Nanoha FanFiction Discussion

[00-Raiser]

Originally Posted by Tiresias

...don't tell me it's something like "a boy would destroy the *ahem* purity of the couple" argument?

Sadly that's exactly it. Men are seen as dirty and gross while women are pure and wonderful. So...

Pure + Pure = Pure

Pure + Pure =/= Dirty

Though scientifically speaking it's because the Y chromosome is unique to the sperm, so if a child is (somehow) made from 2 eggs, it'll be a girl.

Originally Posted by Nanya01

"Yuuno and Chrono get as much love as they need in canon, which is none."

Well, kinda agree about Chrono. He's married with kids so he's happy enough. Yuuno's got nothing.

[shiroi mahotsukai]

Double standards irritate me, there's always someone who'll argue for it, I don't see why a yuri couple's child should be female, if anything a male would be a needed addition to keep the family name going.

Pairings with large age gaps on the other hand don't really bother me as long as the premise is sound and there is truly recipricated love, surely such a superficial thing as age shouldn't stand in the way of true love? Unless y'know one of them is dead... gotta draw the line somewhere after all.

[deathcurse]

Originally Posted by Shigan

Controversy? I love the idea! (Vivio -is- legal here, isn't she? o_o)

........

........

Um.....

No? (Which is why I expected more controversy ).

Originally Posted by Shigan

Well, if you want to make it overtly romantic, you could have the wolkenritter challenge Vivio and her clan (namely, Fate + Nanoha) according to some ancient Belkan tradition in combat over the right to court their mistress or something. Hayate's O__o reaction would be nothing short of priceless.

Otherwise, I can understand how this could be controversial, I'm usually not a huge fan of big age-gap couplings myself but you made such an excellent premise so I'll just sit back and let you take us away, and perhaps do a little writing on my own between your chapters .

OMG XD, I laughed so hard when I tried to picture Hayate's reaction to such a thing! If I manage to keep this series on the "crack" side, then it could be a funny possibility--but knowing me , if it does end up becoming more serious then I'll have to be super-careful.

Your writing between my chapters is very welcome .

Originally Posted by 00-Raiser

It's also a scientific thing. Studies show that men prefer younger girls due to maximum child bearing potential, while women prefer older men for the stability and security.

Yes, that's true, but I had been talking about cases of abuse there . That whether or not older women or older men are more likely to take advantage of a younger partner gets overshadowed statistically simply because more cases tend to be "Older man, younger girl".

Which had been a point of saying that Yuuno x Vivio would likely be viewed on with more suspicion than Hayate x Vivio, just because of that social bias/statistic, not because of anything inherent in either of them.

Originally Posted by 00-Raiser

That's more or less what my mentality was when I started Vivio/Yuuno. Also like here everyone was pretty receptive of the idea at first, but unfortunately I disappointed them all.

I bet you a fic that you'll have more success.

Well, I care a little less than you do about disappointing others , so maybe I'll endure!

Now now , I don't think so. Niche market of a niche market, after all...

Originally Posted by Tiresias

Speaking of double standards, there's something that has been bugging me for a while: Why must the child of a yuri pairing be female? (And before someone points this out, Erio and Caro are Fate's children, not NanoFate)

As 00-Raiser said, if they took a true biological view, then the child would have to be female. If it's through adoption, then I guess it may be a trend...

It's weird, since I've only ever noticed that trend in fanfiction. In novels I found it to be fairly split between boys and girls .

Originally Posted by shiroi mahotsukai

Double standards irritate me, there's always someone who'll argue for it, I don't see why a yuri couple's child should be female, if anything a male would be a needed addition to keep the family name going.

Well, socially nowadays it's very acceptable even in traditionally sexist countries (like China, for example) for the child to take the mother's name if they so choose. So even that wouldn't really matter--and I imagine in a world like Mid-Childa, inheritance probably isn't just through the male line and all .

[00-Raiser]

Originally Posted by deathcurse

........

........

Um.....

No? (Which is why I expected more controversy ).

I only took a glance at it, but isn't she 16 or so? In Japan at least a girl can get married at 16 so long as the partner is 18 or over and the parents give their permission.

Originally Posted by deathcurse

Well, I care a little less than you do about disappointing others , so maybe I'll endure!

Unfortunately my self esteem is in the negative numbers so I can't afford that luxery

[Rising Dragon]

She's 17 by the time she gives Hayate the rose, IIRC.

[00-Raiser]

Well there ya go.

Course she was the same age in my fic but I used the legality of it to cause them to put things on hold.

