"Vivio?" Nanoha's voice came as she peeked her head into her teenage daughter's room, seeing the girl laying face down on the bed. "I've been trying to contact Kris for a few minutes now, its time for dinner."
"I'm not really hungry," the reply was muffled by a feather stuffed pillow. No other words were said, but Nanoha still walked over and sat down on the bed. The teen felt a hand on her back so she moved to rest her cheek onto her pillow. Looking up at the curious expression on her mother, Vivio let out a small sigh. "Mama... I feel strange."
"Tummy ache?" Nanoha asked lightly, trying to remember if she made sure her daughter got her flu shot this year.
"No... Its just..." A small sigh made her hair flutter up and fall back onto her face. " The winter dance is coming up next week, you know?"
Nanoha felt a small smile come onto her face, which was quickly repressed. "Yes?" She tried to sound encouraging, knowing full well that Vivio had already turned down several requests to be escorted.
"I..." Closing her eyes, she tried to voice her feelings. "I got a letter in my shoe locker today."
"Oh?" Nanoha's hand lightly scratched Vivio's back.
"Einhart... She asked me to go with her in a letter..." Reaching out slowly, she pulled the letter from under her pillow and lifted it up.
Nanoha took the letter and looked at it with a smile. The stationary was a bright blue and white with snowflake designs. Perfectly written letters were neatly on the lines in a graceful calligraphy style, making the mother smile at the time it must have taken to write. The message itself was rather long, but strangely to the point, addressing the fact that she was humbly requesting a real date. The ending confirmed that a turn down would be understood and respected but wanted the chance to try and develop a closer relationship with her if possible. "Its a lovely letter," Nanoha finally spoke. "She must have written it several times."
"I know," Vivio's voice was laced with joy, which only made Nanoha more confused.
"Are you afraid it might not end well and hurt your friendship?" Nanoha went back to rubbing her daughter's back encouragingly.
"No, its not that... I read it after school while waiting for Syn to walk home with me. Einhart ran ahead of course...But..." Red and green eyes turned to look up at her mother. "Syn... On the way home, asked me to go with her."
"Oh," Nanoha's eyes widened slightly. "A real date?"
"Syn... doesn't like dances. She actually wasn't planning on going to it at all."
"What made her change her mind?"
Vivio took a long inhale through her nose. "She knew Einhart asked me..." The hand on her back stopped moving, so she confirmed the thought before it could be voiced. "Syn... told me she didn't like the idea of me going with somebody else."
"That's..." Nanoha felt a little bit of annoyance towards the blue haired girl.
"That's just how Syn is," Vivio defended her friend. "It was okay when other people asked me but... She knows Einhart really wanted me to go with her as more than a friend and... she told me that she wanted to be closer to me more than anyone else and felt as if she would lose that chance if I went with Einhart... In her own little way, Syn is trying to say that she likes me, even if she's too... Syn-like... to say it."
"I see..." Nanoha wished, more than ever, that becoming a parent came with the answer book to all of her daughter's potential problems. "What do you think about this?"
"I don't know what to think... They're both my best friends, and all at once it just..." Another sigh came and she closed her eyes again, resting on her pillow. "I just don't know."
The mother kept her eyes on her daughter laying on the bed and tried not to sigh as well. "How long do you have to answer?"
"The dance is this weekend."
This time Nanoha gasped. "That doesn't give us long at all!" She thought fast, going over picking out a dress, matching things to go with it since Vivio didn't have any formal wear, and trying to think if they could get her a make-over in time. Once she got over the fact that she was jumping the gun a little bit, she settled down enough to re-address the situation. "Okay... Do you... feel for either of them?" The idea of Vivio going on a date was nothing new to her, as the girl had been out a handful of times with random people, but the thought of her little girl actually developing feelings was something she hadn't pondered on.
Vivio didn't answer at first. Instead, she gave a small hum to encourage the comforting back scratching to resume. After a few moments went by, Vivio opened her eyes and looked across her bed and over to the picture on her nightstand showing her with all of her friends. "The thought of turning either one down and making them sad really makes my chest hurt, but lying to either one also feels bad... Mama... I think I like both of them." Nanoha felt her heart break when Vivio's helpless look went up at her, honestly expecting for the mother to have the answer ready to give. "What do I do?"
"I... I think..." Nanoha tried to force a smile. "I think right now you are putting too much on yourself. Come downstairs with me and try to eat a little bit and calm down. Once you've had a moment to settle you can look at the situation with a new perspective."
The daughter slowly nodded and pushed herself up from her bed before being helped to her feet. "Okay... I'll give it a try."
Spoiler for Winter Festival 2:
~**~
Nanoha looked over at her daughter as she started moving the plates from the dining room table to the kitchen. Although Vivio had managed to eat a little more than half her meal, Nanoha knew that she had forced some of it. "Vivio," the name made her daughter look up at her with a sad but attentive face. "I didn't ask, but does Einhart know that Syn asked you as well?"
"Probably," Vivio answered lightly while picking up her plate as well. "Syn's the type to make sure that Einhart wouldn't think she was going behind her back. The two are probably arguing on the phone right now about it."
"I see..." Nanoha offered a weak smile. "Regardless of which one you take, you're going to the dance, right?"
"I... Yeah." Vivio nodded and placed her platter onto the kitchen counter.
"If you think it might be better," Nanoha tried to sooth her daughter a little more by putting her hands onto her shoulders. "You could turn them both down and request to go as friends. The situation won't go away, but it will give you more time to think about this."
"Yes, but..." Vivio let her eyes fall a moment before turning to look over her shoulder and at her mother. "They both addressed me knowing what it could lead to, so I'd feel as if I were running away if I did that."
With a proud smile, Nanoha gave her teen a squeeze before letting her go. "Okay. In that case, we can go shopping tomorrow to get you a dress and fixed up."
Vivio felt her lips turn up just a little. "Thank you but I don't really think a make-over would fit me. Beauty salons make me feel a little weird."
"Who said we were going to one of them?" Nanoha held up a finger. "I'm going to invite Hayate-chan over." The joke made Vivio's spirits lift noticeably. "Good, you smiled. Don't think this can't be resolved, I know you'll make the right choice, Vivio." The mother started ushering Vivio to the back door. "Don't stay out too long practicing okay? Its cold outside so be sure to go to the gym nearby okay?"
"Yes mama," Vivio looked over her shoulder and gave a small smile. After a short wave, Vivio left the house and started jogging down the neighborhood. The normal shortcut through a neighbor's yard was taken with permission and she waved to the children still playing in the snow despite the rapidly setting sun. After only a few minutes of jogging, the large building came into view and the blonde doubled her steps to clear the parking lot faster. Once the doors opened she felt a gust of warm air wash over her and a content sigh came out at the feeling. Her ID was scanned to grant her access via Kris flying down over the designated scanning section. Once completely inside the gym she looked around to see if Nove or any of her friends were visible.
When nobody she personally knew was spotted she nodded to herself in appreciation of being able to practice on her own while thinking on her current situation. Her feet lead her to the changing room and her rented locker was opened so she could change into her gear. The pads and outfit was looked at briefly before being changed into, bringing back memories of when she had gotten the training gear to begin with. 'almost a year ago,' she thought back fondly. 'Einhart bought me this because my old training gear started weakening and getting too tight on my growing body...' A soft hue of crimson came to her cheeks. 'It took almost all of her savings to get me the entire set, but she still got it for me despite knowing that my Mama could easily afford it...'
