As a result of the above decree, every time an Abyssinium (think that's Porta's name for her territory) ship (yes even the cargo ships though they don't usually fire) comes within weapons range of Azkaban they fire a volley of WP and prox-fused HE... The effects of are, they sweep the battlements and grounds to eliminate any Dementors in the open. I don't think there would be any prisoners by that point so no worry about collateral damage just hurting Azkaban and her Dementors.
I have not had the chance to show it, but after this Porta told her staff to start developing air-dropped bombs with Chlorine Triflouride as the warhead material.
There will not be a drawn out siege. Only fire. Fire that burns even water itself, and will burn anything that lies beneath the prison before drowning it by the North Sea.
Though I also admit I do not have word or approval from Harry one way or the other, so that is an idea he and I will need to develop or abandon in private. I am just sharing what I want to do/see.
Though I also admit I do not have word or approval from Harry one way or the other, so that is an idea he and I will need to develop or abandon in private. I am just sharing what I want to do/see.
Completely understood. As it stands after the Statute falls Azkaban is planned to be emptied (perhaps sooner to keep Moldy's DE's from being sprung) since they already have a prison for magicals that isn't Azkaban. That's why I see target practice as a way to keep the place unsettled and reduce the amount of Dementors they have to fight eventually. They're not going to go the way of the Magical Governments and make treaties with vicious places just to keep them quiet.
As a result of the above decree, every time an Abyssinium (think that's Porta's name for her territory) ship (yes even the cargo ships though they don't usually fire) comes within weapons range of Azkaban they fire a volley of WP and prox-fused HE... The effects of are, they sweep the battlements and grounds to eliminate any Dementors in the open. I don't think there would be any prisoners by that point so no worry about collateral damage just hurting Azkaban and her Dementors.
Given how badly Azkaban was implied to have mauled Isley? I'm pretty sure that no one goes there unless directly ordered to do so. And that Porta wouldn't risk fighting against such a powerful Dark nexus without her full power.
If Azkaban finds her/itself in danger, most likely she/it'll let loose the THINGS that terrified people so bad that the ones who were still SANE after encountering them refused to talk about them. (The dementors are the NICEST things on that island). I vote for Nukefuda-equipped Katie shells. And lots of them.
If Azkaban finds her/itself in danger, most likely she/it'll let loose the THINGS that terrified people so bad that the ones who were still SANE after encountering them refused to talk about them. (The dementors are the NICEST things on that island). I vote for Nukefuda-equipped Katie shells. And lots of them.
Everybody's forgetting the one sword that just needs to get within range (and Azkaban has already threatened her) Cathy and plenty of Ofuda shells (no katies) would probably do the trick... This is a few years down the road anyway.
Once they remove the prisoners, Azkaban will consider the treaty with her Dementors broken anyway... So a roving patrol to keep them on the island will probably be needed.
"Be careful, Onee-Samas. It would not be good for Harry-San to enter your home and fall into a trench that you have worn into the floor."
Almost immediately, both Ume and Sakura stopped with flushes on their faces as they turned as one and glared at their smirking little brother, "Aki-Kun!"
Of course, that was followed by said man's wives smacking him in the arm, which only made him chuckle. Turning back to his older sisters, Akiyama just continued to smile, "It is true, however. Harry-San will not be much longer, I am sure. Then you can, ah, show yourselves off to him."
If anything, that only deepened the flushes on his sister's cheeks and caused them to glare all the more, "AKI-KUN!"
Thankfully for the elderly wizard's continued health, there was a knock at the door and the Twins rushed to answer, ignoring the sound of flesh softly hitting his and their sister-in-laws chiding their brother for his teasing. Reaching the door, they opened it to find Harry there blinking before he smiled, "Ume-Chan, Sakura-Chan. Good morning."
Both Twins happily smiled at that and leaned forward to hug him before kissing his cheek, "And a good morning to you as well, Harry-Chan." Moving to either side of the door, they gestured inside, "Please come in."
Amused look on his face, Harry bowed some before stepping through the door, "Thank you."
Glancing around as he removed his shoes and put on the slippers, the teenage wizard glanced around the entryway. While he had been there before, a number of times, he was still interested in what was there. One example being the framed photographs on the wall, most of which showed Ume and Sakura doing one thing or the other. Both Twins usually happily smiling in them as they did whatever was shown. Other items were things such as potted plants on the end tables and the like.
Harry then turned back to the Twins before holding out his hands to them, "Shall we?"
With soft giggles and giving him a kiss on the cheek as her sister did on the opposite side, Ume answered for them both, "Hai, we shall, Harry-Chan."
Smiles on their faces, the two then took his hands in theirs as they walked down the hallway back to the main living room where their brother was. He noted that they were holding Harry's hands and opened his mouth… only for Hina to frown and flick his ear, "Behave." Ignoring his grumbles, she turned towards Harry and bowed a little, "I hope that you are having a good day, Harry-San."