Since deathcurse loves tragedy so much she could use them same to cause them to commit lover's suicide or something

[Yasanagi]

Spoiler for Kaiser Mom again:

There was a long drawn out pause after Carim finished explaining the chain of events as Hayate had told her long ago. Olivie was glad that she had taken a seat as advised by the other woman earlier. “T-that all happened…? It’s too hard to believe…!”

“That’s rather understandable. I wasn’t certain what to believe myself when we first heard several years ago that the Master of the Book and the Wolkenritter would be moving to this world. We weren’t sure what to make of them since our archives did carry some information about the Buch der Dunkelheit,” said the Saint Church Director. “We kept our distance at first until we saw Hayate and her Knights work hard to serve the community over the years. It was enough to help quash our doubts and put our trust in them.”

“You were familiar with their deeds?” asked Olivie.

“As the modern observers of all aspects of Ancient Belkan history and culture, members of the Saint Church are familiar with prominent figures and Lost Logia from that time frame. The Buch der Dunkelheit was quite infamous.”

She frowned for a moment as she searched her memories for a religion that matched the description given to her. “Saint Church? I don’t recall any such religion in my time.”

“The Church is actually a successor group to the Yevon movement that started on Shutra at least a year before the end of the Unification War,” explained Carim.

“Yevon…? So that’s how it is…” She recalled that at that time period, the regular villages that were located in the immediate surrounding territory of Ingvalt’s castle got battered by disastrous weather which caused major disruptions to farming season. It was enough to get her and Claus to make regular trips to various communities. While the Hegemon would be primarily responsible for overlooking relief efforts, she taught valuable life lessons to prevent the people from falling to their negative emotions. The continuous boosting of spirits over the months had led to the Yevon movement in which the affected villages that received those life lessons spread it to others.

“Indeed. At the end of the War when the Kaiser’s final fate was discovered, the movement was reorganized into a proper religion and took the Sankt Kaiser as a messiah figure to worship.”

Those last words then registered in Olivie’s mind. “Wait a second… you mean?”

“Yes, you are essentially God,” said Carim in that calm tone and a smile worthy of a nun.

“… … huh…” A beat… and then a sigh. “I bet that somehow, Claus had a hand in making me like that…”

“Ingvalt did have some influence in the Church’s first year. But in any case, now that you understand the history of the Church, you should also understand that as the current Saint Church Director… I, Carim Gracia, can confirm that the Guardian Knights serve the side of righteousness.” It seemed that right now, the Saint Church Director had things under control which helped to calm down Hayate’s nerves. Ever since that other woman had entered the office, Signum and Vita had been keeping a close eye on her. Their body language indicated a sense of tension, probably because of the accusations that had been thrown at them earlier.

“I want to believe you,” started Olivie. “… but if you have seen what I have seen, then you would find it difficult to believe they can change so easily.”

Hayate was the first to find her voice to break the silence that followed the other woman’s words. “What did you see…?”

“I clearly remember an extremely stormy day on Shutra. A village that was close to the Northern border had sent out a request for help due to their dam being overwhelmed by the storm waters which started flooding the farm lands. A small garrison had been dispatched to provide some relief to the people. While on my way back from a war conference, I decided to make a detour to that village and lend whatever support I could give. The poor weather and the muddy roads that my steed had trouble going through had played a role in my late arrival to that village.”

The Lieutenant Colonel blinked in surprise. “A steed? You couldn’t just fly there?”

“Shutra’s environment had an effect on the flow of magic. Flying on the planet expended more energy than it was worth so ground transportation was the norm there,” explained Carim quickly to Hayate.

“When I got there, I found many corpses among the wrecked village. Men, women, children, and the Hegemon’s soldiers… even all the village livestock. And among the wreckage, I saw a glimpse of the perpetrators that were up ahead before they teleported away. At that point, I knew who they were and when I saw the results of their mission with my own eyes, an angry fire burned in my heart.” She paused before turning her glare towards Hayate’s Knights. “Tell me… do you remember how many pages those lives were worth?”

“Every time we appear before a new master, we lose all our memories of the previous summoning,” said Signum in her usual calm tone.

This caused the other woman to smile coldly. “How convenient. With no memory, you don’t carry the burden of your original sins.”

Vita growled and had to be restrained by her fellow Knight. “You damned…!”

“W-wait…! Those men were soldiers! They should know that wherever they get deployed that there’s a risk of death! That’s… that’s what happens in a war zone!” Hayate had learned that lesson the hard way during the JS incident over a year and a half ago.