After strapping her protective padding over her arms and flexing her fingers, the teen made her way to the Strike Arts section of the residential section gym. Not many people were on the mats that night, allowing her to easily claim the work out equipment she wanted. A practice dummy was claimed and Vivio tapped the wooden arms a few times to test how it spun before slowly increasing her pace. 'Einhart showed me how to use these all those years ago... Nove was always a one-on-one instructor it seems...'
Her movements sped up at a steady pace, slapping the arms of the dummy around and blocking the limbs that came at her. Instinctively the girl lapsed into a Kata, her body moving on its own. 'How long has it been now anyway? ' Her breathing started to get heavier, hands and legs moving faster and harder. 'Several years... I wonder how long ago they started having feelings for me?' Finishing the warm up, she took a step back and inhaled to steady herself. 'I never even noticed...'
A few moments later Vivio found herself practicing other Katas on the mat, moving and twirling her body with grace and ease that came with the years of dedication she had put into her Arts. 'Syn surprised me... I know she really cares about me, but I never knew it could possibly be romantic... I guess my parents started that way as well, they never considered it until Nanoha-mama adopted me.' Relating her situation to her parents gave her a little bit of confidence. 'But Einhart is there as well, and she obviously wants me to take her seriously... I can't even begin to imagine what is going on in her mind. Didn't her ancestor love my original self? She's a descendant but I'm literally a clone of Olivie... Are her feelings hers or what she thinks are hers? ' Vivio's motions became weaker as her mind wandered. 'She must be worrying so much right now, she's the type to be so strong on the outside but really just wants to be loved on the inside... I hope she isn't waiting by her phone.'
Once her body started to sweat in the warm air of the gym, Vivio decided to simply lift some weights since her mind was losing focus on her movements. Two dumbbells were taken and she positioned her body with her legs slightly apart so she could cross down and touch her toes with the weights. 'Syn is probably thinking about how suddenly she acted, asking me. Are her feelings really love or is she just scared about losing me as a best friend? Fate-mama was worried about Aunt Hayate for a while but they're still so close they're like sisters now... But at the same time, I can't dismiss her as a friend without really knowing what she's thinking.' A long sigh came paired with swapping to another position. 'Just this morning I wasn't worrying about anything other than gently turning down the guys who asked me out, now I'm panicking over which friend I should take... Ugh, I don't even know how I feel about them in a romantic way...'
A look at the large clock on the wall let her know her hour long workout would be ending soon. Replacing her weights, she went back to the locker room to reclaim her clothes and spray her uniform with a spritz bottle of cleaner. Once she wiped her sweat off with a towel, she looked up at Kris. 'I really need to talk to them to find out more, but would it really be a good idea?'
Spoiler for Winter Festival 3:
The cold outside air felt as if it froze the sweat still lingering on Vivio's body. An instant shiver wracked her body, making the blonde jog the entire length home. Opening the front door, Vivio was greeted with the scent of fresh wassail brewing and gave a smile at the thought of drinking some. As she walked to the kitchen she heard Nanoha wishing Fate a farewell and saw the monitor close down just as her feet touched the tile on the floor. "Was that Fate-mama?"
"Mm," Nanoha answered with a nod. "I was just... checking in with her."
"I see," moving to inhale the scent of the Christmas time hot drink, she looked at the pink liquid bubbling. "Is it ready?"
"It needs to boil for a while longer. Why don't you run take a shower and get a cup when you're out?"
"Okay," Vivio agreed with those terms and went upstairs to her room to pick out some clothes to change into. Deciding on a festive pair of red pajamas with mistletoe print, she made her way to the bathroom. Moments passed and soon she found herself under the warm spay of water. 'Nanoha-mama was probably asking Fate-mama for advice on what I should do...' Turning around so the water hit her back, Vivio bent over to get some shampoo onto her hands. 'Not even Mama has advice for me... I really do have to figure this out myself.'
Hot soapy water washed down Vivio's back steadily as she rinsed the soap from her hair in preparation for conditioner. 'I can't put this off very long, the dance is only a few days away... Thank goodness none of us are on the student council overseeing it, so at least no school until then.' Moving her lufa over her shoulders and chest, Vivio leaned back against the shower wall. 'I think I know where Syn stands, but Einhart really shocked me... The way she wrote her letter makes me wonder just how much she cares for me... It almost seems as if she was confused herself, but was serious about wanting me to accept her...' Lifting her head to avoid soap getting into her eyes, she rinsed her hair once more and allowed the water to take the soap off her body as it ran down her skin. After a few more moments of wiping down her body, she cut the water off and pulled the curtains back to step onto the fluffy mat outside the tub.
Ten minutes later, Vivio sat down on her bed and brought a pink mug of wassail to her lips to carefully sip on the scalding liquid. "Ahhn...That's good." The words helped combat the silence of her room. Mis-colored eyes skimmed the room boredly out of habit, skipping from her bookshelf to the rarely ever used gaming system her aunt had spoiled her with. 'Normally I would call my friends to pass the time when not studying or reading.' The thought made her shift back onto her bed and wiggled her legs under the covers to find some warmth. 'Rio and Corona are away with their families, so that leaves Einhart and Syn.' Turning to look at Kris, Vivio asked her question aloud. "What do you think, Kris? Ein or Syn?" Her device raised its right hand up to cast his vote for her. "Einhart, huh?" Leaning against her headboard, Vivio pulled the covers to her waist and took another sip of her drink. "Call her for me?" A monitor appeared before her and Einhart's name came up on it for only a few seconds before the girl's face appeared. 'She really was waiting for a call,' Vivio thought with a smile. "Hey, hope its not too late for a call?"
"Not at all," Einhart replied back quickly, moving from her desk to her bed. "So... Hi."
"Hi," Vivio felt her cheeks color lightly when her friend fidgeted lightly. "Uhm... I got your letter."
"Mmn," Einhart nodded. "Syn contacted me earlier about it."
"What did she say?"
The silver-green haired girl crossed her legs Indian style and held onto her ankles to get comfortable. "That she asked you as well, and wanted to be honest about it."
"That's Syn for you," Vivio felt herself grinning for a moment.
Einhart looked away shyly. "I hope I didn't upset you today?"
"No, no..." Vivio took a moment to sip on her drink once more. "That's kind of why I called you." Waiting for Einhart to look at her again, Vivio took a steadying breath and shifted the mug in her hands. "It was really sudden... I don't have an answer for you yet but... Can I ask something?" A nod encouraged her to go on. "What made you decide to ask me now of all times?"
"I thought you would ask that," Einhart replied softly. Her own heterochromic eyes looked down at her lap while she shifted nervously on her bed. "I guess it started a while ago, actually. You know how I've had memories from the past?" She glanced up just long enough to see her friend nod. "I always thought that my attraction to you was because of that. I never considered it romantic before, but I've always felt really close to you for some reason... A little while ago I started having dreams again, but this time..." Leaning forward, Einhart looked down even more, the tips of her ears starting to turn red. "They... weren't about Ingvalt and Olivie, but rather...You and me."
