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Fateful Ashikabi, Chapter 5. Corporate Climbers.
🕑 Added 2024-05-10 19:21:11 +0000 UTCTokyo 2013.
Working overtime was basically a requirement in corporate Japan, but few took it as far as Rie Nishida. Many would describe the woman as ice cold, ruthless, amoral and utterly obsessed with her research. All of which was completely true and Rie took pride in that.
Only the screen of the monitor gave any kind of illumination as she worked, looking over the data she gathered from today. However, more interesting for her was the fact that the so called heir of Furumizu brought two Sekirei with him. Normally something like that was impossible to determine from appearance alone. Luckily, the Witchblade and the Cloneblades, which were replicates of the Witchblade, reacted to a Sekirei's unique energy signature. Nora had notified her immediately of when she felt it.
Rie could hardly believe that such an opportunity arose for her. 'Now only to eliminate the last roadblock,' the female researcher mused happily. By capturing or incapacitating this so called Harry the Sekirei would be under their control. From where they could be used for further experiments. Not to mention that NswF would stay under her control without some unknown element ruining it. They also were on a deadline with how the Neogenes equipped with Cloneblades kept breaking down. This was exactly what they needed to not waste years of research and development.
"Nora, please take Shiori with you to arrange for Mr. Potter's unfortunate accident." she ordered the Neogene waiting behind her, not even bothering to look back. Much too enthralled by the potential results of their experiments with Sekirei at their disposal.
"I'll see to it at once, Ms. Nishida," Nora's dispassionate voice answered swiftly. A second later Rie heard the door close, confident in the fact that soon NswF would surpass MBI.
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The full moon hung high in the sky filled with twinkling stars, which were slightly covered by grey clouds typical for winter. Silvery light shone down onto the land and softly falling snow, both unhindered by the non-existent foliage. The trees were skinny and black-barked, shooting out of the ground in tight clusters. A few older, gnarled oaks stood here and there, but they appeared nearly dead this time of year, and seemed only to serve as scaffolding for frozen moss.
Hidden amongst the forest and behind wards stood a battered tent. A candle in the dark amongst the blacks, whites and browns with it's comparably bright illumination provided by floating flames. Inside one could make out the silhouettes of two people performing a dance as old as humanity itself. The shadows stretching and shrinking depending on how the light struck.
"That was bloody brilliant," Harry panted out happily as he laid naked in bed. An equally naked Hermione snuggled beside him, having just lost their virginities to each other. The stress, uncertainty and teenage hormones finally took their toll on the pair. After Ron abandoning them, the uncertainty of their mission and high-strung emotions it was inevitable that something like that happened. Especially after the romantic dance during which they had kissed. From there it progressed further.
Hermione just weakly mumbled something unintelligible, hiding her head in the crook of his neck. Her bushy mane splayed out all over the place.
Harry sensed something was wrong with her immediately. If it was due to their strengthened connection, her apparently choked up voice or something else he couldn't say. "What's wrong?" he asked softly, stroking her hair in what he hoped was a soothing gesture. Upon her tensing he stopped immediately. Even more concerned now, hoping she didn't think that this was a mistake.
"Nothing," she replied, her voice as tight as a coiled spring.
Harry didn't believe that for a second. He sat up carefully and turned to face her. Only to come face to face with the business end of her wand. All he could do was stare in horror as she muttered a familiar but simple spell.
"Obliviate."
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Harry woke with a start, eyes staring at an unfamiliar ceiling as he breathed heavily. His body drenched in sweat. Recognizing the dream for what it was Harry brought himself back under control. He had hoped to not relieve that experience again, but fully expected it after his talk with his Sekirei that had prodded at old wounds as he told them of his life. Well, the most important bits at least. Like that he was a wizard, magic existed inside a hidden society and his rough history with said world.
Sadly his nightmares still popped up from time to time. Unable to ecscape them if he didn't recognize it as a dream as it happened or preparing sufficiently before going to bed.
'Great, just as I thought my nightmares would leave me alone for a little longer.' A scowl formed on his face as the remnants of his nightmare caused him to remember the rest. How he sacrificed himself to Voldemort, convinced it was necessary for him to die and take the Horcrux with him.
