My own opinion is that it would be worse to call both of them in together, and deliver the news that somebody's getting their heart broken in front of the person who 'wins'. To me, that's the kind of thing you handle privately, say call the one she isn't picking and lay it out. At least that way they get to keep their pride.
I'm not saying that. I'm saying that Vivio take the chance to discuss the situation fully with both of them, to understand where they're coming from and why, instead of calling one privately. I'm not even going to touch the huge mess that will result from her choosing one over the other.
"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
I wish I had Einhart as a friend.
(About the choices, think about what the options means to each girl, and how they will see Vivio wearing it. Option D added because RB wanted one.)
I vote A :3 I think it'd be cute, but still relatively modest. Mhmm. And if she takes after her Nanoha-mama, she wont agree to a lot of coverage >w<. Unless Fate-mama ends up having some say oxo
*de-lurks*
@OZ7UP: Signum is Captain Slow? I guess that works. I'll end up reading more as you post.
*returns to lurking*
Just following what Nya~n suggested 60 (or so) pages ago, but it really does make sense. Besides, Signum can probably pull off James' deadpan humor pretty well.
I take that you're not gonna vote?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tabasco
B
I'd like to see a Corvette ZO6, a Porche 911, and a Shelby Cobra, if you please.
Pretty good choice of cars over here. Methinks I shall leave this up for another day before writing the next segment.
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow, in a house dropped on an ugly, old woman.
First off, I enjoyed everyone's Christmas fics, but due to the sheer backlog, I'll probably comment individually if they are up on ff.net (finally back online, now that I'm back at work; home computer still down ;_; )
But, I'm still trying to write to avoid getting rusty, so I present the below, starring Admiral Lindy Harlaown...
Spoiler for Lindy Harlaown's Bureau Recruitment Song!:
Lindy Harlaown's Bureau Recruitment Song!
(takes place at the end of A's)
“Did she say what she wanted?” Chrono asked, as the trio walked down the corridor of the Asura.
Fate shook her head. “No, she didn't, although I'm worried I didn't do too well on this incident.”
Amy smiled and ruffled the young girl's hair as they reached the door to Lindy's office. “I'm sure it's nothing too bad, so cheer up! You did fine.”
The door swung open and Lindy smiled as she got up from her desk and came around to them. “Oh, Fate-chan, thanks for coming! I wanted to commend you for the good job you did during this incident.”
Amy nudged the younger girl with her elbow, as if to say, “See?” and then took a sit on the side with Chrono, while Lindy guided Fate to sit in the chair across from her desk.
“So, why did you want to see us?” Chrono asked his mother, having a strange, fearful feeling in his gut.
“Well, I wanted to see if Fate had given any thought as to what she wants to do with her life, once her probationary period is over,” Lindy replied, turning back to the subject girl.
Fate's head dropped, sounding a bit down and unsure. “I-I'm not sure. I mean, I've never really thought about it... because of my mother, the trial, and this latest incident,”
Lindy's smile widened. “Well, I've told you all about the travel and fringe benefits of staying with the TSAB. And the pay and hours are great, too! And if that's not enough....” She hit a couple of buttons on her desk.
Chrono paled as different colored lights filled the room to the tune of music starting, and a shiny ball lowered from the ceiling. [She wouldn't....]
All three stared in surprise as Lindy stood, mic in hand...
Young mage, there's no need to feel down.
I said, young mage, pick yourself off the ground.
I said, young mage, 'cause you're in a new town
There's no need to be unhappy.
Young mage, there's a place you can go.
I said, young mage, where your magic can grow.
You can stay there, and I'm sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time.
It's fun to stay with the T-S-A-B,
It's fun to stay with the T-S-A-B.
Don't matter if you've got ponytails or curls,
You can hang out with all the girls ...
It's fun to stay with the T-S-A-B,
It's fun to stay with the T-S-A-B.
You won't be alone, you'll have a place to call home,
You will no longer need to roam...
Chrono buried his face in his hand, absently wondering exactly how his mother managed to make a “B” with her body...
Young mage, are you listening to me?
I said, young mage, what do you want to be?
I said, young mage, you can make real your dreams.
But you've got to know this one thing!
No mage does it all by herself.
I said, young mage, put your pride on the shelf,
And just go there, to the T-S-A-B.
They can help you, I guarantee.
It's fun to stay with the T-S-A-B,
It's fun to stay with the T-S-A-B.
Don't matter if you've got ponytails or curls,
You can hang out with all the girls ...
It's fun to stay with the T-S-A-B,
It's fun to stay with the T-S-A-B.
You won't be alone, you'll have a place to call home,
You will no longer need to roam...
Chrono risked peeking out from from behind his fingers, noticing Fate hypnotically watching three large monitors behind Lindy, showcasing a number of mages helping and rescuing people, and being cheered by the populace.
Young mage, I was once in your place.
My husband, was blown up out in space,
I felt no one cared if I were alive.
I wondered how I would survive...
That's when someone came up to me,
And said, young mage, take a walk up the street.
It's a place there called the T-S-A-B.
They can help you a lot for free.
It's fun to stay with the T-S-A-B,
It's fun to stay with the T-S-A-B.
Don't matter if you've got ponytails or curls,
You can hang out with all the girls ...
