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Mom’s been acting odd all morning, being on her phone since breakfast talking to . . . . . someone for quite a while now. Mariko tried to be sneaky and listen in. Of course mom caught her and shooed her to play; after all who taught her eavesdropping could be a fun pastime? So with a pout Mariko took Akiko down to mom’s lab to see Haruko. Passing through the lab, Mariko arrived at the special Ship Core Unit housing Haruko. The exterior was a massive oval shaped structure, over several hundred feet long, while the interior of the unit was merely at its basic levels since Mariko has yet to shape and change the rest of the interior to her own designs. A large circular platform floating on a large lake – like a body of water with a forested covered area surrounding the platform and lake. In the center of the platform, still growing in the soil was a 1st Generation Jurai Royal Tree sapling, Haruko, Mariko’s bonding tree partner.
Royal Trees of Jurai are sentient and intelligent life forms, found and grown solely on planet Jurai and were the ‘offspring’ of Tsunami – no –ki, Jurai’s original and most powerful Royal Tree. Royal Trees serve as power/computer units or the ‘brains and hearts’ within Juraian tree spaceships that make up the Imperial Fleet. The offspring of Tsunami – no –ki were called the 1st generation Royal Trees and are extremely powerful and rare, 2nd generation trees are offspring of 1st generation trees and though less powerful than 1st generation trees but still very formidable. While 3rd generation trees are offspring of 2nd generation trees and even less powerful but still very strong and so on; the higher the generation the less powerful the trees become. Whereas 4th generation trees and beyond are not sentient and can be used by anyone. Only the first three generation of trees are sentient with a free will of their own and it is they who choose who to bond with as a partner for life, usually with a single person.
Normally only members of the Jurai Royal Family were allowed to be candidates when potentially chosen by the Royal Trees. Not that Mariko knew it was that very room when she, her family and the Masaki household visited Jurai, just a month after her tenth birthday. Within Tenju, the Imperial Royal Tree Palace, she gotten separated from the others and with Akiko, wandered the palace halls until she had felt . . . . something calling her in her mind. Not having anything else to do and a curious child by nature, she followed that calling until finally she came upon a pair of enormous ornate doors; the calling was coming from within the door, she was sure of it. Despite its size Mariko pushed the doors with as much strength as she could muster and the doors, either by her own hand or by themselves, opened revealing a massive chamber with levels and platforms where numerous trees were growing. It was the arboretum, the chamber where the Royal Trees that have not yet selected a partner stay in. She approached the edge of the platform she was standing and looking down she saw more platforms and levels with more trees going down so far below she couldn’t see the bottom of the chamber. Still hearing that strange calling, Mariko approached a transporter where it teleported her to another platform where a large tree stood before her. Remembering from Washu that the Royal Trees were conscious beings, she bowed to the tree in greeting.
“How do you do?” she said.
VEEEEEN.
In response the tree released thin threads of colorful lights from its branches lighting up around her for a few moments before going dark. After that Mariko passed tree after tree, greeting each one and received a greeting from the trees in return. After passing several trees Mariko came across yet other transporter, still hearing the odd call growing louder in her mind, as if telling her to step on the transporter. She did and the moment she set foot on it she was transported to yet another level in the arboretum except this time the call in her head was the loudest she’s ever heard. More trees stood by but . . . . the calling in her head was growing in volume, almost too loud to handle and it was coming from further in. It was so loud that she couldn’t focus on the other trees, only finding out where the calling was coming from. Mariko ran passed the other trees, each one shining thin threads of light from their branches as she ran until at last at the very end of the platform she came across the final tree, or rather a small sapling just shooting out from the soil. Finally the calling in her head stopped and only silence remained. Just barely two feet tall, the sapling tree’s green branches swayed even though no wind was present. Mariko sat in front of the sapling, staring at it for a while, it was the smallest she has ever seen so far and yet . . . . . why does she feel drawn to it?
