Harry Potter & the Shipgirls

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts/Kiyone4ever Crosspost 5

And the next Kiyone4ever crosspost:
___________________________________________________________________

Queen of the Loony North

Tirpitz looked over her quarters carefully. Here lurked danger. She didn't know where the enemy was but they were here. The empty tray of kippers in the livingroom attested to this. It was only fair to let them have their snack before starting the game.

Behind the sofa would be too easy. Check it anyway. That's how we play the game. Naturally, no X-craft lurked there. On to the kitchen then. Tirpitz doing a quick check, opening and slamming the oven door quickly just in case but all was clear so Tirpitz set four cups on the table and pulled down a bottle from her liquor cabinet and filled the cups, then returning the bottle to the cabinet She then reached for a tin of biscuits and took one out and walked up the stairs to her bedroom.

Turning on the light to her bedroom, she smiled and walked over to her nightstand, withdrawing a rat trap from the drawer and loaded a biscuit on it and slid it under her bed. Tirpitz didn't have long before the *SNAP!*
"Oy! That stings!" X-3 cried out indignantly from under the bed.

"You know I heated the spring in that thing. It won't do any real damage. Now come out. I caught you fair."

X-3 slid out from under the bed muttering. "That wasn't cricket you know."

"You'll get over it. Now the sooner I find your sisters, the sooner you can have some more biscuits."

"This time without the rat trap!"

"Of course! Now... Where are your sisters hiding?"

"Search me." X-3 shrugged.

"Well, It may come to that but first..." Tirpitz checked the bath. "At least try...." Tirpitz sighed seeing her tub filled with bubble bath and a bendy straw lurking among the bubbles. Tirpitz placed her hand on the straw, covering the hole. Frantically, X-2 leaped out of the water.

"Nutter!"

"You weren't even trying," Tirpitz answered in non-apology. "Come on, I just need to find X-1. It looks like we're finally getting orders!"

"Well! Why didn't ye say so?" X-1 exclaimed sticking her head out from the air vent.

"Come on out of there then," Miss Tirpitz von Windsor smiled. "I have schnapps poured for us!"

A/N Tirpitz and her band of stalkers are from "Above Us The Waves" produced at Pinewood studios in 1955. Poor Tirpitz is a very confused English girl who thinks she's German.

 

[darthcourt10]

Savato93

Old and New

XXXXXXXXXX

"I'm sorry…" The little girl whimpered.

Tanith shook her head. "It's not your fault, Silver. If anyone is to… blame, it's me, your flagship, for not… warning you of this." 'This' referring to the tangled wad of umbilical cords sitting at her feet, which connected Silver's avatar not just to her hull, but to several of her sisters, as well. Shaking her head, she looked to the other destroyers. "Just hold still, girls. The tighter this knot gets, the harder it becomes… to unravel. I'll go get help."

The tangled-up destroyers nodded. Satisfied, Tanith set off to find their mother. Although she now knew how to perform the modifications on the destroyers, she was wary of messing with them. If the avatars had to be disconnected to undo the knot, she didn't want to risk a mistake by doing it herself. She could only hope that, with time and practice, that would change.

"Mom?"

Tanith was pulled from her thoughts by her daughter's voice. She glanced over to see Regalia walking up to her, fiddling with her tail. "Is something wrong, Regalia?"

"No, not really," the Re-class said softly. "I just wanted to, uh, ask you about something."

Tanith paused, uncertain. "I'm sorry, Regalia, but… is it something that can… wait?" She gestured towards the destroyers. "I need Mother's help with a… mishap, of sorts."

Glancing over, Regalia winced at the sight of Silver and her kin's tethers wound up in a knot. "Oh… oh, yeah. I can absolutely wait. You go ahead and take care of that."

"Thank you. I will try… and get back to you… later, okay?" Regalia nodded. "Alright."

With that, Tanith walked away, leaving Regalia with her thoughts.

Speaking with Tanya and Tandy had left Regalia with… questions. The way Tanya spoke of Miss Norihara, how fondly she saw her, left her curious about the relationship between the two strangers. And Tandy… and her husband, Commander Ferguson, and their two children… they were a family, no doubt about it. But how did they become a family? She'd never known what it was like to not be part of something bigger than herself… which left her ignorant of just what needed to happen for that to be possible in the first place. But with Uncle Harry's warning, she was wary of asking anyone directly; she didn't want to be rude to anyone. Thus, she hoped to see if her mother had the answers she sought…

"Hey." Blinking, Regalia looked up to see Rivet standing in front of her, curious. "You alright? You have this odd look on your face."

"Er…" the Re-class paused to shake her head vigorously, clearing her thoughts. "I'm fine. Just thinking about something…" she focused on the cruiser. "Anyway, how have you been doing so far, Aunt Rivet? I mean, so much stuff has happened so fast. I'm honestly struggling a little to keep up with it all."

Rivet brought her arms up behind her head, humming softly. "All things considered? I'm doing great. And who wouldn't be, really? We've got our mother back, gained an awesome uncle and grandma… and we don't have to hide from the world anymore." She paused to stretch, adding, "Having all sorts of new people I can meet—and spar with—is just icing on the cake!"

Regalia couldn't help but blankly stare at the cruiser. "…Really?"

"What? It's not that strange," Rivet noted defensively. "There are humans that do that sort of stuff for a living."

"Wouldn't they be pretty far out of your league?"

"Hey, you don't see me challenging any of the humans, do you?" Rivet shook her head. "I know who can handle my strength and who can't."

Regalia rolled her eyes, but didn't argue any further. She decided to change the topic. "I was gonna ask my mom something, but she's busy right now. I guess I'll just grab something to drink while I wait. Would you like to join me?"

Rivet shrugged. "Sure. I could go for a cold one."

The pair made for the mess hall tent.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tanith stepped up to the unofficial workshop tent. Just yesterday, she and her sisters had been hard at work in this tent, developing their first destroyer avatars. Their mother had been watching them at all times, always ready to hop in and correct their mistakes as they tried their hardest to replicate her work. They'd settled on making only a few conversions for now; one or two destroyers each, just enough for them to get a hang of the process. The rest could wait for later, once things with the humans settled down.

Mother, however, seemed to still be at work, judging from her IFF pointing to this tent. It kinda reminded Tanith of the old days—no sooner had Mother finished one task, she began work on another. But what was she working on now? Only one way to find out.

Brushing aside the canvas, Tanith entered the tent. The first thing she noticed was a significant reduction of clutter—most of the tables and equipment used for the destroyer conversions had been taken out or set aside, to make room for other projects. The schematics for the avatars and control mechanisms were gone, having served their purpose, replaced by other designs. In the middle of it all stood Hoppou.

Tanith stepped forward. "Mother?"

The small princess perked up at her daughter's voice. Looking back, she greeted Tanith with a small wave. "Hello, Tanith. Do you need something from Hoppou?"

"Yes, there's been a… bit of an incident, with the… avatars…" Tanith's voice trailed off as she took in the various sketches and blueprints laid out on the table in front of Hoppou. Individually, they meant little to her—flight deck catapults, elevators, autoloading systems, midget submarine deployment systems, torpedo bulge layouts. But together, they painted a very distinct—and familiar—image. "These are…"

"Re-class designs," Hoppou said simply. "Hoppou hasn't worked on Re-class in a very long time. Need to study, to practice."

Tanith understood instantly. "For Regalia."

Hoppou nodded. "Regalia is deeply flawed. She needs more than repair or remodel… Regalia needs rebuild. And Re-class is very complicated. Hoppou needs to know blueprints inside and out if she wants to help Regalia heal."

The dreadnought was quiet as she pored over her mother's material. "…You truly think you can… do it?"

"Hoppou doesn't think, Hoppou knows. But…" Looking up, Hoppou stared off into space. "This is a big job. Hoppou doesn't want to take any chances by doing it alone."

"…I see." Tanith thought to the few others she knew would be capable of helping. "Wanko? The shipgirls?"

"Yep, but not just them. Miss Norihara knows a lot about Abyssals' bodies thanks to Tanya. And Supprin can provide whatever stuff Hoppou needs to carry out procedure. Hoppou wants to cover all the bases she can."

Tanith was briefly awed by her mother's drive. She was determined to do the best she could to heal Regalia, and wasn't hesitating to call in as much help as possible to that end.

But what if all that effort ended up being unnecessary?

"Mother…" Tanith began. "Regalia is… undecided… as to whether she wants the repair. Are you certain you want… to ask for all these people to… devote their time to something… that might not happen?"

Hoppou looked to her, confused. "Regalia doesn't want help?"

"It's not that she doesn't… want help. But…" Tanith shook her head. "When I told Regalia you were alive… that you could help her… she was… hesitant. She's spent her whole life… living with her warped keel. She's okay with it. She doesn't want everything to change… just because you're here now."

Her mother stared at her for several seconds… then nodded, expression soft. "Hoppou understands."

Tanith blinked. "You do?"

"Regalia is not a soldier like us. Regalia is a peaceful girl. And change can be scary. Surgery, too. Regalia would be very brave, to accept Hoppou's help without thinking about it… but not very smart." Hoppou turned back to her blueprints. "Hoppou will be sad if Regalia says no, though Hoppou loves her no matter what. But Hoppou will make the effort either way. Better to have everything ready and not need it… than to need it and not have it."

"…I understand." Tanith dipped her head lightly. "Thank you, mother."

Hoppou shook her head. "Hoppou is just doing what a Princess should do for her fleet." Clapping her hands, she hopped down from the stool she was standing on and turned to Tanith. "Now, Hoppou thinks it's time for a break from studying. So what was it Tanith needed Hoppou's help with?"

"What…" Tanith paused, trying to remember just why she'd come out here. "…Oh, right! The destroyers! They got their cords tangled!"

Hoppou stood there for several seconds, just staring at her daughter. Then she brought a mitten to her face, groaning. "Hoppou knew there was something she'd forgotten to tell you all…"

XXXXXXXXXX

"So this is fruit punch…?" Regalia asked, taking a sip of the red drink in her hands. It tasted a little like orange juice, only sweeter, and lacking much of the tanginess. "It's nice. I like it."

Opposite her, Rivet propped her chin up with an elbow on the table and idly swirled the cup in her hand, watching the liquid slosh around within. "Man, it's been a while. I honestly can't remember the last time I had punch… I kinda just got so used to living on water, coffee and Tang for the past several years."

Regalia looked up from her drink. "You've had fruit punch before?"

Rivet bobbed her head. "Not just fruit punch, but a whole bunch of other drinks, too. We actually had variety in our diet, way back before we got scattered by the other Abyssals. The harbor our fleet operated in, it was definitely no paradise… but at the same time, we could get our hands on a lot of interesting stuff to eat, and drink, and fool around with. Unlike back home…" the cruiser stopped herself, chuckling weakly. "I don't believe it. I just called that old, boring, derelict island 'home', unironically. Seriously, that is not the sort of place a fleet should be working out of. It's just a bunch of ruins."

"Well, do we really have a choice? I mean, I doubt the humans would exactly welcome us moving to Japan, just because Grandma's there…"

A sigh. "That's true." Rivet looked over to the Re-class. "Besides… that island's really the only home you've ever known, isn't it?"

After a moment, Regalia nodded. "Yeah. I suppose it is." And even if it wasn't, she couldn't just abandon her farm!

For a while, the pair simply enjoyed their drinks, observing the goings-on around them. It was a rare moment of peace and quiet for the Fleet of Laughter, the various Abyssals forgoing idle chatter and simply deriving enjoyment in each other's presence as they ate, or read, or listened to radio.

Eventually, Rivet spoke up. "She ever tell you about our old home?"

Regalia paused, her cup halfway to her lips. "Huh?"

"Tanith, your mom," Rivet clarified. "Did she ever tell you about what it was like for all of us, before we came to the island? When we still ruled the North Pacific?"

Thinking about it for a moment, Regalia shook her head. "No, I don't believe she did. All I really have to go by is Aunt Rudy's tales, and she had a bit of a… flair for the dramatic."

"Hm." Rivet grunted. "That makes sense, I guess. Ruadri was looking at everything through rose-tinted glasses, prettying it up to keep our little sisters happy. And your mom… she probably didn't want to bum you out by bringing up bittersweet memories."

"…I see…" Regalia looked to the cruiser. "What about you? How do you feel about it?"

Rivet rocked her head side to side. "Well… before this—before we found Mother and made peace with the humans—I probably would have been in the same boat as Tanith, not wanting to remember the old times because it hurt me to do so. It's not like those times were bad; really, it was great for the most part. But because of that, every time I thought back to those days… when our fleet was whole, unbroken, happy. I was reminded of just how much we'd lost."

Saddened, Regalia's gaze fell to the table. "…It must have really hurt to think about, back then."

"Hey, cheer up!" Rivet told the Re-class, smiling brightly. "Yeah, we've been through a lot of suffering these past few years. But now we can rebuild. We're all here now, together, and we have our Princess back—and more. We're one big, happy family again." She pointed at Regalia. "And you're a part of it."

Regalia eventually looked back up to Rivet, returning the smile. "Yeah. I am, aren't I?"

Rivet nodded. "And don't you forget it. Now, that's enough moping for today!" she waved Regalia away. "Go ahead and refresh your punch, then come back and make yourself comfortable.

"I'll tell you what it was like to live in the Northern Ocean Fleet."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Sitting on a rock, Regalia was looking out to see in deep thought as the Sun sank down to the horizon. Before she could get too much into thought though, someone sat down next to her and she turned only to blink at who it was. "Uncle Harry? What are you doing here?"

Only shrugging as he sat down next to her, Harry gave her a small smile. "Well, just wondering what you were doing here by yourself. The others are further down the beach and yet here you are."

Eyebrow raised, Regalia looked down the beach to see her family gathering up a pile. Some of them hauled down hunks of wood that they broke into pieces. Others meanwhile stuffed grass, twigs, and seaweed between the wood. All to prepare for the night's bonfire. "Not really all that good due to... you know." just nodding, Harry waited. "As for why... I'm just thinking."

Wisely nodding, Harry gave a smile. "Yes, those thoughts can be pretty tricky. So which thoughts in particular are they that are bothering you?" And when she glanced at him, the black haired teen chuckled. "I've been told that I'm a pretty good listener."

Regalia bit her lip for a few moments as she considered the offer. "It's about Grandma." Just getting a nod, she took a deep breath. "Mom says that Grandma can fix me."

With a glance at her hump, Harry frowned before leaning against a hand. "Well, personally? I don't think that I would call it fixing."

That made Regalia blink and she turned to him, confusion apparent on her face. "You wouldn't? But then... what would you call it?"

Finger tapping his chin, Harry considered his next words. "Not sure, but 'Fix' doesn't feel right. Maybe help? Yeah, let's go with that maybe."

Somewhat bemused, the Re-Class shook her head. "You know about my keel..." When he just nodded, she continued. "Ever since I've been born, Mom's been there you know? I mean, due to, you know, I've never been like the others. You saw how Regina reacted?" Once more, Harry gave a nod. "It created a distance I guess between myself and the others. I was different. But I did my best not to let it keep me down."

Very slowly, Harry gave a nod at that. "As well as you should. One shouldn't look at you and see your disability, but rather your ability. Heck, look at what you managed all on your own! You not only created a farm without knowing how, but one that worked. That's impressive no matter what one might think of insignificant matters like your keel. In the end, it's what you do that matters, not whether your keel is straight or not. And instead of laying down, you said screw you to life and rose above it, not letting it hold you back."

Honestly needing to pause at that, Regalia looked over at him. "I... never thought of it like that." Several thoughtful moments went by as the Abyssal rolled that around in her head. Then, she turned back to Harry. "There were times though when it got me down. When I just wanted to curl up... every time though, Mom was right there. She always told me that I should ignore my disability, not let it be all I was. But..."

Already having guessed where this was going, Harry frowned. "When she found out that Hoppou was alive, she said something, right? About how now you could be helped by her, keel get straightened out. And suddenly it seemed like everything had been a lie?"

More then a little surprised, Regalia gave him a nod. "Yes, how did you..."

On Harry's face was a sad smile. "I could guess where it was going. Not really all that hard to be honest." Leaning forward, he clasped his hands under his chin. "And I'm going to go out on a limb here for a moment and say that this makes you wonder if she was lying to you this whole time? If anything that she told you was true?"

Eyes wide, Regalia nodded. "Yes! That is exactly it." Then sighing, she slumped a bit. "What do you think, Uncle Harry."

Not giving an answer right away, Harry thought it over. "That is a tough question. But... I think that Tanith loves you and wasn't lying. She truly believes what she told you then. At the same time though, as a mother? She loves you and wants what she believes to be best for you. In this case, having your keel straightened and the rest helped. So that gap between you and the others disappear." Musing, he shook his head. "It is sort of like the parent of a blind child suddenly seeing that they can be helped and to do what they could not before."

Having never heard that term before, Regalia tilted her head. "Blind?"

With a glance towards her; Harry shook his head. "It's a word for when someone can't see. But they can live their lives almost as well as someone who can see, most don't let it bother them. However, imagine for a moment that you're a mother to one and you were just told that even it does not bother them, you could have them see."

If anything, Regalia became more thoughtful at that before slowly nodding. "I think that I understand." Sighing, she furrowed her eyebrows before turning to Harry. "What do you think that I should do though, Uncle Harry?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Harry sighed. "I don't think that is an answer that I could give you to be honest. Only you can decide on that." Then he turned and gave her a small pat on the shoulder as he saw her slumped. "But whatever it is that you decide, I'll back you up."

Surprised, Regalia turned to him with her eyebrows raising. "Really, Uncle Harry? Even if I decide not to?"

Giving her a snort, the wizard shook his head. "If you decide that, then I would talk with Hoppou myself. She'd listen to me."

Tears gathering in her eyes, Regalia gave him a hug. "Thank you." Moments later though, she became puzzled as Harry chuckled sadly. "Uncle Harry?" Just shaking his head, he had an odd look on his face. 'Sad? No, not sad but... melancholy? Yes, melancholy.'

With a small sigh, Harry glanced at her. "It's sort of funny and yet sad. But... I'm sort of jealous and envious of you."

Out of anything that Regalia could have expected for her uncle to say, that was not on the list. "I... jealous? Envious?" Lost, she pointed at herself. "Of me?"
Lips twitching, Harry gave a nod. "Yeah, I am. Pretty strange, isn't it?"

More than a little lost, Regalia frowned and furrowed her eyebrows. "Why?" Not getting an answer, she turned to the boy next to her who had a thoughtful and saddened look to it. One that made her want to hug him. "Uncle Harry?"

Still chuckling, Harry glanced at her. "Confused, aren't you?" When she nodded, he let out a breath. "What am I, Regalia?"

Furrowing her eyebrows, the Re-Class considered that. "My Uncle?"

Moments later, Harry shook his head. "No, what else am I?"

Deep in thought, Regalia tilted her head to the side like a cat. "Um, a boy? A human?"

Harry gave a nod at that. "That's right, I'm a human." Turning back to the sea, he let out a sigh. "I'm not a shipgirl or an Abyssal, Regalia. My biological Mum was one even if she was never awoken and so is my adoptive Mum. Almost all my sisters and aunts are shipgirls, and so are most of my closest friends. My little sister is an Abyssal and so is my Big Sister and Nieces. But... I'm human. I'll never be able to join them in the same way as you can. I'm not as strong or tough as an Abyssal or shipgirl." Tilting his head back to look at the slowly darkening sky, he still had a smile. "I'll never feel the joy of boilers pumping, turbines spinning, my props biting into the water and propelling me forward... because I don't have those. Nor will I feel my bow slicing through the waves, the sea washing along my hull with the wind in my superstructure. Because for me, those don't exist. I'll never know what it is like to use radar or anything else that you, or any shipgirl and Abyssal might. All because that's not what I am."

Eyes wide, Regalia stared at him. 'Uncle Harry...'

Meanwhile, Harry continued. "So much denied to me. I mean, sure, I can sort of get an idea of what it is like. But it will only ever be a pale shadow." Turning, he gave her a smile. "But you have that chance, Regalia. Even if you say no now, there is nothing to stop you from having it done later on. In my case, that's not possible."

Feeling a bit of wetness on her eyes, Regalia blinked. "Why don't you hate us? Why?"

Still smiling, Harry only shook his head. "Why would I? There would be no point to doing so. I might wish for it, but it would never happen and I'm okay with that. I'm okay with being me, being just human."

Both of them sat there in silence before Nero's voice called out. "HEY! UNCLE HARRY! CAN YOU COME OVER AND GIVE A HAND?!"

Just getting up, Harry brushed himself off. "Well, it seems that Nero needs me." Patting Regalia on the shoulder, he gave her a smile. "Hopefully that talk helped."

A frown on her face, Regalia gave a nod. "It did..."

Giving her another pat, Harry's smile widened as he nodded. "I'm glad then. Well... see you later, I suppose."

With a wave and a quiet goodbye, Regalia continued to think as she looked out over the waves.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Softly smiling as the breeze whipped past, Hermione let out a small sigh. A glance around them told her that nothing was too close, not that she expected much on the Irish Sea. But the sigh was also because now that she was nearly fourteen, the Royal Navy was going to start using her more in the North Sea. After all, one could make the argument for safety regarding a twelve year old Natural Born, less so for a fourteen year old. Another sigh made her chuckle and look over at one of her escorts. "Don't tell me that you're still annoyed, Amphy."

The Scout Cruiser, Amphion, just pouted. "Yes, I am." Rubbing the side of her face, she groaned. "You're the best flagship that we've had and you' Be leaving us here in the Irish Sea soon. So, yes, I am still bloody well annoyed."

From behind her, a chirpy voice spoke up. "Ah, but what about us, Amphy?"

Looking over her shoulder at the Empire F-Type, Fairhaven, Amphion rolled her eyes. "What about you? Beside the fact that means I get stuck with the bunch of the rest of you with no one to talk to."

Giggling along with the other F-Types in the small convoy heading for Northern Ireland, Fairhaven was a small, black haired girl with a large backpack. Like the other F-Types that had shown up, she mostly did convoy work between Ireland and the UK as well as cross Channel trips. Grinning, she gave a wink to the other girl. "And here I thought that you cared."

Facepalming, Amphion gave Hermione a pleading look as the others chimed in. "Help? Please?"

All Hermione did was smirk at her. "How about no? Consider it payback for what you showed to Vanguard."

Wincing, the Scout Cruiser rubbed the back of her neck. "Come on, Hermione! It wasn't that bad! And how could I have known that she would react that way?"

Eyes narrowing, Hermione gave her a glare. "You showed her Watership Down. Do you have any idea how much that affected her seeing as she likes bunnies?!"

Grimacing, Amphion grumbled a bit. "She's a Battleship! That sort of thing should not bother her so much..." When Hermione's glare approached that of a annoyed Victory, the Scout Cruiser winced. "Okay, okay, I'll buy her a bunny key chain or something. Bloody hell, can you possible momboat her more?"

That caused Hermione to blush before she looked away. "I am not a momboat."

Sharing looks, the F-Types all spoke as one. "You are totally a momboat."

A frown on her face, Amphion jerked her thumb at the group behind them. "They're right, you know. Heck, Vanguard even calls you 'Mum'. Kind of odd though..." Her frown turning thoughtful, she scratched at her nose. "I mean, she calls Dreadnought 'Mother' like the other Battleships. But she's a lot closer to you."

Snickers made them turn to Croome, one of the Escort Destroyers. "Oh, that's easy." Jerking her thumb at Hermione, she continued. "See, Vanguard was sort of lost when she came back. I mean, she never saw any action, not even Korea. So she was basically like that one Japanese Carrier, Shinano I think that she's called. Anyways... thing is that even back then, Dreadnought was... strict, a battleaxe if you catch my drift and one day after a training session headed by Dreadnought, Hermione here found Vanguard crying on a bench."

There were various mutters at that which made Hermione sigh. "Despite what the rumours stated, Dreadnought was not harsh with her and told her to stop wasting their time or any of that tosh. All that happened was that Vanguard was having big issues due to her lack of experience and Dreadnought was a bit hard on her. What Dreadnought told her was that she should be working much harder to be better for the good of Britain and as a representative of the Royal Navy. Then she told her that if she does not get better, then someone could be hurt when they needed her most along with how she expected her to be much better when she returned in a month."

Arms crossed, Croome's sister Middleton frowned. "That's still pretty harsh."

Just shrugging, Hermione shook her head. "Dreadnought is... old school when it came to training. She forgot that Vanguard had no experience unlike the others."

Croome nodded at that and then looked back. "Anyways, Hermione here stumbles across her. She herself having been awoken for a couple of months and out doing patrols here in the Irish Sea. Back then she was a bit bossy and decided that she was going to take care of Vanguard and help her... which she did. Unlike Dreadnought who only gave a nod of approval or a word of acknowledgment when she did well, Hermione here gave her rewards. Like taking her to a candy shop or that booklet of stickers she loves. Heck, even a trip to a bookstore to pick up books she liked!"

Blushing at the snickers, Hermione huffed. "She liked reading, just like me. Even if the books she prefers are for... younger readers."

Only turning to her, Croome snorted. "Yes, like Peter Rabbit. Or those Redwall books." As the Light Cruiser grumbled, the Escort Destroyer shook her head. "Well, a month went by and Dreadnought returned. Much to the old Battleship's approval, Vanguard was doing a lot better."

With a sigh, Hermione rubbed the back of her neck as she remembered. "Vanguard was happy about it, though all she did was nod and tell her that soon enough if she kept it up she would be a fine Battleship for the Royal Navy."

Lips twitching into a smirk, Croome gave her a look. "Meanwhile you once you heard about it gave her a hug while declaring how happy you were. Then you dragged her off to the local ice cream store to give her a treat there for doing so well." Jerking her thumb at the blushing Hermione, she lost her battle and smirked. "And after another such time, she got her those bunny pajamas she loves. But her expression when Vanguard told her that she was her Mum was something to see." An expression of mock thoughtfulness, the shipgirl turned to Hermione. "Though I think that your own Mother was happy about it, though confused."

Face in her hands, Hermione shook her head. "Mum was... and then grilled me about her new 'Granddaughter' for the next few hours." With a sigh, she checked to see if there was anything to distract them before-never mind, the bunch of them were cooing. "Just shut up." Then the witch paused and perked up while looking to the Southwest. "Hmm? The Irish Naval Service is heading this way."

Now interested in something other than the usual teasing Hermione for being a Momboat, Middleton blinked. "Huh, so they are. Any reason for them to be around here?"

Eyebrows furrowing, Hermione checked her memories and logs before relaxing. "Ah! I can't believe that I forgot that. They're sea trials of the LE Scathach, their new flagship."

Amphion gave a grimace at that. "You mean that weird ship of theirs? That looks like a flight deck snuck up on a Type 45 and is now holding onto it's arse like one of those tentacle monsters that the Japanese are into?" When everyone turned to her and gave her a look, she blinked. "What? It's true!"

Pinching her nose as she tried to get that image out of her head, Hermione sighed. "Must you be crude?"

In response, Amphion gave her a look. "Considering Olympic's response when she was last here in Britain and saw a picture? I'm being downright bloody polite about it. Granted, she was drunk at the time, but still."

The memory of that made Hermione grimace a bit. Shaking that off, she gave Amphion a frown. "Be that as it may, the Scathach is not a... bad idea, being as it is based on the UXV Combatant. The drones she carries are good for covering wide areas as the Irish don't have the population we do. And she is powerful enough for them as a flagship."

Rolling her eyes, Amphion snorted. "Still looks fugly like the Yanks always say."

It said something that Hermione didn't say anything in regards to that. Roughly an half hour later, they came into sight of the ship with the few Irish shipgirls around it. Seeing the V-shaped flight decks, Hermione internally grimaced as she was reminded of the "Aviation Battleship" conversion for the Iowas considered back in the 1980s. At least part of the grimace was also for said Battleships' likely reaction for whoever saw it. Seeing the approaching shipgirl though, she gained a smile. "Good morning, Miurchu, how are you?"

A grin on her face, the small shipgirl gave a light laugh. "Well enough, I suppose Hermione. And yourself?"

Simply shrugging, Hermione's smile grew a bit. "Not bad really, nothing to complain about." Then she gained a predatory grin. "But I have to ask, how are things with Seamus? Anything on that end?"

Moments later, a similar grin grew on Miurchu. "Ah, now there is a tale that I should tell you. Wearing him down a little bit at a time, I am." Noticing the bushy haired shipgirl glance at the ship, she looked as well. From where they were, they could see one of the drones being launched into the air. "Bit O' a sight, she is, the Scathach?"

Only nodding, Hermione watched as one of the helicopters landed on it. "I remember reading about it two years back? Drones for reconnaissance right and a hundred crew?"

Miurchu shook her head however. "More like almost two hundred. Some of them being trained on her. But some of her drones are armed with bombs or missiles."

Her lip twitching, Hermione chuckled. "Trainees and a distance way of killing? I think that Scathach would be happy with her namesake." With another shake of her head, she turned back to Miurchu. "So, what exactly has been happening with Seamus? We'll probably be heading in the same direction for a bit..."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Placing her mug of coffee down, Supprin gave a small nod to both Goto and Ooyodo. "Thank you both for seeing me, I understand if you are rather busy with all that is going on." With a shake of her head, she looked to the north. "I don't believe that any of us expected this many survivors."

Simply leaning back, Goto hummed himself as he looked out at the darkened base as it was getting late into the night. "No, I don't think that any of us did. Though I am rather happy for Hoppou despite the problems that this might cause." After a few moments, he turned back to Supprin and gave her a small smile. "That said, you don't need to thank me all that much for seeing you. We are allies."

Hand running along her mug, the Abyssal became thoughtful. "And isn't that a surprise considering everything?" Then Supprin shook her head and gave both Ooyodo and Goto an unsure look. "Lady Wanko, as I am sure that you know, gives me a rather large amount of leeway. It is not just because I was not a threat to her when she had me join her either. But also because she understands that it is because of what I am."

Furrowing his eyebrows, Goto frowned. "May I ask what you mean by that?"

Just gathering her thoughts, Supprin tapped a finger against her chin. "As I am sure that you noticed, us Abyssals come in different types? Same with the Demons?"

Ooyodo frowned at that before nodding. "We have, there seems to be a split." With one hand, she gestured as she continued. "There are what are Installation types and Ship types. Such as the Battleship Water Demon currently up north compared to the Airfield Princess."

Slowly, Supprin gave a hum. "You are, of course, right. But there are other divisions among us Abyssal Leaders. We can be divided into Offensive Units such as Battleship Demons and Princesses, Defensive Units or Fortification Units such as Wanko and Hoppou. And then there are ones such as myself." She tapped her chest. "Logistics Units, those of us who gather and hold supplies for other Abyssals. We're generally considered the lowest of the low as we're... not the best at fighting and usually only have a collection of Destroyers or Light Cruisers, maybe a Heavy Cruiser."

More then a little interested, Goto put his mug to the side and then tented his hands in front of his face. "We had suspected that Abyssals had logistical lines, but outside of yourself and maybe two other Supply Depot types as well as the... Wa class, we have not found any."

Grimacing, Supprin shook her head. "As I said, we're considered the lowest among the Abyssal leaders, I suppose that one could say. I mentioned before that generally speaking, the various Demons and Princesses treated myself rather badly, though Wanko had never bothered too much with me until that day. Even then, she at least treated myself and others well enough. Outside of Wanko, that is rather common treatment for myself and other supply types. We're not powerful ourselves nor do we have powerful fleets with us. At best we attach ourselves to a Demon or Princess and serve them as a central hub for protection."

A frown on her face, Ooyodo considered what she knew as well as knowledge of what happened during the Second World War. "They're the first victims of the internecine warfare among the Abyssals, aren't they?" Turning to Supprin, her eyes widened. "That's why we don't see them too often, they're often attacked by the others."

Eyes closing, Supprin gave a small nod. "Unfortunately, yes. This is especially true when pressed by shipgirls as we have stockpiles that other Abyssals would want. Thus, other Princesses and Demons would attack us hoping to gain control over our supplies to build more Abyssals to defend themselves. And more then a few would take and take and once there is nothing left..."

It did not need to be spelled out to either of the other two there. With her own eyes closed, Ooyodo hummed. "Which is why you're happy with Wanko. Not only does she not force you to give up supplies and goes through the proper channels, you don't need to worry about her killing you for said supplies."

Opening her eyes, she saw Supprin gave a nod. "Yes, Wanko does understand the various issues that could pop up. She has also allowed me to, under her protection, develop the Oku class. Something that I would never have had the chance to under other circumstances. Not just because they serve a purpose in our fleets, but also..."

Goto gave a slow nod with a look of distaste. "But also because it gives an out for any Wa class that we might capture. They might never be able to live normally, but you could convert them into Oku class to free them after a manner."

Just nodding, Supprin sighed. "Correct. At least part of the Oku class is to allow for myself, Wanko, or other Allied Demons and Princesses who might capture a Wa Class to convert it to an Oku. It is the best that we can do for the moment though I am hopeful about learning how to convert them to other Abyssal types. But that sort of thing is the domain of the Elder Princesses as one needs to... remove their soul and keep it in a sort of stasis while using the original body for materials to create a new one. Such Abyssals are killed and reincarnated as either a new one of their type or a more powerful one. It is an extremely intensive process, both in energy and materials, hence why it was only used for the very best of subordinates if they were too damaged to continue to live."

Voice soft, Ooyodo looked at her. "Is that the best that can be done for them?"

Expression saddened, Supprin gave a small nod. "It is unfortunate, though that does not carry just how horrible it is, but that is the best that we could do. They would never be human again, but we could give them a life of sorts as it were and..." Chewing her lip, she continued. "Not to give too much hope, but such a process may also allow for those who are lost to insanity to become sane once more. While it is similar to how I might convert a Wa class to an Oku, or a Light Cruiser into a Chi Class, it is far more difficult and complicated. Not unlike evolving an Abyssal into a Demon or Princess. But in order to do so... we would need to test and..."

Rubbing the side of his head, Goto groaned. "And isn't that going to be a shitstorm to consider. Thankfully, that is above my paygrade."

Lips twitching despite the seriousness of the subject, Ooyodo turned back to her friend. "How are the Oku class going? From our last talk on them you stated that they've completed their sea trials, correct?"

Now happier, Supprin gave a nod. "As a matter of fact, they are doing extremely well. And have also been received well by our fleets and the humans. We've already started using them to transport cargo to both Australia and Indonesia, including reparations for what we've done." At the looks, she shrugged. "Besides the various ores we can gather from the ocean floor, I've been having my fleet harvest methane hydrate. It's something that I figured out how to do years ago, after which it just needs some refining to make into liquid methane which we've started to ship to both Australia and Indonesia. With Hoppou's children? I might hand the process over to them to do so as well so that they have something to give to both Japan and the United States. Not sure if we could figure out a manner for humans to do it though."

Both Goto and Ooyodo had wide eyes at that, the two sharing the same thought. 'The government would enjoy that...'

However, Goto then turned thoughtful as his fingers tapped together. "As interesting as this is, I am assuming though that this is a build up to something?"

Supprin gave a nod at that before taking a deep breath and letting it out. "While we are at peace, our two groups anyways, there is just one small issue. We are still separate and to be honest, we need to learn how to work together. Which is why I wish to ask if you would be interested in a combined operation of both shipgirls and Abyssals." Reaching into her clothes, she pulled out a folder and handed it to Goto. As he opened and read, she continued. "The Australians have already agreed to the basics as long as it is not just them involved.

While he read it, Goto frowned as did Ooyodo. Eventually though, he leaned back. "According to this, the operation is to capture an Abyssal Demon? One that you know personally?"

Nodding, the Supprin frowned. "Capture might not be the right word, but neither is cause her to surrender. The Demon in question is a Food Supply Demon, somewhat like the shipgirl Mamiya. Like myself, she is a Logistics type, but only for food. Personality wise, she is like myself in that she doesn't want much to do with war and would like peace. Unlike myself though, she does not really have a patron to protect her except for, well..." Coughing, she grimaced. "A Southern Ocean War Princess, formally a Demon. The two are best friends, but the Southern Ocean War Princess doesn't have a real fleet with her and the two are always on the move, which is why this might work."

Just leaning forward, Goto frowned in thought. "You think that they might surrender, peacefully?"

For several moments, Supprin was quiet before speaking. "The big thing for the two of them, from what I understand, is safety. If we put together a combined fleet, and it was big and powerful enough? The two would surrender as they would know that they would be safe from any other hostile Abyssals and that is what is important, especially in regards to Food Supply Demon. The Southern Ocean War Princess would follow her friend. It would also convince them that we could protect them against any reprisals, even from Subcontinental Princess."

That name made both Goto and Ooyodo frown before the Admiral spoke up. "Subcontinental Princess? But she is dead, it's confirmed that she was at Diego Garcia when it was hit by several nuclear strikes. And she has not been seen since."

Only giving them a look, Supprin grimaced. "I can only hope that she perished in that. But unless I see her body in front of me, I won't let down my guard and I know that Wanko is much the same way. A hundred years could pass and we would still be looking over our shoulder. Subcontinental was the absolute worst and if there is anyone mean enough and filled with enough bloodlust to survive such an event? It would be her..." Her expression then turned dark. "A number of the skulls she wore weren't human, but Abyssal after all."

Sharing a look at that, the human Admiral and the shipgirl frowned before turning back. If they were going to do this, then they needed more information after all.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

A smile on his face, Harry looked over at Nero who was cracking eggs over a bowl. While he watched, she cracked the last one and picked up an egg beater to rapidly mix them together. Internally shaking his head, he considered what he knew about the Abyssal next to him. From what he had been told from her and others, she had been looking for something outside of fighting and the like. At some point though, Nero had taken up cooking and found it to be her calling.

It was something that he was happy about as it gave the two of them at least one thing in common.

Hearing a hum, he glanced over at her to find her looking into the bowl with a frown. "You okay, Nero?"

With a blink, the Ne class looked over at him before shaking her head. "No, I'm fine Uncle Harry. Just wondering about these eggs. There's a lot that can be done with them."

Only chuckling, Harry gave a small nod. "True enough, eggs are one of the most diverse foods when it comes to cooking. You can boil them, cook them as is, scramble them when just using them. Or you can add vegetables or meat to make an omelet. Heck, that's not counting the other things that you can do by adding them to other things like breakfast sandwiches or with toast and syrup to make French toast."

Considering what she just heard, Nero frowned in thought before giving him a smile. "I suppose that is true enough. Though these taste better then seabird eggs."

Just chuckling, Harry shot her a grin. "I suppose so, from what Hoppou tells me said eggs have a slight fishy taste to them." Checking the batter in his bowl, he tilted his head. "I've had quail eggs though and those are pretty tasty."

Somewhat surprised, Nero looked over at him. "Quail eggs, Uncle Harry? Really"

Giving a small nod, the black haired boy added a small pinch of something to the batter before going back to mixing it. "Yeah, we got some quail back at Yokosuka that we raise for eggs. Same with some chickens."

There was a considering look on Nero's face for several seconds. After frowning, she turned towards Harry and tilted her head to the side. "Would it be possible to get some chickens, Uncle Harry?" At his confusion, she gestured at the eggs she had cracked. "So that we can have some eggs."

Much to her surprise, Harry shook his head. "Honestly? It wouldn't be that hard for you to get some chickens. And you can use them for more the just eggs since you can use them for meat as well."

Nodding to that, Nero began to add the eggs to a pan while making sure that none splattered. As the smell reached her nose, the Abyssal gave a small smile at it. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Harry pour the batter into an odd device. "What is that you're making, Uncle Harry?"

With a grin on his face, Harry gave her a wink. "Waffles, cinnamon waffles to be exact." Turning back to the waffle maker, he chuckled. "They're actually one of Hoppou's favorite foods."

Curious as she cooked, Nero looked over at Harry. "Wait, Grandma likes cinnamon waffles? Really?" When her uncle nodded, she frowned. "Huh."

Slowly nodding, Harry hummed. "Yeah, she really loves it when I make cinnamon waffles. Though she also likes Belgium waffles with powdered sugar on them or such."

At the sound of chuckles, they turned to find Sunny leaning against the serving counter with a glass of orange juice in one hand and a smile on her face. "So Mom likes cinnamon waffles or ones with powdered sugar? I have to admit, that makes sense as Mom always has liked sweet things." Glancing at the waffle that Harry put onto a plate, she raised an eyebrow. "Though maybe I might try some if Mom lets me."

Rising up from beside her, Patty licked her lips. "I'm just hoping for more pancakes. Now those are really great for breakfast."

Lightly laughing, Harry shook his head. "Sure thing, any in particular? I can make up some cinnamon pancakes and I know that there's some blueberries here." Tapping his chin, he frowned. "Though I might be able to swing some strawberries or other berries instead."

Eyes lighting up, the Airfield Princess rapidly nodded. "Okay, any of those would be great, Uncle Harry. Also?" Raising her hand, she gave him a thumbs up. "You are now my favorite uncle."

It was then that Ritou walked into view and rolled her eyes. "He's our only Uncle, Patty."

With one eyebrow raised, Patty gave a snort. "So? This just cements it."

Lips twitching at the byplay, Nero looked towards the Isolated Island Princess and smiled. "Hi, Mom. Just give us a bit and we'll have breakfast cooked up for everyone."

Smiling back at her daughter, Ritou only shook her head. "Sounds good, Nero. And can't wait." Glancing at one of the other cooks, she stretched. "I think that we've been eating the best we have for the past several days."

Unnoticed by them, there was a small frown on Harry's face at hearing that as it dredged up old memories. Ones that he would rather leave in the past which had to deal with before he was adopted. Then, shaking them off, the black haired boy looked over at Patty. "Well, if you like pancakes like this, I'll have to treat you to crepes when you come by Yokosuka."

Confused, Patty furrowed her eyebrows. "Crepes?"

Now amused, the wizard chuckled. "It's a type of pancake, really thin. But they're rolled up with syrup, cream, fruit, or some sort of thing like that inside. They're really good."

Mouth dropping, Patty stared at him for several moments. It was only after Harry snickered and she felt something that she realized that she was drooling. Wiping it away, she gave a small blush. "Um, sounds good?"

All of a sudden, there were giggles and Hoppou began bouncing. "Hoppou smells cinnamon waffles! Big Brother making Hoppou cinnamon waffles!?"

Harry chuckled at that before nodding with a grin. "Yes, Hoppou, I'm making cinnamon waffles for you. Just make sure not to have all of them so that the others can also have some." As Hoppou rapidly nodded, the black haired boy smiled. "Good to hear."

Just as he turned back around, Hoppou spoke up. "Oh! Big Brother also has a visitor from home with message!"

Pausing and somewhat confused, Harry turned to ask her who that was when he saw Tanith walking up and blinked. Then his lips twitched and he began to snicker. "Um... I can see that."

The others were now giving each other confused looks before Nero turned to look at Tanith and blinked. At seeing her stare, Ritou raised an eyebrow and also looked over her shoulder only to do a double take. She was not the only one as both Sunny and Patty did much the same. Coughing some as her orange juice went down the wrong tube, the Battleship Water Demon rapidly blinked. "Um, Tanith? What's that on your head?"

