scratching his chin, he hummed, "Besides which, you would not be the first one that us Potters have gotten a wand for despite it being against the law."

Curious, Harry raised an eyebrow at that, "Really? There's been others?"

Lips twitching, Harold nodded, "There have indeed! Elm, a female centaur, was gifted one. Another of our relatives, whom had a dragon famililar, also gifted her with a wand. Thus, it does not truly bother me much to see another be given one." His expression then became serious, "I do ask, however, that you keep it secret. While I have been informed that the Statute is going to fall, it is best not to ask for more trouble than one already has."

Simply nodding, Natsumi glanced at the pile of wand cases with a thoughtful look, "Could Harry-Chan get a second one?"

Grimace on his face, the painting shook his head, "While he could, indeed, get a second wand, it is best not to. Places such as Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and so forth often have spells that can sense if someone is carrying two wands on them. While the Aurors will accept a parent carrying their child's wand as punishment, they would not do the same for you. At best, it would be a hefty fine, and at worst, some jail time as you could be suspected of going to use your extra wand to commit a crime."

Just frowning at that, Harry internally sighed a little, 'I was afraid of that.' Turning towards the wands, he tilted his head a little, "I know that we have legacy wands here, but... where did all the unmarked ones come from?"

Leaning back, Harold had an amused look on his face as he chuckled, "As mentioned, many places. Some, various Potters have claimed from those whom they killed in battle, though not many and none from dark lords as such wands are tainted with dark magic. However, you should see some boxes there marked with a crown, yes? And others with what looks like the Flag of the United States?"

Eyebrow raised, the teenage wizard nodded, "I do."

With a motion of his hand, Harold smiled, "The first are from various Spanish ships that were shipping wands to the New World for the Spanish colonies there. Some of ours were privateers. It is much the same origin for the ones marked with the flag of the United States from the War of 1812. You will likely find ones there, as well, from the wars with the French among others. All of them were seized and brought here in case a Potter ever needed them." Head tilted to the side, he hummed, "Now, the ones marked with what looks like the stones from Stonehenge are my personal wands that I made for the family."

Simply nodding, Natsumi looked over the contained wands before letting it out, "I... suppose that we should get started." Pausing for a moment, she frowned, "Do I need to do the tape measure and such?"

A laugh came from the painting as he shook his head, "No, no, there's no need for that now." Calming down, Harold's eyes met Natsumi's, "While it is true that such measures do, in a way, give us an idea as to what wand would be suited, it is not needed. And usually, it is the reactions that one gives us wandmakers when being measured that gifts us with the most knowledge."

Blinking, Natsumi glanced to Harry before taking a step forward, "Okay... let's start with... willow and Kelpie hair?" At the nods, she picked up the wand and gave it wave, only to be knocked on her ass by a loud bang, "Itai..."

Hand covering her mouth, Taiyang tittered, "I do not believe that wand is the one for you, Master."

Grimace on her face, the Kitsune accepted the hand from Harry and got up as she rubbed her ass, "No, really." With a sigh, she put it back into the case and closed it as it was moved aside, "Let's try... willow and lindorn heartstring? Huh..."

One by one, she tried the wands to various effects. Some were funny, others were not such as when she had to put out a fire.

Minutes turned into an hour, then an hour and a half before she picked up one wand and looked at it, "Hmm... Oak and Pooka hair?" Head tilted to the side, she lifted the wand upwards and her eyes widened as it warmed in her hand. From the tip, blue sparkles appeared and spread out into a cloud that formed a fox that sprang and danced around her before fading away. Staring at the wand in her hands, Natsumi blinked, "Um... I think that this is the one?"

Unable to help himself, Harold nearly tipped back in his painting, "Oh yes! I do believe so as well." Flicking away a tear, he leaned forward, "Still, how very intriguing that such a wand picked you."

Cocking her head to the side, Taiyang blinked, "Oh? How so?"

In the painting, the wandmaker clasped his hands together, "There are many meanings to various things. Oak is known as the King of the Forest from the Winter Solstice to the Summer, as the days lengthen. And as the days shorten, holly becomes the King of the Forest. In my experience, oak demands a certain type of wizard or witch. One whom has inner strength, fidelity as well as courage. One whom will stand beside someone no matter what storm breaks, sheltering those they wish to protect under their boughs. That tree, is also rather interesting. For a cruel lord once used it as a hanging tree until, one day, it was struck by lightning in a storm that killed said lord as he prepared to hang another unfortunate. It was thought to be dead, but... a year later, a single green branch appeared, soon joined by others. After which, during a bandit attacked, the local children were able to hide among the branches."

Eyebrows raising, Natsumi looked at the wand in her hands, 'Something that was dark... which died and turned into something that was protective.'

Unknowing of the Kitsune's thoughts, Harold was rubbing his chin, "As for the Puca... that is another interesting creature, a type of fae. You see, like its relative the kelpie, it is a shapeshifter. At night, it will waylay travellers by transforming into a horse to tempt them onto it's back. Then, it will ride wildly through the countryside at night, going from this world to the Otherworld and back at a moment's notice. The rider will be unable get off the horse and will hang on. Said person will have a wild and terrifying journey. Yet, as the horizon lightens, the Puca will slow and then allow the rider off, unharmed, before galloping away with a laugh. They can also be helpful, sometimes preventing people from coming across more malevolent fairies by calling out to them and identifying themselves as Puca and giving their names."

That made Harry blink and he turned towards the painting with wide eyes, "Wait, they identify themselves? But... isn't that strange? I mean, I thought that Fae and such never gave their names, because such is power."

Slowly, the painting nodded, "And you would be right. They would, indeed, hide their names, but not the Puca. If one gained one as a friend, then you would have a loyal protector from the supernatural, one whom would help as needed. To have such a hair in your wand is... highly interesting."

Fingering her new wand, Natsumi smiled a little before levitating a box, "Hai... very interesting indeed..."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Having left the Dueling Room behind, Natsumi walked alongside the others as she continued to finger her new wand. Under her fingertips, she could feel the warmth of the wood under it, the tingle of magic. With a smile on his face, Harry chuckled a little as he watched her, "Nothing like it, huh, Natsumi-Chan?"

Only humming for a moment, the Kitsune glanced at him with a bright smile on her face, "Hai, nothing like it."

Lips twitching as his smile grew, Harry nodded a little, "I'll get started on making you a holster for it, Natsumi-Chan. Like the one that I have." His fingers tapped the metal sheath for his own wand that hung from his belt. Due to the small bit of wood sticking out, most non-magical people assumed he had a pencil in it for some reason and so ignored it. Internally, he gave a small hum, 'Not to mention that I am already done with the wand holder for your bed...'

Part of the teenage wizard wondered, for a moment, what Natsumi's reaction to the metal block with two Kitsune whose tails would hold said wand might be.

Shaking that thought off, however, Harry chuckled a little. But before Natsumi could ask, Taiyang spoke up, "It is a very nice wand, Master. And I feel that it will serve you well in the years to come, Mikon!"

With a glance at her, Natsumi smiled, "Thank you, Taiyang." Looking back at the wand, she sighed a little, "I'd love to play with my wand and test it out more, but I don't have the time right now..." Hearing a cough, she looked to the wizard who was blushing and trying not to laugh. Confused, the Kitsune went over what she just said before flushing herself and smacking him in the arm, "Lewd."

Grin on his face, her friend only laughed, "You were the one who said it, Natsumi-Chan, not me." He then gave a small shrug, "Anyways, you can do a few spells once we get back to the room since we have to get ready for practice."

That only made Natsumi nod before Taiyang perked up, tail swishing behind the Dao, "I am looking forward to practicing with you some more, Master!" Clapping her hands together, she grinned, "We're going to have such fun, Mikon~"

Any euthusiasm that Natsumi felt vanished right then and she hung her head a little, "Yay. More bruises." Getting only giggles from her sword, she shook her head, "Though I wish that we could get something to eat first. Not much though..." Noticing the smirk on Harry's face, she blinked, "What did you do?"

Humming, Harry looked away from her, "Nothing much really, Natsumi-Chan. But... I did ask Taigei to leave a little something for us to munch on when we got back. I think that you might like it~"

Needless to say, the teenage Kitsune cocked an eyebrow at that, but still felt her stomach grumble a little. Before they reached the Master Bedroom, she glanced at Taiyang, who smirked, but said blade still bowed slightly, "I'll go back to my room now, Master, and gather the practice sword for you."

Carnwennan also had a slight smirk on his face, "I will as well Master."

Both of the two blades bowed slightly with a nod and walked off to their rooms in the manor. Part of Harry was curious about it, but he decided that he did not need to know at exactly that moment, and so shrugged it off. Instead, however, he walked up to the room door and opened it before walking inside, only closing it once Natsumi was through.

What he did not expect was that as soon as the door was closed, Natsumi to walk up and embrace him. Automatically, Harry's hands went to her hips as he tilted his head to the side, "Natsumi-Chan? What is it?"

Lips curled into a happy smile, the Yokai's tails swished behind her, "Just wanted to say thank you, Harry-Chan. For the wand." Her eyes then softened, "You could get into quite a lot of trouble."

Giving her lips a peck, Harry shook his head, "I don't care about that, Natsumi-Chan. Besides, for you? It would be worth it."

Eyes shining a little with wetness, Natsumi shook her head, "Harry-Chan, you baka."

Then, leaning in, she kissed him with it deepening moments later. Harry, for his part, fully returned said kiss as the Kitsune wrapped him in her tails... that was, until she reached down and gently moved one hand of his from her hips and further behind and down. That made the wizard pull back a little, "Um, Natsumi-Chan..."

Despite the blush that was on her face, Natsumi smiled and giggled slightly, "It's fine, Harry-Chan. I don't mind it being you and I trust you..."

As if to show him what she said was true, the Kitsune then took his other hand and did the same with it before kissing him again.

For several minutes, the two teenagers kissed each other, with the female of the two humming a little into it as Harry pulled her close. Eventually, the two pulled apart panting with Harry having a dazed look on his face and a grin, "Wow..."

Unable to help herself, Natsumi giggled some and kissed him briefly, "Wow indeed, Harry-Chan." As they pulled apart fully, she hummed as she walked over with a slight sway to her hips, which she knew from a glance in the mirror that Harry was following, "Now, we should be getting ready for our practice..." Seeing the smirk on Harry's face, she raised an eyebrow, "What?"

In reply, the wizard tapped a box that was on the desk with a chuckle, "Well? Don't you want something to snack on first? That way, we don't have hunger distracting ourselves?"

Happily humming, Natsumi walked over as she licked her lips a little, "That's true enough, Harry-Chan." Opening the box, her eyebrows raised some and she could feel her mouth water, "Cherry tarts!"

Grin on his face, Harry came up behind her and placed his arms around her waist before kissing the bottom of one ear, which made it flick a little, "Hai, I made them up last night. Just asked that Taigei toss them into the oven and place them into the box here to keep them warm so that we could have a snack." He tilted his head towards a thermos, "As well as some black tea to wake up fully with."

Twisting around in the embrace, Natsumi gave him another kiss, which he returned. Once she pulled back, she had a happy smile on her face as her tails wagged, "You know me far too well, Harry-Chan."

All he did was shrug at that with a smile of his own before the two poured some tea and each ate a tart.

Not long after, the two met up again with Taiyang as well as Carnwennan, though, that said? Natsumi was somewhat annoyed by the fact that said Dao was using a martial arts Gi... done up in such a way to show off cleavage. Ignoring that, however, they used the time turner and went back to shortly after they had left the bedroom for the first time. All four of them ducked into an alcove until the sounds of their past selves disappeared. Stepping out of said alcove, Natsumi shook her head a little, "I am never going to get used to that."

For her part, Taiyang gave her a slight smile, "And you should not, Master. For when you become used to something is when you make mistakes for not noticing something that you should have."

Eventually, they reached the backyard area where they would be practicing. Stretching her arms a little, Natsumi nodded some as Ayase arrived already dressed much to the Kitsune's amusement, 'Wonder how long that took...?' Shaking that off, she got down and began her stretches though she noted that Taiyang seemed amused for some reason by that, "Taiyang?"

The Dao shook her head a little and got down to do her own stretches, "It is nothing, Master. Just somewhat amused by the fact that such things as these stretches are done now for the most part. It was uncommon in some ways before I was sealed."

Glancing at her, Natsumi leaned forward to touch her toes, "I guess? But they do help keep one limber and flexible. And a lot less cramps too if you warm up."

Amused, Taiyang glanced towards Harry, noting that he was watching Natsumi stretch, "I see, that is very interesting." If anything, she became more amused when her Master sighed as the blade spirit leaned forward which meant that her Gi's top revealed a bit much. Once their stretches were done, and Harry as well as Ayase had begun their own, the foxy blade helped Natsumi to her feet before handing her the wooden Dao that she would be using, "Now then, Master, we shall begin with the basics of using the Dao."

Simply watching as Taiyang summoned her true self with a motion of her hands, the Kitsune nodded, "Right, that does make sense."

Lips curled as she hummed, the Dao made a few motions with her true form, "Now then, my blade is primarily used for chopping and slashing, Master. While you can stab, it is much less effective than it might be with a Jian. Though I do have some special abilities as well due to my creation."

Observing the reactions as well as how the other blade spirits had come out to watch, she placed her palm on the spine of her blade and ran her hand along it. Everyone's eyes widened as her blade became more curved until it took the form of a piandao. Moving her hands back, the sword straightened to how it was originally. Gripping her hilt, she pulled on it with said part lengthening in her hand until it formed a podao. With practiced ease, she went into various motions, stances, and the like, the wind whistling as she moved. Coming to a stop, she gripped the hilt and pushed it back to nearly normal.

Yet, she was not done as she grasped her blade and pulled, with said sword's blade lengthening until it could have matched Norimune's own sword in size. With that done, the Dao performed various moves and the like as if fighting against invisible enemies. This time, when she came to a stop, she shortened the blade by a bit, but then placed her palm on the flat, slowly moving it towards the edge, with the blade widening into a bagua dao. Done, she proceeded to once more fight various invisible opponents before stopping, and transforming her blade back to normal.

In the crowd watching, Kenshō clapped her hands excitedly, "That was so cool!" Turning, she looked towards Juuchi, "Wasn't that cool, Juuchi-Oba!?"

Smug smile on her face, Juuchi hummed a little as she bit into a blood orange, "It was somewhat impressive, yes."

That only got her a smug smirk from Taiyang before she turned back to an amazed Natsumi, "As you can see, one of my abilities is to transform into... many types of Dao. Which means that I am effective at short and mid ranges. Isn't my true self amazing, Mikon!"

Blinking, Natsumi gave a slow nod, "That... is pretty awesome, Taiyang." Pausing for a moment, she frowned, "Does that mean that Tamamo had mastered all those forms?"

With a slow nod, the Dao smiled, "She did, Master. Each and every one of them she perfected. But do not worry, I do not expect for you to do so for a few decades yet." Placing her true self back into it's sheath, "Now then, as I stated, we shall begin with just the basics. It is said that to become competent with the spear takes a month of training, and with the Jian a year... and only a week with a Dao." There was a twinkle in her eye before she lashed out, the tip of the training blade almost touching Natsumi's nose with the Kitsune yelping and jumping back, "But competency does not mean mastery, Mikon! And that will come with time."

Rapidly blinking, Natsumi rubbed her nose, "Um, right..." Shaking off her surprise, she took a deep breath and let it out, "So how will we do this?"

Taiyang then walked up beside her and motioned for her to take her wooden blade out of the sheath, "We shall start with the basic stances used by the soldiers of the time. Once you are competent in such, we will move on to my Master's style. It was nameless, but effective." Pausing, she hummed as she crossed her arms, "It was like... water, or perhaps the wind. Master would flow around attacks rather than block them, redirect them when she could not. Always moving and never stopping. And as she did so, would attempt to strike where the opponent did not expect, using holes or from behind. Combined with her illusions, which could make one think her elsewhere, it was extremely effective."

Cocking her head to the side as the Dao showed her a stance, and attempting to copy it, the Kitsune considered that. After a few moments, she frowned, "Wait, how did Huixing fit into her style?"

Eyebrows raising, Taiyang looked at her before smiling and chuckling, "Ah, I see that you have been informed about my sister." Correcting Natsumi's stance some with a whack of her tail, the blade spirit continued, "She was the long range component of my Master's form of fighting. With her, she could grab an adversary's weapon at any range and redirect them, possibly even disarming her opponent in the process by yanking the weapon from their hands. She could even grab said people themselves and yank them towards her." Crossing her arms, she hummed, "Huixing even killed as, if they got around an opponent's throat, Master could crush or lacerate it. Once, she even threw it with enough force it punched into a man's ribs and tore out his heart."

Grimace on her face at that, Natsumi corrected her stance at another hit, "Um, right..."

Amused at the reaction, the Dao chuckled before wagging a finger, "Remember Master, any way of ending a fight is a good one." Humming, she thought back, "Now, one of her enchantments was that Master was able to control her midfight by channeling her magic and Qi into the chain. So even if the person attempted to avoid the weapon, it would follow and even continue the attack despite being blocked. Something that surprised more than a few." Taiyang suddenly frowned a little, "Though... my sister is a little more simple than most, being more akin the cannon in some ways."

That made everyone blink and look over at Big Iron, who blinked, "Um, who?"

However, that got said cannon shakes of the head as they turned back to Taiyang teaching Natsumi.

Meanwhile, Harry had gotten his Kendo armor on and turned towards Ayase who had her own on. Bowing towards the Light Cruiser, who returned it, he then brought up Kitsune-Bokken into a stance as he faced his sparring partner, "Ready, Ayase-Chan?"

With a nod of her own as she brought up her own bokken, Ayase smiled behind her helmet's mask, "Hai, I am, Harry-Chan."

Neither one of them moved as they watched the other, even after Carnwennan told them to begin. But then, the two narrowed their eyes before attacking, their bokken meeting with the sound of wood against wood. Again and again, their strikes met the others, either blocking or redirecting the hit. Yet, neither stopped, always on the move as they sparred.

Coming out, Yae's eyes widened slightly as she looked between the two pairs before focusing on Harry and Ayase, "Gozaru..."

Just sipping some tea, Nobu hummed some, "Hai, he it is impressive for someone of his level." Watching as he blocked a strike to his ribs before sweeping his bokken up, aimed at Ayase's armpit, she raised an eyebrow, "Interesting..."

Beside Nobu, Okita nodded a little as she rubbed her chin, "Harry-San and Ayase-San do seem roughly equal. Hmm..." Narrowing her eyes, she gave a slight nod, "Ah, do you see the same thing that I do?"

Frown on her face, the lone non-reincarnated human frowned a little even as Uesugi commented that she did, 'What do they...' It took a few seconds, but her eyebrows raised as she realized what was happening, "Her stance. Sometimes she changes them as if... as if she is trying to figure out what style she is using."

Arms crossed as she sipped her coffee, Nagato gave a nod, "That would make sense." When they looked at her, she smiled a little thinly "Us shipgirls can pick up skills from those who served on us. It is how ones such as Ikazuchi-San and Inazuma-San become very effective at martial arts as they could well have a dozen whom have learned such. Of course, that is when they are learning just one style. But with Kenjutsu..."

Her own arms crossed, Nobu hummed, "I see, I see... while some of Ayase-San's crew may know styles of Kenjutsu, chances are that they are all different styles. Thus, she is still learning how to make them flow together. Therefore, she is the perfect opponent for Harry-Kun at this time."

Yae had a slight smile on her face, "Hai, because while she helps Harry-San perfect his path along the Way, in turn he helps her perfect her own skills and learn how to use them in combat."

Meanwhile, Harry and Ayase continued their match against one another. Unknown to the wizard, inside of the Light Cruiser's head their surroundings had been replaced by a dueling field in Feudal Japan. Despite that, she was still keeping up with him, though she felt her boilers pound as he met her blow for blow. Each strike transmitted through her bokken to her hands, as she knew they were for him. To her, it was... exhilerating, to say the least. Here, she was matching blades (of a sort) with the man she had decided would be her Lord.