The fact that he had sacrificed himself for his friends only to be told a minute later that every one of them agreed he had to die was a massive, nearly fatal blow to him. At that point Harry had seriously considered staying dead and let Voldemort slaughter everyone. If he saved them all he'd only do what Dumbledore wanted him to and that left a bad taste in his mouth. If he didn't then they'd all die at the hand of Voldemort equipped with a willing Elder Wand. Not that he cared at that point.
The thing that caused him to return and continue playing the saviour wasn't any kind of desire to rescue these people. No, it was a need for revenge directed at Voldemort. It was pure unadulterated rage at the sheep of Wizarding Britain thrusting such an unwanted responsibility onto his shoulders while holding him to unreasonable standards. His hatred burned with an intensity he never felt before, letting the wrath he felt at Sirius' death pale in comparison.
But most of all he didn't want to be like Dumbledore; who as a self-proclaimed good man did nothing. Regardless if it was stupid, reckless or just plain idiotic, Harry had at least always done something about injustice. Unlike Dumbledore, who seemingly thought he was better than everyone else together with his Order of the Phoenix and their rigid pacifism. Expecting him to do all the dirty work with a handicap while they kept their minds and hands clean. Only capable of watching on as the world around them crumbled into bloodstained dust. The only victory afforded to them that they struck true to their morals.
After Harry was finished with the Death Eaters, their forces and Voldemort not many of the Blood Purists were left alive. He had utterly torn them apart with dark spells just short of the Unforgivables. Blood-boilers, Bone-breakers, Reductor and explosive curses found liberal use that day. His power fully unleashed and unshackled after the Horcrux leech was removed from his mind and magic.
Likewise the Giants, too, were wiped out completely. None left alive after the last colony of them had allied with Voldemort. Not by magic, but by the incredibly sharp Sword of Gryffindor and it's deadly venom. Easily penetrating a giants' skin and letting the venom do it's sinister work.
After the war was over he simply left without looking back. However, not before burying Voldemort's corpse with his nemesis' yew wand at a location only Harry knew. Not wanting any shenanigans done with Tom's corpse by the Ministry or other parties. A day later he was picked up by Gringotts. Not wanting to wait for some trumped-up charges to pop up against him, like killing upstanding Purebloods.
He took deep breaths and banished these thoughts away from his mind. Instead trying to think of other things. 'At least the talk with my Sekirei has given me some history of them,' he thought. A weird and warm feeling spreading in his chest by claiming them as his.
Akitsu's past didn't contain all that much. Mostly consisting of her life in the MBI lab, watching TV followed by living on the street. As well as occasionally eating out of the garbage, which he knew wasn't so bad when you were aware what to look for. Luckily, she was a Sekirei and therefore more durable and resilient in many ways. Matsu, too, had told of her life before being winged. Of her time with the First Disciplinary Squad, defending against invaders, stealing the Jinki and hiding at Izumo Inn.
A sigh escaped him as he looked out the huge window beside the bed, presenting him with a beautiful view of Tokyo at night. A few grey clouds hung in the sky, obscuring the moon but the city illuminated itself just fine. Fortunately, he had not woken Matsu with his nightmare. The Brain-type Sekirei snuggled close, drooling on his left shoulder while hugging his artificial arm like a vice. Harry found the sight adorable and couldn't quite believe he was in such a situation.
"Bad dream?" came the worried voice of Akitsu from his right. She had much experience in the subject of nightmares, after all.
A look to his right shoulder showed that Akitsu was not asleep at all. The Sekirei apparently more occupied with watching him than sleeping. Harry simply nodded and claiming, "Yes, but you don't need to worry about it." somehow both had found their way into his bed, despite sleeping in adjacent rooms. Not that Harry had expected anything different, but to lock the doors with magic and keep them out seemed too cruel somehow.
Instead of doing that Akitsu used her own method of cheering him up. She had heard some MBI personnel talking about it and was admittedly curious. Using her inhuman strength Akitsu propped Harry up easily and gently laid his head on her lap. Followed by driving her hands slowly through his messy hair in an effort to comfort him.
For Harry the new sensation of her hands massaging his scalp felt incredibly soothing. That combined with having her amazing rack sitting directly on his face did wonders to calm him down. 'I could get used to this,' he thought, his eyes closed in relaxation. For once not worrying about if it was a good idea or not. Much too busy enjoying it to care.
