[Gillian]

Originally Posted by Evangelion Xgouki

Well, seems like some people in the OC thread want me to post this here, so...


A Day at the Amusement Park, a GenerationS side story

Spoiler for A Day at the Amusement Park:

In the nearly clear, blue sky above the sun shined its warming rays as it passed its apex. The rays of warmth heated the surrounding air of the city below bursting with activity. Men and women milled around inside and out going about their daily business. Some sought out the refuge of the tall, air conditioned buildings. Others took advantage of the warm weather and spent the day out to take in some fresh air. The local amusement park was especially busy with the pleasant weather. Groups of friends gathered and milled about. Families of all sizes and relations wandered the park led on by smiling, eager children. There were also some mixes of the two groups enjoying a day at the park.

“Waaa~!”

One Vivio Takamachi took in the amazing sights around her with a mix of curiosity and wonder. Her mismatched eyes darted from ride of ride, from display to display as she almost skipped in joy on one of the many concrete paths. If she was able to have her own way, she would be running about from attraction to attraction. However her escorts on either side of her for the day preferred a more casual pace at the moment.

“Vivio, what would you like to ride first?” asked the young lady holding onto her hand on her left.

“Everything!” replied the young girl with a bright smile.

The young man on her right chuckled at her enthusiasm.

“Well, I don’t think we can ride them all at once, Vivio.”

That caused Vivio to pause her current train of thought and ponder for a moment. She placed a finger from her free hand on her chin as her eyes wandered upwards in what appeared to be deep thought. A short moment passed before she excitedly pointed at the Merry-Go-Round.

“That one Nanoha-mama!”

“Alright. Let’s go!” exclaimed Nanoha Takamachi, the famed Ace of Aces (as well as infamous White Devil) of the TSAB, as she smiled down at her adopted daughter.

The heterochromatic girl giggled in excitement as she sprinted towards the selected ride, dragging her mother along side her hand in hand. From the rear, head librarian of the TSAB Infinity Library Yuuno Scrya couldn’t hold back the wide smile as he watched the two run off.

“Yuuno-kun~! Hurry up!” called back Nanoha as she tried to keep up with her daughter.

“Coming,” he called back, breaking into a jog to catch up to the pair.

With the large crowds that day, the majority of the rides were fairly busy. Lines at the more popular attractions had several hour waits as people continued to pile into the robed-off areas. The Merry-Go-Round was no exception as the pair stood in line. Nanoha glanced around her to find her friend sitting down on one of the nearby benches positioned around the ride area.

“Eh? What are you doing over there, Yuuno-kun?”

The blonde-haired young man lifted the camera that was resting around his neck and gestured to it, “You two go on. It’d be harder to get good pictures if I was right next to you.”

“Mou…are you sure?” remarked the brunette with a slight frown.

“I’m sure, Nanoha,” he replied with a laugh, “Besides, the signs say they only allow one adult to be standing per child and she is your daughter.”

“Oh, fine. You had better get some good pictures then, you silly ferret.”

“I will, I promise.”

A tug on her arm brought Nanoha’s attention to the girl besides her as she knelt down to answer some question she had. From the bench, Yuuno leaned back and watched the mother-daughter pair with a smile. He had known the famous mage for over a decade now. In a way, all of this was his fault.

‘No that wasn’t right,’ he corrected himself, ‘I was the catalyst that started a journey and an adventure.’

The line moved at a fairly quick pace due to the large capacity of the Merry-Go-Round and its rather short duration compared to most other rides. Based on his estimates, they would only have to wait another two sets of people before it would be their turn. He sets the camera down on his lap and allows his mind to wander while he waits.

‘Nanoha…a very close and dear friend to me that I’ve known since the beginning of, well, all of this. We’ve been through thick and thin together in those two Lost Logia incidents. It’s still rather odd how it all turned out back then,’ he chuckles, ‘To think that she would be the one to pick up where I failed and push forward to collect the remaining Jewel Seeds. And out of her own resolve to help me, too. At first I felt guilty for throwing all this on her shoulders, but when she scolded me and wanted to it for herself to help…’

His eyes blink as he straightens up and scan over the line looking for where they were. They were now closer to the front, but still at least one set of people away. It looked like Vivio was asking her mother some questions to which Nanoha was happily replying if the bright smile on her face was any sign. The sight of mother and daughter smiling was too much as a smile crept up on Yuuno’s lips.

‘Yes, I think it was then that I began treating Nanoha more as a friend rather than a partner. Back then I was still young and naïve, but now I think about it that was probably when I started to fall for that girl whose smile and determination could surpass extraordinary odds.’

