A.N. Looking over the story, I'm starting to think I need to change the summary. There's a lot less of the slapstick nonsense that LH is known for than I may have been originally picturing. Ah well.

On this chapter, well, it's embarrassing how many times I misspelled the word embarrass, or words rooting from it. Thank God for spell check, I guess.

I've changed the name of the Japanese government, so a kudos to Exiled Soul Nomad who suggested the idea I went with. I'll get around to changing the last chapter at some point.

Ugh, writing this, I can't help but feel the entire thing is forced, and it's not nearly as good as I wanted it to be. I do like the angle of the whole legal thing, but I'm not really confident of what I've done with it. But the whole criminal thing, and where I take it here, has been planned, almost from the start. Which is more than I can say about most everything else that has happened.

Aside from that. Hmm, I think that I might have taken the 'ecchiness' a little far, which isn't something I thought I'd ever say. I enjoyed trying my hand at it though.

Harry wasted no time in returning to the Hinata. He was tempted to go back to bed, and deal with it in the morning, but there was no point putting it off.

His first step was Motoko's room. He gently knocked on the door, mindful that she occasionally put up with Kaolla entering her bed, and he didn't want to wake the younger girl.

A few moments later, the door opened, revealing a sleepy Motoko. He crushed the tendril of darkness in his mind. It was close to the surface due to the situation he'd come from, but since the cause of that wasn't present, it was fairly easy to do.

"Harry? Can I help you? It's too early for training."

He shook his head, "there's something I need to talk about, come on." He threw his head back, walking away.

He sensed more than heard her following her. Leading her outside, he made way to the annex building.

Once they were inside, a flick of his wand had a pot of tea brewing.

"May I inquire what this is about?" she asked, nervously. Given her guilty glances, she apparently felt a bit guilty after their last training session.

He reached into his robe, flicking the card at her.

She caught it, eyeing it wearily. "What is this?"

So, he explained the events which had transpired during his walk. He left out the details of just why he felt the need to take one though. The issue regarding Shinobu was no one else's business.

As he finished, he saw she no longer looked as sleepy.

"I see. That could be quite serious." She murmured.

"What can you tell me about the organisation?" he asked.

She closed her eyes, "Very well. That is a sensible place to begin. The organisation was founded in the aftermath of the second world war. Prior to that, regions were essentially policed by various prominent magical families. They were responsible for schooling magical children in the region, and all general magic affairs. Naturally, there were some that specialised in different things. They all answered to the government of Japan. There was no separate magical government."

Whilst she was speaking, he had poured the tea, so she gladly drank from the offered cup.

"One of the terms in the aftermath of the war was the creation of a magical government akin to the ones in the west."

Her eyes met his, "Naturally, this was quite upsetting to those old families, none of whom were best pleased by the required loss of their power. However, since they had been defeated they were forced to acquiesce." She smiled ruefully, "Since they didn't want to give up their power, they sent the dregs, those without talent to form the new government. While it recruited from the vast majority of the families, it lacked power. Essentially, it governs in name only."

Harry kept silent. He wanted her to get to the point, but he should probably know the gist of this.

"My family runs the Shinmei-ryu school. It is not a magical family, though we have worked with mages since our founding. Naturally, this includes both the old families, and the new government."

She paused, considering her next words. "That said, they want to avoid relying too much on us, and they want to avoid asking foreign governments for assistance. They are considered to be very weak, but if they are to succeed, they must be able to stand on their own. Of course, they also lack the ability to train their skills, since they don't have the knowledge."

I… can conjecture as to their motive in this case." She said carefully. "They need power to enforce their rules, but they can't ask existing powers. Hiring skilled, unaffiliated mages will boost their perceived power, without lowering opinion."

Harry shook his head after a moment, "That might be the case, but I can't agree, not with how the few Japanese wizards have responded to my presence."

Motoko nodded, "True, that is a flaw in my theory." She acknowledged. "Forgive me, my training thus far has been centred on martial skills. Law and Politics are things I will be expected to learn at a later date."

Harry leaned back with a sigh. "Okay, so what about the guy in charge?"

Motoko hesitated again, "I have heard," she began carefully, "that he is very… meticulous. I suspect he didn't intend his agent to start with blackmail. He likely wanted that held in reserve should you refuse."

He looked at the card she had lain on the table.

"Okay, what about the charges?" he asked.

Motoko sighed, "Okay, first was illegal entry."

Harry shook his head, "I came with my passport." He defended.

Motoko pursed her lips. "I suspect it is not as simple as that. Sorry, as I said, I am not an expert on these matters."

Harry frowned as he drank his tea, "I suppose it might make sense if there was also some kind of magical passport I would need as a magical." He mused. He'd have to ask Professor Dumbledore.

"What about the other charges?"

He gave a brief run down of what he could recall of the events.

Motoko nodded, "All right. Even though there will probably be some bias due to your… ethnicity, I am confident the murder would be cleared as self-defence, especially since he fatally wounded Shinobu. The grievous injuries won't stand up at all, my sister will admit that was her doing without hesitation. I suspect they were simply throwing as much as they could your way to try and increase the strength of the threat."

Harry nodded, he'd suspected as much, "which leaves Shinobu."

Motoko winced, "I am sorry to say, but I do not think there is a way around that one." She confessed, "That you did it to save her, and had her consent, even if she likely did not fully understand the consequences, would be to your favour, the fact that you have essentially bound a young nonmagical girl as, what can essentially be called, your slave remains. I, do not know what punishment you would face for it, exactly, but I am fairly certain you would not overcome that accusation."

He grimaced, "Yeah, I figured as much."

She sighed, "Anyway, I will get in contact with my sister. I am certain she would be more able to help with this."

"Thanks." He sighed, "I'll try and get in touch with people on my side as well."

Motoko nodded, "Very well. I shall see you in the morning." She said, rising to her feet.

After returning to his room, he had tried to get in contact with Sirius via the mirror, but unfortunately, he hadn't responded. He figured that it was something to do with the time difference between them

Either way, with nothing else to do, he went to bed, to try and get what sleep he could. Nevertheless, he was later woken by his alarm. He spent a moment staring at Shinobu. It seemed that the two of them had shared a dream. He wasn't sure if they were identical, but he could guess.

It was concerning, but there wasn't much he could do regarding the matter, so he did his best to put it from his mind, at least for now.

He made his way to the roof where he and Motoko held their training, meeting her on the way.

