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Fateful Ashikabi, Chapter 2. Fated Meeting.
🕑 Added 2024-04-26 18:35:52 +0000 UTCYear 2013. Tokyo, Japan.
Harry arrived in Japan's Gringotts branch for magical visitors of Japan to exchange their currency. Most not allowed to set foot inside the heavily restricted and xenophobic parts of Magical Japan. It was just a rundown shack with a single Squib working in it. All of it evidence that Gringotts did not invest in the Muggle World anymore than Wizards or Witches did.
With nearly everything taken care of Harry remembered that he could quit his job now. Finally, able to do what he wanted. Therefore, he took the necessary steps to do so before proceeding further. Having forgotten to think of that due to the unexpectedly good news. Thankfully with the efficiency typical of Gringotts, magical or not, that was wrapped up quickly.
Next he looked up where he actually had to go before leaving. Turns out his now dead relative had owned a large medical conglomerate similar to MBI, called NswF. So, he headed to their headquarters in the industrial district. However, due to the time-difference that came with being on the other side of the world it was now very early morning, around 4:00am. It suited Harry just fine. It meant less people about, but also forced him to kill time.
'The last time I was in Japan MBI wanted to rename Tokyo.' he had read it in a local newspaper at the time and it stuck in his memory due to the sheer gall of MBI and the ridiculousness of the situation. 'Shinto something was the proposed name I believe.'
Sadly, he couldn't visit Japan's magical side. They were highly isolationistic and even more separated from their mundane side than America's magical side. Foreigners weren't appreciated in the least, not even magical ones. World War 2 hadn't helped matters and drove them even further away, to hide in the countryside. It went so far that not even major news travelled over, as well as forbidding them to marry Muggles. Because of that they didn't number that many people. Even less than in Magical Britain.
Shaking his head to stop his musings he began to walk. His monetary situation anything but great at the moment and not allowing him to call a cab. While Harry could've used a Confundus Charm he saw no need and had no desire to. Trying not to use magic affecting the mind too much, if at all. His own history with it was not so great and so he tried not to inflict it on others when avoidable. During the last fifteen years living on his own he didn't need Mind-magic, aside from Occlumency, which now worked without a Dark Lord's soul-piece stuck in his head.
Having nothing better to do Harry decided to visit Ueno Park. A paradise-like oasis of green in the heart of busy Tokyo. It was the city's largest green space and one of its most popular tourist attractions. There were a few museums in it, temples, a zoo and there were boat-rides offered on the reed-fringed pond.
Walking along the gravel path, Harry took a look around. Up in the sky the full moon shone upon the earth with it's tranquil light, causing the pond to reflect it softly. The wind rustled through trees, making leaves ripple and carrying over scent of flowers and rain.
The peaceful picture was disturbed once Harry took a corner and came upon a strange sight, upon which he hugged the wall close and remained out of sight. There were two women wearing what could only be described as S&M attire. One in purple the other in a very light red. Upon closer inspection he saw they were twins, the only difference being the size of their bust. Both apparently arguing heatedly, looking somewhere else from time to time.
Letting his gaze go to where they were looking, he saw another woman sitting on a park bench under a street light. Like the other two her clothing was also weird to wear outside. It was a bloody lab coat and nothing else. That and her posture of defeat indicated she had nowhere else to go.
Trying to decipher the situation was put on hold when both dominatrices called forth lightning with their hands to throw at the defenseless woman. While she looked directly at the incoming attack, she made no attempt to flee or dodge.
Many questions entered Harry's mind. 'Witches, here? Why? Was she injured or why couldn't she dodge?' and more, but all went unanswered. However, his body moved on its own like it usually did in these situations. It was just who he was, something he couldn't switch off no matter how hard he tried to.
An apparition later saw him in the path of the attack, Elder Wand in hand. Instantly a translucent shield popped up before him, shielding him and the woman behind him. "What's the big idea?!" he called out annoyed, not knowing if he was addressing the assailants for attacking or the woman on the bench for not even trying to dodge.
"I don't know how you survived, but this is none of your business!" the one in the purple outfit called out. Creating lightning around her in a threatening manner, absent-mindedly noticing his eye-patch and weird arm.
"I'll make it my business then." he retorted calmly, having no intention of stepping aside to let someone be hurt when he could prevent it. A moment later he felt something grab his non-prosthetic arm. Turning around Harry was completely surprised by the kiss he received and entirely blind to the arrow headed for his heart.
It hit the mark.
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Blank blue eyes stared at the world unseeing. Staring right through everything, as if trapped inside some kind of nightmare. Only the possessor of these eyes knew this was her daily reality.