Vivio felt shocked by this sudden announcement, but at the same time a little flattered as well. "Oh... I-I see."
"I didn't know how to take it," Einhart continued, now looking up at Vivio on her monitor. "I felt so confused about it, like my feelings from the past were starting to come into my life now... It was as if my past was haunting me again, like when we first met." A small silence overcame the conversation while the girl tried to steady herself again. "I didn't want that to change how I felt about you, because this is my life, and you aremy friend. I guess... That was what made me finally realize that I was so upset because my feelings are real. I want to like you because I like you, and not because my past tells me I should... I'm sorry, this is a lot to put on you all at once. I wrote the letter because I thought it would be a welcome buffer to this conversation."
"I see..." Vivio looked down into her cooling mug of wassail and inhaled its scent deeply while drinking a gulp of it. The warmth soothed her throat and made her sniff lightly. Her spirits lifted a little after hearing her friend's full thoughts and the uneasiness of it lessened just a little. "Thank you for being honest with me."
"I hope I didn't offend you?"
"No, not at all... I'm still just a little shocked by everything. But," She smiled at Einhart honestly. "I feel better now, knowing how you really feel. I don't have an answer for you right now, but I promise I will think about it, okay?"
"Yes," Einhart felt a large weight lift off of her shoulders. "Thank you, Vivio. I'm sorry you got put in such an awkward situation because of me."
"Don't apologize for that, its not your fault." Vivio shook her head lightly. "Is it okay if I give you an answer in a day or two?"
"Yes," A nod came with her reply. "I'm sure you have lots to think about, and not just me. Just know that I respect you very much and... If you say no, then I hope our friendship won't suffer from this."
Vivio felt her blush return, and she spoke back in a soft tone. "If I did say no, I would still feel closer to than before, Einhart." Her words made her friend look surprised for a moment before calming down and smile sweetly at her.
"You're the best friend a girl could ask for, Vivio."
"Thank you." Vivio sat her mug on her headboard and smiled at Einhart honestly. "I'm going to sort my feelings out as well, please be patient."
"Okay. I'm sure Syn will understand as well, so don't put so much pressure on yourself on our accounts. We talked earlier and agreed that if you wanted to put this off, we would both understand."
'Nanoha-mama understands my friends more than I thought,' Vivio felt her spirits lift just knowing that she would be okay after this was over. "Okay. I'll talk to Syn a little later as well. For now, I think I'm just going to get a little bit of rest. Its been an exciting day, ne?"
Einhart nodded in agreement. "It has, I almost had a heart attack after I finally slid the letter in your shoebox." The two shared a giggle together at the thought. "I'll talk to you later, Vivio. Sweet dreams."
"You too, Ein." Giving each other a small wave, the communication was cut off. 'That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.' Vivio shifted so she could lay down in her bed, letting Kris cut off the lights for her. "Tomorrow Nanoha-mama will want to take me shopping... I wonder what I should wear to the dance?"
A.)A dress to show off Vivio's back
B.)A dress to show cleavage
C.)A dress that covers Vivio modestly
D.)A chicken suit
Spoiler for Winter Festival 4:
Einhart opened the door to see Vivio standing in a chicken suit with the head off. "Vi...vio?"
"Hi!" Vivio smiled brightly. "I wanted to show you what I would wear to the dance in case we went together."
Einhart blinked. "Eh? you don't mean..." She pointed at the yellow outfit. "That chika-a-fillet uniform?"
"Yes!" Vivio twirled around happily. "I got it at a good price too! I just had to have it to wear for the dance!"
"Are you...serious?"
"Yes." Vivio nodded at her. "I am." Einhart went silent, looking at Vivio with wide eyes. "Ein? what's wrong? don't you like it?" Vivio put a hand on her hip. "I thought you would get a kick out of it-" Before she could finish a hand lashed out and slapped her cheek hard.
"How... How dare you!?" Einhart's words shook. Her eyes narrowed and she seethed while glaring at Vivio. "I... I stayed up many nights, wrote that letter a hundred times... I ... I..." Rage made her voice break again and she slapped Vivio once more. "How are you take my feelings as some sort of sick joke..."
"Einhart...?" Vivio touched her cheek, wincing as the pain started to register more. "I just thought-"
"Don't speak to me." Stepping back, Einhart slammed the door hard and pressed her back against it, slowly sinking down and hugging her knees. Holding herself tight, she tried to fight back the tears as she heard Vivio walking away from her house.
-End
I love you so much Satashi.
Spoiler for Chicken:
Since Ein didn't accept Vivio's true self that obviously meant she didn't have true love for her. Syn probably would have pulled out the rooster costume
"Vivio?" Nanoha's voice came as she peeked her head into her teenage daughter's room, seeing the girl laying face down on the bed. "I've been trying to contact Kris for a few minutes now, its time for dinner."
"I'm not really hungry," the reply was muffled by a feather stuffed pillow. No other words were said, but Nanoha still walked over and sat down on the bed. The teen felt a hand on her back so she moved to rest her cheek onto her pillow. Looking up at the curious expression on her mother, Vivio let out a small sigh. "Mama... I feel strange."
"Tummy ache?" Nanoha asked lightly, trying to remember if she made sure her daughter got her flu shot this year.
"No... Its just..." A small sigh made her hair flutter up and fall back onto her face. " The winter dance is coming up next week, you know?"
Nanoha felt a small smile come onto her face, which was quickly repressed. "Yes?" She tried to sound encouraging, knowing full well that Vivio had already turned down several requests to be escorted.
"I..." Closing her eyes, she tried to voice her feelings. "I got a letter in my shoe locker today."
"Oh?" Nanoha's hand lightly scratched Vivio's back.
"Einhart... She asked me to go with her in a letter..." Reaching out slowly, she pulled the letter from under her pillow and lifted it up.
Nanoha took the letter and looked at it with a smile. The stationary was a bright blue and white with snowflake designs. Perfectly written letters were neatly on the lines in a graceful calligraphy style, making the mother smile at the time it must have taken to write. The message itself was rather long, but strangely to the point, addressing the fact that she was humbly requesting a real date. The ending confirmed that a turn down would be understood and respected but wanted the chance to try and develop a closer relationship with her if possible. "Its a lovely letter," Nanoha finally spoke. "She must have written it several times."
"I know," Vivio's voice was laced with joy, which only made Nanoha more confused.
"Are you afraid it might not end well and hurt your friendship?" Nanoha went back to rubbing her daughter's back encouragingly.
"No, its not that... I read it after school while waiting for Syn to walk home with me. Einhart ran ahead of course...But..." Red and green eyes turned to look up at her mother. "Syn... On the way home, asked me to go with her."
"Oh," Nanoha's eyes widened slightly. "A real date?"
"Syn... doesn't like dances. She actually wasn't planning on going to it at all."
"What made her change her mind?"
Vivio took a long inhale through her nose. "She knew Einhart asked me..." The hand on her back stopped moving, so she confirmed the thought before it could be voiced. "Syn... told me she didn't like the idea of me going with somebody else."
"That's..." Nanoha felt a little bit of annoyance towards the blue haired girl.