He called out to her.

"Oh, Harry. I talked to my sister, she said we should meet up, discreetly."

He nodded, he understood the that the Shinmei-ryu's relationships with Japan's magical's could be strained by openly associating with him.

"When?" he asked.

"We should go to Kyoto as soon as possible," she informed him, "there is no point in tarrying."

He guessed there was some reason that Tsuruko couldn't come over to Hinata, but he had no real objection to going.

"Should I just apparate us over?" he asked.

"Huh? Oh, yes, that would be good." She murmured.

"So, should I do it now, or…" he trailed off.

"I was thinking," she began, "that we should supply an excuse for everyone else."

Harry tilted his head, "Just say we went bowling or something."

Her cheeks reddened for some reason, "I-yes, that might be best. Rather than bowling, though, perhaps karaoke?"

Harry shrugged, "Whatever's fine."

"Okay. Then, if you would?"

Harry nodded, reaching out and grabbing her shoulder, "Prepare yourself, this might feel weird."

With that, they disappeared with a soft crack.

They arrived in the Aoyama compound with a splash. Rather literally, since they arrived about a foot above the hot springs he'd used when he'd been there.

"What was that?!" Motoko yelled when they got their heads above water.

Harry's answer was cut off however, by the three figures pointing swords at them, having been interrupted in their bath.

"M-Mother, Father, S-Sister." Motoko mumbled.

"Ara, Motoko dear, how unexpected for you to drop by." Her mother said with a smile.

"When Motoko-han told me what happened, I suggested you come by to discuss the matter," Tsuruko said, lowering her sword and smiling, "but I didn't expect you to arrive so suddenly in such a fashion."

"Er, well, no point dallying." Harry explained.

Tsuruko raised her arm to cover her mouth, giving him quite the eyeful, "That eager to see us again Potter-san?" she chuckled.

"Eh?"

"Tsuruko, stop teasing the boy." Her father commanded. "Potter. Tsuruko will give what advice she can, but your messes are your own to clean up."

Harry lowered his head slightly, "I have no intention of asking you to solve my problems." He muttured darkly.

The man nodded, "Very good. Dear?"

"I'll be along shortly."

The man stared for a moment, before leaving. Motoko's mother turned to him, "I am sorry we cannot interfere directly, but I can tell my husband likes you, young man."

"Eh?" he repeated, not seeing what that had to do with anything.

The elder woman laughed softly, "It is of no importance." She said, her eyes lingering on her younger daughter, "Motoko, do come see me before you leave again. It was a pleasure seeing you again Harry-kun."

Her departure left only three of them in the outdoor bath, two wearing soaked clothes.

Tsuruko clapped her hands, "Well, come along then. First we must get you some new clothes."

Harry shook his head, climbing out of the water, "No need," he claimed, drawing his wand. A quick charm later, and there was a ball of water at the tip of his wand, and his clothes were dry as before. He paused a moment, thinking of what to do with the water, before casually flicking it to the side.

"Motoko?" he asked.

She nodded, "If you please."

Repeating the spell on her, he noticed her shiver as the spell passed over her. "Thank you."

He shrugged, "Don't worry about it."

"It's good to see your getting along so well." Tsuruko said, tilting her head with a smile.

Harry shrugged, "We're friends." He said simply.

Tsuruko's eyes drifted between them, a ghost of a smile flickering across her features. "Indeed. Well then, if you would follow me to my room?"

Once arriving at said room, Harry wasted little time in detailing the nature of his earlier encounter, and the brief discussion between him and Motoko regarding it.

Throughout the telling, Tsuruko was frowning while nodding and preparing tea.

Taking his cup, he sipped at it. "That's the gist of it." He supplied.

"I see. I can concur with Motoko on most points. First though, your presence here is, technically illegal." She held up her hand to forestall his complaints, "You are required to register with the magical government. Possess a magical passport in addition to, or instead of, a normal one. After all, the magical governments are supposed to work with, but exist separately from the normal government."

Harry grimaced, he hadn't considered that when he arrived. Well, he'd not been in the best of moods when he'd come, and he hadn't really considered the matter whatsoever since arriving. "Fair point." He conceded.

Tsuruko continued, "Depending on how that charge goes, your claim of self-defence could be negated, since you're possibly here outside of the protections the law can afford you."

"Is that really so?" Motoko asked dubiously.

Tsuruko nodded, "From my understanding of magical law, yes. The charges of grievous harm are irrelevant. If it comes to it, I'll have those dealt with, since the action was mine."

There was a moment of silence. Harry, having finished with the tea, swirled the cup, before allowing the tea leaves to form a pattern. "Which leaves Shinobu."

Tsuruko nodded, "Put simply, if I were to offer counsel as a legal aide, it would be to plead guilty. Regardless of the circumstance, and the dubious nature of the consent Maehara-san offered, that charge will take you down."

He sighed. Glancing at the cup, the strongest reading he could make suggested poor outcome.

"So, what do you suggest?"

"Listen to what they have to say." Tsuruko replied bluntly.

He felt his hands clench around the cup, thankfully not damaging it.

"Just like that?"

"Yes. You will face a harsh punishment regardless of whether you can get out of the first three charges. They were probably just added to intimidate you. The last charge is more than enough."

He took a moment to consider her words. He felt Motoko's hand appear gently on his arm, before it was rescinded. He was too focused to glance her way though, "What do you think they want with me?"

Tsuruko sighed, "Motoko told you of the founding of the organisation, and how weak their position is. The man who commands it is referred to as the spider. The Shinmei-ryu favours a straightforward approach to things. That man doesn't. His organisation doesn't have the power to contest with the families, and they can't act directly against it. That said, it is pretty much accepted they try and sabotage it indirectly. Create trouble that they struggle to deal with, if they even can. Try and cause it to crumble under the weight." She paused, taking a sip from her cup, "That man is incredibly skilled at gathering information. Predicting events. I might guess that he has been aware of your presence in Japan since the day you arrived."

Harry felt a shiver go down his spine.

"Acting against you would gain him nothing. I believe he is dedicated to strengthening his ministry, even if I cannot say why. I can attest that you have some combat skill." She smirked darkly, and eh was reminded of his he'd just barely managed to block her attack that had fried the two people attacking him, "and that it is likely to increase in the future. That would be valuable to him."

Harry glowered. "Any other options?"