Just five minutes into it he was ready to sleep once more.
Only to be interrupted by the door opening and light to enter the room from the hallway. Immediately the hairs on his neck stood up straight. After all the muggle-repelling wards should still be active right now, which made this not a benign visit. His sixth sense honed by years of experience immediately activated every alarm bell in his head to blare at full blast. All sleep gone from his mind in an instant. At the same time the Elder Wand slipped unnoticed from his holster into his right hand with practised ease.
The sound of what Harry knew was a blade being drawn was enough to let him take action.
"Stupefy!" he incanted after gently but firmly pushing Akitsu and Matsu away and sitting up quickly. The spell flying from the tip of his wand swiftly raced towards the two creeping figures in the room. It collided with one of them, sending the intruder back and to their knees but not into unconsciousness.
Using the surprise of his attackers at being found out he cast. "Lumos!" Light flooded the room, swiftly banishing the darkness as he commanded a floating orb of light into existence. "Akitsu, protect Matsu!" he ordered, preparing to fight and erase his attackers' memories. Glad that Japan's magical side had no real interaction with the Muggle World, making worrying about Auror's or Obliviators a non-issue.
Without wasting time Akitsu positioned herself protectively in front of her fellow Sekirei. Ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.
The redhead in question groggily slurred. "Wha..." waking up from the commotion. Sleep instantly banished from her mind as she took in the scene before her. Luckily, her glasses were more for decoration than any actual need or she'd have a problem right now with them out of reach. By a glance alone she knew it was a fight about them being here, judging by the two women equipped with replicas of the Witchblade.
Harry ignored her, too focussed on his opponents. The two were obviously female judging by their voluptuous forms and both were wearing armour. Though, to call it armour was a stretch with how sensually it clung to their forms like a second skin, more supple than armour had any right to be. It teasingly revealed parts of their gorgeous bodies as they moved.
One had orange armour with green accents partially covering her body. Leaving her inner thighs, arse, much of the lower part of her generous breasts and a small area around her navel exposed. She had glowing green eyes and black sclera. What Harry assumed to be her hair was strawberry blonde, but it looked nothing like hair should. Instead of being flowing and silky it was shaped like six large double-edged blades, looking like wings. A long bang hiding the right side of her face went down all the way to the ground, shaping into a small spike at the end. From the way it moved Harry reasoned that she had some degree of control over it. Out of her left hand, where a blue orb sat, came a long three-pronged claw that looked very sharp.
'Interesting, it's Rie's assistant. Seems someone doesn't want me here,' he thought sarcastically. Recognizing the woman by her figure, purple lipstick, expression and posture.
The other had short grey hair that framed her delicate features and cyan eyes, but her sclera were the same colour as her companion's. Her armour was much more revealing than her partner's and coloured royal blue with cyan lines running through it. It covered her legs in metallic stockings with small blades at the knees that left the upper thighs free and ended in bladed high heels. Her lower lips barely covered by a small patch of armour, while leaving her arse uncovered. Further up the smooth pale flesh of her stomach was left open while the woman's sides and back were hugged by her armament. Her right breast was partially covered from below and the left from above, showing the underside of it. Armour completely covered her back, shoulders, arms, and hands where it culminated in a scythe-like blade shaped like a crescent moon that looked very unwieldy. The blue orb on said wrist pulsing with power drew his attention.
'Them being witches can be ruled out by their attire alone. Both seem to have that pulsing blue orb on their wrist, but hitting such a small target is next to impossible. The blue one already has cracks in her armour, seems more unstable and therefore easier to take down,' Harry analysed his opponents, looking for weak spots while noting their partial resistance to magic as demonstrated earlier.
The grey-haired one shook the stunner off and chuckled. "Seems like someone wants to play," her eyes roaming over his form clad only in boxers as she licked her lips in a sexual manner. "Yes, let's play!" she practically purred before attacking with her scythe. From the way she moved Harry knew she did have some kind of training in terms of physical combat. Luckily, magic did not care about the number of openings.
Not giving her any time to come nearer Harry flicked the Elder Wand, incanting, "Expulso." the resulting explosive wave of sheer pressure flung her against a wall, partly shattering it. Her partner was also inside the attack's area of effect but could evade in time. She also was more wary than her accomplice since his initial attack.