Utterly confused, Tanith frowned as she looked from her uncle, to her mother, and then to her sisters. "My hat...?"

Giggling, Hoppou had her hands in front of her face while her eyes twinkled. Meanwhile, Ritou coughed a bit and looked away. "Yeah, there's your hat. But, um..."

It was then that Regalia walked in and blinked as she took in the sight in front of her. "Mom? Why... do you have an owl on your head?" At the blink from her mother, she pointed. "Up there..."

With a frown, Tanith took her hat off her head and brought it down so that she could look at the top. And there was a snowy owl perched on the top of it, which opened an eye and gave her a look before closing the eye. Head tilted to the side, the Northern Water Princess furrowed her eyebrow and frowned. "What are... you doing... there?"

Once more opening an eye, the owl gave her a look. "Prek."

Raising his hand, Harry chuckled. "Actually? That's Hedwig, she's my owl." Then he pointed at her leg. "And it looks like she has a envelope there for me."

A smile on her face, Hoppou turned to one of the workers and motioned for him to come over and then whispered. Somewhat confused, he walked over to his station and returned with a plate that he held out to Hoppou. When the others looked, Hoppou smiled. "Hedwig really likes bacon!"

Eyebrows furrowed, Regalia walked over and took a piece of bacon. "She does?" Moments later, she felt something on her tail and turned to find Hedwig now perched there. The owl looked from her to the piece of bacon and back before giving a bark. Slowly, Regalia held out the piece of bacon and watched as Hedwig leaned forward and began to take pieces from it. "Wow..." With a glance at Harry, she chewed her lip. "Um, Uncle Harry? Can I..."

Giving a small nod, Harry chuckled. "Go ahead and pat her, just be very gentle with her and do it along the feathers rather then against them. That way you don't hurt her."

Her eyes wide, Regalia reached over and paused when Hedwig gave her hand a glance. But when the owl didn't do anything, she continued and slowly stroked the feathered head. "Wow..."

Sunny took one of the pieces of bacon and walked over to offer it to Hedwig with the owl taking it. Then, grinning, she began to stroke Hedwig's head. "Okay, this is just awesome. Hey there, Hedwig."

With a small smile on his face, Harry shook his head. 'You're going to get spoiled, Hedwig.' Then he turned to Hoppou who was watching as Patty and Ritou joined in. "Hoppou? Could you get the letter and see who it is from?"

Nodding, Hoppou smiled up at him. "Okay, Big Brother!" Walking over, she gently took the letter from Hedwig and then made her way over to where Harry was taking out a waffle. Opening it, she held it up. "Here you go, Big Brother."

Just humming, Harry leaned towards the letter and read it before chuckling. "Huh, seems that Natsumi-Chan is thinking about having a beach party to celebrate the summer vacation. And she's wondering if I'll go to it."

Thoughtful, Hoppou gave a small nod. "Big Brother? Hoppou going with Sunny and Tanith to Yokosuka in a few days to meet with Admiral Goto. Is that when it is happening?" With a glance at the letter, Harry nodded which made Hoppou smile. "Then Big Brother should come with us and go to party. Though we should also be ready for Big Brother's birthday."

Upon hearing that, Regalia turned to look at them. "Birthday, Grandma? Uncle Harry?"

Both of them turned to her with Hoppou nodding. "Big Brother's birthday is in a few days."

Giving a small nod, Harry smiled and chuckled. "It's a celebration of when I was born. Like when you were launched in other words."

That got him a thoughtful nod from Regalia, neither noticing that the various Princesses and Demons stopped their pampering of Hedwig to give each other looks.

 

[darthcourt10]

WickedestCard

So...here is the result of a 2 am post about Challenger Deep that has been stuck in my head all day.
-------

Abssyal Files: Challenger Deep Princess.

Challenger Deep Princess

Location: Challenger Deep

Abyssal Forces: None (rumored to know of/communicate with/control massive unknown underwater creatures.)

Nicknames: Princess/Lady of the Abyss/Deep, She who lives at the bottom of the World, the Loneliest Princess.


A Princess type Abyssal that has only been spoken in rumors and whispers of Abyssal submarines, no living being has ever been confirmed to have seen this elusive Princess. During the lull in hostilities of the Abyssal conflict some Navies, Particularly the USN and the JMSDF, restarted deep sea research to better understand and perhaps locate Abyssal nodes and strongholds. During one such research expedition near Challenger Deep after the vessels had set up audio gathering equipment and done sonar surveys a strange audio return was recorded that chilled the shipgirl escort and wrecked havoc among the equipment. Even equipment set up thousands of miles away picked up the same return which was soon nicknamed as a 'song'. The shipgirls assigned to the expedition helped contribute to this as when they were questioned they described it as a very, very slow downed humming melody of three 'notes' in a three beat pattern which was an exact match to what the print outs showed.


Originally it was thought to similar to previously recorded sounds such as 'the Bloop' and 'Slow Down' but when shipgirls stated that the melody carried an incredibly strong 'current' of loneliness and longing it was decided to consult the allied Abyssal forces. Most of them, even the few Princess classes stated that they didn't know anything about this 'song' until a Princess Class submarine came forward and told the scientists of an ill fated voyage she had once been part of back when she was a Demon.


At one point a small fleet of other abyssal submarine types decided to make a dive down towards the Marianas Trench in look for rare materials. As the fleet dived and the pressure increased many of the lower submarines would lose their lives as even their eldritch hulls succumbed to the massive water pressure but an Elite and the leading Princess type continued to press on. As they neared four and a half miles under the surface something strange started to occur. Someone or something started to 'sing'. The Princess stated that at this point she had been unconscious and was slowly floating up to a safer depth when even she heard the song. Dark, slow, melodious and gripping her boilers in a loneliness that nearly paralyzed her, the Princess stated that she was urged to do nothing but continue back down to meet up with source of the song but her body could not do so. For several minutes the song continued until it slowed down further and finally it quieted down and it's hold on her gone. The other two were never resurfaced.


The submarine stated that when she became a Princess she slowly started to realize that the song could only have been created by another Abyssal Princess as she could now also produce a similar, if lesser, melody. One night she sang her underwater song and when she fell asleep she had a dream. In it she was back in the total blackness of the Trench but soon a small light appeared in front of her and she started to hear the original song once more. Enthralled she said she followed the glow further and further down, until she came across the one part of the ocean no Abyssal had ever reached, The Bottom of the World, The Darkest Abyss, Challenger Deep. Now deeply afraid she could no longer move her ethereal body but she had no need to. Slowly the light grew pale until it barely stood out from the pitch black and shifted until it became vaguely humanoid. Tall with long, almost gangly limbs and fragile looking fingers, long raven black hair and skin so pale it was almost transparent with a black dress held to her body with the characteristic Abyssal metal. However what pierced her was her face, smooth and so pale it made marble dark, her lips were open singing her song but her eyelids were closed. As the unknown Abyssal neared her with a quiet grace unnatural even to Abyssals, the Princess still could not move even as gentle fingers touched her face and the unknown opened her eyes. Pale white with what seemed like a milky film over them, blindness as no natural light could ever reach her.


Since then periodically the Princess stated she could hear the song, quiet and far gone until the day the research expedition captured the audio. That day the song was louder than ever before, and she stated that somehow...a small amount of joy was interwoven with the normal solemn notes. Possibly related but still unconfirmed, on that day it's said that the US Navy bathysphere Trieste moved and some of her internal instruments moved and recorded data with her lights turning on for a split second in the National Museum of the US Navy.
-------

Side note, I may favorite part from this was coming up with nicknames for CDP and Challenger Deep itself. If anyone has any ideas for more nicknames go ahead. And perhaps a name for the Submarine Princess.

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

Living Between Stories

-----

"I don't remember ever meeting you," Mamiya said, glaring slightly at the girl who was relaxing on the couch. Tonbo raised an eyebrow but refused to turn away from the carton of ice cream that had been hidden somewhere in the back of the freezer when no one was looking.

"Is that so?" she mused, briefly sucking on the spoon. "Pity. I remember you quite well. Puked on my shoes."

Mamiya grimaced at her flippant response. "You say that, but I still can't believe you were ever—"

"Twice," Tonbo cut her off.

"I—don't you ever stop joking?" Mamiya complained. Tonbo snorted.

"Where's the fun in that?" she asked. Mamiya groaned.

"Just… Just where were you, anyways?" Tonbo leaned back, examining her ice cream carton. Deciding it would keep, she tucked it into the nook of her arm.

"South, mostly," she said. "After you turned three, I spent some time up north chasing reports of a coven of vampires that were using storms to move around out of sight. I came back for a while when Tatsuya was born, to see if he inherited the family job—didn't look like it at first, so I went on down to Okinawa." She spooned a massive heap of frozen dessert into her mouth and spoke around it. "Took a while to hear 'bout him later in life—word can travel slow if the right people aren't paying attention."

"A-and what was that about being a vigilante serial killer?" Tonbo jabbed her spoon back into the ice cream.

"Some people lose their way. Some people have other peoples' ways and have them lost for them. I'm one of the later. I tried to create my own way, made a bit of a mess of it. Your ancestor found me, gave me his."

"I see," Mamiya said quietly. They sat in silence a few seconds before she continued. "And he'll be safe? With you at his side?"

"I've sworn myself to your family," Tonbo said. "Safety is relative in our business, but I'll do my best to make sure he doesn't die."
-----

Reiko sat at the top of the shrine steps, looking out over the city. Letting her chin drop into her hands, she heaved a sigh.

"You know," she looked up to see Chiaki looking down at her, slightly annoyed, "Normally I wouldn't mind having people being up here, but seeing as you've just been sitting and doing nothing, don't you think that there's somewhere else you could brood?"

Reiko sighed. "Sure," she said sarcastically, "and me screwing around up here pranking people has nothing to do with it." Chiaki stuck her lip out and groaned.

"All I'm saying is that if you're pining over a crush, there are better places to be doing it than at a shrine," she said defensively. "And even if I did have something to say about—hey, what?" Reiko turned, curious about what she was complaining at, and got a face full of broom.

"I know you're cranky that your dream guy wasn't a knight in shining armor or whatever it is kids these days like," the woman who some people called Airu said casually, taking a long drag of whatever it was in her drinking gourd, "but this is getting ridiculous. You wanna pout? Fine. But pout while doing something productive."

Reiko stared down at the tool in her hands while Chiaki gaped at the totally-not-a-kami.

"What are you even saying?" she demanded, stomping up to quite possibly the town's most powerful resident. "Is this supposed to be another joke, because—"

"Nope," Airu said, popping the "p." "Completely serious."

Reiko tuned out the argument, turning the broom over in her hands. Well. She couldn't think of any reason why she shouldn't, except for the sneaking feeling that whatever duties she was given probably wouldn't end there. Airu was infamously unpredictable, but there was no way that things wouldn't turn out like that. On the other hand…

Reiko gripped the broom, stood, and walked back into the courtyard.

… On the other hand, she needed to be of help to him somehow. Why not like this?
-----

"Hey, neesan?"

Himeyuki looked up from the tableware she was drying to glance at Akebono. The destroyer sat on the floor, Mai slumped over sleeping in her lap. Her face was unusually serious. The housewife sighed, putting the plate down. Her sister-in-law had been like this intermittently lately. Things had turned out well, but perhaps the fear of losing her admiral had affected her more than she was willing to admit?

"What seems to be your worry?" she asked, walking into the room and sitting down beside her.

"Nothing, it's just…" Akebono pursed her lips. "Why don't you like your magic? Nagato's kid seems to think he's got a pretty sweet deal, and it looks pretty… useful in a pinch, like if someone does something stupid—"

"Careful, Akebono," Himeyuki said quickly, keeping her voice light, "your caring is showing." As Akebono stopped, mouth opening and closing, she brought a hand up to grasp her hair.

"Maybe magic is a good thing to have," she said quietly, pensively. "Goodness knows it's probably not got anything to do with my troubles. But… But my life before Ichiro… I couldn't call it anything other than a waking death."

"That's a—"

"An exaggeration?" Himeyuki smiled ruefully. "Perhaps. All I know is that the man I was born to showered me with gifts and pretty words, but didn't stop to hear any of mine, and his son treated people like so many pieces on a shogi board. I was barred from befriending the children who smiled and laughed, and instead sent to play with the children whose games were power plays on their parents' behalf. And as long as I did well in school and received good marks, no one cared if I so much as existed." She held out a hand and within seconds, her wand had landed in it, it's familiar weight comfortable but not at the same time. "When I look at this, I see that man smiling and telling me how proud he is of me that I completed a task that wasn't even that. And what I remember? Is how I died inside a little bit more that day." She shook her head mournfully. "And then all I feel is the need to excise this, that waking death and every last part of it, from my life entirely."

"Sounds painful," Akebono admitted, hunching over Mai like a mother pigeon.

"I suppose it was, in its own way. We all have our pains and woes," Himeyuki said. "But enough woes, I've got work to do. Thanks for looking after her while I went shopping."

"H-Hey," Akebono stammered, "I was in the area, and I figured you might need it! You're kind of helpless like that." Himeyuki laughed and stood, patting her on the head.

"Welcome back," she said cheerfully, and left for the kitchen.

"What? What do you mean by that! Really, I'm just obligated to help out because you married my lug of a brother! That's it, seriously!" Mai came awake, yawning, and grabbed at the first thing that came to hand. "OW! Not again!"
-----

Well what do you think, sirs?

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Walking out of the light rain outside, Tanith took a moment to shake off the droplets clinging to her. Hoppou had been pleased with how well her ascended daughters were taking care of their fleets as she gave checkups to everyone. But just the same, she had all those daughters who had become Demons and Princesses in her workshop for them to observe as she performed checkups on the others with them helping. Part of which, Tanith supposed, was to find out how far along they were. Another was to show them the various small tricks and such that their mother knew to help further build the base that they had.

More surprising to them was to see the doctor, Norihara there. That was, until she joined their mother in giving them checkups, after which they all found themselves impressed with the human healer. No wonder Hoppou had suggested that if any of them were injured around Japan and neither she nor Wanko was available to help, they should contact Norihara.

Granted, Tanith was amused by the Ta-Class, Tanya, who was hanging around the doctor and how she was acting.

As she walked into the tent though, she could hear music from a nearby tent and could see Haida watching the children with a smile on her face. More then one of the Canadian sailors also had a smile, though it seemed more like one of remembrance then anything else. Tilting her head to the side, Tanith listened to the song and blinked.

"Every stop I make, I'll make a new friend
Can't stay for long, just turn around and I'm gone again.

Maybe tomorrow, I'll want to settle down,
Until tomorrow, I'll just keep moving on.

Down this road, that never seems to end,
Where new adventure, lies just around the bend.

So if you want to join me for a while
Just grab your hat, come travel light – that's hobo style."

Shaking her head, the Abyssal just walked into the tent fully. Whatever they were watching, the children seemed to be enjoying it anyways. Now looking around, she noted various Abyssals doing things though she raised an eyebrow at Rivet playing a human game. From her memories she remembered that it was called chess. On the opposite side, Nagato sat with her hands clasped in front of her face before she called out a move.

And then, much to Tanith's surprise, and Rivet's dismay, one of Nagato's pieces moved forwards. Reaching the opposing piece, it drew back a sword before decapitating Rivet's piece with a swing. It was then that Yoko smiled and called out chess.

Considering what she had just seen, Tanith frowned slightly. It suddenly made sense why Rivet would be playing if it was that violent. But where... "That's Harry's set." Turning, the Northern Water Princess blinked as Regina seemed to appear from nowhere. "Um, Harry owns that chess set, though his mother often is the one to use it. Same with Lady Hoppou..."

Eyebrows furrowing, Tanith considered that even as Rivet challenged a smiling Nagato to another game. "I see... so it belongs... to Uncle Harry? But Mother uses it... as does... grandmother?" When Regina nodded, Tanith frowned thoughtfully as she added another piece to the puzzle that was her uncle. 'Interesting...' Glancing at the Re-Class, she hummed. "You seem to really... care for Uncle Harry."

Much to her amusement, Regina blushed some at that before she pulled her scarf up a bit. "Um, I do. I mean, I do care a lot for Harry. He's my flagship and..." Looking at Harry, her blush deepened a bit as she spoke just above a whisper. "We're really close though..."

Only nodding with a small smile, Tanith chuckled. "I see..." Her gaze then fell upon the bracelet of black, Abyssal metal on his arm. Her mother giving him the rank of "Demon" was not too surprising. It was just the sort of thing that she would do without a care, though considering what she had heard? If even half of what she was told he had done was true, and Tanith knew that at least that was fact and that her mother was hardly one to lie about such things, then her new Uncle deserved the rank.

She knew that Sunny at least was impressed and really wanted to see the Basilisk tooth he had claimed for a trophy.

However, Wanko having done the same was a surprise. While, like Tanith herself, her aunt spoke slowly, no one would accuse her of being stupid. Thus the fact that she had given the rank of Demon to a human child, her "Little Brother" or not, said a number of things without saying them. At the very least it meant that she had seen something in him, something that even at his young age made him worthy of such. And glancing at the Re-Class next to her, one of her aunt's personal guards who was also made her uncle's when needed, Tanith became thoughtful. "And how has Uncle... done so far?"

Regina gave her a look that she could not quite understand before giving a small nod. "Harry has done very well as such. Lady Wanko... I mean, Mother has agreed. Even before he became my flagship he did well." Seeing the curious look on the Northern Water Princess, the Re-Class smiled in remembrance. "When Mother was due to sign the treaty with the humans, I was her guard. Harry took me aside before and gave me a dress so that I would look well. It fit and was just right for me, even worked for my tail." Then she sighed happily which made Tanith blink. "He also gave me an hair ornament as well as one for my tail... Then Harry made sure that my hooves were polished to a shine as well as my turrets and other parts."

Needless to say, Tanith's eyes widened at that. She knew just how much work was involved in such an action after all. "Did he do... it all himself?"

Shaking off her distraction, Regina smiled. "Yes, Harry did. Mother was pleased and impressed at how much work he had done or helped out with to make me presentable. He takes care of me as a flagship should, but also understands when I am needed to fight and will give the order. Once, we were fighting against a monster known as Grendel, it was real fun as the two of us were hitting each other and it was able to survive."

Intrigued, the Northern Water Princess leaned in. "It was... able to match you? Even if you... were holding back?"

Just nodding, Regina hummed. "Yes, though I did get hurt a little. It used this fire that gave me small burns. Nothing that would really bother me, but Harry? He took me aside and used some special salve that healed them. When she heard that, Mother smiled and even Harbor Demon gave a small nod."

That got Tanith to glance at Harry and nod. Yes, she knew that such things would be considered odd for Abyssals. But to those of Little Laughter's Fleet as well as Wanko's? She knew that healing even minor wounds would prove to them that it was right to give him such a rank. A thought then occurred to her and she gave Regina a searching look. "Regalia told me about something you said... that confused her due to you looking at Harry..."

Expression becoming serious, Regina blinked. "Harry is the only one other then Mother, Lady Wanko, who can control my inner demon. It listens and obeys him." Pausing for a moment, Regina looked slightly ashamed. "As you saw when I was about to attack..."

Despite the memory wanting to make her scowl a bit, Tanith instead frowned in thought. At the time, she was surprised at the fact that just words from her uncle had made Regina stand down. But hearing what she had just now? It began to make sense. Watching as Harry turned a page in his book before he made some notes, she frowned slightly. "Curious, but has... any more of... Aunt Wanko's fleet volunteered?"

It did not need to be said what she meant for Regina and the Re-Class tapped her chin. "There are a few who wish to volunteer. Not just Destroyers but some others. Mother is unsure about which ones could be sent, though if Harry gets in danger she might send a few along with myself. Rotate them through there."

Her eyes narrowing at the thought of her uncle being in danger, Tanith gave a nod of her own while rolling some thoughts around. 'Perhaps...' Putting them into the back of her mind for later, she just smiled. "Thank you, Regina... for telling me more... about Uncle Harry. It sounds like Aunt Wanko and Mother made a good choice... for his rank."

Just nodding, Regina frowned. "They did."

The simple truth in that statement made Tanith smile even more with her just giving Regina a nod. "Understood. I think... that I will go... over and talk... with Uncle Harry... some. Thank, you."

Getting another nod from Regina, the Northern Water Princess turned and began to walk over to where her uncle was sitting. Not having spent as much time with him as the others had, she was curious...

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Doing some work on his Curta and consulting some notes, Harry suddenly paused with a blink as he felt a presence behind him. When he turned though, he smiled at who was there. "Hello, Tanith."

Just looking down at him, the giant Abyssal just nodded. "Hello, Uncle Harry. May I... sit down, please?"

When she gestured beside him, he just nodded and gave it a pat. "Sure, I don't mind."

A small smile on her face, Tanith did so. Once she was seated, she turned her head and looked down at her uncle. "Thank you, Uncle Harry. I have been meaning... to talk with you... for some time." Spotting him wince though, she furrowed her eyebrows. 'Was it something... that I said?'

Moments later, she got her answer as Harry looked down. "Sorry about that, Tanith. I've been busy and... Yeah, I should have talked with you like I have the others..."

Eyes widening, Tanith internally boggled before reaching down and placing her hand on his shoulder. "There is nothing... to be sorry for... Uncle Harry. You have been... trying to... spend time with all... of us. And we all... appreciate... it..."

Still grimacing, Harry shook his head. "Still though..."

Tanith shook her head and gave a small smile. "Nothing to be sorry... for. We have all been... spending time with... you." She then pointed and Harry blinked at the sight of Regalia looking through the gardening catalogue. "My daughter is... especially happy with... the attention. You accepted her... just as she is. Something that... I am most... thankful for, Uncle Harry."

Relaxing a bit, Harry gave a small chuckle. "I guess so. But then, she is very easy to get along with and a nice girl. She seemed surprised at some of the items though." At the curious look from the Northern Water Princess, Harry gave a small shrug. "Besides the rain barrels, as soon as she spotted the composters there she started to groan and slapped her forehead."

Confused, Tanith furrowed her eyebrows. "Composter...?"

With a small chuckle, the black haired boy looked up at her. "It's something that you throw in food waste and yard waste. Like weeds and such, or vegetable peels. You leave them there, turning them over every once in a while as they decay, or compost hence the name. Eventually, you get rich earth that you can then use in your garden or farm. You can also add manure and such."

Not having expected that, Tanith considered it before closing her eyes and pinching her nose. "That sounds like... it would be very... useful for those... of us living on... the island. I wish that... I had known of... this before. Especially for... Regalia's sake.

Just shrugging, Harry shook his head. "Well, she seems interested in it anyways. And like I told her, I don't mind helping her get a hold of what she needs for her farm. Heck, it helps out all of you."

Expression softening, Tanith nodded. "For which I... must thank you... Uncle Harry." Glancing at the papers though she frowned a bit. "What is this... that you are working on... Uncle Harry?"

Blinking, the wizard glanced at them and then smiled. "Oh yeah! Well... I've been working on a little something. Mainly for your island and I was going to present it once I was done, but..." With a small shrug, he shook his head. "Guess that I can run what I have past you?"

More then a little surprised, Tanith leaned down for a better look. "You were working on something for my island?"

The nearly thirteen year old rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, yes? I wanted to make sure that it was possible to be done first though before presenting it to you for your approval."

Head tilted to the side, the Abyssal gave him a slow blink. 'At least he was... going to ask first... once he knew.... his idea could work.' Then she gave him a small nod. "I am very interested... in what you... might have come up... with, Uncle Harry." Gesturing at the papers, Tanith smiled. "May I?"

As he nodded, Harry watched her take the sheets of paper and read over them. "Would you like something to drink? I mean, I can go and grab something?"

With a glance, Tanith smiled some. "Thank you, Uncle Harry."

By the time he returned with a bottle of fruit juice, Harry could see that Tanith seemed highly confused about what she was reading. Placing the bottle down, he pushed it towards her. "Here you go."

Glancing at the bottle, Tanith popped off the metal cap before tossing it into her mouth and chewing it. Once she swallowed, she took her first sip of her drink and cleared her throat. "Uncle Harry? What is this...?"

Only putting down his own drink, the young wizard rubbed the back of his neck. "Well... it was just an idea that I had after hearing some things about the island."

That made Tanith blink. "Things?"

His expression becoming serious, Harry nodded. "Yeah, about your island." Thinking, he continued. "From what I was told about it, most of the island is in ruins? With very little shelter except for the palace."

A small grimace on her face, Tanith gave a nod. "That is correct... Uncle Harry. We've managed to... cobble together some shelters... on the island. But they are more... lean-to, I think... that they are called. Supported... by old walls." Finger tapping the table, she sighed. "Even the palace has... sections that are... damaged."

Frowning, Harry considered that. "Hmm... I wonder if I can make a trip there at some point before winter." At the confused look, he shrugged some. "I can use magic to repair places. Worse comes to worse, I can repair sections well enough that you will only need to work some. Like putting up shutters on windows and such."

Needless to say, Tanith's eyebrows rose at that in surprise. Both that he could do so and that he was offering. Briefly, she looked Harry in the eyes only to see earnestness there. There was nothing but the want to help, no ulterior motives but that. It was something that warmed her boilers. "Thank you, Uncle Harry. That would be very... wonderful. Perhaps talk with... Grandmother about it?"

Harry gave a nod to that. "Yeah, I talk with Mum about that though it might be a bit before we can do that. Not that it would be very hard to do to be honest I think, especially as I can get out of school for a day or two on the weekends if it's family business." Grinning, he shook his head. "And I don't think that anyone will be able to argue that."

Somewhat bemused at it, the Abyssal just nodded before turning back to the papers in front of her. Being reminded of them, she frowned and furrowed her eyebrows. "I am still confused... in regards to this... Uncle Harry. Or what... this has to do... with the... village?"

Moving the sheets a bit, the black aired boy pointed at one bit. "Okay, once I heard about the situation I started thinking about shelters and stuff. I mean, you guys really should have more then just lean-tos for shelter. So I started looking at what could be done and I found some items that could help. One is wizarding tents."

Just tilting her head to the side, Tanith hummed. "Wizarding tents? Are they... very much different... then normal tents? They could... get blown away."

However, Harry shook his head. "Wizarding tents are a lot bigger on the inside then what they should be. A cub tent for example, one of those small ones for two people at most?" He waited for her to nod and then shrugged. "That sort of thing can hold up to six or eight people in what looks like a two bedroom apartment. It even has a kitchen and a bathroom with bathtub and shower along with hot and cold running water. As for weather, there's spells on them that keep them anchored unless you're talking something like a hurricane."

For several seconds, Tanith stared at him before blinking. "I see, that... is very... impressive."

Only nodding, he chuckled some. "They're pretty useful to be honest and I've bought a number already. But that is just one of the things, there's these as well." Harry then pointed at another spot. "These are kind of instant cabins, I think? Just a spell and they build themselves. All they are really is just a two floor log cabin. First floor is basically living room and kitchen along with a bathroom though it has a fireplace for warmth. Second floor is split into two bedrooms and if I'm right..." Then he pointed at another spot. "With some bunk beds you can have four or even six if you use triples per room. So twelve people could live in one."

Mouth dropped open a bit, the Northern Water Princess just stared at her Uncle for several moments before shaking it off. "That sounds even... more impressive..." Now looking at the paper with something approaching awe, she blinked. "How did they... come up with such... a thing?"

Shrugging, Harry shook his head. "It's actually pretty old to be honest, going back to Medieval times. Back then, entire villages and such might be devastated by war or what have you. So they used spells and such to quickly build a home. Wales had this too with what they called 'One night homes' where if you built your home in a single night, you could squat on some land and have it yours. Or to build quick fortifications. But the Americans, Australians, and Canadians also used it when they were expanding into the wilderness."

Eyebrows furrowing, Tanith glanced from him to the paper. "Are such things... common with magic...?"

With a frown, Harry shook his head. "Not really? I mean, this sort of stuff fell out of favor until the last few years." It went without saying that Harry did not need to say why that was. "Mainly because no one nowadays really wanted to live in places like that. About the only place that they've seen any real use is in the dragon reserves. Because sometimes the dragons will burn places down and so they need to quickly rebuilt as a tent would not do good there. There are even ones that could raise barns, which... might work for Destroyers now that I think about it."

Also thinking, Tanith gave a small nod. "Yes, that would work. There would... be plenty of room... for them inside." Remembering something she was told, she looked at Harry. "Wouldn't this cost... money, though?"

Glancing at her, Harry gave her a smile. "Don't worry about that, I've made some money recently so I can easily afford it. Besides, this is family and that makes it worth it."

Tanith returned the smile. "Yes, family is... important." Looking back at the papers, her expression softened. "Very important..."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

"Hey, Asuka!"

Blinking, the young Tengu turned to find Natsumi heading towards her. "Eh? Natsumi-San?"

Moments later, the Kitsune slowed down beside her. "Sorry about that, been meaning to talk with you all day. You're not doing a whole lot over Summer break, are you?"

Confused, Asuka glanced around at the others who were had also grouped together around her. "Um, not really? I don't think so anyways... why?"

A smirk on her face, Natsumi chuckled some. "Well, we might get together over the Summer break. Besides which, I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the beach party I'm having. Its in a few days."

Eyes widening, Asuka played a bit with her necklaces. "Beach party?"

Humming, Ayaka crossed her arms. "Natsumi-San is holding one to celebrate break. From what she said, the party will be out on Sarushima and besides us, there's going to be Harry-San as well as others. Such as shipgirls."

With a nod, Natsumi grinned. "Pretty much, the beach is pretty good over there and we'll have good privacy. We could even let go a little, if you catch my drift. Especially as Hoshi-San is going to be there watching over us."

That made Usagi whip her head around. "Wait, Hoshi-San will be there?"

Now frowning at her friend, the thirteen year old girl narrowed her eyes some. "Yes... why? That won't be a problem, will it?"

From long association, the Inaba hare knew that Natsumi was somewhat angered. Not that it really surprised her much. "No, not a problem at all, Natsumi-Chan. And you know that my family has little issue with either her or her Nee-San. Just surprised that she is going to be around openly like that." Shrugging, she continued. "Though her being there with her illusions would help out a lot. Especially with the distance between the island and the shore. But..."

Calming down some, Natsumi gave a small shrug. "Some of the girls will be having their planes out and such to keep an eye out on people approaching the island. Both Kaga-San and Akagi-San will be there after all, though I think I have an idea why. Not that there should be much of an issue with someone showing up. Most people head towards one of the lakes or rivers or towards the Inland Sea for beach days."

As the others nodded at that, Asuka raised a hand. "Um... Hoshi-San? Who is Hoshi-San?"

The others shared a look before Kaku coughed into his fist. "Hoshi-San is a Kyuubi who has been very close allies along with her sister with the Ono clan. Since the Sengoku Jidai as a matter of fact. A long story short, if one was to threaten the Ono clan, those two would involve themselves no matter what and they are very powerful. But despite who their Okaa-San was, they are also good people though a number of Yokai don't bother to see it."

Head tilted to the side, Asuka furrowed her eyebrows in thought before frowning. "Is it like how Kogamaru-San is treated due to his Ojii-San? Or how Ai is treated because of her family sometimes?"

Yet again, looks were shared which made the Daitengu frown internally in utter confusion. Rika then shook her head. "Um, worse then that actually. As bad as Royomaru-Teme was, he was nowhere near as horrible as their Okaa-San."

While she was somewhat curious, Asuka decided to drop it. 'Maybe Kiba or one of the others can explain it. I mean, how bad could their mother be?' A small shiver went down her back at that before she shook it off. "So, um... a beach party on Sarushima?"

Now grinning again, Natsumi nodded. "Yeah, they're usually a lot of fun out there. And, well... we won't be bothered. Louisiana will be there and so will Iowa, so we'll have both grilling and southern barbecue there. You'll love that, trust me. And a lot of drinks as well, such as Yamato ramune."

Furrowing her eyebrows, the tengu played with her necklaces. "Yamato ramune?"

Hands behind her head as they walked out the doors of the school, the thirteen year old fox Yokai nodded. "Hai, it's the ramune that Yamato-San makes inside her hull. Trust me, it is amazing. Shinano-Chan also makes her own and we'll probably have ice cream from her as well as Iowa and Louisiana as well as any of the other American capital ships."

Eyes wide, Asuka boggled at her. "Oh..."

Natsumi then gave her a smile. "So, want to come and hang out with us at it? It'd be great for you to come."

Internally, Asuka was panicking a little. 'Oh no, no, no! A beach party? I've never been to a beach party like that or been invited to one! With lots of shipgirls there and a Kyuubi!? What do I do!? What do I do!? I don't know how to act at one! I'll have to say no.' Still smiling, she nodded some as she caught Ayaka smiling at her as well as Kaku and Rika. "Sure, I'll come." The tengu internally screamed at herself. 'GAH!? WHAT THE HELL!? THAT WAS NOT WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY!'

Only nodding, Natsumi gave her a smile. "Great to hear actually!"

Chuckling weakly, Asuka rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm looking forward to it." With a look around, she frowned a bit. 'Kiba's not here yet?' Shaking that off, the Daitengu raised a finger. "I just need to make a call right quick."

After she moved a distance away, Usagi gave a smile to Natsumi before punching her in the arm. Wincing, the Kitsune rubbed it. "Itai, what was that for?"

Just scowling, Usagi gave her a glare. "For what you just pulled." Tilting her head in the direction of Asuka, she continued. "You know that she's uncomfortable. So why the heck are you doing that?"

In reply, Natsumi raised an eyebrow at her. "A few reasons actually." Holding out a hand, she began to tick off on her fingers. "Firstly, I'm a kitsune and it amuses me." That got Natsumi an eye roll. "Two, she needs friends her own age. I know what it is like to be surrounded by adults all the time and so do the rest of us."

Rika gave a small nod at that as she looked at Usagi. "She has a point there."

Continuing to tick off her fingers, Natsumi hummed. "Thirdly, considering the clan she is now heir to unless I am mistaken by her necklace? She's going to need friends who can back her up and we both know that some other Yokai clans are going to cause issues later on. Partially due to her own heritage on top of being adopted and partially due to what Ai-San's Chichi-ue did. Her being seen with us will cause most of them to back off rather then annoy our clans. We can also help ease her into the whole situation alongside Kogamaru-San and Ai-San. Fourth, she needs to get used to being outside her comfort zone, especially if she gets involved in the J.N.H.R.O in some manner. Not to mention what will happen when the Statute falls. And fifth... because I am a kitsune and it amuses me."

Simply giving her a look, Usagi crossed her arms. "You said that twice."

All Natsumi did though was give a toothy grin. "Because it's twice as important as the rest." Then her grin fell away some. "Not that the rest isn't true."

Frowning, the Inaba finally sighed. "I suppose that is true enough." It was then that she spotted that Asuka was walking back to them with a frown. "Something wrong, Asuka-San?"

With a blink, she shrugged and sighed. "Um, not really. I have to take the transit back as Kiba is busy and so are the others."

Much to her confusion, Natsumi perked up some. "Actually, I can give you a ride there. Oba-Chan isn't expecting me at the Shrine today anyways and we can talk some." At the looks, she leaned in towards Usagi and whispered. "Think of it as an apology of sorts."

Considering it, the rabbit Yokai gave her a smile. "That would work."

Not sure what was going on, Asuka looked between them. "Um, sure? I guess..."

As she nodded slightly, the Kitsune smiled. "Cool, we should get going then." After saying their goodbyes to the others, Natsumi was walking beside Asuka. "Sorry about putting you on the spot there. I just thought that you might to hang out some since we're friends and, well..." Shrugging, she shook her head. "You seem a bit shy at times."

Frowning as she turned to Natsumi, Asuka sighed a bit. "Well... maybe." Thinking it over, she rolled the idea around in her head. "Though it could be fun, I guess?"

Lightly laughing, Natsumi nodded. "That's the spirit." Then reaching into a pocket, she pulled out a key. "Anyways, if you want to stop somewhere on the way for a drink or something, I'm willing to buy. Just as an apology."

Surprised a bit at that, Asuka smiled slightly. "I think that I might like that." A few moments later though, she was staring at what was in front of her. "Uh... what?"

Rather amused at the reaction, Natsumi snickered at her. "What? You don't like my electric bike?"

Just looking from Natsumi to the vehicle in front of her, Asuka raised a finger. "That is a bike? Seriously? I... that looks like a car!"

Only nodding as she beeped the alarm, Natsumi lifted the roof up. "I know, right? But it's pretty cool just the same. I thought about going with the Mazda Komadori, but then this caught my eye." Motioning Asuka into the other side, she slipped into the seat. "As soon as I saw the 2013 Twike 4, I had to have it."

Glancing around, Asuka could only shake her head. "It is pretty nice." Then she heard a sound and watched as Natsumi lowered the windows and pushed back the fabric which made her eyes widen. "It's a convertible!?"

A grin on her face, the Kitsune chuckled. "That was one of the reasons that I decided to go with it. I mean, I can keep it closed and run the AC, but there's nothing like the wind in your hair. Though there's some other models that are the same." Placing the phone in the cradle, Natsumi activated the map app on it. "Now, you live in Zuchi, right?"

Now paying attention rather then looking around, Asuka gave a nod as she put on the seatbelt. "That's right..." Rattling off the address, she watched as Natsumi put it in and their route became highlighted. Then the Tengu pointed at one spot. "That's a good donut shop by the way, can we stop there? So that I can pick some up?"

With a look at the place, Natsumi marked it down. "Sure, I don't mind and I've never been there so might as well try. Any radio station that you want to listen to?"

Once the radio was on, Asuka leaned back in her seat and watched as Natsumi unlocked the parking break and began to pedal out from the small parking space. Frowning a little, she shook her head. "You are so lucky. I'm still trying to convince both Kiba and Ai to get me an E-bike."

Chuckling some, the Kitsune shook her head. "Let me guess, they don't see the big deal?" Getting a nod, she shook her head. "Oba-Chan wasn't that hard to convince, but then she saw the ones that the Akatsuki's own. From what she said, it would help me get around, even in bad weather though I use my old bike to get around the base."

Expression curious, Asuka tilted her head to the side as they went down the road. "Is it fun living on the base? I mean, you got access and such, but..."

Slowly nodding, Natsumi hummed. "Its fun enough anyways, especially with the shenanigans that happen from time to time. The base itself is a lot bigger then you would think though, I mean... it's practically a town in and of itself. Besides what's outside, there's all sorts of things down in the old tunnels like game dens and the like. If I wanted to, I probably could spend all my time there and never get bored."

Her eyes wide, Asuka blinked. "I knew that the base was big, but... not that big.."

Nodding as she checked the mirror, the other girl smiled. "Well, I was plenty shocked myself to be honest. Even I did not know how big the base was until I was actually living there. But I've had plenty of time to explore the places that I'm allowed at." It was then that she gave Asuka a serious expression. "There's areas that you do not go into on the base. Not if you don't want... problems."

As she shuddered a bit, Asuka remembered one of the things that Natsumi had told her. "Um, yeah, I can imagine. Secret military stuff, right?"

That got her a snort. "Not really any secret stuff. Mostly things like where weapons and the like are kept. Or the server building on the base, that sort of thing. You know, the type of thing that you don't want people to mess around with."

While she was still curious, Asuka gave a small nod as she thought back to both some of what Ai and the rest of the Abyss Divers had told her as well as what she overheard from those in the military. "Huh... that makes sense."

Shooting her a grin, Natsumi then shook her head. "Anyways, going back to your issues with getting an E-Bike? Maybe seeing one in person might help? Like it did with Oba-Chan as well as my Haha-ue and Chichi-ue."

Finger tapping on the side of the armrest, Asuka just shrugged. "I kind of doubt that, but who knows?" Shifting a bit, she looked down at her seat. "By the way, did you have cushioning charms put in?"

Natsumi gave a nod at that. "As a matter of fact, yes. Can't put in every charm that I want, but I've managed a few..." Both of them continued to talk with Asuka relaxing as they made their way to her home. Well, except for a stop at the donut shop with them both buying some.

The Tengu did enjoy the looks that they got from Jin and her group when they reached the beach house though.

 

[darthcourt10]

Savato93

Whew, this was a doozy. Longest chapter to date at 7,000 words, give or take a couple. Is crying when I write a sign that I'm doing something right?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

Safe Harbor

XXXXXXXXXX

Inside the barracks of Fort Mears, in a time long past, a Ri-class cruiser twisted and turned in her sleep.

It felt like there were alarms going off in her head—scratch that, those WERE alarms. On some metaphysical plane, an irate, half-asleep Rivet manifested on her bridge. "Can someone PLEASE shut that off?" She moaned.

"Is 0700, ma'am," Her captain grunted. "Getting-up time, dat is."

"I was up till 0200 last night doing inventory checks. Is nobody thinking to account for that?"

"We don' be da ones tha' sets teh alarms, Ma'am, we jes follows 'em."

With a sigh of irritation, the cruiser slumped over to the control panel and slapped a button (this bridge technically didn't exist, it didn't matter which button she hit), cutting off the alarm. "Consider yourselves at ease for the next twenty minutes."

"Yes'm."

In the real world, Rivet grumbled softly and rolled over in her cot, relaxing once more.

Right up until the doors to the barracks slammed open. "MORNING TIME!"

Ah, right. She forgot the second alarm—Mother.

With a defeated groan, Rivet sat up in her cot. All around her, her sisters were in varying states of wakefulness as the childlike Princess went from bed to bed greeting them all. Rivet couldn't help but admire her mother's ability to tell her hundreds of children apart from each other. Without hesitation, without fail, she'd be able to point Rivet out from a line up of her dozens of identical Ri-class sisters.

"Good morning Rivet!" Speaking of which…

Rivet did her best to put up a smile for her Princess. "Morning, Mom…"

Standing at the foot of the bed, the Princess cocked her head at the Ri-class. "Is Rivet okay? Still look sleepy."

Rivet gave a halfhearted wave. "I was just up past my bedtime doing inventory. I'll be alright."

Mother shook her head. "It's not good to lose rest." Glancing to either side, she leaned in and whispered. "Hoppou will let Rivet sleep another hour, as thank-you for working late. Don't tell sisters Hoppou allowed this, okay?"

And like that, Mother was moving on to greet the next daughter. With a relieved smile, Rivet fell back onto her pillow. "You're the best, Mom."

XXXXXXXXXX

Stifling a yawn, Rivet tugged open the barracks door.

As was the norm, the harbor was in chaos. Not the BAD chaos, mind you; more of the "all the things happening at once" kind. At any one time, there were always Abyssals setting out or returning from resource-gathering trips, doing combat drills with their sisters, running equipment maintenance, taking stock of inventory, or just goofing around. With their conflicts limited for the most part to enforcing their borders or reminding cargo planes they'd overstayed their welcome, tension was never particularly high, which meant plenty of time to relax. Although…

Well, there were pros and cons to being part of a fleet of hundreds, Rivet figured. On one hand, there was never a dull moment. On the other… one was hard-pressed to find some peace and quiet during the day.

Stepping out of the barracks, Rivet made her way towards the showers. Along the way, she exchanged morning greetings with her various sisters as they walked past, already going about their daily routines. She briefly stopped at the sight of Mother guiding what looked to be a newborn Abyssal by the hand, showing her around her new home. Even from a distance, Rivet could see the girl's bright, curious eyes taking in everything around her in awe.