As both Akiyama and Sora the Crane Wife greeted him, Harry bowed back, "Hai, I am having a good day, and one that looks to be getting to be even better now with Ume-Chan and Sakura-Chan."
Unnoticed by him, both girls blushed at that before smiling broadly.
Rather amused at their reactions, Sora chuckled some, the Crane wife nodding, "I can imagine, Harry-San. Both Sakura-Chan and Ume-Chan are also rather excited to be able to show off their Installation, as I believe it to be called, to you."
Partway through nodding, the Twins paused before glancing at one another. Then, they turned towards Harry with a bashful look on their face, "Would you like to see us in our rigging, Harry-Chan? It is somewhat different from before…"
That made Harry perk up a little, "Hai, I would love to." He then glanced around and grinned some, "Though best to do it out back, I think. Otherwise…" When he gestured at the floor, Ume and Sakura giggled some and nodded before they began to lead him to the small backyard of the house that they shared with their niece and Akimi. As they walked, Harry cocked his head to the side, "So, excited to go the Yule Ball in a few weeks?"
Happy smiles on their faces, both Ume and Sakura nodded, "Hai, we really are, Harry-Chan." Their expressions fell a little, "It will be our first one…"
Gently giving their hands a squeeze, the teenage wizard shook his head, "And far from the last, Sakura-Chan, Ume-Chan. I'll make sure that you'll have plenty of balls and the like in the future to go to." When they blushed and shyly looked away, he did blink a little, 'Was it something that I said?'
Within their minds, the two had the image of Harry doing exactly that, of taking them to various balls and dances, where they would be at his side… and actually dance with him. Something which was very, very important. And a dream that they could not wait to come true.
Meanwhile, Akiyama nodded some as he stroked his short beard, "Ah, yes, the Yule Ball. That will be very interesting to see, Harry-San." At the confused look, he smiled a little, "I shall be going as well as one of the representatives of the Japanese Magical Government, though I am bringing along Hina-Chan and Sora-Chan alongside me. I believe that Ito-San is also coming along with his main aide and perhaps her father."
Considering that for a few moments, Harry frowned in thought, "I take it that you'll be looking for a hotel room?"
As the Twins gestured with a hand and the backdoor opened, their brother nodded, "Hai, Harry-San, which is something that we are looking into…" Trailing off, he gave the teen a thoughtful look, "Unless you have another idea?"
Nodding some, Harry glanced at the Twins and back at Akiyama, "Actually, if you wish, I can have you stay at my family's manor. It might be a bit more comfortable than a hotel room…" Pausing, he continued some and bowed slightly, "As well, it is only fair for me to offer as you allowed me to stay at your home for Gion Matsuri."
Eyes lighting up at that, Ume and Sakura glanced at their brother and then back at Harry with Sakura speaking for them both, "We had wondered what your family's home was like, Harry-Chan. Would you mind us staying there as well?"
Of course, moments later they blushed some as the teenage wizard shook his head, "Not at all, and I was, well… I was kind of planning to invite you to come there for Spring Break as well, Sakura-Chan, Ume-Chan. A number of the trees in the orchard would be in full bloom after all, and we could take walks there enjoying the blossoms."
To their brother's great amusement, his sisters' faces went red and there was the slightest hint of steam coming from their ears at the thought of it, 'Hmm… perhaps tease them about that later…'
Gently nudging her husband as she suspected she knew what thoughts were going through his mind, Hina turned back to Harry and smiled softly, "That does sound rather lovely, Harry-San. And thank you for the offer, we shall consider it."
Just nodding, Harry smiled back at her as they reached the backyard. With some hesitance, the Twins let go of him and stepped onto the brown grass, with it crunching under their feet from the frost that covered it. Then, with a deep breath, they summoned their rigging and the teen's eyes widened to their giggles.
Before, the large curved rigging which represented the naval installation that they had been Hitobashira of had been impressive enough. Now? Now it was even more impressive as Harry slowly walked around it. As before, at either end of the curved section, on the top, was the 16" howitzers that had been there with their concrete shelters that they could slide in and out on tracks. Harry could also see the various siege guns and other artillery from before.
However, now they had been joined by other guns as well.
At four places equally distant from one another, the teenage wizard could see the turrets that had come from both Musashi and Sora, the Kitsune Battleship Sora that was. As well, there was also the 6" guns as well from said Battleships as well which had been placed in various spots alongside the same 10 cm/65 Type 98 guns as the Akizuki class. Along the top of the rigging's "Rim", he could spot radar installations as well as other guns which made him blink.