Akitsu had been convinced she'd be without an Ashikabi for the rest of her miserable life after that idiot of an adjuster caused her to self-emerge. She'd made sure to repay him in kind by skewering him with icicles. Since then her life had been nothing but a monotone grey mess.
Nothing out of the ordinary happened today either. She was ignored by most people, not wanting to involve themselves with a failure such as her. She didn't blame them. Those who did pay her attention were the lecherous kind she didn't appreciate.
That was until the appearance of two other Sekirei. Akitsu had heard some snippets about two Sekirei hunting down other unwinged ones. Though, from the amount of time they took to attack even they weren't sure just what to do with her. Number 07 would gladly accept death, it was a release of her miserable existence, condemned to be forever without her destined one.
Such a fate was worse than death in her eyes.
At least until this stranger appeared to protect her from the attack. She hadn't thought him able to survive it, but he proved her wrong as he spoke next, causing her empty eyes to snap up and stare at his back in shock. It happened so quick Akitsu thought she imagined it. Feeling as if her heart was about to burst out of her chest any moment. Yet it still beat on, faster and faster as if intent to leave an indent on he ribcage. Cheeks flushing and breath coming in gasps.
'A.. Ash.. Ashikabi-sama!' she thought immediately. Disbelief mixed with pure unadulterated hope and joy surged through her.
So desperate to confirm this as true and not some cruel hoax made up by her mind in her throes of death, Akitsu took the chance. The possibility of having an Ashikabi alone driving her onward. Grabbing him by the arm to get his attention she seized the moment and kissed him once he turned to her.
A block or dam inside of her broke as a massive wave of euphoria crashed over her, washing her despair away in its cleansing waters. An instant later wing of icy crystals erupted out of her back, reflecting the light of the moon off them and creating small Auroras that seemed to pulse with power. The crest on her forehead vanished, only to reappear on her neck.
"This is the ice of my pledge. Shatter the misfortunes of my Ashikabi!" she shouted her prayer for the heavens to hear.
Tears streaming down her face as she hugged him close, whispering in his ear. "Finally found you...Forever and Ever." What came out were more sobs than actual words.
What neither Harry or Akitsu knew was why he was able to cause Akitsu's emergence. While she couldn't form the Sekirei bond with an Ashikabi on her own, she could do it with the help of another connection.
A Life Debt in this instance. Magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable.
The moment Harry rescued her from being cooked alive by lightning without thinking about compensation the Life Debt formed. It was something that could be established between the worst of enemies and across species. Even a goblin could owe a wizard a Life Debt. Usually the one who owed the debt to the saviour would one day be obliged to repay the deed by doing something beneficial to said saviour. As this bond was magically binding, the indebted could commit the repayment without acknowledging it, or even against their will.
Peter Pettigrew was one such example of when he tried to kill his saviour. It hadn't been Voldemort's enchantment on the silver hand which chocked him to death, but his own magic literally forcing his hand to kill himself as he violated the obligation to repay his savoiur at the most basic level.
In Akitsu's case the moment the debt was established it connected the two and her Sekirei Bond latched onto that. Basically jumpstarting itself by hitching a ride through her block before shattering said block to pieces. It was only helped due to her desire to be together forever with Harry, and to serve him like a Sekirei should in her eyes. The Life Debt took that as confirmation to repay her saviour by servitude.
One could say that the chance of Akitsu meeting her true Ashikabi among countless people were pretty low already, but for the circumnstance of her winging to occur as well? That seemed like pure chance.
Others called it Fate.
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'What the fuck just happened?!'
Absolutely baffled by what just happened, Harry couldn't help himself. Seriously, not even a day in and his fucking Potter Luck kicked into overdrive. Not that he wasn't used to it by now, but this one was a first for him. While he wasn't opposed to buxom woman kissing him, quite the opposite actually, his luck usually only meant danger.
He was understandably waiting for the other shoe to drop.
A moment later he felt a strange sensation, tickling at the back of his mind. Being preoccupied with the women in his arms Harry ignored it and asked. "Are you alright?" Finding himself strangely concerned with this random woman. Looking around for the other two and noticing them already gone. Luckily, there hadn't been any Muggles around.
"I am now." was all she said, her face still tear-stained. Yet, a truly beautiful smile graced her face. Now that he could get a better look at her he saw that her previously blank and dull blue eyes now shone like sapphires. She also had short, brown hair.
Without noticing it Harry found himself smiling back without knowing why and said. "Good." wiping her tears away with his good hand he introduced himself. "We haven't introduced ourselves yet. I'm Harry Potter."