Welcome to the fleet, little one… she thought, continuing to head towards her destination. I'm sure you're gonna love it here.

After another minute or so of walking, she'd reached the building which housed the showers. "Hey, Nelly!" Rivet waved down one of her fellow heavy cruisers as she stepped into the locker room. "How's it going?"

The Ne-class looked over to her with a smile, as she went over her forked tail with a scrub brush. "Not too bad. You?"

"Same." Rivet stepped up to a repurposed medicinal cabinet and cracked it open. Sitting within was a pair of imps belonging to Mother, seeming right at home in a scaled-down domicile made just for them. Reaching out a hand, she let the imps climb into her hull; there, they would spend a little bit going over her various internal systems while she cleaned herself, making sure she was working at her peak.

As she walked over to a shower stall and started to hose herself down, she glanced back to the Ne-class. "Did Mother work out what caused that grinding and those scorch marks in your rear turret?"

Nelly snorted. "Yeah, get this: one of my crew dropped a gunpowder bag into the turret traverse mechanism."

Rivet tilted her head at the Ne-class, jaw agape. "What the f… how did they manage that!? Your guns don't even USE powder bags!"

"Remember when some of our field rations got mixed up during scouting missions a week ago?" Rivet nodded. "Apparently I got some rations intended for the battleships, and my crew had no idea what to do with it." Nelly paused and looked at her tail; both heads now had a smooth, matte-black sheen, freed from any grime or brine they may have accumulated while out at sea. Satisfied with her work, she set the brush aside. "Anyway, Mom just popped out the whole gun, replaced my turret ring, cleaned out the contact points on my hull, and slotted in a new turret. Just a quick tune-up to align it with rest of my main battery, and I should be good as new."

"Sounds great…" Rivet grimaced as she grabbed a bar of soap and started to rub herself down with it. "Now I'm starting to get just why she was so upset with the logistics girls over that mistake."

An entire week limited to daily meals and plain water was considered a big punishment by their Princess—and one that made sense. For such a massive fleet as theirs, logistics were critical. Taking away the snacks everyone else was able to enjoy because of the work they did would serve as incentive for them to do better, to make up for their mistake. While a seemingly minor demerit, this was more than enough to discipline them.

After all, Mother would never punish her girls in a way that hurt them, physically or emotionally.

Feeling something prodding at the back of her mind, Rivet turned inward, to her bridge. Mother's imps had already completed their evaluation:

Boilers working at more or less optimal capacity;
Propulsion normal;
Debris buildup in filtration systems starting to hamper ventilation;
Fire control systems slightly misaligned, performance down seven percent;
Minimal wear on barrels, no action necessary;
All electronic systems fully functional.
Verdict: Report to arsenal for maintenance (LOW PRIORITY).


Well, that explained why she'd been finding herself out of breath more easily the past day or so. At any rate, she could have it taken care of after breakfast. Right now, though, she had something else to take care of.

She held out a hand to the Ne-class. "Hey Nelly, can you pass me that brush?"

XXXXXXXXXX

Rivet could hear Patty squealing in joy well before she entered the mess hall. That could only mean one thing: pancakes.

Rivet tried to tune out the Wo-class as her excitement threatened to surpass the human auditory range. Stepping up to the kitchen line, she nodded towards the human chef on the other side. "Morning, Davis. Didn't realize it was already Friday."

The chef chuckled. "Yup. Let me guess, the days have been sorta blurring together for you recently?"

"Like you wouldn't believe." Rivet leaned in slightly, trying to get a look at the plate being put together for her. "A little extra syrup, if you don't mind?"

"No problem." Another quick dab of syrup, and Davis handed the plate over to Rivet. "There you go. Try and ask Patty to take it easy on us, could you? Some of our kids are expecting pancakes for dinner."

"Heh. Can do."

Walking away, breakfast in hand, Rivet scanned the hall for a place to sit. Luckily for her, there was an open table occupied by other cruisers.

As she took a seat, Rivet cocked an eyebrow at the Chi-class across from her prodding her pancakes with her fork in one hand, holding a book to her face with the other. "Reading at mealtime again, Chiana? That's bad manners, you know."

"Hm?" The Chi-class blinked and looked up. "Oh, hey Rivet. Sorry, I picked this up from one of the stores nearby, and I've been really fascinated by it. It talks about all sorts of civilian ships and cruise liners that sank in the 20th century."

Rivet snorted. "You realize we're ships too, right? You're pretty much reading about cruel and unusual deaths."

Chiana shrugged. "Perhaps. It's a matter of perspective, really."

Rivet rolled her eyes. "Whatever. But I suggest you put it down and finish your pancakes before they get soggy."

Turning to her own plate, Rivet speared one of the fluffy saucers with her fork and stuffed it whole in her mouth, taking a moment to just enjoy the food. Her daughters had been skeptic of her decision at first, but Mother bringing in humans to help cook for them all was one of the best things that could have happened to the fleet. After all… without them, nobody would be able to enjoy such delicious food as this.

"Hey! Give it back!"

Swallowing her food, Rivet looked back to see a Wo-class weaving between tables, a cup of orange juice held over her head and a rather agitated Ru-class chasing after her. "That's MY juice!"

"Wo wokyuu!"

"That was an accident! I said I was sorry!" Sunny whined. "You didn't mark the pudding as yours, I had no way to know…"

"Wo!" Wokyuu turned around long enough to stick her tongue out at the Ru-class—and wisely started gunning for the exit as Sunny let out a roar of frustration and doubled-down on her pursuit. Onlookers couldn't help but chuckle at the scene.

Really… never a dull moment in this place.

XXXXXXXXXX

Breakfast settling in her tanks, Rivet made her way to the arsenal for her tune-up.

The warehouse in which they based their armory was more or less maintained for its specific purpose—storage of materials. The only real difference was the machinery being operated within. All manner of industrial tools lay about, ready to be used in whatever odd project Mother came up with between the long stretches of ensuring her fleet was at their best. If only there wasn't so much stuff… she could have gotten to bed significantly earlier the previous night.

Stepping through the doorway to the general maintenance facilities, Rivet was immediately met with a familiar voice. "That you, Rivet? I got your report from Mom's crew. Gimme a sec, and I'll be right with you."

Looking towards the voice, Rivet spotted one of her sisters poring over a set of blueprints. "Ritou!" As the Ri-class turned to face her, Rivet was surprised to notice her sister's formerly-teal eyes were now glowing a soft red. "Hey, Mother finally carried out your refit?"

The now-elite Ri-class grinned. "Yeah. One step closer to flagship-grade. Maybe now I can move from just running tune-ups to something a bit bigger, like minor repairs or even equipment modernization."

As far as her children were concerned, the Northern Ocean Princess's skill in construction, maintenance and repair was unparalleled… but at the end of the day, she was just one Princess, looking after the needs of hundreds. To that end, some of their more technical-minded sisters, across all classes, were hand-picked by Mother herself to take up her craft; to aid her in keeping their grand fleet running optimally. Rivet's sister Ritou was one such disciple. She wasn't too much older than Rivet herself, but from the moment of her birth she was captivated by her own inner workings, constantly pondering on how to eke out just a little bit more horsepower from her engines, boost her signal range a little further, get her shell dispersion a little tighter. This, in Mother's eyes, made her a superb candidate for training in general cruiser maintenance. Make no mistake, she could put up a fight—but her job lay in helping her sisters do it better.

Ritou glanced over a slip of paper on the table beside her—a copy of Rivet's diagnostic from that morning. "So, filter-cleaning and gun calibration? I can do that. If you could take a seat over here and get comfy, I'll start with the filters."

Rivet laid down on the exam room table as her sister transferred some of her own crew over, fighting the urge to shudder; with the exception of Mother's crew, she could never quite get used to the feeling of another Abyssal's imps moving around in her hull. Nevertheless, she did her best to relax and let them do their job. Over the next couple minutes, she felt a tightness in her chest she hadn't even noticed was there gradually fade away, allowing her breathing to come a little easier than before. "Man, filter issues can really sneak up on you, can't they?" She mused, taking a deep breath.

Ritou chuckled. "If only because filter changes come just infrequently enough that you consistently forget about them." As the Ri-class gathered her imps back up, the door to the arsenal swung open, admitting a new Abyssal. Ritou looked up to the newcomer, curious—and grimaced. "Damn it. She's done it again."

Rivet glanced over. "Huh?"

Ritou sighed. "It's Tampa. She cannibalized another Abyssal to make field repairs."

Ritou nodded towards the Ta-class battleship taking a seat nearby. To Rivet's shock, her left leg was gone… replaced with that of a Ne-class cruiser. To rational-minded Abyssals—hell, to ANY rational being—it was a horrific sight. Torn, savaged flesh and warped, broken steel was gouged out, and completely mismatched parts crammed in its place; secured to her hull only by hastily-welded armor plates, and the complex machinery brute-forced into running on far greater horsepower ratings, in a much more massive frame than it was ever designed for.

Rivet didn't bother to suppress the shudder running through her frame. "W-why would she do that to herself willingly!?"

"Survival."

The two cruisers jumped as the battleship's gaze flickered towards them. "I lost my propulsion and steering to a torpedo while fighting feral convoy raiders. We intercepted them too late to avoid detection by their target, and shipgirls were already on their way to clean up what they probably perceived as two rogue fleets fighting over prey. The only options my fleet saw to proceed were to either tow me back, and risk having the shipgirls catch up and kill all of us… or leave me behind, and escape to safety at flank speed. I refused to accept either outcome." She gestured to the grafted-on leg. "I replaced what was broken. Sailed back home under my own power."

"Sister, scavenging from wreckages is one thing…" Ritou shook her head. "But what you did… it's just—"

"I don't care." Tampa cut her off. "I would rather be shunned for mutilating myself, than force you all to mourn my passing."

Rivet was unable to find her voice, stunned into silence by how readily the battleship would throw away her own integrity. Ritou, however, simply scowled. "It's not up to you to decide that, Tampa. Mother will be coming to have a word with you later about this."

The Ta-class looked away with a scoff, but said no more.

Grumbling, Ritou turned back to her sister. "I swear, some day she's going to take her little habit too far, and Mother will pull her off the frontlines permanently. Gun, please?" With a thought, Rivet manifested her rigging. Nodding, Ritou took hold of the hefty arm-mounted cannon and began to carefully detach it from her sister's forearm. "Thank you."

Rivet blocked out the unpleasant sensation of a fundamental part of her body being pulled out. At any rate, it was still connected to her via cable. "You sure we could handle a flagship being retired like that?"

"She's one of dozens of battleships in this fleet. Harsh as it is to say, she can be replaced."

"…I guess." Rivet spared another glance at Tampa as a thought arose in her head. "Though why is she coming in here instead of going to the repair facilities?"

"Likely because she's thrown off every fine adjustment in her hull with that stunt." Ritou took a minute to inspect the detached gun, looking over the couplings and briefly cracking open the casemate to let her imps do some manual tuning. Satisfied, she gripped Rivet's elbow and worked the gun back onto her arm. "Alright, that should do it. Try not to be bashing anything with your rigging, that'll throw the optics out of alignment faster."

"…Yeah. Yeah, I got it." Rivet pointed her cannon at the far wall and held steady, waiting as her crew worked out the exact distance, elevation, and predicted time to target just a little bit faster than they could the previous day. "Looks to be in order. Thanks."

"Just doing my job for the fleet." Ritou waved her off. "Now, you should probably bail out of here before Miss DIY over there decides to take something from you."

There was an annoyed growl from Tampa at that remark. Shaking her head in exasperation, Rivet nonetheless followed her sister's advice and departed.

XXXXXXXXXX

Rivet thought to herself as she wandered the grounds aimlessly. With the morning stuff taken care of, what was on the agenda for the day?

Turning inward, she looked to her personal schedule. Her next sortie, which was providing escort for a fishing group out to deeper waters, was set for Sunday. Her weekly combat exercises were scheduled for shortly after returning from that sortie. Other than that, though, she had nothing concrete scheduled for the next two days.

So, she was more or less floating. Time to consult the Wall, she supposed.

The Wall, true to its name, was a cinderblock wall situated at the center of the harbor. What made it stand out, however, was the fact that almost the entirety of its surface area was taken up by billboards, themselves regularly littered with pinned notes detailing various different tasks that needed to be done around the harbor. It was more or less a combination To-Do List and bounty board, used by the entire fleet to keep the more minor aspects of life on the base running smoothly. One of the Abyssals needed something done that they themselves lacked the time or expertise for? Put it up on the Wall; eventually one of their sisters would pick up the chore.

Stepping up to one of the billboards, Rivet looked over the posted tasks. Gathering materials for the next catered meal…? That usually required going into town, and things could get uncomfortable, as not everybody was used to Abyssals in their midst. So that was a no. Check their food stores… yeah, no. She had enough of that last night. Plumbing… didn't they have humans on call for that particular job?

As she looked over the Wall, checking for a task where she wouldn't be bored out of her mind, could do some good for her sisters, and still have some downtime before her scheduled sortie… she noticed a submarine stepping up to the Wall in the corner of her vision. She glanced over just in time to see the So-class pin a sheet of paper on the billboard marked "High Priority" and walk away. Curious, she stepped over and examined the posting.

Unknown Ru-class sighted prowling border near known fishing routes. IFF does not match known Princesses, assume rogue. Assembling task force to turn away, repel or sink potential threat to our supply chain. Volunteers enter your names in the fleet lineup below and report to Flagship Tanith at the docks. Time-sensitive.

That sounded interesting. A little bit of gunboat diplomacy was just what she needed after last night's slog. Pulling out a stencil made for her (and similar ones for all her sisters) by Mother, she stepped forward and stamped her name onto the page.

XXXXXXXXXX

A couple hours later, Rivet glanced behind herself, back to the harbor steadily receding from her sight. It had been a while since she was scheduled to sail this far away from the mainland; most of the times she sortied, it was to warn fishing vessels encroaching on their borders to turn back, or to rendezvous with Aunt Wanko's messengers (and on rare occasions Aunt Wanko herself). Heading this far out to intercept an approaching Abyssal fleet was an unusual occurrence, to say the least.

Also… "I'm a little confused as to why we need all this for one battleship."

Besides Tanith and Rivet herself, the fleet was comprised of a Ne-class, two Chi-classes, a Nu-class, and two destroyers. Were it a Re-class they were confronting, that sort of firepower would be perfectly warranted—a single Re was practically a fleet unto herself. But this was a Ru-class; while certainly threatening, they could feasibly be handled by a torpedo squadron, or carrier strikes, or even Tanith alone. This was overkill.

"It's meant to be a show of force," Tanith noted curtly. "Which, sometimes, seems like the only thing other Abyssals pay any attention to. However aggressive this battleship might be, she'd be stupid to try something with a proper fleet bearing down on her."

That was fair enough, Rivet supposed.

For hours, they continued their journey across the sea, heading for the interception point deduced by their scouts. Along the way, they were fortunate enough to spot a pod of Orcas going about their lives, tending to their young as they searched for food. They could only spend a minute or two marveling at the whales, however, before they were forced to resume their trek.

Eventually, after half a day of travel, Tanith gestured for the fleet to halt. The Abyssals glanced around as they came to a stop; nothing but blue sea before them, the nearest landmass just an off-color strip on the horizon behind them. "This is the place. Does anyone see anything?"

Taking up a defensive formation, the fleet began to scan the area around them in earnest, searching for their target. They'd prefer not to sink anyone if they could, but they needed to be ready for anything. Several minutes of observation later, one of the destroyers piped up. "I see something! Over there!"

Rivet and her sisters looked in the direction the destroyer had been checking, trying to glimpse anything out of the ordinary… there, to the southwest. An Abyssal, a battleship, just barely visible in the distance. Rivet's weapons phased into existence around her arms, as her crew calculated a firing solution on the easily-recognized silhouette of a Ru-class.

As she raised her cannon to take aim, however, Tanith threw up a hand. "Stand down, sisters," she hissed.

Rivet blinked, as did several others. "Eh?"

"Something's wrong. Take a good look at her."

Though hesitant, Rivet obeyed her sister. Lowering her weapon, the cruiser used her telescope to zoom in for a closer look—and gasped in shock.

The Ru-class was a floating wreck.

Her superstructure was in ruins, what very little remained of it charred and warped by the attacks that had blown it all away. The armor belt was all but destroyed, ripped apart by sustained fire from shells just large enough to dig into the belt and detonate without breaching her vital sections. Her guns… her guns were simply gone, completely annihilated by whatever had done this to her. There was no sense of purpose to her movement; she just drifted slowly through the water, aiming in no particular direction.

As they took in the sight before them, something else caught their attention. They looked to the wrecked smokestack—the smoke rising from her hull was far too thin, too light. She was running on fumes… maybe less than a day, and she would be completely dead in the water.

{She doesn't seem to notice us…} Tanith radioed to her sisters. {Moving to investigate, follow closely.} Pressing forward, they tried to get a clearer picture of the battleship. As they closed in on the Abyssal, she inhaled sharply. {…she can't notice us. Her rangefinders and radar are gone; she's blind.} After a moment, she added, {I think her radio might be out, as well. She's showing no response to my hails.}

{Who the hell could have done this to her?} Rivet asked.

{I don't know. I don't think it was shipgirls; even if they took a casualty in the fight, they would have finished the job against such a helpless target.} Tanith threw up a hand, bringing the fleet to a halt a few hundred feet from the Ru-class. Now that they could see her physical body, it was even worse—both her arms were gone, ripped off above the elbow, and chunks of flesh were missing all over her torso. Her face… her face was painted red by the blood seeping from her mangled eye sockets. {It's likely not human work, either. Even if they COULD do it, I doubt any human would go through the effort of inflicting such injuries to a capital ship unless they had a personal vendetta against that specific Abyssal.}

{Infighting, then?} The Ne-class, Neema, hypothesized.

{…It very well might be.} Scowling, Tanith shook her head. {I wouldn't put it against them to leave their victims blind, defenseless, unable to call for help as they wander the seas aimlessly, slowly starving to death…}

"W-who… who's th-there…?"

The fleet paused and looked to the Ru-class. Her voice was hoarse, weak. Despite her loss of vision, she turned her head to and fro, trying to see… anything. "…I can h-hear… your turbines. F-feel… your screws moving… the w-water…"

Tanith's fleet turned to face each other. {What should we do?} The Nu-class asked.

The flagship closed her eyes, thinking. {I'm not sure. She's obviously still seaworthy… to a degree. She's in no danger of sinking from the damage she's sustained. But even if she was capable of navigating in her current state, she'd never be able to make it to the nearest landmass with what fuel she has left.}

{What if this is some sort of bait?} Rivet asked. {Something to make us drop our guard trying to figure out what happened, leave us open to a submarine attack from long range?}

{No. This damage is too severe, and in the wrong places.} Tanith pointed to the Ru-class's legs—while worn and beaten like the rest of her body, they were still intact. {If someone was setting a trap for us, they would have shot out her screws and rudder, or disabled her engines, maybe even cripple her ventilation. Leave her adrift, but still capable of luring prey with an SOS and backstabbing them once the trap was sprung. This Ru-class, however… there's little to be gained from using bait that is blind, wandering aimlessly, unable to send out a distress signal.}

{Who knows? Maybe the one setting the trap is sadistic enough to go through that effort…}

The group had spent the better part of a minute debating the likelihood of a trap when something caught their attention: a whimper.

"…p-please… don't leave me… like this."

As the fleet watched, the Ru-class collapsed to her knees. "If… i-if you're going t-to finish me… just… do it." She whispered. "Please… it hurts. It all hurts. I c-can't feel my arms… and I'm so… hungry. I can't… go on." Bloody tears began to streak from her ruined eyes, barely visible among all the blood already coating her face. "Please… kill me. Make the pain stop."

Tanith felt a sting of pain in her heart from the battleship's words, the tone of utter defeat in her voice. She was going to die out here, and she knew it; she just wanted someone, anyone, to end her now, make it so she didn't have to keep suffering all the way until her boilers gave out.

This couldn't stand.

Tanith turned to the fleet. {Everyone, pass me your provisions.}

{What?} Rivet looked to the flagship in shock. {We're going to help her?}

{Look at her.} Tanith swung an arm towards the foreign Abyssal. {Mauled within an inch of her life by her own kind, left to slowly wither away… lost, alone and in agony. Nobody deserves that.}

{But we have no idea what she's done, or what Princess she obeys. We might well end up leading a sleeper agent home!} Rivet held up her cannon. {It already sounds like she wants to die, why not just oblige her—}

{NO!} Tanith snapped, silencing her sister's dissent. {That is NOT our way, and you know it. Provisions, NOW!}

Rivet bit back any further protest, as did her brethren; despite their misgivings about this decision, they weren't about to disobey one of their Flagships. With a soft groan of defeat, she reached into her hold and brought out a handful of her nutrient-dense energy bars—their taste was the stuff of nightmares, but they provided plenty of energy for their volume. Stepping forward, she slapped them into Tanith's outstretched hand, followed shortly thereafter by her sisters.

Now holding a small pile of food in one arm, Tanith moved towards the maimed Ru-class. "We are here," She declared calmly. "Don't stress yourself any further."

The Ru-class flinched as Tanith gripped her shoulder, but otherwise did not move; she just didn't have the strength left to do anything else. "Who are you? What a-are you… going to do… to me?"

Kneeling down beside the battleship, Tanith held an energy bar to her lips. "Here."

The battleship paused, pulling away from the object being held in front of her. "What is… this?"

"Food. Not enough to refill your tanks, but it should keep your engines running long enough for us to get you back to base." Tanith turned back to her fleet. "Rivet, Neema, tow cables. Nugget, send a plane back to base, warn them we're coming back with an extra ship."

The Ru-class turned towards her voice, confused. "Y-you're… taking me with you?"

"Yes. Our base is not far from here. You will be cared for once we return."

The Ru-class was silent, her lips pursed tightly as the cruisers attached their tow cables to her hull. "You won't make it without some sort of resupply," Tanith insisted as she slung an arm under what remained of the battleship's upper limbs and slowly pulled her to her feet, still holding the bar out. "You need to eat something… unless you would rather we leave you here."

After several seconds, the Ru-class let out a shaky sigh. Resigned, she dipped her head forward and bit into the bar, chewing slowly.

"…this tastes awful," she groaned. "Leave the wrapper on."

XXXXXXXXXX

A small group of Abyssals had gathered at the pier, eager to greet their sisters' return, and curious to meet this rumored newcomer.

They were instead struck speechless as Tanith and her fleet came into view—towing an eyeless, armless Ru-class battleship with an armor belt with the consistency of Swiss cheese.

And then the questions began.

"Who is that!?"

"What the heck happened to that Ru-class!?"

"Did you girls do that to her? Why would you bring her home!?"

Any and all questions were silenced by Tanith's concise commands:

"Get Mother. Prepare for surgery."

The welcoming group scrambled into action—some going to find Mother and alert her of the goings-on, some running to the arsenal to pick up the raw materials they would need, and the rest racing ahead of Tanith and her guest as they made their way to the infirmary.

Next to Tanith, the Ru-class struggled to remain standing, the food Tanith's fleet had shared with her only barely enough to keep her conscious up to this point. "You would… fix me?" she asked, weary and disbelieving. "A stranger…? Why?"

"Just because we are monsters, does not mean we have to be evil. None of us would be able to live with ourselves if we had just left you out there like that." Shoving the infirmary door open with her shoulder, Tanith walked the Ru-class over to a nearby chair. Just in time—as the Ru-class was turned around to be seated, her legs out underneath her. The battleship only barely held back her scream, whimpering through gritted teeth, as the abrupt motion of landing in the chair sent a wave of pure agony through her weakened frame. "We will treat your wounds and feed you, whatever is needed for you to recover. It is up to Mother to decide what will happen to you after that. Do you understand?"

"…Yes."

"Good." Tanith held out another energy bar in front of the Ru-class. "Here. We can focus on getting you proper food once your repairs are complete, but until then we need to make sure your body has fuel to burn so it doesn't shut down."

The Ru-class obediently took the bar in her mouth, swallowing it unopened and whole to spare herself the taste. Tanith fed her another bar, washing it down with a bottle of water, before Rivet poked her head in the room. "We're still getting the equipment together, but we've got an operating room cleared out, and Mom's on her way. Think you can get her there?"

Tanith shook her head. "I don't think so. She's about had it. We'll need to wait for Mother so she can be carried the rest of the—"'

Abruptly, all sounds of activity in the building ceased. Everyone could feel it—the massive weight suddenly bearing down on them all. As one, they turned to the doorway.

Mother had arrived.

Her typical mirth and playfulness was gone, replaced with a small frown and a steely gaze. That gaze softened, however, as she took in the pitiful wreck before her. The Ru-class couldn't see the world around her, but she could feel the immense presence right in front of her, staring at her, judging her, and she was visibly terrified of her—something the small Abyssal hated seeing.

She spoke. "What happened to you?"

It was a simple question from the Princess, one that did not explicitly demand an answer. But to the Ru-class, it was nothing less than an order from on high. And so, she began to speak.

"…My fleet was… small. Inexperienced. Our Princess… was arrogant. Foolish. She thought… she could take supplies from… another fleet's domain, without them taking notice." Taking in a deep breath, the Ru-class continued. "We were attacked… by a Re-class."

She shuddered. "I… I was her first… victim. She destroyed my guns… tore off my arms. Left me incapable… of hurting her. But she… left me alive… so I could… watch… as she murdered my fleet… one by one. Tearing them apart… with her bare hands. She took her time… with my Princess. Relished her… screams of agony."

The Ru-class's voice grew shaky. "When she finally… got to me… she decided I wasn't… worth the ammo." She choked back a sob. "She… she cut out my eyes instead. Commanded me to run away. Said… I would be an… example, to all who dared cross her Princess."

All around the battleship, the Abyssals had gone even paler than normal. This battleship hadn't been caught up in some petty squabble… she was caught in a slaughter. Brutally maimed, forced to watch as she was made into an orphan, before finally being blinded and set adrift to prove a point to others. In context, Tanith thought, her earlier yearning for death now made sense; she was alone in the world, thanks to the cruel mercy of the monster that killed her fleet. With the truth revealed, she and her sisters could only look upon the Ru-class with pity.

Mother, though…

Reaching out, Mother gently rubbed the Ru-class's cheek. "You're safe now. That meanie who hurt you, who took away your family… Hoppou promise she won't hurt you ever again." She wiped some of the blood from her face, letting her glimpse at the ravaged sockets her eyes once sat in. "Hoppou will fix you. You will be okay."

"…I don't… understand," the Ru-class whispered. "Why are you all… helping me? Being so nice to me? Why…?"

"Because Hoppou can." Mother put a hand under the battleship's chin, lifting her head so she could 'see' eye-to-eye with the Princess. "That is only reason Hoppou needs to help you." She shook her head softly. "You don't deserve what happened to you. To lose family. Hoppou cannot bring back lost ones… but you still here. And Hoppou will do everything she can to help you heal."

The Ru-class focused on the presence before her for what seemed like an eternity, in complete awe of its sincerity. Humbled, she looked back to the ground, tears welling up in her ruined eyes. "…thank you. Thank you."

Mother, however, wasn't satisfied with that. She could see the battleship biting her lip, shuddering, trying to maintain a façade of resigned gratitude despite the fact she was being torn apart by her grief on the inside. Reaching out and looping her arms around the Ru-class's neck, Mother gently pulled her close. "Don't hold in pain, only makes it hurt worse. Nobody will judge you for being weak here. Let it out."

From where she was standing, Tanith watched the Ru-class as the trembling in her frame intensified, growing into abrupt spasms all over her body. Her labored breathing grew harder, shallower, more frantic. Wrapped in Mother's embrace, she was coming closer and closer to completely losing her composure…

Finally, the dam burst. The broken battleship let out a keening wail—full of anguish, and confusion, and fear—and broke down sobbing into Mother's chest. "IT'S NOT FAIR!" she cried. "WHY… WHY ME!? WHY DID SHE CHOOSE ME!?" With a rattling breath, she screamed. "WHY DIDN'T SHE LET ME DIE!?"

"…Hoppou doesn't know." Mother quietly patted the Ru-class's head, comforting her as she released her pain in the only way she physically could, ignoring the blood soaking into her dress in the process. In that moment, the Ru-class wasn't a grown woman, a warship personified—she was just a girl. Scared, confused, and deeply hurt, baring her soul to the kindest person she'd ever met. "But you are here. That is all that matters now."

"Is it?" the Ru-class struggled to draw breath between her grieving sobs, her ravaged body straining to hold itself together. "I had… little sisters. Destroyers, three of them. They were always… so cheerful. So sweet. No matter how bad… our day was… they would always try… to make us all smile." Her cries were briefly interrupted by a wet, heaving cough, spitting blood onto the floor in front of her. "B-but now…" she gasped, blood still trickling from her lips, "…my mother… my sisters… they're gone. All of them." She pressed herself against Mother. "I have nobody left… I'm alone."

"No." the Princess said sternly. "You are NOT alone."

She hugged the battleship tighter. "We are here, with you. We will always be here with you… if you let us be." She looked the battleship in her ruined eyes. "Will you?"

The Ru-class paused… and said nothing. She simply continued to cry, as she nuzzled against the Princess—her Princess.

Nobody dared interfere in that moment; for all that the battleship was a complete stranger to them all, they knew without a shadow of a doubt that she desperately needed this. And so, for the next several minutes, they simply watched and waited.

As the cries began to grow weaker, the Ru-class finally exhausting herself both physically and emotionally, Mother spoke again. "Hoppou will put you back together. Make you good as new." Producing a rag, she started wiping the rest of the blood from the Ru-class's face, careful not to agitate her wounds. "Hoppou and fleet will take care of you."

"…I… just don't u-understand…" The Ru-class croaked, her voice spent. "Why? W-why are you… so kind?"

Mother simply looked at her, thoughtful. "…Hoppou not like other Princesses," she warned. "Hoppou not interested in war. Killing humans. Hoppou only wants to be free, be happy. So humans are left to live their lives how they like. Some even work with Hoppou." The blind Abyssal in front of her likely would have stared at her in disbelief, if she still had eyes. "Hoppou doesn't know what your fleet did to humans before… and Hoppou doesn't care. If you want to stay… become part of Hoppou's fleet… Hoppou will not refuse you. But you have to give up hate. Can you do that?"

"I…" Sniffling, the Ru-class nodded. "Yes. I'll do… anything… for you. No matter… how much… it pains me."

Mother smiled. She leaned forward and gently kissed the Ru-class's forehead. "Don't worry. Hoppou will never make you do something you don't want to…

"Because Hoppou loves her family."

The Abyssals surrounding them relaxed at last. There was no further judgement, no test of worth necessary. Mother looked upon this ruined Abyssal, begging for death, and she saw a spark of light in her broken heart—a chance for salvation.

She would not ignore it.

Grabbing hold with both hands, the Princess carefully lifted the battleship off the floor, treating her as if she were as light—and frail—as a feather. "Hoppou will help you sleep, so she can make you feel better. But before that… Hoppou wants to know your name. Do you have one?"

The battleship was silent for several seconds. Then, she spoke.

"I… I am… Ruadri."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Leaning back against Sunny Honey's true body, Harry had his hoodie on as well as a light camping blanket. It may have been summer, but they were far enough north that the wind off the sea was chilly. Not helped, of course, by how the weather had been colder since Blood Week due to the soot high in the atmosphere. Just off to the side, a large bonfire crackled as Ruadri told stories and had just finished up one regarding how the spirits of those of Hoppou's fleet now sailed among the stars high above due to being good Abyssals.

A small smile on his face, Harry noticed Silver's avatar now looking at him and smiled. "Something wrong, Silver?"

For a few moments, Silver chewed her lip before giving Harry a shy look. "Um, Uncle Harry? About what Big Sister Ruadri told us... Do you think that she's right?"

Blinking, Harry noticed that every other Abyssal within earshot was now looking at him. Even Ruadri was giving him her attention, though she seemed nervous. "Right? About how the souls of your sisters are now sailing through the sky? And looking down on you all, watching over you?"

Just shifting a bit, Silver nodded. "Yes?"

Not answering right away, Harry considered his answer. Taking the thermos beside him, he poured some hot chocolate out and handed it to one of the other Destroyers, one of Ritou's, who took it happily. Once that was done, the black haired boy leaned forward in thought. "Well, I don't see any reason not to believe in it. And while we may not know what the afterlife is like, it does exist. I mean, you got ghosts and such that prove there is a life after death. And shipgirls do talk about how there is an endless, sunlit sea that they sail upon until they are summoned or born."

Head tilting to the side, Wona, one of the Wo-Class under Patty, tilted her head. "And us Abyssals? What about us?"

Only looking skyward, Harry hummed. Above them, the stars twinkled and sparkled with the majesty of the Milky Way able to be seen stretching across the heavens this far from the lights of the big city. Looking up, a stray thought crossed his mind. A memory, from long ago when he had lived with the Dursleys and there was a documentary on astronomy on the television before Dudley had burst in and turned it. Pointing up at the stars, Harry had a smile on his face. "Do you know what some humans call way up there where the stars burn brightly?"

Confused at the shift of subject, Regalia looked over from her own hot chocolate and shook her head. "No, Uncle Harry. What do some humans call way up there?"

If anything her confusion increased as Harry's smile grew along with the confusion of the others. But that was washed away with shock at his next words. "Some humans call it the 'Abyss of space' as a matter of fact." More then one eye widened at that. "Yes, like the Abyss of the deep ocean, there is also the Abyss of space. So why couldn't good Abyssals rise up to sail that abyss?"

Eyes wide, they all stared upwards with Ritou whispering softly. "The Abyss of space... Where there are so many lights."

With a soft chuckle, Harry nodded. "Yeah, sort of neat when you think about it. People have described it as an abyss and an ocean of stars. One without an end." Head tilted to the side, he considered it. "You know, sailing among the stars they would see wonders without end. Stars being born, the beauty of the nebula. Cruising through the corona of the stars, where star flame twists and coils in patterns that one can't imagine while the surface creates an never ending, changing pattern. Maybe even visiting far off worlds where there are beings who, like us, are looking up at the stars in wonder, asking themselves if there are others out there."

Chiana's gaze turned to him with a small frown. "If there are so many things up there to see, then would they even pay attention to us?"

In reply, Harry got up and folded his blanket before walking over. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he chuckled some. "Why wouldn't they? Just because you find something interesting, does that mean you totally ignore your family?" When she shook her head, he continued. "And there is your answer. I'm sure that their thoughts are always with you guys, no matter where they go or what they see. One day, hopefully far into the future after you've lived a good life, I'm sure that you'll meet them again and they will have so many tales and wonders to show you... after giving you all hugs and the like, of course."

Nodding, Ruadri grinned. "Of course they would, Uncle Harry's right about that."

Still musing, Harry's next words had their attention. "You know, come to think of it... Someone watching over you all makes sense considering what has happened."

Head tilting to the side, Chiana blinked in confusion. "What do you mean, Uncle Harry? How does it make sense?"

Blinking himself as he realized that he spoke out loud, Harry eventually shrugged. "Well, think about it for a second. Little Sister managed to survive even though you thought that she was dead. But she had the luck that Mum was the one who found her, who rescued her. People who could help her were the ones who found her, and helped her. And Big Sister found out about that and after confirming it, made peace with us humans and shipgirls. Blackie Smokie also happened to be in the right place, at the right time to catch my IFF, and eventually came across Regina's and Wokyuu's aircraft, leading her to Little Sister. All of you meanwhile, managed to find places where you could heal and grow, and none of you gave into the hate and anger. Eventually, you all found each other. And then..."

Interested, Nero leaned in. "And then, Uncle Harry?"

Just smiling over at her, the wizard shrugged. "And then Sokie here." He gestured at the Submarine in question who blinked. "Happens to come across the right supply depot at the right time to find a magazine. One which had an front page with Hoppou and Big Sister as well as Supprin on the cover. And one that talked about the treaty and how there was peace. Not to mention your journey here where everything that could have gone right, did. That's a lot of luck you know?" Once more, Harry shook his head. "Maybe... just maybe... your sisters were watching over you and Hoppou. Guardians of a sort and helped it all happen in just the right way so that the best could happen for you."

Awed, the Abyssals all looked skyward just in time for a shooting star to streak across the heavens. The idea that their sisters and aunts, while gone, were watching over them and maybe even helping when they could? It warmed their boilers. Not far off, Hoppou had been listening in and smiled. "Po."

Hands in his pockets, Harry shook his head and chuckled a bit. "I know that sometimes I like to think that my Mum, my biological one, as well as my dad are up there looking down at me. Watching over me even though I can't see them."

There was silence and the Abyssals there only gave him understanding expressions as Harry wiped at his eyes. Eventually, Wonderous spoke up. "What happened to your parents, Uncle Harry?" When Harry turned to her, she shifted a bit. "Mom said that they died for you, like our sisters did for Mom and for us, but..."

Looking around, Harry could see the question in all their eyes. The same one as a matter of fact, which made him smile sadly. "My parents?" At the nods, he sighed. "Back in Britain, before I was born, this very evil man appeared. His name is Voldemort. He preached nothing but hatred and fear. That those born with magic from those who did not have any were stealing magic. How they and those without magic or with only partial human blood were less then people who had magic in their families beyond their grandparents, with none without magic in said lines. How they were at best slaves and at worst vermin to be killed."

A grimace on her face, Ruadri scowled some. "Sounds like the Abyssals that tried to kill Mother."

With a hum, Harry gave a small nod. "I suppose so since from what I heard, the worst Abyssals see us humans as things to be killed. But anyways, Mum was one of the people that they hated, and proved that they were wrong about what they believed. Along with my Dad and other people, they fought them..." Continuing his story, the black haired boy didn't notice that even those Abyssals not in the immediate group were listening in. "... Voldemort targeted me, even though I was a baby. Not sure why though, but he did. One night, my parents were betrayed by a close friend, someone like a brother to them. And Voldemort arrived and attacked."

Leaning forward, Rivet narrowed her eyes as she guessed what happened. "Your parents, they fought him? And..."

Slowly, with a sigh, Harry closed his eyes. "My Dad, he stood his ground and told my Mum to take me and run, I think. Sometimes I have dreams of then even though I was too young to remember much. Mum... ran for my room as he tried to hold Voldemort off. I guess you can compare it to a Heavy Cruiser trying to hold off a Battleship. He tried his best, but... eventually lost, both the fight and his life. Then Voldemort came to my room and blasted in the door with my Mum standing between him and I. She... offered herself to save me, to die in my place. Voldemort just killed her and aimed his wand here, between my eyes." Pointing at his scar, he let out a breath and shook his head. "Then he cast the Killing Curse, something that no one had survived. But the love my mother and father, love that they sacrificed themselves for, shielded me and the curse bounced off and hit Voldemort, destroying his body. And a love that the last time Voldemort attacked me, possessing someone who was helping him, they could not touch me without it burning them. Love is powerful, more powerful then anything else. Especially the love that drives one to sacrifice themselves for another."

Eyes wide as it clicked, Silver gasped and looked at him. "Is that why you think..."

Only smiling slightly, Harry gave her a nod. "Why I think that they might have had something to do with everything that happened? Which lead to the best possible outcome for you all and to reunite with Hoppou?" When Silver nodded, he smiled a bit wider. "Sure, because if I know one thing, it's that love is powerful enough to overcome all things in the end. And they did love you all." Lips curling upwards, he met each of their eyes. "I might not have known you all for that long, but I do love you as you're family. And I would throw myself in the way of danger if it meant protecting you all."

Rivet shook her head a bit. "Hopefully you'll never need to, Uncle Harry." Grinning, she gave him a thumbs up. "But we would do the same for you."

Smiling softly, Harry only rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks." He could see nods from the others which only made him blush a bit. "Thank you."

All he got was smiles back and soon he settled back in against Silver's true body and pulled his blanket back as stories continued to flow soon after. Sometimes, he was asked to tell stories of his own, such as of Hogwarts. Just like he had on other nights for the past while. Of course, unknown to him Ruadri had taken internal notes on what he had told her and added the stories he told to her memory. Ones that she would tell in the future herself...

 

[darthcourt10]

mikelima777

Something to tug at heartstrings.

***************

(A few weeks after Harry's arrival in Yokosuka)

Iowa struggled not to coo as she saw the green-eyed boy in Nagato's arms. The messy-haired child was a bit shy and tried to hide his face, to the amusement of both battleships. However, Iowa inwardly frowned as Nagato explained how the boy came to be under her care. She scowled at the thought of those people who had treated the young boy so poorly. There was no place that such behaviour would be tolerated. Then, she thought of something that could help Nagato and young Harry out. Something that she enjoyed watching long before her awakening, and was also watched by some of her younger crew, those that served after her reactivation in the 80s. It would also help him have exposure to English vocabulary, as well as teach mother and child some valuable life lessons.

"Nagato, you know how I am a natural-born?" At the nod, Iowa sighed in fond reminiscing, "When I was a child, one of the shows I watched was 'Mister Rogers Neighborhood,' it's mostly unknown outside of the States and Canada, but it was a children's show that helped me a lot."

Nagato looked curious. "Really?"

"Absolutely," Iowa replied. "I know that Harry's a little old for children's shows, but Mister Rogers is suitable for all ages. But you have to be open to what he has to say, and teach."

Nagato was interested now. "What is an episodeof 'Mister Rogers Neighbourhood' like?"

"It can vary from episode to episode. Some episodes would show how things are made like orange juice and erasers, while others might show Mister Rogers visiting a bakery or a carpenter and they would make stuff. Usually, there is a part where we go to the Land of Make Believe..." Iowa continued to explain the show, including how Mister Rogers talked about expressing feelings and used the Land of Make Believe to teach and express his own emotions and thoughts.

Nagato asked if the show was still running. Iowa's shoulder slumped, as she sadly replied, "The show ended production in 2001, and M-Mister Rogers passed away two years after that, from cancer."

Nagato patted the taller battleship, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Iowa wiped her eyes. "PBS, which is public television back home, still shows reruns. But," Iowa raised her index finger, "people have posted some of the episodes online." She pulled out a laptop and opened up to an episode of Mister Rogers, with Nagato joining her as they watched. On the screen, a model town appeared, with a red trolley slowly moving up a street, as a piano tune played. It then cut to inside a house as a tune that Iowa knew by heart played. Then, the front door opened, as a middle-aged gentleman appeared singing:

"It's a beautiful day this the neighbourhood
A beautiful day for a neighbor
Could you be mine?
Would you be mine?

It's a neighborly day in this beauty wood
A neighborly day for a beauty
Could you be mine?
Would you be mine?

I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you
I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you

Let's make the most of this beautiful day
Since we're together, might as well say
Would you be my, could you be my
Won't you be my neighbor?"

About 30 minutes later, two quietly sobbing battleships were wiping their tears as the kindly man on the screen sang as the episode finished.