"That's just how Syn is," Vivio defended her friend. "It was okay when other people asked me but... She knows Einhart really wanted me to go with her as more than a friend and... she told me that she wanted to be closer to me more than anyone else and felt as if she would lose that chance if I went with Einhart... In her own little way, Syn is trying to say that she likes me, even if she's too... Syn-like... to say it."
"I see..." Nanoha wished, more than ever, that becoming a parent came with the answer book to all of her daughter's potential problems. "What do you think about this?"
"I don't know what to think... They're both my best friends, and all at once it just..." Another sigh came and she closed her eyes again, resting on her pillow. "I just don't know."
The mother kept her eyes on her daughter laying on the bed and tried not to sigh as well. "How long do you have to answer?"
"The dance is this weekend."
This time Nanoha gasped. "That doesn't give us long at all!" She thought fast, going over picking out a dress, matching things to go with it since Vivio didn't have any formal wear, and trying to think if they could get her a make-over in time. Once she got over the fact that she was jumping the gun a little bit, she settled down enough to re-address the situation. "Okay... Do you... feel for either of them?" The idea of Vivio going on a date was nothing new to her, as the girl had been out a handful of times with random people, but the thought of her little girl actually developing feelings was something she hadn't pondered on.
Vivio didn't answer at first. Instead, she gave a small hum to encourage the comforting back scratching to resume. After a few moments went by, Vivio opened her eyes and looked across her bed and over to the picture on her nightstand showing her with all of her friends. "The thought of turning either one down and making them sad really makes my chest hurt, but lying to either one also feels bad... Mama... I think I like both of them." Nanoha felt her heart break when Vivio's helpless look went up at her, honestly expecting for the mother to have the answer ready to give. "What do I do?"
"I... I think..." Nanoha tried to force a smile. "I think right now you are putting too much on yourself. Come downstairs with me and try to eat a little bit and calm down. Once you've had a moment to settle you can look at the situation with a new perspective."
The daughter slowly nodded and pushed herself up from her bed before being helped to her feet. "Okay... I'll give it a try."
Spoiler for Winter Festival 2:
~**~
Nanoha looked over at her daughter as she started moving the plates from the dining room table to the kitchen. Although Vivio had managed to eat a little more than half her meal, Nanoha knew that she had forced some of it. "Vivio," the name made her daughter look up at her with a sad but attentive face. "I didn't ask, but does Einhart know that Syn asked you as well?"
"Probably," Vivio answered lightly while picking up her plate as well. "Syn's the type to make sure that Einhart wouldn't think she was going behind her back. The two are probably arguing on the phone right now about it."
"I see..." Nanoha offered a weak smile. "Regardless of which one you take, you're going to the dance, right?"
"I... Yeah." Vivio nodded and placed her platter onto the kitchen counter.
"If you think it might be better," Nanoha tried to sooth her daughter a little more by putting her hands onto her shoulders. "You could turn them both down and request to go as friends. The situation won't go away, but it will give you more time to think about this."
"Yes, but..." Vivio let her eyes fall a moment before turning to look over her shoulder and at her mother. "They both addressed me knowing what it could lead to, so I'd feel as if I were running away if I did that."
With a proud smile, Nanoha gave her teen a squeeze before letting her go. "Okay. In that case, we can go shopping tomorrow to get you a dress and fixed up."
Vivio felt her lips turn up just a little. "Thank you but I don't really think a make-over would fit me. Beauty salons make me feel a little weird."
"Who said we were going to one of them?" Nanoha held up a finger. "I'm going to invite Hayate-chan over." The joke made Vivio's spirits lift noticeably. "Good, you smiled. Don't think this can't be resolved, I know you'll make the right choice, Vivio." The mother started ushering Vivio to the back door. "Don't stay out too long practicing okay? Its cold outside so be sure to go to the gym nearby okay?"
"Yes mama," Vivio looked over her shoulder and gave a small smile. After a short wave, Vivio left the house and started jogging down the neighborhood. The normal shortcut through a neighbor's yard was taken with permission and she waved to the children still playing in the snow despite the rapidly setting sun. After only a few minutes of jogging, the large building came into view and the blonde doubled her steps to clear the parking lot faster. Once the doors opened she felt a gust of warm air wash over her and a content sigh came out at the feeling. Her ID was scanned to grant her access via Kris flying down over the designated scanning section. Once completely inside the gym she looked around to see if Nove or any of her friends were visible.
When nobody she personally knew was spotted she nodded to herself in appreciation of being able to practice on her own while thinking on her current situation. Her feet lead her to the changing room and her rented locker was opened so she could change into her gear. The pads and outfit was looked at briefly before being changed into, bringing back memories of when she had gotten the training gear to begin with. 'almost a year ago,' she thought back fondly. 'Einhart bought me this because my old training gear started weakening and getting too tight on my growing body...' A soft hue of crimson came to her cheeks. 'It took almost all of her savings to get me the entire set, but she still got it for me despite knowing that my Mama could easily afford it...'
After strapping her protective padding over her arms and flexing her fingers, the teen made her way to the Strike Arts section of the residential section gym. Not many people were on the mats that night, allowing her to easily claim the work out equipment she wanted. A practice dummy was claimed and Vivio tapped the wooden arms a few times to test how it spun before slowly increasing her pace. 'Einhart showed me how to use these all those years ago... Nove was always a one-on-one instructor it seems...'
Her movements sped up at a steady pace, slapping the arms of the dummy around and blocking the limbs that came at her. Instinctively the girl lapsed into a Kata, her body moving on its own. 'How long has it been now anyway? ' Her breathing started to get heavier, hands and legs moving faster and harder. 'Several years... I wonder how long ago they started having feelings for me?' Finishing the warm up, she took a step back and inhaled to steady herself. 'I never even noticed...'
A few moments later Vivio found herself practicing other Katas on the mat, moving and twirling her body with grace and ease that came with the years of dedication she had put into her Arts. 'Syn surprised me... I know she really cares about me, but I never knew it could possibly be romantic... I guess my parents started that way as well, they never considered it until Nanoha-mama adopted me.' Relating her situation to her parents gave her a little bit of confidence. 'But Einhart is there as well, and she obviously wants me to take her seriously... I can't even begin to imagine what is going on in her mind. Didn't her ancestor love my original self? She's a descendant but I'm literally a clone of Olivie... Are her feelings hers or what she thinks are hers? ' Vivio's motions became weaker as her mind wandered. 'She must be worrying so much right now, she's the type to be so strong on the outside but really just wants to be loved on the inside... I hope she isn't waiting by her phone.'
Once her body started to sweat in the warm air of the gym, Vivio decided to simply lift some weights since her mind was losing focus on her movements. Two dumbbells were taken and she positioned her body with her legs slightly apart so she could cross down and touch her toes with the weights. 'Syn is probably thinking about how suddenly she acted, asking me. Are her feelings really love or is she just scared about losing me as a best friend? Fate-mama was worried about Aunt Hayate for a while but they're still so close they're like sisters now... But at the same time, I can't dismiss her as a friend without really knowing what she's thinking.' A long sigh came paired with swapping to another position. 'Just this morning I wasn't worrying about anything other than gently turning down the guys who asked me out, now I'm panicking over which friend I should take... Ugh, I don't even know how I feel about them in a romantic way...'