Harry quickly followed it up by transfiguring the wall to suit his needs. Thick chains promptly sprang forth from all around her, immobilising the blue one and hopefully taking her out of the fight.
"I told you to get yourself under control, Shiori!" the orange one scolded the blue one with a condescending glare. All the while evading icicles thrown her way by the Ice Sekirei, as well as bolts of light from Harry. She frowned, not knowing just what the man was or how to deal with such an unknown. It wouldn't matter so much if they would not need him alive. After all, should he die MBI would come to collect the Sekirei upon their deactivation.
"Oh, shut up Nora!" came the uncaring retort, trying to break free but not quite managing. Small cracks appeared all around her body the more she struggled. Finally she broke her bonds to pieces, breathing heavily. "Give me more!" she shouted with a deranged grin of ecstasy, charging him once again. Faster than before.
His reflexes kicking in allowed Harry to duck under the mighty swing coming for his head. The scythe missed by an inch and carved a straight path through the wall behind him. Only to nearly be impaled as she tried to knee him in the face. Banishing the troublesome woman proved unwise when she used her scythe like a hook to grab him just as she flew away. A quickly thrown up shield the only thing saving him from being cut in twain as she dragged him with her out to the corridor.
Nora was about to follow and ignore the Sekirei, hoping to subdue him faster under a combined assault. Only to be frozen in place from the waist down courtesy of Akitsu. Though, she made quick work of the ice with her hair shaped like blades.
"You shall not harm Harry-sama!" she stated resolutely, ignoring her own nudity. Her voice and eyes filled with a rage as cold as ice. More Icicles proliferated all around her and were unleashed forthwith and without pause.
While Akitsu kept Nora busy Harry put some distance between himself and Shiori by using Apparition. Vanishing without a sound and appearing a few metres down the hallway, flinging spells at the deranged woman in the hopes of incapacitating her and hopefully avoid killing. Harry was used to killing people and quite good at it, in fact. Only this time he couldn't do so. For one he was kind of bound to this corporation and killing a Japanese citizen would require mind-wiping people, which he detested doing. So, he tried to subdue her. An endeavour that proved difficult due to her resistance to magic.
'Just great,' Harry thought. 'Why didn't the muggle-repelling ward around the room work to keep them out? It should've held until morning without an anchor,' now he had to look for an opening to finish this while crafting a ward that'd keep everyone in the building so he could deal with it all later. You never knew if there was a surveillance systems in place, after all.
She evaded most of his attacks. Finally he resorted to more powerful spells. A Reductor curse and a Bombarda hit, but Shiori used her weapon as a shield to block them. The Reductor inflicted most of the damage while the Bombarda shattered her weapon to pieces. Cracks now ran all over her armour, giving her a vitreous and fragile appearance.
Shiori staggered a bit, her cheeks flushed and breathing heavy. Without warning she screamed in a mixture of agony and rapture, the gem on her wrist glowing brightly. The phenomenon also protected her from spells flung her way. A moment later her armament transformed, changing colour from royal blue to cyan. While her eyes and the lines and spots in her armour changed from cyan to pink. Her destroyed weapon turned into two smaller scythes on each forearms together with a few other changes.
In wild abandon she charged Harry again. Even faster than before, if that was possible. So fast in fact that he couldn't even react in time. Shiori was upon Harry in an instant, wrestling him to the ground and pinning him down. Her hair swiftly turned into two grapple-like whips that secured his arms on the ground as she straddled his hips. Her legs pinning his down. Laying there spread eagle with his wrists bound in an iron grip, his wand pointing in the wrong direction and no leverage to break free Harry couldn't do much. Apparition would see them both transported with how she clung to him and was therefore useless as a means of escape.
A complete change in demeanour occurred in his attacker as her hands sensually explored his scarred chest. Driving her fingers from his abs up to his chest to lean down and press her generous rack onto him in the process. "You can't escape," the clearly deranged woman purred as her soft lips hovered over his, smiling invitingly at him. Her eyes half-lidded as she ground herself on him, trying to make as much skin to skin contact as possible. "Please, I'm begging you," she pleaded in a breathy voice. Not consciously knowing for what exactly she was begging. Though, her voice held nothing but sincerity as her primal side told Shiori that the man below her possessed something she required. Something her body craved more than anything.