“Dying in the name of king and country is one thing. But to die a meaningless death for being in the wrong place at the wrong time while trying to aid disaster victims…” Her hands unconsciously formed fists as she trembled in frustration. “If I didn’t try to seek retribution when their killers are in front of me, how can I face those men in the afterlife?”

“If your doubts plague you this badly, then I have no choice.” In a flash, Signum summoned her sheathed Armed Device into her hand. “We shall settle this in traditional Belkan fashion: a trial by combat.”

The other woman seemed pleased by that option. “My fists against your sword? I have no objection to that.”

Hayate didn’t like where this was going. “Why are you going through with this? Carim already explained-”

“If it is true in regards to this Knight living honestly and with compassion and warmth, then it will be reflected in her blade. After all, the true nature of a person can be found in battle.” Olivie paused before chuckling bitterly. “Considering all the time that I spent in Shutra, I thought by now that I would be wise enough to think rationally and confirm the truth. And yet, I still rely on my fists to show me the way.”

“… … then it can’t be helped. Let us set some ground rules before you engage in your battle,” said the Saint Church Director. “Hayate, please have Mr. Scrya meet us at Arena Four. I believe his barrier talents would be most useful in preventing excess damage.”

“You’re going along with this, Carim?”

“Considering that they’re going to go through that trial by combat whether we like it or not …” A weary glance showed that both Signum and Olivie had inadvertently summoned a magical aura around their bodies in anticipation of battle. “It’s best to try and keep things under control.”

[Tiresias]

Originally Posted by deathcurse

but knowing me , if it does end up becoming more serious then I'll have to be super-careful.

"IF"?

It's weird, since I've only ever noticed that trend in fanfiction. In novels I found it to be fairly split between boys and girls .

I'll admit I've never read romance novels whether it be straight or gay (it's just not the kind of genre I want to spend money on) so my observation is limited to fanfics

Well, socially nowadays it's very acceptable even in traditionally sexist countries (like China, for example) for the child to take the mother's name if they so choose.

And not all cultures (like mine) has family names. Last names are just used to make our names more colorful

[Nanya01]

Originally Posted by Yasanagi

Spoiler for Kaiser Mom again:

There was a long drawn out pause after Carim finished explaining the chain of events as Hayate had told her long ago. Olivie was glad that she had taken a seat as advised by the other woman earlier. “T-that all happened…? It’s too hard to believe…!”

“That’s rather understandable. I wasn’t certain what to believe myself when we first heard several years ago that the Master of the Book and the Wolkenritter would be moving to this world. We weren’t sure what to make of them since our archives did carry some information about the Buch der Dunkelheit,” said the Saint Church Director. “We kept our distance at first until we saw Hayate and her Knights work hard to serve the community over the years. It was enough to help quash our doubts and put our trust in them.”

“You were familiar with their deeds?” asked Olivie.

“As the modern observers of all aspects of Ancient Belkan history and culture, members of the Saint Church are familiar with prominent figures and Lost Logia from that time frame. The Buch der Dunkelheit was quite infamous.”

She frowned for a moment as she searched her memories for a religion that matched the description given to her. “Saint Church? I don’t recall any such religion in my time.”

“The Church is actually a successor group to the Yevon movement that started on Shutra at least a year before the end of the Unification War,” explained Carim.

“Yevon…? So that’s how it is…” She recalled that at that time period, the regular villages that were located in the immediate surrounding territory of Ingvalt’s castle got battered by disastrous weather which caused major disruptions to farming season. It was enough to get her and Claus to make regular trips to various communities. While the Hegemon would be primarily responsible for overlooking relief efforts, she taught valuable life lessons to prevent the people from falling to their negative emotions. The continuous boosting of spirits over the months had led to the Yevon movement in which the affected villages that received those life lessons spread it to others.

“Indeed. At the end of the War when the Kaiser’s final fate was discovered, the movement was reorganized into a proper religion and took the Sankt Kaiser as a messiah figure to worship.”

Those last words then registered in Olivie’s mind. “Wait a second… you mean?”

“Yes, you are essentially God,” said Carim in that calm tone and a smile worthy of a nun.

“… … huh…” A beat… and then a sigh. “I bet that somehow, Claus had a hand in making me like that…”

“Ingvalt did have some influence in the Church’s first year. But in any case, now that you understand the history of the Church, you should also understand that as the current Saint Church Director… I, Carim Gracia, can confirm that the Guardian Knights serve the side of righteousness.” It seemed that right now, the Saint Church Director had things under control which helped to calm down Hayate’s nerves. Ever since that other woman had entered the office, Signum and Vita had been keeping a close eye on her. Their body language indicated a sense of tension, probably because of the accusations that had been thrown at them earlier.

