Eventually, the women around Ian parted some and the Kami turned towards the thirteen year old Wizard with a gentle smile on his face, "Hello, Harry." Seeing his expression, the older wizard shook his head, "No need to be nervous."
Just swallowing, Harry searches his ancestor's expression, "Are... are you really my Great-great grandfather?"
Walking forward, Ian crouched down some to meet Harry's eyes, "Aye, I am." For his part, he smiled slightly as he made a gesture with his hand, "Yup, definitely a Potter with that hair. And there's some other bits and pieces. Though those cheekbones... that would be the Black Family Blood on you." Turning, he face a cheeky smile to Lyra, "He gets that from you, I think."
Simply laughing, the witch nodded, "He does, thankfully. Though he does get some other things besides looks from you, Ian."
Only shrugging, Ian smirked a bit as a confused Harry scratched his head, 'Wonder what she means.' Shaking that off, he turned to Lyra, "And you're my Great-great grandmother?"
Bemused, Lyra nodded before doing an odd hopping dance, "The writer who writes what men and women dream and wish for most! Who brings forth fantasy from the depths of the psyche! And whose pen has enflamed passions on six continents and recorded it! Whose works have gotten acclaim in both this world and the next!" Finishing her dance, she went into a pose as Koyomi clapped a pair of Hyoshigi, "That is I! The Great Authoress Lyra Potter, Nee Black!" The Witch then swept her arm in a grand gesture as she bowed while grinning like a loon and winking, "And your Great-Great grandmother!"
Utter silence met her for several moments before the other older members of the Arashi nodded and sighed, though with fond smiles, "That's Lyra-Chan/Kaa-San."
Giggles made them turn to where Hoppou had appeared from where she had been hiding behind a food cart, "Funny."
Amused, Ian laughed and gestured at her, "And here is the third reason why I can visit."
Furrowing her eyes, the Battleship frowned, "You didn't mention her before."
In reply, Ian just shrugged, "Because she was not out in the open. I would not point her out unless she was visible after all." He then grinned a bit, "Hopefully she is enjoying the festival."
Licking her ice cream, despite how cold it was, Hoppou nodded, "Hoppou is, though Hoppou is not happy with how Hoppou was pushed inside Shrine."
Completely unrepentant, Lyra shrugged, "If that was not done, then you would have never come in." All Hoppou did was cross her arms and huff, though there was still a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. Meanwhile, Lyra stretched a bit, "Ah! But it is good to be able to talk with you all for now."
Yukina, who was beside her, raised one eyebrow in amusement before giving the woman next to her a look, "Lyra-Chan, your hand?"
Blinking as if she was confused, the witch looked down at her hand which was positioned behind the Yuki-Onna. In one place in particular. Giving that spot a squeeze, and getting a flush from Yukina as well as a small jump, she shrugged, "What? It is in one of the places it belongs."
Just chuckling as some of the other female Yokai giggled and some smirked, Ian sighed, "Your incorrigible, Lyra."
Still unrepentant, Lyra shrugged with a grin and a wink, "And you love me for it."
Rather than say anything, Ian shook his head at her behavior with a slight smile. After all, he was long used to it happening, "True enough." His attention was drawn as Kikyo as well as a number of the second generation of the clan stepped forward. A warm smile on his face, Ian opened his arms, "Hey, have a hug for your old man?"
Tears in her eyes, the Hone-Onna nodded before rushing him and wrapping her arms around his mid-section, "Hai, I always have a hug for you, Tou-San." Sniffling a bit, she reached up and pecked him on the cheek even as they were joined by other daughters, and one or two old men who were his remaining sons, "Always."
Gently kissing her on the head, he pulled back some, "I'm sorry that we couldn't show up before, but... there are rules." Chuckling, Ian grinned some before glancing at Shiromizu, followed by Nagato and then Hoppou, "Though right now, we are able to be sort of bending them."
One finger raised, Lyra smirked, "Exactly, bending them over like they should be and going through the loophole."
Shaking her head, Koyomi flicked her fellow wife in the ear which got her a grumble. Her gaze then travelled to something else as various hugs and pecks to the cheek were given to her husband, "Though I think that there is someone else who would want to speak with you after so long."
Ian gave a nod at that before moving in front of Harry, "I know that this is a bit much to ask, but..."
Already understanding, the thirteen year old removed Tsukiakari from his waist and held her out, "Here, though..."