“How do you do?” she said.
The sapling’s budded branches began to sparkle in colorful lights and then threads of light sprung forth. But one of the threads shot out and aimed towards Mariko’s forehead and then . . . . . . a voice echoed in her mind, it was the same as the calling in her head earlier. It was coming from the sapling? Akiko jumped from Mariko’s shoulder, landing in front of the sapling, more light threads appeared and several of them landed on Akiko who meowed and rolled across the grass joyfully. Watching this happen in front of her was . . . . . soothing. Akiko’s meowing and listening to the sapling speak to her was comforting. Feeling tired for some reason, Mariko decided to lie down next to the sapling, Akiko ceased her play crept up to her and curled by her side. Before long sleep began to drift over them and soon they fell fast asleep.
When Mariko finally awoke she was lying in a massive bed, Akiko lying on the pillow next to her head. It took her a moment to realize she was in her guest room and when she turned she saw her mom, Washu sitting on a chair next to the bed. Behind Washu stood the Emperor of Jurai himself, Azusa Masaki Jurai and Lady Seto Kamiki Jurai, the Devil Princess of Jurai, the ‘real behind scenes’ power of the Jurai Empire. Mariko wondered why such important people were here.
“Mom?”
“My, my, someone’s been getting into some mischief again did we?” she asked smiling.
Wondered if mom was referring to the time when she tried to make fudge in the palace kitchens with Akiko but resulted in only blowing up said kitchens . . . . . . or somehow causing Mihoshi’s Galaxy Police Ship to crash into one of the palace wings when trying to clean up the mess. Or maybe the time, merely a few days ago, when Mariko scaled the Imperial Tree Palace (5 km tall) because she was bored, by the time they found her she was having tea with the 1st and 2nd Empress, Lady Funaho and Lady Misaki at the top.
It was then she learned that during her time within the arboretum she was being watched, but instead of being stopped from entering the arboretum. The Emperor and Lady Seto allowed her together since the calling was indeed from a Royal Tree, a 1st generation Tree, the sapling. The sapling had sent out a telepathic calling to Mariko, guiding her to it since sometimes a Royal Tree would send a call to a partner it has chosen and the sapling had chosen to bond with Mariko. This bonding would cause quite a stir of things among the Houses within the Royal Family, but the sapling, a 1st generation at that, has chosen Mariko as its lifelong partner and when a Royal Tree bonds with someone no one not even the Emperor, had any say in the matter of which tree bonds with who. But still this partnership was kept under wraps for the moment (though Mariko didn’t quite understand why) and she and her tree, Haruko she named it, were quickly and quietly swept back to Earth until the Emperor and Lady Seto could figure out what to do about them.
So here they were, life went on as normal on Earth with Haruko within mom’s lab growing quite well. However Haruko and Mariko still had not yet created or designed the exterior or even the interior of the ship leaving only the core unit and the ship’s bridge to shelter Yukiko. But that’s ok, Haruko is still growing and there is no rush. True to traditions, in order to better bond and communicate with her tree, special ‘keys’ were made, one was a gem of crystallized sap formed from the tree, adorning a wide black choker that Mariko wore around her neck. Sitting under Haruko, who had grown somewhat over the past year, was something of a comfort to Mariko, made it feel relaxing and . . . . safe. Guess it should make sense since they are bonded with one another, in a sense they are something of a perfect match.
“So what are we going to do today?” Mariko asked particularly to no one while she touched her choker, the crystallized sap sparkled.
Akiko purred next to Mariko while Haruko preened.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
DING DONG
The doorbell rang.
Noike answered the door, there stood a smartly dressed middle aged man with auburn hair and beard, “yes, what can we do for you sir?”
“Ah,” the man said removing his hat, “good afternoon ma’am,” the man had an accent indicating he was foreign though his Japanese was decent, “My name is Albus Dumbledore, I was wondering if this is the residence of Washu Hakubi?”