A look at the large clock on the wall let her know her hour long workout would be ending soon. Replacing her weights, she went back to the locker room to reclaim her clothes and spray her uniform with a spritz bottle of cleaner. Once she wiped her sweat off with a towel, she looked up at Kris. 'I really need to talk to them to find out more, but would it really be a good idea?'
Spoiler for Winter Festival 3:
The cold outside air felt as if it froze the sweat still lingering on Vivio's body. An instant shiver wracked her body, making the blonde jog the entire length home. Opening the front door, Vivio was greeted with the scent of fresh wassail brewing and gave a smile at the thought of drinking some. As she walked to the kitchen she heard Nanoha wishing Fate a farewell and saw the monitor close down just as her feet touched the tile on the floor. "Was that Fate-mama?"
"Mm," Nanoha answered with a nod. "I was just... checking in with her."
"I see," moving to inhale the scent of the Christmas time hot drink, she looked at the pink liquid bubbling. "Is it ready?"
"It needs to boil for a while longer. Why don't you run take a shower and get a cup when you're out?"
"Okay," Vivio agreed with those terms and went upstairs to her room to pick out some clothes to change into. Deciding on a festive pair of red pajamas with mistletoe print, she made her way to the bathroom. Moments passed and soon she found herself under the warm spay of water. 'Nanoha-mama was probably asking Fate-mama for advice on what I should do...' Turning around so the water hit her back, Vivio bent over to get some shampoo onto her hands. 'Not even Mama has advice for me... I really do have to figure this out myself.'
Hot soapy water washed down Vivio's back steadily as she rinsed the soap from her hair in preparation for conditioner. 'I can't put this off very long, the dance is only a few days away... Thank goodness none of us are on the student council overseeing it, so at least no school until then.' Moving her lufa over her shoulders and chest, Vivio leaned back against the shower wall. 'I think I know where Syn stands, but Einhart really shocked me... The way she wrote her letter makes me wonder just how much she cares for me... It almost seems as if she was confused herself, but was serious about wanting me to accept her...' Lifting her head to avoid soap getting into her eyes, she rinsed her hair once more and allowed the water to take the soap off her body as it ran down her skin. After a few more moments of wiping down her body, she cut the water off and pulled the curtains back to step onto the fluffy mat outside the tub.
Ten minutes later, Vivio sat down on her bed and brought a pink mug of wassail to her lips to carefully sip on the scalding liquid. "Ahhn...That's good." The words helped combat the silence of her room. Mis-colored eyes skimmed the room boredly out of habit, skipping from her bookshelf to the rarely ever used gaming system her aunt had spoiled her with. 'Normally I would call my friends to pass the time when not studying or reading.' The thought made her shift back onto her bed and wiggled her legs under the covers to find some warmth. 'Rio and Corona are away with their families, so that leaves Einhart and Syn.' Turning to look at Kris, Vivio asked her question aloud. "What do you think, Kris? Ein or Syn?" Her device raised its right hand up to cast his vote for her. "Einhart, huh?" Leaning against her headboard, Vivio pulled the covers to her waist and took another sip of her drink. "Call her for me?" A monitor appeared before her and Einhart's name came up on it for only a few seconds before the girl's face appeared. 'She really was waiting for a call,' Vivio thought with a smile. "Hey, hope its not too late for a call?"
"Not at all," Einhart replied back quickly, moving from her desk to her bed. "So... Hi."
"Hi," Vivio felt her cheeks color lightly when her friend fidgeted lightly. "Uhm... I got your letter."
"Mmn," Einhart nodded. "Syn contacted me earlier about it."
"What did she say?"
The silver-green haired girl crossed her legs Indian style and held onto her ankles to get comfortable. "That she asked you as well, and wanted to be honest about it."
"That's Syn for you," Vivio felt herself grinning for a moment.
Einhart looked away shyly. "I hope I didn't upset you today?"
"No, no..." Vivio took a moment to sip on her drink once more. "That's kind of why I called you." Waiting for Einhart to look at her again, Vivio took a steadying breath and shifted the mug in her hands. "It was really sudden... I don't have an answer for you yet but... Can I ask something?" A nod encouraged her to go on. "What made you decide to ask me now of all times?"
"I thought you would ask that," Einhart replied softly. Her own heterochromic eyes looked down at her lap while she shifted nervously on her bed. "I guess it started a while ago, actually. You know how I've had memories from the past?" She glanced up just long enough to see her friend nod. "I always thought that my attraction to you was because of that. I never considered it romantic before, but I've always felt really close to you for some reason... A little while ago I started having dreams again, but this time..." Leaning forward, Einhart looked down even more, the tips of her ears starting to turn red. "They... weren't about Ingvalt and Olivie, but rather...You and me."
Vivio felt shocked by this sudden announcement, but at the same time a little flattered as well. "Oh... I-I see."
"I didn't know how to take it," Einhart continued, now looking up at Vivio on her monitor. "I felt so confused about it, like my feelings from the past were starting to come into my life now... It was as if my past was haunting me again, like when we first met." A small silence overcame the conversation while the girl tried to steady herself again. "I didn't want that to change how I felt about you, because this is my life, and you aremy friend. I guess... That was what made me finally realize that I was so upset because my feelings are real. I want to like you because I like you, and not because my past tells me I should... I'm sorry, this is a lot to put on you all at once. I wrote the letter because I thought it would be a welcome buffer to this conversation."
"I see..." Vivio looked down into her cooling mug of wassail and inhaled its scent deeply while drinking a gulp of it. The warmth soothed her throat and made her sniff lightly. Her spirits lifted a little after hearing her friend's full thoughts and the uneasiness of it lessened just a little. "Thank you for being honest with me."
"I hope I didn't offend you?"
"No, not at all... I'm still just a little shocked by everything. But," She smiled at Einhart honestly. "I feel better now, knowing how you really feel. I don't have an answer for you right now, but I promise I will think about it, okay?"
"Yes," Einhart felt a large weight lift off of her shoulders. "Thank you, Vivio. I'm sorry you got put in such an awkward situation because of me."
"Don't apologize for that, its not your fault." Vivio shook her head lightly. "Is it okay if I give you an answer in a day or two?"
"Yes," A nod came with her reply. "I'm sure you have lots to think about, and not just me. Just know that I respect you very much and... If you say no, then I hope our friendship won't suffer from this."
Vivio felt her blush return, and she spoke back in a soft tone. "If I did say no, I would still feel closer to than before, Einhart." Her words made her friend look surprised for a moment before calming down and smile sweetly at her.
"You're the best friend a girl could ask for, Vivio."
"Thank you." Vivio sat her mug on her headboard and smiled at Einhart honestly. "I'm going to sort my feelings out as well, please be patient."
"Okay. I'm sure Syn will understand as well, so don't put so much pressure on yourself on our accounts. We talked earlier and agreed that if you wanted to put this off, we would both understand."
'Nanoha-mama understands my friends more than I thought,' Vivio felt her spirits lift just knowing that she would be okay after this was over. "Okay. I'll talk to Syn a little later as well. For now, I think I'm just going to get a little bit of rest. Its been an exciting day, ne?"
Einhart nodded in agreement. "It has, I almost had a heart attack after I finally slid the letter in your shoebox." The two shared a giggle together at the thought. "I'll talk to you later, Vivio. Sweet dreams."