Leaning in, Harry frowned in thought even as one of the fairies manning said guns waved at him, which he returned. Then, the green-eyed teen turned towards Ume and Sakura, "I… don't recognize these guns, Ume-Chan, Sakura-Chan."
With a glance in the direction that he was looking, the two smiled, "Those would be the 12.7 cm/50 Type 5s, Harry-Chan. They're Anti-air guns that were being developed at the end of the war."
Sakura's smile then grew a little bit, "We are nearly finished with the design work for the Type 1s, which were to replace the 12.7 cm/50 3rd Year Types such as those that Fubuki-San are equipped with." Looking at the guns, she tilted her head some, "As the Type 5s, they're able to swat high flying Bombers."
Considering that, Harry slowly nodded as it did make sense, "Hmm… so the 10 cm/65 Type 98s are for lower altitude air attacks, and the 12.7 cm are for the higher altitudes? Alongside whatever smaller guns you have." Getting a nod, he glanced over the rigging before blinking as he spotted what looked like a large runway coming from the back of the Twins' rigging and leading into a cavern. Said runway was much too big for the usual planes, which made him blink and turn towards the Twins, "And that?"
The two just mysteriously smiled before gigging, "You'll just have to find out soon enough, Harry-Chan."
Eyebrow raised, Harry was amused at that as they dismissed their rigging, but could tell that they would say no more. Instead, he just chuckled and grinned at them, an action that brought flushes to their cheeks, "Well, all I can say is that you're just as awesome as I could expect, Ume-Chan, Sakura-Chan."
Both girls smiled happily at that and kissed his cheeks before once more taking his hands in theirs as they headed back to the house. They did have appointments to keep, after all.
Entering the room where the Vanishing Cabinets were kept, Harry barely had time to realize that the now smirking Ume and Sakura let go of his hands and stepped to the side before he found his face in marshmallow hell. Rapidly blinking, he looked at the sight of Miitake, who was hugging him tight, "Harry-Chan! You have fallen for my trap, and now it is time for… huggles!"
Unable to help himself, Harry snorted some, especially when Ishikari groaned and facepalmed with a red face, "Miitake-Chan… just stop!"
Briefly, the other Battlecruiser paused, hummed in thought, before grinning, "Nope! Because Huggles are the best!" Feeling a tap, she looked down at Harry, "Hmm?"
Pulling back a little, enough to breathe and speak, Harry had a twinkle of mischievousness in his eyes, "Actually, I know one thing that is better than huggles…"
Gasp escaping from her, Miitake jerked her head back as if struck, "Better than huggles! Impossible!" Leaning towards him, she frowned, "What could possibly be better than huggles-"
Right before she could finish, the teenage wizard kissed her for a few moments, causing her face to go bright red. Then, Harry pulled back with a smirk on his face, "Well… what about kisses with huggles?"
Very slowly, Miitake raised her finger as she regained her senses, "That… is a very good point for which I have no counter-argument."
Laughing some, Harry shook his head and got out of the hug before making his way over towards Ishikari and hugging her. Said tsundere blushed and looked away, even as she hugged him back, "Jeez… do you have to do that here… not that I mind or anything, but still."
Snickers escaping him, Harry gently tugged her head down and kissed her cheek, which made her blush even more, "Nope!"
All the blushing Battlecruiser did was look away as she muttered some.
Off to the side, Mihara bit her lip in order to keep from laughing even as she glanced at Harry. Like the others, she would always be thankful to him for having given her the chance that he had. And how could she not be thankful? After all, like with Miitake and Ishikari alongside Denryuu, he had dove into her wreck to place ofuda in order to purify it.
But unlike the other three alongside Ume and Sakura, she wasn't really attracted to him. Oh, that was not to say that she didn't think that he was cute when they first met, or that he was not handsome now. Even she agreed with that after all. And, if they ever wanted to spice things up, and she was available? Well, she was more than willing to help out in that way.
It was just that was all there was really.
Granted, that said? She did love watching him interact with the other "Caldera Girls" as they sometimes referred to themselves as. From how he caused Miitake to go from happy go lucky to sputtering or stunned, causing Ishikari to become a flustered, tsundere mess. Or how bashful Denryuu became around him as well as getting Ume and Sakura all blushing and giggling? It was always entertaining to watch happen. And it was something that she was definitely looking forward to happening in the future where she could see it.
Not knowing of the Repair Ship's thoughts, Harry made his way over to Denryuu and pulled the Carrier into a hug, "Hey…"
Returning the hug happily, Denryuu smiled back and kissed his cheek, "Good morning, Harry-Chan."
As he pulled back a little, after returning the kiss to the cheek, the teenage wizard smiled a little bit at her, "Are you ready for what is going to happen, Denryuu-Chan?"