“I want to believe you,” started Olivie. “… but if you have seen what I have seen, then you would find it difficult to believe they can change so easily.”

Hayate was the first to find her voice to break the silence that followed the other woman’s words. “What did you see…?”

“I clearly remember an extremely stormy day on Shutra. A village that was close to the Northern border had sent out a request for help due to their dam being overwhelmed by the storm waters which started flooding the farm lands. A small garrison had been dispatched to provide some relief to the people. While on my way back from a war conference, I decided to make a detour to that village and lend whatever support I could give. The poor weather and the muddy roads that my steed had trouble going through had played a role in my late arrival to that village.”

The Lieutenant Colonel blinked in surprise. “A steed? You couldn’t just fly there?”

“Shutra’s environment had an effect on the flow of magic. Flying on the planet expended more energy than it was worth so ground transportation was the norm there,” explained Carim quickly to Hayate.

“When I got there, I found many corpses among the wrecked village. Men, women, children, and the Hegemon’s soldiers… even all the village livestock. And among the wreckage, I saw a glimpse of the perpetrators that were up ahead before they teleported away. At that point, I knew who they were and when I saw the results of their mission with my own eyes, an angry fire burned in my heart.” She paused before turning her glare towards Hayate’s Knights. “Tell me… do you remember how many pages those lives were worth?”

“Every time we appear before a new master, we lose all our memories of the previous summoning,” said Signum in her usual calm tone.

This caused the other woman to smile coldly. “How convenient. With no memory, you don’t carry the burden of your original sins.”

Vita growled and had to be restrained by her fellow Knight. “You damned…!”

“W-wait…! Those men were soldiers! They should know that wherever they get deployed that there’s a risk of death! That’s… that’s what happens in a war zone!” Hayate had learned that lesson the hard way during the JS incident over a year and a half ago.

“Dying in the name of king and country is one thing. But to die a meaningless death for being in the wrong place at the wrong time while trying to aid disaster victims…” Her hands unconsciously formed fists as she trembled in frustration. “If I didn’t try to seek retribution when their killers are in front of me, how can I face those men in the afterlife?”

“If your doubts plague you this badly, then I have no choice.” In a flash, Signum summoned her sheathed Armed Device into her hand. “We shall settle this in traditional Belkan fashion: a trial by combat.”

The other woman seemed pleased by that option. “My fists against your sword? I have no objection to that.”

Hayate didn’t like where this was going. “Why are you going through with this? Carim already explained-”

“If it is true in regards to this Knight living honestly and with compassion and warmth, then it will be reflected in her blade. After all, the true nature of a person can be found in battle.” Olivie paused before chuckling bitterly. “Considering all the time that I spent in Shutra, I thought by now that I would be wise enough to think rationally and confirm the truth. And yet, I still rely on my fists to show me the way.”

“… … then it can’t be helped. Let us set some ground rules before you engage in your battle,” said the Saint Church Director. “Hayate, please have Mr. Scrya meet us at Arena Four. I believe his barrier talents would be most useful in preventing excess damage.”

“You’re going along with this, Carim?”

“Considering that they’re going to go through that trial by combat whether we like it or not …” A weary glance showed that both Signum and Olivie had inadvertently summoned a magical aura around their bodies in anticipation of battle. “It’s best to try and keep things under control.”

Obviously, Olivie trained with Master Asia at one point in her life...

"Let me see your true feelings, through your FISTS!"

[RadiantBeam]

Originally Posted by deathcurse

This is a sequel to “You Never Lose By Loving”/ “Lose By Holding Back”, from both popular demand and also from the plot bunny refusing to hibernate and leave me alone .

Prerogative of the Brave

“A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave."
--Mahatma Gandhi

Spoiler for Prerogative of the Brave, Chapter 1:

Prerogative of the Brave

Chapter 1

“She’s WHAT?”

Rein stared at the yelling brunette in front of her, both puzzled and alarmed at the exclamation. “Um, on vacation? Hayate-chan had said she was feeling a little tired and so she asked me to apply for a week’s vacation for her…”

“You mean she ran away?” Nanoha steamed, crossing her arms and narrowing her blue-gray eyes into dark slits.