She shrugged, "Not that I can think of. Leaving Japan wouldn't stop them from submitting their evidence to the International body magicals have. That man, Albus Dumbledore might have been able to pull some strings, but I hear he has lost all his political positions recently." He grimaced. He'd have to consult with Dumbledore when he got back regardless.

"I see."

"I am sorry that I cannot be of more assistance."

He took some deep breaths, none of this was anyone's here's fault. "Alright. Guess there's no easy way to obtain some information that would keep him off my back?"

Tsuruko smiled softly as she shook her head, "Doubtful. He's good at uncovering secrets, he's also good at covering his own."

Harry sighed, leaning back. "Then I'll just have to see what he wants."

Tsuruko nodded, before turning to her sister. "Motoko-han, I believe Mother wanted to see you before you left."

She nodded, rising to her feet, "Yes, then, if you'll excuse me." She replied, leaving the room with a bow.

Seeing his puzzled look, Tsuruko took the opportunity to explain. "We were raised in a fairly traditional manner. Much of the mannerisms we use here seem out of place in the world I suppose."

"Er, yeah. I guess." Harry muttered.

She clapped her hands, "Now, on to a more interesting subject." Her eyes seemd to twinkle with delight, "What do you think of my sister?" she asked happily.

Harry tilted his head, "She's, at least to my eye, skilled with a sword?" he replied slowly, almost questioningly, "A pretty strict teacher?"

Tsuruko sighed, "You are no fun at all." She refilled his cup. Waiting for him to raise the cup to his mouth, she asked her next question, "I meant, do you find her attractive as a woman?"

This time he had a greater reaction. His surprise caused him to cough while he was drinking, resulting in a gush of the fluid that would put a world class gobstone to shame. "What?!" he sputtered.

Tsuruko actually raised a hand to stifle her giggle, "That was what I was looking for."

He swished his wand sharply to fix the mess, "What does that have to do anything?"

She smiled, "Perhaps nothing, perhaps much. I was certainly surprised to see how open she was around you. You may have notice that she doesn't particularly care for those of a male persuasion."

"Yeah, I noticed." He replied dryly.

"It may not be too surprising though," she continued, "one on one training, hormones swirling, maybe accidents happen."

He winced, barely managing to stop himself from shielding his crotch, "Yeah, accidents."

She sighed, "It's a shame really."

"What is?"

"Hm? Nothing, I guess. If it comes to it, I'm sure you'll figure it out."

He grumbled, "just great."

"Anyway, how about when Motoko returns, I test your progress? I am interested to see how my sister has progressed, as well as how she has taught you."

He shivered, remembering that flash of a demonic visage right before she obliterated the people he'd been facing, "Er,-"

She smiled at him, and he got the impression he wouldn't be able to refuse.

"-Okay?"

They got demolished. There was no kind way of putting it. Tsuruko had taken them both on, and utterly destroyed them.

"Ugh, I'm hurting in places I didn't even know existed." Harry moaned.

"I can't believe Sister took us on so seriously." Came the moan of his teacher from the bush next to him.

"Well, your progress is acceptable, I suppose Potter-san. You've a good enough grasp of the basics, though I am a little disappointed. But you haven't advanced nearly as much as I had been hoping little sister."

"S-sorry sister." Motoko whispered.

"Do improve, or I won't be able to hand the dojo over to you." She said threateningly through that serene smile of hers.

"Y-yes." Motoko whispered, drawing back. Harry spared her a glance. Seems there was something going on there. Another groan as he tried to move though, reminded him he had his own problems to worry about.

Tsuruko swung her sword round, resting it on her shoulder. "Well then, you two should take a nice relax in the springs before you return." She suggested in that tone of hers that made him apprehensive about denying her request.

Once again, Harry found himself 'relaxing' in a hot spring with Motoko. This naturally meant he was sat stiffly, far more tense than when he had gotten in.

If there was any consolation, it was that Motoko was just as tense as him, if not more so, from her place sat off to the side.

He shot a glance over at her. Their eyes met, and he looked away sheepishly. Geh, why was this so embarrassing. He hadn't been so embarrassed, even when he found out a ghostly voyeur had been spying on him from his second year. And considering her habit of lurking in U-bends… he shivered, he did not want to think about that.

He guessed one of the problems, he guessed, was he had no idea what to talk about, and the silence dragged on, it was like, the silence was a living thing, and it was expanding, and the longer it went on, the harder it was to break.

He paused, he had really talked to Lee too much. Either way, that reminded him of Keitaro, which gave him a topic.

"Do you know what's going on with Naru?" he asked.

"Narusegawa? In what way, do you mean?" she replied nervously.

"Well, I mean, with that old tutor of hers that showed up."

She didn't respond for a moment, "I do not know. I have never really taken an interest in such things before, so we haven't talked about it. Why do you ask?"

He shrugged, "Man stuff."

"…Man, stuff?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it. I was just curious, since Keitaro's been a bit mopey lately."

"Urashima has? I hadn't realised."

"Mm." He leaned back. His thoughts turned to the bumbling landlord. He honestly hoped it worked out for the guy, he was just… likeable. Either way, thoughts of romanced turned his thoughts to his best friends back in Britain.

There were quite a few back in Hogwarts that thought he would end up with Hermione, (and the few who thought he'd get with Ron didn't bear talking about) he'd overheard many things whilst skulki- he meant, exploring the castle, and some of the ideas about what they got up to, well, it was fun for a laugh.

Truthfully, he'd never considered her a romantic option, not his type. But he wasn't so blind as to see the tension that appeared at times between Ron and Hermione.

Sure, the few people who talked about that pairing were scoffed at, but he knew they were attracted to each other, and they might end up working well together. He idly wondered if they had gotten together while he'd been away.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Hmm? Oh, my friends back home, I was wondering if they'd gotten together."

"…I see." He shot her a look, it wasn't surprising she had nothing to say to that, having never met them.

"It's not important, just strange thoughts after talking with your sister."

"I see." She repeated. He thought her tone was strange, and a glance revealed her to be mulling over something.

There came an exaggerated sigh, "To think you would be sat mulling in such a dreary atmosphere."

Motoko's head shot up, "M-m-m-mother!"

The woman in question slipped into the hot spring. Harry studiously looked elsewhere.

"Wh-what are you doing here!" Motoko somehow demanded meekly.

"Oh, have you forgotten our little discussion so soon?" Mrs Aoyama replied sweetly.

"N-no, I haven't forgotten." She mumbled.