Smile softening as she understood what was not being said about what was going to happen, Denryuu only nodded, "Hai, I am ready for what is about to happen, Harry-Chan." Taking a deep breath, she then released it with a happy sigh, "I mean… I can't wait to summon my hull after this and, um… have you on my bridge."
Even as he nodded, Harry briefly tightened the hug, "I can't either."
Unknown to him, the Carrier's blush deepened some as she bit her lip at other thoughts. Oh, she definitely wanted to have him sign her crew register, as her Captain and Admiral. And she also wanted to see him striding her bridge as well, with her at his side. But, well…
Denryuu was also looking forward to maybe have him stay in the quarters for the Admiral upon her. Not that they were going to do anything more than maybe hug and kiss, as well as simply sleep in the same bed holding each other. But, well… it had been in her dreams more than once…
Even if sometimes, when regarding an older Harry, those dreams had gone a bit further…
Quickly shaking that off, Denryuu tried her best to get her blush under control before turning towards Ume and Sakura, "So, um… You're going to summon your Installation over the old one?"
Very slowly, the Twins nodded some, "Hai, that is the basics of it."
Gesturing with one hand, Sakura continued some, "We have spoken with Hoppou-Chan, Wanko-San, Supprin-San, and other Allied Abyssal Installations with regards to how they summon their Installations on islands to build up."
Ume then took over, "We also sought out some who know a great deal about spiritual matters such as Yasaka-Sama, the leader of Inari Town in Kyoto, who is also one of the Head Priestesses for Inari-Sama."
At that, Harry cocked an eyebrow, "Huh, so this Yasaka-San is the leader of Inari Town?"
Chuckling some, Akiyama nodded with a small smile, "Hai, she is as she is, as mentioned, one of the Head Priestesses of Inari-Sama. She is a very powerful Kyuubi, though from what I heard, she has taken a lover." His expression became thoughtful, "Perhaps soon they might be blessed with child…"
While part of him wondered, the younger wizard only nodded before turning back towards Ume and Sakura, "So, how does it exactly work?"
Lips twitching, Ume hummed a little bit in thought, "You know of ōmagatoki?"
Eyebrow raised, Harry blinked at that, "The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits? Hai, it is shortly after sunset when the day is not quite gone, and night has not quite arrived. It is when the barriers between the material and the spiritual are at their thinnest."
Nodding at that, Sakura smiled some in thought, "Hai." She paused for a moment before continuing, "What we shall be doing is, in a way, creating an artificial ōmagatoki. We shall be thinning the veil between the material and the spiritual, allowing for both to merge upon the island itself. Thus, allowing us to overlay the physical structure of the island with our spiritual rigging." When Harry asked about Abyssal Installations, she nodded some, "It is tougher for them to do as they don't, technically, own the place in question. But being as our former remains are entombed there and we are the Hitobashira, we can do it far, far easier than an Abyssal could when they claim an island."
Small smile on her face, her twin sister nodded, "After all, we technically own the island in a spiritual sense. Or, at least, the surface portions."
The Twins then began to speak together as one, "Once we have done so, with Ishikari-Chan's, Miitake-Chan's, Denryuu-Chan's, and Mihara-Chan's hulls in their dry docks, we'll drain away the water and help them." Both of them turned to the shipgirls in question and nodded slightly, "What you will be doing is overlaying your own rigging over your old hulls, with us merging them together. At that point, as with your rigging, you should be capable of easily summoning your now completed and fixed hulls like any other would with practice."
A small giggle escaped from Sakura as she shook her head, "Less practice than most shipgirls, but still with a little bit of work."
Each of them shared a look at that before nodding as they made their way to the Vanishing Cabinet and stepped through…
As before, at either end of the curved section, on the top, was the 16" howitzers that had been there with their concrete shelters that they could slide in and out of on tracks.
Pulling back a little enough to breath and speak, Harry had a twinkle of mischiviousness in his eyes, "Actually, I know one thing that is better than huggles…"
It was a film studio on the magical side of things. They mostly made movies for No-Majborn witches and Wizards as well as Yokai who mostly lived in the non-magical world. Using magic and Yokai illusions for special effects.
And NJ and Crowning looking into the treasure swords.
With a smile, Arthur unsheathed the gladius, felt its weight, its balance, the well-wrapped grip. His eyes ran up and down the well-forged blade, taking in the blade's edge and the polished blade. As much as he preferred his classical cruciform long sword, he knew a thing or two about using the weapon most associated with the Roman legions, next to their pila and scuta. And from what he could tell, this was a high-quality replica: Not one of those cheap, dull props some people used to decorate their homes but an actual lethal weapon, almost certainly forged by an inhabitant of the magical, hidden world the shipgirls had pulled into the spotlight.