"You too, Ein." Giving each other a small wave, the communication was cut off. 'That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.' Vivio shifted so she could lay down in her bed, letting Kris cut off the lights for her. "Tomorrow Nanoha-mama will want to take me shopping... I wonder what I should wear to the dance?"
A.)A dress to show off Vivio's back
B.)A dress to show cleavage
C.)A dress that covers Vivio modestly
D.)A chicken suit
Spoiler for Winter Festival 4:
Einhart opened the door to see Vivio standing in a chicken suit with the head off. "Vi...vio?"
"Hi!" Vivio smiled brightly. "I wanted to show you what I would wear to the dance in case we went together."
Einhart blinked. "Eh? you don't mean..." She pointed at the yellow outfit. "That chika-a-fillet uniform?"
"Yes!" Vivio twirled around happily. "I got it at a good price too! I just had to have it to wear for the dance!"
"Are you...serious?"
"Yes." Vivio nodded at her. "I am." Einhart went silent, looking at Vivio with wide eyes. "Ein? what's wrong? don't you like it?" Vivio put a hand on her hip. "I thought you would get a kick out of it-" Before she could finish a hand lashed out and slapped her cheek hard.
"How... How dare you!?" Einhart's words shook. Her eyes narrowed and she seethed while glaring at Vivio. "I... I stayed up many nights, wrote that letter a hundred times... I ... I..." Rage made her voice break again and she slapped Vivio once more. "How dare you take my feelings as some sort of sick joke..."
"Einhart...?" Vivio touched her cheek, wincing as the pain started to register more. "I just thought-"
"Don't speak to me." Stepping back, Einhart slammed the door hard and pressed her back against it, slowly sinking down and hugging her knees. Holding herself tight, she tried to fight back the tears as she heard Vivio walking away from her house.
-End
And this is why I stayed out of the voting, because I knew it would turn out to something like that.
And, no, I didn't even chuckle.
__________________
My fics Due to certain things, I am not here, find me over on TFF.
"Vivio?" Nanoha's voice came as she peeked her head into her teenage daughter's room, seeing the girl laying face down on the bed. "I've been trying to contact Kris for a few minutes now, its time for dinner."
"I'm not really hungry," the reply was muffled by a feather stuffed pillow. No other words were said, but Nanoha still walked over and sat down on the bed. The teen felt a hand on her back so she moved to rest her cheek onto her pillow. Looking up at the curious expression on her mother, Vivio let out a small sigh. "Mama... I feel strange."
"Tummy ache?" Nanoha asked lightly, trying to remember if she made sure her daughter got her flu shot this year.
"No... Its just..." A small sigh made her hair flutter up and fall back onto her face. " The winter dance is coming up next week, you know?"
Nanoha felt a small smile come onto her face, which was quickly repressed. "Yes?" She tried to sound encouraging, knowing full well that Vivio had already turned down several requests to be escorted.
"I..." Closing her eyes, she tried to voice her feelings. "I got a letter in my shoe locker today."
"Oh?" Nanoha's hand lightly scratched Vivio's back.
"Einhart... She asked me to go with her in a letter..." Reaching out slowly, she pulled the letter from under her pillow and lifted it up.
Nanoha took the letter and looked at it with a smile. The stationary was a bright blue and white with snowflake designs. Perfectly written letters were neatly on the lines in a graceful calligraphy style, making the mother smile at the time it must have taken to write. The message itself was rather long, but strangely to the point, addressing the fact that she was humbly requesting a real date. The ending confirmed that a turn down would be understood and respected but wanted the chance to try and develop a closer relationship with her if possible. "Its a lovely letter," Nanoha finally spoke. "She must have written it several times."
"I know," Vivio's voice was laced with joy, which only made Nanoha more confused.
"Are you afraid it might not end well and hurt your friendship?" Nanoha went back to rubbing her daughter's back encouragingly.
"No, its not that... I read it after school while waiting for Syn to walk home with me. Einhart ran ahead of course...But..." Red and green eyes turned to look up at her mother. "Syn... On the way home, asked me to go with her."
"Oh," Nanoha's eyes widened slightly. "A real date?"
"Syn... doesn't like dances. She actually wasn't planning on going to it at all."
"What made her change her mind?"
Vivio took a long inhale through her nose. "She knew Einhart asked me..." The hand on her back stopped moving, so she confirmed the thought before it could be voiced. "Syn... told me she didn't like the idea of me going with somebody else."
"That's..." Nanoha felt a little bit of annoyance towards the blue haired girl.
"That's just how Syn is," Vivio defended her friend. "It was okay when other people asked me but... She knows Einhart really wanted me to go with her as more than a friend and... she told me that she wanted to be closer to me more than anyone else and felt as if she would lose that chance if I went with Einhart... In her own little way, Syn is trying to say that she likes me, even if she's too... Syn-like... to say it."
"I see..." Nanoha wished, more than ever, that becoming a parent came with the answer book to all of her daughter's potential problems. "What do you think about this?"
"I don't know what to think... They're both my best friends, and all at once it just..." Another sigh came and she closed her eyes again, resting on her pillow. "I just don't know."
The mother kept her eyes on her daughter laying on the bed and tried not to sigh as well. "How long do you have to answer?"
"The dance is this weekend."
This time Nanoha gasped. "That doesn't give us long at all!" She thought fast, going over picking out a dress, matching things to go with it since Vivio didn't have any formal wear, and trying to think if they could get her a make-over in time. Once she got over the fact that she was jumping the gun a little bit, she settled down enough to re-address the situation. "Okay... Do you... feel for either of them?" The idea of Vivio going on a date was nothing new to her, as the girl had been out a handful of times with random people, but the thought of her little girl actually developing feelings was something she hadn't pondered on.
Vivio didn't answer at first. Instead, she gave a small hum to encourage the comforting back scratching to resume. After a few moments went by, Vivio opened her eyes and looked across her bed and over to the picture on her nightstand showing her with all of her friends. "The thought of turning either one down and making them sad really makes my chest hurt, but lying to either one also feels bad... Mama... I think I like both of them." Nanoha felt her heart break when Vivio's helpless look went up at her, honestly expecting for the mother to have the answer ready to give. "What do I do?"
"I... I think..." Nanoha tried to force a smile. "I think right now you are putting too much on yourself. Come downstairs with me and try to eat a little bit and calm down. Once you've had a moment to settle you can look at the situation with a new perspective."
The daughter slowly nodded and pushed herself up from her bed before being helped to her feet. "Okay... I'll give it a try."
Spoiler for Winter Festival 2:
~**~
Nanoha looked over at her daughter as she started moving the plates from the dining room table to the kitchen. Although Vivio had managed to eat a little more than half her meal, Nanoha knew that she had forced some of it. "Vivio," the name made her daughter look up at her with a sad but attentive face. "I didn't ask, but does Einhart know that Syn asked you as well?"
"Probably," Vivio answered lightly while picking up her plate as well. "Syn's the type to make sure that Einhart wouldn't think she was going behind her back. The two are probably arguing on the phone right now about it."
"I see..." Nanoha offered a weak smile. "Regardless of which one you take, you're going to the dance, right?"
"I... Yeah." Vivio nodded and placed her platter onto the kitchen counter.