Obviously this caught Noike’s attention; how did this man, a foreigner at that knew Washu by name?
“Yes, of course, please come in, I’ll go get her,” she stood to the side to let him in.
He was about to enter when Noike said, “If I may ask if you please remove your shoes sir.”
“Yes, of course, my apologies,” he said, removing his shoes and placed them where Noike showed him.
Noike showed him to the living room where he took a seat on the sofa, a few minutes later Sasami approached carrying a tray with a steaming cup of tea.
“Would you care for some tea?”
“Oh, yes thank you very much,” he said taking the tea and taking a sip, he looked at Sasami, giving her a smile, “This is quite delicious young lady.”
“Thank you sir,” she said with a smile.
Washu came from down the stairs and saw Dumbledore. Both of them stared at each other in silence for a moment until Washu closed her eyes and sighed, “It is time then I suppose.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tenchi, Sasami, Noike, Ryoko, Ayeka, Mihoshi and Ryo – Ohki were all either by the kitchen or the dining area watching the scene between Washu and their guest unfold. Not that there was anything to watch since both of them hadn’t said a thing for the first five minutes before speaking, in English no less.
“Hey Noike, who is this guy and how does he know Washu?” Ryoko asked, “Look how’s he’s dressed.”
“I don’t know this man or how Washu knows him but . . . . .”
“Whatever it is they’re talking about, it sounds important,” Tenchi placed his input.
“Should we be expecting an apocalypse? I don’t like that serious look on Washu’s face.”
It’s true since Washu was looking unnaturally serious during the talk, it was then she mentioned Mariko’s name. They were talking about Mariko? What for?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“I hope the journey here wasn’t too rough,” said Washu.
“Yes well, when passing through a multidimensional portal, I didn’t expect to land in a rice field,” said Dumbledore, he should be grateful no one was present when it happened, thank for small mercies.
Washu examined him and his clothes looked clean and fresh, not at all like he fell in a rice field.
“Really?”
“I cleaned myself up, must look presentable when paying a visit yes?”
“If you say so, though I am sorry about that. Even with the progress these past couple years and making the few portals we’ve found, including the one connecting this world and yours, more stable for a permanent connection and passage, we still have our hiccups. That’s progress for you I suppose.”
“That’s wonderful news,” he said before sipping his tea, Dumbledore then spoke about what had bothered him for some time now, “ah may I ask . . . . . what year is it, in this world?”
“It’s the year 2019 professor.”
He choked on his tea, “20 – 2019?” this is the . . . . 21st century? No wonder everything looked . . . . . so futuristic.
“Yes, I probably should have mentioned that occasionally the duration of time between dimensions is not exactly synchronized, meaning time doesn’t often run at the same speed. The time in one world may run in one speed while time in another may run much slower or faster pace. For example there is one dimension where time in their world runs at a faster speed than ours; meaning while one year passed for us, several hundred years may have passed in their end. As to why this phenomenon occurs . . . . . I still cannot say.”
Amazing.
“When we first met, what year was on your end?” she asked.
“1908. But you said this world and mine seemed to run relatively at the same pace isn’t that correct?”
“More or less yes, although the time difference between our worlds is that we are somehow over a century further than yours, hmm it’ll be like going back in time, so to speak.”
This is . . . . a lot to take in, more so for her daughter, “Are you certain this is the right thing to do, sending her to my world? You said the connection of our worlds is more stable now so then it would be possible for her to return home during the summer, there would be no need for her to stay back in my world. And now you tell me we are two different time periods? ” Sending her away is one thing but in an entirely different time era?
“Which is why I just thought it would be more practical if she stayed in your world. We’ll have to go look for a place for her to stay of course while we gather her school supplies.”
“By herself?”
“Of course not! I will also be sending someone to look after her during the summers, that way she’ll be well cared for and we won’t have to worry about her going back and forth between worlds. Plus she’ll have her own communications to write or call us whenever she wants so we won’t be completely cut off from each other.”