She smiled, "Good. Remember, this is a vital part of being a practitioner, you should act with pride."

"O-okay. Th-then, Harry-san, if y-you would get up and lie over th-there." She mumbled, turning to point at some nearby mats.

"er, what?"

"J-just do it!" Motoko yelled, red-faced.

"Motoko." Her mother chided.

"S-sorry, it's something to help boost the gains from training," she mumbled, "Y-you just have to lie there."

"Um, Okay, I guess."

As he moved to get out, he turned back, "W-would you look away?"

Motoko's eyes widened, before she turned away as if a basilisk appeared and she wanted to avoid its gaze.

"Fufufu," her mother giggled, "such a child."

He turned red even more, as the woman turned. Getting out of the spring, he grabbed his towel, wrapping it around him as he shuffled over to the mats.

"Now then Motoko, just as you were trained." Came the voice of Mrs Aoyama.

"R-right." Came the weaker voice of Motoko.

There was the splashing sounds of her leaving the bath. He could picture it in head, the water dripping down the curves of her feminine body. He swallowed, those particular curves being a picture perfect memory from not too long ago.

There was the soft shuffling sound from next to him. A softer, weaker sound, that of unscrewing a bottle top.

"Very good, remember, warm it up."

He swallowed, he only had a rough idea what was going on, but, feeling hands lightly pressing against his back, he couldn't help but flinch.

"S-sorry!" Motoko yelped, pulling her hands back.

"N-no, just unexpected, is all." He mumbled back.

The light, probing touches resumed, like a featherlight caress of his skin.

The fingers danced across his back for several long moments, nervous and hesitant.

"Motoko." Her mother's voice chided.

"Y-yes."

Signalled by the chastisement, the touches became stronger, almost as if they were pressing straight into his muscles.

He couldn't stop himself from groaning at the sensation.

It didn't stop, and with nothing else to focus on, his attention was consumed by the physical connection between him and the person with whom he shared a fairly complex relation. He could feel the strength in her fingers, the warmth of whatever oil she had coated her hands with before starting. More than that, he felt a deeper warmth, reminiscent of the time he'd been practicing with Motoko's mother and sister, prior to the second attempt to remove the horcrux from his head.

It was her ki, and it was flowing into him, deep into his muscles through her fingers. It was an interesting experience, to say the least.

He hadn't really started learning about ki, but he'd thought of it as simply being something like magic, only one muggles could use. While he didn't think he was particularly wrong, it was so much more than that. It was something like… her essence. Her spirit, and it was flowing into him, mingling with his own. He had no words to adequately describe it, it was just… her.

He could feel it leak into his muscles, becoming one with them. It was… tingly, and a warmth lingered wherever her fingers probed. He felt his physical tension slowly drain from it, taking all the mental and emotional trouble with it. He lost himself in the moment, the caress with a hint of power, the easy warmth flowing through him, not even the residual darkness in his soul was bothering him.

There was a shuffling beside him, accompanied by some words, but he was too relaxed to pay attention. He was almost brought out of the pleasant haze by feeling her presence shift, such that she was pretty much straddling him, but as her hands took their place back on his shoulders, he went back to basking in the feeling.

He couldn't muster the will to resist continuing to emit low moans and groans, as she shifted her focus, using her hands to rub into his arms, one after the other.

Ahhh, he couldn't think of a time where he'd been anywhere near so relaxed, not even the hazy pleasant days at Hogwarts, free of worries about Dark Lords, legendary beasts, things from his nightmares, or even the exams.

The hands shifted again, this time working on his feet. He groaned again, it was… he didn't have words, it was almost like it hurt, but, at the same time, it felt so… amazing, it was like… there was tension, aches, that he'd been bearing that he'd grown so used to, that he didn't even notice them, and now… they were gone.

The hands slowly began to rise up his legs, slowly working into he muscles up one leg, then the other. The haze receded, however, as he felt the towel he was using to cover himself be pulled away, "Wh-"

His attempt to figure out what was going on was halted by a gentle hand being pressed against his back, "Don't move, Harry-kun." Came the sweet voice of Mrs Aoyama.

"W-wait!"

"This is important." She continued, "without those muscles, there is little point bothering with the legs. Ki is a flow, for the whole body. Now, Motoko, continue."

"Wait!"

"…yes." Came the soft reply from Motoko.

Her hands tentatively made their way, slowly coming to rest against his buttocks. As if pressing a button, his struggles stopped immediately, his breath catching.

They stayed that way for a moment, before she began her ministrations.

Unfortunately, he couldn't fully let go of his tension this time.

"Well, that's good enough for now, so roll over."

His eyes widened, "N-no way!" he barked, embarrassedly, "Absolutely not!"

He could practically hear the eye roll, "She needs to do your chest and abdomen. You can cover yourself with a towel, if you must." Mrs Aoyama offered, "though there's not much point." She muttered.

After a bit of back and forth, he acquiesced, rolling over, covering his lower area with a towel. Motoko took her place, straddling him. Looking up at her nude form, he could see the redness indicating that she was as embarrassed as him, if not more so, though her face also showed a quiet determination to see it through.

Nodding to herself, she lowered the arm covering her chest, placing both hands on his chest.

He swallowed at the suggestive pose. He couldn't (nor had he ever) deny that she was certainly an attractive woman, but it had never been so… in his face.

"Fufufu, perhaps I should give the two of you some privacy." Her mother mused.

"Th-that won't be necessary!" Motoko yelped.

Either way, her joke did remove some of the tension, and she began, kneading at his muscles with her fingers.

Their eyes were focused on each other, he couldn't look away. He had no doubt that his face continued to redden, he could probably give a Weasley the run for their money, and he was honestly surprised he had enough blood not in his cheeks to maintain the, ah, arousal he felt, both from the view, and the pleasant tingling sensation still lingering throughout his body, and which he was fairly certain was, even now, straining against the towel, the only thing keeping it from pressing against the smooth skin of the girl above him.

He swallowed at the tingle of her fingers, as they slowly mover lower. He could feel them, as they slowly worked their way across his belly, past his navel, right down to the point where, if they went any lower, they'd be passing into the groinal region.

His eyes were still locked to hers, and hers to his. There was no sound, aside from the thunderous breathing, hers a good match for his own, he was certain her heart was beating just as fast, just as hard, as his own.

"Ahem."

Motoko practically flew off him like a rocket, and he himself managed to look away out of embarrassment.