"If you think it might be better," Nanoha tried to sooth her daughter a little more by putting her hands onto her shoulders. "You could turn them both down and request to go as friends. The situation won't go away, but it will give you more time to think about this."
"Yes, but..." Vivio let her eyes fall a moment before turning to look over her shoulder and at her mother. "They both addressed me knowing what it could lead to, so I'd feel as if I were running away if I did that."
With a proud smile, Nanoha gave her teen a squeeze before letting her go. "Okay. In that case, we can go shopping tomorrow to get you a dress and fixed up."
Vivio felt her lips turn up just a little. "Thank you but I don't really think a make-over would fit me. Beauty salons make me feel a little weird."
"Who said we were going to one of them?" Nanoha held up a finger. "I'm going to invite Hayate-chan over." The joke made Vivio's spirits lift noticeably. "Good, you smiled. Don't think this can't be resolved, I know you'll make the right choice, Vivio." The mother started ushering Vivio to the back door. "Don't stay out too long practicing okay? Its cold outside so be sure to go to the gym nearby okay?"
"Yes mama," Vivio looked over her shoulder and gave a small smile. After a short wave, Vivio left the house and started jogging down the neighborhood. The normal shortcut through a neighbor's yard was taken with permission and she waved to the children still playing in the snow despite the rapidly setting sun. After only a few minutes of jogging, the large building came into view and the blonde doubled her steps to clear the parking lot faster. Once the doors opened she felt a gust of warm air wash over her and a content sigh came out at the feeling. Her ID was scanned to grant her access via Kris flying down over the designated scanning section. Once completely inside the gym she looked around to see if Nove or any of her friends were visible.
When nobody she personally knew was spotted she nodded to herself in appreciation of being able to practice on her own while thinking on her current situation. Her feet lead her to the changing room and her rented locker was opened so she could change into her gear. The pads and outfit was looked at briefly before being changed into, bringing back memories of when she had gotten the training gear to begin with. 'almost a year ago,' she thought back fondly. 'Einhart bought me this because my old training gear started weakening and getting too tight on my growing body...' A soft hue of crimson came to her cheeks. 'It took almost all of her savings to get me the entire set, but she still got it for me despite knowing that my Mama could easily afford it...'
After strapping her protective padding over her arms and flexing her fingers, the teen made her way to the Strike Arts section of the residential section gym. Not many people were on the mats that night, allowing her to easily claim the work out equipment she wanted. A practice dummy was claimed and Vivio tapped the wooden arms a few times to test how it spun before slowly increasing her pace. 'Einhart showed me how to use these all those years ago... Nove was always a one-on-one instructor it seems...'
Her movements sped up at a steady pace, slapping the arms of the dummy around and blocking the limbs that came at her. Instinctively the girl lapsed into a Kata, her body moving on its own. 'How long has it been now anyway? ' Her breathing started to get heavier, hands and legs moving faster and harder. 'Several years... I wonder how long ago they started having feelings for me?' Finishing the warm up, she took a step back and inhaled to steady herself. 'I never even noticed...'
A few moments later Vivio found herself practicing other Katas on the mat, moving and twirling her body with grace and ease that came with the years of dedication she had put into her Arts. 'Syn surprised me... I know she really cares about me, but I never knew it could possibly be romantic... I guess my parents started that way as well, they never considered it until Nanoha-mama adopted me.' Relating her situation to her parents gave her a little bit of confidence. 'But Einhart is there as well, and she obviously wants me to take her seriously... I can't even begin to imagine what is going on in her mind. Didn't her ancestor love my original self? She's a descendant but I'm literally a clone of Olivie... Are her feelings hers or what she thinks are hers? ' Vivio's motions became weaker as her mind wandered. 'She must be worrying so much right now, she's the type to be so strong on the outside but really just wants to be loved on the inside... I hope she isn't waiting by her phone.'
Once her body started to sweat in the warm air of the gym, Vivio decided to simply lift some weights since her mind was losing focus on her movements. Two dumbbells were taken and she positioned her body with her legs slightly apart so she could cross down and touch her toes with the weights. 'Syn is probably thinking about how suddenly she acted, asking me. Are her feelings really love or is she just scared about losing me as a best friend? Fate-mama was worried about Aunt Hayate for a while but they're still so close they're like sisters now... But at the same time, I can't dismiss her as a friend without really knowing what she's thinking.' A long sigh came paired with swapping to another position. 'Just this morning I wasn't worrying about anything other than gently turning down the guys who asked me out, now I'm panicking over which friend I should take... Ugh, I don't even know how I feel about them in a romantic way...'
A look at the large clock on the wall let her know her hour long workout would be ending soon. Replacing her weights, she went back to the locker room to reclaim her clothes and spray her uniform with a spritz bottle of cleaner. Once she wiped her sweat off with a towel, she looked up at Kris. 'I really need to talk to them to find out more, but would it really be a good idea?'
Spoiler for Winter Festival 3:
The cold outside air felt as if it froze the sweat still lingering on Vivio's body. An instant shiver wracked her body, making the blonde jog the entire length home. Opening the front door, Vivio was greeted with the scent of fresh wassail brewing and gave a smile at the thought of drinking some. As she walked to the kitchen she heard Nanoha wishing Fate a farewell and saw the monitor close down just as her feet touched the tile on the floor. "Was that Fate-mama?"
"Mm," Nanoha answered with a nod. "I was just... checking in with her."
"I see," moving to inhale the scent of the Christmas time hot drink, she looked at the pink liquid bubbling. "Is it ready?"
"It needs to boil for a while longer. Why don't you run take a shower and get a cup when you're out?"
"Okay," Vivio agreed with those terms and went upstairs to her room to pick out some clothes to change into. Deciding on a festive pair of red pajamas with mistletoe print, she made her way to the bathroom. Moments passed and soon she found herself under the warm spay of water. 'Nanoha-mama was probably asking Fate-mama for advice on what I should do...' Turning around so the water hit her back, Vivio bent over to get some shampoo onto her hands. 'Not even Mama has advice for me... I really do have to figure this out myself.'
Hot soapy water washed down Vivio's back steadily as she rinsed the soap from her hair in preparation for conditioner. 'I can't put this off very long, the dance is only a few days away... Thank goodness none of us are on the student council overseeing it, so at least no school until then.' Moving her lufa over her shoulders and chest, Vivio leaned back against the shower wall. 'I think I know where Syn stands, but Einhart really shocked me... The way she wrote her letter makes me wonder just how much she cares for me... It almost seems as if she was confused herself, but was serious about wanting me to accept her...' Lifting her head to avoid soap getting into her eyes, she rinsed her hair once more and allowed the water to take the soap off her body as it ran down her skin. After a few more moments of wiping down her body, she cut the water off and pulled the curtains back to step onto the fluffy mat outside the tub.