Finally, however, something had to give.

Having spotted how she sometimes hesitated for a second between stances as if not sure which one to choose, Harry took his chance. Without any hesitation, he swept out with his foot a little as he blocked her bokken. With her off balance, he then struck out and scored a hit to the wrist which knocked her blade from her hand before following it with a strike to the ribs. Something that knocked her to the ground.

Neither one did anything for a moment before Harry placed Kitsune-Bokken at his side and then held out a hand, "Here, let me give you a hand."

Unknown to him, Ayase's face was bright red and steam leaked from her ears as she grasped his hand, 'He... he defeated me... That... that was...' Briefly, she swore that her boilers were going "Doki-doki" before dismissing it. As she got to her feet, the Light Cruiser cleared her throat, "U-um, thank you, Harry-Do-Chan."

Cocking his head to the side, the teenage wizard rubbed the back of his neck, "You're welcome, Ayase-Chan. Though that was a great match."

Now looking away, Ayase scuffed her feet into the grass a little, "H-hai, it was... though I did lose."

In reply, Harry shrugged some, "Win or lose, it doesn't matter in the end, does it? The two of us were giving our all there, learning from it. And from that, we improve and become better for the next time."

The sound of clapping made him turn to where Uesugi was smiling at him, "Well said, Harry-Kun. Very well said indeed, for that is what those of us know as we journey along the path of the Way."

At that, the wizard chuckled a little as he rubbed the back of his neck, not knowing that Ayase was staring at him. Inside her head, she rolled around his words, and felt her boilers warm at what the meaning was, 'He was learning from I as much as I was learning from him.' Walking over, the shipgirl picked up her bokken before going into another stance, smile on her face, "Shall we continue, Harry-Chan?"

Blinking, Harry grinned himself before going into a stance as well, "Hai, because that is what we're doing here after all."

Upon him saying that, he got a sharp nod from Ayase and moments later, the match between the two resumed as their bokken met.

________________________________________________________________

It was a sweat drenched Harry who sat back on the grass with a grin on his face, helmet beside him. Just to the side, Ayase was not in much better shape after nearly forty minutes of practice, but she too had a grin, "That was..."

Looking over at her, the fourteen year old boy chuckled, "Amazing?"

Only nodding as her brown eyes met his green, Ayase's grin became a smile, "It was indeed that, Harry-Chan." Her grin widened a little, "I... have not had a match like that before."

That little bit of information made Harry turn to her, "Really?"

Humming, she brushed some hair from her sweaty forehead, "Hai." Ayase then shook her head a little, "I have had matches with other shipgirls, such as Tenryuu-Sensei, Jintsuu-Onee-San, Kiso-Sensei, and the like. But they all held back a lot when facing me. But this..." The Light Cruiser made a motion with her hand, "It was... so close."

Just considering the final score, which meant that he was ahead by two points, Harry could only nod, "I know that feeling, Ayase-Chan. After all, I get my arse kicked all the time. So having someone who is my level to spar against..." He then gave a shrug, "It helps a lot, and I hope that it helped you."

Shy smile on her face, Ayase simply nodded at that, "It did, help I mean."

The Light Cruiser then leaned back on her hands as she closed her eyes and simply enjoyed the cool, morning breeze that brushed past her. Unnoticed by her, the tank top she wore stuck to her due to the sweat and said sweat glistened in the morning light. Something that was noticed by Harry as he looked at her laying there in the grass. However, he shook his head free of any thoughts that entered it from watching her there with a brilliant smile on her face.

Instead, he turned his attention towards Natsumi, and thus missed Ayase open her eyes and look at him as he was also drenched in sweat. Sweat that shone on him and caused his own shirt to stick to his skin. It went without saying that Ayase's flush at that point was not just because of her previous exertion, nor was the steam that wafted from her ears. Instead, she grabbed a bottle of sports drink and took a few sips, though her eyes kept glancing back to him, 'He does look like a Lord after a period of exercise and practice...'

Part of her fully expected that such an image would show up in her dreams that night.

Meanwhile, Harry was watching as Natsumi was going through stances as taught by Taiyang. Like him and Ayase, the Kitsune was sweating. It was not long after, however, that the Dao stated that they were finished for the day and so had Natsumi perform her cool down stretches. With a nod, Harry patted his legs and, despite not wanting to, got to his feet before offering Ayase a hand to get up. Something that the Light Cruiser accepted happily. Smiling at her, he stretched his arms over his head before picking up his gear that was already in the gym bag he used for it, "Thanks again for the match, Ayase-Chan."

Bowing a little, Ayase smiled back at him, "I should be thanking you as well, Harry-Chan. Because you were helping me along the Way as I did you."

However, moments later, her blush returned as he nodded before pausing for a moment, "You know... we should do this more often. Just you and I sparring with each other, you know."

Ayase could feel her boilers heat up at that and she swallowed, "You... you want to spar more, Harry-Chan? With me?"

Only nodding, Harry glanced towards where Natsumi was getting back to her feet after finishing her stretches, "Hai." Lightly laughing, he rubbed the back of his neck, "After all, you can only learn so much from having your arse kicked. Sometimes, you need someone who is able to push you, but not overwhelm you, in order to improve. And frankly? I enjoyed our match." The wizard laughed again, "Though I suppose that it will only be a matter of time before you start kicking my arse all over the place as well."

There was a part of the teen which wondered why the shipgirl's flush deepened at that.

But he shook that off a few seconds later as Natsumi reached them with a sigh and smile on her face, "Ready to go and hit the showers, Harry-Chan? Because we really need them." Playfully sniffing him, she grinned as she waved a hand in front of her nose, "You especially."

Mock angry look on his face, Harry growled a little, "Are you saying that I stink?"

Smirking, the Kitsune hummed, "Well... hai, I am."

Not even a second later, she ducked under his hand laughing as he swipped at her. Shaking his head, Harry turned towards Ayase, "Ayase-Chan, I don't stink, do I?"

A little out of it still from the compliment, Ayase shook her head, "No, you smell nice..." Realizing what she said, the Light Cruiser flushed still deeper and could hear one of her engineers shouting about pressure valves, "U-um..."

Blinking, Harry felt his own cheeks blazing. A glance towards Natsumi showed him that while surprised, the Kitsune seemed highly amused about something. Shaking it off, he gave Ayase a smile, "Thanks." Pausing for a moment, he gave her a kiss on the cheek before nodding, "I'll see you in a little bit then."

Unseen by him, the Light Cruiser had quite a bit of steam now coming from her ears as he walked back into the manor, rubbing her cheek where he had kissed her.

Several minutes later found him having gathered together a change of clothes and reaching for the door to the bathroom before noticing that Natsumi was behind him with her own clothes, "Um, Natsumi-Chan... are... are you..."

Despite the blush on her cheeks, Natsumi gave a small smile as she nodded, "Hai, after all it is not much different than a bath."

About to say something, Harry paused before nodding a little, "Right..." Taking a deep breath, he gave another nod and walked inside, "Right, nothing different from a bath."

Once inside, the two took off their dirty, sweat dampened clothes and tossed them into the hamper to be cleaned. Running her hand through her hair, Natsumi grimaced a little, "I cannot wait to be clean."

Having become a little more comfortable things, Harry chuckled a little, "Same here."

Natsumi waited until he had joined her inside the walk in shower and had closed the door behind before reaching towards the dial and turning them. Moments later, warm water spouted from the showerheads along the sides of said shower and she sighed some as she tilted her head back, 'That feels good...' With a shake of her head, Natsumi turned and looked towards Harry, "Well? Is that okay?"

Rapidly blinking for a moment, the teenage wizard coughed and nodded, "Hai." Running a hand through his soaked hair, he grinned, "It does feel good after all."

Giggling, Natsumi gave him a nod, "Agreed, Harry-Chan." Pausing for a moment, she looked him in the eyes and softly smiled, "Um, mind doing my back and hair for me? My tails as well?"

While he had a blush on his face, Harry smiled back, "Sure... as long as you do the same for me." After a second, he scratched his cheek, "Besides the tails though."

That got him a barking laugh from the Kitsune as she shook her head, "Sure thing, Harry-Chan." Grabbing a cloth, she soaped it up before handing it to him, "Here you go, Harry-Chan."

For a moment or two, Harry watched as the water cascaded down her back before swallowing, 'R-right...' With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and centered himself before he went to work soaping up her back. Getting a happy hum, almost a purr, his smile widened, 'This... is pretty nice.'

Inside of Natsumi's mind, Tamamo chuckled a little bit, 'My, what a clever little vixen you are~'

Eyes closed as she enjoyed the feel of Harry soaping up her back, Natsumi gave a smug smirk towards the older vixen, her next words getting a laugh, 'I am certain that I have no idea what you are talking about at all...'

Half an hour later found both teens stepping out of the shower and drying themselves off with towels, though they did take glances at each other as they did so. Seeing Natsumi grumble a little as she worked her towel along her tails, Harry reached for a brush and smiled a little, "Here, give me a second."

Sighing, the Kitsune smiled at him as he took one of her tails and began to brush along it, "Mmm... thank you, Harry-Chan."

Lips twitching a little, Harry only shook his head, "You don't need to thank me, Natsumi-Chan. I don't mind it."

Just happily sighing for a moment before she continued to dry her hair, Natsumi snorted, "And I really appreciate it, makes things a lot easier for me." Part of her noted that it really did feel relaxing, and also imagined it happening more often, which caused her smile to grow, 'That would be kind of nice...'

Eventually finishing with one tail, the fourteen year old boy got started on the next, "You know... have you thought about having Taiyang teach you some unarmed fighting?" At the curious look he got as Natsumi wiggled a towel covered finger in her ear, he shrugged, "I mean, she should know a lot about the fighting style that Tamamo used, right? Including as Daji."

Letting the towel drape over her shoulders, Natsumi turned her head to look at him, "I've thought about it actually. And, well..." Glancing at the door, she paused for only a moment, "Tamamo has offered to teach me as well."

That made Harry blink and he straightened up to look at her, "Really?"

Not even worried about her state of dress, the Kitsune turned fully around, "Hai, she has. And, well... I have considered it. Despite everything, she does know a lot and often spied on practioners, so..." Chewing her lip, she looked down at her feet, "Not to mention that she is... and I am..."

Stepping forward, Harry's voice dropped to a whisper, "Natsumi-Chan, look at me." When she did so, he reached up and cupped her cheek, "I know... and I don't care. Now or ever.

Eyes glistening, Natsumi searched his, "You... knew? And don't care at all?"

Only nodding, the wizard smiled at her as he gently rubbed her cheek under one eye with his hand, "Hai, I've guessed it for a while. And no, I don't care because to me... you're you, not Tamamo no Mae or Su Daji. You're Ono Natsumi-Chan. The girl who helped me when I was a young child somewhat lost in a new country. And someone that I..." It seemed like he was trying to say something that would not come out fully before he swallowed and closed his eyes. When he opened them, they locked onto hers as he took another step forward, "Someone that I care deeply for... and always will be."

Understanding what he was saying, and the meaning behind the pause, Natsumi blinked away some tears, "Hai." Softly smiling, she leaned in and kissed him, a few last words passing her lips before doing so, "Just like you're Potter Harry-Chan... my Harry-Chan..." After a minute or two, they pulled from the kiss and Natsumi buried her face in the crook of his neck, "Thank you."

Just holding her, Harry leaned his head onto hers, "You're welcome... and thank you as well, Natsumi-Chan."

Some tears slipping between her eyes, the Kitsune smiled, "You're welcome as well."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Adjusting the backpack that sat on her shoulders, Nobu hummed a bit, "Well, this looks interesting! Hopefully we brought enough food since both Okita-Chan and Yae-Chan will be hungry-Ugh! My skull!"

Simply rolling his eyes at their antics, Kaku sighed a little, 'You would think that she learned by now... Though I suspect that she does it to get a rise from Okita.' With a hum, he adjusted his own backpack before looking towards Yae who had a blush on her face, "Something wrong, Yae-San?"

The teenage girl in question coughed a bit, "Um, no, but... I don't eat that much."

Not saying anything at first, Uesugi adjusted her glasses a little, "You are two breakfast rolls, three pieces of toast with peach jam on them, as well as a plate of bacon, eggs, sausage, ham, and potato cakes."

More than a little bemused, Harry looked over his shoulder with a smile, "I would ask if you were a shipgirl, but I can tell that you're not."

Blush deepening, Yae looked away, "I'm a growing girl and keep very active with Kenjutsu, Gozaru. Nothing else." That got her chuckles and she turned to the wall beside them, "So what is this, Harry-San?"

Deciding that he had enough fun, the teenage wizard patted the stone wall as he came to a stop, "This is part of a Roman wall called 'Hadrian's Wall'. Named because it was commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in order to create a border for Roman Britannia and the Picts as well as Britons to the north that were yet unconquered by the Empire."

Intrigued, Nobu looked at the wall of stone with new eyes, "I see, I see." Rubbing her chin, she hummed a little, "How long ago was it commissioned?"

Glancing at her, Harry smirked a bit, "Oh, about AD 120... or around the same time as Queen Himiko lived in Japan."

It went without saying that several eyebrows raised at that in surprise before turning awed looks towards the wall.

Highly amused, Goldie gave a nod, "Indeed! It was truly a Roman feat of engineering!" The Roman blade made an expressive gesture around them,

"The Wall stretched from the North Sea to the Irish Sea, cutting across the entirety of Britain in this area! A full seventy three miles! Construction took thousands of good Roman soldiers working for almost a decade with forts every five miles, Umu. Truly an example of how great Rome was."

Placing her hands in the "T" shape, Okita frowned, "Hold on a moment." She then gestured at the wall beside them, "You mean to tell us that this wall stretched from one coast to another, and was built in a decade."

Extremely amused at the looks she was getting, the Roman nodded, "Indeed, Umu!" She then pointed towards the top, "Though there is more to it than that. For you see, the top of the wall is eight feet, meaning that you could have a patrol of Roman Legionaries patrolling along it at all times." Goldie then pointed to the area on the opposite side of them, "Along there, following the length of the wall, would be a Roman road. You can even see some of the earthwork despite the centuries!"

Rubbing her chin on though, Taiyang hummed, "Most impressive."

Unknown to everyone, Natsumi blinked as Tamamo grumbled a bit on her head, 'If only I arrived a few centuries earlier...'

However, shaking that off, the Kitsune turned to Harry and Goldie in interest, "Okay, but how effective was it? It doesn't look like it was very high..."

At that, Harry nodded a little, "And you're right, it isn't that high. But the Romans never believed or planned that it would hold against a true attack. Rather, they built it in order to make it as difficult for raids to get into Roman Britannia as possible, nothing more or less. Any raids that did get though would be noticed and the power of the full Roman Legions brought against it. And if a full scale attack happened, it would buy enough time for the Romans to react." He pointed down the wall, "That's why you had forts every five miles. Because they would provide a lookout over the wall itself and they could send messages via fire over the length as well."

Uesugi made a thoughtful sound, "The enemy of good enough is perfection. I must admit, it was very intelligent to understand that they would not be able to make a perfect barrier and focus on just making things difficult. After all, if you were a leader or a warlord, would you attempt something difficult for little gain? Especially as the others would have no reason to support you."

With a nod, the wizard smiled, "Exactly." He then gave a small shrug, "Though it should be noted that about a hundred miles to the north, you have Antoinne's Wall, begun twenty years later which also stretched from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, this time across the Scottish Lowlands. But it was abandoned later and the Romans retreated back here, to Hadrian's Wall. They did try to reconquer to Antoinne's Wall, but..." Harry gave a shrug, "Never fully managed it. Hadrian's Wall, meanwhile, stood under Roman control until they left Britain in the 400s."

Placing his hands in his pockets, Carnwennan looked around as if looking at something only he could see, "It was... magnificent to see even a hundred years later. My Master, Arthur, was most impressed as it was still manned by the Last Legion. Descendants of the Romans who stayed behind when the others left, and led by Coel Hen, or King Coel, a magical child of a Roman General. His soldiers were some of the finest in Britain and he lended his aid to my King as needed. As well, closer to Antoinne's Wall, you had Dyfnwal Hen, a fellow King who was no less a warrior. Together, they held the line against the Picts and the Anglo-Saxons."

With a nod, Andraste smiled a little, "On the magical side, Hadrian's Wall was also an important meeting place, a neutral place between those of the North and those from the South. The old Wizard's Council used to meet in one of the old Roman Forts for discussions when, um... they were all killed."

Under his breath, the Arthurian dagger cursed, "Fucking dammit, Prydwen." Seeing the looks, Carnwennan sighed a little and ran his hand through his hair, "My sister, Prydwen, the shield of Arthur who could become a ship, was the one who killed them... the fecking idiot."

Eyebrow raised, Usagi tilted her head to the side, "Wait, why did she do that?"

Sighing, Carnwennan shrugged and threw his hands into the air, "Because she was being bloody fucking stupid!" Rubbing his face, he turned to the others, "Thirty years before this, I managed to manifest an avatar. It did not take me very long to realize the dire situation that was facing Britain at the time. The Battle of Camlann shattered the unity of Britons, Camelot had been sacked, and various factions were fighting each other to prove that they were Arthur's Heir as often as they were fighting the Anglo-Saxons. And speaking of the Anglo-Saxons, they were still pressing the Briton for control of the Isles. One could see how dire it was, thus... I decided that I would set out and attempt to do as my King would have wished and get the Britons to work together against the Anglo-Saxons."

Jin had a frown on her face as she considered that before chewing her lip, "That... could not have been easy to even try."

Snorting, Carwennan shook his head, "To say the least." Grimace on his face, he looked out onto the countryside, "I decided that the best way was to start with the easiest, the magicals. There were still memories, though fading, of the Druid councils that once dotted the Isles. But the issue was getting them to work together. So I went out searching for wizards who would best fit what I needed. And I found them, though sometimes I had to help them gain control over their areas." None needed to guess what he meant by that, "But I would gift them with some of Merlin's artifacts. With such, they could proclaim that they were Heirs to the wizard and High Druid in question. Due to that, they were able to pull together the various magical factions beneath them. I even helped negotiate marriages between their lines with the hope of bringing forth a peace. Because of that, the conflicts between the magical factions became a simmer rather than the boil from before. And were they given maybe forty more years, maybe... not even that."

Head cocked to the side, it took only a few seconds but Taiyang gained a small smirk, "Except, you forgot to mention one thing~" When people turned to her, she continued, "Merlin was an Advisor to King Arthur. The members of this Council... they held sway over magical advisors as well and were such themselves."

Just smirking, Carnwennan chuckled, "I did not forget, but... you are right. Through them, I was able to have magical advisors start to... advise their Kings and Warlords in certain ways. And I was able to also get information from them, though mostly about what their leaders were like. From that, I picked the best that I thought would suit my purpose, to unite Britain in face of the Anglo-Saxons. Some, I supported from the shadows, striking down their foes with, heh, a knife to the back. I also disguised myself and acted as intermediaries for negotiations. A few of those, the best suited, I entrusted with artifacts from the Round Table that I managed to find to legitimize them in the eyes of the people. There was even one girl..."

Eyebrows raising, Juuchi stared at him, "Wait, hold up Gramps, did you..."

Only shrugging, the Arthurian blade sighed, "Arianwen was... a beautiful woman. I had met her when she was but a young girl of eight summers. Skin fair and hair as white as snow with pink eyes, an albino. It was only because her father was a powerful warlord that she was alive. To her, I gifted the Crown of Guinevere while her father had the sword of Sir Ector, for he reminded me of the old sod." For several moments, he was quiet, "She grew from a girl into a beautiful woman. One day, she asked her father to wed us, which I... was not against at the time. It was a suitable match after all, and he had little problem after I had saved his life from an assassin. But I needed to check on some things first as I had sensed something, which she understood. And so, I set out... and found the first sign of trouble when I arrived at where Camelot had been, only to find the ruins had vanished. Great magic had been done there and I had to find out what. But before I could... I received word that the Wizard's Council were dead."