Dumbledore looked at her with skepticism understandably, “but isn’t that a bit excessive, won’t she miss home? She does know that she would be going to a school, in my world?”
“I . . . . may not have told her yet.”
The professor practically slumped in his chair, was she serious? “Honestly?”
Washu just had the nerve to smile albeit sheepishly, “well I did mention that she would be enrolled into a . . . . . special type of boarding school, just not . . . . .”
“Just not about it being in another world. And to have her stay in my world, far from hers for the entirety of her school years; this is not about mere practicality isn’t it?” No there is something more to it than that, for Washu to willingly send her child away for the next seven years, there has to be another reason. It better be. “Is there something amiss here, is she in danger from something . . . . or someone?”
“I always thought that you were a perceptive professor when we first met, that very little escaped your notice and I am always right of course,” though perhaps in this case a bit too perceptive at the moment. “Tell you what once we have all her supplies and found a nice place for her to stay during her school years . . . I’ll tell you everything.”
“You will? Just like that?”
“You have been very accommodating to us so far, agreeing for her attend your school in the UK instead of the one in Japan where yes it would have been more beneficial if she went there but . . . .”
“But I teach at Hogwarts.”
“You seem a decent enough man when we met and I would like someone to know everything about her and what sort of student you would be getting.”
“And someone who knows enough to keep an eye on her. And I will hold you to tell me everything,” he said, “And what of her? Will you tell her everything?”
“What is necessary, in due time.”
“If she is to live far from home for seven years, the least you can do is tell her the truth, she deserves that much,” he had to keep every ounce of himself from laughing, it sounded rich coming from him.
“In due time, she will understand.”
They sat in silence for a while until Washu took a deep breath and stood up, “Well then shall we go and get her?”
Dumbledore nodded and stood up, following her to a door under the stairs.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dumbledore could barely keep his awe in check; this place is enormous, not even an Undetectable Extension spell could create spacing this large underneath a staircase.
“I assume this is all done without magic is that correct Miss Hakubi?”
“Yes, this laboratory is created via subspace, a space between the spaces if you will; so while it may look small on the outside, with subspace I can make inside be as large as I wish it.”
“And just how big is this laboratory?”
“Hmm I’d say you can fit around five planets in here, give or take.”
“F – five planets?”
“You don’t look too surprised about this, I assume you have some sort of spell that is of similar concepts?”
“We have the Undetectable Extension Charm that can make the internal space of a container, such a bag or a cabinet, increase without changing the object’s external appearance. For example with this spell I can fit an entire grand piano into a small pouch or make a five foot tent house a family of five quite comfortably, complete with a working kitchen and bathroom. But I’ve never seen an Undetectable Extension Charm be used anywhere near . . . . . . this size.” Five bloody planets, Merlin’s beard!
Washu laughed, “One day you’ll have to show me what other magic spells you have.”
“We do have book stores with all manner of spell books; we can purchase them along with young Mariko’s supplies.”
“That would be delightful,” she said before they stopped before a massive oval shaped structure, “Ah this is where she is.” They stood before the structure for a moment when Washu said, “Alright we can come in now.”
There was no door, none that he could find wondering how they were going to get in when Washu just walked through the wall, ah, just like the barrier to get to Platform 3¼ at the King’s Crossing Train station. Without further ado Dumbledore passed through the wall and stepped in what he could only call a miniature garden, it was quite beautiful.
“What is this?” he asked, if he didn’t realize he was still inside Washu’s laboratory he would have thought he stepped outside. He was distracted by the beauty of the place that he almost missed it, a voice singing, it too was lovely. But who was it?
“This is a ship called the Haruko,” she answered.
“Haruko? A ship?” What? It didn’t look seaworthy at all.
“It’s a little complicated to explain, not to mention it is a closely guarded state secret.”
“A state secret?”