“Ran away from what?” Rein was beginning to feel like she was on a whole different plane of conversation than Nanoha…

“Nothing!” Vivio quickly jumped in before her mother could say anything. The blonde was nearly entirely red in the face, and she twitched towards the door as if hoping that she could slink out unnoticed. Rein saw Vivio glance over Hayate’s desk and look disappointed when she didn’t see whatever she was looking for. Peering at Vivio bemusedly, Rein suddenly felt things click.

“Oh, you mean Hayate-chan ran away from—”

“Nothing!” yelped Vivio, ducking her head. Now her ears were burning just as red as her hidden face. “Nanoha-mama…it’s really fine. I mean…” an unbearably sad tone crept into the young woman’s voice, “Hayate-san has been working really hard lately, and so she deserves some off time away from…from all this.”

Rein exchanged a look with Nanoha.

Then they exchanged wide, toothy grins.

…Vivio was starting to get an uneasy feeling about all this.

**O**

It had been so long since Hayate had done multiple teleports in a row, she had to stop to catch her breath as she arrived at her final destination in the Tsukimura backyard. Teleporting across space-time often came with a tinge of nausea, and Hayate had gotten used to getting a helicopter ride everywhere on Cranagan. But it was entirely worth it, to come back to her homeworld after so many years. And seeing old friends was the best part of all.

“Hayate-chan!” A voice called out, and Hayate turned with a smile.

“Suzuka-chan!” They hugged each other tightly in excitement. Hayate pulled back and beamed, picking up her dropped suitcase. “Thank you for letting me stay here for a few days.”

“Of course you would be!” Suzuka said happily, guiding Hayate to the side door of the mansion that lead into the solarium. “How could I let visiting friends stay in a hotel? We have lots of room here, and old friends are always welcome.”

Hayate glanced through the solarium window, and chuckled. “I see that Arisa-chan is here too?” she teased. Both of her old classmates were pervasively vague about the status of their relationship with each other to everyone, even their closest friends. Yet they were constantly together and “single”, and while Hayate, Nanoha and Fate all agreed that they gave off the same vibes as Nanoha and Fate had as teenagers, Suzuka and Arisa were considerably more ambiguous than the former and made it hard to tell for sure. Hayate would have hoped that the two of them had tied the knot by now, but maybe they had their own reasons for not admitting to anything beyond friendship for each other.

That gave Hayate an uncomfortable feeling.

“Yes, Arisa-chan is here,” Suzuka replied, cheery and not showing a hint of embarrassment. “She definitely wouldn’t want to miss an old friend’s visit!”

“That’s kind of her—Oh,” Hayate remembered to ask before she forgot, “Can I borrow a couple of heavy books? I kind of need them for something…”

Suzuka raised an elegant eyebrow but simply nodded. “Certainly—Farin can take care of that for you. She does a good job with the ones we have in the garden.”

Once they were inside and Farin had whisked Hayate’s suitcase away, Arisa came over and gave Hayate a brief hug. The tall blonde had cut her hair shorter, giving her a business-woman mature look. “Hello, Hayate.” She picked up a dozing cat from one of the seats and set the animal on the floor, offering the seat to Hayate.

“Hi Arisa-chan,” Hayate smiled, sitting down and accepting the tea Suzuka poured for her. “How have you been?”

“Fine. Work and all that.” Despite being a multimillionaire heiress, Arisa had studied to become a veterinarian and had workdays that nearly rivalled Hayate’s own work hours. The years had mellowed her outspoken friend, and despite her tiredness Arisa seemed at ease. “How about you? I keep hearing from Nanoha that you and Fate work too much.”

“She’s one to talk!” Hayate tried to defend herself. “Well, Nanoha-chan has eased off her workload lately, but I had to steal Vivio for the Ground Forces to keep Nanoha home and not burning herself out on missions,” she half-joked, trying to hide her little twitch when she had mentioned Vivio, the name suddenly reminding her of why she had run away on vacation in the first place.

“I…really like you, Hayate-san.”

The memory made Hayate’s jaw clench.

Unfortunately, Suzuka was alarmingly sharp-eyed. And when she shared a brief look with Arisa, the unspoken language of very familiar souls passing between them, Hayate felt a sense of apprehension seep into her.

“So how’s Vivio-chan?” Suzuka smiled and shook her head bemusedly. “It’s hard to imagine Nanoha-chan as a mother sometimes!”