Eyes narrowed, the Roman blade frowned, "Prydwen."

Bitterly chuckling, Carwennan tilted his head back, "Prydwen." With a sigh, he grimaced, "She had shown up at a meeting which was to discuss the upcoming negotiations with those kingdoms to north of Hadrian's Wall. Which had a good chance of securing enough of a peace for the rest of the work to be done in order to force back the Anglo-Saxons and relieve pressure while buying time. Without missing a beat, she called them all thieves, insulted their honour, and then declared that they were to turn over Merlin's artifacts to her to keep until their 'Proper' owner returned or face her blade. You can guess what happened."

Facepalming, Sabah sighed, "Blunt as a shield..." Then she turned to the purple haired girl beside her, "No offense, Andraste."

However, the shield in question waved her off, "None taken." Turning back to Carnwennan, she frowned, "So she killed them and took the artifacts."

Lips pursed thinly, Carnwennan nodded, "Indeed, after which I went after her... and she nearly killed me."

More than one head whipped around to stare at him. For her part, Juuchi did not have a snarky comeback as she boggled at what she had just been told, "You never said that she attempted to kill you..."

The Arthurian dagger shrugged, "She... did not realize that it was my avatar and attacked me on the spot without letting me speak. When I demanded to know what she was doing, she claimed that she was doing as Arthur would have wished. Things were... said to me by her, hurtful things though she did not know who I was. I.. could have ended it then, maybe I could have salvaged things. My blade can kill anything when I use it against it, possibly even gods. And despite having all the spiritual might of Camelot as the Fortress backing her, I could have taken her down. Yet..." Clapping a hand over his eyes, he chuckled bitterly, "I could not draw myself fully against my sister, no matter how angry I was with her."

Slowly, he reached for his shirt and pulled it up to reveal a scar before turning to show that it appeared on his back.

Letting his shirt fall, he sighed, "That was where her sword pierced through me. I still to this day remember the taste of blood in my mouth as I stumbled back... but I had a bit of luck. For you see, we were fighting on the banks of the River Wharfe in a place called the Strid." Scratching his head, Carnwennan let out a breath, "The river, which is two miles wide, narrows there to where one could leap across it and it is very deep. Beneath the surface, the rock is riddled with caves. To fall in... is certain death, with your body possibly never to be found. I remember Prydwen rushing forward to grab my true self as my avatar tumbled with it backwards into the deadly waters, only to miss and for my body to vanish beneath the surface. Almost as soon as I was under, I dismissed my avatar and let the current take me. Dark things sleep down there, dark and dangerous things... but I passed through and washed up. It took weeks before I was able to summon my avatar, and four more months before I was healed enough... but the damage had been done."

Understanding on her face, Goldie nodded, "With her efforts, all was undone."

Just snorting, Carnwennan frowned, "To say the least. Prydwen had gone after the most obvious of those whom had the artifacts... the ones that I had gifted. Arianwen's father was one, she challenged him to a duel and killed him before taking the crown I had gifted to her as well. And without her father to protect her and being an albino..."

Groaning, Harry shook his head, "They thought that she was at fault for what happened, didn't they? Believing that she was evil or bad luck."

Breath escaping him, the Arthurian dagger nodded, "Yes." Eyes once more going distant, his voice took on an edge of pain, "I... they beat her mercilessly. When I found her, I killed those doing so, but... it was too late. Her injuries were too severe and I held her as she breathed her last. Even now, I can feel her bloody hand cupping my cheek as she smiled at me and said that I came, just like I promised." With sigh, he ran his hand through his hair, "I took her where Arthur had been taken to Avalon and met with the Fae. And... I asked them to take her to rest beside my Master. In exchange, I was to serve the Fae for two hundred years, which I did and do not ask what I did, for I will not speak of it. But... it was worth it, for Arianwen now rests in Avalon where the Sun is forever warm, the breezes cool, the grass green and the flowers always bloom... and where there is peace." Lapsing into silence, he then shook his head, "It is amazing though... thirty years of work undone in an instant. With the destruction of the Wizard's Council, the peace between magical factions broke and they were soon at each other's throats, blaming one another. And with the more powerful warlords dead, their kingdoms splintered. Less than two centuries later and the Anglo-Saxons ruled over Britain. I had failed. Failed Arthur, failed his dream... and failed Arianwen. All because I could not strike down my sister..."

Moments later, he found himself being hugged.

At the same time, thousands of miles away, a blonde girl was looking sadly into a mirror which showed Carnwennan along with the others. Wiping at tears, she sniffled, "Carn..."

Hearing a sound, Avalon turned and saw Prydwen staring at the mirror. The shield/shipgirl had an completely stricken look on her face. Not saying anything, she got to her feet shakingly and walked away from the mirror before stopping at a sneering voice, "What? Where the fuck are you going sister?"

Barely looking over her shoulder at the blonde sneering at her, Prydwen was about to say something when she stopped. Just shaking her head, she walked to the door and out, "I... I need to be alone."

Grumbling under her breath, the blonde glared at the now closed door, "Bitch."

A gasp escaping from her, Avalon wiggled a finger at her, "Clarent!"

Utterly unrepentant, Clarent placed her hands behind her head, "What? She is a bitch and she's walking away rather than own up." Scoffing at the glare her sister sent her, which was more like an angry puppy, she shrugged before looking back at the mirror. After a few moments, her expression softened, "You did damn good, Carn... really fucking good, and never doubt that."

All Avalon did was nod with her own remorseful look.

____________________________________________________________

Groaning after getting out of the minibus, Nobu stretched with a frown, "Shame that we can't check out the Giant's Causeway! I really wanted to see it."

Behind her, Natsumi shook her head a little, "Unfortunately, the area is still locked down after an Abyssal attack a bit ago. It's going to be a bit until they reopen." Then she gave a shrug, "At least we've gone to see some castles."

Yae gave a nod as she looked at her phone, "Those were pretty neat. And different from the ones back in Japan, Gozaru."

Hands behind his head, Harry hummed a little, "Speaking of castles, maybe we should drop by Ireland and go to Blarney Castle and have Nobu-Chan kiss the Blarney Stone."

Eyebrow raised as she stepped out, Uesugi frowned as she adjusted her glasses, "The Blarney Stone, Harry-Kun? Why would we have Nobu-Chan kiss a stone?"

It wasn't Harry who answered, however, but Dracul, "The Blarney Stone is a famous rock built into the castle there. Supposedly, kissing it will give one the gift of gab. The ability to speak and tell even lies convincingly... one legend says that a boy who was mute from birth kissed it and gained the ability to speak! Though... he never stopped talking after and could talk your ear off."

For several moments, no one said a thing. But then, slowly, Ayaka turned to Harry and gave him a look, "Why would you have Nobu-Chan kiss it then?! She already talks a lot and you want to make it worse?!"

The reincarnated warlord in question grinned and opened her mouth, only for Harry to speak up and comment in a dry tone, "Mainly because I am hoping that it would have the opposite effect on her."

Moments later, Nobu's mouth snapped shut and everyone looked at her and nodded with Okita crossing her arms, "Yeah, that does seem legit."

Looking at her friends, Nobu grumbled some, "You all suck."

Needless to say, that got only laughter from the others. They continued to give verbal jabs to Nobu the whole time that they spent before they entered the English pub. For those from Japan that had never been in one, it was something to see as it was different,

Upon finding a spot in a corner, the group sat down and looked at the menu that was there. Finding one, Ayaka licked her lips some, "I'll probably be having the sausage roll."

Pointing at one bit, Okita nodded, "I'll have a pork pie because that does sound interesting."

The various carnivorous members of the group nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Usagi rolled her eyes, "I'll have the Plowman's Lunch. That's good enough for me, what about you, Uesugi-Chan?"

Said former warlord gave her own nod, "That sounds fine for me, Usagi-Chan."

Eyebrows furrowing, Yae looked at one bit with a frown, "What is... sticky... toffae..."

Smile on his face, Harry chuckled, "Sticky toffee pudding? You mean this?"

When he pointed at the one in question, the Kendoka blushed some and nodded, "Hai? I mean..." She sighed a bit, "I'm not nearly as good at English as the rest of you."

Much to her surprise, Kaku patted her on the back, "It's fine, Yae-San. The rest of us wouldn't be as good either if we weren't friends with Harry-Kun here."

Asuka gave a rapid nod, "He's a huge help since it is his first language. Same with Jin and some of the others as well."

While various others chimed in, said wizard had a flush on his cheeks, "Um, thanks guys." Then, Harry shrugged it off, "As for what it is? It's a dessert made of sponge cake and covered with caramel sauce while served with vanilla custard or ice cream."

For a few moments no one said anything before the teens looked at each other and grinned as they loudly agreed that they wanted some.

Of course, they did wonder why Harry walked off to give another order to the waitress, but she shrugged it off and nodded. After a half hour, their meals came to their table and they blinked at the gelatinous mass on the plate in front of Harry.

It was Rika, however, who spoke up as her pupils became slits, "Is that... fish?"

Lightly laughing, the teenage wizard nodded as he took a bit before chewing for a few moments and then removing a bone, "Hai, jellied eels as a matter of fact." Seeing the Nekomata staring at his food, Harry chuckled, "Want to try some?"

Even as Rika nodded, Okita had an odd look on her face as she swallowed some of her own food, "Jellied... eels? Really?"

With a shrug, Harry smiled as Rika took some onto her own plate, "Well, they are pretty good. And are a traditional British food, so..." Smirk appearing on his face, he grinned, "So who wants some?"

The various teens looked at each other before those of a more meat eating bent nodded. Usagi, for her part, rolled her eyes as she took a bite of her cheese sandwich, 'Carnivores...'

Not long after they finished with their meals, their sticky toffee pudding was brought out and they happily dug in. Off to a side where he was sipping a mug of beer with Jin, Carnwennan smiled, "Good to see them enjoying themselves."

Leaning back after taking a bite of her own pudding, Jin chuckled, "Same. It was a good thing for Asuka that she became friends with the others." With a sip of her Guinness, the Mizuchi hummed, "Well, we still got, what? Nine more days of picking with the turner?"

The dagger nodded some as he ate his own dessert, "Roughly that, not counting the last day of sightseeing and then dinner before we pack up." That got him a nod from his companion before they continued their chat, though he smiled some as Harry wiped Kenshō's mouth and face after she had eaten most of her dessert, 'Ah, this is what makes it all worth it...'

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Letting out a loud groan, Rika flopped back onto the couch with her head landing in Usagi's lap before she stretched, "Ahhh, tomorrow is the last day of our time here!"

Amused, the rabbit Yokai smiled down at her friend before applying more preserves to the scone she held, "Until September or October at least when we come back to harvest the apples and stuff."

Rolling her eyes at the groan that got from the Nekomata, though she could see a slight smile playing at Rika's lips, Asuka stretched her wings out a little, "I've actually enjoyed it. This has been kind of fun and..." The Tengu's voice lowered to a near whisper, "It reminded me of when I used to help Tou-San out on the farm..."

Simply reaching over, the Tanuki of the group gave her shoulder a squeeze. Then, Kaku turned to the rest, "It was pretty fun. And I don't think that anyone could complain about it." His tone then became dry as he turned to Usagi, "Though some people seemed more interested in eating the crops than harvesting them."

With a smirk on her face, Usagi bit into her scone with a smirk, "What can I say? I'm a growing bunny after all."

That got her eyerolls before Nobu snickered some and nodded towards Yae who had eaten half a scone in a single bite, "You're in good company there, I think."

Yae flushed at that, only for the rabbit among them to get up, placing Rika's head to the side, and throwing an arm around her, "I feel like I have found a long lost sister! Just somehow missing the cute, poofy tail and ears."

Despite the blush, the Kendoka still snickered a little, "Same, Gozaru." She then smiled a little as she looked at her scone, "I think that my family will be happy with what I bring home, however."

Watching as Yae finished off her scone and went to eat another, Harry internally snorted, 'I'm just thankful that I got enough ingredients for everyone to be fed.' Then, he gave a small shrug, "Anyways, since tomorrow is the last day, what say I make a full Sunday roast for all of us? In celebration?"

Each of the other teens nodded and made sounds of agreement at that though Usagi and Uesugi asked that some vegetables dishes be made.

Glancing over at Nobu, Harry raised an eyebrow, "So what do you think of the tea, Nobu-Chan? It's Chamomile."

Just closing her eyes, the former warlord took a sip of said honey sweetened tea before humming. Then, Nobu opened her eyes and swallowed as she set the cup aside, "It is interesting and different herbal tea from what I am used to." Rubbing her chin, she made a motion with her other hand, "You mentioned that it is made from a species of flower?"

Harry gave a nod before smiling, "Hai, they're similar to daisies actually. In the olden days, the tea was used for medicinal purposes. Like helping with, um, that time of the month for girls and giving some relief." Then, he shrugged a little, "But it also helps one to relax and get some sleep."

Considering that, Nobu raised her eyebrow before taking another sip and nodding, "Perhaps it could be useful then!" Another sip went down her throat as she swished the tea over her tongue, "It is an interesting blend of herbal tea just the same, what do you think, Uesugi-Chan?"

Said former warlord gave a nod of her own, "Agreed, Nobu-Chan. I wouldn't be against having some on sleepless nights." Eyes closed, she hummed a bit as she wet her own throat, "Though I prefer lemon rather than honey."

Lightly laughing, her friend shook her head and commented that it could not be helped. Meanwhile, Okita placed some heavy cream onto a cut scone and added a dollop of peach jam before biting into it. Once she chewed and swallowed, she washed it down with some of her own tea before speaking up, "Speaking of relaxation... tomorrow will be just that, right?"

From where she sat in Harry's lap, Natsumi smiled at the former Shinsengumi, "Hai, tomorrow is just a day to relax and lounge around. Anything goes."

Perking up some, Yae gave them a smile, "I already know that Juuchi-San wants to have a match with me. And I am looking forward to it."

With a hum, the wizard of the group chuckled a little, "I'll probably have another match with Ayase-Chan myself. Our last one was fun."

Knowing smirk on her face, Uesugi hummed, "Indeed, I suppose... what were the words you used? Ah, yes, not having your arse kicked all over the place would indeed be something that you would cherish."

That got laughs from the others even as Harry rolled his eyes at them, "Yeah, yeah, laugh up the fact that I keep eating grass, you bunch. One of these days I'll surprise you."

Grin hidden behind her cup, Okita snickered, "And I'll look forward to that day." The good natured grumbles she got only made her grin the more. Looking around, the swordswoman's expression softened a little as she observed the group. Soft candle light lit the room, giving a warmth to their surroundings as they chatted and laughed while drinking tea with treats,

'This... was so worth it as a trip.'

A glance at Nobu got her an understanding nod from said girl, which made her smile grow.

Moments later, Kaku sighed some as he stretched and smirked, "Pool party tomorrow afternoon?"

The answering grins made him laugh.

Hours ticked by and everyone had gone to bed when Harry awoke. On either side of him, Taigei and Ryuuhou had smiles on their faces with the Submarines spooning them. For a few moments, the teenage wizard wondered what awoke him when he felt a nose rub against his own and he blinked a bit as he could see Natsumi's eyes looking back at him. Voice nearly a whisper, Harry blinked a little, "Natsumi-Chan? What is it?"

She glanced at the others before speaking, her own voice a whisper, "Harry-Chan? Mind getting up out of bed? I... want to show you something."

With that, she slipped back and out of the bed and paused at the foot of it. It took all his skill, but Harry managed to do the same as well without waking the sleeping shipgirls sharing said bed. Then, he followed Natsumi out into the hall.

Distantly, he could hear the grandfather clock in the main entry hall chime the midnight hour as he followed the Kitsune. The various lights brightened and then dimmed as they passed them until they reached the grand staircase heading flesh to the entry hall, "Natsumi-Chan? Where are we going?"

Glancing over her shoulder, the pajama clad girl had a small, shy smile, "Just... outside."

For a moment, Harry frowned some, but... he knew that this was Natsumi and so followed her out the door, carefully and quietly opening then closing it behind them. Soon, their feet touched the damp, dewy grass and they continued to walk until they came to the millpond, fireflies dancing above the surface.

For several moments, the two didn't do anything. But then, Natsumi took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, "It's beautiful out, isn't it, Harry-Chan?"

Also looking up, Harry could only nod as his gaze swept across the starry night, the nearly Full Moon brightly illuminating the area, "Hai, it is." He then turned towards Natsumi, "But... you didn't bring me out here to stargaze, did you?"

Turning to him, Natsumi let out a slow, deep breath before nodding, "No, I didn't." She then reached over and took his hands in hers before taking a step until she was pressed against him, her forehead against his, "I... it is about the other night, Harry-Chan. When we took that shower and I told you my secret."

Part of the teenage wizard couldn't help but remember what it felt like as the two of them hugged. But the rest simply nodded, "I remember. And like I told you, that changes nothing for me, Natsumi-Chan. Absolutely. Nothing."

Lips curling, Natsumi sighed a little, "Hai, and I know that. You... you don't know what weight you lifted off my shoulders, Harry-Chan. It's been weighing me down, and you simply took it on, and for that I thank you. But I remember one part of our conversation and... it made me think over the past few days. Think long and hard... and so I want to show you something." Her honey brown eyes met his emerald, "Do you trust me?"

Not even thinking about it, because it was Natsumi, Harry nodded, "Always." Understanding what she wanted, he leaned forward and opened himself as she did herself. And moments later, only he stood there even as his hair lengthened and lightened, while his features became more androgynous and his ears lengthened and pointed. After a few moments, he opened his eyes and blinked, '{Natsumi-Chan?}'

Her mental voice softly answered him back, '{Harry-Chan? Could you open yourself as much as you can? For me?)'

Blinking, Harry nodded a little after taking a breath. Within Natsumi's mindscape, Tamamo lounged back as she watched the "Eclipse" in the sky progress until the Sun and Moon covered half of each other, 'I wonder what you are doing, Natsumi...? Hmm?'

Meanwhile, the fourteen year old boy was wondering what Natsumi could want. He could feel his hair lengthen until it reached his shoulders, and his ears move a bit upwards. Part of him even swore that he could feel a little something where his tail bone was. Yet, from Natsumi, there was nothing...

Until there was.

From deep within him, he could feel something well up. It was warm, like a bath. Yet, at the same time, it felt like it was lifting him upwards as well, buoying him. Harry could tell that it was from Natsumi, that it was her. Said feeling also conveyed a gentleness, care.

Voice thick with emotion as he recognized it, Harry blinked away some wetness, "N-Natsumi-Chan...?"

Tone gentle, but carrying a soft mental smile, Natsumi spoke up, '{Can you feel this, Harry-Chan? This... this is how I feel for you.}'

A tear slowly trickled down Harry's cheek followed by another.

Then, another.

More followed as Harry stood there in the night, the Moon shining down along with the stars as fireflies danced. Slowly, Natsumi brought up their arms, gently holding Harry as if he was hugging himself as the Kitsune spoke, '{I know that you find it hard, Harry-Chan, but this... this is how I feel for you. And I'm not alone in that.}'

Swallowing, the teenage wizard nodded as he fell to his knees, '{I... I know. A-and I...}'

Harry could almost swear that he felt Natsumi's finger against his lip, '{I know, Harry-Chan. As we are right now... we can feel each other. We cannot hide from each other. I understand that you can't say it quite yet, but I can wait for you. Will wait for you. For as long as you need. Some might say that I am too young, that I don't understand...}' After a moment, she continued, '{But right now, this is how I feel for you. And how you feel for me. I weep that you're hurt, that you cannot say what I can tell in this state that you want. That you want so badly. But... for you? I can say them. I can speak for us both.}'

Right then, Harry could tell that some of the tears dripping down his cheeks were Natsumi's. He could feel her around him in an embrace as she mentally and spiritually held him, '{Natsumi-Chan...}'

Mental voice soft with gentleness and something else, Natsumi spoke the words that the boy she cared for needed. Words that he could not deny the truth of, not carried by the emotions from the Kitsune that he could feel as well as he could his own. Ones that caused even more tears, from both of them, to run down their face.