Washu gave him a grin, “Like I said it’s complicated. Besides this isn’t the whole ship anyway, it’s sort of incomplete at the moment. Ah, there she is.”
Up ahead in the center was Mariko sitting under a small tree, when they got closer it became clear that the singing was her. It sounded Japanese.
“And this,” Washu said, gesturing to the sapling tree, “is Haruko.”
What? This small tree is Haruko? But he thought the ship was called Haruko. Washu went to Mariko who stopped her song. By her side was a small rabbit, Dumbledore thinks, that was asleep but awoke yawning widely. Washu spoke to her and gestured to Dumbledore, looking at him for a moment until a sign of recognition sparked in her pale eyes. They both stood and approached him, Mariko kept her eyes (now glowing light blue) down.
“Well, what do you say to our guest? He has come a long way,” said Washu.
“お会いできてうれしいです、ダンブルドア教授” said Mariko, Dumbledore smiled softly.
“Now Mariko, English please,” said Washu.
“Oh, it’s nice to meet you again Professor Dumbledore,” she said.
Her English was fairly good even if her Japanese accent was very much present.
“And it is nice to see you again my dear,” he said with the gentlest smile he could muster, “I didn’t know you could sing,” he said, she nodded, a silver blush colored her cheeks, “I t was very good, very lovely, I take it you were given lessons?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Perhaps you can sing for the professor later on, show us what you were taught,” said Washu, “anyhow, the professor has come all the way from Britain, he has something to tell you,” said Washu.
“Or rather,” he said taking something out from his coat pocket, “I have something to give you.”
From his coat pocket he pulled out a small pouch, “I thought you might like this.”
Inside were small cubes of fudge, her eyes glowed green, “Thank you professor!” she said as she popped one in her mouth. Washu gave him an amused look, he merely smiled.
“It’s her new favorite candy now,” said Washu.
Yes he thought she would like that, “You are very welcome,” he said smiling, “And I have this as well,” he pulled out a formal looking letter and handed it to Mariko. Licking her fingers before taking the rather heavy letter, she turned it over to see a wax seal with an odd coat of arms on it. She looked up at Washu who nodded so she opened it and found a letter written in bright green ink.
“’Dear Miss Mariko Hakubi, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into . . . . .’” she read.
Mariko stopped and stared at the letter in disbelief, she looked at Washu wondering if this was some kind of joke only to see her nod at her to continue reading.
“’You have been accepted into Hogwarts School . . . . of Witchcraft and Wizardry?’”
Of Witchcraft and Wizardry? What?
Seeing the obvious if understanding confusion on her face and Washu made no attempt to explain, in fact she looked amused and seemed to be in no hurry to rectify. She seemed so very concerned about something, enough that she would send the child to another world and let her stay there for her safety perhaps, while at the same time found amusement in Mariko’s predicaments. So very odd this seemingly duel parental behavior of hers. So Dumbledore was quick to do the explanation.
“Do you remember, back when we first met?” he asked, “when you used your . . . . abilities on that car? You made those . . . . . clock hands appear from the ground?”
Mariko blushed a silver color (another odd thing to add to the list) at that, “You mean my Soul . . . . Power?”
Dumbledore looked at Washu who nodded, that must be what they’ve been calling whatever those strange abilities are, very well he can play along.
“And when you used this,” he pulled out his wand, “On that lamp post?”
Mariko raised an eyebrow, “That stick thing?”
Washu and even Dumbledore laughed at that.
“It’s not just a stick dear, it’s a magic wand,” said Washu.
“Magic? That’s a wand? But all I did was tore the lamp out from the ground,” she said.
“That’s is correct Miss Hakubi, the fact that you were able to make it do something proves that you are capable of using this magic, that you’re a witch.”
“A . . . . . witch?”
“That’s right and you’re going to a school where I am one of the teachers who will teach you to use and control that magic at Hogwarts,” Dumbledore said.
“Hogwarts . . . . .” she said, looking at the letter again.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.