Harry had no real idea what to make of this situation or why she suddenly changed from murderous to horny. Her armour cracking even further drew his attention though, parts of it fell off soon after. She kissed him a moment later. Eyes closed in bliss with her moaning in delight once she made contact. Her veins filling with an unknown, yet familiar power. A power she needed as much as air. Slowly the chinks in her armour closed a little, but did not vanish completely.
The last Potter noted all of this while feeling her draw some of his magic to herself through the kiss. As well as something more.
Though, unlike with Matsu and Akitsu no wings of light appeared. Giving him no idea just what the woman's issue was. Yet he also didn't try to escape. Rather, he used his distracted opponent to erect the ward that would keep everyone from leaving the building. It was only temporary, but that wasn't a big issue as long as he acted quick. 'Come on, come one. Got it!' Harry thought as he finished casting the ward and absent-mindedly kissing the woman back. Hoping it would keep her docile for the moment while summoning his wand into his artificial hand with a bit of wandless magic.
After about twenty seconds of intense snogging he managed to break free with his stronger mechanical arm and promptly banished the woman away from him. The Elder Wand switched hands again in the process of standing upright. While he did so Harry expertly unleashed the chain of overpowered spells at the disoriented woman barely aware of her surroundings. "Petrificus Totalus, Impedimenta, Incarcerous, Duro, Leviosa!"
Each of them hit her dead centre. She was immediately immobilised, her body made sluggish and encased by chains of steel which grew as hard as diamonds. As well as levitating her off the ground for good measure.
Satisfied with the result Harry hurriedly dragged his floating captive behind him as he made to check on Akitsu and Matsu.
Rounding the corner revealed a battlefield littered with huge needles and icicles big or small. Patches of ice clung to the floor and walls, the bedroom utterly demolished. In the middle of it stood Nora encased in ice with only her head sticking out. Akitsu stood victorious, though a little unsteady and her body had a few needles stuck out in it. Matsu was busy pulling the sharp objects out of her fellow Sekirei.
Harry rushed towards them, vanishing the needles followed by incanting. "Vulnera Sanentur." the bleeding immediately stopped. "Take it easy," Harry cautioned, taking Akitsu's hand to steady her and inspecting if the spell had worked. Seeing that it did he repeated it, which cleansed the wounds and a third time closed them up.
"Ah... Thank you," No.07 said gratefully, her cheeks a little flushed due to being the focus of his attention. "Did I do good, Ashikabi-sama?" her voice sounded so hopeful that Harry was reminded of an eager to please puppy.
Sighing, Harry answered softly. "Of course you did!" his right hand unconsciously went about stroking her cheek. Seeing that Matsu and Akitsu were still naked he summoned their clothes. Another swish of the Elder Wand saw the garments flow onto their bodies like water before becoming solid once more. Though, he forewent the eye-patch for himself, having only worn it to blend in a little better. Remnants of his by now dead wish to be normal.
"Siccitas, Reparo," he incanted next, causing the ice to melt and evaporate, as well as causing the destroyed parts to set themselves back together. Moments later the room and hallway were as good as new.
"Just what are you?" came the relatively calm voice of the frozen woman. Intrigue and calculation clear as day in her eyes and tone. "Are you even human?" he seemed more like a Sekirei with his abilities and yet he was an Ashikabi.
"I am a limited edition," Harry retorted dismissively. Not in the mood to answer questions after what happened. Instead he petrified her for good measure before transfiguring the ice into chains and applying the same spells Shiori got to her. "What are you for that matter?"
Nora and Shiori didn't deign to answer him in turn. The latter avoiding his gaze now that she was seemingly back to normal and embarrassed by her actions.
Just as he was about to start interrogating them Matsu spoke up. "I think I can answer that." the Sekirei suddenly standing beside him, inspecting their assailants' wrists. "Both seem to possess a copy of the weapon Furumizu stole from MBI. It comes in the form of a bracelet, which connects with the users nervous system and forms a type of symbiotic relationship with the host. Upon activation a type of living armour envelops the user, giving them a boost in speed, strength and agility. It can even produce extensions of itself like swords, other stabbing weapons, hooks, chains, shields and so on," she looked closely at both of the Neogenes. "Wonder how they got around the setbacks?"