'{Harry Potter... I love you.}'

And he came undone.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Neither Harry nor Natsumi knew how long they knelt there under the watchful Moon and Stars, for time lost meaning to the two. Those five words, just five... simple words... caused something inside of the wizard to come undone. There was no lie, no chance of one, because Harry could feel the true emotion behind those words. And so he wept and openly with no shame, as it had no place in that moment. The only one to witness being someone he trusted with all his being.

For Natsumi, too, wept with him even as she embraced his best she could in the Kitsune-Tsuki. Her feelings surrounded him, swaddling him like a warm, comforting blanket. Even the Kitsune's soul seemed to wrap around his. And she continued to whisper, softly, those same words into his mind.

'{Harry Potter, I love you.}'

Each time, another wave of tears came from the teenage boy's eyes. The voices that would have argued against the words silenced, unable to penetrate through the emotions being wrapped around him. Each time those words were spoken, they were like a battering ram being used against a castle gate. They were like the sharpest sword, cutting through chains with ease.

'{Harry Potter... I love you.}'

And so Natsumi wept alongside him. For she knew what her words were doing, the emotion behind them was accomplishing. Because as they were, in that moment, she could not lie to him, and he knew. They were bared, almost fully, to one another right then. No walls between them.

She wept for him, for the wounds on his heart and soul. Tears metaphorically rolled down her cheeks as her words acted like a lancelet as they cut open old wounds and caused him pain. Pain that she took on herself to help him, shouldering his burden as her own.

'{Harry Potter... I love you.}'

Pus composed of old hate, both directed and self-inflicted, as well as anger, despair, and the like bubbled up as the scars were cut open as the infection was exposed. So too did come the poison of hurtful words and looks that had been trapped inside the closed wounds. The words... those simple words cutting open wounds that they yet festered in. Draining those wounds.

'{Harry Potter... I love you.}'

Yet, words alone might not have been enough, but in this case they were not alone. In the state that they were in, Harry could feel Natsumi's emotions, her true feelings for him. Emotions that became more clear as she opened herself still further, pushing past her own walls around her soul with him doing the same as they reached for each other. Inside the mindscape, Tamamo watched in surprise as the eclipse went beyond the half way mark, nearly three quarters complete and continuing.

Neither teen noticed that the ears of their shared body had become fully fox-like and nearly reached the top of their head. Nor did they notice the small bit of bushy tail poking out from behind them. Instead, they were focused on the other, on the words being said and what was being felt.

'{Harry Potter... I love you.}'

Those emotions coming from Natsumi, those true feelings she felt, acted like the purest and cleanest water against the reopened wounds. They gently washed out the poison and the pus that had festered there. For such things could not stand against it, only... become dissolved and washed away. And once that poison, that pus and infection, was washed away? Once the scarred wounds were clean?

Those words that had reopened the old wounds sutured them close. Acting as stitches to keep the wound closed so that it could finally heal fully. The feelings behind them acting as a bandage to keep them clean.

'{Harry Potter... I, Ono Natsumi... love you with all my heart, know this to be true.}'

Finally, the healing that had begun years ago, could fully do so.

Within the mindscape, Tamamo's echo looked up at the sky in wonder as the Eclipse was complete, the corona dancing as an aura rippled across the sky. At the same time, the scar on Harry's forehead ripped open a little with some drops of black blood dripping out. Elsewhere in Britain, in a ruined manor, an deformed looking infant screamed in the purest agony possible while nearby, a snake writhed in pain. A mousy looking man squeezing himself into a corner as he looked on in terror.

Eventually, the tears stopped running down their face, slowly drying.

Blinking bloodshot eyes, Harry looked up from where they kneeled. Somehow, the world seemed so much brighter now. At the same time, he felt lighter, as if a weight that he had not known existed was now... not gone, not yet, but greatly diminished. The cool night breeze brushed past him, not chill enough to shiver from but almost refreshing. Around him, flowers gently bobbed in the breeze, the whisper of the grass and nearby tree branches carried in the air along with the chirp of the crickets.

Above, the Moon shone down gently, its light turning the millpond into a mirror of argent. The dew on the blades of grass and on the wildflowers twinkling in the starlight even as the small glowing dots of fireflies danced in the air. In that moment, that private moment that only the two would share to the end of their days in the far future, the world felt... new. As if it, or they, had been reborn.

Neither spoke, for no words were needed. Their emotions, how they felt for one another, bared fully to each other and entwined. It seemed as if their very souls were embracing each other completely and fully. Nothing more was needed in that moment but the other, and that was what they had. For them, the moment continued for an eternity.

But, all things come to an end, though they would forever share that moment. Still emotional, Harry had a small smile playing at his lips, '{Natsumi-Chan... I... feel that way too. I just wish...}'

Part of him swore that he could feel her take his hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze, '{I know, Harry-Chan, and I understand. You don't need to force yourself, not to me, not like we are. We can feel each other, I know how you feel without words. Right now, we don't need them. One day, you'll be able to share those words, and that is enough for me. I love you, and I will keep saying it for as long as I can.}'

Throat feeling constricted, the teenage boy nodded, '{I know. Thank you.}'

He could feel her give a metaphorical nod in return, as well as somehow see her smile in his mind. It was then, however, that one of his ears twitched. Blinking, Harry went to scratch it only to not find it where it was supposed to be. Slowly, he moved his hand upwards, and found something that felt like a fox's ear on the top of his head.

Neither of them said anything as that bit of information filtered into their minds. Moments later, they felt something move behind them and Harry looked over their shoulder and boggled a bit at the two, dark furred and bushy tails that were there and attached to him, '{... Natsumi-Chan?}'

From over their link, he could feel her surprise as well, '{I... I think...}' Their eyes blinked again, '{D-did we actually...}'

The two shared a metaphorical look before slowly raising to their feet. It took a little bit of effort as Harry found his balance slightly off. But they walked towards the millpond and he "Wrote" an ofuda in the air using a glowing tip of his finger while whispering a spell. Said spell caused the water that they were looking at to still and become smooth as glass and reflective. A short spell to create an orb of light showed that the water had become a mirror, and the teen's eyes widened at the slight that met them.

Because, reflected back at them was a different person. The boy, and they knew that from various things, was completely androgynous. One of the very first things that caught their attention was the face. In particular the eyes as one was emerald green speckled with gold, and the other was a golden colour with specks of green. But both eyes practically glowed with power. The rest of their face had an almost aristocratic look, but with feminine aspects and definite Japanese looks, like one parent had been Japanese and one European.

On top of their head, two fox ears twitched. Said ears were nestled in a head of dark auburn, nearly black hair that grew to about mid back. One thing that they noted was that it was slightly messy, showing aspects of Harry's hair. The rest of their body was somewhat slender in a way that would confuse one in whether they were male or female, as one might think that they were either a boyish girl or girlish boy.

Meanwhile, behind them, two fox tails the colour of their hair swished to and fro in the night air.

It went without saying that their jaw dropped a little. Something that revealed another fact. Mainly the enlarged canines, practically fangs, that were in their mouth.

Stunned, they then brought up their hand and examined it. The skin had a shade somewhere between their original ones. But, touching it, it was completely smooth. As they continued down it, they came to their slender fingers which each had a long, sharp nail, really a claw, at the end. Tilting their hand until the palm was facing upwards, they ignited a flame of fox fire in it as easily as Natsumi could, though it was roughly the size of a basketball instead of the baseball sized orb that they had aimed for.

Neither spoke for a few moments after extinguishing the Kitsune-Bi. But then, Harry glanced back at their arm and blinked, "Well... I guess that if we ever want to become competitive swimmers, we won't need to worry about shaving..."

After a moment, he heard a snort from Natsumi in his head before it became full blown laugher. Soon after, he too began to laugh and fell to the ground as he laughed. Both of them had tears running down their faces once more, but these were happy ones.

When they finally stopped laughing, Natsumi shook their head as she spoke, "I can't believe that we did it... and accidentally at that!" Pausing, she reached up and rubbed at their throat, "Huh... our voice even sounds like a perfect mix. That will take some getting used to."

From deep within their mind, Tamamo spoke up with a chuckle in her voice, '{Perhaps. But allow me to congratulate the two of you on completing the Kitsune-Tsuki transformation. And well ahead of what even I had expected as well.}'

That made them blink before Harry answered for the both of them, '{Um, thank you?}'

Laughter in her voice, he could almost imagine the old vixen bow slightly, '{You are quite welcome, Harry.}'

Head tilted to the side as he examined their new claws, a frown crossed his face, '{What does this mean, by the way? I mean... are we human? Or Kitsune like this?}'

Natsumi gave a mental nod of her own at that, '{I'm wondering that myself, though I don't mind how close it makes us.}'

Amusement colouring her voice, Tamamo spoke up, '{No, I don't suppose that it does~}' She took a moment to enjoy the embarrassment from both teens before continuing, '{As for what it means as to what you are? Right now, as far as magic is concerned... the two of you are both fully Kitsune and fully human at the same time. A sort of... quantum state, if you will.}'

Furrowing his eyebrows, Harry frowned, '{So we're a... Schrodinger's Kitsune in a way?}'

Moments later, a hum came from the ancient fox spirit, '{That is a rather apt way of putting it. One thing to note is that you gain the benefits of both aspects when it comes to magic. You could choose if magic that would affect only one aspect of your combined state would affect you. For example, magic that might exclude a human from a place, but not a Kitsune, would not affect you if you do chose. As well, magic that could be beneficial for a human, but have no effect or a negative one for a Kitsune, can still be used for or on you as if you were a normal human. Quite useful, is it not?'

Utterly stunned, the two teens could only nod as they spoke the same thing, '{Wow... so cool.}'

Chuckling inside the mindscape, Tamamo smirked a bit as she looked at the orb that contained the snake representing parseltongue. After a moment, her smirk widened as she glanced at the chained pelt and held a copy of the orb, but empty, above it. Moments later, she began the walk towards Harry's portion of the mindscape as she tossed the new orb up and down...

A small fox curled up inside of it.

Laying back on the dew covered grass, Harry stared up into the sky. With human eyes, he could only see so much. But now? He could use the vision of a Kitsune, which showed so much more of the heavens above, '{Its beautiful, isn't it.}'

That got him a happy hum from the teenage Kitsune, '{Hai, it really is.}' He could feel her mentally look towards him with a smile, '{Especially with you.}'

Once more, there was that warmth, that love, that came from Natsumi and made him smile.

Eventually, however, all things end. And the two of them came out of Kitsune-Tsuki. Now separated, Harry took a deep breath before letting it out and turning towards Natsumi. A small bit of wetness in his eyes, he hugged her close, with the Kitsune returning it, "Thank you."

Hugging him tightly, Natsumi nuzzled him, "You don't even need to thank me, Harry-Chan." She brought one hand and cupped his cheek before rubbing their noses together, "Ever, because I love you."

Blush on his face, Harry just smiled before kissing her, something that Natsumi returned full heartedly. This time, his hands were not on her hips, which made the fourteen year old girl smile into the kiss. As he pulled back, Harry looked into her eyes for a few moments with a smile before it fell off and he chewed his lip, "Natsumi-Chan? You mentioned the others... and said that they, um... that they also..."

Expression on her face gentle, even as she cursed once more Harry's relatives, the Kitsune nodded, "They do love you, Harry-Chan. Just like I love you and just as much. Believe me on that." Shaking her head, she gave him a quick peck, "And one day, they'll tell you those words. But that will be on their own time and in their own ways, but understand... they love you, each of them."

Lost look on his face, Harry licked his lips some, "But... why? Why love me?"

Cocking a eyebrow, Natsumi shook her head before leaning in, "Harry-Chan? I think that you already know the answer. You felt it in me, but... you'll understand, I believe in you. And love you as well."

With that, she pulled him into another kiss there under the Moonlight.

 

[darthcourt10]

Mushapi

A bit short but since I returned I wanted to continue writing about Siusan even if its only short blurbs for now. Let me know your thoughts. I realize that parts may be a bit stilted.
*-*-*


As they walked through the forest outside the village Siusan considered Haruka. She was just as beautiful as she remembered. Perhaps a different kind of beauty than when she had been Bridget, but sill a beauty of equal measure. It was how nature absolutely adored her. The way the plants strained to be closer to her, the birds singing more brightly. As Haruka chittered happily as she showed Siusan the forest telling her about each of the forest members with the very same joy and wonder Siusan lay her head on the now taller Haruka.

"Haruka dear, when you are ready I would like to show you our forest again," She said. "Back on the isle I kept our forest in good health and safe. And your keep well it may not be in the best repair, but well our children rest there."

Haruka stilled.

"I don't mean right away or any time in the near future but when you are ready I would like to reintroduce you to our old forest like you are introducing me here. So much has changed love. Like remember that squirrel that lived in the ancient oak tree in the courtyard that liked to sleep on your head, his descendant are absolutely overrunning the forest now," Siusan quickly added.

"Perhaps..." Haruka drifted into silence as she sat down under the boughs of an ancient tree, beams of light haloing around her. "But not now, maybe soon but I am still not ready yet. I hope you understand."

"I do love, I do. But when your are I will be waiting. Perhaps we can take Harry child, his queen and court with him. It would be good for him to meet more members of his family even if they are long passed." Siusan curled around her, where a moment ago there had been two women now two foxes lay in the sunbeams lancing down between the leaves.

"When I am ready I think I would like that. I just need a little more time. I don't know why it should be easy to return but I hesitate." The Japanese fox trembled

"Shh love its okay." Siusan wrapped her tail around Haruka.

The two foxes lay together under the ancient tree content in eachother's presence. Only as the sun began to set did they rise and begin to return to the village. Two old souls healing together.

 

[darthcourt10]

Third Summer Holidays - Summer THREE G, Split Point due to Keep Filesize Down

START
​

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Stretching as she sat up in bed, Yae let out a soft, happy sigh as she looked towards the window where the Sun was shining in. Over the trip, she had a lot of fun. Not just picking fruit and the like, but also seeing various sights. For a girl whose household could at best be considered "Upper-Middle Class", it was amazing and practically the trip of a lifetime. Hence why her parents had agreed to it upon talking with Nagato.

And the teenage Kendoka had not regretted it one bit.

With a soft sigh, she walked over to the window and opened it, allowing the morning breeze to enter the room. Here and there, she could see some clouds of mist stubbornly clinging to the ground. Along with the dew, it was a magical sight, said thought making her giggle a little considering things. Walking over to where her phone was, Yae took it off the charger and made her way back to the window in order to take another picture to share with her family.

Upon returning to the window, she gasped a little at the sight that met her. Because slowly making its way across the grounds was a doe along with what had to be her faun. For a few moments, Yae just stared in awe before remembering her phone and taking some pictures. With that done, she just leaned against the windowsill and watched with a smile. For someone who spent nearly their entire life in the city, this... This was a true treat to see and she spent minutes just watching.

Later, the Kendoka joined the others at breakfast, tucking into it with gusto. Now, she didn't shovel her food into her mouth like some character from an anime, she did have manners. But, she still ate a lot for a girl of her size and age. Finishing off her first breakfast roll, she swallowed and watched as Harry set down a bowl in front of first Usagi and then Uesugi, "Here you go, some freshly made Muesli. Hope that you enjoy!"

Smile on her face, Usagi shook her head as she took up her spoon, "I'm sure that I will, Harry-Kun." Taking a spoonful, she raised an eyebrow before putting it in her mouth and chewing for a few moments. Then, her eyebrows rose as she swallowed and she hummed, "Oh I am definitely liking this."

More than a little curious, Yae ate some more eggs as she looked at the oat filled dish, "What is that, Usagi-Chan? It looks like oatmeal..."

Just swallowing another mouthful, the Inaba shrugged some, "It's a European dish that Natsumi-Chan told me about. I wanted to try some since, well, vegetarian." Taking another bite, she soon continued, "I mean, it is different, but good."

Beside her, Uesugi nodded as she ate her own breakfast though she had some of those pancake-like "Oatcakes" beside her, "Indeed, it is pretty good."

For several moments the lone non-magical considered that before raising her hand, "Could I have a bowl, Harry-San? It looks good!"

Lightly chuckling, the wizard nodded some, "Sure thing. I'll even make it in front of you." That caused the others to perk up and Harry brought over the ingredients with the others watching. Opening up a mason jar, he spooned out a soggy mixture that he placed into a bowl, "Now, first, we have our oats. These have been soaked overnight in milk, making them nice and soft for breakfast. Then we add..." He picked up an apple and tossed it into the air spinning with a flick of his wrist. Catching it on his arm, he rolled it down to his elbow before bouncing it into the air and catching it, "A fresh apple."

Grins in their faces, the other teens applauded as did various members of the Potter Armoury as well as the shipgirls, though Kitakami-Maru was taking notes. Eyes wide, Yae shook her head a little, "Gozaru..."

Meanwhile, Harry picked up the grater and went to work, "Now, we grate the apple that we're using into the mixture, skin and all..."

Curious, Okita tilted her head as she watched the wizard practically shred the apple with expert ease. Blinking, she furrowed her eyebrows some, "Um, Harry-Kun? I think that you got to the core..."

Lightly chuckling, the wizard looked up at her, "When I said we grate the apple, I mean all of it, Okita-Chan. That includes the core." Ignoring the blinks that got, he continued once he was finished, "Now, we add a little lemon juice, which will keep the pulp from browning. Then, in goes the sliced almonds and chopped hazelnuts. Followed by a good selection of berries in the form of redcurrants, blackcurrants, raspberries, and blackberries..." Reaching for a bowl, Harry picked it up, "Finished by heavy cream sweetened with honey, which we mix in fully..." About a minute later, he held out the bowl with a small bow as he handed it to Yae, "And there we go! Fresh muesli, perfect for the summer morning."

A few moments later, Yae picked up a spoon and used it before looking at the food. Furrowing her eyebrows, she frowned for a moment before putting into her mouth and smiling. After swallowing, she nodded, "It's good!" That got chuckles from the others, but Yae didn't care as she began to consume what was in the bowl, 'I wonder if Sensei would like this...'

The various conversations continued around the table as they ate. At one point, Harry got up and took some of the dishes with him into the kitchen where they would be cleaned later, not knowing that Hachi was following him with an odd expression on her face. Setting down the plates, the teenage wizard felt the arms of the Submarine go around his waist, "Hachi-Chan?"

Setting her chin on his shoulder, Hachi nodded some, "Ja, Harry-Chan." She looked at him and furrowed her eyebrows, "Harry-Chan... did something happen last night? With you and Natsumi-Chan?"

Needless to say, that made Harry blink before he looked over his shoulder at her. For a few moments, he was quiet before he nodded, "Hai, something did, but... nothing bad. Why?"

Her lips curling into a smile, the Submarine gave his waist a small squeeze, "Because you seem... different, this morning." Seeing him about to say something, she placed one finger against his lips, "Not in a bad way, Harry-Chan." Pausing for a moment, Hachi continued, "But more like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders."

For almost a minute, Harry didn't say anything, but then he gave Hachi a smile as he brought his own arms up and hugged her around the waist, "You could say that, Hachi-Chan. Natsumi-Chan... told me some things in a way that I could not ignore. In a way that no one else could and... it made me realize some things. Good things."

Watching his face, and focusing on his eyes, Hachi smile grew. Part of her was curious about the conversation in question, but she could see that it was a personal one and so only nodded, "I see, Harry-Chan. That's good to hear."

Gaze going to her face for a moment, the teenage boy glanced towards where the dining room was. Where they were at, there was a small wall blocking those in the dining room from seeing anything. After a second or two of thought, Harry leaned in and kissed Hachi, the Submarine happily returning it even as it deepened a touch. But then, remembering one of the earlier kissing sessions with Natsumi, he moved his hands from her waist further behind her and down. Briefly, Hachi's eyes widened in surprise, but then she closed them and gave a happy murmur.