-----

Over the next few years, whenever Harry was done with helping around the base or finished his homework, Nagato would have him sit on her lap as they watched an episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Thanks to many friends and others, Nagato began to receive more and more episodes to show her son. Whenever Mutsu and Jane came by, they too joined in watching Mister Rogers. Soon, other shipgirls at Yokosuka started to watch the show. While some of the older shipgirls would not admit it, they too watched the show, and often with their own crews joining along. For many of the Japanese fairies, watching the episodes helped them with their own troubled memories of the past, and also helped them handle working with their former opponents. There persist rumours that Admirals Halsey and Yamamoto once spent a whole night wiping tears as they watched some episodes alongside Enterprise and Yamato.

For many of the younger shipgirls at Yokosuka, Mister Roger would become a surrogate father of sorts, teaching them important lessons about life. How to deal with anger or sadness. How to build up relationships. The shipgirls also learned more about modern life, and how things were made or produced.

-----

(Harry, Age 9)

Natsumi quirked an eyebrow as Harry led her to the couch at the battleship dorm lounge. The lounge had a TV, which showed a paused frame with the words "Mister Rogers Neighborhood." Natsumi was confused as Harry quickly sat down with her and unpaused the TV. Before she could ask why she began to hear piano playing. Then a man in a suit appeared and began to sing...

The two kids were wholly engrossed in watching the episode, not noticing as Nagato peeked in. The battleship struggled to keep the Nagamon in, but couldn't resist making a photo of the two children watching Mister Rogers.

***************

Perhaps the one thing equal to the story's Unicorns in its purity and virtue.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Tying his shoelaces, Harry noticed a shadow out of the corner of his eye and looked over his shoulder to find Rivet there looking at him curiously. "Hmm?"

Still furrowing her eyebrows, she looked from Harry to his shoes and then at his outfit. "What are you doing, Uncle Harry? That's not your normal clothes..."

With a small chuckle, the black haired wizard shook his head. "Nope. As for what I am doing..." Finishing his shoe laces, he tested them out by bouncing a bit and nodding. "I'm going for my morning run. Normally I get it done before now, but been a bit busy."

Now really curious. Rivet raised an eyebrow. "A morning run? Is that like a quick patrol out on the harbor?"

Glancing at her, Harry smiled a bit. "Not really? Its a form of exercise that I've gotten into to be honest."

Just raising a finger, Rivet frowned. "That's what I mean though? If its an exercise then we do them all the time. Or is it different for humans?"

Lips twitching a bit, he hummed. "We do stuff like that, but... how to explain it." Taking a few moments, Harry nodded some. "This sort of exercise is how we humans can tune our bodies up a bit. Keep it at peak performance."

It went without saying that intrigued Rivet and those Abyssals nearby. Sure, when they lived on Unalaska they were used to humans. But they never really considered much in regards to them. Now that they had an uncle who was a human though? It became somewhat important information. "Peak performance, huh?"

With a slow nod, Harry began to do his stretches. "Yeah, there's all sorts of health benefits and such."

"Health benefits, Uncle Harry?"

Blinking, Harry looked over to find that Nuri, the Radioactive Airfield Demon, had joined them. There were some similarities between her and her sister, Patty though she had ascended from a Nu-Class and Patty had rose up from a Wo class. But like there were differences between Wanko and Harbor Demon, so too was there differences between Nuri and Patty. For one thing, her horns were shorter and black without a stripe. For another, she was missing the high collar that Patty had and with a v-shaped window for her cleavage.

Oh, and her eyes glowed a radioactive green instead of Patty's crimson.

Just smiling, Harry ignored that and chuckled. "Yeah, it's... hmm... how to explain..."

Head tilted to the side, Nuri came to a stop by him and simply watched. Meanwhile, Rivet pointed at him. "Maybe start with what you're doing now?"

That caused Harry to nod. "Okay then, right now I'm doing some warm ups and stretches. So that I don't hurt myself or get cramps when I start my run." At the confusion, he shook his head. "Think of it this way, its like warming up your boilers and such before you reach your top speed. Would you go from almost still to that without slowly increasing the power?"

Eyes widening, Nuri considered that before giving him a frown. "No, not unless it was needed right then. Doing otherwise could cause damage and more wear and tear."

A light laugh escaped from Harry. "It is sort of like that for humans as well. If we don't build up to it, when we come to a stop we can get cramps and such. Think about machinery for your screws or turrets suddenly seizing up a little and it might be similar." There were winces from the various Abyssals. "Hence a warm up and cool down before exercising."

Crouching down, Rivet watched as Harry leaned forward to touch his toes. Then, she got down and tried to do much the same as she saw her uncle doing to his slight amusement. And, much to the Ri-Class' amazement, it was actually harder then it looked and she grinned as she felt muscles work that hadn't before. "This is fun!"

Lightly laughing, the black haired boy grinned back at her. "I know, right? But exercising can also be fun as well."

Nuri then got down and joined in with a hum, trying to touch her toes. Looking over at Harry, she tilted her head to the side. "Uncle Harry? You still haven't explained what health benefits humans get from this?"

Glancing at her, he blinked. "Huh, guess I haven't, have I?" After getting two shakes of the head, he switched stretches with the other two following his lead. "Well, stretches alone help. I mean, it helps me be flexible for example. As for actual exercise?" Closing his eyes, Harry tilted his head before nodding. "If I was to put it into ship terms, a person who does no exercise is like a ship tied up to a dock. Sure, good maintenance means that it would be okay, but it can always slip, and if it does..."

With a small frown, Nuri gave a nod. "If maintenance slips just a little, problems can arise. Such as with the machinery and such. And it might not be caught because of the slip."

As he gave her a tilt of the head, Harry smiled. "Exactly! While no exercise might not cause health problems, exercise can help prevent them. Like taking a ship and running the equipment on a routine basis means that you can catch, and fix, problems. With us humans, our bodies can do that on their own. Hmm... one example I guess is that people can get a shortness of breath after performing activity that they're not used to. Like having ventilation problems. Or there can be a build up of a type of fat in our veins and arteries, think our fuel lines or hydraulic systems."

Both Abyssals had their eyes widen at that before sharing a frown. Chewing her lip, Rivet furrowed her eyebrows as she translated what he was describing into what would happen to an Abyssal. "That would lead to possible ruptures due to pressure building up, or loss of pressure elsewhere."

Frowning, Harry shook his head. "Yeah, it kind of like that for us humans. At the worst, it causes what is known as a heart attack. Think major fuel lines to your boilers stop working while they're going at normal work and causing large damage to them. I don't know how that would affect you, but for us humans it... can kill us." At seeing the stricken looks, he waved his hands. "Not that I'm in any real danger for that! I'm pretty healthy and can look forward to being so for a long while yet."

The two relaxed a little bit at what he just said, but they were also having their crew take notes. After all, this was information that was rather important! And that they would need to share with their sisters as well. Part of Rivet did wonder if Chiana had any idea due to the books she often was reading though. No way were they going to let their uncle get hurt like that! Tilting her head, Rivet shook that thought off for later and turned to Harry. "Are there other benefits?"

Now grinning, Harry gave a nod. "Sure! People who exercise regularly are stronger, faster, and have more endurance then someone who might not do so. Sometimes by quite a bit."

Internally translating that, Nuri hummed. "Like the difference between a baseline Abyssal and an Elite at least?"

With a small smile, Harry gave her a glance. "Yeah, probably not that far from that actually. Good comparison." Nuri gave him a smile at that, proud that she had figured that out. "Like I've said before, I want to go into the military. And with Voldemort after me, I need any little edge that I can take! So it can only help... and it feels really good as well."

More then a little intrigued, Rivet turned to him. "Oh? How so?"

Still stretching, Harry frowned a bit in thought. "I don't know if there is an Abyssal equivalent. But when us humans exercise hard, our bodies release chemicals into our bloodstreams. Stuff like endorphins which make us feel really, really good. It's called a 'Runner's High' as we feel almost light headed. Sure, we might feel a few aches and such, but that goes away fast enough, especially with what our bodies dump into our bloodstream."

Eyebrows furrowing, Nuri hummed. "Hmm... Maybe it is like the rush we get for battle? After the fighting is done?"

Considering that, the wizard eventually nodded some. "That makes sense, it is actually similar to that for humans as well."

A gleam then entered Rivet's eyes and she watched as he stood up and followed as did Nuri. Seeing the surprise, she shrugged some. "I like talking with you, Uncle Harry. So mind if we..." Glancing at Nuri and getting a nod, she continued. "Mind if we join you?"

Only chuckling even as he shook his head, Harry smiled. "Not at all. Might be a bit boring and when I finish, I'll have to do cool down stretches and such so that I won't cramp up and such. Kind of like how after running near the top of your speed, you lower it slowly instead of going full stop."

That got him nods and he shared a grin with them before he started to run. Both Abyssals were easily keeping up with him, after all it was a rather slow cruise speed for them. But they could see that their uncle was actually working for it, even as a sheen of sweat appeared on him and his breathing became heavier. But he was smiling and that was good enough for them.

And then, Rivet got an idea.

She had been talking with Nagato and the topic of sparring with humans had come up. Much to the Abyssal's surprise, shipgirls did so regularly with normal humans without hurting them. And according to her "Grandmother", it was simple how they did so. Mainly, they focused on the "Girl" part of them and less on the ship. This, of course brought up the thought of what would happen if she did the same. Sending a quick message to Nuri, Rivet took a deep breath and tried her best to do what Nagato had described to her.

Much to her surprise, it worked almost immediately. Her breathing became slightly harder and she felt more and more strain on herself. But at the same time, the Ri-Class could also feel something else. A rush, one that she had felt usually while sparring and pushing herself to her limits. It was much smaller, but it was there. Focusing more, she could feel it increase and a burst of laughter came from her mouth which made Harry look at her only for Rivet to shake her head. "This is great!"

Chuckling, Harry felt his lips curl up into a smile as he continued his run. On either side, Nuri and a somewhat heavily breathing, though madly grinning, Rivet keeping up. It felt... nice.

Unnoticed by him, or the two Abyssals, more then a few heads were turned as the three passed by various JSDF members. Especially male members whose eyes trailed the Abyssals in question with slight flushes...

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Coming out from the shower tent after his run, and due to the morning still being cool, Harry threw on his hoodie. With a small sigh, he ran a hand through his slightly damp hair before blinking as he felt his hood move. Looking over his shoulder, it only took a few moments for Harry to realize what was causing it and blinking. "Huh..."

Several minutes later, Harry entered the mess tent and walked over to where the treats were. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Nagato, the various Princesses and Demons as well as Hoppou, Shinano, and Regina at one of the tables. As he watched, Regalia and Nero walked over and joined them with Nagato smiling at them. When he walked over with a cookie, Shinano looked over and smiled at him. "Harry-Chan!"

Nagato also turned in his direction and smiled before noticing the cookie. "Harry, you know better. You'll spoil your appetite for lunch."

However, Harry just grinned a bit and set the cookie down onto a napkin. "Its not for me though, Dess!" At their confusion, his eyes glowed in amusement and he reached into his hood. "I have someone for you all to meet."

Utterly lost, Sunny glanced at her sisters before turning back to her uncle. "Someone for us to meet? Who?"

Bringing out his closed hands, cupped against one another, Harry set them down on the table. "I want you all to meet..." He then pulled them apart. "Smolgina!"

Everyone froze at the sight of the chibi Re-Class that was there. And the Smol froze at the sight of them before blushing and hiding behind Harry's hand. "Gina!"

Just chuckling, Harry shook his head. "They're fine, Smolgina. You have nothing to worry about, they're all friendly."

Slowly, she peeked out from behind his hand. "Gina? Gina. gina gina?" At Harry's nod, she walked out a bit more and looked up at the stunned faces before shyly waving. "Gina..."

Rubbing her chest, Nagato shook her head some. "Cute..."

Only glancing at his mother, Harry smiled at Smolgina before reaching for the cookie. Much to his amusement, the Smol's eyes sparkled with joy. Taking it, she opened her mouth wide before taking a bite, while her tail did so on another part of the giant, to her, cookie. "GINA!"

Hoppou frowned and huffed a bit which made Harry look at her. "Something wrong, Little Sister?" When she nodded, he raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Still pouting, Hoppou looked over at him. "Hoppou was hoping that she would win bet. And that first Abyssal Smol would be a Smol Hoppou, Hoppou even wanted to call her Smolppo."

Lightly laughing, Harry reached over and ruffled her hair. "Well, if and when she shows up? At least we got a name for her." With a glance down at Smolgina, he put down a carton of milk and placed a straw into it. "There you go."

Brightly smiling, even though she was still blushing some, Smolgina gave a nod. "Gina. Gina gina gina gina. Gina!"

A smile on his face, Harry watched as she pulled down the straw and took a sip. "You're very welcome, Smolgina. And just wait until you meet the others."

While the Smol blinked at him, Regalia raised a finger and pointed at her. "Um, Uncle Harry? What is that? And what did you mean by 'Others'?"

Humming, the black haired boy looked at her. "Hmm? It should be she, Regalia and as to what she is? She's what's known as a Smol." His attention now on the Smol, he shrugged. "Not quite sure what they are to be honest. But they look like fairy sized shipgirls, and Abyssals now, I suppose. Both Jane and myself have had them just show up around us."

Ritou brought her head down until her chin touched the table and examined the Smol as Tanith tilted her head. "How many of... these, um, Smols... are there... Uncle Harry?"

There was a frown on Harry's face as he considered the question. "A few, I guess. Jane has Minimu, Smolzona, Snowflake who is a Smol Alaska, Smallbacore, Smolstuu... and a few others. I got Minagato, Hibitki, ShiNano, and now Smolgina." Frowning some more, he crossed his arms. "I think that there might be some more hiding around, but..."

Banging noises made him turn and blink as Nagato had her head on the table. "Too much..."

Confused as to why their grandmother was acting like that, the Demons and Princesses as well as Nero and Regalia turned to Hoppou. Said Abyssal shrugged and shook her head. "Hoppou not know where they come from either. But they stick with Big Brother, so Hoppou does not mind."

Only shaking his head, Harry chuckled some. "Yeah, who knows from where the Smols flow, only that they come. And it's only a... smol problem, anyways."

Sighing, Shinano facepalmed though she was smiling. "Oh, Harry-Chan. Um, must you make puns like that?"

All Harry did though was shrug and smile. "Of course, I must." It was then that he realized that one person had not spoken up and turned. "So, what do you think... Regina...?"

Not sure why he had trailed off, everyone turned to find a red faced Regina with her hands over her face. Her eyes could be seen just peeking out from between her fingers though. More then that, there was steam hissing out from her ears and from her tail's nose. Heck, even said tail was tinted red. Utterly lost, Nero looked from Harry, to the smol, and then to Regina, before going back to Harry. Repeating this several times, she frowned. 'What is going on here?'

Regalia meanwhile tapped Regina on the shoulder. "Regina?" When the other Re-Class jumped, she drew back a little. "Is, um, something wrong?"

Very quickly, Regina shook her head while stuttering. "U-um, uh... n-no, n-n-nothing is wrong. I'm, um, okay..."

Head tilted to the side, the Smol got up from where she had been picking at the last few crumbs and walked over. Gently, she grasped Regina's hand and patted it. "Gina! Gina gina, gina. Gina gina gina gina."

Blushing some more, Regina withdrew partially into her hood. "Um, thank you?"

Unnoticed by her, Harry had gotten up and walked over until he was beside her. Then he patted her hand which made her flush deepen just a touch. "Hey, look on the bright side! With a smol version of you, I'll always have you around."

Moments later, he blinked though in confusion as the steam coming out of Regina's ears increased to a low whistle. It was not helped by how Hoppou was giggling in glee and kicking her feet into the air. However, Harry was distracted as Regina hugged him. "I guess that is true."

Grinning at her, Harry nodded some before holding out his hand. The Smol then hopped into it and climbed up until she sat on his shoulder. Looking around in awe, the Smol smiled. "Gina/"

With a nod, Harry turned to Regina and smiled. "Want to come with me while I show Smolgina around?" Rapidly nodding, the Re-Class got to her hooves and then walked out of the mess tent while holding Harry's hand. Behind her, there was a smiling Shinano. "So first, I was thinking..."

Once they were out of earshot. Yoko had a confused expression on her face and frowned. "Huh... that was odd."

All she got was nods from her sisters and niece while Hoppou grinned.

 

[darthcourt10]

dan-heron

Another bit in the Day of a Totally Ordinary Abyssal, this part was originally inspired way back when Hermione gave Re Sparkle the tour to the wax museum over England

Previous parts
Harry And The Shipgirls: Prisoner of Shipping (A HP/KanColle Snippet Collection) | Page 109
Harry And The Shipgirls: Prisoner of Shipping (A HP/KanColle Snippet Collection) | Page 123
Harry And The Shipgirls: Prisoner of Shipping (A HP/KanColle Snippet Collection) | Page 182

-----------

"I'm home!" Suiren groaned, kicking off her boots, sighing in relief after having to put up with Rio and Sur… sure, it was just a matter of minutes but it was the spirit of things! Those two were exhausting no matter the exposure. She took a deep breath and she almost started to droll, it smelled fucking delicious!

"Hey, can you believe this?" came the annoying reply from the sitting room.

"Yes, I'm very welcomed," Suiren muttered, slipping on some sandals.

"Welcome back~!" came the not so annoying reply from the kitchen.

"Thanks! And you, what can I believe now?" the bespectacled abyssal groaned, still carrying her shopping bags.

"Remember that museum with the wax figures of shipgirls on England? Guess who took a tour there recently?" the white haired girl asked, twisting around to toss an arm over the couch, annoyingly cheerful green eyes looking up at the Supply Depot Princess.

She didn't miss a beat. "Reivana," she couldn't help letting some smug superiority drip into her voice.

The other girl sputtered in reply. "Wha- ho-how did you know Chubby's puppy got to take a walk there?"

She couldn't help an insufferable smirk from creeping on her face. "I have my methods," Suiren said as she crossed her arms over her chest. No way she would admit Hime found about it before the shipgirls actually took the Re-class to enjoy the sights. Because of course Hime would find out about it.

"I told her!" Dammit Hime!

The other white haired girl raised an amused eyebrow at the blush heating up Suiren's face. "How did you find about it? They haven't made a public statement about it, though considering how excitable Reivana can get…"

"Yeah, I was expecting somebody to post a video of her lost in her own world on the streets," the other girl shrugged and plopped back down on the couch, waving a careless hand towards the laptops sitting on a little coffee table in front of the couch. "Jervis told me."

Suiren looked at one of the windows, a string of e-mail replies that started with Jervis:

------
Tatsumaki Darling~ Lucky Jervis here! How are you doing? I'm doing fantastic, of course! Did you hear about…
------

On and on these two went about saying so little with so many words. "Ugh, I just remembered that time she was on Naka-sama's show, I was feeling tired just by watching all their combined energy."

Her friend snickered, tossing a potato chip into her mouth. "She's a good kid."

"And Ancient Gateway is not chubby, she's overly stacked."

The other girl shrugged shamelessly, putting an innocent look on her face. "How would I know? There's always something blocking the view every time I look at her. I just know there's a lot of fat there."

"Whatever. Here," Suiren handed a bag, getting an excited coo in return, but the Supply princess was busy looking at another window on the desktop.

It seemed "Unrivaled Tatsumaki's Dream Empire of the Waist Cloth-less Wonderful Cosplayer" website was getting a new theme, a dazzling array of lines of code filled most of the window courtesy of her friend's usual coding skills, but what got her attention was another tab with the title Jervis' Luck. Another laptop was showing the finished product, images of her friend in cosplay lacking a key element of the attire.

"What's up with that?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm giving Jervis a hand for our collaboration," Tatsumaki replied, pressing her face against the fabric Suiren had just delivered. Suiren looked at the Ta-clas. "Hey, don't give me that look, she isn't doing anything weird."

"Uh-huh. Skirtless cosplayer," like hell she was going to say waist cloth.

"That's my gimmick, not gonna let her jump on the bandwagon," Tatsumaki replied, wagging a finger at Suiren. "I'm supposed to visit Jervis, then she remembers what I'm wearing so she tries to stop me before I attract too much attention, but since she isn't in her place I go looking for her instead, there are many shenanigans and-."

"Then you get arrested," Suiren smoothly intersected.

"Then I get arrested!" Tatsumaki burst out laughing. "You gotta follow both sites to get the full story. Since we can't get together to take photos we are getting creative with solo shots."

Suiren gave her a flat stare. "Sounds exhausting," Suiren muttered, "have fun."

Tatsumaki gave her a radiant smile along with a Victory sign for added effect. "WIll do!"

The bespectacled Abyssal started to make her way to deliver the groceries to the kitchen when Tatsumaki suddenly started bouncing on the couch.

Crazy flailing of arms ensued. "Oh! Oh!"

Suiren very slowly raised an eyebrow in return. "What?"

The beautiful abyssal raised the new fabric over her face before presenting the fabric to Suiren. "Can you give me a hand?" Tatsumaki said with a look that tried to be coy and innocent. Failed, both of them, such tactics were useless on Suiren.

She was of half a mind to just give her the finger and a blunt no. "Sure."

"Thank you!"

"No problem," Suiren shrugged, already halfway towards the kitchen.

A wall of exquisite aromas suddenly slammed her on the face, staggering her for a moment before she moved again. Mouthwatering indeed.

She was greeted by the sight of far more pots that should be possible to safely use at the same time, bubbling and hissing most tantalizing, Hime was busy doing something on the side, long black hair pulled in a bun, and almost a fleet's worth of Imp-sized Abyssals scampering around like a demented horde of miniature chefs.

"Groceries," Suiren raised the shopping bags and an Imp-sized Ne dashed forward in front of the abyssal, flexing her oversized miniature arms. The princess promptly dropped the bags on top of the Ne and soon the bags were wobbling towards the fridge.

"Thank you again," Hime said with a brilliant smile and Suiren simply waved her off.

"No worries," the Supply Depot replied and tried to look around. "Uh, got something… already done?" What the hell was Hime cooking? It smelled so good already but she couldn't make heads or tails from the chaos filling almost the entire kitchen.

"Not just yet!" the black haired beauty said with a smile. "I can send it to your room once it's done, or I can make you a sandwich right now," the taller woman said, even as she removed her stained apron.

"Hmm, something for later would be good… why so much?" the shorter girl pointed at the everything in the kitchen and Hime simply giggled.

"In case somebody may be a bit peckish."

"Somebody?" this was a damn banquet! "Is Summer going to crash with us or something? It's just the three of us today."

"Well, if we don't finish it, I can put it on the back for later! You never know when you need a little snack at the moment~."

Suiren looked at Hime for a long moment. Damn it, something was going to happen, wasn't it?

"Fine, whatever," she sighed in defeat, maybe whatever would simply pass her by and only Hime would know. "As long as it's tasty," she grumbled and made her way towards her room.

"It will be delicious~!"

----------

Tatsumaki, the Ta-class cosplayer. Because Abyssals are great at names. Inspired in part by a short comic where a Ta shows a Ru her new "waist cloth" and the Ru can't recognize her until Ta removes her skirt, Ru trying to apologize for not recognizing her and finishing with a Re saying "Call it skirt!".
posts #2561017 #2561019

As you may imagine, she's a cosplayer who simply pass on putting skirts, pants, etc., while keeping everything else on point and in character, keeping it sfw enough to get the big sponsors and junk, so boy shorts and stuff. She's also pretty good with computers and the intrawebs things; very good in fact, but she knows that it's better to stay clean to avoid attracting the wrong type of attention. Better be the internet person around the corner than the sued and jailed one

As you can imagine by the mention of Reivana's visit to the museum, this idea popped up waaaay back then, actually before the Sur/Southern War's and Rio/Ri's snippets came to be, it just couldn't get properly shaped into letters and words.

Mostly trying to break through a creative block, I may finish Suiren's totally normal saga soon

The Summer that got mentioned is a Seaport Summer Princess, because Abyssals are again great at names. She is meant to be a farmer, a la Harvest Moon/Stardew Valley style, who is given a lot of sidequests weird requests on the side while also making sure she produces insane amounts plenty of food. She was inspired by this pic of Nonco

nonco331:

 

[darthcourt10]

MagisterAurelius

After a bit of a hiatus:

Ship of Fools Part the Eighth



Malfoy Manor


Narcissa Malfoy, with her exposure to ship-girls thanks to Draco and Johnston's budding relationship, had by now experienced most of emotions possible to a human being. For the first time in her life though, Narcissa was completely envious. After watching the latest guest to the Malfoy table dine she couldn't help but feel it, which meant that Draco was not exaggerating in the cautionary tales he brought back from school after all.

By Merlin it wasn't fair for anyone to enjoy a figure most witches spent most of their magic in illusions to pretend to have! But to then eat enough in one meal to spark worry that the house elves might not be able to keep up? That was almost infuriating unless one reminded oneself that one was dining with a magical being of mass destruction.

"Miss Washington?" As Lucius opened his mouth, Narcissa dearly wished to hex it shut before he went and offended the ship-girl. "Malfoy Manor is always open to a friend of Draco's. I admit to being curious as to why...."

Before he could finish the Standard battleship raised a burgundy wine-colored eyebrow and completed Lucious's question. "I am here, instead of acclimatizing to my new life among my fellow ship-girls? I have some very good reasons, but the only important one at this moment, is that your son is the one who summoned me. And I thank you for your hospitality. The feeling of having a full combat loading of fuel and stores is one that was denied me as a ship."

"I'm fairly certain that you put the House Elves to quite the test," Narcissa smiled but let it fade as she continued, "I do have some concerns however. Mainly will Draco's summoning of you cause issues with his relationship with Johnston? You ship-girls are known for being powerful in personality and combat. I will not tolerate any danger to Draco."

The battleship's grey eyes widened in shock. "Oh no you misunderstand. I am grateful to Draco for giving me the chance to actually live and am indebted to him. But I am not in love with him. Nor would I hurt Johnston in that way." Her face became level and determined. "Draco has expressed certain ambitions that I will help him achieve. When he no longer is in need of my counsel and assistance, then I will... be able to do that which is most important to me." A very small mischievous smirk appeared on her pale rose lips. "But in the meantime, watching those two be an adorable couple will be a treat don't you agree, Lady Narcissa?"

"Just call me Narcissa. There is no formal ennoblement among the 28 families. And how are we to address you Miss Washington?"

"Washington is fine, after all the one who succeeded to my name," under her breath she muttered 'that Usurper', "is often referred to as just Wash."

-0-

Later after sunset, Draco found Washington standing by a follie in one of the manor's maze gardens. As he approached the battleship, he grew pensive as he remembered their conversations just after the summoning and on the flight home. When he finally stood next to her he inclined his head upwards to watch the stars as Washington was seemingly doing.

"So Mother seems to be pleased enough with things. Are you alright with going with me to Hogwart's? It seems like it would be rather boring tedium to just be relegated to bodyguard duties."

She turned to glance at him, though her peek-a-bang hairdo covered her right eye, and she smiled slightly. "Oh Draco, a consigliere is much more than a mere bodyguard. As I told your mother, I will advise and counsel you on how to achieve your ambitions. After all, the best way to protect you and your loved ones from a dark lord is become a scarier dark lord."

Draco's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Out-evil Voldemort?"

Washington's tone became glacial in her reply. "Whether anything is determined to be good or evil depends on the perspective. Those are mere descriptive terms Draco, power is the important part. The ability to make others bend to your will and to accept your terms without having to exercise your power is to become truly frightening." Draco watched her expression harden as she stared off into the dark, and then he caught her continued whisper, "And I am the proof of that aren't I?"

"Voldemort can frighten a lot of individual people, but on the larger stage? He is small. He acts like a petty cult leader when his followers do not act like mindless puppets. This is treating ones minions like cannon fodder. Appreciated and valued minions are the ones who make sure you have the time to make a getaway."

Draco was speechless for a moment. Then he frowned. "You make it sound like being a dark lord has a manual or something." Looking back at the battleship, he noticed a slightly sheepish expression cross her face as she shrugged.

"Alright I admit it, but that Internet thing is amazing. One quick search and anyone can access the Evil Overlord's Instruction Manual!"

"Wat?"


-0-


A few days later at Hogwarts' in the Slytherin dorms


Tracey Davis was perplexed and commented so to her friend, "Daphne, I understand it in Potter's case, but Draco Malfoy? Why would a ship-girl attach herself to him?"

"What about Johnston?"

"Didn't somebody say that destroyers don't really think about consequences? That would explain Johnston. But she's a battleship! Aren't they supposed to be more, you know, mature?"

"I'm not certain. Maybe we should ask..."

"Ask Draco?!"

"No, despite being much less obnoxious since last year, associating with Draco is still a bad idea. We will ask her."

The two Slytherin girls found Washington in the common room. "Miss Washington? My name is Daphne Greengrass and this is my friend Tracey Davis. We were wondering if you were finding life in the Slytherin dorms comfortable enough." The statuesque battleship looked up from her reading and nodded at the two girls.

"I have learned that ship-girl battleships are rather direct and tend to lack subtlety. So perhaps asking your questions directly will get you direct answers." The slightest of smirks touched the corner of Washington's lips as she played with one hand the thick braid hanging over her shoulder where it lay accenting her ample bosom.

Looking at Daphne and shrugging, Tracey asked the burning question to their minds, "Why Draco? Aren't ship-girls on the side of good and light and that sort of thing? Also, are you really content just hanging out here and not fighting against the Abyssals?"

Washington continued to play with her braid and leaned her head back in thought. "Let's just say that I have some anger issues and leave it at that. And as to why I am helping Draco? No one ever asked for me to come back. Draco did, even though it was not by name. That is why I will advise him until he has achieved his goals."

After the girls had left, Draco entered the room. He cast a privacy charm. "I know you have pledged yourself my consigliere until I become a dark lord Washington. Maybe it's just me, but I don't understand how my summoning you is worth such a pledge. Shouldn't I be helping you with your goals and stuff?"

For the first time since he had summoned her, a small wistful smile actually graced her lips. "Draco, you opened the door for me to finally live. For that I will be eternally grateful. But you can't help me. I have sworn an oath, and when you are a dark lord and can do as you wish, then I will be free to fulfill it and go back to the darkness." She held a finger to Draco's lips to forestall his objection.

"I was thrown away like trash thanks to that damn treaty. And because I wouldn't sink after all they did, they had Aunt Texas and New York finish me off. Then I spent almost 80 years rusting away off the Virginia Capes forgotten. Then the Abyssals attacked, and no one called for me." Her voice lowered as her expression hardened. "Osty was the only voice calming me down, convincing me to not listen to the the dark voices. But even she got called back and I was alone. Finally I was ready. If no one wanted me to come, then I was going to join the Abyssals the next time they came around. I am that angry, Draco."

Then like a freshening breeze she softened and closed her eyes. "But then you called and gave me the chance to live. I get to live and live how I choose. The only way I can repay you is to help you achieve what you want."

Draco took a deep breath. He wasn't sure of how to really handle things, but before he realized it he was vocalizing the small voice in his head. "Okay. I'm not going to ask what you have to do. But my offer to help you stands. But don't be surprised if I take my time before I consider myself a true dark lord then."

"Fair enough."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Ever so slowly, the summer morning sunlight moved across the floor of the inn from the window as the brilliant orb rose higher and higher into the sky. As it did so, it also illuminated the two bodies in the futon. The sunlight did not take long to reach the male of the two and he grumbled a bit and scrunched his eyebrows. Not bothered in the slightest, the sunlight beamed onto his face. Even when he tried to hide from it, he failed.

After some time of fruitlessly doing battle, the young man sighed and opened his eyes. "Fine, I'm up. Happy?" Briefly, he could have sworn that the sunlight brightened ever so slightly. Something that made him narrow his eyes before he looked down at the female of the pair who was still sleeping. A soft smile came to his face as he watched his American wife of three years breath in and out gently.

Then one of his two floppy ears fell over his eyes and a sigh escaped from his lips. 'Sometimes, its just not worth it.' Feeling his wife move though, he then smiled. 'Other times, it is.' Slowly and gently, so as to not wake her, the Inaba slipped out from under the covers. Though he did pause for a moment as shifting caused the blankets covering his human wife's form to reveal more of her to the morning light. Something that made him pause for several moments. Especially as it was a reminder of their... activities... the night before.

Yes, they may have been married for three years now, but he was still a hare Yokai though his wife had never complained about that.

Shaking those thoughts from his head, he quickly got up and threw on some shorts before making his way to the bathroom to perform his early morning routine. With a sigh, he washed his hands before turning the hot water in the sink off. After a few seconds, he splashed himself in the face a number of times before freezing as two warm arms wrapped around him and he could feel a woman's body press into his back. "Mornin', Arutemisu."

With a smile on his face, Arutemisu ignored the water running down his face as he looked over his shoulder. "And a good morning to you too, Kat-Chan. Have a pleasant sleep?"

Just humming as she looked at him with sleepy eyes, Katherine, or Kat to her friends, smiled. "Well of course I did." Stretching, her smile became a grin as she knew that he was looking her over. "After all, I had my snuggle bunny with me."

Only groaning, Arutemisu ignored the giggles from his boisterous wife. "Didn't we have a talk about this, Kat-Chan?"

Pretending to think about it, she tapped her chin before tilting her head. "Yes, and? I promised not to call you that in public. Nothing about when it is just the two of us." Then she pressed herself back into his back before nuzzling Arutemisu's neck and making him shiver. "Besides which, you are a bunny and very nice to snuggle with."

A bright blush on his face, the Inaba sighed. "And I suppose that is the best that I can hope for, isn't it?"

Her grin brightening, Kat leaned in and kissed him. "Yes, especially as we have had this very conversation many, many times. And we'll likely have it many more times." Leaning her head against his, she smiled. "As an aside, I had a very good sleep considering what we did last night."

While his blush had been going down, that and the thought brought it back full force. "Must you tease me?"

Softly kissing the base of one of his ears, Kat smirked at the shiver. "Yes. Because its fun, your adorable when your flustered, and you like it."

Looking away, he grumbled. "No, I don't."

Kat only chuckled at that. "Yes, you do. Though speaking of last night... Considering things perhaps call you the Energizer Bunny as well. I certainly enjoyed it as always."

The waggling eyebrows she gave him made his blush start to creep down his neck. "Do you have no shame, Kat-Chan!?"

Now laughing, she shook her head. "Shame? What's that? Is it tasty?" At his sputters, she caught his lips with hers before pulling back. "Besides, you like that about me."

With a sigh, Arutemisu hung his head though there was a twinkle in his eyes. "Oh, woe is me." Turning, he wrapped his arms around her waist and looked up at his taller wife. "But I do like that. Especially as I'm shy and-"

Interrupting him, Kat chuckled. "Not in the bedroom once you get started."

Simply rolling his eyes, Arutemisu ignored that and continued. "I'm shy around people, and I need someone to help push me forward. And the way that you do it, never pushing too far, is what I need sometimes."

Only shaking her head, Kat smiled. "I don't think that you would ever need that and could do well enough. Still happy though to do so and see you flustered."

Leaning in, Arutemisu sighed as he nuzzled her chin. "What did I do to deserve someone like you in my life? And as my wife?"

All Kat did was look down at him with a serious expression on her face. "What did you do? You came across a very scared twelve year old girl who happened to be a Squib running from her parents. Parents that wanted to take away all her memories and dump her somewhere for the crime of being a 'No-Maj' in the United States. And instead of ignoring her, you instead brought her to safety and gave her a loving home in your family compound. You may have been twenty at the time, but I knew that I met the man for me back then."

Just chuckling, Arutemisu shook his head. "Not that I knew about your crush on me. At least not until you were seventeen and decided to let me know in no uncertain terms about your feelings regarding me." His tone then turned dry. "I still say that you bursting into my room the day after your birthday was a bit much."

Rather than being embarrassed, Kat only shrugged. "Hey, would you have realized otherwise?"

Frowning, Arutemisu was about to say something when he paused. Sighing, he shook his head. "No, I suppose not." With a glance at the rings on their fingers, he smiled. "And it lead to three years so far of happiness."

Just ruffling his hair, Kat grinned. "There's the spirit, Arutemisu! Anyways..." She leaned in some and hummed. "I feel like having a shower this morning..."

It was forty minutes later that the two exited the bathroom with a flushed Arutemisu glancing at Kat, who was grinning. 'Absolutely no shame at all...' Turning away, he began to smile. 'Though I would not have her any different.'

Working alongside him to prepare their breakfast, Kat hummed. "So, Arutemisu? What seems to be the plan for the day?"

Arutemisu hummed some in thought as he cracked some eggs. "Well, it might be a bit boring for you I think. Myself and Onee-Sama are going to get started purifying that island in the Inland Sea. The one with the tanks on it."

Eyebrow raised, Kat glanced at him. "Oh yeah, that's right. The one where they were using Inferi among other things, right?" At his nod, she frowned slightly and then shrugged. "Guess that I'll be bringing my shotgun then with some Dragons breath rounds. Just in case."

That got her a look from her husband. "Kat-Chan, you don't need to do that. Firstly because it is not going to be needed."

In reply to that, Kat raised one finger. "Not the first time that you thought that and things went to crap. This time, I'll be right there and I do have a license after all."

Rolling his eyes, though not commenting on that, Arutemisu sighed. "Besides which, the island has already been done over with a fine tooth comb at this point. Our job is simply to cleanse the island so that they might be able to summon those giant tanks on the island. And that, while boring and might take a few days, is easy."

With a hum, Kat took squeezed some orange juice. "That's what they always say." After a few moments, she tilted her head to the side. "By the way, any word from Usagi? She mentioned that she was talking to that Mizuchi for you to work at a shrine for her spring, right?"

Slowly nodding as he grabbed some plates, Arutemisu frowned some. "Well, Usagi-Chan did mention that she was talking with her. And that while this Shiromizu-Sama is not sure about having a shrine dedicated to her, she's not exactly against it. But would that be okay with you? The two of us living in a small town like that?"

Before he could do anything, Kat grabbed him and then planted a kiss on his lip. Pulling back, she gave him a smile. "I would not mind it at all, Arutemisu. We'd both be there after all and maybe I could get some work on the side." Taking his hand, she brought it to her stomach and her smile softened. "Besides which, once we settle down we can get started on having a family. One for the two of us."

Rubbing her stomach, Arutemisu had a far off look at what she was hinting at. Sure, they had decided on no children for a while. But if he did become the priest for a Shrine, their future would be secure. Suddenly, he gave her a shy smile. "Though we have been practicing."

Rapidly blinking, Kat boggled at him before he grinned and she snorted. "Dammit, Arutemisu, that's my line." At his shrug, she shook her head as her husband turned back to their meal. Eyes closed, the Squib gave a sigh while thinking back to all those years before.

After all, she had gotten her happy ending.

 

[darthcourt10]

S0ngD0g13

The submarine dipped the horn into the well. "Drink and you will gain the knowledge you seek, but at a price; a Demon you are and wish to remain, but to know what you seek to know you must not a Demon stay. If you refuse you will die at Gateway's hand, and if you drink you will live, but you will be a Princess."

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

Canut inhaled a hissing breath at Arval's words. Ascend or die? I'm not afraid of death... But I swore... I swore. Stronger than Honor is the Sworn Oath.

Canut took the offered horn. "I swore an oath; I'll not break it, though it hurt me sore." Canut felt the water of the well slide cool and pure down her throat, and her world went white...

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

Canut knew not how long she'd drifted, but felt strong arms grip her shoulders as Skadi appeared from the blackness all around her. "Hello, Sister; I see you've been well."

"Skadi?" asked Canut, disbelieving.

"Aye. The One-Eyed granted me leave to come speak to you for a time; said he'd have a Norwegian Captain watch my plate for me..."

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

Canut stood, felt and knew what had changed of her, then met Arval's eyes. "Do you have a smithy?"

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

The fleet of Ancient Atlantic Gateway Princess looked to the north; they had caught the IFF of the Mistress-at-Arms approaching...

Canut sailed past them in silence, her gaze fixed on the doors to the Throne-Room...

Canut knelt before Gateway. The Battleship Demon looked the same as she had, but the Elder Princess could tell that something had changed; Canut radiated with leashed power. "My Lady, I have returned from my quest. I have completed your signet-ring, though the cost of my gaining the knowledge to do so was steep..."

Canut lifted her gaze from the floor and Gateway saw the pained expression on her Mistress-at-Arms' face. Whatever price was demanded of her was steep indeed, to have the Demon pained so... "The Ring?"

Canut presented it. "One of your Imps, Cain I believe, sacrificed himself to make the steel, and I have worked seidhr into it; it is very-literally part of you, and should you will it so, the Ring will not remain on any finger, nor that finger on any hand."

"And the steep price paid for the knowledge of making it?"

Canut swallowed thickly and lowered her hood and removed her helm, revealing the stubs of growing horns around her brow. "I am becoming a Princess, the which is something I have never wished; that I have shunned, in fact. To gain the knowledge of the True Craft I drank from the Well at the Roots of the World, and such knowledge is never without price."

"In no more than five years, I'll be a Princess; for as long as you live, Your Majesty, I shall serve you, as loyally and as faithfully as ever I have before. But when the day finally comes, at I hope a far-distant time in the future, when you have passed beyond life, I will retake my mother's legacy and my birthright as the next Princess of the Northern Horde..."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Slowing the truck to a stop, Kat looked to the side where Arutemisu was gently sleeping. For several moments, the American expat watched him with a small smile on her face. Every so often, his nose would twitch in a way she found rather adorable. Despite her teasing, it was moments like this that she had grown to treasure in her own way.

Yes, as a human Kat would grow old and die well before her husband. She had made her peace with that well before that night she had finally gotten him to realize that she was interested in him. While Kat would be lying if she did not admit that it bothered her on some level, at the same time it made times like this all the more special. A moment in time that would be gone all too soon.

Here and then gone with the ticking of the clock.

After a few minutes, and without waking him, Kat got out of the truck and made her way to a nearby coffee shop. Coming out, she returned to the truck and sipped hers as she looked into the cab to see Arutemisu still sleeping. Unable to help herself, her mind returned to a day long ago, just a few days before what became known as Blood Week...

Dirty, both skin wise and clothing, a nearly twelve year old girl was running through the woods. She had to get away, she just had to. Feeling branches whip at her and thorns try and grab a hold of her, Kat sniffled. It was not fair! It just wasn't! Why was she born without magic to a magical family? What had she done to deserve it!?

What had she done to deserve being hunted by her own family. A family who still considered Rapport's Law to be in the right, but not taken far enough? And how it should still be in effect even though she knew that MACUSA had long ago dropped it. But due to their beliefs, she was now on the run due to being a Squib.

Because if they caught her, they were going to wipe her memories away and leave her in some orphange. Her entire life, just gone and possibly not even knowing her own name! All due to not having magic...

Even as tears blurred her vision, tears that she had thought gone due to being cried out, Kat continued to run. Maybe it was because of those tears. Or it could have been due to her exhaustion as every time she had tried to rest, her family appeared to try and grab her. But Kat's eyes missed the root sticking out of the ground and she fell down a hill. At the bottom, she whacked her head, though the last thing that she knew before blackness overtook her was the sound of someone gasping in shock.

Awakening with a soft groan, Kat realized that hours had gone by and it was now well into the evening. Somewhere nearby, she could hear the crackling of a fire. The other thing that her mind noted as it became more aware was that she was in a sleeping bag and her head was bandaged. It was not just her head either as the other visible parts of her body had been cleaned and dressed. Part of her relaxed as she realized that her clothes were still on.