“She’s a great mother,” Hayate nodded fiercely. “Vivio’s a great girl. She’s a squad leader already in the Ground Forces Defence Corps Strike Team—um, it’s an elite attack team for trouble in the city. Like a S.W.A.T. team here, I suppose. Do you want to see?” Tapping Schwertkreuz, a holographic picture sprang up from Hayate’s Device. It was their most recent group photo, and Hayate proudly pointed out Vivio in her sharp new uniform with the crest of the elite team on her sleeve. “It’s a very prestigious team, and she’s definitely working really hard. Everyone on her squad really respects her, despite the fact that she’s younger than all of them.”

“Sounds like mother, like daughter,” Arisa remarked. “They’re both pretty determined when they know what they want, eh?”

Hayate nearly choked on her tea. “Um…yes.” She laughed awkwardly.

“Speaking of Nanoha-chan,” Suzuka said. “How is she doing with Fate-chan? It’s too bad that the last time we could visit was when they got married.” Having best friends who lived on a different planet was hard, and as much as they all tried to keep in touch it was inevitable that their messages became scarcer than when they were younger.

“They’re good,” Hayate said, and then sniggered. “Didn’t Nanoha-chan mail you that copy of the GrapeVine cover?”

Arisa set her cup down before she spilled tea over herself as she shook with laughter. “I can’t believe you actually kissed Fate! And let yourself get photographed for it!”

“I only kissed her on the cheek,” Hayate grinned. “It’s not my fault that the photographer got the shot at that angle! Besides, I had arranged for the GraveVine to be one of the sponsors of the charity auction, so that a portion of the proceeds on their next paper was going to be donated. I think that issue broke their previous sales record.”

Nanoha had confronted Fate about the “kiss” over breakfast, and she and Hayate had teasingly fanned the flames of Fate’s stammering embarrassment as she tried to convince her wife that no such kiss had actually happened. Hayate had let up on the teasing when she had noticed Vivio coming into the kitchen, a mixed expression on the young blonde’s face as she had looked at the tabloid cover, then at Hayate. While Vivio had laughed as well once she had seen her Fate-mama’s flustered state, a shadow of some dimmer emotion had clung to her vivid eyes. Sadness? Envy? Or a kind of wistful longing…

“Hey! Earth to Hayate!” Arisa snapped her fingers in front of Hayate’s face, jolting the brunette out of her reminiscing. “Did you hear Suzuka’s question?”

“No, sorry…what did you say, Suzuka-chan?”

The purple-haired woman smiled patiently. “I asked you if you were seeing anyone recently, Hayate-chan.”

Hayate really did choke on her tea this time. Arisa slapped her back as she coughed into her napkin, feeling a flush rising on her cheeks. “Wha…Why would you ask that?”

“Well, you’re not getting any younger,” Arisa said dryly. “We’re curious. Any romances you want to share with your old friends?”

Very deliberately withholding the urge to turn the remark of not getting any younger back on her questioners, Hayate calmly bit into one of the biscuits, chewing to give herself time to compose herself before answering. “No, no romances,” she replied lightly. “Being a Lt. General sounds impressive, but the amount of paperwork I have to deal with every day practically isn’t worth it. I don’t have time for a relationship, and it’s not like I’m lacking for love with so many great family and friends. It all works out perfectly.”

From her years of experience spotting subtleties in her subordinates, Hayate easily caught the second quick glance between Suzuka and Arisa. Great, they were going to tag-team her…

“So, Hayate-chan,” Suzuka started, and Hayate braced herself for the coming questions that she wasn’t going to like. “Did you have any plans for your week off?”

“Uh…” Caught off-guard, Hayate took a moment to gather her thoughts. She hoped that her surprise hadn’t been evident—she wasn’t used to being off-balance. Hayate usually was the one making other people off-balance! The past day must have really shaken Hayate up more than she had thought. “Um, no plans, really. I just wanted to chill and do nothing for a few days. Military life can get uncomfortably regulated, sometimes.”

“Good,” Arisa declared. “You have to make time to go and watch Suzuka’s next concert. It’s a joint one with Kaioh Michiru, and Suzuka has some new pieces that are really good.”

“A joint concert?” Hayate repeated, impressed. While she had gotten the first viewing (well, probably truthfully the second one, since undoubtedly Suzuka had given Arisa a live performance many times before) of Suzuka’s first violin piece a few years ago, her first friend’s skills must have improved greatly for her to be holding a joint concert with a distinguished artist like Kaioh Michiru. Suzuka blushed bashfully, while Arisa gave her an affectionate and proud smile. “Of course!”

“I’m sorry, all the evening tickets were sold out,” Suzuka said apologetically. “I do have tickets for the matinee showing, and I’d love to see you there. I have a few different days, so you can probably take your pick first.”