Chuckling, Ian shook his head, "Don't worry, I'll return her. Perhaps one day in the far future, I'll reclaim her, but that is not today. Because she is needed to protect our family." Harry bowed at that and stepped back. Within his hands, Tsukiakari shivered, as if trying not to explode. Smiling at that, Ian cleared his throat, "Come on out, Tsukiakari, I wish to see my most beloved blade."
Briefly, the sword unsheathed itself some before in a swirl of magic, Tsukiakari's avatar appeared. As always, she wore a version of an uniform not unlike Akitsu Maru's own, over which she had a wizard's cloak and a witch's hat perched upon her head. Those there could see similarities between her and Ian, as well as some aspects in her avatar's appearance from Lyra with some of the other Arashi elders mixed in. Tears falling down her cheeks, she stared at the man she considered to be her first, true master. Lips pressed thinly together, her shoulders shook from the sheer emotion she was trying to hold in, "M-Master Ian..."
Gently, Ian smiled and placed her blade at his hip as it had been for so long before his death, "Tsukiakari, you're as beautiful as I expected... my loyal sword. My friend... my companion... and my daughter."
That broke the last barriers and Tsukiakari wailed as she rushed forward and grabbed Ian into an embrace, crying, "M-Master Ian... Otou-San! I... I..." Sniffling, she closed her eyes, "I missed you so much..."
Placing his hand on her head, the Kami moved her hat some and kissed her brow, a small tear dripping down his own face, "And I have missed you, Tsukiakari. You have no idea how much." Ian pulled away some and brushed her hair from her forehead, "Tsukiakari, I am so proud of you. Know that no matter what happens, that will be true, my child."
Shocked, Tsukiakari looked up at her, "Y-you are...?"
Very slowly, Ian nodded, "I am, and so very much. You may not realize this, but I have been watching as you have taken care of our family, Tsukiakari. How you did your best when wielded by Lyra to protect her, as I asked of you. How when James brought you out, you cut down all before you or shielded them. Juuchi Yosamu, Masamune no Honjo, and Muramasa no Norimune... yes, they are legendary blades. But none of them can equal you in the end."
Gobsmacked, the sword looked up at him, "B-but-"
Placing a finger on her lips, Ian shook his head, "No, Tsukiakari. Each of them are powerful, yes. But they were forged by swordmasters, and thus made from the start to be legends. But you... you, Tsukiakari. You may have started out as a Kyu Gunto, yes. However, you did not let that stop you from being the best sword that you could be. All those years ago, you saved my life from that assassin. And you continued to save my life in my journeys. If those are not the actions of a blade of legend, than I do not know what is." Cupping her cheek, he continued, "You are not a legend because you were made to be such. No, you are a legend because you worked to be one."
When he pulled her close into an embrace, Tsukiakari sobbed, "Thank you... but I am only such because of you. My first True Master, I owe it all to you..."
Lips curling into a small smile, he kissed her cheek, "Then we shall have to agree to disagree, my loyal blade."
Feeling someone embrace her from the side, the sword looked and blinked as Lyra winked at her, "Ian's right, you know. Heck, did you know that both Muramasa and Masamune both talked Ian's ear off about you? About their 'Cute little granddaughter'?"
Cheeks flushing, Tsukiakari looked between them in disbelief, "They... they what?"
Tone dry, Ian gave her a raised eyebrow, "Those two keep fighting with each other over whose granddaughter you are. Both of them."
If anything that made Tsukiakari blush even more, "O-oh, um..."
A short distance away, Juuchi's own avatar was watching with a soft, though slightly smug smile on her face as she watched Tsukiakari be reunited with her original Master. Seeing Ian glance at her, the Muramasa nodded some and moved behind a stall with a sigh as she looked up at the sky. Closing her eyes, she sighed some as her smile softened, 'Yes... one always remembers their first true master. And all the others...'
__________________________________________________________
Biting into a hot scone with clotted cream on it, Harry glanced at the young woman next to him. Part of him still had trouble believing who she was, "So... this is what you really look like?"
With a hum as she chewed and swallowed her own scone, Tsukiakari smiled a bit bashfully, "Hai, Master Harry. This is how my avatar appears." Lightly blushing, she picked at the threads of her sleeve, "I... suppose that it is modeled on Master Ian because..."
Harry chuckled a bit, "Because he was your first, true Master, right?"
A light blush on her face, she nodded, "Mm-hm." Finishing off her scone, she swallowed some, "Hai, that's right." Tsukiakari turned and smiled at where Ian was speaking with some of his wives and children, "He is the one that I see as such, because he saved me from the scrap heap, and made me what I am."
Lips curling some, Harry shook his head, "No, I think that I agree with him." At her puzzled look, he continued, "You made you what you are today. He just gave you the tools to do so."