He stabbed the blade deep into the waiting gel dummy, the substance parting easily. Then he slashed. To his slight disappointment, he noticed no special effects. All in all, it seemed to be a perfectly normal gladius.
"You sure you're not as good with that thing as with your standard? You seem plenty skilled with it." New Jersey called out. He shrugged. "I just did some basic slashes and thrusts, Nothing impressive. Did you notice anything off?"
The amazonian battleship shook her head. "Nah. It got stabbed where you stabbed and slashed where you swung...It's a bit disappointing, to be honest, next to the lightsaber we pulled out of the chest."
The fairies she had positioned around them agreed.
The same as with him, then. He sheathed the short sword and put it down next to its siblings: a katana, an odachi, a shamshir, a richly decorated longsword, a kodachi, what Johnston called an 'ultra great sword'... idly, he wondered if they were all made by the same craftsman as the lightsaber. Another thought that crossed his mind was if he still lived and how many other swords he forged, or if swords were all he made.
He shook his head and picked up the katana: a simple thing with an elegant, black lacquered saya. With a slight flourish, he unsheathed it. Once again, his eyes scanned the blade up and down, once again trying to find anything, a symbol, some kind of inscription anything. Once again, he found nothing. He sighed. Then, he turned towards the rolled-up tatami mat.
Once, twice, he slashed. Smooth cuts. Again, things seemed normal. "Wait... get your sword. I think I saw something." NJ called out.
He turned towards the battleship, who just shrugged.
Two minutes later, he returned with the sword he had owned for years. Simple steel, but he treasured it more than the swords in the chest. After all... what kind of swordsman would he be if he discarded what he wielded for years?
"Good. I talked to my faeries and they think the same as I do. Now... cut the tatami again."
Once again, he took the position. Once again, he slashed twice.
... Was it just him or didn't he cut nowhere near as smoothly this time?
"Okay. Back to the katana."
He did. Once again, he did as she said. Once again, two cuts. He reached for the longsword. a final time, two cuts.
" Okay. The katana... I think it makes you faster."
Arthur turned towards his girlfriend. "Come again?"
"It makes you faster. As in... as long as it's unsheathed, you move and react faster. Try running.... and don't fall."
And he did.
Once he stopped, she gave a gentle nod. "There is the proof: If you wield that sword, you become faster."
...Shimakaze must never get her hands on this. He chuckled. New Jersey shot him a look. "I think Shimakaze would love to get her hand on this thing the moment she learns of its power."
A snort and a nod. "Then... the next sword?"
She reached towards the odachi, unsheathed it and turned towards the gel dummy.
"My fucking eyes!" she shouted without warning, stumbling back and shaking her head.
"Something wrong?" Arthur asked just as quickly.
"The dummy just lit up like damn flood light and I was fucking looking straight at it!"
Gently he took the sword from her hands and repeated what she did.
"Gah!" just as she said, the dummy seemed to light up, blinding him as well.
"What fucking use is a sword that blinds the one using it!" The Iowa-class battleship complained.
Arthur found himself agreeing with her, still blinking stars from his eyes.
"Perhaps it's some kind of 'fuck you, asshole' for trying to attack something defenseless? I mean, if I were that sword, few things would make me as mad as using me to hurt something that can't defend itself." New Jersey suggested after finally seeing clearly again.
"Even training devices?" he countered. A shrug. "Was the first thing that came to mind..."
"But I think you might be onto something." Arthur took up a simple guard position. "Now, Take up the sword and think about attacking me."
She did just that.
"The fuck...? I can see... glowing spots... where hits would either be lethal or difficult to defend against."
They swapped weapons and it was just as Jersey described. Every weak spot in her defense was lit up and he told her as much. "So... got a theory here: The sword seems to shows the weak points, correct?" "Seems to be like that." "The dummy lit up because... well, it can't defend itself and it's a single giant weak point." "Seems to be worth more investigation."
The next weapon New Jersey unsheathed was the shamshir. She swung the weapon to get used to its balance... and a strong gust of wind knocked over Arthur, the tatami mat and the gel dummy. Both human and shipgirl stared at each other. "... The fuck just happened?"
Again, she swung the blade. Again, strong wind. "... Okay... it's fairly easy to guess the enchantment on this one." the literature professor observed, and New Jersey barked a laugh.
A/N: What do you think would be good names for the revealed swords?
The powers for the swords, in addition to the skill to wield them the moment you touch them are:
Katana: haste effect
Odachi: weak point detection
shamshir: when swung, produces wind strong enough to knock people over
And yes, the gladius is also enchanted and I will reveal it another time.
Please tell me what you think.
This I think is a stylistic difference, in North America (note NOT just the US) we use breath and breathe fairly interchangeably... Up to HL if he wants to change it.