As they pulled apart, Harry looked at the flushed look on the Shipgirl's face and smiled a little, "Um... I hope that is alright?"

Only glancing at the dining room, Hachi smiled and leaned down, "More than okay, Harry-Chan. Just don't do it in public for now, okay?"

After getting a nod, her smile widened and she kissed him again for a couple of seconds before winking as he removed his hands before the two went back to the table.

Upon getting back, they found Natsumi turned in her seat towards them with an amused look on her face, "We just found out something about Yae-San, Harry-Chan." She then jerked her thumb towards said Kendoka, "She's never been fishing in her life."

That made Harry blink before his eyes widened, "You've never been fishing, Yae-San?" At the shake of the head from the slightly blushing Yae, he hummed, "Well... I do have a rod or two at least. So we could go and do some fishing on the stream here. Though..." Frown on his face, the wizard shook his head, "It also depends on what sort of fishing you want to do, and I mean besides fly fishing which takes some practice."

Hands behind her head, Nobu snorted, "What's to know? You put a worm on a hook and use it-Itai!'

Picking up an apple seed, the teenage wizard flicked it with deadly accuracy and it bounced off Nobu's forehead, "Ara, ara, you are not dismissing the noble art of angling, are you?" Ignoring the snickers from Okita, he turned towards Yae who seemed to be trying to smother a grin of her own, "Anyways, different fish have different habits and perferred bait. Sure, a normal worm on a hook is a general one, but..." He then gave a small shrug, "Take pike, worms don't work in that case, but something like a dead fish on a hook would."

Just blinking at that, Yae furrowed her eyebrows in thought before chewing her lip. Then, she gave a small nod, "Maybe... just normal fish?"

Natsumi then raised her hand, "I wouldn't mind trying for some pike."

Various others nodded and Harry clapped his hands together, "Sounds great, I'll get the rods and such together as well as bait..."

An hour later found them above the millpond where there was a stream running past. Looking from it down to the millbrook, Okita scratched her head, "This is actually a fishing stream? But it doesn't look that big..." Leaning over the bank, her frown deepened, "Or deep."

Chuckling, Harry was setting up the rods, "Actually, the water is at least to your waist if you decided to take a dip, so it's deeper than you might think." He then pointed at the millpond, "The pond over there is deep enough that some parts are over your head and there's a second pond further downstream where it ends. Had them add a fish ladder so that fish down there could migrate back up."

Nobu gave him a look before taking a running leap and managing to clear the stream entirely, though at the end she had to windmill her arms a little to not fall in, "Still not that big of a stream."

In return, the wizard gave her a small shrug, "Still pretty big, from here it circles the inside of the property right up to a small tunnel that connects it to Gryffindor Stream which passes by Godric's Hollow with smaller streams leading into this one around the property and through the orchards. And having fished here? There's plenty of fish, especially game fish along with ones like perch, carp, and even some catfish as well as eel." He then shook his head a little as he straightened, "But with how little fished this brook is? And how there's some rapids that block fish from going back up? Some of them, like the pike, have gotten big."

Licking her lips some, Rika's tails twitched behind her, "I'm definitely looking forward to some fresh fish. That would be delicious..."

That got a chuckle from the others as they had expected it from the Nekomata after all. Watching as Harry placed a sardine onto the hook she was using, Natsumi tilted her head a little, "So... they'll eat sardines?"

With a glance at her, Harry nodded, "This is called dead baiting and is pretty much used for predatory fish like pike. Sardines are really good for this because they're kind of oily and disintigrate in the water over time, making sure that there's scent all over which draw in the pike." A frown appeared on his face and he shrugged, "Best time for pike is really in the fall when they're nice and fat preparing for the winter months, but... anytime of year is good except for when they're spawning."

Only nodding at that, the Kitsune looked around, "So where would you say the best spot is?"

Raising his hand, Harry pointed upstream a little, "See that spot where the stream bends? And how there's some lilies there?" At her nod, he continued, "That's a great spot for pike, the water is nice and deep with the current being slow. The lilies also give a good spot for them to lay in wait for prey." The teenage boy then gave her a kiss on the cheek before standing, "Just give me a moment to set everyone else up, Natsumi-Chan."

In reply, Natsumi gave his own cheek a kiss, "Hai, not a problem."

After a stretch, he watched over to where Yae was waiting and held out a fishing rod which she took with an unsure expression on her face. Just smiling, Harry then began to show her how to work it even as Rika moved a bit further down and started to fish herself, "Now then, we're using dead bait with you because the bigger, older trout eat small fish..."

Yae listened intently as he explained what to do before he helped her cast for the first time, which basically meant gently flicking her rod so that the hook and floater landed in the middle of the stream and began to drift before she stopped it. After that, Harry walked up to where Natsumi was and brought her to her spot. Said Kitsune had just barely gotten her own hook into the water when a shout made them turn to Yae.

Said girl had her eyes wide as something tugged at her line, jerking it around in the water, "I have something, gozaru!"

Jogging back, Harry came up beside her with a slight grin, "Great job, Yae-San! Someone get a video!"

Grin on her face, Usagi was already recording, "On it!"

Eyes wide as she pulled back, Yae watched as the line jerked up and down the stream as she reeled it in best that she could, "Go-gozaru!" There was a flash of scales and the fish, a trout, leapt into the air, "Wow..."

As she brought it closer to the bank, the wizard was waiting with a net and scooped it up as soon as he could. Grin of approval on his face, Harry looked over at the awed Yae, "Nice one! Now let's get it weighed..." Bringing it over to the scale that was there after removing the hook, he placed the flopping fish onto it and hummed, "About... ten pounds, very nice."

When he picked it up and brought it over to Yae, however, the teenage girl blinked, "Um, what am I supposed to do?"

Raising an eyebrow, Harry snickered a bit, "Well, we should be taking a picture you know, of you and your first fish."

The teenage girl smiled at that and soon, said picture was taken with her having a large grin on her face.

A triumphant shout made them turn to where Rika lifted a fish of her own, a perch, into the air, "Woo-hoo! Got one!" Weighing it, she nodded, "And it's two pounds!"

Crossing her arms, Usagi snorted some in amusement, "It's just a perch, and smaller than what Yae-San just caught."

In reply, the Nekomata shrugged, "Don't care, got fishy." Simply ignoring the laughter, she licked her lips, "I'm going to enjoy eating you..."

Both Rika and Yae went back to fishing, but a half hour later it was Natsumi's turn to catch something. The Kitsune, having layered her human disguise over herself, began reeling in her catch, even as it was giving her a fight, "Guh! Come on!" Straining as she pulled back on the rod, she grunted as she dipped it and began reeling, the line rapidly going upstream before jerking back and forth, "You're... not... getting away from me...!"

Recording it on Natsumi's phone, Taiyang grinned, "Get that fish! Mikon~"

Upon reaching her, Harry brought out his net even as Ayaka brought up the scale for weighing. As the pike, which everyone could see it was as it broke the surface in it's struggles got close, the wizard looked from the net to the fish and then shrugged before leaping into the water as various people shouted, "HARRY!"

However, he ignored how he was in waist deep water and used the net to get the pike from the tail end and lifted it until it was deposited, snapping its jaws, onto the bank and then got out himself with some help from Nobu and Okita. Leaning forward, Usagi let out a yelp as the carnivore attempted to bite her, but the teenage wizard shook his head and pinned it down, "Enough of that from you."

Seeing him bring out pliers, Taiyang leaned in as she continued to film, "Ah! Very smart to do with teeth like that."

With a snort, Harry glanced at her, "Learned from the first time one nearly tore open my hand." It took only a few seconds, but he removed the hook and nodded as the fish flopped around, "Now to weigh you..."

Once they did, more than one of them stared. Yae's eyes were wide as she looked at the scale, "Thirty pounds... that's a big fish, Gozaru."

Lips twitching, the wizard chuckled, "It is... and now for pictures! Natsumi-Chan, come on over."

Moments later, the Kitsune was holding the still alive, and somewhat snapping, monster pike in her arms which seemed about half her size with a massive grin on her face as Taiyang and Harry both took a picture.

By the end, the group caught five trout, almost all of them over five pounds, three perch of at least one pound, and Rika tried her hand at, and caught, a fifteen pound pike. Along with the two carp, they considered it a good trip. The "Fishermen" all having massive grins as they took in their catches, though the Nekomata stated that she was going to be bringing some of hers home for her family. After all, they hadn't had some of the fish in question before and it would keep under stasis charms.
_________________________________________________________

Whistling as sizzling came from the pan, Harry flipped the fillets in it with practiced ease before nodding, "Okay... it looks about done." Sliding it onto a plate, he opened the boxes beside him with had ofuda on them to reveal other cooked fish in them. A minute or so later, he entered the dining room with the plates behind him, "And here we go!"

As the plates were set down, everyone licked their lips though one plate was set down in front of Yae. Said Kendoka blinked at Harry, "Um..."

Smile playing at his lips, the fourteen year old magical nodded towards it, "That's your trout that you caught. Pan fried with some herbs and lemon." Placing another plate, this time in front of Natsumi, he smiled, "And here's your oven baked pike, milady."

Unable to help herself, Natsumi giggled some, "Why thank you, kind sir."

Then, Harry placed another plate in front of Rika, "And some fried perch." Other plates which also had the fish were placed onto the table for people to take from before a plate of greens were added, "Also, some nice watercress salad for those that want it, gathered fresh from one of the nearby springs."

Licking her lips, Usagi grabbed nearly a half plateful, "I'll take that!"

Meanwhile, the Kitsune of the group took a forkful of pike before popping it into her mouth. For a few moments, she chewed before pausing and humming, "Huh... this tastes pretty good."

Rika perked up at that and looked over at her friend even as the others took from the plates offered, "Really?" At Natsumi's nod, she reached over to the plate that had some more pike on it and took a small bit. Biting down on it, the Nekomata practically purred, "Mmm... it does taste good."

For her part, Yae was happily eating her trout with a smile on her face. What made it better was that she was going to be able to bring home the fillets for her family to try as well, and she could not wait to show off the pictures. As she ate, however, she frowned as a thought occurred to her and she turned to Harry, "Um, Harry-San? You mentioned that the stream there has been there since the beginning? Same with the ponds?"

Glancing up from his own meal, Harry nodded, "Hai, the lower pond has been there since before the mill was actually built. And the stream was built using earth moving spells. Why?"

Confusion on her face, the Kendoka took another bite of fish, "Just wondering why. You had the spring, so you didn't need water, right? So why have a stream and such?"

For a few seconds, Harry blinked before he nodded with a small smile, "Actually? There's a pretty good reason for that." Seeing everyone turn towards him, he continued, "Way back, for Christians one abstained from eating meat on Fridays. Meat, that is, except for fish which were perfectly acceptable. Of course you got some silliness like beavers being declared a fish so that they were able to be eaten on Fridays and Lent, but still." The wizard then gestured towards the fish, "So a lot of Manors, castles, and monastaries, had ponds and moats where they would raise fish for their suppers on Friday. My family simply connected their brook to Gryffindor Stream so that young fish would swim down, but not be able to return."

Happily eating her fish, Cathy hummed, "Yes, the French Potters actually had something similar as a fish pond. And from memory, the German Potters built up around a stream for the same reason."

Rubbing her chin, Nobu nodded some, "That's pretty smart when you think about it." Internally, she continued, 'And a way for protein when you need it and can't leave the local defenses...'

Eventually, the fish disappeared into empty stomachs and left behind happier, filled teens.

Once that happened, Juuchi got up from her seat with a smug smile on her face as she looked towards Yae, "I believe that the two of us have a practice spar?"

That made said Kendoka blink before she got up and smiled, "Hai, I'll go and get my gear then."

Just as she was about to leave, Cathy also stood up, "Perhaps, after, you would not mind sparring against I? It is not often that I am given the chance."

Eyes widening, Yae's smile widened even as the others chimed in as she bowed, "I look forward to it."

It only took her a few minutes to get ready before she arrived at the area behind the manor that was put aside for sword practice. Doing her stretches, Yae stood and faced Juuchi, who held Kitsune-Bokken in her hands. The Muramasa had a smug smile on her face, not bothering with armor. Slowly, she gave a nod as she slipped into a stance with an ease born of decades of experience, "Now then, let us see how that Miko Sensei of yours has trained you considering she spent most of her time lazing around."

Her eyes widening for a moment, then, Yae narrowed them into a glare. Part of her wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug smirk off the sword spirit's face for what she had said about her sensei. Something that Juuchi seemed to notice if her smugness increasing said anything. Then, Yae let out a breath and focused, "You shall see soon enough."

Smirk growing, Juuchi gave a slow nod as she cocked an eyebrow, "Perhaps."

Then, the Muramasa launched her attack, which the Kendoka barely deflected.

Watching, the other teens outside the Reincarnates had their eyes widened as they watched the two exchange a flurry of blows. Arms crossed, Goldie tilted her head to the side a little, "Most impressive for one of her age." Eyes tracking the movements of the duel, she smiled a little, "A true natural... a diamond who has been revealed fully, it would seem, Umu. I am entertained."

Her own arms crossed against her chest, Nobu chuckled some, "Of course! She is a match for the Three Kendoka Goddesses of Yokosuka Middle School!"

Rolling her eyes even as she kept her eyes on the fight, Okita sighed, "I still say that is far too Chunni." After a few minutes, she narrowed her eyes some as she noticed Yae about to do something, "Hold on, is that..."

Chest heaving, Yae focused on Juuchi before bringing her Bokken to the side. Then, she struck. For the Muramasa, time seemed to slow thanks to senses honed by centuries of combat. She watched as Yae's Bokken approached her along one path... and also another from the opposite direction though that one seemed to flicker, 'Not master, not yet... but perhaps...'

Her own Bokken lashed out as she blocked one blow and ducked under the other, Juuchi smuggly smiled. Before Yae could recover, however, Kitsune-Bokken lashed out and struck Yae behind one knee followed by a leg sweep knocking her to the ground. Suddenly, the Kendoka found the end of said Bokken almost touching her face shield as she laid there.

Above her, the Muramasa blade gave her a raised eyebrow only to nod as she pulled back, "Acceptable." Placing the Bokken to the side, she helped Yae to her feet, "Though, perhaps, you should not use a move that you have not yet mastered even in a practice fight. Still, impressive enough for one of Tokunokai's pupils, I suppose."

Breathing hard, Yae only nodded, "Hai, and thank you. Though you pressed me enough to attempt it."

Lips curling into a smirk, Juuchi tapped the top of the Kendoka's head with her Bokken, "That may be, but you are not a Potter with the Devil's own luck having been pottered by them that you can attempt it and pull it off fully." There was a beat and then she gave a nod, "At least, not yet." Bokken against her shoulder, the Japanese sword spirit went to join the others, "Now then, I believe that first Cathy and then Vala wished to test your skill as well..."

Yae grinned behind her mask as she got her breathing under control as Cathy walked up with a smile.

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

Harry Leferts said:Should be fine by now, I think.
A.N.-- Ok since I have the green light, time to do some future of the Potters and Malfoys by crossposting this arc. Well I have some 'in the future' ideas that the Muse cranked out, so here we go.

A Malfoy And Dagger's Excellent Adventure (I)

Halloween, 2036

Hogsmeade
Spoiler: A Friendship Between Dokis and Daggers

Taube Lupa du Chasteler-Malfoy stepped out of the carriage that had carried her from Hogwarts to the village and stretched to work the kinks out of her avatar. Absently she waved her wand to summon a mirror and looked at the girl reflected within its depths as she holstered her wand.

Pale blonde hair in her normal French braid (slightly lighter than her Mutti's wheat-blonde locks), golden eyes the color of Baltic amber, and a somewhat bony and triangular aristocratic face with high cheekbones (another inheritance from Mutti Ehren and Papa Draco) gave a small self-satisfied smirk.

Her gaze flickered down to her precisely tied and centered silver and emerald silk tie, white cotton shirt, emerald-trimmed gray sweater vest (Scotland being notably cool in late October), black skirt trimmed with silver and green, thick and warm gray wool stockings (a Christmas gift from the Dokis last year), and black leather knee length low-heel boots.

Perfect, she thought to herself, adjusting the silver Prefect badge with the silver serpent on green showing her rank where it glimmered from her chest before dismissing the mirror with a thought.

Then acting on habit, she mentally checked her other assets as she walked toward the waiting village. Her wand of ash wood and magical wolf fur rested in her right forearm holster, ready to be deployed instantly, likewise her hunting knife true body rested in the hidden sheath on her left forearm. Finally, last but not least, the weight of her 7.5 Brno pistol with two spare clips rested in the enchanted holster on her upper left thigh under the skirt.

Taube spared a small smirk for the memory of the looks on the shocked faces of her fellow Slytherin girls when she had revealed that her 14th birthday present was a set of custom pistols designed to fit her avatars' handgrip and balance along with a summer's worth of intensive private lessons under the demanding eye and expert tutoring of Aunt Del and her de Breuil cousins. While she was not as good a shot as Aunt Del, or even her older cousins Lou and Emma, she was almost on par with the jinn half of the De Breuil family. On her very good days.

Considering that Lou, Emma, and Del were all the spirits of pistols with all that implied for marksmanship on the range and when hunting, that was reasonable progress. For now of course, she added mentally as she scanned the clump of people waiting for the students on Hogsmeade Weekend to arrive, because Mutti did not raise a slacker. With the Abyssal War an ongoing hot spot, and other troubles magical and mundane popping up periodically (not to mention the potential for the garden-variety 'kidnap the Malfoy Heiress for ransom' potential types and the odd folks stalking cute girls), she intended to be ready for any trouble should bad luck come her way. After all, Mutti had not raised a unprepared fool either and one thing any du Chasteler Daughter was quite familiar with was the potential for trouble to come unexpectedly. Hence her habitual preparations to put a bullet, hex, or ten centimeters of Muramasa master-forged jewel steel in it someplace vital if today was her lucky day.

Her eyes lit up at the sight of dark purple hair atop a buxom and mature young woman's head. "Yuri! Over here!" she called with a wave and smile.

Her friend bustled over and hugged her. "Taube! It's good to see you again."

Taube gave a small cool smile and returned the hug. "The pleasure is mine. Just you, Yuri?"

Yuri squeezed her in the hug and whispered. "Just me. Natsuki's taking a cooking class with Otousan Harry, while Monika and Sayori are taking Minato to a Halloween costume party. So I used a Time-Turner to come here for my lesson with you before I head back to complete the loop."

Taube smiled smugly and whispered back. "Just like I'm planning to use a Time-Turner with this avatar to get in a Hogsmeade trip while working on my Runecrafting after we get done."

As she broke the embrace she reflected on her friendship with the self-named 'Dokis'.

She had met them two years ago while she was at winter break. Her Mutti and she had journeyed to the Arashi Clan's farmlands to celebrate Ian Potter's 175th Birthday alongside Aunt Claire and her family, who were providing music of course. Ian, in addition to being the father of the Arashi Clan, had also saved Oma Colombe's soul in the early 1900s so Ehren had felt honor-bound to attend, as did Taube as a representative of the du Chasteler-Malfoys.

Honor, after all, was the ironbound structure of her life that let her control and productively channel some of her less savory impulses, just like Mutti Ehren did. One thing that she had ground into her steel bones from her earliest days is that family supported family with honorable service and love.

Plus, the Arashi Clan gathering was quite a lot of fun and a good place to network with her extended family.

She had met her cousins roughly her age from the far-flung Potter family, including Harry Potter's brood.

Including his 14 year old son Minato and the four girls who he had summoned into being from their existence as AI programs before their computer self-destructed. Natsuki, Sayori, Monika, and Yuri, all of whom loved Minato deeply and utterly. Something Taube acknowledged privately, for she sensed some of the same darkness that she struggled with, a legacy of her Muramasa bloodlust through Mutti and Oma's line.

Following that meeting, she had corresponded with the Dokis and Potters via letter and email as well as spoken on the telephone with regularity.

Taube in particular was drawn to Yuri who shared several of her interests such as literature.