"Ah... Akitsu. Please look after me. Now and forever." the brunette replied, happily snuggling into him again, refusing to let go even for a moment. Strangely enough this wasn't uncomfortable for him as unexpected physical contact usually was.
Her answer brought more questions than it answered. "Nice to meet you, Akitsu. I don't suppose you have anywhere to go?" He briefly thought not to get involved in whatever mess he was now surely in, but he simply wasn't heartless enough to leave her on her own. He also found he didn't want to. After fifteen years of unfriendly goblins and only occasionally friendly employers, Harry was quite starved for some actual good company. No matter how it started.
The shake of her head was his only answer. "I thought so." he sighed.
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Harry couldn't help himself, he pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, let me see if I got this right." pointing at Akitsu he said. "You're a Sekirei, some type of alien, and you have to fight in a battle royal in this city sometime in the future." The woman just nodded. He should've known coming here had to have some kind of consequence he wasn't aware of. He just didn't expect it to be a crazy homeless woman. Sure, she gave him a light show, but he wasn't sold on the alien idea.
Right now they were sitting on a bench surrounded by hedges near the pond, out of sight of possible passer-by's. For good measure he put a bubble of silence around them with a quick flick of his wrist where his wand sat.
"So, what's this Ashikabi thing I apparently am?" he asked with a sigh. Not knowing why he indulged her.
"It's a Sekirei's fated partner, the person we live to find and love." she said plainly, the only thing indicating her happiness was her blush and the slight upturn of her lips.
As the word 'fated' left her lips Harry balled his fists involuntarily. There was no other sign of his irritation, but the woman seemed to sense it and reacted as if he slapped her.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered fearfully. "Don't you want me?" her grip on his arm increasing to absurd amounts.
Practically feeling the fear of abandonment in her voice Harry answered, after forcing himself to relax, his heart twisting painfully in his chest. "Let's just say fate and I don't get along very well. Not to mention that I didn't expect whatever this is in the least." he sighed and caressed her hand to somewhat reassure her, which seemed to work as she leaned her head on his shoulder. He didn't even know why he tried to comfort a complete stranger and crazy person.
'How did she know what I felt?' he wondered.
Harry honestly had no idea what to make of this whole thing. He'd certainly never heard of Sekirei before, but it seemed to be the kind of thing the Ministries would want in on. Though, considering the Japanese Ministry's policy of separation it could very well be they didn't even know about it. The other possibility was that she was trying to rob him in some elaborate scheme. 'Maybe some untrained witch hoping to score a quick buck or some protection?'
Judging by the state of her clothes, or lack thereof, she had nowhere to stay and had been sleeping rough for a while. The thought about simply leaving her and not bothering with the surely coming mess seemed painful and Harry found himself not wanting to leave her alone.
"Alright, you can stay with me while I think this over." he extended the offer reluctantly. All the while cursing his stupidity at not walking away right now.
It was simple words and not even a promise of him staying with her forever and ever, like she apparently wanted. However, the effect was obvious. Her face lit up with a radiant smile that overcame her default expression of melancholy.
Not knowing if he should take that as a good sign his first order of business was to get her some clothes to not seem like an abductor or something. 'I could transfigure some clothes for her, but can I really break the Statute of Secrecy so blatantly? On the other hand she seems to be some magical being or an untrained witch, but I don't know that for sure. She at least seemed to believe the alien idea.' he argued with himself. He was just freed from a situation he got himself in by ignoring the prudent path. After losing an arm and an eye and more time to mature he fancied himself more experienced than to do so again.
'That means setting up the tent is out as well.' Harry mused. A magical tent larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside would give magic away as well. 'Buying clothes for her isn't really possible at this time of day. That means waiting.' he concluded.
Hearing her stomach growl, he proposed. "How about we get something to eat before we proceed further?" luckily, he was used to camp and sleep under the stars, as well as cook over a fire. 'If she's hoping to rob me then she'd be gone quickly after seeing I have no money.' he mused.
Said fire was made with mundane methods and practiced ease. A few nearby trees were a few boughs short now, but nothing anyone would notice after a quick spell to grow them back, done in such a manner Akitsu wouldn't notice. As focused on snuggling with him as she was Harry doubted she'd notice an explosion nearby. 'She doesn't appear malicious at least. So, she wants protection it seems.'
Luckily, he had transfigured his Moke-skin pouch holding all his provisions and cookware into a rucksack as to fit better into the Muggle World. After a while both of their stomachs were full and Harry gave Akitsu some of his clothes to cover up while he was forced to re-evaluate his previous plans.