However, she also realized that her wounds hurt less then they should unless...

Gasping, Kat sat up only to wince as the world swirled around her. One hand against her head, she took a deep breath only to stop as a hand placed itself on her shoulder and an accented voice spoke. "Hey, um... just relax a bit. You took a rather big tumble after all..."

When she turned, the nearly twelve year old felt herself blushing at the sight of a rather handsome man. Internally, she noted that he was Asian with a rather lean build. Having gotten to the age where she became interested in the opposite sex after growing up inside her family's household as a sort of secret shame, Kat could only swallow. "Hi...?"

The man scratched his cheek a bit with a shy smile. "Er, hello? I'm Tsuk... I mean, Arutemisu Tsukino." Cheeks flushed, the twenty year old rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, still getting used to how names are said here in America."

Something about the shy way he was acting made Kat internally squee. Instead of taking away from his looks, it only made him cuter somehow. But then she realized that he was waiting and took a deep breath. "I'm Katherine..." Remembering why she was running, she glanced around. "Um, just Katherine."

Unnoticed by her, Arutemisu's eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion, but then they went back to normal. "Well, Katherine-San. I'm pleased to meet you." Bowing slightly to her confusion, he was about to continue when her stomach growled. "Um, are you h-hungry?"

Chewing her lip, Katherine looked down. "A little bit, I think..."

Only nodding, Arutemisu got up and walked over to a bag there before digging around. Pulling out a can along with a can opener and spoon, he quickly removed the lid and handed it over. "I'm sorry, but I don't really have much normal camping food on me. But here's some fruit salad."

Mouth already watering, Kat dug in quickly. Yes, it may have been fruit salad, but it tasted absolutely divine at that moment. 'Oh God, this is so good!'

Just watching as she devoured the food like a hungry wolf, Arutemisu could only look on with wide eyes. Then he frowned and tilted his head a bit as he considered things. 'I can't it, would be impolite. B-but... she seemed to be running and... she looks so hungry...' Coming to a decision, the Inaba took a deep breath. "U-um, Katherine-San? When was the last time you ate?"

Still eating, Katherine shrugged a bit with her mouth working before her brain caught up past the fact that she finally had some food. "Not for three, four days..." Realizing what she just said, she winced. "I..."

Gently, Arutemisu placed a hand on her shoulder. "Katherine-San? Are you in some sort of trouble? I, um... maybe we can get you some help? O-or something..."

About to answer, Katherine stiffened as there were pops and three men appeared. Catching sight of her, one of them groaned. "Dammit! She ran across a No-Maj!"

Drawing into herself, Kat whimpered. "Uncle..."

That just got her a scowl as the man whipped out his wand. "I ain't no uncle of yours, No-Maj! You got no magic!"

Pieces falling into place, Arutemisu stood a bit. "Um, may I ask what some wizards wish with Katherine-San? It sounds like you know each other."

One of the younger men gave him a once over. "Wait, you know about magic. The hell?"

Eyes going from one to the other, Arutemisu moved until he was between Katherine and the three. "Yes, I'm from Japan and came to the United States on a spiritual journey of sorts. My whole family is magical."

Frowning, Kat's uncle snorted. "Sorry, didn't see your wand there. You must be one of those wierd Japanese wizards who don't use them. As to her, she's a disappointment due to not being born with magic. And as she's a No-Maj, she needs to be obliviated."

If anything, Arutemisu's trembling ceased. "I'm afraid that I don't understand, there's no such law that I am aware of regarding those born to magical families without magic themselves."

Annoyed, the older man snorted. "Rappaport's Law! You know, any No-Maj must be obliviated and no relationships of any sort are allowed."

His eyes narrowing, Arutemisu frowned. "That law is no longer on the books."

The youngest of the three, who Kat recognized as her cousin who had just graduated from Illivermony, whipped out his wand. "It damned well should be! Now, stand aside, Oblivia-"

Before he could get much further, Arutemisu made a motion with his hands and the campfire flared high and bright into the night. All three wizards backed up in shock before with another motion, the fire died to nothing leaving everyone blinking spots.

Everyone, that is, except for Arutemisu.

Rapidly, he grabbed his backpack and then scooped up Kat still in his sleeping back before leaping nearly fifteen feet and then leaping again while spells were shot in various directions. By the time Kat managed to blink away the spots, Arutemisu was racing through the trees while there were shouts behind them. Chewing his lip as he dodged another spell, the Inaba looked down at the girl in his arms. At her frightened look, he gave her a weak smile. "Um, I don't think that they're... nice?"

Crying, Kat shook her head. "You think?" Then seeing him winced, she sniffled and buried her face in his neck. "Sorry..."

However, he just shook his head even as he felt his cheeks heat. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Katherine-San. Just..." Glancing behind him, he shook his head and then frowned as he noticed a ravine ahead. With a deep breath, Arutemisu shook his head. "Just hold on..."

With that, he sped up until he reached the edge of the ravine and then leapt across the nearly forty feet with ease. Hitting the ground, Arutemisu sped into the trees on the other side. Eventually, they did lose their pursuers and the Inaba reached his rental in a parking lot. Taking a breather, Arutemisu greedily sucked in air before looking her over. "So, um, they're after you?"

Finally having gotten out of the sleeping bag, Kat nodded. "Yes... I never got my letter for school which means that I have no magic. I'm a Squib and that means that I'm just another No-Maj and to my families..." Wiping away some tears furiously, she sniffled. "That means that I need to be Obliviated of all knowledge of magic."

Mouth working, no sound came from the Inaba's mouth for almost a minute. "Wait, but... You've lived all your life up to this point around magic. So wouldn't that mean..." When she nodded, he felt his shoulders slump. "Oh..."

Sobbing, Kat shook her head. "I don't want... I just want... why? Why me..."

It was not long until Arutemisu gathered her into a hug. "Um, l-look, do you have anywhere to..." Seeing her shake her head as she sobbed into his chest, he chewed his lip. The young girl in front of him was being hunted for what she was. For something that she had never done or had a choice in. Having heard all the stories from his parents, it hit rather close to home for Arutemisu.

But then he remembered something that his parents told him. "I... don't know what I can do. However... my parents might. I mean, we've taken in people in danger before and... it's just that they're in Japan."

Lost, Kat looked up at him. "J-Japan? They might not look for me there, but... but how would we get there? Don't I need one of those passport thingies?"

Arutemisu shook his head some. "Just leave that up to me." Part of him wondered what his parents would think. The shy, Inaba being so... decisive. Shaking his head, he looked her over. "But the big question is how do they keep finding you?" With a frown, he performed a quick scan and then winced. "Your clothes... they got tracking charms."

Horrified, Katherine looked at herself. "Oh no... what am I going to do now?! These are the only things that I got!"

Chewing his lip, the Yokai looked at his car. "I... got some clothes that you can wear for now? Until I find something. But maybe this could be a good thing if we work this right.."

One hour later found them heading down one interstate. Meanwhile, Kat's old clothes were bundled away in a tractor trailer heading eastward. Two days later, while stopped at a motel near to the Canadian border, they read about how her relatives had appeared in the middle of a busy truck stop and had been arrested by annoyed MACUSA Aurors for breaking the Statute.

Six hours later marked the beginning of Blood Week and it left MACUSA in chaos and her relatives unable to continue their hunt for her.

To Kat, that time spent with Arutemisu was the only thing that kept her going. Stuff like him grabbing a hotel room, only to sleep on the couch so that she could have the bed. Or him buying her new clothing so that she could relax. Her first shower was long and hot to get the dirt and grime from her escape off. Upon getting dressed, she walked out only to blink as Arutemisu was there with food waiting and a sheepish grin. "Um, I thought that you might want something..." Looking at the television screen which showed video of the disaster unfolding around the world, he grimaced before turning it off. 'Might be some time before we can get something like this again.

It was not for another month before he managed to return to Japan. Much to Kat's surprise, as soon as Arutemisu's mother had been told the whole story, she had pulled her into a hug. "You poor dear, no one should have to go through that, no one. You can stay here for as long as you want, we'll protect you." Smiling down at her, Arutemisu's mother stroked Kat's head. "You're safe now." Finally, the dam burst and Kat had wept in pure relief. She was safe, her memories and self were finally safe...

 

[darthcourt10]

KiMaSa

I put this up over on SV about a week ago and thought I would see how it played here. This is an Abyssal a little different from both the mad dog evil abyssals of stereotype and the intelligent ones that of course have decided that allying with humans or seeking peace with them was the way to go. Some enemies are intelligent but have a set of convictions which make peace a distant prospect at best.



Blood Legacy

Amsterdam Island, Southern Indian Ocean

There were few places more remote and isolated as this, East Indian War Princess mused. Still, it suited her needs. The island had a subtropical climate with a yearly mean temperature of 14.2 degrees centigrade, (57.6 degrees Fahrenheit). It rained as often as not but while hardly a paradise, the active volcanic island was neither frozen waste nor sunbaked hell.

It also isn't a burnt radioactive cinder, the Princess thought wryly as she gazed north towards where Diego Garcia had been set ablaze in nuclear fire. Like every other being on earth, East Indian War Princess fervently hoped her mother had died a most complete and agonizing death. While humans might have grimly congratulated themselves and comforted themselves with the thought of Subcontinental Princess's demise, her daughter was not so optimistic. Indian War Princess had not been the strongest, nor the weakest of her sisters. Both of these sins had been reason enough for her mother to kill one of her sisters. Subcontinental Princess having the weakest of her daughters impaled, a lesson in the brutal calculus that tolerated no weakness. EIWP had personally thought it unnecessary and wasteful but it was grimly accepted that strength was vital to survival.

What had happened to her older sister had been far more shocking. Her sister had been quick to demonstrate her battle prowess and had earned the admiration of their kind. Perhaps too much, for their mother had commanded all her subjects to attend what she called 'An Honor' of her daughter. Before the eyes of all she commanded her eldest to kneel before her and when her loyal, loving daughter knelt in obedience, their mother had smiled upon her and then proceeded to crush her daughter's skull with her bare hands. EIWP still remembered the look of shock and pain on her sister's face before their mother tossed her daughter's dying body down the steps leading to her throne. None, not even she dared go to her sister's aid, lest they should draw their ruler's wrath.

All joy in their ranks had died that day. There was fear and obedience but no loyalty and so it was when the human world finally beheld the ghastly queen, beheld her terrible throne and the monster that sat upon it, drinking wine from a vessel crafted from a skull, that not one Abyssal remained with their hated mother as the nukes came in.

Many had heard her maniacal laughter as the first warhead detonated, a chilling sound that haunted their nightmares. Everyone prayed to whatever powers existed in the universe that she had died hard but few believed it.

And so East Indian War Princess and her remaining sisters had agreed to divide their mother's territory and go their separate ways. Her territory consisted mainly of the Eastern Indian Ocean as far North as the Nicobar Islands. At least in theory, it did. There were always rogues trying to carve out independent territories and competing Princesses incurring into each other's territory. Newcomers were directly confronted but unless the territory they claimed was particularly valuable, allowed to remain as long as they agreed to obey her summons to war when called upon and in return, she promised them assistance if they were attacked. Those that refused to accept these simple conditions were ruthlessly destroyed.

In regards to humans in her territory, East Indian War Princess took a pragmatic approach unlike her mother, who had relished in the slaughter of entire populations and other Abyssals who saw humanity as a blight to be expunged from the earth. She saw humans as a resource. They provided food and labor and as long as they obeyed, she was content to be a benevolent overlord. In truth, she found humans tolerable in general and some even delightful but as a species, they were utterly mad and preprogrammed to self-destruction, as insane as her mother had been. The nuclear attack on Diego Garcia had been a testimony to their shared madness. Humanity needed to be humbled and guided with a firm but fair hand. She would not hesitate to destroy a village in disobedience if she thought necessary but she forbade indiscriminate slaughter. She was well aware that her approach made her a puzzle to the humans and their shipgirl allies to solve rather than a threat so horrible they would seize upon the weapons of their collective terror in an attempt to kill her. This was useful. It gave her time to build and plan while they dealt with more immediate threats.

Turning West, she looked to where her sister had total suzerainty over the entire Arabian Sea. The Persian Gulf was her playground. The wealthiest Princes trembled at her glory all the while she raided their riches. Another sister ruled the waters from Pakistan to Myanmar, never pushing the humans as hard as she might because she was continually watching over her shoulder, believing that Subcontinental Princess might return at any time.

Turning back to her waiting escort, EIWP left her contemplation behind. She had appointments to keep, today a new school for some of her human subjects to be dedicated in her honor.

War is a thing of the mind as much as the body. I will not lose.

 

[darthcourt10]

NotHimAgain

I'm trying my hand at "Establishing Character Moments." I think, at least. Tatsuya, who does not need to be established, gets a moment of rather mundane horror instead.
-----

Jeffrey DuBois's house was not a mansion, but it was big enough that, when his elementary school friends came over to play, they never realized the difference. Growing up in such a house, one memorized the twists and turns, the rooms and where they lead. Once, he had asked if his ancestors had been slaves for whatever Louisiana white guy had owned the house before them. His mother laughed and said no, his great-grandparents had built it themselves.

It made sense, considering that the DuBois family was in the business of killing whatever mystical beast rose out of the bayous this week or that and got a little too uppity. Those who took up the family job needed a decent base of operations, after all.

It was definitely not the reason that the nineteen-year-old high school graduate was standing in front of a mirror and posing.

"Hmm, let's see," he said, tapping his finger to his chin. "How about… 'Well howdee-doo, everybody!'" He shoved his hands in his pockets and slouched in an approximation of what an old-west gunslinger ought to have looked like. "'Lookit all th' varmints in…'" He trailed off, trying to recapture his train of thought. "Varmints… no. That's stupid. The whole train of thought. Maybe I should go for some kind of Arsene Lupin—"

"Jeff!" The door slammed open and Samantha skidded into the room. "Jeff! Bad news! One of Mom's old business associates is coming over for dinner!"

"Are they bringing a daughter?" Jeffrey asked immediately.

"Yep! Mom was going on about how she's eighteen and oh-so-sweet! And Hispanic, but I'm not really sure what that had to do with anything," Samantha rattled off. Jeffrey nodded.

"That is bad--pretty girl, not the other stuff. Quick, help me with the window."
-----

Gillian "Gil" McKay stared into the covered bridge. She looked to her left, then to her right. Then she set her shoulders and walked forward.

Mother—what she remembered of her—had loved covered bridges. She couldn't quite recall why, though—something about the atmosphere? She probably wouldn't have liked this bridge much, though. Besides the rumors that she had chased down, the atmosphere in this one had a solemn, graveyard feeling to it. A bit more chilling that trolls. Gil resolved to do a bit more research into the background of the structure. For now, though, something unfriendly was breathing down the back of her neck.

"'Ello, poppet," a deep, low voice rumbled through the enclosure. Gil immediately spun, sword in hand, slashing at the air behind her.

"Poppet?" she shouted, "mah ancient enemy? Where?"

One minute, fifteen seconds later, the troll bridge was down one crucial troll and Gil was wiping the blood from her weapon. Not as easy as his larger, stupider cousins, but definitely easier than All-The-Lannisters-At-The-Same-Time. She wouldn't be making it to school today—a bit out of her way—but that would leave time for the Pooka case that she was trying to track down. There was work to do, and she needed to get to it.
-----

Two of Tatsuya's family of four were missing from the breakfast table, and yet it was more lively than usual. Despite Mr. Haneda being called away on a sudden business trip (a welcome step back into the real world) and Mamiya being off on Yae business, the table had one more place filled than usual. There was the usual guest, Benio. Next to her sat Reiko, the jorogumo regaling them with tales of how she had basically been abducted into becoming a Miko. Across from her sat Miyuki. The destroyer girl ate energetically, and at intervals of every minute or so would look around the house, as if daring any monsters to come out of hiding. And opposite Tatsuya was Tonbo, the wakizashi-spirit eating slowly and deliberately—and asking his mom for a fourth serving. At Tatsuya's questioning glance, she gave him a lazy smile that he had quickly come to learn that she was thinking something devious and returned her attention to her food.

Tatsuya returned to picking at his own food. It was a Sunday, and there wasn't any school, which meant that he had plenty of time to stress out about whoever the mysterious individual that had cursed his family was. He was doubtful that anyone Fae was involved—it didn't match up to the sorts of curses they laid on those who earned their ire.

"Tatsuya?" Benio asked, leaning over his shoulder. "Is everything alright? You aren't really eating." That set the girls aflutter anew. Benio and Reiko immediately leaned over themselves to see if it was true (through Reiko shrunk back slightly, guilt in her eyes a moment later). Tatsuya raised a hand to wave off their concerns—honestly, the dining room felt like a gag manga at the moment—and paused.

He pointed to Benio. His childhood friend and ally, the closest person in the world to his heart.

Reiko next. A former enemy, after her defeat she had devoted herself romantically whether or not he was interested in her.

He turned to Miyuki. A member of the army who had appointed herself a bodyguard/helper of sorts while vehemently denying any reason other than "I was worried" for it.

Finally, Tonbo. A family retainer, who took delight in messing with everyone's heads. If flirting could make him uncomfortable around her, he had little doubt that she'd try it.

"Wait a second."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

"Kat-Chan?"

Blinking, Kat snapped out of her thoughts of the past. "Hmm?" Spotting Arutemisu looking at her as he woke up, she chuckled. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

However, he only shook his head while yawning. "No, not at all." Looking at the iced coffee she held, Arutemisu raised an eyebrow. "Is that for me?"

Just opening the door, Kat smiled as she passed him the drink and got in with her. "Of course! I know better then to get myself one without getting one for you."

Lips twitching, the Inaba let out another yawn before nodding. "I suppose so." Taking it, he took a sip before sighing. "And thank you, for both the drink and letting me sleep on the drive."

Winking, Kat giggled as her next words brought a blush to her husband's cheeks. "Well, you did need some more rest after last night~"

Only facepalming, Arutemisu groaned. "Oh come on..." Then he smirked at her. "Besides, that was mostly you."

If he had expected to embarrass her, he did not get that as she smirked. "That is true enough."

Pinching his nose, Arutemisu could only shake his head. 'I really cannot win, can I?' But then he smiled as he watched his wife of three years drink. The Inaba's gaze took in it all from her somewhat tanned, though fair, skin and freckles that dotted her face and the rest of her body, the deep brown eyes, to the somewhat muscular and busty build. One that Arutemisu knew for a fact was at least a head taller then his own height. All of it, along with her personality, screamed "Foreigner" to anyone who met her. Even after just about ten years in Japan, she had yet to lose it.

And he loved her for it.

Musing silently in his head, Arutemisu could only hum. It was odd, but she completed him in many ways. Where he was shy, she was forward, where he was nervous, she was brash. Opposites enough that people wondered how they had stayed together. But to Arutemisu, he could not imagine himself having anyone but Kat as they balanced each other. Pulling his straw away from his mouth, he glanced at her. "So what were you thinking about so hard?"

Expression falling some, Kat sighed as she looked off into the distance. "The past." Glancing at him, she frowned. "Back when we first met."

That also brought a frown to his face. "Oh."

Running a hand through her hair, she nodded. "Yeah, oh." With a shake of her head, she continued. "I was going back over that, how nice you were to me. A little lost girl trying to escape from her awful family, only to be saved by a knight in shining armor."

A small blush on his face, Arutemisu scratched his cheek. "Well, um... I don't know about that. Me? A knight in shining armor?"

Only chuckling, Kat leaned over and kissed him before pulling back. "Yes, you. And yes, a knight in shining armor." Waving a hand, she grinned. "A prince from a foreign land, who was in the area and rescued her. Whisking the poor girl away to safety where he lived, away from her wicked family." Expression softening, the Expat sighed. "Or that was how it felt like back then, and still does to some extent. Even then I knew how much you were risking by helping me get away. Especially when I found out that you were a Yokai, not a human."

In response to that, Arutemisu gave a small shrug. "It was the right thing to do. And I will always stand by that fact, no matter what some might think."

Lips twitching, Kat leaned against her fist. "I was also remembering when we arrived at your family compound. And I met your mother for the first time after she heard my story."

Softly snickering, her husband grinned some. "Yeah, that was... an unforgettable meeting."

Kat rolled her eyes some before her tone became dry. "Oh yes, unforgettable. Being pulled into a hug and my face shoved into those tits of hers was certainly that. Also rather hard to breath."

That got her a snort. "Well, that is Okaa-San in a nutshell as I think you might put it. When it comes to caring for others, she is very open."

Her finger on her other hand touching her wedding ring, Kat nodded. "She certainly is that. I still wonder to this day why? Why did she accept me so readily."

Reaching over, Arutemisu grasped her hand and gave it a small squeeze. "Because you needed it. She was like me, seeing someone who did not deserve any of what she had gotten from her own flesh and blood. And so, opened her arms, her heart, and her home to the person."

Lightly laughing, though there was a bit of a sob there, Kat shook her head. "Yeah, Miyu is like that. And so are you, Arutemisu." Eyes closing, she hung her head and swallowed. "She's become more of a mother to me then my biological one ever was. Or at least that I could remember her being considering. As far as I am concerned, Miyu is my mother unlike the woman who carried me to term... and then decided with the rest to toss me away after destroying me." Opening her eyes, the American looked at her husband and he could see some tears there, unshed. "She took me in, Arutemisu. And your family did as well, without need except that they felt for me."

Giving her hand another squeeze, the Inaba shook his head. "Because it was the right thing to do, Kat-Chan. Though..." Arutemisu's eyes twinkled some as he tried to lift her spirits. "There was some adjustment there for you."

After a few moments, Kat laughed. "I suppose that is one way to put it. Heh, I remember your older sisters as well as Miyu grabbing me and pulling me off to the bath. That was mortifying at the time, but damn, did I need it. But they've still helped me..."

When she trailed off and laughed harder, Arutemisu tilted his head some. "What's so funny?"

Looking at him, Kat grinned. "I just remembered another time your mother helped me. You know that she knew that I had the biggest crush on you, right? For years, even?"

A flush on his cheeks, Arutemisu nodded. "Of course. She found it amusing I think that I kept convincing myself otherwise..." He then chewed his lip. "Though I could have done without her making a big deal of it when we got together. I did not need her to go 'So you finally see what was in front of you all these years, Arutemisu!' right in front of my Nee-Sans and Imouto."

Giggles escaping her, with her mood lifting, Kat's eyes sparkled. "She did as a matter of fact." Her giggles dying off into a sigh, the Squib tapped one finger on the steering wheel before picking up her drink and taking a sip. "I remember when I went to her to confess because I didn't know what to do. All she did was smile and take me aside to talk, and also she approved of me."

Theatrically sighing, Arutemisu shook his head. "Of course she did, she always did think that I was too shy. And also that I needed someone like you turned out to be in my life. Not that she was wrong, but..."

Unable to help herself, the American laughed again. "True enough, though not shy everywhere." Grinning, she continued. "Of course, she told me that I should drop hints until I was of age to fully pursue you. Though I think that even she was getting somewhat exasperated by how you ignored my flirts, though we both giggled whenever you blushed."

In the present, Arutemisu blushed at the reminder. "What was I supposed to think? I thought that you were being fun or taking cues from my Nee-sans. Besides..." He paused for a moment. "Considering how beautiful a woman you were growing into? I was sure that there was no chance of that."

Now it was Kat's turn to blush though she smiled. "There was every chance, you big silly old hare. But that just gave it time to grow from a crush into something... more." Softly smiling, she looked out. "However, that was not what I meant when I said that she helped me."

Confused, her husband tilted his head. "Okay...?"

Knowing what his response would be, she smirked. "Who do you think helped me get the lingerie that was the only thing that I was wearing when I kicked down your door after my birthday and I was finally of age? So that I could show you that I was a woman and to finally pound into your head that I was in love with you."

Eyes glazed a bit at the memory of his wife when she had kicked down the door back then, declaring that she had enough and she was going to finally show him she was a woman and her feelings, Arutemisu stared ahead. "Ah..." Then the rest filtered in and he snapped out of it. "Wait, Okaa-San helped you pick that out!?"

Eyebrow raised, Kat crossed her arms under her chest. "As a matter of fact, yes. Where do you think that we disappeared to after my party? The party at which I asked you to give me a kiss and you thought it was some odd American custom? At that point, I had enough, dammit. And she knew it."

Pinching his nose, Arutemisu groaned. "How many times must I say sorry for that? I mean, you came up and asked for me to give you a birthday kiss on the lips! And my Okaa-San and Nee-Sans were all watching with grins and giggles... and so was little Usagi-Chan! I actually thought that you might be showing me that, but I was so shy I convinced myself that it had to be some American thing!"

Voice dry with her face blank, the expat stared at him. "It was the first, not some American thing." Then Kat shrugged and snorted. "Then after I was complaining, she stated that she knew of one way to convince you. And so we went out to make damn sure that it would finally get through your head. You certainly got it through that head of yours the next day." Seeing his eyes glaze as he nodded, she snickered. "And it was memorable."

Once more shaking it off, Arutemisu took a deep breath. "It was that, that was for sure. As to Okaa-San helping you there..." Sighing, he placed his head on the dashboard. "I am not surprised in the slightest. That just like her."

All Kat did was shrug a bit. "Say what you will though, she has good taste. And it did get my point across..." Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, she smirked. "I think that I still have that pair actually and it was charmed to keep fitting..." When he once more took on a dazed expression, she giggled. "I swear, I half expect for you to get a nosebleed. Even after all this time."

With a small huff, Arutemisu gave her a playful look. "This isn't anime, Kat-Chan. Besides, you're a fine one to talk considering what happened on our wedding night when I took you to bed the first time." Now it was Kat's turn to become dazed and with a silly grin on her face. "And you still get like that."

Shrugging, Kat shook it off and grinned. "Yes, and? I am loving it each time." Her expression then softened. "After all, I am with my Prince of Hares now."

Both of them sharing a look, they finished off their iced coffees and continued on while chatting about things. After all, they had an appointment to keep.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Turning off the main road, Kat brought the truck onto one of the side roads. It did not take them long to reach their destination, which was a gatehouse with concrete walls an area behind it with barbed wire. Putting the truck into park, she waited as a JGSDF soldier walked up and nodded to them. "Good morning, may I ask your business?"

In the passenger seat, Arutemisu pulled some papers that he held out. "We're here on some official business actually."

With an eyebrow raised, the soldier looked at them both and then at the paperwork which was soon joined by their photo identification. Frowning, he gave a shake of his head. "Understood, but if you would both wait while we confirm?" When the couple nodded, he nodded. "Thank you, we won't be long."

Leaning back as she watched him head back to the gatehouse, Kat looked at their surroundings with a hum. "I have to admit, I'm sort of impressed. From what I read, these places were all built within a few weeks, right?"

Nose twitching a bit, Arutemisu also looked around. He could see a patrol not far off though which made him nervously twitch. "Yes, they built them up within a short time. Not that you would be able to tell."

Moments later, Kat reached over and grasped his hand. "Relax, Arutemisu. There's nothing to be afraid of here and I'm right beside you." Kissing him, she pulled back in time to hear a cough and turned to find the amused soldier. Ignoring the blush on her husband's face, she smirked. "So our paperwork checked out then?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the gate opening as the soldier smiled at her. "It did, Ma'am. You both can go right on through."

Giving a salute, he stepped back with Kat returning it the best that she could alongside Arutemisu. Then the two were heading through the gate and pulled into a parking lot which made the American sigh at seeing two familiar vehicles there. "Well, you better get ready, Arutemisu. We're the last ones here."

Also spotting the vehicles, he groaned. "Oh for..." With a sigh, he unbuckled his seatbelt and shook his head. "You're right, we might as well face the music."

Upon getting out, the two saw two Priestesses walking towards them. Said Priestesses had grins on their faces and a resemblance to Arutemisu. Enough so that one could easily tell that they were closely related. Once they got close enough, one of them twittered. "My, oh my~ And here I was expecting it to be a bit longer considering your habits."

While her husband blushed at the teasing, Kat smirked at her. "What? Jealous of your Otouto, Sereniti? Granted, considering things I don't blame you..." Mock thinking, she hummed. "When was your last boyfriend? I mean, Miyu has been wondering..."

As her sister's cheeks pinkened, the younger of the two Priestesses giggled. "Too long I think, or at least that is what Okaa-San thinks. Won't stop bothering her to follow Arutemisu-Kun's lead and settle down with someone." Then she shot her older sister a smirk. "Not that I have any issue there."

Grimacing, Sereniti ran a hand down her face. "Yes, as you spent the last hour telling me all about it. Honestly, I do not need to know what you do with your kitsune boyfriend. Especially not that, Runa."

Still smirking, the now identified Runa raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you do as you still have not settled down yet. Might give you some ideas..." Jerking her thumb at her brother, she continued. "Granted, those two certainly don't. Surprised that they're out of bed before noon."

Kat merely shrugged. "Trust me, we considered it. But... this was more important and we can catch up later on that to be honest."

Face in his hands, Arutemisu groaned. "Can we please move onto other matters?"

Tilting her head to the side, Kat smirked. "Other matters? Such as how odd it is that your older sister is a hare dating a kitsune? I mean, considering they normally eat hares, though in this case-"

Just reaching over, Arutemisu glanced at his blushing sisters while clapping a hand on his smirking wife's mouth. "Not that, Kat-Chan. Let's... move to something else."

Only nodding as she got her blush under control, Sereniti gave a hum. "Such as when you're both going to make Okaa-San an Obaa-San."

However, both were surprised when Arutemisu gave them a shy smile though he was still blushing. "Well, it might not be too much longer as we have an possible opening for a Shrine. Once we settle down there, if it happens, then we'll see."

When they glanced at Kat, the American grinned and placed one arm over Arutemisu's shoulders after pulling his hand off her mouth. "Yup! We might be able to finally start on a family if Usagi's idea works out."

Needless to say, both her sisters in law gave each other intrigued looks. Then Runa turns back to them and smiles. "Usagi-Chan came up with an idea for you? Well, I'm looking forward to seeing it." Her expression softened some as she walked over and hugged Kat. "After all, you're family and I know that you want to start your own."

Hugging her back, Kat nodded. "Thanks, you're the big sister that I had never had, you and Sereniti." After a few moments, she pulled back and looked around. "So... we're heading to that island, right? And our boat's here?"

Simply humming, Sereniti shrugged as she looked around. "One of these anyways. Not sure which one though..." Then she spotted a man nearby and recognized him before waving as she shouted. "Ah! Lieutenant Harada! There you are!"

Runa looked him over and gave her a small smirk. "My, my, rather familiar with him. Though I will admit that he is a rather nice looking man. Do you know him from somewhere?"

In return, Sereniti rolled her eyes and snarked back. "Yes, he's our contact for this." As he reached them, she bowed alongside her sister, brother, and Kat. "Lieutenant, it is good to see you."

Chuckling, he bowed back and nodded. "And it is good to see you as well, Tsukino-San. While I am still..." Briefly, he paused and shrugged. "While I am still not quite used to the idea that the old stories are true, I do hope that we can work together."

Lips twitching, Sereniti gave him a small nod herself. "As do I, Lieutenant." Her expression then became serious as she looked in the direction of the island. "Especially in a case like this considering the subject matter. Hopefully we can cleanse this place of the taint that covers it."

Expression also grave, Harada sighed. "Hopefully, from what little that I have seen there I am of the belief that perhaps we should just wipe the island from existence. Being on the island is... not something that I want to do very much, I'm afraid. One can almost feel the darkness on the very air around it like a miasma." Shaking it off, he took a deep breath and gave a thin smile. "But perhaps we should leave such matters for a little bit. For now, if you'll follow me..."

As they followed, Kat was looking around at the small naval station. It looked like a civilian marina for the most part. But instead of sailboats and yachts tied up, military boats were at the docks. Near a boat ramp, the American expat could see various RHIBs on trailers, some with machine guns. In the water were steel hulled high speed boats used for patrols. What caught her attention though was the steel hulled boat that they were coming up on. It was slightly bigger then the others, but it had a large, two turret gun on the bow which looked slightly odd. "What is that?"

Following her gaze, Harada gave a chuckle. "That would be the boat that we're taking. It's a coastal combat vessel that the JMSDF is testing." At the looks, the Lieutenant shook his head. "The guns you see on the bow are 120 mm mortars."

Her eyebrow raising, Runa looked at him. "Really? Why mortars though?"

Just looking at her, Harada grinned. "Well, because they fit. It's a Swedish design and both the JMSDF and the US Marines are looking at it." Gesturing with his head, he continued. "The war may have stalled for now, but one day we'll have to take back the various islands as shown by Iwo Jima and Chichijima. These could be used for naval gunfire support for troops being landed."

Sereniti frowned a little in thought. "But wouldn't that attract attention?"

If anything, Harada's grin widened some. "You would think so. But the cover story is that we're going to be testing her on the Inland Sea, which isn't a lie. And you can all be inside the hull and out of sight unlike with a smaller boat."

Rubbing her hands, Kat grinned at the thought of going fast across the waves. "Can't wait!"

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Feeling as the boat pulled away from the dock, the three Inaba all looked up from their conversation. Meanwhile, Kat stretched some with a sigh. "Finally! I was wondering when we were going to head out."

With a glance at her, one of the sailors frowned before turning to look at the three hare Yokai. Yokai who let out their features such as long ears and noses with pink ends that twitched. Granted, at least part of that was due to two of them being literal "Bunny Girls" in Miko outfits. Something that made some of the sailors shift uncomfortably.

And made the two female Inaba amused to no end.

The frowning sailor on the other end looked like he was trying to puzzle something out. One eye closed, Runa gave him a chuckle. "If you want to know something, you only need to ask. We don't mind answering questions."
Jumping a bit, the sailor flushed at being caught before shaking it off. "It's just..." With a deep breath, he continued. "Sereniti? Runa? Arutemisu? It's almost like..."

Only sighing, the only male among the Inaba shook his head. "Our father is a fan of Sailor Moon. Combined with how our family name we took is 'Tsukino'... Well, you can see what happened. And before you ask, we have an Imouto named 'Usagi' elsewhere."

More then one wince occurred at that as another sailor spoke up. "Otaku?" When the three nodded, he gave them a sympathetic look. "Our condolences."

If anything, that seemed to amuse the two female Inaba while Arutemisu scratched one cheek in embarrassment. The sailor who had been wondering only furrowed his eyebrows. "Just one question, but your human disguises? Is that how old you are...?"

Sereniti sighed at that and nodded. "Yes, I was born in 1977, Runa was born in 1979, and Arutemisu was born in 1984. We're still young as far as Yokai and Inaba go." Seeing the confusion, she laughed. "Go on, ask the next question on your minds. We already know it."

Coughing, the female sailor raised a hand. "Wait...how could he name you after Sailor Moon characters? Even Arutemisu-San was born six years at least before it came out." At the looks, the female sailor flushed. "It was my older sister's favourite, okay?"

When they turned their attention back to the Inaba, all three were quiet and serious. For her part, Kat was holding Arutemisu's hand before she turned to the sailors. "That is... not something that really gets talked about."

Voice soft, Runa spoke up. "Our Otou-San once had a close friend. Said friend was a human Onmyouji who was forced to join a certain group both because of her intelligence and her family during the war." At the breathe sucked in, she nodded. "Yes, it was Sub-Unit-942. Not that she was involved in the real nasty shit. Rather, she was part of what was known as Kudan."

Intrigued, Harada spoke up from where he had been sitting and listening. "Kudan? As in the Yokai who could tell the future?"

Arutemisu gave a small nod at that. "Hai, it was the portion attempting to divine the future or gather information from the future anyways in order to turn the war around. One method that they were using was based on something that Grindelwald was attempting using temporal magic. We managed to make it work from what Otou-San and Okaa-San stated. The idea was to pull items from the future into their present and use what could be learned to help the war effort. Issue was... it was random and never brought anything that really helped. Stuff came though like digital watches, CDs, once a Hilux according to her notes. Just before the war ended, they got a box full of odd film reels encased in black boxes in a cardboard box with writing stating it was at least from 2000."

With a frown, Runa took over. "Hina-San, our father's friend, ran with it at the end of the war when they destroyed the rest of what they brought through. She didn't think that such things should be destroyed to prevent the Americans from getting a hold of them. Her fellow researchers were also being killed for much the same reason since they didn't want the Americans being able to use it themselves. From what Otou-San said, she showed up on the doorstep with notes and the box which she left when she disappeared three days later with a note stating that she was sorry."

There was a grimace on Sereniti's face as she shook her head. "Otou-San never saw her again and is still not sure if she is dead at the hands of either the Americans or Japanese who wanted to keep that knowledge from being used by their enemies." Shrugging, she continued. "Anyways, go forward to the late 1970s and Otou-San was wandering around one of the shopping areas of Tokyo when he spotted a VCR and realized that the film reels were VHS tapes. So he bought a VCR and, after using some divination determined their order, before sitting down to watch them."

Facepalming, the female sailor groaned. "And let me guess... they were Sailor Moon tapes?" When she got nods, she shook her head. "Dammit."

Weakly chuckling, Runa rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah, Otou-San fell in love with the series and that was how we got the names. It didn't help that the name we used was the same as one of the main characters. Most just think that he saw a Seer when choosing our names though." Her expression then turned pensive. "But considering where we're going, it's not something that we're going to hide."

Everyone lapsed into silence for several moments before one of the sailors coughed and looked towards Kat who had her arm over Arutemisu's shoulder. But his gaze was more to what was beside her. "So... you own a shotgun?"

Glancing at the gun in question, she nodded with a small grin. "Yeah, it's a modern day coach gun. The barrel is shorter which helps out a lot when in the woods or confined areas." A snort then escaped her. "It... was something that I came across when Arutemisu and I were in America during Blood Week, and saved our lives when I killed some Abyssal troops. Since then, it's gotten us out of some sticky messes hence why I'm bringing it."

His eyebrow raised, the sailor shook his head. "I can imagine." Before he could say much more, the boat began to speed up some. "Well, we're on our way then."

Kat looked towards where she could see the rooster tail form behind the boat and grinned. "Seems that way. And it is just as awesome as I imagined." That got her some laughs before they died off and she hummed. "How long until we reach the island?"

Leaning forward, Harada shook his head. "If we made a straight line? No more then fifteen minutes at full speed. But we're going to be making a number of turns and the like. That way, if anyone is watching, it will look like normal testing of watercraft. Especially if there's any magicals who are observing us."

Only shaking her head, Sereniti snorted. "Chances are that the Magical Diet has better things to do then watch a single boat. And officially our family is here as a repayment of a favor that does not exist." A grin then crossed her face. "Which makes me happy as this reminds me of all those spy movies."

That got her a snort from one of the sailors who shook his head. "That spook stuff is never as cool as it is in the movies. We're doing that right now and it is boring."

With her tone dry, the female sailor gave him a look. "Would you rather it be exciting with us all screaming? Because I know that I would take boring any day of the week."

Needless to say, that got her nods.

Fifty minutes later, they finally pulled up to the floating dock that had been emplaced on the island and Kat got off before her husband and his sisters. Looking around, she narrowed her eyes before turning at the hisses behind her. With a look over her shoulder, the American could see the narrowed eyes on Arutemisu's, Runa's, and Sereniti's faces. "That bad?"

Rubbing his arms, Arutemisu nodded. "You can feel the darkness in the air. It's seeped into the very stones and soil of the island, corrupting it." Gaze taking in more of the island, the Inaba frowned. "We should only be so thankful that the Abyssals did not land here as I am certain that they would have rapidly grown in power. As it is, this will be a lot tougher then we thought."

A frown on his face, Harada's expression became worried. "Are you going to be able to cleanse the island?"

That got him a grim smile from Sereniti. "We are of the line of the Hare of Inaba, who was companion to Amaterasu no Omikami herself. We will be able to cleanse this place of the taint and purify what is here. It won't be quick nor easy, but we'll be able to do so." Placing her hands into her sleeves, she gave a small nod. "But thank you just the same."

Harada only sighed. "I see, and you are very welcome. Now, if you'll follow me I'll take you to where we set up camp. None of us is staying in the actual complex for obvious reasons..."

With a nod, Kat and the others followed him towards where they could see a camp set up. All four knowing that this was going to take some time.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Head cocked to the side, Harry blinked as he looked down at the map in front of him before placing a finger on one spot. "Wait, right here? Seriously?"

Only nodding as he sipped his coffee, Tanaka hummed. "Yeah, that is exactly where it was. And it is also close enough to here that it works out perfectly for your idea." Tapping one finger against his arm, he frowned slightly. "Hmm, might be a bit of a walk though."

Much to his surprise though, the black haired boy shook his head. "Not that much of one actually. There's some ATVs around that I could borrow complete with some trailers. Those I'm able to drive after all."

Somewhat amused, Tanaka motioned with his mug. "That is true enough, I suppose."

Before he got much further though, Akebono and Kasumi walked into view with both looking around. Once they caught sight of Tanaka, they stomped over with the purple haired Destroyer growling. "There you are, you shitty Admiral! Do you know how long we've been looking for you!?"

Lips twitching, Tanaka looked skyward. "Maybe some time?" A smile on his lips, he raised an eyebrow. "So what seems to be the issue this time?"

Kasumi crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "You have paperwork to do and you're over here! Now, you might be busy, but that does not mean that you get to slack off! More the opposite!"

As both her and Akebono laid into the highly amused Captain, Harry took a moment to look them both over as it had been some time since he last saw either of the two. At the same time, he also compared them to his first memories. When he arrived in Yokosuka, newly adopted, he had met the two of them. While Akebono had looked like a fourteen year old, Kasumi looked closer to twelve.

Something that was no longer true.

Now, both the Ayanami Class Destroyer and the Asashio Class looked older. Granted, they aged slowly, but still aged with Akebono now looking like a girl sixteen, almost seventeen, years of age and blossoming into a young woman. Kasumi, meanwhile, looked closer to fifteen years old. Mentally, Harry compared it to the rates that he saw from Fubuki and the others. The "Mother of Destroyers" to quote one Fillipino Captain no longer looked the fourteen she did when first appeared. Rather, Fubuki looked right about to reach seventeen years of age. Same with Yuudachi and Mutsuki.

Filing those thoughts away, as well as what it meant that they were all aging so slowly, Harry tuned back into the lecture in time to see Akebono huff some before she glanced over. A small smile then bloomed on her face at seeing Harry. "Hey there, Harry-Chan, how are things on your end?"

Just shrugging, Harry smiled back at her and shook his head. "Not too bad, Akebono-Nee. Same old, same old, you know?" When she looked in the direction of the Abyssals, he snorted. "Like I said, this is my life now."

With a small sighing puff, Akebono rolled her eyes. "Of course it is."

Her lips twitching, Kasumi shook her head. "At least you're not bored." A shudder then went through her. "Or at least that is what I hope. You when bored is something to be frightened of."

Arms crossed, Harry gave her a look. "Ha. Ha. Very funny, Kasumi-Nee." Glancing at Tanaka, he hummed. "Hopefully you're being taken care of here."