Those images were all sweet, especially AL-Enterprise and KC-Hibiki (I also wonder what would happen if Ark Royal tried to do anything lewd, and only lewd, nothing explicit, to the younger KC shipgirls, who are all in their early teens at least). And yes. I would GLADLY huggle teh SOPMOD.
Those things had some interesting effects. I for one, would have thought that someone like Muramassa would have made them, well, if they're older than a century and are capable of becoming tsukimohami, we could ask them. If not? Well I'm not sure what to do about finding out who made them.
idly, he wondered if they were all made by the same craftsman as the lightsaber. Another thought that crossed his mind was if he still lived and how many other swords he forged, or if swords were all he made.
Oh hey! Councilor - well, surely Minister now - Ito and Shigeru are going to show up! Well this is certainly a pleasant surprise! One wonders what sort of Governmental shenanigans will be coming up. There's a host of material on YouTube about it. ^_^
If Azkaban finds her/itself in danger, most likely she/it'll let loose the THINGS that terrified people so bad that the ones who were still SANE after encountering them refused to talk about them. (The dementors are the NICEST things on that island). I vote for Nukefuda-equipped Katie shells. And lots of them.
There's already a plan to load up a nuke taken off HMS Plym with every blessing and purification charm Europe can get their collective hands on and set that off within the prison. No need to risk letting anything escape after all.
I think I've gotten everything ready for Natsumi's and Louisiana's twins. Just need a couple translations idiot-checked prior to selection as a ship name.
The foxy strike cruisers are Kei and Alexandria as girls, with the latter normally going by Dria in civies due to being named after Alexandria, Louisiana.
Kei, however, is the the one in need of translation checking. Her name options are Hadake (should be Leaf Peak) and Onoyama (should be Axe Mountain).
As girls, they are white-haired, five-tailed kitsune standing five-foot ten inches at age 18. Both have a slender runner's build and favor Natsumi in figure. The two are primarily distinguished between by Kei being freckled and having a darker skin tone thanks to her night-and-fog camo scheme. Uniforms strongly resemble FFX-2 Rikku's Thief outfit, while rigging is comprised of a massive pistol and a blocky back unit containing their VLS. The two triple ASW torpedo tubes are fixed on the thigh as per KC standard.
Minor quibble... With 20k tons and 4 shafts you may need more oomph than 2 D2W. The last batch of CGNs (Virginias & Californias) had 2 D2W, 2 Shafts on 8000 tons or so.
There's already a plan to load up a nuke taken off HMS Plym with every blessing and purification charm Europe can get their collective hands on and set that off within the prison. No need to risk letting anything escape after all.
Plym has to consciously AVOID manifesting a new nuke, everytime she goes to either the repair baths, or eats/resupplies. Same as how Shinano and a few other carriers have to constantly fight the urge to manifest Kamikaze suicide planes/rockets.
So, technically, she is a D&D bag of wishes, with endless 'once per day' nukes. The UK is wisely sitting on this info. Hard.
Minor quibble... With 20k tons and 4 shafts you may need more oomph than 2 D2W. The last batch of CGNs (Virginias & Californias) had 2 D2W, 2 Shafts on 8000 tons or so.
A single D2W generates 165 megawatts in steam power, enough for 221,000 shaft horsepower. From what I can find the 60,000SHP ratings on the CGNs was more due to design constraints than reactor output, as two D2Ws could give them more electrical power than a Nimitz and greater horsepower than an Iowa if they had room for the turbines and alternators. Dria and Kei, being the size of battleships, certainly do.
A. N. -- Time to pick up another plot thread, and show what it takes to create a Bread Knife National Treasure of Japan. Prior snip here. Relevant video here. Links are important.
Forging Perfection
Kagu-tsuchi's Furnace, Takamagahara
November 3rd, 2014
"And what he greatly thought, he nobly dared." -- Homer
Gorō Masamune rubbed his chin as he squinted thoughtfully at the cooling bloom of raw tamahagane jewel steel in the broken-open clay tub of the tatara furnace manned by the servants of the Kami of Fire. He grunted thoughtfully as he examined the silver and blue colors of the mixture that had been formed by the mixture of iron sand and pine charcoal, measuring how the composition of this steel compared to his needs.
After all, anything less than something perfect would be unthinkable for him and his pride as the greatest swordsmith of Japan.
Finally he nodded with a small smile. "I'll take this batch for my project."
With that he turned to the twin junior kami standing nearby. Each of them had cut a lock of their waist-length dark hair three days ago in a solemn Shinto ceremony. Then they had reverently placed that hair into the cauldron atop the first shovelful of masa satetsu iron sand that was going to be heated and smelted into this steel that one day would contain their spirits if all went as he intended for it to.
Masamune smiled at the hopeful twin spirits of a pair of daggers that had been forged during the Kamakura era and destroyed by the Mongol invasion. "Purify yourselves and be prepared to work the bellows at my forge."