NswF could wait for a bit more. He'd have to find a place for Akitsu. Harry doubted her hero-worship would last for much longer. The woman was probably just very grateful he rescued her from certain death and gave her some food. Only wanting to stay in his good graces, nothing more.
'I don't even want to know what kind of stuff she must've been through on the streets.' he shook his head to banish these thoughts, having seen some ugly things on his travels. 'Once she has somewhere better to be I doubt she'd want to stay with me.' the thought of doing that seemed painful to him, but Harry attributed that to his stupid hero-complex.
It didn't take long for Harry to find a few inns that were still open. That didn't mean they'd take him without money. Combined with his refusal to use mind-magic if it wasn't a life-threatening situation, which this wasn't, saw them without a place to stay for the time being.
Akitsu yawned just as the sun began to peak over the horizon. Not really having gotten much sleep the night before or any day before that. Sleep meant nightmares for her in the past so she was reluctant to doze off.
Harry proposed. "Let's try one more." 'before we nap under a bridge' was left unsaid. Akitsu hanging off his arm just nodded. For now he had resigned himself to it.
Standing before the last inn was a woman swiping her broom. She was a slender yet shapely, fair-skinned woman with waist-length purple hair and shorter bangs framing her face. She had brown eyes and wore the traditional attire of a Shrine-Maiden that consisted of a purple hakama, a white haori with a sash-like belt, wooden sandals and a white ribbon to partially hold her hair in place.
"Excuse me, but do you know by any chance if there are any rooms free in Izumo Inn?" Harry inquired politely.
She looked up and smiled in a demure way. "As luck would have it, I do. There are a few rooms free, in fact." she looked them over taking in their peculiar appearance. The woman wearing the man's clothes and the man's eye-patch and metallic arm quite enough to catch attention. She bowed politely to the two after leaning her broom against the wall. "Miya Asame, Landlady of Izumo Inn, at your service."
Bowing back appropriately with Akitsu still clinging to his arm, he replied in kind. "Harry Potter and this is Akitsu. Pleased to meet you."
Not showing any outward reaction, Miya took a closer look at the foreigner and the woman, easily seeing that she was a Sekirei. No.7, if she remembered correctly. 'Wasn't she unable to be winged?' she asked herself in pleasant surprise, looking for the Sekirei mark on Akitsu's forehead, only to find it missing. From the way she clung to him it was clear he was her Ashikabi. 'Seems love did win after all.' her smile grew a bit more honest and friendly.
"The pleasure is all mine." Miya replied pleasantly. "If you need a place to stay Izumo Inn is always open for those in need."
Deciding to be blunt and to get this over with, Harry asked. "Even for those without money? I just arrived tonight and didn't have any opportunity to get anything."
Raising an eye-brow Miya inquired. "How long do you plan to stay?"
"Just one day."
Decision made Miya told him. "If it's just one day then I don't mind giving room and food to you free of charge."
Frowning, Harry was about to deny. However, the weight on his arm reminded him that he still had the woman with him. She hung onto him for support, barely awake. "Alright, thank you." he acquiesced after a short internal battle.
Miya softly clapped her hands together, the smile still on her face. "Splendid, let me show you your rooms." with that said she walked inside to do so.
Izumo Inn was a classic two level Japanese house with paper walls and tatami flooring, typical features of Japanese houses. The second floor predominantly consisted of rooms for the inhabitants, while the kitchen, baths, and living room were all located on the first floor. The Inn's backyard was decently spacious and featured a garden as well.
"Here we are. Room #202 for you and Room #204 for your companion." Miya presented them with two rooms separated by #203.
Akitsu seemed to have heard that and protested as good as she could. "Want to...stay with...Ashikabi-sama." her blue eyes blinking lazily, giving her a certain sleepy cuteness.
"Illicit sexual relations are strictly forbidden in Izumo Inn." Miya said with a giggle that held more than an undertone of threat in it.
Harry waved her off. "That's fine." a quick and invisible but weak sleeping spell saw Akitsu out like a light. Quickly entering Room #204, he laid her down on the futon and left after tucking her in tenderly. Again, attributing why he was so attentive with her to his saving-people thing.
Before leaving for his room he told Miya. "I won't be requiring breakfast."
"Should I wake your for lunch or dinner?" the landlady inquired, her brown eyes still assessing him. He found the action quite unnerving, as if watched by a Nundu that hadn't yet decided to make the pounce. Or dissected and deemed some kind of curiosity.
Harry simply nodded. "I would very much appreciate it if you'd wake me for dinner." He estimated he would wash himself and sleep a little to give himself some rest and think on this new situation some more.