Even though she wanted to say something, the sword spirit merely looked pleased with the compliment. However, spotting Ian walking over, she bowed some, "Master Ian."
Nodding, he gave her hair a ruffle as she had removed her hat, "Tsukiakari." With a glance to Harry, he gave her a smile, "Would it be okay if..."
Just smiling, Tsukiakari nodded, "That's fine, I need to speak with Mistress Lyra anyways."
And with that, she moved off to where Lyra was whispering something to various Arashi Elders, all of them with grins and blushes. Seeing that, Ian sighed some and shook his head, "Ah, me poor hips. Incorrigible, Lyra is."
Head tilted to the side though he didn't quite understand why he said what he had, Harry did have his suspicions. Rather than think on that anymore though, the thirteen year old turned to his ancestor, "Um, Great-Great-Grandfather? You wished to speak with me?"
Ian waved his hand and the sounds around them became muffled. At the look, he chuckled, "Just a minor spell to make it harder for anyone to listen in, though I doubt that there would be too many of those here." As Harry nodded though, he sighed some, "I... wish to apologize."
Confused, the black haired boy frowned some, "Apologize? For what?"
Rubbing the back of his neck, Ian grimaced, "For your life. None of us were there when you needed us, and-"
He was cut off though as Harry hugged him, "None of you have anything to apologize for. Because none of you did anything wrong."
For several moments, the older man turned Kami looked down at him before smiling and chuckling. Gently ruffling Harry's hair, Ian shook his head, "If I was not sure that you were a Potter before now, I am now. Still, all of us on the other side are sorry for not being there, though know that we were watching over you." Sighing, Ian glanced towards Lyra, "That night... all of us watched in horror and terror at what was unfolding. And, to be quite honest, I have never seen Lyra cry as much as she did that night except for when I died and when Henry did. Those were the only two times that I could remember that."
Chewing his lip, Harry had a question on his mind, "I..."
When he trailed off, Ian smiled at him, "You're wondering about what we think of you?" At Harry's nod, he smiled, "I will tell you truthfully, Harry. All of us could not be prouder of not just you right now, but of the man that you are growing into. You have a long road ahead of you, but know that we will be right there at your side, even when you cannot see us. When you cry, we cry alongside you. And when you laugh, we laugh as well."
His heart aching some, Harry turned and looked at Ian, "R-really? They're proud of me?"
In reply, his Great-great grandfather crouched down, "We are, Harry. We are so proud of you that we could explode with it." Voice becoming soft, Ian hugged him, "And we all love you so very much, never think differently."
Just hugging him back, Harry sniffled a bit as he felt tears prickling at the corners of his eyes, "Thank you."
Rubbing the younger Potter's back, Ian shook his head, "You don't need to thank me for that, Harry. You never need to thank me for that, or anyone else. Because we're not the only ones who love you." Seeing him look away, he reached up and turned Harry's face towards him, "I'm not lying, Harry. There are many out there who love you. Nagato, Hoppou, Mutsu, Jane and her father, the rest of the Richardson Household... Goto, Kongou, her sisters, and all your big sisters and aunts. They all love you... and there are ones who hold a special place in their hearts. Like Natsumi, Shinano, the Submarines, Regina, and others. They love you as well."
Cheeks flushed, Harry looked away, "I... I don't know if-"
Only shaking his head, the Older Potter raised an eyebrow, "There is nothing wrong about what you feel, Harry. Nor what they feel, because if there is anyone who deserves it, it would be you, my child." A thoughtful look came over his face and he glanced around before turning back to Harry, "Speaking of those who love you... Do you remember about those Twins on that island?"
Blinking, Harry frowned, "Sakura-Chan and Ume-Chan? What about them?"
Lips curling into a smile, Ian chuckled, "Well, you see..."
Some distance away, Yukina turned away from Lyra and frowned some, "I wonder what they are talking about?" Seeing Harry's surprised expression become thoughtful, she furrowed her eyebrows, "I am really curious..."
Lyra smirked a bit at that, "Oh, just some things, nothing too important." She ignored the raised eyebrows and the looks that told her just how convincing she had been. Instead though, the former member of the Black family smirked and turned to Tsubaki, "Now then, did you send for the expanded tent?"
Now grinning, Tsubaki snickered, "Yes, I have as a matter of fact~"
From where she stood, Tsukiakari smiled happily. This was something that she truly missed, though her expression turned considering as she looked around, 'I wonder why more families are not like this?'
It was a question that she had asked herself many a time since a few days after Ian had first brought her here...