Ten minutes later, Vivio sat down on her bed and brought a pink mug of wassail to her lips to carefully sip on the scalding liquid. "Ahhn...That's good." The words helped combat the silence of her room. Mis-colored eyes skimmed the room boredly out of habit, skipping from her bookshelf to the rarely ever used gaming system her aunt had spoiled her with. 'Normally I would call my friends to pass the time when not studying or reading.' The thought made her shift back onto her bed and wiggled her legs under the covers to find some warmth. 'Rio and Corona are away with their families, so that leaves Einhart and Syn.' Turning to look at Kris, Vivio asked her question aloud. "What do you think, Kris? Ein or Syn?" Her device raised its right hand up to cast his vote for her. "Einhart, huh?" Leaning against her headboard, Vivio pulled the covers to her waist and took another sip of her drink. "Call her for me?" A monitor appeared before her and Einhart's name came up on it for only a few seconds before the girl's face appeared. 'She really was waiting for a call,' Vivio thought with a smile. "Hey, hope its not too late for a call?"
"Not at all," Einhart replied back quickly, moving from her desk to her bed. "So... Hi."
"Hi," Vivio felt her cheeks color lightly when her friend fidgeted lightly. "Uhm... I got your letter."
"Mmn," Einhart nodded. "Syn contacted me earlier about it."
"What did she say?"
The silver-green haired girl crossed her legs Indian style and held onto her ankles to get comfortable. "That she asked you as well, and wanted to be honest about it."
"That's Syn for you," Vivio felt herself grinning for a moment.
Einhart looked away shyly. "I hope I didn't upset you today?"
"No, no..." Vivio took a moment to sip on her drink once more. "That's kind of why I called you." Waiting for Einhart to look at her again, Vivio took a steadying breath and shifted the mug in her hands. "It was really sudden... I don't have an answer for you yet but... Can I ask something?" A nod encouraged her to go on. "What made you decide to ask me now of all times?"
"I thought you would ask that," Einhart replied softly. Her own heterochromic eyes looked down at her lap while she shifted nervously on her bed. "I guess it started a while ago, actually. You know how I've had memories from the past?" She glanced up just long enough to see her friend nod. "I always thought that my attraction to you was because of that. I never considered it romantic before, but I've always felt really close to you for some reason... A little while ago I started having dreams again, but this time..." Leaning forward, Einhart looked down even more, the tips of her ears starting to turn red. "They... weren't about Ingvalt and Olivie, but rather...You and me."
Vivio felt shocked by this sudden announcement, but at the same time a little flattered as well. "Oh... I-I see."
"I didn't know how to take it," Einhart continued, now looking up at Vivio on her monitor. "I felt so confused about it, like my feelings from the past were starting to come into my life now... It was as if my past was haunting me again, like when we first met." A small silence overcame the conversation while the girl tried to steady herself again. "I didn't want that to change how I felt about you, because this is my life, and you aremy friend. I guess... That was what made me finally realize that I was so upset because my feelings are real. I want to like you because I like you, and not because my past tells me I should... I'm sorry, this is a lot to put on you all at once. I wrote the letter because I thought it would be a welcome buffer to this conversation."
"I see..." Vivio looked down into her cooling mug of wassail and inhaled its scent deeply while drinking a gulp of it. The warmth soothed her throat and made her sniff lightly. Her spirits lifted a little after hearing her friend's full thoughts and the uneasiness of it lessened just a little. "Thank you for being honest with me."
"I hope I didn't offend you?"
"No, not at all... I'm still just a little shocked by everything. But," She smiled at Einhart honestly. "I feel better now, knowing how you really feel. I don't have an answer for you right now, but I promise I will think about it, okay?"
"Yes," Einhart felt a large weight lift off of her shoulders. "Thank you, Vivio. I'm sorry you got put in such an awkward situation because of me."
"Don't apologize for that, its not your fault." Vivio shook her head lightly. "Is it okay if I give you an answer in a day or two?"
"Yes," A nod came with her reply. "I'm sure you have lots to think about, and not just me. Just know that I respect you very much and... If you say no, then I hope our friendship won't suffer from this."
Vivio felt her blush return, and she spoke back in a soft tone. "If I did say no, I would still feel closer to than before, Einhart." Her words made her friend look surprised for a moment before calming down and smile sweetly at her.
"You're the best friend a girl could ask for, Vivio."
"Thank you." Vivio sat her mug on her headboard and smiled at Einhart honestly. "I'm going to sort my feelings out as well, please be patient."
"Okay. I'm sure Syn will understand as well, so don't put so much pressure on yourself on our accounts. We talked earlier and agreed that if you wanted to put this off, we would both understand."
'Nanoha-mama understands my friends more than I thought,' Vivio felt her spirits lift just knowing that she would be okay after this was over. "Okay. I'll talk to Syn a little later as well. For now, I think I'm just going to get a little bit of rest. Its been an exciting day, ne?"
Einhart nodded in agreement. "It has, I almost had a heart attack after I finally slid the letter in your shoebox." The two shared a giggle together at the thought. "I'll talk to you later, Vivio. Sweet dreams."
"You too, Ein." Giving each other a small wave, the communication was cut off. 'That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.' Vivio shifted so she could lay down in her bed, letting Kris cut off the lights for her. "Tomorrow Nanoha-mama will want to take me shopping... I wonder what I should wear to the dance?"
A.)A dress to show off Vivio's back
B.)A dress to show cleavage
C.)A dress that covers Vivio modestly
D.)A chicken suit
Spoiler for Winter Festival 4:
Einhart opened the door to see Vivio standing in a chicken suit with the head off. "Vi...vio?"
"Hi!" Vivio smiled brightly. "I wanted to show you what I would wear to the dance in case we went together."
Einhart blinked. "Eh? you don't mean..." She pointed at the yellow outfit. "That chika-a-fillet uniform?"
"Yes!" Vivio twirled around happily. "I got it at a good price too! I just had to have it to wear for the dance!"
"Are you...serious?"
"Yes." Vivio nodded at her. "I am." Einhart went silent, looking at Vivio with wide eyes. "Ein? what's wrong? don't you like it?" Vivio put a hand on her hip. "I thought you would get a kick out of it-" Before she could finish a hand lashed out and slapped her cheek hard.
"How... How dare you!?" Einhart's words shook. Her eyes narrowed and she seethed while glaring at Vivio. "I... I stayed up many nights, wrote that letter a hundred times... I ... I..." Rage made her voice break again and she slapped Vivio once more. "How dare you take my feelings as some sort of sick joke..."
"Einhart...?" Vivio touched her cheek, wincing as the pain started to register more. "I just thought-"
"Don't speak to me." Stepping back, Einhart slammed the door hard and pressed her back against it, slowly sinking down and hugging her knees. Holding herself tight, she tried to fight back the tears as she heard Vivio walking away from her house.
The BAD END is awesome and much appreciated. Now Vivio has to crawl and beg to make things up to Ein. It doesn't have to finish with the chicken suit! :3
The BAD END is awesome and much appreciated. Now Vivio has to crawl and beg to make things up to Ein. It doesn't have to finish with the chicken suit! :3
Drat, so much wasted potential in crawling and begging.
O.O!!! I never realized we had such a sadistic mistress running our harem...I better report this to the others before-- *shot*
*revives somehow*
So you are saying she should have just gone with Syn to the dance instead and tried to patch things with with Einhart later? but what if they all meet at the dance? They would have to settle the matter right then and there...no, not like adults...
like KAISERS!
*shot repeatedly*
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Life is a waste of time, Time is a waste of life, Get wasted all the time, And have the time of your life ^.^
2009-12-28, 15:51
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