And knives.

Yuri had admitted to her shortly after meeting that she wished to help the other Dokis keep their Minato-chan safe and secure until they could marry him, which was a plan that Taube wholeheartedly approved. However, while Yuri and the other Dokis were far faster and stronger than normal humans and even had some magical potential, there were things out there that were threats to humanity that they would need an edge against. Things like some of the remnants of the Death Eaters and other Dark Wizard terrorists, certain Dark Creatures... and of course the hostile Abyssals.

For those foes, Yuri would need an edge, and thanks to thinking about Aunt Estelle and her family, Taube had a solution to the Doki's problem of how to keep Minato safe. Using some of her mother's family contacts (and pleading eyes on Aunt Estelle to get the information from her) she had learned that it would be possible to forge another spellbreaker dagger to keep Minato safe if a magical attacker came for him and the Dokis.

It wouldn't be cheap or easy, and the wielder would need to be trained to handle the blade. However, Yuri had the innate ability needed to use the dagger being crafted for her to the utmost level of her abilities once she gained the skills via practice and teaching.

All she needed was a trainer in Western-style knife fighting along with someone willing to help finance the smithing and the rare and exotic magical ingredients used to ground out magic into the steel matrix.

Such as a certain hunting knife's spirit who was naturally highly skilled in fighting with her steel and quite capable in her spellwork, along with being quite wealthy thanks to her inheritance as Papa Draco's second oldest daughter and Mutti Ehren's oldest child.

And if in exchange a hunting knife's spirit got to deepen her friendship with some people who understood her need for obsessive love of people and ideals that she could protect, semi-periodic attacks of bloodlust, and capability for shocking levels of lethal violence when required, who could in turn help her manage and control the worst impulses that she struggled with?

Well then.

It really was a win-win friendship in Taube's eyes.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Almost everyone was seated around the table as scents drifted out from the kitchen as evening arrived. Before arriving in the dining room, they had taken time to grab a shower and the like, and were now waiting. More than one stomach grumbled a little at the smells as they awaited the dinner to come. As it turned out, they did not need to wait very long as Harry walked out of the kitchen alongside Taigei and Ryuuhou with various covered plates and the like which were set down on the table.

Grin on his face, the wizard chuckled a little, "Is everyone hungry? Because we got a nice, Sunday roast."

Licking her lips as she focused on one of the covered plates, Natsumi glanced at him before commenting dryly, "What do you think, Harry-Chan?

That got a chuckle from Harry as he grinned at her, "I think that you might all be wanting some food. Now first, for the vegetarians as well as for the sides we have..." He began to uncover plates, "Roast potatoes, steamed beans, peas, and carrots with butter. Along with that, we have some brocolli, also steamed with butter, cauliflower cheese, which is lightly boiled cauliflower with chedder chease sauce. And, finally for the sides besides the bread rolls, we have the Yorkshire pudding with your choice of beef gravy or onion gravy." Waiting as he watched the others look even more hungry, the teenage wizard reached over and grasped the last two covered plates, "With that we have the centerpiece... the roast beef!"

More than one of the teens made an impressed sound as he pulled off the covers to reveal said hunks of meat gently steaming in the air.

Unnoticed by them, Harry glanced at Nagato who gave a small nod before he continued, "There is only one last thing." Seeing their attention on him, he made a gesture and a jug came from the kitchen, "Being as this is a celebratory dinner for a great job, and how magical law is... after the dinner, you can have your choice of cider from last year's apples or some damson wine."

Eyes widening, Yae stared at him, "W-wait, we can drink some?"

Nagato raised a finger, "As this is a private residence in Britain, yes, you can. But I will allow you all to have one glass of your choice and that is all. No more than that." A smile appeared on her face, "It is a celebration and reward for all your work."

Much to her amusement, a sigh came from Nobu as she leaned back, "Ah, finally... I'll get to drink alcohol again."

Various people there snickered at the reaction and turned back to Harry as he began to cut the roast beef into slices which were put onto plates while the others took what sides they wanted.

Humming to herself as she took various vegetables and the Yorkshire pudding, Usagi smiled as she put the onion gravy over it, "Now this does look, and smell, amazing."

From where she sat beside her, Ayaka was practically drooling as she looked at the hunk of tender meat that was placed in front of her, "You're telling me." Licking her lips, she swallowed before taking a piece and eating it with a happy hum, 'So good...'

Meanwhile, as she was eating, Okita turned to Yae who was looking at her goblet in thought, "Something wrong, Yae-San? You seem puzzled."

The Kendoka blinked before flushing a little, "Just looking at the silverware. It's really impressive, Gozaru."

Unable to help himself, Harry chuckled from where he sat beside Natsumi at the head of the table, "It's not silverware actually. That's still in the cabinet."

Blinking, Kaku raised an eyebrow at that and noted the twinkle of mischiviousness in Natsumi's eyes and frowned, 'What are they up to...'

Rika, for her part, chewed and swallowed the roast beef she was eating and cocked her head to the side, "It's not silver?" At the nods she got, she frowned, "Um, is it that other stuff? Pewter?"

Just barely keeping himself from laughing at what was likely to happen, the wizard among them shook his head, "Nope, not pewter either."

When he glanced at her, Natsumi's grin widened to massive proportions. She waited until Ayaka was sipping her drink to answer, "It's actually platinum."

There was a beat of silence as they others heard that before there were various reactions from the teens. Usagi had some cauliflower drop out of her mouth while Ayaka nearly sprayed her drink. Meanwhile, Nobu actually dropped her fork to the table and Okita leaned back while Rika's eyes widened far more than a human's should be able to as her tails and ears stuck straight up.

For her part, Yae worked her mouth for a few moments before she finally managed to speak, "P-platinum... t-this is pla-platinum...!?"

Acting as if he was not bothered at all, Harry hummed and ignored how Natsumi had buried her face in his chest, her shoulders shaking madly, "Hai, platinum." He then gave a small shrug, "One my of ancestors back in the Sixteenth Century traveled to the New World along with another wizard due to reports of the Spaniards having found a mystery metal. One that they were dumping because they found it utterly useless. So they bought a massive amount for some gold and brought it back here to Britain. In this case, since it is very resistant and is hard to tarnish, my ancestors found a dwarf who would forge some into a full fledged dinner set." Taking a bite, the teenage magical shrugged with a slight smile, "Figured that you might like it... though I could bring out the good silver if you want instead."

Due to having recovered from her little "Fit", the Kitsune beside him smirked, "Or the goldware. I mean, you do have that dinner set made of pure gold after all..."

Only tilting his head, Harry hummed even as his eyes practically glowed from amusement, "That is very true. But I thought that the platinum would be nice for tonight."

Holding her face in her hands, Yae groaned some, "I-I... I don't even know, Gozaru..."

Kaku, for his part looked at the dinnerware, at Nagato who nodded, then at the reactions of his fellow teens. Finally, the Tanuki looked at his extremely amused Kitsune friend before standing. Smirk on his face as everyone looked at him, he tipped the goblet he held towards Natsumi, "Well done, Natsumi-Chan."

Just standing herself, Natsumi bowed a little, "I could not have done it without Harry-Chan's help in this case."

For her part, Ayaka only groaned and shook her head, "Freaking Kitsune..."

Close to where Harry was sitting, and across from Nagato, Ooi shook her head, 'Heh, that was good timing, Otouto.' She then took a bit of the roast beef before dipping it in some of the gravy on her plate. Holding it out, the Light Cruiser smiled, "Here you go, Rika-Chan."

Leaning over, Kitakami took said food into her mouth and slowly chewed it happily, "Mmm..." With that done, she stabbed one of the small Yorkshire puddings and also dipped it into gravy before holding it towards her girlfriend, "And here you are, Yuuko-Chan..."

That got the two smiles, even as Kitakami-Maru giggled at the actions of her Mama.

Various conversations began to happen as the shock of the dinnerware wore off. At one point, Usagi shook her head as she looked at the cauliflower cheese impaled on her fork, "It is a bit of a shame, you know that Natsumi-Chan?"

Eyebrow raising, the Kitsune looked at her, "A shame? What is?"

With a shrug, Usagi shook her head some, "Well, a lot of this uses dairy, right?" At the nod, she continued, "That means that as I get older, I'd be able to enjoy it less. Lactose intolerance and such." The Inaba grimaced a bit, "It's something that my Otou-San and the others mentioned."

Chewing on some of the food, the Nekomata of the group swallowed, "That's not a problem for me or my Clan."

Snark coloring her voice, Ayaka looked at the smug feline, "Gee, does that have anything to do with how cats love milk, I wonder...?"

In reply, Rika smirked even more and shrugged, "Who knows~"

Dabbing some bread into gravy, Natsumi gave her own shrug, "I'm not too worried about that actually. Harry-Chan has a pretty easy ritual in his library that he offered to use with me. Said ritual will make it where I'm able to eat dairy like, well, him or any other European by gifting it to me from him and pass it onto my Kits and their kits in turn."

Once more, there was silence at that before Uesugi adjusted her glasses and looked at Harry, "There's a ritual for that? Truly?"

With a hum, the wizard nodded, "Hai, and like Natsumi-Chan said it is pretty simple and makes it able to be inherited by any children. Her family is pretty interested in it to be honest." Seeing the interested looks, Harry shrugged, "If you want, I can perform it for you as well."

Kaku sipped his Butterbeer for a few moments before giving a nod, "I might just take you up on that, Harry-Kun. Same with the rest of my Clan, though... could you give it to just one of us and then they handle it from there on?" At his nod, the Tanuki rubbed his chin, "Yeah, we'd be extremely interested in this."

Raising her hand, the Inaba at the table snorted, "Your clan is not the only one that would be interested." Considering the wizard, Usagi nodded some, "I'll have to get back to you on that, Harry-Kun. But if you are offering..." At his nod, she glanced at Natsumi who also nodded before smiling, "Well, we'd be very happy with it since we are vegetarians generally."

After dinner, which was individual trifles for each of them using a little bit of the preserves and jams that they had gathered, the group went back to their rooms briefly to get on swimsuits. Then, they made their way outside to the hot tub where new goblets were waiting, this time gold with gemstones as they chose their drinks. Looking at the dark, red wine in her goblet, Yae sniffed it curiously, "Is this made from damsons?"

Simply nodding as he leaned back in the hot tub, Harry took a sip of his own, "Hai, it is as a matter of fact. And it's pretty sweet."

Curious now, the Kendoka took a sip of her drink and her eyebrows rose some at the sweetness that was there, 'Gozaru...'

From where she was sitting, Usagi sipped her own cider and happily hummed, "This does taste pretty good. And this is from the apples that we picked last year?"

Natsumi hummed some as she sipped her own wine from her goblet, though she had made sure to take a picture of the entire group with the Yokai in their human disguises holding up said goblets with the jewels glinting and gold shining. Not that she was trying to enflame jealousy from certain people at their school who had been nasty to Harry, and herself, when they were children. Not at all, and she promptly ignored Tamamo's cackles, "Hai, a number of the apples we picked last year were cider apples after all. And Rose-San is very good at making cider and so are some of the others."

When they looked at him, Carnwennan gave a small shrug, "It was one of the things that I did pick up over the years and cider has always been a British thing." Sipping his own drink, he smirked some, "But one of these days, you might want to try my mead. I'm making some bottles as it is now."

Much to the interest of the teens and shipgirls, various members of the Potter armory perked up at that, Vala especially. But it was Juuchi who surprised them, "You are making some of your mead?" At his nod, she hummed and rubbed her chin, "Perhaps I shall send some bottles to my sisters then... as well as neices and Honjo."

Blinking, Kenshō tilted her head to the side from where she sat on Harry's lap drinking some cherry juice, "Mou... what do you mean, Juuchi-Oba-Chan? Why send some bottles to Kaa-San and the others?"

The other Muramasa became somewhat smug, "Because, Kenshō, Carnwennan's mead is quite strong and it will be very amusing to see their actions once they get into their cups..." Pausing, she shrugged, "Or bowls, as Carnwennan prefers one to be traditional."

When they looked at him, Carnwennan shrugged some, "Arthur learned how to make it and I paid attention. It was a favorite for Camelot when he did so." Rubbing his chin, he frowned a little, "Though I think that they had drunk quite a bit before that time they decided that invading the Otherworld was a good idea since they were out of food..."

Needless to say, most of those there were extremely amused by that.

Some time later, the group left the hot tub behind and went back into the manor as it was nearly time for bed. None of the teens had enough wine or cider to get drunk, or even buzzed, since they only had one goblet each. But it was enough that they were all feeling slightly mellow just the same as they entered their rooms.

Getting into the bathroom, Harry shed his clothes even as he heard the door open though he was curious at how it was open for a few seconds longer than normal. Once his shirt was off, he blinked as he turned. Not because Natsumi as well as Hachi and Iku were there, but because of two others who had joined them and were even now taking off their bathing suits, "Ryuuhou-Chan? Taigei-Chan?"

Lightly blushing, the Submarine Tender glanced at her sister before turning back to Harry, "Hai? Is something wrong?"

Unable to help himself, Harry gave the two a once over before shaking his head, "Um, no, not really." With a deep breath, he then smiled, "So... how are we going to do this?"

Iku chuckled some before shaking her head, "Well... we thought that as you do Natsumi-Chan, us four could wash your back and arms as well as shampoo you..." She suddenly seemed a bit bashful, "If that is alright..."

Just blinking, and blushing some after he looked towards Natsumi to see her nod, the wizard nodded, "I... would not be against that. Then I suppose that I do Hachi-Chan's back and hair, yours, Iku-Chan, followed by..."

A smile on her face, Ryuuhou hummed, "Me first followed by Nee-Chan, Harry-Chan. Then we can all soak in the tub." Turning towards it, her voice became slightly amused, "It does seem big enough."

That only got her a nod from Harry and they set to work with Natsumi sitting on the stool in front of him as he started to wash her back.

No one really complained as it took some time, though the girls had him do their arms as well as under said limbs. Then, they all did as mentioned and relaxed in the tub, Taigei and Ryuuhou cuddled up to him as they simply soaked and let the strains of the day wash away before heading to bed. Which left them sleeping with pleasant dreams aplenty.

Elsewhere in the manor, in her room, Ooi was reading a book in bed with a small smile on her face as Kitakami combed her long hair as she sat on the edge of said bed. After a few moments, the black haired Natural Born hummed, "You know, Yuuko-Chan, this is our last night here."

Looking away from her book, Ooi blinked before smiling as she looked around, "Hai, that is true." With a happy sigh, she stretched some, "Otouto really did a great job on our room, huh, Rika-Chan?"

Head tilted to the side, the other Cruiser nodded, "He really did, but... not quite what I meant."

Confused, Ooi paused for a moment, "Um, what do you mean?"

Moments later, she flushed as Kitakami snatched the book from her hand before crawling over the bed. Then, in a flash, the black haired girl pinned Ooi to the bed by gripping her wrists with her hands as she straddled the other Cruiser before leaning down. Smirk on her face, Kitakami hummed as she nibbled, kissed, and sucked at Ooi's neck and began moving downwards, "What do you think, Ooichi~ Kitakami-Maru is in her own guest room and we're all alone..." Looking up, the dark haired Natural Born licked her lips as her eyes met her girlfriend's, "And with the stone walls, it will muffle certain sounds."

Eyes widening, and face blazing, the reddish haired girl swallowed, "O-oh..." She then smiled a bit as Kitakami moved back up, "Well... I wouldn't mind a bit of fun then..."

Cupping Ooi's cheek, Kitakami grinned, "Good... though there's going to be nothing 'bit' about this..."

Then, she kissed the other girl hard as they both moaned some with hands wandering, with Ooi thinking that it was going to be a very good night indeed...

________________________________________________________________________

Sipping his breakfast tea alongside Natsumi, Harry smiled a little, "So is everyone ready to head out?"

Okita thrust her hand upwards some, "Already packed last night. We'll just do any dirty clothes left when we get home."

Also sipping some breakfast tea, Nobu smirked some, "Indeed, I think that we're pretty much all ready. And what's left shouldn't take more than an hour or so." Taking another sip, the former warlord hummed, 'This is good tea to wake up with... I wonder where they get it back in Japan...'

Stretching, Yae let out a soft sigh. While she had a number of bruises the day before, they were practically gone now after Harry had given her some 'Bruise cream' which was to help with them. Now they all felt like they were days old at the least, "Mmm... this was a fun trip, but I can't wait to get home."

Only nodding as she ate some bannock bread coated in honey, Usagi smiled, "It will be nice to get home and see everyone else. But this has been seriously fun just the same."

Just swallowing the eggs in his mouth, Kaku grinned a little before jabbing with his fork, "I can't wait until the fall when we come back for the apples, pears, and so forth. That is going to be so good..."

Nagato's lips twitched a little as she nodded at that, "Yes, well, speaking of such we have the final amounts for everyone involved." Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a paper, "You all did an excellent job of harvesting fruit. Now then... for the berries, split between you all, each one of you will have about forty pounds of jams and preserves of each type, from just the berries, in eight ounce jars. For the cherries, you'll each be taking home about a hundred pounds and roughly the same for the plums. And for the peaches, it will be closer to two hundred pounds each. Now, these are the minimums... Yae-San... are you alright?"

Said girl just slowly nodded some, "H-hai..." Then, Yae blinked and raised her hand, "Y-you said minimum?"

Leaning back, Nagato gave her a nod, "Yes, minimum. In reality, that is from just one day's worth of work for each of you, and you can triple the amount each of you are owed. What is left will be going to the JMSDF."

Just blinking, Okita looked at her friends who seemed just as stunned before turning to Harry, "Er... I think that we'll be needing those expanded trunks, Harry-Kun..."

Not able to help himself, Harry laughed a bit, "I figured as much. Don't worry, we already have them ready for use and will drop them off with you."

Considering the copy of her sheet, Nobu rubbed her chin a little, 'I wonder if Kote-Chan would like some and which ones... A few of these might pair well with some tea treats after all...'

Meanwhile, Yae was just slumped in her chair and looking ahead, 'Gozaru... I knew that they said that we would be bringing home a lot of fruit and such, but I never expected so much!' Then she blinked and crossed her arms a bit as she became a little amused, 'I don't think that Tou-San and Kaa-San expected this when they said that it was fine. At least we won't need to worry about jam and stuff for a long while...'

The other teens all had their own thoughts as they ate breakfast, though Asuka could not wait to get back home in Zuchi. After all, with all the members of the JNHRO who came through, it was sure to help out with the food bills. Something that she knew Kiba would be pretty happy with.

Roughly six hours later for them after using the time turner to go back until early morning in Britain so that it was late afternoon in Yokosuka, the group returned to Japan through the vanishing cabinets. Juuchi took Kenshō home to the Potter apartment as it was the next day that they were going to meet up with the other Muramasas to give them some of what they had picked. The others, for the most part, all split up with the Yokai teens being picked up by family members. All of whom were very pleased with the haul and how much fun said teens had.

With Yae, Nagato drove her home with Harry in the passenger seat, the two teens chatting as they journeyed to the apartment that said Kendoka called home.

Buzzing her apartment, the teenage girl let the other two into the building and, after a ride in the elevator, arrived at her home. Almost as soon as the door opened, there was an elderly woman there with a smile, "Yae-Chan."

Eyes widening, Yae rushed over and hugged her, "Obaa-Chan!"

Chuckling, the older woman accepted the hug and returned it. After a few moments, she pulled back, "Now, let's have a look at you..." Raising an eyebrow, Yae's grandmother nodded, "You certainly seem to be in good health, and so very tanned! You must have been working hard out in the fields as it were."

Grin on her face, the Kendoka nodded, "Hai, I was and I brought back a lot!" She backed up some and introduced Harry and Nagato who bowed. Once they were inside, the Battleship brought out a small, though wide, trunk, "This is where all the fruit preserves and jams are."

At seeing the somewhat bemused looks from Yae's parents and grandmother, Nagato smiled, "You know of magic and how it exists, I believe?"