"W-Well, that was certainly an, experience." Mrs Aoyama murmured.

He wasn't sure if he was glad to see the red tinge to her own cheeks, but he wasted no time in getting to his feet, adjusting his towel.

"S-so, are we done here?"

"Hmm? Oh, no." her lips twisted into an amused grin, "now it's your turn to do my daughter."

"Wh-what?! Why?" he asked. A glance to the side reminded him that he wasn't opposed, per se, but right now he was far too embarrassed.

"It's a tradition in the Shinmei-ryu." She explained, "it might have minimal effect, in terms of her ki, but it would certainly help her… relax, and that would help with her skills. Plus, you have to learn for when you might teach someone someday."

Fortunately, his cheeks couldn't get any redder, "I'm learning to help with my, problem, I probably won't be teaching anyone, I'm not officially learning it, right?"

She sighed, "You're no fun," she complained.

Her eyes seemed to glint, "Well, if you change your mind, I can help you learn." She idly rolled a hand down her body, still lounging in the hot spring, "I'm very… adept at this side of the things, I'll make sure you, get it right."

"M-Mother!" Motoko exclaimed.

The woman laughed it off, "Don't worry dear, I'd make sure to teach you some, advanced techniques, hmm?"

Motoko took a step back, looking away again. "Th-That…"

"Well, that's that, I guess." She rose from the bath, giving him quite the eyeful, "You two should probably be getting back. I'm sorry we cannot help you any more than we have." She said, reminding Harry of just why they had come to Kyoto in the first place.

He looked away, "D-don't worry about it."

"And remember dear," she turned to Motoko, "Be sure to keep up the massages, I'll find out if you don't."

"U-understood."

Naturally, they'd had to get dressed and wish farewell to the others before they returned to the Hinata, and during that time, neither he nor Motoko had managed to make eye contact, even as he apparated them back, Motoko had made her excuses and departed as soon as she could manage.

He rubbed at his face, it was the exact sort of situation it would be funny to point and laugh at, were it happening to someone else.

Either way, he had stuff to do. He walked back over to his desk, rummaging through the drawers for the communication mirror. Finally finding it, he spoke Sirius' name. Still no response. He frowned, idly tracing a finger over the ornate ornamentation. Where could he be? Damn it, when he actually needed to talk…

No matter. He looked around, if he couldn't get into contact with Sirius, he should try Professor Dumbledore. Sending a letter would take too long, no matter how good Hedwig was. He needed something that could travel faster.

"Fawkes?" he called hesitantly.

No response, he knew a phoenix could teleport, but could it hear when it was called for? Or was he just busy?

He shook his head, damn it, he really was out of the way of things. He pulled out a pen and parchment, quickly scrawling a note. Opening a window, he let out a whistle. A few moments later, Hedwig flew in.

He smiled, she was as reliable as ever. He attached the note to her leg, "Here, take it to Sirius, or Dumbledore, okay?"

Hedwig glared at him, as if saying 'who do you think you're talking too', before taking flight.

He smiled as he watched her fly, again hit with a sense of betrayal at his animagus form being unable to fly in her sky.

"Um, Harry-san?"

"Shinobu? What brings you over here?"

"Well, it was just, you weren't here, and then, you felt upset…"

He leaned back against the desk, "Sorry, just, something unexpected came up. I'm dealing with it." He definitely couldn't tell her that he was probably in trouble for his saving her, she was much too much of a sweetheart to burden like that.

"is," she looked down hesitantly, "is there anything I can do to help?"

He smiled at her, "Don't worry, it's nothing I can't handle."

"Are, are you sure? I want to help you, if I can."

"Like I said, it's fine."

"Well, it's just, I saw Motoko-sempai, and, well, she seemed quite out of sorts."

Ah, he couldn't keep the blush from his cheeks, as he raised a hand to scratch one, "er, that, we went to visit her family, it was an, eye opening trip." He hedged.

Shinobu stared at him for a long moment, "Okay, if you say so. I was just about to start lunch," she looked down again, "W-would you like to join me?"

He looked out of the window again, it might be good to keep his mind off of things. He was probably going to end up having to deal with things before Hedwig got his note to someone. "Sure."

Her face lit up, "Great!"

Shinobu was certainly happy, the way she animatedly danced around the kitchen.

Since it was just the two of them in the kitchen, he had charmed a set of knives, so they could prepare the food on their own. It was certainly an interesting exercise, it took much more focus than he'd thought it would, in order to make sure they behaved properly, keeping up a smooth movement, cutting the food in a non-sloppy manner.

He had to say, he had a greater deal of respect for Mrs Weasley, who had extensively used such charms to great effect. It was an interesting train of thought, that 'simple' household charms were actually quite sophisticated, and tricky to use.

Sure, if you didn't mind just having the food hacked up however, it was much less difficult, but to get a good result, it took a lot of effort. Well, until he got used to it, he guessed. Once he had the knack, he would probably be able to perform it without much thought.

"I like this." Shinobu confessed.

"What's that?"

"Working together like this." She smiled, "It reminds me of home, before my parents started fighting."

"I had wondered why you were staying here." He inquired cautiously.

She slowed down a bit, "My parents had started fighting, I'm staying here so they can try and reconcile their differences, try and save their marriage."

"Do you know how it's going?"

Her hands stilled, holding the spoon with which she was stirring a soup. He idly noted that it wouldn't impair the meal, at least for a while.

"I-I don't know. They won't tell me." She confessed, "All they tell me is they're still trying to work things out."

He focused on the girl. This was something which was worrying her, he could tell. A glance at the charmed knives, he was confident they'd be fine, at least for now. As such, he was free to walk over and wrap his arms around her.

She stiffened, it wasn't surprising, since he felt incredibly awkward himself, "Don't worry, it'll probably be fine." He tried to reassure her.

"I-I know, it doesn't bother me!" she lied.

He released her, "I can't say I understand what you're going through, but if you ever need to talk…"

"Thanks, but like I said, it's fine."

The conversation lulled, leaving only an awkward silence.

"So, how's school going?"

Shinobu sighed, throwing him a mock glare "It's fine, but people are still asking me at the cool foreign guy."

He laughed it off nervously, "Sorry about that."

"No, it's… nice, I'm finally talking with my classmates." She shot him what could only be called an awkward smile.

He turned back to his knives, making sure they were still working right, "That can be a bit awkward, I guess."