"What kind of setbacks?" Harry inquired curiously, thinking about the weird behaviour of Shiori.
"Well, I already told you of the weapon, but what is important is how the symbiotic relationship functions. In particular it's very specific requirements," Matsu began to explain. "It can only be worn by humans, for one with the best results occurring when worn by Ashikabi. Due to the fact that it runs on the energy from an Ashikabi's core. The best results occur with an Ashikabi that has a Sekirei, because the weapon even has an effect similar to a Norito's powered by a Sekirei's core. Which is then shared with the Ashikabi through a kiss. While humans that aren't Ashikabi can wear it and even use the armour, the weapon would consume them with time. It was originally an attempt to strengthen Ashikabi while also making the dependency go two-ways," She finished with pushing her glasses up out of habit. "It was deemed a failure due to only accepting females as hosts and most Ashikabi being male."
"What would happen when someone wears it and isn't bonded to a Sekirei?"
Matsu turned towards him and shrugged her shoulders. "I can only make educated guesses. Though, I would say the person in question would grow more unstable over time, as well as crave something they couldn't identify. In this case the energy from a Sekirei's Tama."
Shiori flinched as if caught in a lie, while Nora's face remained stoic and impassive. All but confirming Matsu's words and explaining Shiori's behaviour.
"Huh, but that doesn't explain why she kissed me and not one of you," Harry frowned, his head tilted to one side in thought as he looked at Shiori. If they required a Sekirei's energy to grow stronger that didn't make sense.
Unseen by Harry Akitsu's impassive stare transformed into a terrifying glare, thinking these two wanted to steal Harry. Which was kinda true, in a sense. Yet she did not act without her Ashikabi's permission.
"Well, they don't have an Ashikabi's core to function properly in the first place. Not to mention that we are already bound to you and therefore our Tama is attuned to you and only you. It's power flows through you as I imagine yours flows through us. So, I guess she felt that?" Matsu's reply as much a question as an answer. She had felt it after clarity had returned to her sense after her winging. She now knew why it felt like he was giving them something through the bond as well. It was his magic, as difficult to believe as magic existing was. Then again he more than proved it just now.
"A good an explanation as any." In the end Harry simply shrugged his shoulders and ignored it for now. With that done he positioned both prisoners so that they faced him. "Now, I'd appreciate it if you can tell me where I can find Ms. Nishida. She and I need to have a talk about hospitality." every word enunciated clearly and sharply. To make his point clearer Harry pointed his wand at them and said sardonically. "By the way, the longer you're silent the harder this'll get for you." he promptly cast, "Deprimo!"
Nora and Shiori felt like an invisible coil was squeezing their whole body with incredible strength. It grew tighter by the second, slowly crushing their bodies. They held out until their armour instinctively withdrew, leaving them naked. Like usual their clothes had been shredded by the deployment of their armour.
Shiori broke first and ground out, "I'll... show.. you," only wanting the pain to end and the euphoria to return.
He cancelled the spell, removed their bindings and conjured some clothes onto their bodies. "Then please, ladies first," he invited with an inviting smile of chivalric mockery.
With the two reluctantly leading the way to where Rie was last Harry, Akitsu and Matsu followed. Wary of any kind of trap or deception sprung on them. Harry even refused to use the elevators, lest they be stopped and he'd be trapped in a confined space. Sure, he could apparate out easily, but why risk it?
Despite that it didn't take long to reach the room Rie was in. Hearing the woman before seeing her.
"What the hell is going on?" Rie's incredulous voice was meeting them upon entry. The shout echoing down the sterile hallway. Once they entered the room all five saw the woman rage at her monitor. A monitor that showed a recording of the fight between Harry and Shiori. Hearing them enter, Rie turned around in her chair.
Upon doing so she was greeted by Nora and Shiori, followed by the Sekirei and Ashikabi. That was about what she expected. However, what she did not expect was that her subordinates seemed to be the captives.
Without bothering to address Rie a grey spell shot out of Harry's wand at lightning speed. It hit dead centre, petrifying all but the woman's head and freezing her in the seat. "Matsu, can you make sure everything of our fight is deleted down to the last bit of it?" his suspicion about being recorded had been correct as the monitor showed.