With a glance at her daughter, Yae's mother nodded, "We do, though it is still a... little unbelievable, even with Tokunotakai-San proving such. But..."

Harry turned to his adoptive mother who nodded before he opened the trunk, "There's magic that lets you expand the inside of something by a lot. Like this trunk..."

Much to Yae's amusement, it was now her family's turn to boggle as they saw the sheer amount of fruit product inside of the trunk as well as the size. So much so, she had to bite back a giggle. Something that she failed to do when her mother muttered about letting her go on such trips more often as she examined a jar of peach jam...

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A.N.-- Time for today's crosspost to allow the plot to thicken....

A Malfoy And Dagger's Excellent Adventure (II)

Halloween, 2036

Hogsmeade
Spoiler: A Visit To Hogsmeade

Yuri smiled at Taube, admiring the blond girl's cool and aristocratic good looks. She then raised an eyebrow as she noticed the beautiful amethyst, diamond, and silver Victorian earrings that the other girl was wearing. In fact, the dark purple teardrops almost exactly matched Yuri's natural hair tone.
Spoiler: The Earrings

"Taube-chan? Are those earrings new?" Yuri asked curiously as they walked together toward the picturesque village.

Taube blinked and then responded. "New for me, but actually a heirloom. Grandma Cissy was gifted these from the House of Black from her grandmother in turn. They were part of her bridal trousseau that she brought when she married Grandpa Lucius." Taube touched one earring with a fingernail and the amethyst sparkled with magical light, forming the heraldic shield of the House of Black within the dark violet gemstone. "She gifted them to Mutti on her wedding day, but Mutti prefers pearls to amethysts. So I was lent them to wear when I turned sixteen and achieved my full growth. I knew that you would be coming, so I wanted to show off a bit."

Yuri admired the jewelry as they continued their walk through the village. "They're beautiful. What's the symbol in that stone?"

Taube preened a bit. "The symbol of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. I have their blood through Grandma Cissy." She paused at the stone circle atop the hill outside the village. "Oh! That reminds, me. I read something fascinating in the private Slytherin library that I'd like to share with you."

Yuri followed her friend. "Wait, a private library?"

Taube nodded with a smile. "Yes, some of Salazar Slytherin's researches into some fields of magic were kept by us to be studied rather than placed into the Hogwarts library like those of Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Godric Gryffindor. Knowledge, after all, is power." The smug smirk widened. "Specifically, Salazar was copying some older spells that date back to the Druids and the time of King Arthur or even before. One of the reasons Hogwarts was established where it is is proximity to this stone circle."

Yuri's eyes got wide as she looked at the moss-covered monoliths around them. She then blinked as Taube pulled out her wand. The witch chanted in Old Irish and scribed several symbols on one of the granite bluestone slabs that had fallen to the grass. The symbols glowed with power and then the monolith vanished, revealing a stone-lined ancient passage leading down into the heart of the hill.

"Amazing!" Yuri gasped out as she stared at it. "Where does it lead?"

Taube waved her wand and cast a spell. "Lumos!" A floating ball of amber light formed on the tip. "There's a stone chamber down here. No one knows what it was used for, but there is some evidence of ancient magics present in the rocks. Salazar thought it had something to do with temporal magic perhaps. Dad has studied druidic magic and he agrees with Salazar, the Celts were interested in prophecy, divination, and the interplay of the past and the future. In fact, a lot of the megalithic structures around England are oriented toward sunrises, sunsets and the like on specific days. The sunrise today on All Hallow's Eve illuminates the chamber through a hidden niche in the sod outside."

Yuri blinked and then smiled. "And with a Time-Turner we can see it!"

Taube grinned and headed inside. "Exactly. Nowadays this place gets used by some of our students for ahh," The dagger broke off and blushed heavily before continuing, "romantic trysts according to House rumor in the girls' dorms. Although there's a secret passage that we know about to the hidden room in Hogwarts that we nicknamed the Slytherin Snog Shack that is the one that gets used the most these days since it was built in the early 1800s. Great-aunt Lyra told me about that one and as a Prefect I have had to check it regularly, just like this one. Mutti told me that the Puffs had something similar going on, but I didn't think to ask her for details at the time. That one isn't my responsibility anyways; I have enough of a hard time keeping the Slytherins under control."

Yuri blushed in turn, thinking of her Minato-chan -- an older Minato-chan who had come into his full growth -- arm in arm with her and Natsuki exploring this ancient place and then....

Taube noticed Yuri's eyes hooding as she nibbled her lip with a sultry smile. The dagger's own cheeks heated as she thought about the likely images that were causing her friend's light purple eyes to sparkle so. Especially considering that she had her own memories of a few of the romantic trysts that she had interrupted as a Prefect doing her rounds after dinner.

Taube then coughed to get Yuri's attention as they reached the end of the passage.

The chamber was roughly hexagonal with a floor of hard-packed earth while the walls and ceiling were granite slabs. Yuri looked around curiously. "Wow, Taube-chan. This is something else."

Taube grinned and used her wand to scribe privacy glyphs. Faint hints of amber light glowed from the stone walls and formed a net over the passage as she finished, reinforcing the ones that she had cast earlier. "Isn't it just? I figure that we can jump back to just before dawn, watch the sunrise, and then get in a knife fighting lesson before we leave here ahead of ourselves and explore Hogmeade on the next part of our personal timeline."

Yuri laughed and took Taube's hand as her friend pulled out the Time-Turner. "That's one reason I like you, Taube. You're so organized. Let's go!"
-------------------------

Alternate Timeline Two, Halloween

Hogsmeade

A young man's shadow crept out of the darkened and fearful village, dodging the Dementor patrols.

Fortunately the fire in the town square had finally died down.

He didn't want to think about who had fueled the flames for the crime of 'Defiance of Lord Voldemort'.

At least he had a lead on a secure location where he could try to make right what he had made so terribly, terribly wrong.

With that thought, he cast the spell to cause the toppled monolith to vanish and breathed a sigh of relief.

Snape's information was accurate enough.

He waved his wand, and the roman numerals etched on it glimmered to light as a amber ball of light formed over the tip.

The amber light illuminated light blond hair, high cheekbones, and gray eyes as he hurried to the ritual chamber while behind him the monolith sealed him inside.

As he began to incant, a faint hint of amber power formed in the stones of the hidden chamber in the heart of the Hogsmeade Stone Circle.

The amber energies in the stones intensified as he cast spells of privacy and non detection with desperate haste.

Spells of concealment and empowering to prepare to change the flow of time once more.

Spells of divination and wisdom to try to find the right path, the single turning in the infinity of possible futures caused by a pebble that started an avalanche, to save his friend and his timeline.

Spells that had been cast before in this place with cruder tools.

Ancient yet potent spells formed into a matrix of power with the application of the offered blood of animal and human sacrifices here, as yet unknown to this wizard in whose blood flowed that of the Great Druids through his father's line.

Like calling to like.

He then pulled out a Time-Turner, and whispered to himself. "I'll save you Al."

 

[darthcourt10]

Yellowhammer

A.N. -- Crosspost time again! Yes, yes, I know I'm taking some extreme liberties with Cursed Child here. I'm borrowing Albus and Scorpius for this one, and it might wind up noncanon crack anyway, depending on HL's own plans.

A Malfoy And Dagger's Excellent Adventure (III)

Alternate Timeline Two

Halloween

Hogsmeade Stone Circle
Spoiler: A Journey To The Past

Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy stared at the Time-Turner in his hand.

It had seemed to be so easy at first.

Help Amos Diggory by using this advanced Time-Turner to save his son Cedric, murdered by Lord Voldemort when their parents were still in school.

Scorpius' heart had gone out the bereaved man, especially since Scorpius' own mother Astoria Malfoy had died the year before thanks to a blood curse carried by the Greengrass family. After all, he was achingly aware of this wound in his life, the person now only present in his memories and dreams, present by her absence.

So he and his best friend Albus Potter had... borrowed... this advanced experimental Time-Twister. Unlike the standard models, it could jump them back unlimited distances in time, and allow the people using it to stay there for a hour before snapping them back to their own timeline.

While there were laws against meddling in history, they could surely make such a small insignificant change for the better by themselves, right?

Wrong.

Their first effort to save Cedric Diggory had resulted in Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley never getting together, resulting in their friend Rose never being born. Worse, Albus' father Harry had ordered his son to break off their friendship.

So they jumped back in time once more to fix things, to make right what was wrong.

But once more their change had backfired.

When Scorpius snapped back to the present in this new alternate timeline, he was alone.

Thanks to their meddling, Cedric had indeed survived... as a Death Eater who had killed Neville Longbottom. That murder had in turn lead to Harry Potter's death and Lord Voldemort's triumph.

So Scorpius had returned to a Hogwarts ruled with an iron fist by Headmistress Umbridge, with his alternate self here famous, powerful, rich, and popular among the student body, who called him the 'Scorpion King'. Thanks to his father Draco's position as head of Lord Voldemort's Aurors, he had everything he wanted here.

Except true love and friendship rather than fear-filled devotion from girls who would do what he said rather than have them and their family suffer.

Those looks sickened him, and the changes to his 'father' here terrified him.

He had resolved to fight on alone, to destroy this dark and twisted future and save his friend. to do what was right for himself and his family. With the help of a few allies in the desperate resistance against Voldemort, who had explained that if he managed to shift the timeline once more to allow it, the 'temporal echo' of Albus Potter would reform, he had come here to try once more.

As many times as it took to make a better ending for his friends and himself.

A Malfoy could do nothing less for his family.

With that in mind, he began to twist time, uncaring of how the magical energies he had raised in this place of power surged and built around him as he began to move through time once more.

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

Harry and the Shipgirls

Halloween, 2036

Hogsmeade Stone Circle

Taube twisted the Time-Turner that her family owned, speeding backwards through time so that she could show her friend Yuri the sunrise illuminating the tomb. As the blurring passage of time slowed for them, an image swam into their vision.

Two men holding burning bundles of branches as crude torches clad in rough fur and hide garments stood on either side of a third naked man in the prime of life who was forced to his knees between them with his wrists bound by strips of rawhide.

A fourth man, with beads of amber around his neck, wolf-fur garments, and hair of Malfoy blond stood before the other three then gestured and chanted as the first rays of the sun crawled across the floor toward the far wall.

The blond took up a stone-tipped club with wolf tails tied to it from the ground with slow, ritual motions and slammed it into the prisoner's head with a powerful two-handed swing, stunning him.

Scarlet blood patterned the ground and began to glow and smoke as the sunlight touched it as it proceeded.

One of the torchbearers slipped a garrote around the prisoner's neck and began to choke the life out of him.

As he gurgled and his face turned dark, the energies being raised visibly built.

The blond picked up a crudely hammered copper knife which suddenly blazed with arcane fires as it ignited with Power.

Copper flashed in the light as he cut the dying prisoner's throat and then used the bloody knife blade to scribe symbols of arcane power across the stone wall opposite the entrance.

As they blinked into the recent past, Yuri and Taube heard the far off echoing howl of a she-wolf -- that sounded rather like the large wolf-dog that Aunt Claire had been seen with from time to time.

The hunting knife and the Doki looked at each other in shock.

For long minutes, all that could be heard in the predawn dark was their raspy breathing.

Taube gulped and whispered."Did you see that too, Yuri?"

Yuri nodded, her violet eyes wide. "Men from the distant past conducting a human sacrifice here? Yes."

Taube turned and slowly walked to the far wall almost in a trance. "Me too Yuri, me too."

She chanted a detection spell and then traced the symbols that she had Seen painted on these ancient stones with human blood.

Symbols placed there in an era where the iron making up her steel true body was a gift cast down from the Sky-gods who walked the earth in the darkness beyond the flickering light of the fires keeping primordial Night back in hopes that the Sun would rise the next day.

An era before the 'ruddy bronze' of Homer's Iliad would rise to dominate the earth, heralding one of the earliest steps in the development of science and magic.

Her wand tingled under her fingertips with the Power surging through her as she finished inscribing the symbols.

Amber magics sprang to life at her command, magics first placed there by a long-dead shaman of the Great She-Wolf who ran alongside the hunters to give them skill and strength in the hunts that ensured survival for their clan.

Their family.

Their pack.

A pack whose blood flowed in her veins from her father and her mother's father both.

The room spun once more and then as the surging energies suddenly broke, it seemed to waver, turning into a infinity of identical chambers with misty forms in them like a fun-house mirror maze stretched to infinity.

Then reality snapped into focus once more.

A young man in Slytherin student uniform, who looked like the photographs of her father as a student, holding a Time-Turner in his hand stared at her with matching shock in his face. His Time-Turner flashed and a second man with dark, messy hair formed next to him from a sparkling mist that it released.

Gray eyes met those of amber-gold as Yuri stared in shock at what had just happened.
Spoiler: The Boys
Albus Potter
Scorpius Malfoy

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Sitting on the café balcony, Kathleen Dippet smiled a little as she looked out onto Portsmouth Harbour and the base. Out on the waters, she could see various shipgirls training with some most likely enjoying the lovely August day. Above, the sky had a few puffy white clouds that practically glowed in the sunlight while the breeze coming off the ocean brought not only the scent of the sea, but also a gentle coolness that kept the heat of the day away. Something that made the Medi-witch sigh a little, 'Ah... another lovely summer day.'

Moments later, her smile grew as an Irish accented voice spoke up, "And here we are, Kath, some nice tea along with treats."

Kathleen had a small grin on her face as she turned to find the green eyes of HMS St. Patrick, or Patty to her friends, looking at her. Slowly nodding, the witch took the offered tea and small treat, "Thank you, Patty. A nice little snack on a summer day."

Only humming, the N3 Battleship slipped into her chair, "It is a rather nice day..." Eyes twinkling even as the red bangs of her hair fell into them slightly, Patty smirked, "Though all the better for having some pretty company..."

Blushing, Kathleen waved her off, "Stop..."

That only got her a chuckle as Patty grinned, "Never, because your blushing face is something to see." Leaning back, white shirt straining at her chest, the shipgirl looked out onto the harbour with a fond smile, "It looks like the Maltas are enjoying the day as well."

With a nod, the witch pulled her gaze away from the other woman and towards the harbour as well, "They certainly are, it would seem." Distantly, she could hear some booms as well as just barely see some plumes of water, "As it seems, so too are your sisters."

Humming, Patty rubbed her chin a little, "Andi is certainly biting a little at the bit to get out there. And our training is almost done enough to start going out for short patrols into the North Sea." Seeing the worried look, she smacked one hand against her stomach which produced a small clang, "Don't worry much about us, Kath. This armor belt is as thick as the Yamatos and even stronger with British steel."

Just sighing, Kathleen gave her a small smile, "Sorry, I can't help but worry about someone that I hold as a dear friend. Especially when they go out into danger that I cannot help with."

Much to her amusement, the shipgirl looked away with the slightest bits of a flush to her cheeks, "Yes, well... I see." Clearing her throat, Patty turned back to her, "Still, I much prefer you not to worry, you look better without it."

Yet again, Kathleen found herself feeling her cheeks heat up, before she shook it off with a small smile. The two had become close friends after all, teasing and flirting with one another. But the both of them enjoyed such things and it often lead to laughter and smiles as they tried to see who would make the other blush more. Sipping her tea, Kathleen put it aside as she took a forkful of her cake before giving a once over to the other woman, "Hmm...? Not your usual outfit..." Part of her noted how the shirt showed the bust of the other woman while the skirt clung to her if longer than normal. But part of her took in the well toned arms that were shown off by the white, buttoned shirt, 'Oh my...'

Scratching her cheek, Patty gave a small shrug, "Ah, well... came across the Orion sisters... I have told you about them, yes?"

Eyebrow raised, the witch nodded, "The four Battleships from WWI? Who do work for the government outside the Navy?"

Patty smiled at that, "Just so." She then cleared her throat a little bit, "Well, they came across my sisters and I sometime back and decided that we needed to do a shopping trip." The shipgirl then took a sip of her tea, "They have an eye for fashion, you see."

Humming as she leaned forward some with her hands folded in front of her face, Kathleen made a show of looking the other woman over, "A very good eye, it seems. You look a rather lovely sight today."

Mentally, the Battleship put up another tally mark for their little game for the witch across from her as she felt herself blush a little under her scrutiny, "I would hope so considering the company that I have to match." Another mark went up as Kathleen flushed some and smiled, something that Patty enjoyed seeing, 'Well... I am not going to tell her that I asked them for advice in regards to you...'

She could still remember the teasing that she got from her sisters when she had told them about the weekly meetings between her and Kathleen. You would think that all three were sharks with how they had grinned at that. Not helping was how some of the others of the "Dippet Fleet" had teased her or grumble good naturedly about her "Dates" as they put it. Even Dreadnought, for all her Edwardian Matrony attitudes had commented that at least she had found someone "Of the proper breeding" to chose with a slight smile.

Right then, St. Patrick almost died of embarrassment.

Thankfully for her boilers, the Orions didn't tease her or anything when she had gone to them for advice as to how one should dress. Instead, they had simply smiled and then taken her out... for almost the entire day. Most of which was spent trying on different clothes and the like. Granted, her own sisters were dragged along, which made her smirk as they grumbled and the like. But still, taking in the glances that Kathleen was giving her, Patty was happy that she had done so.

Oh, she would admit that she was attracted to the witch, very much so. Kathleen was, in her eyes, quite beautiful, what with the dirty blond hair that shone gold when the light hit it just the right way. And seeing her with a tan brought out the Italian blood in her as well. The fact that she was slender with good hips was also another bonus.

Be around enough equally busty women and you start looking for something different.

However, it was more than just looks as well. The woman across from her was funny with a sometimes wicked sense of humour. Being a Medi-witch, she also had interesting stories about the trouble that some got into, which at times had made Patty snort and laugh in disbelief. The way that her eyes sparkled drew the Battleship in, because she was just so full of life. Even her temper was attractive as it was firey, but directed and it made her so lively as well.

Needless to say, Patty enjoyed their weekly get togethers, even though the two had not moved beyond chatting and every so often placing hands on top of the others. Something that frustrated the shipgirl at times, but that she understood as her friend was not looking for that sort of relationship even though it was obvious that the witch was attracted to her... yet. And it was that yet that Patty was keeping an eye on for now.

Though if she took too long, the shipgirl was going to just kiss her to get her feelings across.

It was then that a thought occurred to her as she remembered something and rolled it around in her mind for a few moments. Sipping her tea, she gave a small nod before turning to Kathleen, "Speaking of the others..." When the witch turned to her, Patty continued with a small smile and blush on her cheeks, "The others are thinking of a beach party, to celebrate our training to be complete you see. Not on the ocean, but one of the lakeside beaches. I was wondering if you would like to join us?" Internally, she continued, 'So that I can see what you might look like in a bathing suit...'

Despite her own flush at imagining the Battleship across from her in a bathing suit, Kathleen thought it over before humming, "They... know about me, don't they? Who I am? Is that why..."

Moments later, Patty reached over and placed her hand over Kathleen's and gave it a gentle squeeze, "No, they do know of you but that is not why, or at least fully." Seeing the questioning look, she smiled, "They do want to meet you, and a small part is to thank you for what your grandfather did, allowing us to actually exist. But they also understand that you watched over us until we were picked up by the Royal Navy, and whom watch over us even now. They also want to know more about you and the man who gave us life."

Simply eating a forkful of cake, the witch considered that, "I..." Blinking away some tears, she gave a small smile, "I might like that, I suppose." Pausing, Kathleen looked at her, "But you said that there was more to it than that?'

A sheepish smile on her face, Patty scratched her cheek, "They... know about how we meet each week here. And simply want to see you for that."

The meaning obviously got through as Kathleen blushed at that. But after a few moments, she chewed her lip some, "I'll need a time so that I can check it against my schedule, to make sure that it doesn't interfere with any rotations."

Frown on her face, the Battleship nodded, "Of course, at Saint Mungo's, I assume?"