"Th-they all want me to introduce you to them." She mumbled.

"What was that?"

"W-well, I suddenly got better at English, and then they see me talking with you, so they think you're some kind of amazing tutor."

He idly rubbed at his cheek again, "I don't really mind, but I don't know how good at that I'd be." He'd helped Shinobu with her homework, as best he could, anyway, and he'd helped the 'midgets' as Ron called them at Hogwarts, a few times, "If you want to try that, it's fine."

She shook her head, "no, I-I don't really want to introduce them to you."

He shot her a quizzical look, but she was focusing on her soup again, so he decided to let it go. "Here," he said, deactivating the knives and sliding the board of veg over to her.

"Ah, thanks." She replied, picking up the board and pushing the ingredients into the pot.

Silence fell again, though this time it was a bit less uncomfortable.

"Yo! What's for lunch?"

Harry didn't bother to turn, "Good afternoon Kitsune."

He could practically feel a wince, "Ah, a bit less icily, if you would, I'm still a bit hungover."

He rolled his eyes, nonetheless grabbing a few things from the cupboard. He'd come to know a few hangover 'cures' that should at least help.

"Have a good night?"

"Yeah, some colleagues were going out for a drink, couldn't refuse."

He snorted, "Like you'd have refused anyway."

"Uh, got me there." She muttered.

He handed her the drink, "Here."

"Thanks." She threw it back in one, "Ahhh!" she gasped at the, what was probably, a disgusting taste.

"Anyway, what's up with you? You seem a bit strange."

He shrugged, "Got some stuff going on."

"Really? I have this strange memory of last night."

His lips twitched, "believe me, I know all about the strange things you remember after a night of drinking."

"Oh? Didn't think you were the type."

He shrugged, "It's practically a tradition at my school to smuggle drinks in to celebrate, well, pretty much anything." Heh, some of the antics they, Gryffindors in general, got up to.

"R-really?"

He glanced towards Shinobu, "Yeah. God, was probably younger than you when the twins first spiked my drink."

"Sounds like a fun place."

He glanced back to Kitsune, "Yeah, the best."

"Anyway, I was telling you about this memory, I recall you facing off against some other guy in a park, not too far from here."

He supressed his wince, "Really?"

"Yeah, you seemed really on edge."

"How strange." He noticed Shinobu was paying close attention.

"Mmm, one moment it looked like a fight might break out, then the next, you were both gone."

Harry didn't respond.

Kitsune laid a hand on his shoulder, "Look, I don't know what was going on, but if you're in any trouble, I don't know if I can help, but you can talk about it with me, alright?"

Harry closed his eyes, lips turning up, she was fairly perceptive, under her laid back nature, "thanks, but seriously, there's nothing to worry about."

Kitsune sighed, "Have it your way. Anyway, tell me when lunch is ready." She called over her shoulder as she left.

"Harry-san…"

He sighed, "Seriously Shinobu, don't worry about it."

Truth be told, he was actually quite touched by Shinobu's eagerness to help, and Kitsune's offer of support, even if she had much less idea what he might be involved with, was something he really was grateful for.

That said, he really didn't like getting others involved in his messes, especially if they really had very little that might be able to help. It would just end up stressing them unnecessarily.

They'd had lunch, he'd spent some more time working on his various projects, before heading off for a cup of tea at Haruka's.

"Here." The smoker said, placing a cup down, "I've pretty much gotten a grasp of how you like it now."

"Thanks."

She took a seat across from him, holding a cup of her own, "Listen, I got a fax from Granny this morning."

"Oh?"

She nodded, "Yeah, there was a bit about you, she loves being vague, so I don't know the details, but there's something she'd like you to do. She'll apparently send a letter for you."

He raised an eyebrow, "Why didn't she just send it in the fax?"

Haruka sighed, "Like I said, she loves being vague and mysterious."

Harry chuckled, "Maybe that's just what old people do."

"Maybe." Haruka agreed with some amusement.

He took a sip from his cup, "So, Seta's come around again."

"I heard." Haruka acknowledged.

"That's it?"

"Yup."

"From what I read," he began, "you were pretty close when my parents were around."

She sighed, "Yeah. Some shit happened, I don't want to talk about it."

He stared at her, "Heh, fair enough. Lord knows there are things I don't want to talk about."

They sat, sharing company over their tea.

He broke the silence again, "listen, something's come up."

He proceeded to share the details of what had happened, his discussion with Motoko's family, and his inability to get in contact with anyone back in Britain.

"I see." She exhaled, sending out a stream of smoke, "Sorry, don't think there's anything I can do. Granny might have been able to pull some strings, but not on the magical side."

He nodded, "Yeah, I wasn't expecting anything like that, I just figured I should tell you what was going on."

"I see. Thanks for the heads up." She got to her feet, placing a hand on his shoulder, "You'll be fine." She then continued past him. "Come on, I've got to close up, after I'll get you something a little stronger."

He smiled, "thanks, but nothing too strong, I've got to get up early in the morning."

"With Motoko, yeah? How's that going?"

He shrugged, "Fine, it's as physically demanding as I'd expected."

Haruka chuckled, "You know I didn't mean it like that."

He shrugged again, "She's a lot less," what word to use? "prickly than I'd thought she would be."

"Mm, she's a bit sheltered. She won't become stronger until she opens herself to more experiences. Having to interact closely with you is good for her."

He tilted his head, "Huh?"

She shook her head, "Don't worry about it. Just keep spending time with her."

He continued to look quizzically at her, as she went about closing the shop.

The next morning had been business as usual. He'd extracted himself from Shinobu's grasp, done the morning training on the roof, then the new addition, getting into the hot springs with Motoko, then withdrawing to her room for a massage to strengthen his body's ki flow.

Thankfully, this time, he had kept his towel, and Motoko was wearing one too. After she had finished with his back, he had rolled over, and she had taken her place above him.

"I think… you should contact them today." She said, her hands working on his chest.

He frowned, "Why?"

She hesitated before responding, "If you contact them too quickly, then it seems like you're too eager to please, whereas if you wait too long, you would come across as a petty child, acting sullenly towards them out of spite."

"I'd still like to get in contact with Dumbledore." He insisted.

"That might be preferable," she agreed, "but you should avoid forcing them to get in contact again because you're taking too long."

"If you say so."

She nodded, "It is my recommendation."

"I'll give them a ring when we're done here then."