The large group of people exiting the ride brought him back to reality. Picking up the camera, he scans the circular ride for the pair. Even with the mass of people wandering looking for an open spot he manages to pick out the brunette and her rather unique off-centered ponytail on the outer ring of the ride. He watches as she helps Vivio up onto the ornate horse. The little girl smiles and giggles as she grips the pole running through the seat. Behind her Nanoha rests one hand protectively on her waist, just in case.

Yuuno hefts the camera up and peers through the viewfinder as the bell in the center rings announcing the start of the ride. The platform begins its slow rotation with music pouring from the numerous speakers in the ceiling. He centers and snaps a few shots of Vivio as she smiles even brighter with the horse slowly bobbing up and down. They pass out of view for a moment, allowing him to set the camera down to rest his arms before coming back around. This time he zooms out to get a few shots of the pair passing by smiling happily.

As he snaps the last photo for the rotation, Yuuno’s mind wanders a bit to the older woman in the photo. Having known her since she was nine, he’s had the opportunity to watch as she developed and matured over the years. From that little, energetic girl she had grown to be a stunning woman with an incredible track record with the TSAB, her career practically set for her.

‘Her figure had also filled out quite nicely, too. Not to mention how great she looks in that skirt…’
He quickly coughs, trying to clear that train of thought from his mind. It was well known throughout the TSAB of the three Aces from the Non-Administered world and their spectacular feats from the young age of nine with no prior knowledge of magic or formal training (with the exception of Fate). Over the past few years their stunning beauty and continuing single status also became fairly well known. Many men, from recruits to high-ranking officers, tried their hand at attempting to court one of the famed Aces only to be turned down. Some had compared the chances to dating one of them to taking them on one-on-one with no limiters and no attack restrictions. This comparison had also kept many from even trying in the first place, yet some still tried their luck now and then.

Setting the camera down on his lap, Yuuno recalls what Hayate had told him before they left for the park.

“Can we talk for a bit, Yuuno-kun?” Hayate spoke audibly, winking in Nanoha’s direction.

“Uh… Sure…” Yuuno glanced at Nanoha.

Nanoha paused in confusion, but then shrugged and said, “Alright. Don’t be late, Yuuno-kun~!” before running off after Vivio.

Hayate dragged him around a bit before settling behind a wall. She stood up straightly with her hands akimbo, a confident smile on her face.

Yuuno pushed up his glasses nervously, “What did you want to talk about, Hayate?”

“So you’ve finally made a first move, huh, Yuuno-kun?”

“But…” Yuuno sighed, “Like we said, it’s just a-Wha?!” he jolted as Hayate’s finger was pointed directly at his nose.

“Whatever it is, you must do your best so as not to disappoint Nanoha-chan,” Hayate warned him with one eye closed, her other hand rose to form an encouraging fist, “Okay?”

‘The first move, huh?’ he mentally sighs.

While the others had never said anything about it, Hayate had been the one to confront him about the ‘status’ between Nanoha and himself. As much as tried to deny any romantic interest in the girl, he knew that it was a lie and he was also lying to himself. He had given her a lot of space when she first started her TSAB career so she could find her calling. The atrocious lack of organization in the Infinity Library had also kept him quite busy at the same time. Now, however she’s an instructor for the new TSAB recruits and plans on remaining such as her refusals of promotions after the Cradle Incident have shown. Not to mention that she has a daughter to look after.

‘Perhaps now would be the best time to give into Hayate’s urgings…,’ he ponders.

The lack of music and rise in voices breaks his train of thought. He instinctively stands and looks around for the pair from the crowded ride’s exit. A slender hand waving above the sea of heads catches his eye. Moments later the trio is reunited by the bench with Vivio giggling happily between the two adults.

“Mama! Mama! Let’s go on another one!” she urges while tugging on Nanoha’s arm.

Nanoha nods, taking a moment to look around at the sea of people around the park.

“Alright. Which one do you want to ride?”

The young girl grins and takes off running down one of the paths. With her hand still locked with her daughters, Nanoha had no choice but to keep up behind the excited bundle of energy the best she could. Behind them Yuuno couldn’t help but laugh as he watched the ‘great’ Ace of Aces being dragged along by a little girl. It definitely was quite an unusual sight.

As the daylight slowly faded away, the trio would ride several more of the attractions, with Vivio promptly dragging them off to the next one with an excited look on her face. Now the sun was nearing the end of its journey across the sky for that day. A spectrum of reds and yellows replaced the lively blue sky. Many groups had already left the park for the day to either make their way home or find a place to eat. The slowly thinning crowds and dimming sky was not lost to the two adults.

“It’s starting to get late, Nanoha. We should probably start heading out soon before we get stuck in the rush out.”

The brunette nods in agreement, “That would be a good idea. Come on, Vivio. Let’s head home.”

Vivio, however, had other ideas.

“No! I don’t want to…,” she complained.

Both adults sighed softly, having realized that this was probably the reaction they would get from the girl. Nanoha knelt before Vivio and placed her hands on her shoulders.