However, to her surprise, Kathleen shook her head, "Not entirely." At the confused look, the witch sighed, "We're running a small, temporary clinic out where the Quidditch World Cup is happening and running shifts. I'm one of those who have been tapped for it, and let me tell you, some of the people camped out there are bloody fucking morons. I swear, if I see someone try to enlarge a mosquito to the size of a small cow in order to send it against someone supporting the other team, I am going to just bloody scream and show them why Medical wizards and witches are not people to piss off!"

Rapidly blinking, Patty gave her a look, "... Mosquito the size of a small cow? Why..."

Sighing, the other woman rubbed her brow, "Don't ask, it was because the Bulgarian was pissed that an Englishman who was supporting Ireland called his team 'Vampiric Blood suckers' or some such thing. It was a mess since, even though it was too big to fly, the damn thing still attacked people. Thankfully, no one was killed, but some blood replenishment potions were still needed... And don't get me started on that other fucking idiot who enlarged a grasshopper since it was green like Ireland and he wanted to ride one. Aurors had to shoot it down and the guy responseble was covered in bug guts complaining about them killing Bessy."

For several moments, Patty considered what she just heard in disbelief. But then, thinking back to various incidents she knew of regarding football in Europe... it didn't seem all that unbelievable. Though she felt a shudder go down her keel at the idea of British football hooligans with access to magic.

Just shaking that off, Patty then smiled over at Kathleen, "Well, it does seem like things are busy."

With a snort, Kathleen rolled her eyes, "You have no idea..." Looking around, she shot the shipgirl across from her a smile, "Which is why I am thankful for these meetings. They help me blow off steam to say the least. And also to relax at seeing a pretty face."

Much to the Battleship's relief, she barely had a blush and only smiled, "Hmm, I see."

Chuckling, Kathleen shook her head before pausing and giving Patty a smile, "Saint Patrick..." Seeing the blink, her smile grew, "You know... I have two tickets to the actual game. And being Saint Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland..."

That made Patty's eyes widen a touch though she felt a little bit of steam waft out of her ears, "W-well, I would need to check my own schedule, but I don't think that many would mind. And I know that the Orions are going as well..." At the interested look, she shook her head, "Apparently, they were invited by a family by the name of Longbottom. I think that you mentioned them before..."

Frowning, the witch rubbed her chin in thought, "Actually, I do know them. Augusta Longbottom was something of a friend to my Grandfather and Alice Longbottom, her son's wife, had been the Medi-witch that I was apprenticed to when I started out in Saint Mungo's, though only for a few months before she had to go into hiding..." At feeling the pang of sadness at said witch's state, Kathleen shook her head, "I wonder how they met?"

All she got from Patty was a small shrug, "Now that, I do not know, Kath. Only that they do know..." She then got a small grin on her face, "Though, since you are speaking of supporting the Emerald Isle, I would be amiss to miss such an oppontunity for it. Especially if I am to share it with you." Much to enjoyment, that made the witch across from her blush heavily before she took a sip of tea, "But however did you get two tickets? I would have thought that you would only have been able to buy one at best..."

In reply, Kathleen rubbed her face, "You remember how I told you about Sabastian?" At the nod, she continued, "His girlfriend was a Quidditch fanatic... was being the keyword there as he caught her in bed with a Quidditch player."

Wincing, the shipgirl shook her head, "That... could not have ended well."

Kathleen only shrugged, "Let me put it this way... he had to go to his own team doctor as the rest of us at Saint Mungo's were rather busy with other cases and it was not life threatening. His girlfriend, meanwhile, found herself needing somewhere new to stay as she wasn't living in the same apartment anymore."

Understanding, Patty frowned a little, "So he had bought the tickets for her and him, but with their breakup..."

The witch nodded a little, "He gave them to me after I traded my old ticket to him and he sold it. After all, they're now nearly four times the original price, so he more than made back the money he spent." She shook her head a little, "So I was wondering if you might want to go...?"

Smile on her face, Patty reached over and took her hand in hers, "I'd love to."

Happily smiling, Kathleen gave the hand in hers a squeeze.

From their, their conversation drifted back and forth as they enjoyed some time just the two of them. Drinking tea and eating cake, though Kathleen teased Patty some about her "Snack" being half a cake in itself... though then the shipgirl turned it onto her by stating that she was willing to share. An embarrassment returned when the witch agreed. Laughter from snickers to chuckles to outright booms could be heard from the two as they enjoyed their time together.

Near the end of it, however, Patty raised her eyebrow at the woman across from her, "So... you mentioned the last week about that book on Skeeter? From what you said, it was coming along quite well?"

With a slow nod, and a vicious smirk on her face, Kathleen nodded, "Aye, it is coming along quite well. Already have the title for it as well... 'What's the Buzz, the Life and Lies of Rita Skeeter'."

Raising an eyebrow, the Battleship considered the title for a few moments before setting it down, "Hmm... interesting title. Any meaning behind the first part as I can guess the second?"

Just shrugging, Kathleen frowned in thought, "The second part just seems... right, somehow. As for the first?" She frowned a little bit, "One of the things that came up was that in her Sixth Year, Skeeter was noted as studying about Animagi. I even have photos from penseive memories of Skeeter reading said books. When added to how a number of people confirmed that there was no way for her to have known some of the things she did unless she snuck in... well, it makes sense. And she always did seem like an annoying fly."

On Patty's face was a small frown as she considered that, "I see, and the idea of her being an Animagus would be... problematic for her?"

Grin on her face, though there was nothing nice about it, the witch chuckled darkly, "Definitely, especially as she isn't registered. Of course, there would be an investigation, likely done by Amelia Bones herself. There's spells to confirm if someone is an animagus, you know. And her denying having the spells cast on her would good as confirm it, which someone I know personally on the Wizarding Wireless from my school days, and whom also has a bone to pick with her is very interested in knowing." Straightening, Kathleen sighed a bit, "Issue is more about how much there is to put in it. Even with it being cut down, it's still going to be a big book. And we're aiming for it to be on the shelves no later than November."

Remembering how Skeeter had treated Dippet after his death, and the reactions of the rest of the "Dippet Fleet", those given life through his sacrifice, Patty had a smirk on her face that would have frightened many Abyssals.

Shortly afterwards, however, the two women left the café behind and went their separate ways with Patty returning to the quarters she shared with her sisters. Unfortunately for her, they were already there and waiting. Almost as soon as she got inside, Georgie gained a shit eating grin on her face as she leaned forward, "So...? How was your date with Kathleen today? Hmm?"

Patty only sighed at that and gave her a look, "It was not a date... merely the two of us getting together to chat."

Massive grin on her face, Andi, or HMS Saint Andrew, chuckled, "Ach, but you wish that it was, hmm? Perhaps carry the lass to the bedroom before going all night long in a personal battle between th' two of yeh. With explosions in the magazine as it were."

Her sister had a flush on her cheek as she imagined such a thing. But then, Patty shook it off and gave her a glare, "Oh, shut up. Besides, we have to get to know each other first."

Utterly unrepentant, Andi shrugged with a grin and waggled her eyebrows, "Maybe yeh be right. But, ach, what a fine stern that woman has. Like ta claim said highlands in the name o' the Queen and country."

Grumbling under her breath about the Scottish, the green eyed N3 shot a look at her fellow red head before shaking her head. Coming out of the kitchen, Saint David, or Davie as she liked to be called, chuckled before speaking in an Welsh accent, "Away with you bunch and let Patty be for now. She'll catch her quarry before long without help from the peanut gallery." Setting down some tea, the Welsh speaking shipgirl looked at her sister, "So, see anything interesting?"

Confused, Patty gave her a look, "See anything interesting? Such as?"

Davie shrugged a little bit, "Heard over the grapevine that some strange woman was seen a few hours back at one of the bars. Matches the description of that one who has been draining pubs dry, if you will, for the past few days. Blonde, green eyed, a pair of tits on her that turn heads and legs that stretch fer miles. Supposedly a castle on a wee boat too."

That got her a look from her Irish accented sister before she shook her head, "Sorry, haven't seen her."

Rubbing her chin, Davie frowned some and shrugged, "Oh well... one must wonder anyways..."

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In the village of Sully, Wales, there was a small Naval base staffed by shipgirls, HMS Cambria. Originally a "Reserve Naval Station", it had grown since Blood Week with a shipgirl section added to it. There had been an argument about transferring it back to Cardiff, but in the end it stayed in the village. Mainly because there was no room with the new dock facilties coming online with the war, the rebuilding of said city, and that the local politicians really did not want to draw the attention of the Abyssals to what was the head of government in Wales more than they had (though they did not say as much).

Not helping was the comment of placing some sort of military base staffed with supernatural beings had led to a lot of jokes regarding if they were to call it Torchwood.

Thus, with how there was land to expand upon, HMS Cambria grew outside the village into a proper, though small, naval base. With where it was, the shipgirls and few warships there could respond to any attack on the Bristol Channel as well as the Irish sea side of Southwest England. Mostly composed of WWI girls, they nonetheless anchored the area.

Due to the development of the base, which included a wharf where HMS Sir Bedivere, first of the new Round Table class Shipgirl Support Ships, was tied up. Said design being a much downsized version of a Dock Landing Ship with a well dock for shipgirls, some Command spaces, and an Emergency Repair Dock for any injured girls. Her sisters, HMS Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad were to be delivered later in the year.

But along with increased size for the Royal Navy station, now base, came a need for other things. There were a few entertainment centers that sprang up in the village, but the major thing that happened was an increase in the local pubs and bars. After all, sailors, and shipgirls could be considered such, often needed their drinks. And so, according to some locals, places to do such sprang up like mushrooms. One such pub was given the ever so imaginative "Golden Hind" as a name.

Yet, what could catch someone's eye was someone at a corner table surrounded by empty glasses and bottles.

Said woman, and there was no doubt of that, was currently face down with her head pillowed on her arms, Blonde hair, somewhat messy and out of place fell around her head and her clothes were unkept. Oddly, no one really seemed to notice her unless she called for another drink or bit of food, mostly of the first however. Otherwise, people would pass right on by her table without even a glance.

That was... until someone sat down on the otherside of the table and spoke in a Welsh accent, "Well, hello there. Mind if I take this seat?"

Raising in her seat, Prydwen blinked some bleary before her eyes widened, "Carn..." Then she blinked and her vision cleared as much as it could in her drunken state and she realized that the man in question couldn't be her brother because his hair was more reddish and he had some stubble around his chin, "No... wait... you're not him."

Eyebrow raised, the man hummed a bit, "Carn? Do I resemble someone that you know?"

Frown on her face, Prydwen furrowed her eyebrows and squinted, "... M-maybe..." Dropping her head to her arms, she snorted, "But whatver... sit and drunk... bunk... drink, I guess."

If anything, that only made the man hum before he held out his hand, "Where are my manners, the name is Hen."

Once more, Prydwen raised her head from her arms and blinked, "Hen?" Frowning, she shook the hand and was surprised by the man's grip, "S-strange name fer a stranger..."

Lightly laughing, which brought a blush to the Castle/Shipgirl's face, he gave her a rougish smile and wink, "Maybe, but that is what they called me." Watching as she reached over and drained a bottle of cheap, though potent, alcohol Hen frowned, "Hmm... judging by how you thought that I was someone else, I would wonder if you're drinking to forget. Boyfriend?'

Snorting, Prydwen shook her head as she slurred, "No... little brother..." Holding her face in her hands, she groaned, "I bloody well fooked up wit him... fuck..."

Just scratching his chin, Hen gave her a look, "Sounds like a story... but you know, sometimes it helps to talk it with over with someone. Get your burdens off your shoulders and all that."

Grumbles escaped from the shipgirl as she tried to drink the rest of her bottle only to find that she already had, "Bugger it all... where the fuck is all my drunk... and you wouldn't understand... or believe it..."

Chuckling, Hen had a twinkle in his eye, "Oh, I think that I might actually. But why not give it a try? At worst, I don't believe you and think you merely a drunk..." Moments later, he called over for a bottle of mead which was placed in front of Prydwen, "So then, how about that story since I'm buying drinks?"

Yet again, Prydwen grumbled before she sighed, "Like I said... I fucked up..." Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked away, "I... never had a good relationship with my brother. He tried so hard when we were young and new, b-but myself and the others, except maybe Avalon... we were so damn dismissive of him... Now I can see he was... he was doing his best, and still is. B-but I was such a utter bitch..."

Slowly, yet surely, the story came out in bits and pieces. The part of Prydwen that wasn't quite so much into her cups was confused that the man just nodded, though at certain parts he either frowned or grimaced, something that made her shift in her seat. Somehow, such expressions made her feel like dirt.

Finally, however, she reached the end of her story and stared morsly at her now empty bottle as well as plate of food that she had devoured. Not saying anything, Hen nursed his glass of beer, the third in fact, while picking at what was left of his own meal. He had laughed at her declaring 'Hunger was the Enemy' before ordering her some food as well. After a few moments, he gave a small nod, "So you believe, Prydwen, that Arthur would hate you? Be angry with you for what you did?"

Head in her arms, Prydwen nodded, "Diss..."

Rubbing his chin, Hen tilted his head in thought, "And that your brother, Carnwennan, would hate you for what happened? Correct?"

That got a snort from the shipgirl before she looked at him with bloodshot and teary eyes, "Of course he would? How couldn't he...? I hurt him when we were young, dismissing him. He did great things, but I couldn't... couldn't get my fat head out of my fat ass to see it. Never a damn kind word... I deserve to have my ass kicked." She then placed her head back into her arms, "T-then when I returned, what did I do...? I fucked up all the things he was doing, stuff that Arthur would be proud of! Because I was too much of a pig in the head, like I am at food, to realize it!" Bringing up one fist, she snarled, "I nearly fucking killed him! My own brother! Become a damned Kinslayer because I would not fucking see!"

Even though the table had a crack in it, the man wasn't concerned and only hummed, "Hmm..."

Just rubbing as more tears came to her eyes, Prydwen wept, "A-and I... he was in love with someone... b-but I had to ruin that. Got her killed..."

Eyebrow raised as he sipped his drink, Hen frowned, "You didn't touch her, however."

Scoffing, the former shield glared at him, "I still killed her... if I didn't kill her father because he would not give me that stupid fucking sword... if I didn't take Guinevere's crown back even though she didn't deserve it... they would never have killed her." Clenching her fists, which shook, she snarled, "It might as well have been these two hands that did the deed! That tore his heart from his chest!"

Once more, Hen hummed, "Yet, you could not have known at the time." Leaning back, he sipped his drink some, "Still, that is a bit of an issue. So, the question becomes how are you going to fix it? Because this..." The man gestured at the table and the empty bottles and glasses piled high, "Is not going to do that."

Frown on her face, Prydwen looked at said items, "Ssss'kay, I deserve this."

Eyes rolling, the man shook his head with a sigh, "No, you do not." Leaning forward, his own greenish-gold eyes met Prydwen's green ones, "Did you fuck up? Yes, of that there is no doubt. Would Arthur be disappointed in you? He would, of that I am sure. But there were those in the Round Table who fucked up as well. Of being angry, perhaps for a time, but then he would calm, Prydwen. He would not hate you, however, because you do recognize that you fucked up with the only problem in not knowing how to fix things."

About to say something, Prydwen glared at him, "How do you kno-"

Before she could say anything else, Hen's hand slapped itself over her mouth, holding it shut, "But, I do think that if there is one thing that Arthur would be most disappointed in and angry about? It would be of the fact that you are sitting here, getting drunk off your ass rather than doing something about it!" Pulling back his hand, he sat back, "Think about it, you screwed up, but would he want you simply wallowing in grief? Or do something about it? To fix what you can of what you broke? To be your own person and move on from the shades of the past, both Arthur's and your own?"

Unsure, Prydwen blinked a little, "I... I don't know where to start. How to not have Carn hate me... to be such a disappointment."

Reaching over, the man paused as Prydwen flinched expecting him to cover her mouth or maybe slap some sense into her. But then, Hen continued to move his hand and gently put it on her head and rubbed it, "As a certain movie put it, do or do not, there is no try. It is a problem, and not an easy one to solve, Prydwen. One that will take much effort on your part, more than any quest by one of Arthur's Knights. Do you take this on your shoulders, Prydwen? This grand quest to make things right once more? I warn you, you may yet fail in it, but if you succeed..."

Frown on her face, Pyrdwen had a look of deep thought, "... Could I?"

Lips curling into a smile of hope, Hen chuckled a little, "If anyone could? It would be you." Stretching some, he got up and grabbed his jacket which had a red dragon on it, "As for your little, ah, what did you call her?"

Blinking, the shipgirl frowned, "Alter. She was..." A grimace crossed her face and she shuddered, "One of my biggest mistakes. I knew that Camelot's grudge was strong, as was the grudge of some of the knights and such. And I had the idea to cleave it from me, as one would a diseased limb. Despite Merlin and the others telling me it was a bad idea, I still sought out ways and found some in the Far East..." Her expression darkened some, "I... did so, cleaving that part of me that still troubled me, that pushed me to do some of the dark things that Camelot's spirit wanted in return for being left broken and ruined, to bring back that which belonged, even if it meant killing those whom were of pure heart. And from that... that... that creature that warped reflection of me was born. One whom did such horrible things before I was able to put her down..."

For several moments, Hen was quiet before he spoke, "We all make mistakes, only the Gods know that I have in my life. Ones that I am still paying for to this very day." Ignoring the questioning look, he turned back to her, "You too, made a mistake, many of them. Alter is one of the greater, but you took steps to resolve that, to fix it the best that you could. For that, I think, Arthur would be proud of you. Just remember that you can fix others, because I am certain that Carnwennan does not hate you, because you are his sister. He just wants to be acknowledged and to be a family, a proper one." Checking his watch, the man nodded, "Well, I must be off. Maybe think over our chat, or don't. It is up to you... but can you simply leave things lay as they are?"

Upon seeing the thoughtful look on Prydwen's face, he smiled some and walked towards the door.

As he opened it, there was another girl there who looked like Prydwen, though younger and less... developed. When she saw Hen, her eyes went wide, and he brought his finger up to his lips and winked, "Shhh." Then, he patted her head and whispered something into her ear which made tears spring to her eyes before she hugged him and he hugged her back before stepping away, "Your sister is in the far right corner at the moment, utterly drunk. She'll have a hangover in the morning to say the least the size of Camelot."

That made Avalon smile as she wiped away her tears, "She will, and I won't cure her of that as she needs to learn. But... I'll take care of her."

With a final pat of her head, Hen nodded as he walked out into the rainy evening, "I am certain that you will... Avalon."

It was not far away when a car pulled up and the door rolled down to reveal a brownish haired woman with a deep frown on her face, "Admiral! I finally found you!"

Chuckling as he slipped into the car, Hen smirked, "Sorry about that, my dear Revenge. Had some business to take care of you see. Won't happen again."

Just snorting, Revenge shook her head a little as she began driving back to base before giving him a mock glare, "I am certain that it will not, my Admiral." A sigh escaped her as she shook her head, "Honestly, you've been gone maybe five hours and already the base is going nuts. How you manage the bunch of us, I will never know!"

Grin on his face, the man laughed, "Oh, I have some experience in such things, and so much easier than I have had it in the past." He ignored the snort that got before shaking his head, "Granted, at least the personalities and looks of the girls are much better. Churchill was a downright arse and a half at times, with the looks to boot, even if he was the leader that was needed for the most part..." Then, her Admiral gave her a look, "And what did I say? You can call my by my name."

Rolling her eyes, though agreeing Churchill, Revenge wondered how it was that the man beside her sounded like he actually knew the former Prime Minister. And it was not the first time he sounded like he knew someone from the past of Britain either. Granted, there was that one time that Golden Hind came to visit before freezing as she caught sight of him. Then the pirate began to laugh uproariously as the sheepish Admiral smiled at her before stating that she should have guessed, 'She never explained why she acted like that either...' Seeing the raised eyebrow, she sighed some, "Very well Admir... I mean, Arthur."

Not saying anything, simply with a smug smirk on his face, Arthur reached over and turned on the radio to listen to for now.