Hidetora-no-Tsukino and Hidetora-no-Tsukiko gave the Pure Smith a happy smile and bowed low to him.
Masamune, now purified and ritually clean, examined the chunks of low and high carbon steel that had been released when the kera steel bloom had been shattered into chunks of hocho-tetsu low-carbon steel, higher carbon nabe-gane wrought iron, and high carbon tamahagane steel.
He, Tsukino, and Tsukiko used their gohei wands to bless the unformed steel to remove spiritual impurities.
He looked at the twins. "Each of you pick three small pieces of hocho-tetsu to form the core of your blade that all shall be built around. Choose wisely and well."
Now stripped to the waist, Tsukiko and Tsukino worked the furnace bellows to bring the forge to life.
As they did, Masamune placed the billets of low-carbon steel that they had picked out in a layered sandwich formed of additional pieces of steel of the right composition for his needs. He then coated the steel in wet clay and straw-ash to prepare this unformed metal for the first heating and folding around which all others would be based.
A second aspect of his kami self manifested. Moving as one when the twin billets of steel were placed within the furnace, they watched the color of the now-molten metal carefully with the eye of a master.
Then, acting as one, they withdrew the now glowing cherry-red billets of steel, and took them to the anvils where the first hammering would happen.
Masamune began to chant an ancient Shinto prayer while his hammer landed on the orange-red glowing billet of steel and iron, producing showers of sparks as impurities and slag were removed.
Then the billet was quenched in snowmelt water and examined for flaws by the demanding experienced gimlet eye of the master swordsmith.
Only to be heated again.
And hammered again.
And quenched again.
And again, and again.
Each time removing imperfection from his masterwork.
Then the folding began, as the red-hot metal was cut nearly all the way through, folded back upon itself, and hammered into a homogeneous whole billet of steel created by forge-welding in the ancient age-kitae process.
Just as all his masterworks had been forged in their turn.
Just as all his masterworks, his striving for perfection ever would.
Just as Kotegiri, Honjo, Musashi, Fudou, Tokunotakai had in their moments of birth, so now Tsukino and Tsukiko experienced the flame made from pine and sakaki wood, the blows of the hammer of the Pure Smith folding and refolding their unformed bodies in showers of sparks as impurities were driven from them, the indescribable moment where the pure water that their red-hot steel billets were being quenched in flashed into steam.
Each moment pure and perfect when it built upon itself in a cycle continually endlessly striving toward the unreachable.
Eliminating all save the purity that was the hallmark of a Masamune masterwork blade.
Slowly, with each cycle, the formerly square billet of steel, the perfect mixture of hardness and ductility, sharpness and flexibility became longer, thinner, turning into the shape of the dagger that it would become.
Masamune guided the process along with gentle loving taps of the hammer that caused their steel to sing like a temple bell to hard blows that caused sweat to fly from his heaving body as each was required for his act of perfect creation.
As day followed day and night followed night, with prayer, meditation, and the Master's hand, so too did Tsukino and Tsukiko unhesitatingly obey the orders of the Master and his senior apprentices.
"More charcoal!"
"A dipper-full of pure water sprinkled here!"
"Scribe the following prayers here!"
"Blow the bellows like you mean it!"
Perfect obedience and humility from spirits being forged into enchanted spell-wrought steel.
The steel, now grained like wood from the layers upon layers that had been painstakingly welded together with fire, forge, and hammer on red-hot metal to form the seven layered structure of hard, medium and soft steel of a soshu kitae blade was ready for the next step.
Once more Tsukino and Tsukiko took their positions by the bellows after their purification.
Meanwhile, Masamune carefully and gently painted the unformed blades with his special mixture of clays, ashes, and salts, covering the spine and sides of the blade thickly but leaving the cutting edge and point with the barest traces of his mixture upon it.
Finally ready, he took a deep breath, and prayed to Inari Ōkami, Hachiman, and Kagu-tsuchi to show him favor at this critical and delicate step of the process.
Then the twin daggers were placed within the furnace where the heat was slowly and evenly raised by the kami working the bellows.
Masamune's avatars worked the now cherry-red hot blade through the glowing coals to insure that it heated evenly as the waning moon drifted through the sky.
He squinted in the darkened smithy, measuring the temperature of the blades as they shifted from deep cherry red to a brighter orange-red.
At the perfect moment and temperature, he pulled the twin daggers from the forge.
Steam billowed as he plunged the austenite steel edge-first into the purified and sanctified vat of pure water that he and the kami had prayed over.
In an instant, the steel changed from cherry-red to the faintest glow as the daggers were quenched.
Tsukino and Tsukiko shivered as the bonds between spirit and steel were hardened and formed in this moment.