They continued in an awkward silence. He focused on the feel of her ki flowing into him again. Closing his eyes, he tried to picture it in his head. It felt… intimate. He felt his cheeks redden, he hoped she couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Before he even realised it, her voice came again, "There."

He opened his eyes, seeing her looking down at him, her face framed by her hair.

The same as last time, the darkness had receded from the effect of the massage, but he couldn't think of what else could have caused him to lean up and press his lips to hers.

It was his first kiss, so he didn't have anything to compare it to, but as kisses went, he knew it was rather chaste, just pressing his lips to hers. Beyond that, he didn't know what words to use to describe it.

The softness of her lips, the warmth of them, the feel of her breath against him… none of that came close to accurately describing the experience.

It was cut short though. While it had seemed like an eternity, it was seemingly over in the blink of an eye. Motoko pulled back, a look of shock on her face. One hand rose, her slender fingers pressing against her lips. Their eyes locked, and he could see her cheeks redden before his eyes.

Without a word, she was off him, and out of the room so fast he mentally joked she could have apparated.

A moment after she had left, abandoning him in her room, he let himself fall back, a hand coming to rest across his eyes, "Ah, damn it. I feel like I just screwed up."

But that said, his first kiss… he couldn't keep a small smile from coming to his face. He could only hope that this wouldn't make things awkward between him and Motoko.

Returning to his room, he once again checked his mirror. Seeing it was not responding again, he let out a sigh. He had no idea why they weren't responding, aside from possibly being something to do with Dumbledore's mysterious plan.

A glance to the bed showed him that Shinobu had gotten up, probably making breakfast. That was convenient, he rummaged around, retrieving the small card he had been left with.

Taking it with him, he went to the Hinata's phone. Dialling the number on the card, he was swiftly connected to the phone line for the office of the Governmental Regulation Of Powered Entities. Really, they had to have known what that acronym would be when they chose it, it was almost as bad as Hermione with her SPEW.

"Potter. I've been expecting you." Came the voice of the man on the other side.

"It seems you know me, but we haven't had the pleasure of being introduced."

"No matter. I've set up a place where we can talk things out." He rattled off an address, familiar to him.

"you want to meet in Tokyo University?" he asked incredulously.

"It seemed fitting, given who you are living with."

Harry narrowed his eyes, another case of blatantly showing off their knowledge of him. He idly wondered what the purpose of it was.

"I'll be waiting for you." The voice finished, hanging up the phone immediately.

He idly glanced at it. He knew that the ministry for magic back home had a phone line, but for it to connect straight to what was apparently someone incredibly high up in it, the whole thing was suspicious.

He glanced toward the nearest clock. He had time to have breakfast before leaving. That aside, he should probably inform Motoko, even if, given earlier events, it would be somewhat awkward.

… … …

Poking his head into the kitchen, Shinobu had told him breakfast was ready. He'd taken it upon himself to go and inform the other residents, sending them on their way down. Finally, he was left in front of Motoko's room, having left it for last.

He tentatively reached out, knocking on the door.

"Y-yes?" came the reply.

"Breakfast." He announced.

He heard a small crashing sound on the other side, "O-okay."

She opened the door, "Let's get going then." She said coldy. He'd perhaps have been unsettled, had she not been tomato red in the face.

"About what happened" he began, only to be cut off.

"Forget about it," She replied, "that kind of ki infusion can make people feel strange."

He glanced at her, "If that's what you want."

She nodded, "I-it is."

He had to admit, he was a bit disappointed, but in a way, it was for the best; there were other things he should be focused on.

"Anyway," he brought up, whilst continuing along, "I rang them. They want to meet at Toudai this afternoon."

She nodded, "We'll have to leave after breakfast then. Best to arrive early."

He blinked, "You're coming?"

She turned to face him, affronted, "Of course. True, the Aoyama cannot officially get involved, but you are still my student. I will not allow you to face this alone."

He smiled, a bit relieved, "Thanks."

"It's no matter." She turned away again, "But we will need to come up with something to say."

He chuckled, "Karaoke?" he suggested.

She stiffened, before nodding, "And seeing some sights, perhaps. It will give us some extra leeway on time."

… … …

Naturally, the announcement that the two of them would be going off together had resulted in some shock from most everyone present. Nor was it surprising, that he could sense Shinobu following him whilst they were on the train. Using his sense of her presence, he was subsequently able to locate all of the other residents following them.

"Wh-why are they following us?" Motoko hissed, after he'd pointed them out to her.

He stared at her, "You must realise how this seems to anyone who isn't sure of the details."

Her cheeks coloured as she looked away, "Y-yes, but I don't see why they're following us on what would appear to be a d-date."

True, to his perspective, it was indeed quite rude to stalk them in such a fashion, but at the same time, had Ron and Hermione told him they were going on a date, he'd have been inclined to follow them, partly to make sure Malfoy wouldn't mess with them, but also to see how it went. Also to hopefully get ideas for if he went on a date with someone.

That said, he'd probably have refrained from actually doing it.

"The why isn't important." He shifted the focus of the conversation, "But we need to lose them."

"That shouldn't be too difficult." She muttered.

Harry shook his head, "Shinobu can follow me without any trouble." He explained, "Hang on."

He focused on the feel of her in his head.

He'd somehow managed to get Shinobu to stop acting like a bloodhound, by promising to explain what was going on when they got back, reassuring her that they were dealing with some troubles, and that it wasn't a date.

Just why that information made her happy, he wasn't sure though.

Anyhow, after that, it was a simple matter to ditch the followers. Duck out of sight, and apparate, nice, simple, and they'd have no idea where they disappeared to. Almost like magic, he smirked to himself.

After that, they made good time. They were a bit early, but he had to admit he was curious about the place, he'd appreciate the time to look around.

They'd run into Seta, who apparently taught here when he wasn't busy digging up ancient ruins. It had been a good way to kill time, and also find out where they'd be going for the meeting.

The man's kid, Sarah, was a bit of a brat, but that was hardly a surprise. Either way, they'd said their farewells, making their way to the room.

The door had opened on its own as they arrived, so they entered.

"Mr Potter, welcome." Came the voice from the phone. "Greetings. I am Chief Yukihiro of the Governmental Regulation of Powered Entities."

The figure it came from was an elderly man, if he had to guess, in his fifties or sixties, though, given his magical nature, that didn't mean much.

"You… using a familiar for a face-to-face?" Motoko demanded.