Much to his surprise, both Destroyers smiled slightly and nodded with Akebono speaking up. "Tanaka-San might be a Shitty Admiral, but he's ours."

That, more then anything told the wizard their thoughts on the matter before a thought suddenly occurred to him. If Natsumi was there, she would have sworn that she saw a fox tail and pair of ears appear on Harry briefly. But then the moment passed and Harry looked at Akebono who felt a shiver go down her keel. "Oh! By the way, Akebono-Nee. I've been speaking with some people and I have some news for you."

Confused, and somewhat scared, Akebono frowned. "News? What sort of news?"

With a theatrical sigh, he shook his head. "Unfortunately, there is still no signs that you are going to be winning the betting pool. Hopefully it'll be within the range that you gave."

Jaw dropping, Akebono looked at Harry with a betrayed look. Meanwhile, Tanaka paused as he sensed a possible teasing opportunity. "A betting pool? What sort of betting pool?"

Harry then shrugged and shook his head. "The betting pool on whether or not, and when, Ushio-Nee might get together with Hoshikawa Umi-San. One of the bets is for Ushio-Nee to one day just snap and make out with her." Seeing Tanaka's eyebrows raise and choke a bit on his mug was worth the glare that Akebono was sending him. Even better was how the Captain was now giving Akebono a surprised look. 'Unfortunately, I never said which bet Akebono-Nee made. Oppsie~'

Sure, he had just made himself a target for Akebono at some later date. But it was worth it entirely, and then Kasumi slapped her fist into one hand. "Dammit! Hopefully my bet still goes through..." She then began twitching as she realized what she had seen in front of both Tanaka and Akebono. "Shit."

Internally, Harry was cackling at the chaos he had just unleashed.

Ten minutes later, and some dodging of a very annoyed tsundere, Harry stood in front of the various Abyssals. Clearing his throat, he grinned some. "Attention, please!" When they quietened down and focused on him, he continued. "I have need for some volunteers for a resource expedition!"

Rather amused, Sunny sipped her orange juice and raised one eyebrow. "An resource expedition, Uncle Harry? Where?"

Jerking his thumb, the nearly thirteen year old grinned. "Not far from here actually. I got an ATV with a trailer that we can use to get people there and back." Harry then looked at the form beside him. "I already asked Hoppou and she said sure."

Sure enough, Hoppou walked up beside him and gave a serious nod. "Big Brother told Hoppou all about his idea! And Hoppou thinks that it is a good idea!" Unknown to them, she continued it in her head. 'And Hoppou thinks that it would be a good idea to show Hoppou's children and grandchildren that Big Brother is a good leader.'

Each of the Abyssals looked at each other and soon raised their hands. In the end, Wona, Wonderous, Tsubasa, Sokie, Chiana, Yolanda, and Regalia (who was told that it was safe for her to come) among others joined him. Within five minutes, they were waving to the others as they set off with Harry driving the ATV. Just watching him from where she sat, Regalia tilted her head some. "You know how to drive, Uncle Harry?"

Keeping his eye on the road, Harry gave a small nod. "Yeah, I do. Miss Gale actually taught me how when I went with Mum to Washington State to visit once. According to her, she used to go off roading all the time before heading into the USN, so she taught me what she knew. Haven't had to use it too much."

A smile on her face as she leaned back in the small trailer the best that she could, Tsubasa shook her head. "So where are we going exactly, Uncle Harry? From the map you showed us, we'll be there soon enough."

Simply glancing out the side of his helmet at the other curious Abyssals such as Silver who had her avatar on her real body riding it, Harry hummed. "It's about five minutes away at the speed that we're moving at instead of the half hour. As for what we're doing? A bit of resource gathering... the fun kind."

Needless to say, the various Abyssals shared looks of confusion and befuddlement. But they did not need to wait long as Harry turned off the main road onto a smaller one. Coming to a stop, the black haired boy got off and placed his helmet on his seat before turning to Regalia who was getting out of the trailer. "Okay, Regalia? Could you hand out the baskets?"

Even though she was still not sure what was going on, Regalia reached into her holds and pulled out baskets which she handed out so that each Abyssal had one before giving Harry one. Part of her noted that Smolgina had hopped out of his pocket and ran into some nearby plants. "All done, Uncle Harry. What next?"

Before Harry got the chance to reply, Smolgina came running back with a red object nearly the same size as her. Holding it up, she blinked at the wizard. "Gina! Gina!"

With a chuckle, Harry grabbed a water bottle and took the berry. Rinsing it off, he handed it to the Smol. "Here you go, Smolgina. Hope that you enjoy."

Said Smol sat down before opening her mouth wide and taking a bite of the strawberry. Her eyes then widened with sparkles in them while berry juice was smeared around her lips. "GINA! GINA GINA GINA!"

As her tail also took a bite, Harry turned to the Abyssals who had wide eyes. "Anyways, this place used to be a berry farm. There's haskap and strawberries here growing, but the family who owned it left years ago, so anyone can come here to pick them. Hence why we're here because we can grab as much as we want. We can have some for dessert, but I can teach Nero how to make jams and preserves to take back with you."

Looking from the Smol, who was now patting her bulging stomach with the strawberry gone, Silver raised the hand of her avatar. "Um, Uncle Harry? Could we..."

Harry simply grinned and nodded. "You guys can eat some of what you pick. Just two things... one, wash them before you eat them. And second..." Looking around, he leaned towards them and stage whispered. "Don't tell Hoppou, okay?"

It went without saying that the Abyssals blinked and shared a look. Then their expression became one of glee and they soon walked into the berry patch, though Silver and the other Destroyers with avatars kept their real forms outside as to not squish the berries.

 

[darthcourt10]

Savato93

Finally worked this entry out in a manner that I'm satisfied with. I hope you guys are okay with it.

Burning Questions

XXXXXXXXXX

Regalia stared at the bonfire, deep in thought.

For much of the time she'd spent in Japan, she'd tried her best not to think too much about the prospect of being repaired. All it did was leave her feeling constantly conflicted about something, while bringing her no closer to a decision. But ever since Uncle Harry had declared his support for her, regardless of what she chose to do, she just couldn't stop thinking about it. She could no longer doubt Grandma's skill after what she'd seen, that much was certain. No, her troubles lay within herself—her fears; her uncertainty, her self-image. Rivet's story had managed to pull her thoughts from the matter, albeit briefly, and for that she was thankful. But at the same time, it gave her something new to ponder.

Regalia looked over towards Ruadri, who was talking with a pair of her half-human cousins nearby. Before now, she never would have guessed that her aunt had been adopted into their family, that she'd been horribly mutilated. She just seemed so… normal. Regalia had never seen her treated any different by the rest of her aunts. Although, Rivet's story did somewhat explain some of Ruadri's eccentricities; her devotion to her sister Tanith, her reverence for her mother, her uncanny ability to bond with destroyers…

But on top of that… she also looked normal. There were no visible signs anywhere on her body to hint towards the trauma she'd been through; her eyes were bright and lively, and her hugs were just as warm and soft as everyone else's. Was this a sign of Grandma's true capabilities? To replace body parts so accurately, as if they'd never been lost in the first place? To not even leave a trace of her work behind?

Would she be able to do the same for her?

Stepping forward, Regalia cleared her throat. "Aunt Ruadri?"

Ruadri's gaze flickered towards Regalia, and she gave her a small nod before she looked back over the children. "Aunt Rudy needs to have a talk with her other niece. You kids should probably get back to your parents and get ready to go to bed." Though disappointed by story time coming to an end, the children did as they were told, wandering off to find their mother. Her audience departed, Ruadri turned to face the Re-class. "What is it, Regalia?"

"Yeah." Regalia nodded as she fiddled with her hands. "I, ah… I just wanted to talk about something with you. Is that alright?"

Ruadri smiled. "Certainly. Come here, sit down. No need to stand up to have a conversation." The Re-class obliged, taking a seat in front of her. "So, what is it you wanted to talk about?" she continued.

Regalia bit her lip, thinking about how to start. "Earlier today… Rivet was telling me about everyone's life before the Great Scattering. It sounded… nice."

Ruadri hummed thoughtfully. "Most of the time, it was. Dutch Harbor was no paradise… but we were happy. Plenty of living space for our whole fleet, uncontested seas, and a mother that was always striving to make time for each and every one of her children."

"Yeah…" Regalia paused. "But then… she told me about you. How you were adopted into this fleet."

Ruadri was quiet. Gradually, her smile shifted from mirthful to melancholic. "…so, Rivet told you about that." When Regalia nodded, she sighed softly. "I wish she could have warned me beforehand."

Regalia looked away, sheepish. "Sorry."

Ruadri shook her head. "No, it's fine. I was just caught off-guard, is all. I tend not to think too much of those early days, anymore. It brings back the heartache from what we've lost."

Relieved she hadn't touched a nerve, the Re-class leaned back against her tail. "It's just… I had no idea." She gestured to the other Abyssals. "All these years, nobody's ever mentioned it, not even Mom. That you were rescued, taken in by Grandma. I've never heard any of them refer to you as anything other than a sister."

"…I suppose that knowledge has been more or less forgotten." Ruadri chuckled softly. "But then again… why do you think that is?"

Thinking about it, the answer came quite easily, really. "…Because you are their sister, where it counts?"

"Exactly." The warmth began to creep back into Ruadri's smile. "I've been a part of this family far longer than I was a part of my original fleet. It doesn't matter that Mother wasn't my birth-mother, that Tanith and the others aren't my original kin. That doesn't make our love for each other any less real, the happy moments we've shared any less significant. So what if we're not family by blood? We're family by bond. Just like Mother, with Uncle Harry and Miss Nagato. That's what matters most."

She was absolutely right, Regalia thought. Miss Nagato didn't create Grandma and Uncle Harry, not like Mom created her… but as far as anyone was concerned, they were her children, and she was their mother. And although Grandma's kids had barely known him, Uncle Harry had extended his love and kindness to them all without hesitation, completely ignoring the fact that they were two entirely separate species. Even Regalia herself, despite her deformity.

Speaking of deformity…

Regalia looked back to Ruadri. "The way Rivet put it, you were a mess when you arrived at the harbor. Arms gone, eyes ruined…" She pointed to the Ru-class. "But you look fine. Like nothing ever happened to you. No scars at all. Is Grandma really that good with repairs?"

Ruadri was silent for a few seconds. Then, she huffed. "Not all scars are as apparent as you might think." She leaned in towards Regalia. "Consider this: do you think anything is… off about my eyes?"

Confused, Regalia peered into her aunt's gaze, trying to look for something, anything. After several seconds, she shook her head. "…No, I can't really tell if something's wrong with them. What am I supposed to be seeing?"

"The answer's simple, really: they don't glow." Ruadri leaned back, blinking her golden eyes. "Elite- and flagship-level Abyssals, their eyes have… something of an inner light to them. A sign of their power. Not as intense as what Sunny has, but enough that you can notice if you pay attention." Ruadri gestured to her face. "The eyes I have now… they just weren't the eyes I was born with. They are perfectly functional, but my body will never be quite as in-tune with them as my original pair. So, while I may be a flagship, my eyes will never glow like my sisters' do."

Regalia cocked her head, blinking herself. "Huh… I guess that IS pretty hard to notice." She glanced to Ruadri's arms. "And your hands? What's off about them?"

The Ru-class held up her arms, looking at them. "The damage to my main battery was… extensive, to say the least. The Re-class that did it to me… she was trying to rip my guns out of my hull completely, but the trunks broke off inside. Warped my turret rings severely and wrecked the surrounding substructure. The damage was so severe, Mother had to cut it all away and replace it."

Regalia joined her aunt in staring at her arms. "I guess that made it easier to hide the scarring?"

"…Not exactly." Ruadri glanced at the gathering around them. After a few seconds, seemingly satisfied by what she saw (or didn't see), she turned back to Regalia. "This may be a bit startling—and Mother would lay into me for damaging this stuff deliberately if she caught me—but…" The Ru-class gripped her upper arm and started pulling at it, digging in with her nails. Before Regalia could ask what she was doing, a soft rip was heard as her fingers tore into the skin.

Regalia jerked back in shock as Ruadri peeled her own flesh away… revealing the soft glint of Abyssal metal underneath.

"You want to see scars? Good luck topping this." Setting the removed skin aside, Ruadri twisted and flexed the exposed bones of her arm, listening for the soft clinking of her metallic fingertips tapping together. "Mother was able to repurpose what she cut away to reconstruct my armor belt, but the rest of my main battery was physically gone, sitting on the seabed somewhere in the Pacific. She had to replace them with her own materials."

Regalia paled. "And they came out looking like that!?"

"Not deliberately." Ruadri sighed. "When I awoke from my repairs, Mother was there. She told me that… she'd tried to give me new arms, exactly like my original pair. But the flesh on them just… wouldn't stick. Every bit of tissue she connected to my body only lasted a few seconds before… it just detached. Fell off the arm entirely." She gestured to her skeletal arm. "The bones were the only thing that held. Even though it's enough to function, I still needed something to protect them."

The Re-class glanced at the discarded skin. "Just how far up does that go?"

In response, Ruadri tugged at the neck of her shirt, exposing the skin beneath—and the seams trailing from the base of her neck to either armpit. "At least it's easily concealed."

Regalia gingerly reached out and prodded the removed material. It felt so… so real. "What do you think caused it?"

"Mother has a rough idea of why it happened: she's not my birth-mother, so the flesh and blood she crafted herself was incompatible with my body. But she was utterly stumped as to how to solve the issue. She ended up covering the bones with latex, to at least give me normal-looking arms to live with while she searched for a workaround."

Regalia shuddered a bit. "…well, she did a great job making them convincing."

"That, she did." Picking up the latex, she began to work it back onto her arm. "That you've never realized it in the years you've known me helps reinforce that fact."

"…Wow." Regalia looked to Ruadri's bare arm, then to her neck, before finally looking her in the eyes. "If… if I went through with it, let Grandma help me, what kind of scars do you think I'd have, after surgery?"

Ruadri shrugged. "I've only ever seen Mother do partial reconstructions—sheared-off bows and sterns, demolished superstructure, the like. Never a total rebuild like I suspect you would need. Who knows what sort of marks that would leave on your body?"

The Re-class looked down at herself, pondering. "That's… part of what worries me, about agreeing to a repair. I don't know if I'm… just trading one disfigurement for another." She traced nonexistent lines over her skin. "I may end up looking completely fine, sure… but what if I don't? What if I end up covered with seams and weld lines all over, from where all the bits of my hull are put back together? Would people still be able to look at me the same way as before? Would anyone even recognize me, underneath all the scarring?"

There was no answer. Regalia eventually looked up to find Ruadri giving her a half-lidded stare. "…What?"

The Ru-class shook her head, eyes closed. "Regalia, do you REALLY think any of us are worried about scars? That we'd love you any less if your skin was no longer unblemished?" Reaching out, she tapped the Re-class on her hunched back. "Think about it; we've put up with that up to this point, haven't we?"

A guilty look on her face, Regalia stared at the ground. "…yeah. I guess so."

Ruadri gripped her shoulder gently. "You're worrying too much about the little things. So what if you go through the repair and end up having some scars? We don't care—we've been to WAR. We ALL have scars… physical and otherwise." Her expression softened. "They're a sign of all the hardships we've endured, managed to overcome. For an Abyssal to have lived as long as you have, with your condition? To come this far, not only without giving in to despair, but growing beyond your purpose as a weapon of war? Your scars would tell one hell of a story. And if people can't respect that…" She smirked. "Well, then they're just idiots."

"You really think that?"

"Of course. Talking from experience, here." Ruadri wiggled her still-partially exposed arm. "Just keep this in mind: scars aren't always bad. They can show others that you've been through Hell—and came out the other side stronger for it. Okay?"

After a moment, Regalia slowly nodded. "…Yeah, okay. I think I understand." She rose to her feet. "Thanks for talking with me, Aunt Ruadri."

"No problem. You have a good night, now."

As the Re-class walked off, Ruadri returned to her task of getting the latex skin back into place, thinking. Regalia was a sweet girl, but sometimes she needed things explained from a perspective her mother alone just couldn't provide. Ruadri wasn't too put off by the sudden reminder of her troubled past; if it meant she had a chance to teach Regalia an important lesson, she was all for it.

She just needed to have a chat with Rivet about bringing up other peoples' private matters—

Ruadri froze as the sound of a child clearing their throat came from directly behind her. Turning around, she saw Hoppou standing there, a disapproving look on her face. "Ruadri tore up sleeve Hoppou made for her…?" She asked, giving her adopted daughter an accusatory stare.

Gaze flickering between her mother and the torn latex on her arm, Ruadri began to break out in a cold sweat. "Uhh… Mother, please, I can explain…"

"Bad Ruadri!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Wait Mommy NO-EEP!"

Blinking, Tanith sat up. "What was that…?"

She scanned her surroundings, searching for the source of the outburst. What she found was a sight she hadn't seen in years—Mother walking off with a grumpy look, holding one of her children high over her head. "Mommy, please put me down!" Ruadri whined, all sense of composure lost as she covered up her face in embarrassment. "I can walk by myself!"

"Hoppou needs to talk to Ruadri alone, remind her that it's not nice to ruin stuff Hoppou gave her." Hoppou stated, pausing to shift her grip on the battleship. "Can't have Ruadri running away from punishment!"

"But I'm a good girl, I won't run away, honest!"

"Better safe than sorry, Hoppou thinks."

"…oh god I can't believe you're doing this in front of everybody…" the Ru-class moaned weakly as Mother carried her off. The few paying attention to the debacle couldn't help but feel a little bad for Ruadri, Tanith included—make no mistake, though, they were not above having a quick laugh at her expense.

'Ruadri must have damaged her sleeves,' Tanith thought, stifling a chuckle. 'Only occasion I've ever seen Mother particularly cross with her.' Really, it was either a miracle or a testament to Mother's handiwork that the material covering Ruadri's arms had managed to remain intact through the entirety of their exile… Of course, right after they found Mother again, she tore it. At the very least, it didn't seem like anyone else had spotted just what she was being scolded for—however accepting they may be, skeletal arms were probably a little unnerving to people.

She glanced down at her own arms. Beneath the hefty metallic gauntlets, almost as wide around as her thighs, her arms were the same as Ruadri's. However, she lacked her sister's prosthetic skin to cover up the overly-sensitive bones, meaning taking them off was uncomfortable at best. Still, she'd be lying if she said the size of her arms didn't present issues every now and then… and she often gave herself a headache trying to figure out just how the hell her elbows worked.

Maybe she could see if Mother could make something for her, as well…

"Mom?"

Tanith looked up from her gauntlets. Her daughter stood in front of her, a look of contemplation on her face. "Is something wrong, Regalia?"

Regalia glanced over to Harry, where he sat alongside several of the other Abyssals. "I… I talked with Uncle Harry, a little while ago. About you, Grandma, my keel. He told me some stuff that… I just can't stop thinking about." The Re-class sat down next to Tanith, hugging her knees. "Can you help me?"

Tanith gently wrapped an arm around her daughter. "Of course. If it allows you… to feel more comfortable… I would be glad to listen." She turned to observe the bonfire in front of them, watching the flames flicker and wave in the air. "Is there… anything in particular you… want to discuss?"

"Well… kinda." Regalia looked up to her mother, a soft expression on her face. "Mom… all that stuff you said, back home… when you were telling me Grandma could heal me… did you really mean it? Do you really just want to… help me be happy?"

Beside her, Tanith nodded slowly. "Yes. Regalia, I would never… want anything that would… bring you suffering. How could I ever… call myself your mother… if I did?" Looking up, she gazed out to sea. "Our island has always… been your home. But for me and my sisters… it was a prison… of our own making. Our punishment… for the crime of desiring peace… and our failure to keep Mother safe. You did not inherit our sins… but regardless, you inherited our sentence." She looked back to her daughter. "You did not deserve that. You deserve to be free. To walk away from this war. To experience this… extraordinary world beyond our shores. Don't you want that?"

Regalia was quiet for several seconds, thinking. "…yeah."

"And don't you want to… do it all under your own power?"

"…Maybe? I don't know. I just…" Regalia held a hand to her chest. "Is it really worth having myself cut open? What if something goes wrong? What if… my faults are too severe to be fixed?"

There was a sigh from the princess. "Regalia… if I was not absolutely certain… that Mother could heal you… give you a chance to truly live as the Abyssal you are… I would not dare ask her. I would never let you… come to harm… if I could help it. Even if it meant… refusing my mother's aid."

As the Abyssal I am… The words resonated in Regalia's mind. Looking out to the crowd, her gaze fell upon Harry, as he sat with the destroyers. "Uncle Harry… he told me that he was… jealous of me."

Tanith's head tilted lightly. "Jealous? Why?"

"His mother… his sister… friends… all of us. We're shipgirls. Abyssals. Spirits of the sea. But Uncle Harry… he's human. He can't experience the ocean the way they all do. He's a bit like me in that way…" Regalia slipped out from underneath her mother's arm and wrapped her own arms around it. "But… I can be repaired. Given the chance to finally ride the waves like a ship spirit should. Uncle Harry… he'll never know what it's like. He doesn't have that chance."

"…I see." Tanith replied simply, thoughtful.

"It just… doesn't seem fair," Regalia said. "He's such an amazing person. Kind, accepting, wise… but he's denied so much."

There was a sigh from the princess. "The world is not… a fair place. Our lost home… our fallen sisters… your keel… are all proof of that." Looking out at her sisters, gathered around the bonfire, Tanith's gaze settled on one in particular. "Uncle Harry is not alone… in his misfortune, you know."

"Huh?"

Raising a hand, Tanith pointed to one of the Ta-classes—one with a pair of children resting in her lap. "Tandy. Her son. He may be the… child of an Abyssal… but he is not himself one."

"Really…?" Eyes wide, Regalia focused on the boy. True to her mother's word, she saw no hull beneath his skin—not like the pair of battleships he laid with.

Tanith sighed softly. "He will have a… connection to the sea… that few could hope to match… but in the end, he is only human. He will grow up… grow old… pass on to the next life… while his flesh-and-blood sister… will join us on the seas. It is the same for his father… for Uncle Harry… for all humans."

Tanith watched her daughter's face contort in pain—a pain of the soul, of realizing people she cared about were actually a lot worse off than her. "That's… that's just not right."

"And what can we do… to fix it?" Tanith shook her head sadly. "Sometimes… things are simply… beyond our control. There is nothing we can do… but accept it and move on. I think… Uncle Harry understands this. He is at peace… with his shortcomings. And he is determined… to make the most… of the life he's been given. As we all should."

She looked to her daughter. "Before all this… before we found Mother again… I was convinced… this was true for you. That I could do nothing… to help you heal. But now… now, there is SOMETHING we can do… to right this wrong." She rested her hand on Regalia's thigh. "To give you the chance… to make the most of your own life."

The Re-class was silent, thinking to herself. "…maybe… maybe it would be wrong of me, not to let myself be healed. Live my life to the fullest," she eventually said. "For their sake, if not my own."

"I cannot tell you… if it is right or wrong… to refuse Mother's help. That is for you to decide."

"…Mm."

For a time, the pair was quiet, content to watch the bonfire reach to the stars in front of them. Eventually, Regalia spoke once more. "Do you ever… regret it? Making me?"

After a brief hesitation, Tanith nodded. "…I did… exactly once." Gently removing her arm from Regalia's grip, Tanith brought it around the shoulders of the Re-class and pulled her close. "And then I saw your face… for the first time."

The Re-class stared at her mother for a moment before snorting. "That's silly…" she giggled, nuzzling up against her mom.

"What? It's the truth."

"I know." Nestled against her mother, Regalia let out a yawn. "I know."

As sleep slowly began to take hold of the girl, she continued to think.

This life of hers… it wasn't a bad one, all thing considered. A peaceful home, a loving family, and a job she both enjoyed and could help her fleet with. She was at peace with her differences, accepted that she'd never quite measure up to other Abyssals. And now, she was free, free to see the world beyond her little island.

But suddenly, her life seemed a little… less than it could be. Her screws simply weren't up to the task of driving her deformed hull across the seas that covered so much of the world; just like humans—like Uncle Harry—she could only go as far as her feet could take her. In the end, she was just as much ship as she was girl, and that inability to do what ships were made to do… there was no other way for her to put it, it just felt wrong.

But Grandma was here. She could fix her, put her back together, the way she was meant to be. Make her normal… while Uncle Harry, her cousin, and who knows how many others, would remain fundamentally different, incapable of seeing the world, experiencing it like they did. This opportunity was for her alone; nobody else in her family had the chance she had. Despite that, Uncle Harry was ready to support her, no matter what she chose to do—even if she chose to embrace this opportunity, to truly become what he could never hope to be.

Knowing that… it just didn't seem fair to refuse it, anymore.

"Mom…" Regalia said softly, as she started to drift off.

"Yes?"

"I'll… I'll do it."

"…Okay."

Nothing more needed to be said.

 

[darthcourt10]

Lord K

A.N./ FINALLY DONE! So here's what I've been working on for a good while now, a behemoth spawned from an idea that I've had floating around and intermittently plugging away at, ever since the Japanese DMLE left everyone hanging when Hoppou's fleet turned back up. A civil incident that takes place, but looked at from the perspective of a wikipedia page written a few years after the Statute of Secrecy has actually fallen.

Like the incidents that somewhat inspired it (the 1968 Democratic National Convention protest activity and the Kent State Shootings), this isn't exactly something that immediately changes everything drastically, but it is one of those kinds of moments in history that 20 years later, people look back on as a culturally significant moment and (at the time) unnoticed turning point for shifts in people's opinions during the time period.

Also don't worry, I already ran this by Harry Leferts to double check he was fine with an event as serious as this happening at this point in time in the Magical Diet and the Statute of Secrecy's progress to falling.

Spoilered because of length though, as I'd rather not inconvenience everyone on mobile.
Spoiler: 2013 Onmyouji Street Riot
From Wikipedia, the Free Encylopedia
Last Edited Monday 30 July 2018
This Article is Part of a Series on:
Magical Japanese History
2013 Onmyouji Street Riot

Date: 27th to 28th July 2013

Location: Magical Chiyoda, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, Japan

Caused By: Magical Diet policy making in the months leading up to the arrival of the Northern Princess Fleet Alliance, followed by their response to the event and criticism in the weeks after.

Resulted In:
- Rioting, vandalism, arson, billions of yen in property damage and lost revenue
- The resignation of the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Hirano Josuke

Parties to the Civil Conflict
- Assorted Demonstrators
-- War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group
-- Civil Defence Initiative
-- Student Volunteer Corps
-- Kyoto Administration Movement
--- The Young In'yoji

- Magical Law Enforcement
-- Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department
-- Magical Diet Security Force

Numbers:
1000+ Protestors and Demonstrators
350 Members of Magical Law Enforcement

Casualties:
-Deaths:
- 5 Protestors
- 2 Bystanders
- 1 Auror

Injuries:
- 350+ Protestors and Bystanders
- 40+ Law Enforcement Officers

Arrests: 380+ Members of the Public


The 2013 Onmyouji Street Riot was a series of escalating civil incidents that took place on the Saturday night of July 27th and the morning of Sunday the 28th. Over the course of twenty hours, what started as a peaceful protest to air grievances regarding the Japanese Magical Diet and their recent handling of the Abyssal War and civil defence, instead repeatedly escalated into a series of ill planned law enforcement actions that fragmented the non-violent demonstration into multiple pockets of panicking crowds, public unrest, and police resistance, which eventually left seven civilians and one auror dead. Despite the scale and intensity of the riot, it remained generally contained within Magical Chiyoda Ward and was over by 4am Sunday.

Since the event, heavy criticism has been leveled at many of the parties involved, especially upon the office of the Japanese Department of Magical Law Enforcement under Hirano Josuke. Poor communication, confusing orders, and a lack of law enforcement reinforcements, hamstrung the effectiveness of Aurors on the streets tasked with dispersing the initial protestors, and is often blamed as some of the primary causes behind the tragedy.

Background

By June 2013, the Japanese Magical Diet was already facing a troublingly low general public approval rating of 28.7%. Peaceful public protests of various sizes had become a regular occurrence in Magical Chiyoda, primarily on northern Onmyouji Street in the vicinity of the Magical National Diet Building and the International Confederation of Wizards Japanese Headquarters. With dissatisfaction with the Magical Diet already at an all time high, and increasing public calls for either yet another snap election, or a disillusion of the government to allow a reformation under the successional Kyoto Administration, many had become accustomed to the sight of protestors outside the Diet.

Many larger and more official groups such as the Kyoto Administration Movement and the Japanese Non-Human Rights Organisation would often follow procedure, and file the necessary paperwork to set up and help Law enforcement prepare for demonstrations and gatherings of people larger than 300 members in number. However, smaller groups under, and occasionally just over this limit, did not need to. Due to this tendency for many smaller groups to sometimes turn up on their own or without official announcement, the local public, Diet security staff, and even the overextended Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department, had generally become used to reports of protestors in the streets on days where there was none officially planned or even announced to the local residents and businesses before hand.

Due to the predominate trend that many of these groups took, of copying methods of non-violent and non-disruptive peaceful demonstration from earlier organisations in the 1990s, who took their own inspiration from rights and advocacy movements in the non-magicalworld, an attitude of laxity began to grow regarding these protests. Diet Security Force staff rarely had to deal with issues beyond instances of unintentionally blocking the front gates to the building, and while there was the occasional rogue actor who might try to enter the premise to gain access to non-public parts of the building to protest, most demonstration groups remained contained to and self-policed themselves in the stretch of Onmyoji Street between Tejina Lane and Jyujutsu Row. Even on occasions when concerns were raised, response from the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department was often delayed or limited, due to wartime strain and an over-extension of resources and personnel. There was little impetus to correct the issues of these call outs, in large part due to the fact that most previous protest groups would usually comply with demands to disperse or move elsewhere, lest they risk unwanted confrontation or the ire of a law enforcement department few realized was in reality, wholly unprepared for any sort of mass resistance.

Main Article: Arrival of the Northern Princess Alliance Fleet

Throughout mid July, the already troubled and beset Magical Diet then suffered yet another series of catastrophic and highly controversial policy making and public relations disaster, in the wake of the appearance of the Abyssal Princesses previously subordinate to, and descended from the original fleet of the Northern Ocean Princess.

Citing a lack of resources and making an argument based on racist biases, faulty logic, and a damaging disregard for the strategic worth of the region of Northern Hokkaido, DMLE Head Hirano Josuke refused to dedicate Auror assets or reinforcements to the region. Equally controversially, Hirano also overturned the longstanding unofficial policy of looking the other way regarding aid from civilian militia and local defence forces, and refused to allow predominately yokai district civil defence groups to openly mobilize or prepare beyond the local Wizarding communities. Warnings were even issued, that those who did so and risked breaking the already failing Statute of Secrecy, would be brought up on criminal charges.

While the Abyssal Fleet approaching Hokkaido eventually revealed itself to be non-hostile and would collectively become one of the largest groups of Abyssals to sign the Pacific Non-Aggression Truce at that point, the consequences of the decision making on the day of the arrival were were disastrous for the Magical Diet. Already abysmal public support plummeted, as various political and media outlets of both domestic and international origin, pointed out what an unmitigated humanitarian disaster simply writing off much of Northern Hokkaido would have been, had an Abyssal Fleet of such size and strength truly been hostile.

For many, the incident also seriously weakened faith in the Magical Diet's ability to defend them or actually take military action. A sentiment that began to spread not just through many of the more isolated and rural areas of magical Japan, but was an increasingly worrisome secret consideration for many of Japan's international allies. Many districts in Hokkaido and Kyushu, which had previously still remained loyal to the government in Tokyo due to distance from and the smaller size of the Kyoto Administration, now began to shift in loyalty. Despite it's still nascent state and controversial nature, Kyoto had mobilised and sent a force of aurors and volunteers aligned with their administration. This furthered the damage to the Tokyo government's image when the news was broken by foreign officials and observers in statements to international papers and concerned reports back to their home governments.

Domestically, the Japanese Department of Magical Law Enforcement's inaction generated waves of outrage, controversy, and fear. A number of poorly handled attempts to quell had been made, but these had instead only fanned to intensity and controversy the public eye. Adding fuel to the fire, was the condemnation and weakening of trust in defensive alliances from many on the international stage, in the aftermath of the Arrival of the Northern Princess Alliance Fleet. This only furthered the outcry, and resulted in weeks of nigh continuous protests in Magical Chiyoda Ward.

Primarily these protests took the from many smaller groups, as many larger organisations were at the time of the riot, still engaged in the idea of a single combined march in order to hold one of the largest public demonstrations in magical Japan's history. However, conflicting ideas, planning and issues with the logistics of managing as large a crowd during such heated times, meant prospective dates for the event kept on being rolled back. In the interim, many took to expressing their views and dissatisfaction with the government, by simply going to protests in Chiyoda as unofficial, smaller parties of the organisations they claimed membership to, or they went simply under the banners of other groups.

Prelude to the Protests

Almost since the immediate aftermath of the Arrival of the Northern Princess Alliance Fleet, there had been much suggestion for the "Big Five" civil rights and public demonstration groups to carry out a unified display of protest and concern.

Saturday the 27th of July was one of a number of prospective dates initially suggested for the "Super-March" by elements of the War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group and the Kyoto Administration Movement, with some support from the Society For Wartime Rights to protest on this date as well. The Concerned Veterans Association and Japanese Non-Human Rights Organisation however, were in disagreement and non-committal regarding this choice however.

In the weeks following the arrival, the Concerned Veterans Association soon found itself dealing with a number of minor, but long underlying internal schisms within the organisation. Solidarity and unity between the different branches of the organisation was slowly fraying along the lines dividing those of varying sensibilities regarding race, loyalty to Tokyo or Kyoto, and at what point loyalty and chain of command could be reasonably determined to be supplanted by responsibility to the public and one's codes of honor or conscience instead.

Meanwhile, due to the rather intertwined political and governmental natures of many of the Japanese Non-Human Rights Organisations' members, they were more cautious about the issues of voicing their concerns and demonstrations. Many in the organisations' leadership were wary of potentially being deemed reactionary or having their actions ignored as simply predating on the fears of, or pandering to the voter bases of certain members of the group. While the Japanese Non-Human Rights Organisation was far from inactive during this time, the personnel requirements of on going aid and charity work by the organisation across Japan also gave added incentive to the group, to wait for a more carefully crafted and opportune time to bring the maximum number of members possible to Tokyo, when such action would be least ignorable.

Eventually, without the presence of the Concerned Veterans Association and the Japanese Non-Human Rights Movement, the Society for Wartime Rights also pulled out of protesting on this date, knowing that many of it's members would only be able to make a single trip within the coming months, and preferring to save it's manpower, cash and resources for the larger combined effort. This then left only the War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group, and the Kyoto Administration Movement.

The Kyoto Administration Movement very nearly pulled out of protesting on this date, but after the War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group suggested simply delaying as well if they were the only ones to go, a fringe faction of the Kyoto Administration Movement then took charge of the logistics of the faltering protest attempt. Generally younger, more fervent and ideologically charged than the rest of the Kyoto Administration Movement, these members liaised with the War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group under the pretext that the larger Movement was still ready to protest alongside them. Few within the KAM leadership knew this however, until the week before the protest when news of what was planned began to spread by word of mouth.

Due to this murky sequence of back door organisation and impulsive planning however, a number of issues had now arisen, that would set the stage for the disaster to come:

First, between the War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group initially planning to cancel the protest, and the secrecy of the younger Kyoto Administration Movement members that took over reorganising, no one had thought check if the valid permits and paperwork to protest in such a large crowd had ever been filled.

Secondly, no one thought to check if Saturday the 27th of July was still an optimal date to protest at all. In the weeks since the cancelation, other protest groups, local businesses and the authorities in Magical Chiyoda ward, had all made plans and preparations on the assumption that there would not be any major protests on the of the 27th.

On Onmyouji Street that day, the much smaller Civil Defence Initiative had subsequently decided to carry out their own protest in place of the larger one, under the assumption that none of the big organisations would be officially turning out that weekend. None knew it at the time, but the pro-Magical Diet and National Democratic Renewal Cooperative Party aligned group, the Nippon Unity Front, had in turn planned a surprise counter-protest of the Civil Defence Initiative's demonstration. This was motivated by a confidence that the Civil Defence Initiative would only barely out number the 280 odd members who planned to go. Due to numbers being below the point at which a permit becomes mandatory on either side, neither group bothered to submit one.

Meanwhile, on the western side of Magical Chiyoda, the Tokyo branch of the Student Volunteer Corps were unaware of these coming events, and had decided to organising a festival on the grounds and in the event halls of The Ryokan International Hotel. The primary goal of the occasion was fundraising for the organisations' various volunteer activities throughout Japan, but it was also seen by many of the teens and young adults in the group as a less than subtle excuse for a summertime party. Starting at midday on Friday and running almost continuously into Saturday night the following evening, the venues surrounding the music stages would be packed with youths seeking the open bars.

The third issue to arise, was that with no official liaising or forewarning as to the true size of the demonstration that was to take place, the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department was woefully under-prepared and understaffed for the night that would follow. In the weeks that had followed the initial outcry regarding the lack of response to the approach of the Abyssal fleet, the Magical Diet had then not just backtracked as a knee-jerk response, but then horrendously overcompensated. Many municipal areas across Japan were now suffering manpower shortages as sea patrols and rural garrisons were temporarily reinforced and placed on heightened alert. The Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department was particularly hamstrung, as they were forced to bear the brunt of shoring up the supposedly needed manpower required by the Kanagawa Prefectural Department to observe the Abyssal presence, and interaction with shipgirls and non-magicals at Yokosuka. This was in spite of the fact that both Department chiefs and many of their subordinates were deriding of this operation and considered it a waste of Auror hours and resources, motivated by politics and orders foisted onto them by the DMLE Head Office in Tokyo.

And lastly, the final factor that completed the powder keg which became the Onmyouji Street Riot, was one that was created by the Magical Diet itself. Unaware of the impending collision of groups and factors already unwittingly about to intersect outside it's gates, during an intermission between sessions of the House of Magical Representatives, the National Democratic Renewal Cooperative Party was forced to bow to pressure from coalition members, and strike a deal with opposition parties regarding the actions of the DMLE under Hirano Josuke during the Arrival Crisis. When the representatives of the major parties reconvened at the start of the next week, a behind closed doors inquest of Department Head Hirano's actions and policy making would be suggested within the Diet.

This was supposed to have been kept entirely secret until a date still undetermined at the time, or at least until the opposition could be forced to bargain more concessions before the NDRC would consider taking the inquest public. Almost immediately however, the secrecy of the deal and it's future examination of Hirano, began to unravel. While no one person has ever been charged or blamed for the leak, it is in fact believed to have been released to a variety of separate groups, by multiple low ranking officials or staff members on their own, who may have overheard the deal being discussed in the halls or meeting rooms of the Diet. Most of the known suspects had pre-existing bad blood, previous historical issues with, or had suffered for ideological disagreements against Hirano and his policy making.

The Saturday Protests
Spoiler

Points of Interest on the day of the riot;

1 - National Magical Diet Building (Facing Onmyouji Street, and bordered by Jyujutsu Alley to the north and Tejina Lane to the south)
2 - MACUSA Embassy (Corner of Onmyouji Street and Tejina Lane)
3 - Memorial Square (Intersection of Onmyouji Street and Jyumon Way)
4 - Hensou-Tomi Shrine and Gardens (East end of Jyumon Way)
5 - Japanese Magical Reserve Administration Building (Corner of Onmyouji Street and Jyumon Way)
6 - Jyumon Markets (Central Jyumon Way)
7 - The Ryokan International Hotel (Intersection of Tejina Lane and Mahou Drive)
8 - The ICW Building (Corner of Onmyouji Street and Jyujutsu Alley)

A - Exit to non-Magical Tokyo via the south end of Onmyouji Street and Magical Chiyoda's governmental center
B - Exit to non-Magical Tokyo via the east end of Jyumon Way and Hensou-Tomi Shrine
C - Exit to non-Magical Tokyo via the south end of Onmyouji Street and Magical Chiyoda's main shopping strip
D - Exit to non-Magical Tokyo via the west end of Jyumon Way​

The Civil Defence Initiative started their protest around 11:30am as planned, generally arriving in small groups on the stretch of Onmyouji Street between Tejina Way and Jyujutsu Alley, in front of the Tokyo Magical Diet building. At this time, thought the protest was not officially announced, the increasing frequency of smaller demonstrations in the preceding months meant that it's appearance on a sunny Saturday around midday was not wholly unexpected. While a token increase of security staff manning the front gates and the entrances of the building was made, few paid the growing crowd any serious concern.

Around the same time, the first of the second day's events at the Student Volunteer Corps' fundraising festival at the Ryokan International had now begun to take place. By 12:00pm, the music stage was hosting live acts once more, and alcohol was being served on the premise. Though there were supposed to be restrictions to stop alcohol being brought into the event from outside, or taken from the hotel premises by those in states of inebriation, there had already been a number of incidents and attempts the previous day. Many found the prices of food and beverages at the event expensive, so right from the previous evening, there had been a notable precedent set by many teens and young adults who would leave the hotel during music sets they were not interested in, and then reenter later. They would instead purchase food and drink, or entertainment elsewhere in Chiyoda Ward, before then returning back to the hotel whenever the next set they or their companions were interested in, actually took the stage. Being the second day of the festival, many were eager to continue the partying from where it left off the previous evening. More than a few were as such, already in lingering states of inebriation by this time, or experiencing the aftereffects of the previous evening.

Around sometime between 12:30pm and 1:00pm however, the first of the War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group and Kyoto Administration Movement protestors began to arrive. The timing of this, was supposed to coincide with two elements of Onmyouji Street's nature. Many people working half-day shifts would be leaving work at this time, while it would also be the peaks of the Saturday lunch break and midday shopping period. This timing of the demonstration was a tactic long used by the Japanese Non-Human Rights Organisation since their early phases of activism in the 1990s, and had been quickly picked up by many other groups in the recent years. By arriving at peak weekend time when people were both leaving work, and would be going about their shopping or leisure activities, the presence of the crowd would be witnessed by the maximum number of people. Demonstrating at a time of day when most people would be freeing themselves for the rest of the day or may have already been in Chiyoda, also occasionally encouraged or convinced fence-sitter commuters and bystanders with available time on their hands to join in.

Today however, the multitude of factors at work, instead served to initially mask the size of the growing crowd. With the Civil Defence Initiative having already been present for the preceding hour and a half, few members of the Magical Diet Security Force initially realised that the crowd in the streets was increasing in number once more. At first the congestion in the streets was predominately written off as part of the lunch time rush, especially as no small number of administration and bureaucratic staff were leaving not just the Diet, but also other government and diplomatic buildings in the northern end of Onmyouji Street.