“Vivio, it’s starting to get late. We can always come back another time. Plus Fate-mama is waiting at home for us.”

The little girl crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, puffing her cheeks out as she shook her head to stand by her original decision. As Nanoha tried to reason with her daughter, Yuuno couldn’t help but grin as she watched the little girl whose mannerisms reminded him so much of her mother.

“How about this Vivio,” he starts as he squats down next to Nanoha, “We’ll do one more ride. Any ride you want, okay?”

“Mou, Yuuno-kun. Are you sure?”

Before the librarian could respond, Vivio points her finger at a ride behind them.

“That one!”

Yuuno and Nanoha both rise and turn to look at what the girl was pointing at. Two pairs of eyes fell upon the large Ferris Wheel towering near the end of the park. With the sunlight slowly beginning to wane the giant wheel was lit up all over by bright lights, slowly spinning its passengers around in enclosed passenger pods. Finding herself unable to come up with any opposition to the proposed agreement, Nanoha straightens up and smiles.

“Alright. One more ride.”

Vivio lets out a cheer and grabs the adults’ hands as she excitedly makes her way to the ride. At the same time the pair wonders where she gets all this energy of hers from.

A short time later the trio finds themselves slowly rising from the ground in one of the silver pods. At one end of the pod Vivio kneels on the plastic seat with her hands pressed against the window. Green and red eyes gaze out over the brightly lit park rides and buildings slowly sinking as the wheel turns with curiosity and fascination. On the other end Nanoha and Yuuno sit next to each other and watch over the young girl.

‘Oh boy…I guess it’s now or never,’ he tells himself.

“Nanoha?”

The brunette turns her attention to the blonde boy, “Hm? What is it Yuuno-kun?”

“Erm…ah, Vivio has quite a family, huh?” he blurts out in nervousness.

“Yea, she does doesn’t she?” she says leaning back against the seat, “Fate-chan and I take care of her most of the time. Sometimes Hayate and her Knights watch her watch her when we’re busy with Bureau stuff. Now that I think about it, I think Vita-chan looks to her like an older sister although I doubt she’ll ever admit it.”

Nanoha giggles as she glances over at Vivio, “Maybe I should tell Vivio to start calling her ‘Nee-chan’ from now on.”

That got a chuckle from the young man, especially with the scene of the powerful Iron Knight blushing in embarrassment and stuttering denials floating around his mind.

“Yes, that would be interesting to see.”

“All the Forwards have some attachment to her before RF6 was disbanded. Even Chrono-kun can’t deny that he’s fond of Vivio with how he grins every time she calls him ‘Uncle Chrono.’”

“She does have that effect on people.”

Straightening himself up, Yuuno takes a deep breath to gather what courage he can.

“Ah, what would you say about me Nanoha?”

“Oh, you’ve also been a huge help. I feel kinda bad sometimes when I keep having to ask you to watch her,” she replies in a bit of embarrassment.

“Don’t worry about. I don’t mind at all, especially with all that’s been going on lately everyone’s been pretty busy. Although…”

“Although…?” she questions as she turns to look at him curiously.

He knew that there was no turning back now.

“I-I want to be there for you and Vivio, Nanoha. To be there when you need help,” he pauses as she stares back with her blue orbs waiting for him to continue, “What I mean to say is you, Vivio…would you…”

“Mama look!”

Both adults nearly fall out of their seat in surprise as Vivio jumps between them and points at the window she had come from. Nanoha is the first to recover from the slight scare.

“Look at what Vivio?”

As the young girl excitedly leads her mother over to the other window, Yuuno takes a moment to calm down. He leans back on the seat and watches Vivio excitedly point out different things outside to her smiling mother.

‘I guess now just wasn’t the right time, huh?’ he muses.

Although he was disappointed, he was also a bit glad that Vivio did what she did. He had known Nanoha for a long time and couldn’t deny that he liked her. There were probably others that could see it, but Hayate had always been the most open about encouraging him to ‘make his move’ as she would say.

Yet he was also worried about what would happen when he actually did ask her to go out with him. He knew what he felt, but he never could really tell how she felt towards him. She never really gave any signs of liking him, yet she also never gave any signs of not being against it either. If it meant ruining the friendship they had he didn’t want to risk it, but at the same time he won’t know until he tries.

“Mama, over there! So pretty~”

Yuuno smiles as he continues to watch the pair. There was no use to rush things. Sometimes it was better to just stand back and wait for the right moment. If it was meant to be he’ll wait for that moment. Until then he’ll be there for her as he was back then, watching her and protecting her in anyway he could.

I got 'volunteered' to write this up after they read GenerationS Chapter 1a

sounds good, even though I prefer NxF storys

edit:
after I read Satashi-samas Review of Road of Love, I think, I'll hide everything from him