"Sure," The Sekirei of Wisdom agreed. Rolling Rie, who was stuck on her seat, away from the desk, Matsu immediately went to work. Making sure to follow her Ashikabi's commands promptly.
Never taking his stare off the woman Harry casually levitated Rie's employees beside her and bound them the same way as Rie. Both much too exhausted from their fight to resist or struggle.
For a few seconds nothing but dexterous fingers tapping on a keyboard could be heard. It were the longest seconds in Rie's life as she watched the supposed man's eyes bore into her own with a frightening intensity.
Finally she blurted out. "That's impossible!" the scientist in her was vehemently denying what her eyes and body told her. The man apparently having abilities similar to Sekirei. Yet he was an Ashikabi, a simple human.
The man made a noise of agreement. An amused expression on his face. "Of course it is." He easily twirled the ornately carved stick between his fingers. "But I can cheat, shall we say." with a twist of his wrist the stick produced a small rainbow.
Rie continued to stare. "A stick?" she finally asked after a long moment. She'd seen much in her life, but today took the cake. Was she dreaming? Or was this another form of advanced technology she was unaware of?
"A wand," Harry corrected her, the mischievous twinkle of a prankster in his eye. "A very, very good wand." an idea sprang into his mind how he could solve this whole mess without resorting to mind-wiping the whole building and cementing his place as leader of the company. Why not have fun while doing so?
The researchers usual scowl turned into a full-blown glare. "Magic doesn't exist!" she denied. Rie was a woman of science! Magic had no place in her world.
Potter nodded as if that didn't contradict his action of binding her or levitating her subordinates around. "Of course it doesn't."
A small smile cracked through Akitsu's passive expression, Matsu giggled and Rie's eyebrow twitched. Nonetheless, the scientist waited, expecting some kind of further explanation of why he would so readily agree to that, without even once hinting towards how he was losing the argument. Still, she cracked first under his heavy stare. "If not magic, how did you do it? Telekinesis?" She glared at him, daring and try to dodge out of answering her.
It took until Harry tilted his head with a smug smile and conjured himself and Akitsu each a chair out of thin air, on which he promptly sat, to sink in. "Magic doesn't exist." he repeated, nodding to himself. "Magic definitely doesn't exist." He even wrote it in the air with flames of all things. "And even if it was real, there'd definitely not be any laws forcing me to tell you that."
Rie only stared at the floating letters of fire, eyes wide in disbelief. All of her being screamed at her of the impossibility of it all. Instead she shook her head clung to the thought that magic was just something she didn't have a sufficient understanding of. So she tried to veer the conversation, or rather interrogation, into a new direction. Unwilling to let go of any bit of control. "What do you want?" using her glare that usually got everyone she knew to obey.
"I thought it rather obvious." Harry met her glare with a placid stare, then he...'changed'. His back straightened and his emerald eye turned to hardened glass in an imitation of his replacement eye, both seemingly aglow with power. The difference his change of presence had was jarring and happened from one moment to the next. Meeting Rie's commandeering stare like a king would meet a general, he retorted. "I wanted to ask why you thought it necessary to send these two to my room in the middle of the night. With less than benign intentions, I might add."
The researcher would've looked away, but her body refused, so she scoffed, insisting. "I did what was necessary!"
"Oh, and what warranted such necessity?" Harry's next action depended entirely on her answer. If the last Potter liked what he heard then she wouldn't be mind-wiped.
Seeing no other choice but to be truthful, Rie answered honestly. Who knew just what other abilities he had? "Years of research depended on it! As you may have already seen, Neogenes, the bearers of what we call Cloneblades, break down with time." her stare and voice never wavered. "They need the energy produced by a Sekirei's Tama to live. This was the only way for them to have a chance of survival."
Harry nodded as if agreeing and said. "I see." followed by a dry and sarcastic remark. "Understandably you couldn't have simply asked me first or dare I say risk telling me without knowing my stance on the matter."
Rie appeared pleased. "I'm glad you see it my way."
This time Harry's organic eye twitched. Not knowing if the woman was being sarcastic in turn or not. "I'm willing to say that there was some miscommunication and let this whole mess be water under the bridge," he offered. "Still, I'm assuming control of NswF as of right now." the influence coming with NswF would give him much more clout to mess up Minaka's twisted schemes. As well as hopefully counter much of what the madman tried.