“Why do you have so many tickets?” Hayate asked curiously as she looked at the fancy tickets that Suzuka had placed on the table.

“Well, I’ll need some for—” A flash of light outside in the garden interrupted Suzuka, making Hayate snap her hand to her Device. “Ah, that must be them now.”

“Them?” Hayate asked blankly, confused.

“Suzuka-chan!” Farin opened the solarium door, bowing. “The rest of your guests have arrived.”

“The rest of—”

“Suzuka-chan!” An energetic and bright-eyed Takamachi Nanoha waved from the doorway, her other hand clasped around a smiling Fate’s. “Arisa-chan!”

“Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan, what are you doing here?” Hayate asked stupidly, still very confused.

“Can’t a girl visit her sister-in-law/old friend?” Nanoha answered with blinding good cheer, falsely oblivious.

“Welcome, Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan,” Suzuka greeted, ignoring Hayate’s dumbfounded gaping. “I’m so glad all of you could find the same vacation time to come and visit.”

“The…same vacation time?” Hayate remarked suspiciously.

“Of course!” Nanoha said innocently. “It’s so hard to find time for family vacations these days, so we have to take what time we can get, right? It’s a good thing the Corps activity is slow with you on vacation, Hayate-chan, or else it would have been hard getting any vacation time at all.”

“A family vacation?” Hayate suddenly realized…

“Yup! Suzuka-chan, Arisa-chan, it’s been a while since you’ve met Vivio, right?” Nanoha gently nudged Vivio forward, and the normally friendly blonde girl had her head down, revealing her red ears.

“Nice to meet you,” Vivio stammered, looking up politely to greet Suzuka and Arisa. She seemed determined to look everywhere but right at Hayate, trembling with the effort.

Nanoha had been right so many years ago when she had swore to get payback for Hayate’s meddling in her love life. Seven days with Vivio while under the match-making force of these resourceful friends?

Hayate was doomed.

She had known the signs, so when Vivio had placed that rose down on her desk Hayate had done her best to keep her conviction strong, despite little lapses. But things hadn’t exactly gone the way she had wanted, and so this vacation was supposed to help Hayate get her head together…

Vivio’s gaze drifted, and Hayate couldn’t look away from the girl’s red-green eyes, staring so nervously and yet so keenly back at her. And all the logical arguments and conviction promptly melted from Hayate’s thoughts.

…

Hayate’s head dropped onto the tabletop with a thunk.

Doomed.

Spoiler for Author's Note:

This is a 7 chapter sequel to “You Never Lose By Loving”/ “Lose By Holding Back”, continuing Hayate and Vivio's relationship after Vivio's confession. I’m a bit nervous with how this one will go, but hopefully I can pull it off by the end …

Kaioh Michiru is a cameo Sailor Moon fans would recognize .

EDIT: Altered some honorifics. Thanks RD!

Bahaha, I liked the reference to Suzuka and Arisa being even more vague about things than Nanoha and Fate are. At least here, Nanoha and Fate got married!

And of course, Hayate's plan to try and put some distance between her and Vivio backfires on her in the one way she never expected it to. I like how she even acknowledges at the end that she's completely doomed at this point. In all seriousness, though, this will be interesting to see; Hayate's no longer in any position to try and run away, and Vivio is in the ideal position to try and nudge her along a bit, if she wants to. The question now is, will Vivio want to?

Most excellent start. Is this on FF.net yet?

[deathcurse]

Originally Posted by 00-Raiser

I only took a glance at it, but isn't she 16 or so? In Japan at least a girl can get married at 16 so long as the partner is 18 or over and the parents give their permission.

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

She's 17 by the time she gives Hayate the rose, IIRC.

Actually, she's supposed to be 15 , if I didn't mess up somewhere? I originally had a reference to Vivio being 16, somewhere, but I should have removed it entirely. Vivio is 15 when she snaps at the teasing in the first short, and still 15 (but probably a few months older) when she finally gives Hayate the rose.

(As a matter of fact, I had actually moved Vivio's age back to 15 because I wanted her to still be considered young enough for people to question the maturity of her feelings, but for her to just be old enough that those who do think she's mature can believe that she is sincere.)

Originally Posted by 00-Raiser

Course she was the same age in my fic but I used the legality of it to cause them to put things on hold.

Since deathcurse loves tragedy so much she could use them same to cause them to commit lover's suicide or something

Yes, I wanted the possible legality of it to strike here too (where I live, 14 is the age of consent , although of course there are fine print and such to be considered). Who actually knows what the Mid-Childan age of consent is? I'll thankfully not hit that issue anytime soon, but it's something I'd have to keep in mind if I keep continuing this series.