He turned to look at her. "Aoyama-dono, I suspected you would be here. Using this familiar is a discourtesy, true, but I have seen there is a substantial chance that this meeting will end in violence. Beyond that, I have many things I need to do, this doesn't warrant my personal appearance."

Harry narrowed his eyes, keeping a reign on his bad mood, "Then shall we get started? Why don't we get straight to the heart of the matter? You could make life seriously inconvenient for me, what is it you want?"

The man examined him through narrowed eyes, "Please, take a seat." They complied, each taking one of the offered seats, "As my agent informed you, I want to offer you a job."

"Then why all the cloak and dagger?"

He closed his eyes, "That agent was chosen because he is my only viable asset for violent situations, and there was a good chance of that confrontation turning violent. That said, he operates with a good degree of leeway. He was not supposed to use blackmail unless you proved uncooperative."

"That does not make things better." Motoko attempted to sound diplomatic.

He glanced towards her again, "I do not mind your presence here, but the Aoyama will not become involved. Would you mind staying back?"

Motoko trembled in anger, "As you wish."

He turned back to Harry. "Know that I have been watching you since you got off the plane. I witnessed every fight you have had since arriving in Japan. You wish to get to the heart of the matter? My organisation excels at information gathering, skills I possess, and all I can effectively teach. As such, compared to the other powers that we must contend with, we have little in the way of martial prowess. That is why I want you."

Harry leaned back, "You think I have that kind of power?" he asked idly.

"No. But you are still better than the agents I have access to. On top of that, you have a knack for coming out on top, especially when the odds are against you."

"So, what, you want me to fight criminals? Take them in?"

"Essentially."

"Why though? You can't think those other powers will respect you for having me act for you."

He smiled, "That is why you will be anonymous."

"Excuse me?"

"Become a mercenary, use a code name. You will act on a case by case basis."

Harry started to respond, but was cut off, "Allow me to tell you why you will accept."

Harry narrowed his eyes.

"You will be well compensated. The money may not mean much to you, but you will have it. Beyond that, you will be taking down criminals. Regardless of how you feel about me, you will be doing good for those who cannot resist those whom possess power."

Harry tried to interject again, only to be cut off, "And Lastly." The man leaned forward, "Voldemort."

"What."

"Though he is not liked, all in Japan know of Albus Dumbledore's strength. The one called Voldemort can stand against him, meaning he is of a comparable level. If you defeat him, then they will respect your power, and my organisation by proxy. As for why you will accept my proposal, you will gain combat experience. True, the opponents I will have you face will not be anywhere close to his power, but all experience is something you will need for when you face him." The man locked gazes with him, "And trust me, you will face him."

Silence fell.

Something the man had said was bothering him, "You said you were watching every fight I had" he began slowly.

The man closed his eyes, as if he knew what was coming.

"That means you were watching when that guy almost killed Shinobu."

"I saw it."

"If you were watching, then you could probably have stopped it, right?" he asked.

He opened his eyes. "A future where you were worth recruiting, you would save her. Saving her would give me leverage over you. The small off chance where you failed to save her was a chance I was willing to take."

Harry's fists clenched, he could practically feel his eyes turn red, "You bastard…"

A hand appeared on his arm, fingers almost painfully gripping into him. He shot a glare to the side. Motoko was glaring at the man too, fist white knuckled around her sword, "Calm down. You have to keep it in check."

He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths, "Do you expect me to accept that?"

"I do. If you do not, your government will accept sending you to Azkaban. The girl must remain near you to stay alive."

His eyes widened.

"You understand. You really have no option but to accept."

"So, you are this kind of man." Motoko snarled, "No wonder you have such a bad reputation."

The man snorted, "I don't care about my reputation. I will simply see this organisation take its place as the rightful government. I will wrest control of this country away from the old families. I will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal." He turned back to Harry, "It is simple, sign this contract," he brought a contract out of his jacket, "or sentence that girl to be exposed to the dementors your country employs. Take your time, look over the contract. I am amenable to making changes, within reason."

Harry glared, nonetheless taking the sheaf of papers.

As it turned out, Motoko's presence was a lifesaver. While she hadn't focused on such things, her family did use similar contracts a great deal for work, so she had more than a passing familiarity.

It was an expertise that was incredibly useful due to the lack of his own legalese fluency. He once again was forced to realise the extent to which he usually relied on his friends.

As such, he was relatively confident he knew exactly what the contract specified was expected of him and the other party.

Their additions allowed some degree of leeway on refusing jobs, and was permitted to use whatever means he felt required. That said, he wasn't permitted to refuse jobs without what was considered a 'good' reason, and he would have to inform the chief of his coming and goings.

A last minute addition Motoko had demanded was that he, the chief, would arrange what training he could for Harry. Harry had been going to object, if not for the fierce look Motoko was levelling at the man. When he'd presented the argument that he didn't know much magic useful for combat, Motoko had countered that even that knowledge could prove valuable, especially if he wanted the prestige that could result from Harry managing to defeat Voldemort. Yukihiro had eventually conceded that it could produce a favourable result for him, and wouldn't cost much at all, so had agreed.

There was a bunch more, several pages of legalese, but essentially, that was the important part.

"Well then, I am glad that our business is concluded." Yukihiro said with his impassive face. He took another thing out of the drawer, tossing it to Harry. "Here."

Harry looked at the object in his hand, "A phone?"

"I'll be in touch when I have a job for you. Keep that on you."

Harry's response was cut off, the man vanished, leaving in his place a paper in the shape of a man. Moments later, it shredded itself, leaving nothing but scraps.

"…Bastard."

"To think he would have written Shinobu off as collateral simply to try and manipulate you…" Motoko's hand tightened on her sword.

"…It can't be helped." He looked down at the contract, which was shimmering with light, signifying some kind of magical binding. It was doubtful it was strong enough to actually kill him or strip him of magic, but it wasn't something he'd want to cross.

"Why did you push for the training?"

Motoko glared at the table, "You are having trouble with Japanese magic, for all your progress. Having someone teach you can only help with your efforts on behalf of Granny Hina."

"That's true, I guess." He muttered, "But learning from him…"

"I'm not asking you to like it, but, to fulfil your obligation to the Urashima, and for the sake of gaining something that might help you against this Lord Voldemort, I think you should put up with it as best you can."

He took a deep breath, before exhaling.

"Yeah… you're right. Thanks for being here."

"…It's only natural."