Their cutting edges, with less insulating material on them, were first to cool, bending their blades forward in gyaku-sori when the red-hot metal flexed to formed the exceptionally hard but brittle steel microstructures supersaturated with carbon of martensite that would produce a razor-sharp edge that could cut through armor and bodies.
Masamune barely dared breathe as his newest blades were differentially quenched.
This was the supreme test of his skill and abilities.
If the steel he had forged was not perfect it would crack under the stresses and be ruined.
But, he had crafted the twin's bodies perfectly.
Instead of cracking or deforming, their steel flexed the other way in sori to form a bow when the more insulated back and spine of the core formed the softer but far tougher lower-carbon layers of pearlite's lamellar structures that were among the toughest structural materials on earth as the steel more slowly cooled while carbon precipitated from the iron.
Masamune, Tsukino, and Tsukiko shared cries of joy-filled triumph as the newly forged blades emerged to be sent to now be polished and their fittings made.
Hachiman nodded to the trio of petitioners. "Gorō Masamune, Hidetora-no-Tsukiko, Hidetora-no-Tsukino. What will you have of me?"
The Pure Smith bowed low. "I thank you for blessing my efforts to strive toward perfection with this success. I have prepared the bodies for Your Kami as commissioned by You, them, and my daughter Masamune-no-Tokunotakai."
A pair of nearly identical tanto blades were presented for Hachiman's inspection of the perfection of their masterwork steel and layered enchantments and charms that would serve Him as agents on the Mortal Plane.
Hachiman smiled in delight. "I am greatly pleased by your craftsmanship. Masamune-no-Tsukino, Masamune-no-Tsukiko. Prepare yourselves for tomorrow you shall depart for the Mortal Realm to assume your duties there."
Tsukiko and Tsukino bowed low with tears of joy in their eyes.
"I'm here for my lesson Sensei!" Kokonae Yae called while she slipped off her shoes. She then cocked her head. "I have the school uniforms and women's clothing that you asked me to bring you when you called me today."
Masamune-no-Tokunotakai smiled and called out. "In the dojo, Yae-chan!"
Yae headed that way, then blinked to find her teacher and mentor kneeling in meditation in front of the open screen leading to her garden. "What is it, Sensei?"
Toku looked up from the letter that she had been reading. "Instructions for me. I do believe... ah...." She broke off as a pair of wood pigeons flew to land in front of her.
Each had a sheathed tanto in their claws that they deposited in front of the Masamune miko.
Toku smiled and extended a hand full of bits of bread for Hachiman's messengers as Yae knelt next to her. "Domo arigatou."
Then she looked at the twin tantos resting on the floor of her dojo as the blades glimmered with magical enchantments and charms forged into their very being. "Tsukino, Tsukiko, please come out to meet my my senior pupil Kokonae Yae. She shall be helping you adjust to the modern world, so listen to her and obey her suggestions. Yae-chan, please meet Hidetora-no-Tsukino and Hidetora-no-Tsukiko, the spirits of their blades, which were forged shortly before the Mongol invasion. Or, as they shall be now thanks to Father, my new junior miko, assistants in the dojo, and nieces Masamune-no-Tsukino and Masamune-no-Tsukiko."
Now that's atually an interesting artwork. See the gun? It's not just a shotgun despite only displaying 2 ejecting shells. The revealed rear part of the action shows 4 striking faces, the lower two are presumably the shot shells as they have a lager diameter. The uppers are likely rifle rounds of some caliber. This is usually done on display pieces and some early cartidge guns in order to offer multiple shot options without switching weapons. The downside is, of course, the absurd weight of the barrel assembly due to it being, effectively, 2 guns with one trigger assembly. See Combination Guns for reference.
Just as Kotegiri, Honjo, Musashi, Fudou, Tokunotakai had in their moments of birth, so now Tsukino and Tsukino experienced the flame made from pine and sakaki wood, the blows of the hammer of the Pure Smith folding and refolding their unformed bodies in showers of sparks as impurities were driven from them, the indescribable moment where the pure water that their red-hot steel billets were being quenched in flashed into steam.
Their cutting edges, with less insulating material on them were first to cool, bending their blades forward in gyaku-sori when the red-hot metal flexed to formed the exceptionally hard supersaturated with carbon steel of martensite microstructures that would produce a razor-sharp and hard edge that would cut through armor and bodies.
Indeed there is! Yae's meeting a pair of newly manifested Kami of Masamune blades and is suitably boggled.
(Little does Yae know that in a year or three that she will be getting a hand crafted katana perfectly suited to her style of swordsmanship that will eventually carry it on just like Musashi carries her path to perfection on....)
((Also, I think that the Del/Mika snip where I showed Del's first hunt hasn't been crossposted yet, just FYI As always, I appreciate you doing that.))