The large numbers of youths making up the predominate majority of the Kyoto Administration Movement that did turn up for the protest, were also disregarded. Many of the gate staff simply assumed due to their ages that like the previous afternoon, they were ticket-holders for the Student Volunteer Corps fundraiser festival who had left the Ryokan International in search of food or drink, and been distracted by the ongoing, supposedly minor protest. It was not until 1:30pm, when the streets began to clear from the lunch time rush, that Diet Security Force members began to realize that the crowd was much larger than previously assumed. At this point however, many still inaccurately perceived the true size of the still increasing mass of demonstrators.

by this time, the growth of the crowd and it's make up of multiple separate groups that were not all in coordination with one another, also began to lead to communication issues among the demonstrators themselves. Between the arrival of the Civil Defence Initiative on the street first, the appearance of the War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group and Kyoto Administration Movement, and the sporadic pockets of SVC festival patrons being attracted to the commotion in the street, attempts to organise the crowd into a cohesive group and picket line rapidly fell apart. When Diet Security Force sent an officer to query the size of the crowd present and to request that they not obstruct the street, their envoy met with the equally confused leaders of the Civil Defence Initiative, who now barely made up a fraction of the crowd.

Normally used to a much more organised and controlled leadership spearheading tightly self-policing and cooperative protests on Onmyouji Street, the Diet Security Force became equally mired in confusion as to how to handle the situation. Complacent in the expectation that the crowd would eventually sort itself out, it was not until 2:30pm that officers at the gates and outside became increasingly worried that the lack of concern shown by their superiors inside the building was ill-founded. Few in command bothered to actually look at the crowd with their own eyes or realised that the crowd in the street was more than just a normal protest overflowing the non-permit size by a few dozen people, but had instead practically double to more than 600 people at this point.

It was around 2:40pm that the Tokyo Metropolitian Auror Department was finally contacted by concerned members of the Diet Security Force. But this was primarily a rote measure required whenever a protest exceed the limit for a gathering of persons in a public place for protest without a permit or public announcement. For similar reasons as the Diet Security Force, the Tokyo Metropolitian Auror Department was also initially light in its response or prioritisation of the protests, due to years of uneventful cooperation and nonresistance at other demonstrations. With resources tied up in rural areas and Kanagawa, the token squad of beat Aurors sent to Onmyouji Street, were thus totally unprepared for the sheer size and lack of coordination presented by the thronging crowd they were charged with breaking up.

Having expected a much smaller and cooperative group, the Aurors requested via patronus for back up, to both run crowd control and aid with locating leadership or figureheads who could help dispersing the demonstrators. However, the returned response from senior station officers was to simply wait until reinforcements could arrive. Something that could take quite a while due to the overextension of manpower and resources the Tokyo Metropolitian Auror Department was currently facing.

By 3:00pm, it is estimated that the combined crowd of protestors from the War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group, Kyoto Administration Movement, Civil Defence Initiative, and a handful of distracted Student Volunteer Corps festival goers, now numbered somewhere in the margin of 650 people.

Counter-Protest Arrival

Between the period of 3:05pm and 3:15pm, two events almost simultaneously happened that, then drastically altered the mood and atmosphere of the still growing combined crowd of protestors and movements.

The first was that at shortly after 3:00pm, the information leaks regarding the DMLE inquiry to be suggested when the Magical Diet reconvened on Monday, finally started to spread among the public. The first and most notable factor in the spread was when elements of the leak were announced as part of an hourly news bulletin on the Wizarding Wireless station, WNHK. Within minutes, this surprising reveal of internal Diet politicking was then further circulated by other magical radio networks, perpetuating the knowledge and public awareness of this new twist in an already divisive incident.

Then shortly before 3:15pm, the first of the Nippon Unity Front counter-protesters began to arrive and congregate at the intersection of Onmyouji Street and Jyujutsu Alley, just north of the main mass of demonstrators. Unlike the initial turnout of the Civil Defence Initiative, or the combined arrival of the War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group the Kyoto Administration Movement however, the Nippon Unity Front planned for and ensured that their arrival was almost entirely synchronized and coordinated for almost all its members to arrive around the same time. The original reasoning behind this, had been for that of a psychological tactic; to shock and cow the Civil Defence Initiative demonstration with the sudden arrival of an equal, if not greater number of counter-protestors showing support for the National Democratic Renewal Cooperative Party's coalition-Diet and it's policies.

The initial reactions by many to the appearance of the Nippon Unity Front counter-protestors' arrival, was to slowly back the crowd about 100 meters southward down the street to avoid potential confrontation. Not yet realising they were massively outnumbered, the NUF counter-protestors then proceeded to slowly advance further southward, out of the incorrect assumption it was still only the 320-odd Civil Defence Initiative that they were facing, and that a strong enough showing could intimidate them off of the street in front of the Magical Diet Building.

Unfortunately, while they had heard news of an "unexpectedly large and unannounced protest" outside the Diet on Onmyouji Street, many had disregarded the reports with little concern, in a similar manner to the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department. The assumption was that they would be facing an opposing group numbering in the mid-300s at most, and instead upon their arrival, the 320 Nippon Unity Front counter-protestors were confronted by a crowd now somewhere in the margin of the upper 600s. The unintentional timing of their arrival, only minutes after news of the DMLE inquiry leak started to spread among the crowd, also proceeded to paint an unintentional picture to the groups already present. Due to the Nippon Unity Front's support of, and close ties to the NDRC, many in the crowd of demonstrators quickly began to see the NUF's sudden arrival and showing of support for the Diet, as a counter-protest against the prospect of an inquiry into the actions of the Hirano Josuke and the DMLE. This rapidly began to incite agitation and discontent within the crowd, which also proceeded to react in mixed fashions due to it's splintered and uncoordinated leadership.

Quickly, the turning mood in elements of the larger crowd began to spread. Given confidence by their numbers, and incensed by many of the slogans and the language being used by the Nippon Unity Front in their placards and shouting, fringe elements of the Kyoto Administration Movement then began to halt the slow retreat. This not only lead to confusion in the rest of the demonstration leadership, but also resulted in an escalation of the situation as some KAM-led portions of the crowd began to push and incite the rest of the front line into advancing back up the street. In the confusion, many other leaders believed this to be for the purpose of non-violently and symbolically holding their ground against the counter-protesters. At the forefront of the demonstration however, elements of both sides were increasingly becoming confrontational, especially on the part of the fringe Kyoto Administration Movement protestors, who were increasingly emboldened as the Nippon Unity Front finally began to realize they were outnumbered.

Around this time, the number of demonstrators in the Street also began to massively increase as well. Even as word spread of the DMLE Inquiry leak, the mis-identification of the Nippon Unity Front as supporters of the Diet protesting the idea of an inquiry or accountability for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement (rather than as counter-protesters just there to stand against the Civil Defence Initiative), also began to spread, primarily thanks to the high number of youths and young adults present, either with the Kyoto Administration Movement or wanderers from the Student Volunteer Corps festival. The prevalence of non-magical communication devices such as cellphones used by those acclimatized to elements of the non-magical world, meant that this assumption and incorrect outrage regarding people openly supporting government ineptitude and callous policy making, swiftly spread far more rapidly than anybody realized.

Whether alerted to the supposed situation by owl, floo, modern communication, or word of mouth, the majority of this second wave of protesters who primarily turned out to show their support for the DMLE Inquiry, were predominately under the age of 30. The most problematic of these new arrivals, were the ones that soon began migrating over from the Student Volunteer Corps fundraising festival at the Ryokan International Hotel.

At roughly 3:40pm, popular J-wrock idol Mano Tsugi of Amortentia Fake-R, then made a highly controversial and divisive deviation off script at the end of her group's set. Delivering a scathing denouncement of the Magical Diet's recent policy making, the NDRC-lead coalition, and Hirano Josuke's tenure as DMLE Head, Mano Tsugi then declared that she was going to join the demonstrations on Onmyouji Street, and invited others to follow. Mano Tsugi never ended up making it to Onmyouji Street, as she and the rest of Amortentia Fake-R subsequently ended up delayed at the hotel due to a heated argument with their managers and event staff. Her spur of the moment speech nevertheless had an effect though. An unknown number, generally considered to be somewhere in the margin of 200-300 people, soon left the Student Volunteer Corps fundraiser festival on foot around 4:05pm. This only furthered the issues of crowd control for protest leaders, Diet Security Forces, and beat Aurors already deployed on the scenes, as by this point in the afternoon, a great many of those who left to join the demonstrations are believed to have been in various states and degrees of inebriation.

Already at 3:50pm however, the Diet Security Forces and Aurors deployed at the scene were rapidly becoming concerned, as it was increasingly obvious that the crowd had grown well beyond anyone's' ability to truly control or direct. Another call for back up was made, and for the first time, a serious suggestion was made to consider whether or not more serious crowd control measures should be employed. Many Civil Defence Initiative and War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group leaders in the crowd also recognised the need to disperse the increasingly unruly demonstration. Attempts to reign in and redirect the crowd away from the stand off with Nippon Unity Front counter-protestors were repeatedly unsuccessful however, notably due to the fact that much of the front of the demonstration line was now packed by primarily younger and fringe leaders of the Kyoto Administration Movement. A rift now formed in the KAM members present, primarily down the lines of those who followed the main organisations' leaders, and those who went behind the organisers backs to ensure the march went ahead in the first place.

Meanwhile, some advisors within the Diet's coalition givernment now suggested making a statement regarding the subject of the possible inquiry. Unable to come to a decision though, the NDRC party leadership became deadlocked due to the fear that any answer given might end up seeming incriminating or a sign of weakness and culpability in future. With no word from his allies in the Diet, Hirano then decided to take his own initiative with the situation. Seeking to avoid greater attention to the issues being protested, and fearing Auror Crowd Control Teams on the scene might just lend further publicity to a situation was already likely going to be on evening Wizarding Wireless news reports and Sunday newspapers, Hirano then influenced the decision making of the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department. While many leaned towards preemptively sending more Aurors and some Crowd Control Units before the situation could potentially get out of hand, Hirano advised the department that the Diet Security Forces and the beat Aurors already on the scene had the situation in hand, and still only needed normal reinforcements to disperse the crowd as had commonly been the case for most demonstrations in years past.

By 4:15pm however, things were still steadily getting out of hand, even for the reinforcements requested. Around this time, the main mass of those who had left the Student Volunteer Corps fundraiser festival after Mano Tsugi's denouncement, also began to arrive on the scene. At the same time, the Nippon Unity Front was experiencing leadership and crowd control problems of it's own. While many of the original NUF counter-protestors were put off by, and starting to leave out of worry over the increasingly heated atmosphere between the two crowds, new people were also starting to flood in. Generalised, embellished, and sensationalised Wizarding Wireless news reports of "clashes on Onmyouji Street between Diet supporters and anti-government demonstrators", now became a similar source for new counter-protestor reinforcements flooding into the street to lend their support to their own side in turn. The vast majority of these new groups were unrelated and unassociated with the Nippon Unity Front, and many either didn't recognize, didn't know, or simply didn't wish to answer to the leaders and counter-protest organisers already present on Onmyouji Street.

At 4:30pm, yet another request was made to the Tokyo Metropolitaon Auror Department by Aurors and Diet Security Staff already on the scene, requesting more reinforcements and that some measure of crowd control units be called in. For unknown reasons, while multiple people in the chain of command agreed with the recommendation, no crowd control units or further reinforcements were deployed at this time.

The Diet Security Forces and Aurors on the ground were not the only ones growing increasingly worried about the volatility of the uncontrolled crowd by this time either. From the upper floors of the MACUSA Embassy in Japan on the corner of Onmyouji Street and Tejina Lane, officials and staff had a sweeping birds eye view of events unfolding outside the compound walls. Earlier in the day, Ambassador Theodoric Grimsditch had already expressed worry about the increasingly unstable face off taking place outside his embassy, especially due to MACUSA's long history and ties to the National Democratic Renewal Cooperative Party. After assurances from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement that the situation was well in hand however, Ambassador Grimsditch had decided the Embassy would continue to operate as per normal, and he left for a political function in Kyoto.

Ambassador Grimsditch was therefore shocked when he received urgent owls from his Head of Embassy Security, Froquet LaRouche, and Magical Investigation Bureau Station Chief, Howard Segretti, urging the Ambassador to close the embassy for the day early. Confused by the mixed information he was receiving from both the Japanese Magical Diet and his own staff, Ambassador Grimsditch eventually ordered a precautionary measure. All non-essential staff were sent home or recalled to the embassy, but otherwise the doors were to remain open.

Breaking Up the Protests

While the pro-government supporters were still massively outnumbered, tensions were rapidly threatening to escalate further as smaller factions repeatedly urged each of their respective crowds into advancing on each other, in spite of the best efforts from leaders on both sides. Many counter-protestors were generally self-assured in their feelings of safety, due to the presence of so many Aurors and members of the Diet Security Force now watching the situation transpiring on the street outside the gates of the Magical Diet itself.

At some time around 4:45pm, the first of a number of minor incidents and skirmishes then occurred between the two groups now facing off against one another. On the eastern side of the street, a short brawl was observed to take place between two wizards from either crowd during an advance by the Nippon Unity Front. Neither man was ever identified however, and Aurors were unwilling to insert themselves between the crowds to subdue either party. An issue that was then rendered moot due to demonstrators and counter-protestors separating the two themselves, and forcing the crowds to part once more. Neither man was ever identified, but this event served to heighten tensions further.

At 4:55pm another minor brawl erupted, but was once more too far away for Aurors and Diet Security to intervene. Another request for crowd control measures went out, but was this time definitively denied by the DMLE, against the vocal recommendation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department. Superintendent General Irie Cho, argued that any opportunity to proactively control and deescalate the situation was rapidly slipping away.

At 5:10pm a third incident occurred, this time involving two demonstrators and three counter-protestors, close enough to the Diet entrance gates that Aurors were able to split up the fight themselves. This however, only served to rapidly turn the ire of both crowds against the Aurors and Diet Security Force overseeing the stand-off from the gates. As a precaution, Aurors on the scene who were working within the crowd to try and maintain order and liaise with protestor leaders, were ordered to pull back and rejoin those on Diet grounds for their own safety. At 5:20pm, another, larger brawl was observed to take place, this time involving as many as ten people. Aurors and Security staff were unable to intervene for their own safety however, and eventually the fight was broken up by a combination of both demonstrator and counter-protester leaders.

By this time, leaders and organisers of both sides were themselves, approaching Aurors on the scene, and recommending that serious measures needed to be taken to disperse the crowds before the situation escalated dangerously and beyond even law enforcement's ability to control. At this point, the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department had no choice but to ignore the DMLE Head Office's recommendations regarding the handling of the situation. At 5:25pm, Auror Crowd Control Teams were officially called in to deal with the situation in Onmyouji Street.

However, confusion soon reigned as to how and what exactly, dealing with the situation would entail. When the first Auror Crowd Control Team platoons arrived on the scene at 5:30pm, they were too few in number, and wholly unprepared for the size and atmosphere of the crowd they were confronted with. Many had been deployed, operating off the faulty and downplayed information being given by the Magical Diet, rather than the assessments of those on the ground and at the scene. Precious time was then lost waiting further Auror Crowd Control Teams to arrive, during which time another minor confrontation was observed to take place between the crowds, this time resulting in minor injuries between three of the persons involved.

During this wait, the National Democratic Renewal Cooperative Party-Coalition finally came to an agreement and also abruptly reversed course in regards to their approach of the situation. With the crowd already riding the cusp of violence, many decided that there was no choice left but to break up the two groups of demonstrators as rapidly as possible to avoid further incident or criticism regarding their handling of the situation so far. Many of the reinforcing Auror Crowd Control Teams were thus told to equip and prepare for dispersing a highly agitated and already violent crowd. A smaller portion of the reinforcing teams however, were given a conflicting mission statement by Hirano Josuke and other elements of the DMLE Head Office.

Fearful that the NDRC planned to utilize them as political sacrifices come Monday, if some form of positive results or praise actions did not result from the situation, the mission statement was then once more abruptly changed. Now it had gone from crowd control, to crowd dispersal, to an operation with arrest and detainment of specific figures as a secondary goal. Out of the belief that the Diet's image could be salvaged if the negative aspects of the unruly demonstrators were played up, the plan to simply disperse both crowds was then altered in favor of also apprehending many of the various protest group leaders present on a variety of minor charges. This plan instead proceeded to in fact worsen the situation for two reasons;

The first was that due to many of the protests initial leaders already being separated from the crowd and cooperating with Aurors and Diet Security Staff, many were almost immediately apprehended without resistance as soon as the order went out at 5:45pm. This event took place in plain view and was observed by many, swiftly spreading through the demonstrators and fueling the unrest to it's peak. With control over the front line of both crowds already lost to the more fringe, independent and radical groups urging and inspiring everyone else on, this action in fact had the opposite effect to what Hirano and the DMLE Head Office had wanted, removing the vast majority of the voices that were trying to help break up and deescalate the crowds from within.

The second reason, was that this then tore the operational manpower and resources of the Auror Crowd Control Teams between two completely opposite plans that would need to be carried out. Originally teams would only have had to disperse either group of protesters away from each other, with counter-protestors being directed towards floo and apparition stations at the north end of Onmyouji Street, and demonstrators being directed towards the stations on east Jyumon Way, at Memorial Square and Hensou-Tomi Shrine. Now however, improvisations would have to be made to instead box in and contain the northern most portion of the demonstration on Onmyouji Street, in order to single out and apprehend the remaining faction leaders that remained within the crowd, as well as any particularly dissident or aggressive protestors that might stand out.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department lacked for the numbers to actually carry out such a complicated operation against such a hair-trigger crowd. Recommendations were made to either bring more Aurors from rural patrols and potentially even the Yokai Reserves, but these requests were overruled. Instead the Diet Security Force was hastily conscripted into filling out the lacking manpower required by the Aurors and Crowd Control Teams.

Adding further problems to the issues of reinforcing and crowd movement, was that in the DMLE's haste to apprehend all those involved in the leadership and agitation of the crowds, Anti-Apparition and Floo-Blocking wards were raised over Magical Chiyoda Ward by order of the DMLE Head Office. While the intention was to avoid letting suspects get away, this left the only access in and out of Chiyoda Ward aside from illicit pokeys and aerial travel, as the four Auror guarded gates at either ends of Onmyouji Street and Jyumon Way. This yet again complicated the logistics of the situation. The vast majority of the crowds not worth apprehending would now have to be cleared from the area by foot, and the sudden limiting of travel also heightened tensions as demonstrators increasingly focused on the Aurors as well as the counter-protestors.

Almost immediately, the hastily made plans began to fall apart once the operation was finally initiated at 6:10pm.

Auror Crowd Control Teams succeed with little issue in blocking off access from Onmyouji Street to east or central Jyujutsu Alley, leaving counter-protestors with only one path to follow towards the northern exit of Chiyoda Ward. However, the crowd was slow moving, and while not as volatile towards Aurors as those on the central facing stretch of the street, were proving difficult to dissuade from their latest advance on the demonstrators.

The situation facing teams charged with blocking access from Onmyouji Street into east and central Tejina Lane was even worse, having been doomed from the start. With the crowd by this point now estimated to comprise almost a thousand people (the majority of them humans, but with some yokai as well), the crowd had now spilled well past the intersection itself. ACCT Platoon 3, a veteran unit under Inspector Uesaka Yoshiyuki eventually ended up holding position at a precautionary distance away from the crowd on central Tejina Lane, in order to avoid aggravating the crowd while he attempted to highlight the grave underestimation of the crowd's population to superiors.

On the east side of the Onmyouji-Tejina intersection however, should have been ACCT Platoon 4, a unit that was hastily assembled for the operation and mostly filled with Aurors who had little previous experience with riot conditions, and limited training with crowd control situations due to wartime constraints. Advancing up Onmyouji Street from the south on foot, the sheer size of the crowd made it impossible for ACCT Platoon 4 to reach Tejina Lane. After an attempt to maneuver through the crowd instead resulted in drunken abuse and bottles being thrown at them by the SVC festival patrons who were predominantly located at the back of the demonstration, ACCT Platoon 4 then ended up loosely grouped together on the street outside the gates of the MACUSA Embassy Compound.

Attempts to obtain new orders however, only created more confusion due to the issues facing ACCT Platoon 3 on central Tejina. Due to a sequence of miscommunications blamed on ACCT Platoon 4's lack of training and preparedness, it appears that many in command of the operation assumed or mistook some of ACCT Platoon 3's confirmations of their temporary halt and relocation, as that of ACCT Platoon 4 also relocating to central Tejina due to the hostility of the crowd.

This miscommunication was also likely worsened by the confusing situation facing Auror Crowd Control Teams given the task of separating the front lines of the two groups, in order to begin apprehending leaders and suspects within the crowds. The initial plan had been to use the gates of the Magical Diet as a stepping stone for this supposed maneuver. A mix of ACCT Platoons supported by Diet Security Force members, were to supposedly edge out onto the street in a wedge formation, that would eventually physically impose itself between the two groups. Faced by potential hostile action from both sides at the very tip of the wedge as it attempted to push eastward between the counter-protestors and demonstrators however, the leading edge of the formation barely made it halfway across the street before being forced to halt under a barrage of thrown litter and empty bottles.
Spoiler

Auror Crowd Control Teams (lower left) attempt to separate counter-protestors (upper left) and demonstrators (right) from each other outside the gates of the Magical Diet.​

Between 6:15pm and 6:25pm, little to no progress was made on any of the fronts meant to be dispersing and containing, or separating the groups. Diet Security Forces and ACCT Platoon 1 who were meant to be dividing the street came under the most pressure at this time, increasingly fearing the crowd might turn against them. Squad leaders requested pulling back inside the gates and abandoning the attempt, but instead they were redirected by DMLE officials to continue trying to divide the demonstrators and counter-protestors once more. This was likely due to the fact that in response to minor projectiles being used against the ACCT platoon and Diet Security Forces, counter-protestors had now begun throwing and banishing trash at what parts of the demonstrators front line they could still confront on the east side of the street.

An important factor of note at this time, is that despite the increasing severity of the situation and the deployment of Auror Crowd Control Teams, no state of emergency, martial law, or any other kind of crisis had yet to actually be declared.

The Onmyouji Street Incident
Spoiler

Onmyouji Street at the time of the incident;

1 - ACCT Platoon 1 accompanied by Diet Security Force members, unsuccessfully attempting to divide demonstrators and counter-protestor groups when the incident first starts. Originally they were also supposed to find and detain leaders of both groups that could be identified and pulled from the crowd.
2 - ACCT Platoon 2, tasked with blocking access to Jyujutsu Alley and ensuring that counter demonstrators left the area via Magical Chiyoda Wards northern exit
3 - ACCT Platoon 3, originally tasked with clearing central Tejina Lane of protestors and then blocking access so that all of the crowd would be directed south down Onmyouji Street, but then unable to do so due to the size of the crowd.
4 - ACCT Platoon 4, originally tasked with clearing east Tejina Lane of protestors and then blocking access like ACCT Platoon 3, but unable to even reach the street due to the size of the crowd.
5 - Where ACCT Platoon 4 should have been at the time of the incident.

A - National Magical Diet Building
B - MACUSA Embassy
C - The ICW Building​

At 6:27pm on the side of the street where the crowds still had yet to be separated, an unknown suspect generally believed to be a human male in their mid-to-late 20s, opened with an unknown spell from within the crowd. There has been much dispute as to whether or not the suspect was casting in response to something else already cast by a counter-protestor, or if he was targeting not the counter-protestors, but Aurors instead. What is generally known and reported by many is the sequence of events that happened next.

Fearing that they were coming under attack and that the crowd had finally turned on them, ACCT Platoon leaders ordered a salvo of non-leathal body-binds, stunning spells, stinging hexes, and flash-blind jinxes southward into the front line of the demonstrators. Due to a confusing overlap of orders, terminology and differences in roles and training however, some of the Diet Security Forces attached to the ACCT Platoons to fill out the formation's numbers, then misconstrued or misheard commands shouted out by Platoon leaders over the din of the crowd. This misinterpretation of orders by Diet Security Forces already out of their depth and usual duties, thus resulted in them believing it was a self-defence situation where they had permission to cast to wound.

Back behind the gates and walls of the premises of the Magical Diet, ACCT Platoons who had not managed to actually get out into the street due to the slowed progress of the wedge formation, then witnessed glimpses of the non-regulation spellfire through the fence. Due to the distance, the mass of the crowds, and the fading evening light, they mistook the origin of the bodily-harm capable spells they were seeing, as originating from the counter-protestors. Combined with the declaration that Aurors in the formation had come under spellfire from the demonstrators side only seconds before, ACCT Aurors trapped in reserve behind the gates came to the assumption that a full on magical exchange had now erupted between the demonstrators and counter-protestors, with fellow Aurors and Diet Security Force members now trapped in the middle. Seeking to stop the supposed fighting, neutralise the instigators, and now forcefully disperse the crowd, canisters of Stinging-Weep Vapours (a magical counter-part to Tear Gas) were thrown and banished into both crowds.

The counter-protestors generally reacted as anticipated, with the majority of them retreating northwards on Onmyouji Street, and eventually leaving the area.

The lack of consideration for the sheer size of the demonstration crowd however, was now an error of deadly effect. While the front rows panicked and attempted to back away from the first salvo of spellfire from ACCT and Diet Security Force personnel, those further inside the crowd didn't immediately realize what was happening. This led ACCT Platoon leaders to erroneously assume the crowd was not retreating, and ordering a second salvo. It was only during this second volley, that some Aurors noticed the Diet Security Force personnel utilizing hexes and jinxes with intent to wound, and other "man-stopper" spells. Before it could be definitively confirmed that it was the Diet Security Force personnel responsible for the non-regulation spellfire, and not the crowd, the deployment of Stinging-Weep Vapors obscured the area in clouds of gas.

While majority of the crowd was already increasingly confused and struggling to back up against it's own mass due to the ACCT Platoon and Diet Security Force spellfire, for many further back and in the heart of the demonstration, the deployment of Stinging-Weep Vapours only caused the situation to deteriorate further. A general panic then ensued, causing a human stampede and a crush as hundreds of semi-blinded protestors attempted to flee the clouds of Vapours. Some tried to move eastward along central Tejina Lane, but the vast majority of the crowd pushed itself southward on Onmyouji Street towards Memorial Square. It is generally believed that 75% percent of the injuries attributed to the riot, stemmed from this initial crowd stampede and the actions that followed.

On Tejina Lane, Uesaka Yoshiyuki, the commander of ACCT Platoon 3 recognized the disaster unfolding as part of the crowd began to flee the spellfire and vapors towards his position. Though initially charged with stopping people from moving down Tejina Lane, in a split second decision, Uesaka ordered his platoon to stand down and either retreat into nearby store fronts, or clear the Lane of civilians unrelated to the demonstrators. Uesaka's decision to let the crowd pass and clear the area is generally regarded as having avoided a great many more potential injuries and fatalities that could have happened.

To the south on Onmyouji Street outside the MACUSA Embassy however, misheard and misinterpreted reports from other Aurors that heard Uesaka's orders to fall back, and then observed the crowd passing through Tejina Lane without serious interruption, seeded fear and confusion among ACCT Platoon 4. Having already been turned away by drunken and aggressive portions of the crowd, the inexperienced and under-trained ACCT Platoon leadership incorrectly postulated that Uesaka's platoon had been charged and overwhelmed by the crowd turning aggressive, in response to what they still mistook to be demonstrator-vs-counter-protester spellfire outside the gates of the Diet. At the same time, the wave of panic and the crush reached the southern edge of the crowd, which with no other direction to move in, began to flee southward down Onmyouji Street towards ACCT Platoon 3. Worsening the situation, was that due to being out of position, and under the assumption that the operation would not begin until they were in place, the wind blew Stinging-Weep Vapour given off by canisters launched into the crowd, down the street and over the Platoon. This obscured vision, and debilitated members who had not cast all their charms or correctly geared up, leading some to think that the crowd were attacking them with canisters thrown by other units.

Out of communication, blinded by the thick gas, with some of their number partly incapacitated, and under the assumption that demonstrators had already turned violent and overrun a much more veteran platoon of Aurors, ACCT Platoon 3 almost immediately collapsed into panicked chaos, believing that fleeing protestors were apparently now bearing down on them as well. Losing sight of one another in the Stinging-Weep Vapour and the tide of people attempting to escape the gas southward, dozens of people ended up being dropped or thrown to the ground by blind spellfire from Aurors, and then injured by the feet of the crowd passing over, who then often tripped in turn. ACCT Platoon 3 was not the only source of spellfire in the blinding gas either, as reportedly some demonstrators became convinced they had become trapped in a counter-protestor pincer attack, and then proceeded to turn their own wands on not just members of the ACCT Platoon, but also other members of the crowd by accident.

Demonstrators were not the only vicitims of ACCT Platoon 4's panic however. Due to the lack of martial law, emergency situation, or special powers declaration beyond simply telling the crowds to vacate the area, many shops and businesses outside the immediate area of the protests had remained open through this time. Of particular note were the cafes and eateries in Magical Chiyoda Ward's bureaucratic center, that not only saw great profit from protest events, but also usually counted on evening commuters or government employees on dinner breaks for their closing sales. As the Sting-Weep Gas seeped into many of the buildings surrounding the Onmyouji-Tejina intersection, employees and patrons of some of these businesses and establishments, who had nothing to do with the ongoing demonstrations, then attempted to flee out into the streets upon finding apparition and the floo was blocked, only to get swept up in the crowd.

Arguably one of the most publicised perspectives of this period of the incident, was that of the broadcast by Fujimori Sayukiko, a radio field reporter with Mahou Kanto Radio. Delivering a live broadcast and running commentary to the station as part of a breaking news special during the popular Squawkbox Radio Panel, Fujimori and Omono Ren, her field technician of dog-hanyou descent, managed to capture the moment Auror Crowd Control Teams and Diet Security Force opened fire, and then the ensuing panic. Blinded by Stinging-Weep Vapour which nobody in the crowd had been prepared for or expecting, the two fled southward on Onmyouji Street while still attempting to report on what was happening. While trying to locate the walls of the MACUSA Embassy as a referance point in the gas, they then came across a pair of Aurors supporting a third.

Fujimori's equipment captured live what unfolded when, despite her shouts that they were press agents and needed help, she and Omono were then attacked by the two uninjured Aurors. Omono was hit by a non-regulation spell that he was luckily largely unaffected by due to his hanyou blood, while Fujimori was targeted with an expelliarmus due to the mis-identification of her microphone as a wand. When it was not dropped from her hand due to her chance use of a wrist strap, this was confused as her resisting the spell and so she was thrown to the ground with a knock-back jinx that unintentionally broke her arm in the fall. When Omono attempted to intervene, the Aurors panicked, thinking the hanyou was attacking them. A short, one-sided physical altercation ensued, before the two retrieved their blinded platoon member and disappeared into the gas, not realising that Omono had been left concussed and bleeding from a head wound from his resulting fall to the pavement. All of this was heard live by Fujimori's still active microphone, which she then elaborated on further while attempting to treat Omono, and other injured who began gathering at the gate of the MACUSA embassy seeking first aid and assistance.

ACCT Platoon 4's trail of damage finally came to an end, when guards at the gate of the MACUSA Embassy became increasingly concerned by what they were hearing from those gathered outside at the gate seeking help. Despite Ambassador Grimsditch initially being uncertain as to whether they should intervene, eventually the Embassy gates were opened and the front courtyard was turned into a triage center for those in need of immediate attention or too injured to make their own way out of Magical Chiyoda Ward. This was largely under the assumption that Floo network and apparition would be restored shortly, in the wake of such an incident with so many injured. When guards asked as to whether or not they should intervene in the street with Head of Embassy Security, Froquet LaRouche, the concerned LaRouche then diplomatically passed on word of what was happening to friends in the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department who were on the scene that evening. Eventually other Aurors had to be deployed into the gas filled street, in order to locate and stand down the remaining panicking members of ACCT Platoon 4, with reportedly at least one blue-on-blue incident resulting.

By the time ACCT Platoon 4 was officially pulled off the street 11 minutes had passed, and it was now 6:38pm. At this time, the majority of the demonstrators, counter-protestors and bystanders had now fled the area southward along Onmyouji Street, towards Memorial Square. Of the small number that remained, some were immobilized by non-leathal ACCT spell takedowns, or lost in the Stinging-Weep Vapour that still filled the street due to many canister handlers being inexperienced, under-trained, and launching too many into the area. A great many more of those still remaining in the vicinity of the Onmyouji-Tejina intersection however, were immobilized due to moderate or serious injuries.

It is generally estimated that between the Diet Security Force spellfire, the crush in the crowd, and ACCT Platoon 4's panic, over 280 people were injured, at least 27 of whom were in serious condition. Six of the night's seven civilian casualties also occurred at this point. This included;

- Tanigawa Genichi: A 35 year old Kyoto Administration Movement lobbyist, who likely died from tripping and then being trampled in the crush.

- Wakimoto Mio: A 22 year old War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group activist, who was herself a refugee from the war. Likely died from internal injuries after being knocked out by a ACCT Platoon 4 Auror, and then trampled by the fleeing crowd.

- Nakahara Ryobe: A 21 year old Student Volunteer Corps member, thought to have died trying to protect a friend who was knocked down in the crush from being trampled.

- Yoshida Chiyo: A 17 year old, normally not politically active, but galvanised into taking part in the demonstration by the WNHK news broadcast, and the fact that many of her friends were going. It is believed that due to her short height, a bone-breaker curse cast by a Diet Security Defence Force member intended for the wand arm of the man behind her, instead hit her in the back of the head when she attempted to flee away from the initial salvo of spellfire back into the crowd, only to accidentally run into him and the path of the curse.

- Harada Kinu: A 75 year old bystander who had just left the office where she worked, and was likely only trying to walk to the nearest exit out of Magical Chiyoda so she could apparrate home at the time. Is believed to have been inadvertently hit by multiple stunners at once by ACCT Platoon 4 Aurors, leading to cardiac arrest.

- Fujinami Fusayasu: A 19 year old bystander, who was in fact an intern at the Magical Diet in the hopes of eventually securing a permanent position in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Fujinami had just ended a shift and was on his way to a night class on Magical Law, when he was caught up in the events that unfolded. After carrying multiple injured and trampled people to safety, it appears Fujinami was then hit by a non-regulation curse from a member of ACCT Platoon 4, that threw him through a plate-glass storefront. Unseen in the darkness and the thick clouds of Stinging-Weep Gas, by the time it cleared enough for anyone to notice him, he had died of blood loss.

The Battle of Memorial Square

By 6:40pm almost the entirety of the original crowd of demonstrators had now fled southwards down Onmyouji Street and ended up congregating in the vicinity of Memorial Square and the gardens of Hensou-Tomi Shrine. Few people actually left the area at this time though, due to a number of incorrect assumptions and the ongoing confusion in both the crowd and among Magical Law Enforcement officials.

Due to the panicked and incorrect reports from various ACCT Platoons that the demonstrators had turned hostile and broken out into an open riot, make shift Auror Crowd Control Teams made up of reserve ACCT Platoons supplemented by law enforcement aurors were hurriedly moved into positions at the intersection of Mahou Drive and Jyumon Way, as well as the southern entrance of Memorial Square. The intention behind these hurried actions, was initially an attempt to block off any potential rioters from entering the high value commercial center and high streets of Lower Mahou Drive, Southern Onmyouji Street and Kijutsu Alley. However, this also had the unintentional effect of bottling many of the fleeing demonstrators into the areas of Memorial Square, and the east-west portions of Jyumon Way coming off of it.

Information incorrectly passed through the crowd also caused many to assume that the Aurors at the intersection of Mahou Drive and Jyumon Way were in fact blocking off the entirety of the thoroughfare, making access out of Magical Chiyoda Ward to the west impossible. Thus the eastward exit via Hensou-Tomi Shrine rapidly ended up choked with people, only to end up largely abandoned by many when the presence of so many people suffering continued effects to Stinging-Weep Vapurs then triggered a panic that Aurors were either taking the shrine or shutting down access from the other side. The majority of these demonstrators ended up retreating back to the public spaces of the Hensou-Tomi Shrine Gardens, and Memorial square where the much of the remaining crowd still lingered.

With access in and out of the area uncertain, many of those injured in the human stampede at the Onmyouji-Tejina intersection, or by Diet Security Force and ACCT Platoon 4, were gathered in this area, primarily because of the numerous fountains surrounding the Square and the Gardens. Those unimpeded or who had already washed their eyes of Stinging-Weep Vapours, then turned their focus towards attempting to secure aid from those more seriously injured, with one of the main focuses for this effort being the administrative building of the Japanese Magical Reserve Complex on the north side of Memorial Square. Because of the building's distinctive nature, and the water fountain in a large foyer that by chance bore enchantments which kept Stinging-Weep Gas from entering through it's Onmyouji Street entrance, the ground floor and much of the reception area had ended up packed with blinded and more seriously injured demonstrators. These people were willingly let inside by concerned night shift workers and members of building security, who then began calling in security staff with first aid training and medical resources from other buildings in the complex.

However, when news of large demonstrator movements reached commanding Magical Law Enforcement Personnel, who were already bogged down with attempting to simultaneously regroup scattered ACCT units and deal to the countless injured now lost in the still lingering Stinging-Weep Vapour at Onmyouji and Tejina, this only further the confusion and mistaken decision making of the night. Reports of demonstrators massing in the administrative offices of the Japanese Magical Reserve, and rapid activity of security personnel throughout the complex, was misread as the fearful assumption that rioters were attempting to break into or raiding the administrative building, in the hopes of proceeding to the reserve itself further up the street. With ACCT Platoon 4 mostly pulled from the field, Platoon 3 still scattered, and Platoons 1 and 2 now struggling to perform both crowd control and securing arrests in between searching the gas filled streets for injured, more hastily assembled reserves were called upon. Feeling that time was of the essence, this new group of reinforcements, who were already largely unfamiliar with such operations and each other, were given little time to plan before then being told to clear the building of supposedly rioting demonstrators at 6:55pm.

This action largely came to the shock of all those inside, including the Administration Building staff, who aside from some still in transit requests for medical aid via owl due to the loss of Apparition and Floo, had not sent any messages implying the need for law enforcement intervention. With the two lowest floors accessible to the general public, now packed with those already injured, another minor panic ensued when more Stinging-Weep Vapour was utilised as a precursor to an entry into the building. This usage was in fact against regulation in such a confined, indoor scenario, and inevitably resulted in many demonstrators and staff members destroying windows and walls in order to facilitate not just their escapes, but also the evacuation of those previously injured.
Spoiler

Crowds watch as the administrative offices of the Japanese Magical Reserve Complex on the northeast side of Memorial Square go up in flames.​

It is believed that during this time, spellfire from an unknown source struck a first aid potions kit in a side office, off of the first floor lobby. The mix of substances combined with the spell then led to the ignition of a small fire, that went unnoticed in the thick clouds of Stinging Weep Vapour filling up the building. By the time the fire was noticed, it had grown large enough to that Aurors were ordered to pull back, due to fear that the fire was an attempted fire-bombing from the crowds of people gathering outside the south side of the building that faced out onto Memorial Square.

Most of this crowd was in fact focused on attempting to evacuate people, and so efforts to contain the blaze were of little success, due to the fire spreading through the Stinging-Weep Vapour filled interior offices. Most attention was directed toward simply trying to evacuate those inside, too injured or without wands to protect themselves from the flames or facilitate their own escapes. Around this time, a number of Aurors also broke ranks. Defying orders to wait for reinforcements while focusing of crowd containment, and to leave the building for the fire service (which was delayed due to the blocking of the Floo network and apparition), a number of individuals instead entered the building of their own accord in attempts to help with the evacuation, and the rescue of those too deep inside the Stinging-Weep Gas filled building for demonstrators to push through and locate with civilian level protective charms and equipment.

Tragically, one Auror lost their life in this action. Without any knowledge of how many people were actually in the building, and where people were being evacuated to, Auror Mafune Saito is believed to have been on his fifth trip into the building when he entered an open office area with the aim of rescuing the last few members of a group of injured he had previously passed by on the second floor. Not knowing these people had likely already been evacuated by a different Auror, Mafune likely became lost in the maze-like, smoke and gas filled environment, not realizing he was in fact the last person in the building. While his charms protected him from the heat and provided a limited oxygen supply, it is believed he died when the fire in the foyer caused the second floor of the building to collapse into the first.

By now, most of those evacuated from, or who had fled the burning Japanese Magical Reserve Administration office, had now joined the rest of the nearby demonstrators in congregating around the fountains and the base of the pedestal for The Monument for Magical Reconciliation in Memorial Square. Caught between the burning building, and the lines of Aurors and ACCT Platoons blocking the northern and southern exits from the square, now the crowds' mood increasingly began to turn from panicked and confused, to that of anger and desperation out of a belief that they were being surrounded.

By this time, the crowd had now reduced to somewhere in the margin of 700 to 600 people. Due to the single exit out of Magical Chiyoda the demonstrators were using being the eastern one at Hensou-Tomi Shrine, the process of clearing the crowd was still slow going and massively hamstrung by the need to evacuate many of the injured first.
Spoiler

Vandalisim, looting and arson in the Jyumon Markets area.​

On the western edge of the square, a group of fringe members of the Kyoto Administration Movement then attempted to take charge. Known as The Young In'yoji, this group was generally typified by being younger, more radical and had regularly butted heads with KAM leadership over their desires for more confrontational events and behavior. Members of the group still in Memorial Square attempted to incite the crowd into retaliatory violence and direct action against Aurors and government institutions in the surrounding area. While this was largely unsuccessful and ignored by most in the square, The Young In'yoji and a small group of anarchists that they had swayed to their side, then marched away from the main mass of demonstrators, to the Jyumon Markets on the central stretch of Jyumon Way just west of Memorial Square at around 7:10pm. Despite the absence of major government offices there, The Young In'yoji and their allies then began a spree of vandalism, arson, and destruction of public property, initially targeting the shopfronts of businesses known to have owners with strong Diet and ICW ties, before eventually becoming indiscriminant in the choosing of their targets.

For those back in Memorial Square, this caused further confusion and panic, as many who had missed the The Young In'yoji and their initial attempts to rally portions of the crowd nearby their group to violence, then misconstrued the appearance of new buildings aflame and spellfire in the darkness, as yet more Auror attacks, this time from the west. This was not helped by the fact that anarchists then assaulted a number of people who attempted to intervene and stop the vandalism and arson. Fearing for their safety while the Hensou-Tomi Shrine was still backlogged with trying to remove the injured, demonstrators and even some businesses that had ended up sheltering those not grievously wounded enough to take precedence in the evacuation through the east exit, then began attempting to fortify their positions. Ad-hoc barricades quickly began to spring up surrounding the central fountains and The Monument for Magical Reconciliation, blocking off the eastern side of the square and access to the Hensou-Tomi Shrine Gardens. As part of this, many of the fountains were magically emptied of their water, which was turned into masses of ice locking together the piles of material appropriated from the surrounding streets, buildings, or conjured up.

Included among this, was also the statues that normally sat atop the pedestal of The Monument for Magical Reconciliation at the center of Memorial Square. With a long and controversial history, often seen as a symbol of foreign influence and ICW subjugation rather than any true post-war reconciliation or memorization of the dead, the destruction of the memorial's post-construction addition inadvertently caused panic among Department of Magical Law Enforcement officials. Due to the smoke from the numerous ongoing fires and still lingering Stinging-Weep Vapours, most outside the square only saw demonstrators magically tearing down the infamously divisive forms of a westernized Japanese wizard shaking hands with a foreign Anglo-American wizard while smaller statues of onmyouji and caricatured yokai also made gestures of friendship. Few noticed the primary impetus for this was simply to reuse these materials in the rapidly appearing barricades.