Unwilling to back down, Rie narrowed her eyes and replied. "How do I know that you're who you say you are? If you really have magic then you could've somehow stolen the will!" she pointed out while looking at him, brown orbs racing over his body. "Let me do a DNA test and if you're really related to the late Furumizu, I accept it."
"Fine." Harry nodded amicably, a grin growing on his face. "After I've taken control of this company that is." seeing the woman about to object he added amused. "Do you really think you are in any kind of position to negotiate or stop me? You're lucky I don't simply kill you here and now for trying to harm me and mine." Not saying that it would look too suspicious if the head researcher died just as Harry assumed his new position.
For good measure he levitated Nora and Shiori before him. "However, I'm not unreasonable." he claimed and went to prove it shortly after by acting on a hunch.
Harry put each of his hands on the Neogenes' necks. The next moment both of their eyes went wide as a foreign feeling raced down their spines, an intoxication unlike anything else they had ever experienced. Like a missing piece was added to the incomplete puzzle that was their very beings. The longer it went the more intense it got as it transformed into pleasure and then euphoria. If both women weren't frozen in place they long would've cried out with their legs giving out.
When he was finished Harry removed his hands and where once was unblemished skin now resided a magical brand similar to the Dark Mark. Though, it wasn't a skull, but the symbol of the Deathly Hallows. The petrification ended a moment later, causing Nora and Shiori to slump forward onto the ground in exhausted heaps of goo.
"What did you do?" Rie inquired fascinated, racing towards Nora after her body obeyed her will once more. Inspecting the new mark on her subordinates neck curiously.
"Something I picked up on my travels." he said nonchalantly and evasively. Who would've guessed that Voldemort did not develop the Dark Mark? It was simply an obscure art he rediscovered in his travels after murdering Hepzibah Smith and abandoning Borgin and Burkes. Used to forge a connection to another being through soul magic. Something Harry became quite adept at during his travels.
The shade of Voldemort was a font of knowledge and not only on the subject of Dark Magic. Weirdly enough Tom had been the only person that never made any excuses for what he did to Harry. Something not many others could say aside from the Dursleys. Harry still hated the last Riddle, but could at least respect and trust him more than the rest of Magical Britain.
Beside he had needed someone to rant at and Tom owed Harry big time for the shit he put him through. All while ignoring Tom's 'advice' to murder all who wronged him. Somewhere along the line Voldemort even grew bored enough to teach him some things. Being trapped in Limbo for eternity didn't leave much room for distraction.
"It is a magical link to myself, giving them access to my and my Sekirei's energy through me," he explained and added casually. "Judging by how Shiori nearly broke down in front of me, I guess that she didn't have much time left until now." it was left unspoken that further insubordination would see it removed and them in danger of dying again. Not that they'd live for much longer after attacking again. While Harry could give second chances he no longer gave third chances.
"I'm done, Harry." Matsu reported as she put the finishing touches on it.
Giving her a warm smile, the last Potter said. "Thank you, good work." he turned to Nora, Rie and Shiori. "Now then, it is time for some changes around here." if he was forced to play Minaka's game then he'd make damn sure he'd annoy the bastard as much as possible. As well as looking for other solutions. A powerful corporation under his control should do nicely.
'Next I probably need to check the employees for potential corporate spies,' Harry mused. 'Changing their contracts into magical ones with slightly higher payment should suffice to get them to agree.' being in service of Gringotts did teach you about magical contracts one way or another. With the Goblet of Fire mess Harry found it prudent to learn much about the subject. He wouldn't go overboard with it like Hermione did in fifth year as far as a penalty was concerned. A simple, but noticeable and unmistakable indicator should suffice to weed out untrustworthy individuals. Not a mass of pimples spelling out a word.
Following that train of thought Harry turned to his redhead Sekirei. "Matsu, can you tighten security of our system and improve on it?"
Grinning at him she replied. "Nothing easier than that." the Sekirei then began to blush and grin lewdly as she thought of something. "Do I get a reward for it?"
"Ah... me too, Harry-sama?" Akitsu chimed in hopefully. Her look saying exactly what she wanted.
Sighing in what he knew would become a recurring occurrence, Harry agreed. "As long as it is within reason."
His only answer was a perverse giggle from Matsu and a happy smile coupled with a blush from Akitsu.