LOL, that would be pretty tragic . But I probably wouldn't just because it's been done, and you guys know how I hate to tread where others have already gone!

Originally Posted by Tiresias

"IF"?

Yes, if!

.........

.........

Might as well start planning for the serious stuff now, eh?

Originally Posted by RadiantBeam

Bahaha, I liked the reference to Suzuka and Arisa being even more vague about things than Nanoha and Fate are. At least here, Nanoha and Fate got married!

And of course, Hayate's plan to try and put some distance between her and Vivio backfires on her in the one way she never expected it to. I like how she even acknowledges at the end that she's completely doomed at this point. In all seriousness, though, this will be interesting to see; Hayate's no longer in any position to try and run away, and Vivio is in the ideal position to try and nudge her along a bit, if she wants to. The question now is, will Vivio want to?

Most excellent start. Is this on FF.net yet?

Hehe, I decided to give Nanoha and Fate a break from their fandom characterization , so I needed a pairing that was even more ambiguous than theirs!

I have seven chapters to play with this situation, hehehe ...

Thanks ^^. No, I was thinking of posting it after I finish all 7 chapters, so that I can back-edit if need . I'll think about it though, and decide depending on how the writing of the next few chapters goes.

[Rising Dragon]

I could've sworn there was a reference to her being 17... I know there was the part mentioning her snapping at 15, but I was sure she'd grown older after that...

[RadiantBeam]

Huh, Vivio is supposed to be 15? I thought she was older for some reason. Like, she snapped at 15, but didn't say anything to Hayate until she was 17.

[deathcurse]

......Now I'll have to go back and double-check @_@. But I'm pretty sure that the only age I mentioned was 15...

[Rising Dragon]

I already did go back and check, and fifteen was the only age mentioned... so I dunno where I got seventeen from.

[RadiantBeam]

Odd. I thought she was at least 17. I guess it's because of the flow of the story, it makes it feel like time has passed between her outburst and her confession to Hayate.

[00-Raiser]

Originally Posted by deathcurse

Yes, I wanted the possible legality of it to strike here too (where I live, 14 is the age of consent , although of course there are fine print and such to be considered). Who actually knows what the Mid-Childan age of consent is? I'll thankfully not hit that issue anytime soon, but it's something I'd have to keep in mind if I keep continuing this series.

Still, Hayate is trying to work her way up in the ranks, and if she does enter a relationship with a minor the scandal would be devastating for her career.

[Rising Dragon]

... way to provide a girl with ammo, Raiser. :V

[00-Raiser]

But then again I already did that with Yuuno/Vivio and we know deathcurse doesn't like doing stuff that's been done Though in mine they chose their careers over the relationship and dc could go the other path and have them choose the relationship over their careers.

Hayate giving up what she's spent years to achieve for the sake of Vivio. Could be bittersweet.

[deathcurse]

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

I already did go back and check, and fifteen was the only age mentioned... so I dunno where I got seventeen from.

Originally Posted by RadiantBeam

Odd. I thought she was at least 17. I guess it's because of the flow of the story, it makes it feel like time has passed between her outburst and her confession to Hayate.

Maybe? I know that when I skim it myself, I get the sense of a passage of time too. It's a good thing to note, I'll make sure to remind the reader of Vivio's age in "Prerogative of the Brave" then.

Originally Posted by 00-Raiser

Still, Hayate is trying to work her way up in the ranks, and if she does enter a relationship with a minor the scandal would be devastating for her career.

I had actually considered that as a possibility for Hayate's internal motivation back when I wrote her short, but eventually decided to go with what I did. But it's definitely something to be considered, and likely by Vivio.

Originally Posted by Rising Dragon

... way to provide a girl with ammo, Raiser. :V

*Loads and cocks the Tragedy Gun*

EDIT: Ninja'd!

Originally Posted by 00-Raiser

But then again I already did that with Yuuno/Vivio and we know deathcurse doesn't like doing stuff that's been done Though in mine they chose their careers over the relationship and dc could go the other path and have them choose the relationship over their careers.

Hayate giving up what she's spent years to achieve for the sake of Vivio. Could be bittersweet.

I didn't know you already did it, good to know. Haven't thought that far yet, and it would likely be a dilemma between my love for tragedy and my romantic nature dueling for the fate of Hayate and Vivio (if they survive "Prerogative of the Brave" .....)

Sounds terribly bittersweet .