"Very well." with that said Miya left her new and temporary guest alone to his own devices.
Once downstairs they separated with Harry going for a quick bath and Miya to take the breakfast off the stove she put there to finish as she swept the front of the house.
Knowing that all three were rather late for breakfast, she made to get them.
The first was Uzume, also known as No.10. She was a well-endowed young woman with long, dark brown hair, brown eyes and a well developed body figure. She usually wore a pink/violet belly top with a golden star on the front and a golden "10" on the back. For the lower part she preferred tight jeans. The woman had been released for a year, but hadn't found her Ashikabi yet. That wasn't all that long, considering that the numbers one to five had been out much longer and also not gotten their Ashikabi.
"Uzume-san, are you there?" Miya called out, knocking at the door. Nobody answered, so she opened it, expecting to find the woman sprawled out indecently on her futon and in just her underwear.
The room was empty.
As such she went to the next room, skipping one room entirely.
The resident the room belonged to was named Homura, or No.06. Though, he wouldn't be ready for breakfast due to his job of a host being late at night, wanting to increase his chances of finding his Ashikabi through that.
'That leaves, Matsu.' Miya frowned instinctively when thinking about the pervert living in her home.
No.02. Matsu had long red hair with side plaits and usually appeared not so fashionably dressed, wearing glasses and a dress with detached sleeves that resembled a cheongsam. She was currently on the run from MBI due to having stolen something from them.
Just as she was about to knock at the fake wall she could hear giggling and some mumbling. Deciding to enter without announcing herself she walked in.
The scene that greeted her was that of two grown women giggling and drooling while looking at a screen. On it was a video feed of her temporary resident getting ready to bathe, just about to lose the last of his clothing. Miya could see the scarred and muscular body of him clearly. His back looked like an enthusiastic tiger confused it with a scratching post at some point and scar tissue wrapped around his neck. His prosthetic arm was fixed at the shoulder seamlessly, as if it was truly a part of him and not artificial. 'Come to think of it, the range of the arm and the mobility does seem as good as a healthy arm.'
That made her suspicious of him, thinking he could be some kind of spy for MBI. Who else could have such technology? On the other hand she had no proof. Though, for now she'd have to discipline her two naughty residents.
"Ara, Ara. What do we have here?" Miya asked sweetly, an eerie smile fixed on her face as an aura of despair radiated from her body. "Some perverts peeping on our new resident? Illicit acts are strictly forbidden at Izumo Inn!"
Both shrieked like little girls, hands in the air and shortly after cowering on the floor in one corner of the room, hugging each other. "Miya?! It's not what it looks like, I swear!" Matsu tried to explain. Uzume frantically nodding in agreement, eyes wide in fear.
Somehow the ladle teleported into her hand, which she used to threateningly slap into the palm of her other one. "I'm sure. Then you also have no problem telling me what you were doing."
"Well, you see I woke up and looked a little bit into MBI's files. That's when I noticed they were on high alert due to No.07 being winged, which was supposed to be impossible." Matsu began to explain. While that was the whole truth she had also peeped on their new occupant. Him being the only non-Sekirei male around made him irresistible for the perverted Sekirei to not peep on.
"And? It's not like that's a bad thing for Akitsu. Neither does it explain why you were spying on her Ashikabi." Miya retorted, still keeping her ladle ready to strike.
Uzume took over, saying. "That's not the only problem though. It's like he doesn't exist."
Matsu spoke again, nodding her head frantically up and down. "I checked every database and his past is basically a black void. The only kind of information I was able to dig up is that he's British and lived in Surrey, England. Dropped out of school at age eleven, if that is even true."
"That's all?" Miya inquired, her eyes narrowed at the screen.
The other two looked now again. They all saw as he clapped his eye-patch up and picked out a false eye to clean it. It wasn't something one would use as a glass eye, being that it looked like a diamond with so many facets that it was basically perfectly spherical. Looked like a priceless artefact to be exact. Yet, he also didn't wear it openly like one would expect from a rich snob, only that someone like that wouldn't have that many scars. Nor hold himself like a warrior.
Finally she said. "That's...suspicious."
"I thought he was some kind of spy for a government, but in the past I never had trouble looking and finding data of even agents that were supposed to be dead." Matsu elaborated further. MBI didn't like spies very much. By the time she left nobody bothered trying anymore.
Food forgotten, the landlady reluctantly watched him for any kind of odd behaviour.
After a normal amount of time he left the bath, dried himself and got to his room. Cameras following him all the while. Making a mental note to force Matsu to take them all down in the future, Miya watched on.
As soon as Harry got into his room the TV sprang to life.