Some in the Magical Diet and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement panicked, fearing that this was the beginning of an outright rebellion if the crisis was left to go on any longer, and ordered that Aurors and ACCT Platoons converge upon and clear out Memorial Square. However, the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department argued against this action, saying that at this point, it would be impossible to do so without reinforcement from outside the city. Fearing that the unrest could spring up elsewhere though, the DMLE refused to strip other major magical centers of their law enforcement reserves.
Spoiler

Underage demonstrators that took to harassing Aurors from behind physical shields and barricades with fireworks, were soon copied by many adults who also realised the value of well aimed and timed fireworks to shock, deafen and stun advancing Auror Crowd Control Teams.​

At 7:45pm, after almost fifteen minutes of confusion and delays, the first of the major attempt was made by magical authorities to clear Memorial Square via an advance from northern Onmyouji Street. Due to the delay however, demonstrators had been given more than enough time to react and prepare for the impending advance by aurors, on top of their initial construction of barricades. Aurors and ACCT Platoons rapidly came to a halt, unable to find their way past the sheer volume of amateur wards cast and the numerous piles of debris set on fire as deterrents and to cast smoke screens. Furthering issues was that while at least a sixth of the remaining crowd in Memorial Square was comprised of youths below the age of seventeen, many had taken to a problematic method of circumventing being identified using underage magic. Raiding a nearby store that sold magical fireworks, the method of harrying Aurors without leaving any potential magic which could implicate one's self then rapidly caught on. After much confusion, and a number of injuries due to ACCT Platoon members thinking they could shrug off incoming fireworks with their armor, when they were in fact under spell fire, a retreat back to Onmyouji Street was organised. For the next forty minutes, attacks from the north were then delayed, due to worries that the burning administrative offices of the Japanese Magical Reserve could collapse into Onmyouji Street.

Still focused on subduing the crowd rather than attempting to deescalate the now well out of control situation, DMLE officials, including Hirano Josuke, then advocated an advance from the southern and western sides of the Memorial Square using the forces already there instead. Even at 8:20pm when the idea was first suggested however, the it was already doomed to failure, as for much of the preceding hour and a half, under-trained and outnumbered Aurors at the intersection of Jyumon Way and Mahou Drive had already been struggling to contain the anarchic activities of the The Young In'yoji. In the end, they had been forced to settle for defensively keeping them out of southern Mahou Drive and the rest of the commercial district, while numerous stores in the Jyumon Markets in plain view from their position, were vandalised, looted and burned.

Regardless, Aurors and Reserve ACCT Platoons on the south side of Memorial Square were still ordered to make their own attempt to clear the square at 8:30pm. Unlike the more veteran and better led platoons that attempted to advance from the north forty-five minutes earlier, and then rapidly decided upon retreat when they realized the level of opposition they faced, the southern advance dragged on into a 35 minute long battle and siege. In the end, this only resulted in many more serious injuries on both sides, further galvanizing the resistance of those occupying Memorial Square.

Tragically, these injuries also resulted in the death of one demonstrator. Since the toppling of The Monument for Magical Reconciliation, a number of demonstrators had taken to utilizing the position as a defensive tower and lookout, able to watch Auror movements and aim fireworks or spells from it's position above the Square and the clouds of Stinging-Weep Vapours. At one point in the siege, Auror spellfire was heavily concentrated on this position, after a number of volleys of fireworks resulted in injuries. Not realizing that the fountain pool surrounding the pedestal had been emptied however, a number of the spells which struck those atop the monument caused demonstrators to be thrown off. Four people were grievously injured due to head and spinal injuries, with Horiuchi Ichihara, an 18 year old apprentice medi-wizard who was only on the tower to aid somebody already wounded, succumbing to fall induced head trauma before he could be evacuated through Hensou-Tomi Shrine to receive proper medical attention.

Half an hour after later at 9:30pm, a third attempt to clear Memorial Square from the south was made. However in spite of greater time to prepare and plan on the part of the Aurors, this third advance accomplished even less against the increasingly dug in and resolute demonstrators. Though the Battle of Memorial Square had started to protect and buy time to facilitate the evacuation of the injured through Hensou-Tomi Shrine, many were rapidly becoming determined to instead also hold the Square as a defiant statement fueled by outrage, anger and crowd mentality. Upon learning that a number of newspaper and radio reporters, including those from some international outlets, were still among the crowd or watching from behind Auror lines, demonstrators began chanting "The whole world is watching" as ACCT Platoons advanced. As with the second, this attempt largely petered out into an ineffectual siege of the barricades surrounding the central fountains and the eastern side of Memorial Square, finally resulting in a standoff interspersed with sporadic exchanges of fireworks, Stinging-Weep Vapours and assorted spellfire around 9:50pm.

By this time the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was under increasing pressure to resolve the crisis as soon as possible. Ignoring suggestions to seek a peaceful end or some form of truce by Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department officials, Auror Captains and ACCT Platoon Leaders on the ground however, officials surrounding the DMLE Head Office feared that it would be a political disaster to not end the incident on their terms. Against the advise, and even outright protest of many of those on the on the scene or directly overseeing the operation itself, a fourth attempt to clear Memorial Square was decided upon at 10:15pm, this time with a pincer movement from both the north and the south sides of the square simultaneously. However, due to the sheer unwillingness and opposition of many of law enforcement personnel in the field to this mishandling of the gradually escalating situation, the operation itself did not finally start until 10:55pm. This was also partly thanks to the fact that DMLE officials finally acquiesced to demands to bring in fully trained and veteran ACCT personnel to replace the volunteer units that had caused so many problems. It was almost too little too late however, due to the fact that many of the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department's own ACCT personnel were now exhausted after hours of crowd control and repeated incidents snowballing and escalating the crisis, rendering the actual overall effectiveness of the reinforced Aurors and ACCT Platoons debatable.
Spoiler

The prevalence of reporters among demonstrators right from the outset, and the evolution of news reporting over the Abyssal War, meant that many captured the climax of the Battle of Memorial Square during the last failed push by Aurors.​

Adding to their woes was that unlike previous occasions when Stinging-Weep Vapours had caused confusion and retreat in the demonstrators, through out the fourth attempt to clear Memorial Square, it had much less effect. After so many repeated uses and exposures against demonstrators, those in the Square were increasingly used to shrugging off or hurriedly countering the effects, with some even improvising methods to avoiding being impeded by the gas to begin with. Many personnel brought in from outside Tokyo were also shocked and unprepared for the sheer hostility and defiance the crowd displayed in refusing to be forced from their barricades in the Square. It is also believed that a number of squibs and muggle-borns with ties to, or employment in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and Japanese Self Defence Forces, left the area during the preceding lull in the battle, then later returned with non-magical riot control equipment and NBC Suits or hazmat gear. Eventually the Aurors on the south side of the square were repelled when to their shock, non-magical riot-grade Tear Gas was launched into their lines by an unknown assailant in Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Riot Gear, accompanied by others using commercial paintball guns loaded up with police grade pepper-spray projectiles. With the retreat of Aurors from the south of the square, those on the north side halted their advance, only to eventually be driven back by the refocused volume of fireworks, spells, tear gas, and pepper spray that was thrown their way as well.

The fourth attempt to clear Memorial Square of demonstrators eventually lasted just over 20 minutes before Auror and ACCT advances came to a halt, but due to the concerted effort by demonstrators to completely force them from Memorial Square, eventually this phase of the battle dragged on for well over an hour. By 12:15am Sunday morning, periodic exchanges of spells, gases and fireworks were still taking place as a stand off had now ensued.

The Captains' Mutiny

Main Article: The Onmyuji Riot Captains' Mutiny

At 12:20 am, some of the leaders from veteran Auror squads and Auror Crowd Control Teams organised a secret meeting, and met with a number of officials from the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department and lower levels of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Intensely dissatisfied with the manner in which events had unfolded, and fearful that the inept heavy-handedness of the DMLE would only lead to further unrest and possible deaths, the proposed ending the crisis in the manner that they believed best. An agreement was then struck, that false information and communication silence beyond the bare minimum required, would be given to DMLE and certain TMAD officials, while the instigators of the technical mutiny would then pursue a less violent means of ending the unrest, lest it possibly spread beyond Tokyo if anymore deaths and property damage were to ensue. An understanding was reached that most of those central to this mutiny would eventually have to take the fall, to protect others involved at higher ranks.

At 12:45am, the DMLE Head Office began planning with the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department for a potential fifth attempt to clear demonstrators from Memorial Square, not knowing that Aurors and ACCT Platoons were already being carefully pulled back as soon as the mutiny meeting ended at 12:40am. Most Auror efforts were then redirected towards combating many of the fires and the looting left in the wake of The Young In'yoji, who had now progressed northwest from the Jyumon Markets and drifted up Mahou Drive. Reports indicated that after hours without any serious opposition, they had become emboldened enough that they intended to loop around the Magical Diet via northern Mahou Drive and Jyujutsu Alley, in order to target the ICW Building. Veteran ACCT Platoons halted their progress at the Mahou-Jyujutsu intersection, but between the crowd still in Memorial Square, the arson in the Jyumon Markets, and the need to keep certain "loyalist' Auror squads and ACCT Platoons in the dark, the Mutiny Captains were strapped for manpower and resources.

In the end, they resorted to outside help in both deescalating and containing the situation. A number of major leaders and popular figures from the War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group, the Kyoto Administration Movement, and the Society For Wartime Rights were eventually secretly smuggled into Magical Chiyoda Ward, and then Memorial Square by Aurors aligned with the Mutiny Captains. With negotiation and dialogue at last opened between Aurors and a restored leadership among the demonstrators that they would trust and listen to, the situation in Memorial Square at last began to calm. Aurors and mediwizards from Kyoto were also secretly brought in to put an end to the fires in the Jyumon Markets, and deliver aid to those evacuated from Memorial Square.
Spoiler

Photograph captured from The Ryokan International Hotel, of the stand off in Mahou Drive between the Adachi Neighborhood Watch and The Young In'yoji, moments before negotiations failed.​

Outside help was also utilized in also quelling the last of the The Young In'yoji and anarchists, after those turned around by ACCT Platoons on northern Mahou Drive, then looped back around and began assaulting The Ryokan International Hotel, citing it's long history of hosting ICW related guests and functions. This was in spite of the fact that many of those who had joined the original protest on Saturday afternoon, had been SVC festival goers staying at the hotel. At 1:05am, Aurors in the confidence of the Mutiny Captains were then deployed alongside the Adachi Neighbourhood Watch, an organisation long known for it's actions as a psuedo-community law enforcement group in the territory held by the Mizuchi-Onryo, Jin no Hisakawa. After a short stand off and a failed attempt at negotiations outside the hotel, a fight then ensued between the Aurors and ANW against some of the more extreme members of The Young In'yoji and their anarchists allies. No fatalities resulted and the Hotel only suffered minor damage, but one Auror and two ANW members were injured before Jin no Hisakawa herself reportedly ended the fight by leaving five Young In'yoji and anarchist leaders in states requiring medi-wizard trauma treatment, including two for notable head and rectal injuries respectively.

In Memorial Square, a series of accords was eventually reached between between organisation leaders negotiating for the demonstrators, and Mutiny Captains in contact with members of the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department and lower levels of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. At first all those with minor injuries were allowed to leave, under the carefully crafted lie to higher ranking DMLE officials that most of the wounded who still had yet to be evacuated, were bystanders originally trapped on Onmyouji Street or in Memorial Square and Jyumon Way when the riots began. In reality, most of the original injured had by now been evacuated hours ago, but to expedite and ease the process of the evacuation, Aurors and ACCT personnel were cleared from southern Onmyouji Lane, opening up Magical Chiyoda Ward's Southern exit around 1:40am.

Next, an agreement was struck with Diet and DMLE officials that all those underage would be allowed to leave. With the late night news already rife with information regarding the shocking number of young adults injured or fatally caught up in the incident, few were willing to risk more youths being killed if the situation turned violent again, and so they were also allowed to leave around 2:00am. However, many of those that were not actually under seventeen and that simply looked young, were encouraged and made to leave around this time.

At 2:15pm, those of elderly or weak constitutions due to age were then allowed to leave. However, the exact age for this exemption for who was allowed to leave was purposely kept nebulous and confusingly misquoted among officials. Many of those who left at this point, also simply made themselves look older, while Aurors actually doing the checking of I.D.s at the southern and eastern sides of Memorial Square, were all in fact in the confidence of the Mutiny Captains.

At 2:40am, after a number of failed negotiation attempts to get more demonstrators out, and the DMLE Head Office increasingly advocating another ACCT push on Memorial Square now that it was down to under 480 people, the Mutiny Captains then resorted to outright falsifying orders through their allies in the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department. ACCT Platoons and Auror Squads were slowly redeployed to new positions or ordered to help deal with situations elsewhere citing the shrinking size of the crowd and the gradual easing of tensions. Others were also given occasional falsified orders and reports that the results of new negotiations were periodically letting small groups of people out of Magical Chiyoda for a variety of reasons.

By 3:10am, Memorial Square was now occupied by only just under 150 people. Practically all who remained at this point, were those that were determined to resist and wanted to make a final stand holding the Square as a political statement. At this point though, the Mutiny Captains ran out of time to stall, especially as rumors about just how few people remained in the Square began to circulate. In spite of the best efforts to mask how many had already left via charms and smoke screens, live Wizarding Wireless news broadcasts had slowly caught on that something was happening thanks to a number of reporters still on the scene, who hadn't left with the majority of the demonstrators.

Finally at 3:25am, ACCT Platoons who now greatly outnumbered the remaining demonstrators that were far too few to man the barricades, initiated their final advance into Memorial Square from the northern entrance. All those who remained in the Square were eventually arrested, mostly with little resistance, although some did resist and cause a final few resulting injuries for both sides.

At 4:00am Sunday morning, what would eventually be termed the Onmyouji Street Riot, was at last declared to officially be over.

Aftermath

The Onmyouji Street Riot marked a tragic and tumultuous turning point in Japanese magical politics and society that had been brewing ever since the Arrival of the Northern Princess Alliance Fleet, and had it's roots in the systemic mismanagement and ineffectiveness of the Magical Diet since the beginning of the Abyssal War. While the riot did not make many people outright turn against the magical government, it brought into the open an atmosphere of distrust and disunity among the lower and middle class that had already been brewing since the Diet's inaction. Many have often drawn comparisons between the event's political effects on the magical youth, and the 1970 Kent State shootings, as it galvanized many who had previously been relatively a-political and did not see it as something relevant to them, especially in light of the increasing pervasive belief that eventually the Kyoto Administration would supplant the Magical Diet.

Where the two tragedies very much differed however, was public reaction and consideration for the blame. This was largely thanks to the advent of non-magical style live news coverage of events, which had been increasingly catching on thanks to the years of the Abyssal War. Publicity and attempts at damage control by the Magical Diet, as well as Department of Magical Law Enforcement efforts to downplay the scale of the tragedy, were practically doomed from the start due to the presence of live broadcasters throughout the course of the riot, some of whom had even fallen victim to the mismanagement and mistakes of Auror Crowd Control Teams themselves. The general public had been gripped throughout the night by Wizarding Wireless reports capturing the sheer horror and confusion of the events that took place live. The night of Saturday the 27th would in fact set records for some stations as largest late night listening numbers ever recorded. Numerous Sunday Morning newspapers also featured multiple page spreads dedicated to as much information as they could collect on the individual events making up the disaster, and some more sensationalist papers were not past exaggerating or quoting what they already knew to be incorrect, to capitalise on the unprecedented nature and scale of it all.

An independent investigation after the fall of the Statute of Secrecy, would eventually lay the blame for much of what went wrong that night with a number of higher ranking Department of Magical Law Enforcement officials, including the DMLE Head Office. Overbearing and inflexible orders from government officials and political figures influencing law enforcement operations, were blamed as one of the primary factors in the continual escalation that both caused and allowed the situation to spiral out of control. A lack of adequate training and experience among certain law enforcement personnel and groups deployed that night was also blamed as both a direct and indirect factor to in many of the injuries and deaths that occurred during the riot. Another common trend was that a lack of consideration was often given as to how the crowd was envisioned as moving and reacting, vs where the crowd actually went or pushed itself out of a combination of ill-thought access routes, injury or impairment, and subsequent fear of law enforcement after the initial incident. Rushed planning, a lack of manpower, miscommunication, misuse of personnel, mistrust in operational leadership, and unit inexperience, were all noted as other pervasive major elements in both the human stampede at the Onmyouji-Tejina intersection, the assault on the Japanese Magical Reserve Complex, and the failures to remove demonstrators from Memorial Square.

Since the riots, the Tokyo Metropolitian Auror Department has spearheaded a number of sweeping changes to how Prefecture Auror Departments handle the training and deployment of Auror Crowd Control Teams. They have also initiated a a study into how better to manage crowd control, taking many notes from how non-magical riot police are often deployed.

With little option left in the wake of so much damage and tragedy, the National Democratic Renewal Cooperative Party found itself under massive pressure from not just the opposition and public outcry, but even their own allied coalition parties, and no choice but to initiate the inquiry into Hirano Josuke and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement on Monday the 29th of July. In the face of continual outrage and calls for culpability in the wake of the riot however, he was then suspended as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement on Wednesday the 31st, and by the Saturday of August the 3rd, was officially removed from office due to massive public pressure.

Technically however, Hirano, nor anyone else within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to date, has yet to be charged in direct relation to the property damge, injuries or deaths that took place during the riot. Until the fall of the Statute of Secrecy, the ongoing inquiry into the Hirano and the DMLE under his tenure, was in fact only in regards to the Arrival of the Northern Princess Alliance Fleet, with only a vague, generalist purview for anything before or after. Since the fall of the Statute of Secrecy however, Hirano and a number of other officials in office at the time of the incident, have been the focus of a number of ongoing investigations by non-magical Japanese law enforcement and a number of judicial courts, for a multitude of charges and incidents beyond just the Onmyouji Street Riot.

No member of Auror Crowd Control Team Platoon 4 has ever been charged or held responsible for the events of the night of July 27th either, in spite of their contribution to the vast majority of casualties that night. In comparison, the Diet Security Force were directly responsible for at least one death and a number of injuries, but they were forced into a situation outside of their training and normal purpose, and it has been noted that they in fact operated with a surprising amount of restraint and caution within the bounds of the confusing and unfamiliar orders they were given, even as they fatally misinterpreted some within the terminology of their own. Portions of Auror Crowd Control Team Platoon 4 however, spent the entirety of the 11 minutes until they were interrupted, in a lost, confused, and blinded rampage against what portions of the crowd stumbled into them. Questions have been repeatedly raised as to why there was such little attempt or success at forming an actual response or tactical reaction to the situation. Many have pointed out that had the crowd actually been hostile, even blinded by Stinging-Weep Gas, they would have eventually and easily been overwhelmed.

The Magical Diet never named any members of ACCT Platoon 4, citing identity protection legislation that exists for most specialist Auror Branches that deal with controversial or criminal matters. Many however, believe that ACCT Platoon 4's leader may have been a young Auror with family ties to the DMLE and NDRC Party by the name of Tokunaga Katsuhito. If this is true, it could possibly suggest a worrying case of nepotism gone wrong, as most ACCT Platoon Leaders were supposed to be veteran Aurors with years of experience, and Tokunaga was still only a few years out of the academy with a surprising number of promotions in such a short span of time. These were often rumored to be fueled by favoritism and office politics. A week after the riot, Tokunaga Katsuhito was found dead, with medi-wizards and coroners ruling out any kind of foul-play. Though the cause of death was officially listed as a tragically lethal Combined Drug Intoxication due to a mix up of potions he was receiving for injuries received on the night of the riot, Tokunaga's family have since cut ties with the NDRC. They believe his death to have been a suicide out of not just guilt, but also fear of the family name being scapegoated, due to the fact that he was indeed the leader of the under-trained and under-experienced ACCT Platoon 4, and that the DMLE may have originally planned to turn Platoon 4 into culprits for everything that went wrong that night.

Despite the refusal by the Magical Diet and DMLE to officially acknowledge whether or not Tokunaga was the leader of ACCT Platoon 4, that did not stop them revealing the identities of three others when news of the Captains' Mutiny finally broke. Uesaka Yoshiyuki, commander of ACCT Platoon 3, Murai Taikan commander of ACCT Platoon 2, and Wakisaka Tessai of ACCT Platoon 1 all had their identities revealed for their parts in the Mutiny. They, along with Auror Squad Captains Iemitsu Furutani and Yumoto Eriko, as well as Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department officials Aozora Shiko and Jo Kinmochi, along with Department of Magical Law Enforcement official Nakagome Risa, were all implicated in the Captains' Mutiny. All faced highly divisive charges in the massively controversial trail and investigation that hurriedly followed. Though never charged, Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department Superintendent General, Irie Cho, eventually resigned from her position, likely due to heavy scrutiny and rumors that the Mutiny had in fact only transpired as successfully as it had, due to her knowledge of its existence and allowance for it to proceed.

Eventually however, all but Uesaka, Murai, Wakisaka, and Iemitsu were let off without charge, as they were the main instigators of the Mutiny. Of the four, only Uesaka faced jail time, though the others also faced hefty fines and house arrests. Since the fall of the Statute of Secrecy, the case has been reopened pending appeal.

In relation to the riots, over 380 people were originally arrested, but eventually only 139 were charged for any kind of misdemeanor. Of these, only 94 were for serious or violent crimes. After the fall of the Statute of Secrecy, a number of those arrested on minor charges in the wake of the riot, have since had their convictions over turned.

Since the incident, the effected areas of Magical Chiyoda Ward have gradually recovered, but a number of the of the smaller businesses destroyed on the night of the 27th along Jyumon Way and in the Jyumon Markets were unable or unwilling to return. Others eventually failed as a result of the damages caused by the The Young In'yoji and other violent demonstrators seeking direct action, which magical repairs could not recoup losses for or replace. In the areas of the Jyumon Markets and central Mahou Drive, one in six shops was effected by fire damage, and one in eleven was completely burned down. No complete cost of damages has ever been officially made for the disaster due to the mix of commercial and government buildings damaged or outright destroyed, but it has generally been pegged as equivalent to somewhere on the scale of billions of yen.

Though no official memorial yet exists, the plaza of the new administration building constructed to replace the Japanese Magical Reserve Complex's previous one that burned down during the riot, is generally treated as one on the yearly anniversaries of the tragedy since.

After the riot, Memorial Square and it's fountain were eventually repaired to their original state, but the 1950s addition of the Monument for Magical Reconciliation was not replaced. The pedestal was reverted back to it's original status as a cenotaph.

Criticism and Controversies

Suspect Zero
Despite a massive Auror and public effort, no one has ever been officially identified as the original instigator of the Onmyouji Street Incident that started the riot by casting spells at either ACCT and Diet Security Force personnel, or the counter-protestors. Adding to the confusion, many news outlets published incorrect reports of the details of the original attacker, while some even postulated that there was no original attacker at all. This suggestion of a coverup to hide Auror or Diet Security Force "trigger-happiness" is still a contentious point argued by some, but a number of Aurors, DSF members, counter-protestors, and even some demonstrators, all recall a possible original attacker and gave descriptions that match each others' statements regarding general appearance and location.

Suspect Zero as he became known, was by most statements, a nondescript male of pale complexion, dark hair, and wearing sunglasses, with his most notable feature being a grey anorak. Witness statements and even a chance photograph by a reporter also appear to corroborate the statement by Diet Security Force personnel that Suspect Zero was the man they were aiming for when Yoshida Chiyo was caught in the crossfire and killed. Some theorise that Yoshida was in fact dragged into the line of fire and used as a human shield by Suspect Zero on purpose. Many have also noted the oddity that when he attacked, Suspect Zero did not do so from the frontline directly facing the authorities and counter-protestors, but fact cast from the cover of more than two of three rows back inside the crowd.

Many have also questioned who exactly was Suspect Zero's intended target. Due to his location, and how close by the spell passed both to groups yet didn't hit anyone, it is difficult to determine whether or not he actually was aiming for ACCT and Diet Security Force personnel attempting to separate the street, or if he was in fact aiming for counter-protestors. No one has ever conclusively been able to identify what spell he cast either.

In spite of an extensive manhunt, Suspect Zero has never been identified, causing many conspiracy theories to formulate around his identity and agenda. Some postulate that he was an agent of a False Flag attack gone incredibly wrong, plotted by elements within the Magical Diet who initially intended to create justification for arresting protest and demonstration leaders causing them political and public relations issues, not realizing the chaos Suspect Zero's actions would unleash. Others believe that Suspect Zero may have been a member of one of the more extremist or fringe groups among the crowd of demonstrators that evening, such as the The Young In'yoji.

In 2018, investigative reporter Shimota Haruko released her highly acclaimed and controversial books, "Anorak, Grey" and "Trias Politica", documenting her unsuccessful search for the identity of Suspect Zero, as well as her subsequent slow uncovering of the original Department of Magical Law Enforcement investigation and internal politics surrounding the deaths and repercussions that resulted from Onmyouji Street Riot.

Direct Action by The Young In'yoji
One of the greatest failings by the Tokyo Metropolitan Auror Department and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement on the night of the riot, was the lack of focus on, and inability to deal with The Young In'yoji. Many have felt that Auror resources were far too greatly fixated on removing demonstrators from Memorial Square for fear of political appearances, when a lot of the real damage done to Chiyoda Ward on the night of the 27th was in fact happening elsewhere thanks to The Young In'yoji, as well as a variety of minor anarchist groups and looters. In fact, while Memorial Square itself was filled up with debris and materials to create barricades, as well as the fires for smoke screens and flame walls, building damage and loss of property for many stores was mostly minor, if not absent, outside of a few outliers.

The actions of The Young In'yoji were also the final straw for the leadership of the Kyoto Administration Movement. The radical youth group and their parent organisation had already had an increasingly strained and frayed relationship for months, especially after elements of The Young In'yoji were found to be among some of the primary persons behind those in the KAM, that lied to the War Migrant and Displaced Persons Advocacy Group that the Kyoto Administration Movement was still interested in protesting of Saturday the 27th. Before the Onmyouji Street Riot, the Kyoto Administration Movement had already been slowly distancing itself from the Young In'yoji, but afterwards, they cut off all ties and disavowed themselves from the fringe faction and anyone who maintained relations to it entirely. Many of the other major protest groups also followed suit shortly after.

Without the support of major organisations as well as better organized groups or more charismatic groups, and publicly vilified after the riots, The Young In'yoji quickly proved to be not as independent or as powerful a cause as they thought. Within two months of the riot, the group would eventually fall apart.

Insubordination of the Auror Captains
The Captains' Mutiny as it has often been called, is still an often hotly controversial subject of debate. Many question the legality of the defiance that took place, so blatantly ignoring or falsifying orders, but in counter-point many agree that without their refusal to follow their original instructions and plans, the result likely would have been worse.

Others also question their methods of deescalating, and how many people were simply allowed to walk free. Some argue that some focus at least, should have still been maintained on arresting or detaining those who were technically assaulting law enforcement personnel and resisting arrest, on top of holding an illegal congregation and vandalising public spaces and works.

Further muddying the issues, was that no form of martial or emergency law was ever officially declared. Others though, point out that technically Japan had been in a State of War and that many emergency powers acts had already been in effect since the start of the Abyssal War in 2005.

Regardless of these factors, one point that is generally agreed by many is that though they may have eventually brought an end to the riot without further casualties, in the end, the Captains' Mutiny only further weakened the Magical Diet and the image of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. It highlighted the increasing schisms forming between those loyal to the central government in Tokyo, and those who felt their loyalties and obligations lay elsewhere as a matter of conscience, duty, or logic. The lower ranks of the Auror Corps and DMLE were a hotbed of such opinions, and were already increasingly disenfranchised with the Magical Diet, even before the riot.

It also painted a drastically questionable image of the effectiveness of the system, that in order to finally quell the most violent and destructive elements of the Onmyouji Street Riot, Mutiny Captains had eventually turned to The Adachi Neighborhood Watch, a civilian community-law enforcement group. Even more controversially, this group was of mixed yokai, wizard and squib membership and stylized themselves after non-magical biker gangs to blend in, but worst of all, it was lead by Jin no Hisakawa. A figure who according to the Magical Diet, was technically a fugitive wanted for questioning in relation to a number of previous issues and incidents.

While the riot showed many of the overal failings of the Japanese Department of Magical Law Enforcement, the Captains Mutiny showed that even within the system, there was a startling lack of trust and belief by Aurors in the field towards their own bureaucracy, leadership, and different branches of law enforcement. This divisiveness and increasing tendency for many to operate outside the system or look the other way for the sake of necessity or consience, in turn only exacerbated many of the issues weighing down the DMLE, furthering the self-fulfilling cycle of declining effectiveness and loss of confidence.

See Also

• The Abyssal War in Magical Japan
• 2013 Gashadokuro Incident
• Arrival of the Northern Princess Alliance Fleet
• Japanese Magical Civil Rights Movements
• Fall of the Statute of Secrecy in Japan
• Fall of the Statute of Secrecy

 

[darthcourt10]

Admiral Pendulum

An uber-late cross-post from SV on a snippet series that I'm doing set in the American heartland/homefront of the Abyssal war... With Trens. Please enjoy and send feedback on what can be improved upon!
QUEEN OF SPEED

The long-bordered neighbors that were the United States and Canada found that the coastlines at potential risk extended to a uniquely large and central area of industrial production that was the Great Lakes region. With the abyssals combined assaults on the Nile, Mississippi, Amazon, Yangtze, and many other major rivers there was utmost concern of an abyssal force somehow trudging the length of the Saint Lawrence river and vanishing into Lake Ontario. With only short straits of land separating each of the lakes it would be a cataclysmic for any sort of abyssal to gain access to America and Canada's industrial sectors that lined the coasts of these massive lakes.

Fortunately for both territorial neighbors the veritable inland, fresh water seas remained unadulterated by the abyssal scourge, save for the month of November when storms cropped up above Lake Superior with eerie regularity.and nigh record setting ferocity. Even greater for the two countries was the discovery of new iron rich ore in the upper peninsula of Michigan and Minnesota, ore that was long thought to have been exhausted since the late 1950s.

The lakes were a godsend that had been given to both nations after the process of summoning and awakening ship girls had been investigated, the lakes were quickly made into training grounds where natural borns could test their weaponry and practice escort duties with the Iron ore freighters that sailed between the countries and summons could adapt to the new world and new bodies they found themselves in. One such base was at the southernmost corner of the lakes…


May 10th, 2013, 06:22 Central US Time

A thin, bespectacled adolescent tore his eyes from his book, The Road he was reading at the tap-that-was-more-a-shove from his red-headed friend. Both had been on the train for over 2 hours and his assumption that the book would occupy his time as he rode was correct.

"Hey! Ian! I know you're tryin' to catch up on your reading to get your foot in the door at the Museum, but keep those ears open, our stop's next!"

Ian Weston, of 13 years, and his friend Craig Jones, of 15 years, had made the journey from South Bend, Indiana aboard the South Shore line to their intended stop: 55th, 56th, & 57th street. Ian's mahogany eyes turned to the window. As he pressed his long, boney nose into the glass the former 'Palace of Fine Arts building' emerged from behind the low-rise buildings. His internal review of the trio's itinerary was halted by a sharp smack as Craig slapped their mutual 'Guardian' and hardcore metal-head Josh Piasecki, of 18 years.

"The fuck was that for shithead!?"

Ian doubled over struggling to contain the heaving of his lungs as the profane outburst earned the dark-clothed young man would have received many a glare of mothers who were sharing the coach with their children in tow had they not been on the early commuter rush. Instead he was given glares by commuters who were still upset about the outburst in the coach as they tried to ready themselves for the last day of the work week.

"Right wise-asses, your stop is coming up, try not to burn shit to the ground or steal fuckall. I'm going to ride to the end of the line since that's closer to reckless records, I have orders to pick up there. I'll catch the CTA and bus back in three hours. You assholes better be ready to get on the train when I get back or your parents are going to ground you for months."

Josh's hollow threat was nothing new to the pair… however the fact that Craig was foresighted enough to capture the Audio meant that they wouldn't be the only ones taking a dive under the figurative bus.

"Yeah, yeah, try not to start a mosh in that small place, the guys there are decent people after all."

The stockier boy quickly dodged a swing that was disguised as a stretch from Josh as he rose from his seat for both to exit the train as it began to slow down.

"Fuck you too asshole." replied Josh.

Today was a rather special day, Ian and Craig had won a pair of tickets in a Chicagoland radio raffel to have a VIP afternoon with a ship girl whose hull rested within the building both young teenagers looked out on. The museum that had a banner with a German flag next to the guest of honor's hull. Both were going to make for the steps off the platform until Ian saw a rare bird in the form of an replica 800 class electric headed towards them on the tracks nearby. He promptly bolted towards the end of the platform to catch it in action. A resigned sigh came from Craig as he had long since been used to this from his railfan friend.

"So, I take it you two are the lucky winners of the afternoon with me, Ja?"

Craig nearly jumped clear through the roof of the station at the sudden voice that spoke behind his ear. U-505, known by Yuusa by her younger sister, bit her lip and held in hysterical laughter that would otherwise have caused her to fall flat on her stern. Had she been with said younger sister, she wouldn't have lasted more than a second before succumbing. As a submarine she wanted to avoid too much attention. Her baggy sweatpants, pink abercrombie hoodie, and cheap sunglasses were surprisingly effective in hiding her identity for those without the benefit of Sparkly Magical Shipgirl Bullshit.

"Y-Yeah." Stammered Craig as he rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed that the shipgirl had actually gotten the drop on him in somewhere that she should have stuck out like a sore thumb. "Name's Craig, or Jorgie if your name's Ian."

Said shorter boy was making his way back as the pumpkin-orange locomotive passed through the station with freight in tow.

"You have some Norwegian ancestry if I remember correctly Craig, so it makes sense." explained the thin youth as he slipped his phone into his pocket.

The submarine smiled a bit at the byplay. "Ja, but he looks nothing like the rifle you're referring to though, at least from what I remember when Frau New Jersey was in the area looking for books on other firearms of this country."

Craig tilted his head to the side a bit before he nodded in agreement. "From what the PR has said, I wouldn't be surprised if she'd be the type to pull out twin MaDuces and go wild on the fourth of July."

Having met the ruckus american, Yuusa knew that it wouldn't be too far from reality had the strawberry blonde not been tethered by a certain literature professor. As the trio made their way down the stairs of the elevated platform to the street below and began their walk towards the building the small talk commenced. How are you doing? How is everything where you're at? Are you getting your rations as needed? All sorts of questions that the boys deflected with the standard 'yeah we're okay/fine/yes' They didn't want to be in a pitty party as they knew from the news reports that there were many that had it worse than they did, thousands of miles of land lay between the trio's location and the ocean proper.

However, the weather outside was beautiful, being close to the lake gave a stiff breeze that took the edge off the high humidity that was typical in this region of the country. It wasn't anything like Hamburg or Wilhelmshaven for Yuusa, but there were plenty of places she knew of in the city to go to when part of her was feeling a bit homesick. It was yet another reason the city was rather popular with shipgirls from outside of the country. Ones looking for something familiar to eat or drink after a long day training on the freshwater sea.

As they approached their destination, the turquoise domes of the building cast long, early morning shadows over them as they passed through the revolving doors of the museum well before opening hours. The silver, corrugated side of the streamliner that met them at the underground portion of the museum once more saw Ian whip his phone out and taking photos of various details.

"Will he be alright? I doubt the Museum staff will want him climbing under the Pioneer Zephyr exhibit…"

Asked Yuusa in a mildly concerned voice.

Craig chuckled a bit at that.

"Nah, He may be a foamer, but he at least knows limits to what he's doing."

The submarine knitted her brows a bit and tilted her head to the side.

"Foamer?"

"It's a term for railroad fans, they 'foam' at the mouth when they see a train."

Craig sighed a bit as he had to put up with his friends nigh obsession with the railed vehicles since they were in kindergarten.

"At least I don't need rabies shots~!"

Replied the railfan as he continued his photographing spree of the minute details of the exhibit before him.

"Alright, I was 6 when that happened and I seriously though the racoon got into some toothpaste, At least they knew what it was and got me treated…"

The stocky boy instinctively rubbed his stomach in a painful manner as he recalled the very painful experience in the emergency room that evening.

"That aside, you mentioned that Graf Zeppelin was looking into putting some of her fairies to work to try and get the Stuka here in operational order?"

Both Yuusa and Ian followed to where the redhead was pointing, the hairs on the back of the submarine's neck stood on end. However it was not due to the aircraft being suspended in a manner that mimicked an attacking run, but the swastika still painted on the tail of the aircraft. Something she knew Graf would have issues with if she was repairing it. The carrier would certainly ask that it be removed or at least replaced with modern Bundeswehr Luftwaffe cross, or the more period correct Balkenkreuz in the place of that vile Hakenkreuz that tarnished the tail of the aircraft.

Craig winced a bit at her expression.

"S-Sorry, sort of forgot the museum…"

Craig's train of thought was brought to a screeching halt by a sudden scuff of a shoe coming from the transportation gallery. Yuusa knew that they were the only ones in the museum currently… or at least the only ones that were to be there at all. Her friendly demeanor evaporated as her inner hunter came to light, a hallmark of of the U-boats as she motioned for both to follow behind her. The U-boat had heard about the attempted break-up of Gale and Wash almost two years prior, and didn't want something to happen to the two who were under her watch right now.

The blonde silently approached the corner to the transportation gallery as one of her fairies produced an empty blush compact from her internal hold and passed it to her left hand. Once the empty cosmetic container was opened, she slipped the mirror around the corner to see what was going on. Two men wearing robes quietly chanted with a pair of wooden sticks in their hands around one of the exhibits… New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Engine 999.

"Damn it Jeb, the ward isn't getting fixed quickly enough, when will the no-Majes be getting here?"
Hissed the younger of the two men as he held the stick at the tender of the locomotive.

"Two hours Zeak. We have time, but Merlin have mercy this ward has decayed so heavily it might as well have already failed. Good thing MACUSA was on top of things so we could prevent her from coming out."

Both youths were shocked at what they were hearing, No-Majes? Wards? MACUSA?

"Scheisse… I wondered if they were going to show up here. You two, stay put and I'll…"

However the submarine's words were in vain as Ian rushed forward and tripped a warning charm the two wizards had set, setting a sound off what amounted to someone firing a pistol inside the room. Their reaction was swift as they turned their wands to the enraged 13 year old.

"What are you doing to her!?"

Shouted the boy, completely unaware of the danger he had just put himself in.

"Obliv…"

The elder of the two majes began to speak, however a stone from the tracks beneath the locomotive shot forth and smacked into his hand with a sickening crack of a bone breaking, their wand consequently was sent flying across the floor.

"FUCK! MY HAND!"

Jeb clutched his broken wrist with his right hand allowing Yuusa to act. She quickly pulled a luger from her hoodie, flipping the safety, and racking the toggle in a smooth motion before the firearm was pointed squarely at the still armed wizard.

"You dare try to do that to someone who is here to see me even after what you all tried to do with Gale and Washington out at Bremerton?"

The german's finger was dangerously close to the trigger.

"Drop it. Now."

Without much else he could do, the younger Auror did as he was instructed and carefully set the wand down on the ground while the blonde approached them carefully. However the injured Auror tried to salvage the situation, reaching for a dagger concealed in his shoe. Once again, a stone rocketed forth from the tracks and clipped his nose, breaking it and causing it to bleed both inside his nasal passages and from a large gash that his nose now had. His ice blue eyes glared at the locomotive as if it were the one responsible for his injuries.

"Leave now and never return to this city again. Tell any friends of MACUSA that think they can make this go away any time soon that they can think twice before trying to come here again."

Yuusa unceremoniously kicked the wand back across the floor to the injured wizard, her pistol still firmly grasped in her hands. The mages knew they wouldn't be able to utter a spell before the german's finger squeezed the trigger on her sidearm. The pair was silent in their begrudging admission of defeat before they apparated out of the museum.

With the threat dealt with, the submarine dropped her magazine and racked the slide to clear the firearm's chamber. One of her fairies on her shoulder caught the round and handed it back to her ship girl. The round was quickly replaced into the magazine, the firearm dry-fired, and its safety engaged before the weapon was reassembled and placed back from whence it was retrieved from in her internal storage.

"W-What the hell was that!?"

Stammered the stocky youth as he stared incredulously dumbfounded at where the two were earlier.

It was almost an hour of explanation to the two youths of what had been happening in the past few months as well as explaining the concept of Tsukumogami to the pair.

Craig ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily.

"So… You mean to tell us, that those two weren't one offs and there's a whole secret organization involved with keeping things like this under wraps, and they were trying to repair some sort of spell that kept this train…"

"Locomotive," Ian chimed in. "Trains have…"

"GOD DAMN IT IAN! SEMANTICS!"

The redhead glared at his friend who was sitting next to the engine in question.

"So… we need to find a way to get her to break through whatever they put on it…"

"Her." Corrected Ian.

"WHATEVER!" groaned the fifteen year old as he face palmed. "We need to do that before they try to come back and fix it and fix us so we never saw anything happen…"

"Precisely." Nodded Yuusa as she walked over to the engine. "There's a Tsukumogami of a tea set in Japan now that rapidly gained an humanoid avatar due to her proximity to many of the ship girls. In the shinto religion, we're sort of minor goddesses due to various factors."

Both youth's looked at her to explain further.

The submarine cast her gaze skywards and covered her eyes with her hands, slowly dragging her digits downwards.

"I'm not a frigging specialist on Japanese culture, that's my sister's schtick ja? Bottom line is, what happened here was something that you two weren't supposed to see as far as they were concerned. Also, if I'm correct in some of the things I've heard from my younger sister are correct... they were just about to wipe your memory of it and would follow suit with the rest of us if they could."

Yuusa's sky-blue gaze affixed to the pair once more.

"Those were wizards, and now you're both going to be priority targets for them to try and finish the job."

The German gave a half smirk at her new charges.

"Therefore, you are to remain within my eyesight and each others whenever possible."


AN: To elaborate on what engine Ian was so enthusiastic to take an image of when they got off their train in Chicago. The 800 class in the United states were more commonly known as 'Little Joe' as they were intended for the Soviet Union when under construction in 1946 until cold war politics had all 20 of them kept domestically with several being exported to Brazil. They're a rare example of a North American Electric Freight Locomotive. One (#803) is still preserved in operational order and was used by the same railway Ian, Craig, and Josh took into Chicago. She is rarely juiced up to run so she is in remarkable condition considering that Electric locomotives had nearly proprietary requirements for what their motors ran on in terms of Voltage and frequency if they were AC engines. At the time, Most railroads owned the power stations that electrified their trains, today they mostly just buy from the electric companies.

I shall be getting snippet number two up here a few days after I post it on SV, since SB gets plenty of love as it is, No offense.