T-S-A-B
It's fun to stay at the T-S-A-B
Young mage, young mage there's no need to feel down
Young mage, young mage pick yourself off the ground
T-S-A-B
then just go to the T-S-A-B
young mage, young mage I was once in your shoes
young mage, young mage I said, I was down and out with the blues.
T-S-A-B
Multi-colored smoke exploded behind her as a “Join the TSAB!” banner unfurled above, and confetti rained down.
“So, what do you think?” Lindy asked, smiling, hand outstretched.
Fate blinked, nearly expressionless. “... I think I want to join the TSAB...”
“Excellent choice!” the musical Admiral declared, taking Fate's hand and guiding her to the desk. “There are just some forms to fill out....”
Chrono groaned, his face in his hands, never before having been this embarrassed. [It's official; she's spent too much time on Earth and in those kareoke bars.]
A voice next to him hummed and sang softly. “It's fun to stay with the TSAB...”
“AMY!” Chrono barked.
She was taken aback. “What? It's catchy!”
---------------------
Author's notes:
And now you know the real reason why Fate joined... Well, it was either this, or the “Yvey eht Nioj” song from the Simpsons episode...
This all came to me when I read a transcript of a sound stage, where Lindy came across as an over-eager recruiter. Even though this is humor, it scares me to think she could actually do this...
--------------------
Bonus ending:
“Have you decided what you're going to do?” Fate asked as the pair walked the snowy street.
“Well, I haven't quite decided, but I am probably heading in the same direction as you,” Nanoha replied after a moment.
Fate grabbed her hand excitedly. “I really think you should come with me and listen to what Admiral Lindy has to say!”
As for my other fics, for those who are interested:
Spoiler for Status report:
Red Jewel Diaries will consist of the following chapters:
1. Lip Service - Done
2. Heritage - 50% done, but on my old computer so I may push it back to chapter 3.
3. Family - 25% done (writing it slowly at work)
4. Take me out to the ball game - Teana/Subaru piece, mostly plotted
5. Allies - Quattro/Tre/Sette piece, fully plotted
6. Life - Nanoha talks to Amy, who goes into the Chrono/Amy backstory
7. Dragon Quest - Erio/Caro piece, with Zafira, Lutecia, Megane, and Agito co-starring, fully plotted
8. That Cinque'ing Feeling - Tentative title, still tossing around ideas; mainly want to do a Nakajima/Cyborg piece
9. For Better or for Worse - Final chapter, leaving it as a bit of a surprise.
Recollections of a Lost Age - Chapter 4 is 75% on my old computer, so may be delayed until I get it fixed. The other 2 chapters have been mostly plotted.
I've also been heavily plotting the sequels, and so I prevent the below two sneak peaks:
Spoiler for Sneak Peak 1:
---------------------
Arisa: *voice over* This wasn't the mission, or the homecoming, I had been expecting...
---------------------
"They're still out there?" Arisa asked as she entered the office and joined the diplomatic ambassador at the window.
Below, outside the embassy gates, the picketing crowd had grown larger, chanting and carrying signs that said things like "Aliens go home!"
Lindy didn't turn around. "Yes, and because of our latest flub, the TSAB is considering ending our mission. The situation is deteriorating." She finally turned toward her visitor. "The Bureau is considering leaving Earth to itself for now, even if that means it destroys itself."
---------------------
Suzuka: And I didn't expect to find out that I was the only member of my family to be carrying secrets...
---------------------
As the carnage finally ended, Suzuka tried to still her trembling body, but failed completely.
Shinobu turned to her younger sister, sadness in her eyes, and wiped the blood from her face. "I never wanted you to see me like this..."
---------------------
Vice: But despite the hardships, there were some moments of amusement...
---------------------
Vice slowly smiled, bemused, as the clean-shaven man in the white suit bent down and took the right hand of the young woman.
"You are Miyuki Takamachi, correct?" he told her, kissing the back of her hand.
A blade was suddenly at the man's throat, so fast that Vice didn't see her draw it.
"And you are?" Miyuki asked, her voice calm and steady.
He smiled, his gaze not wavering from hers. "Verossa Acous. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
---------------------
Otto: It was definitely a learning experience...
---------------------
The cyborg looked back and forth between the two choices. This was something Otto wasn't entirely comfortable with, but it needed to be done. The wrong choice would have disastrous consequences.
The men's side of the bath... or the women's?
---------------------
Arf: But overall... we came, we saw, and we kicked butt!
---------------------
"Those two are getting away!" Arisa called over the channel.
"They're mine!" Arf replied eagerly, dropping her golem, Fenrir, from the sky and shifting to four-legged lupine mode.
She landed on the first one of the strange Earth mecha, metal claws and jaws tearing it to ribbons. A booster-assisted leap brought her to the second one, their speed being no match for hers. It was similarly reduced to scrap by Arf's furious feral assault.
But it had been a trap, as three more emerged from the ground, having been hidden. As they trained their weapons on her, she smiled grimly and leapt for the middle one.
"Bring it on!"
---------------------
Presenting a Magical Girl Mecha fanfic...
Magical G-Squad
Vice: Hey, I'm not a magical girl...
Coming in Feburary 2010...
And now a second sequel taking place at about the same time, that only one other person knows about... and taking a slightly different tone...
Spoiler for Sneak Peak 2:
---------------------
Nanoha: *voice over* As I look across at the world I now call home, and the people I have met over the years....
---------------------
Nanoha found a surprise as she opened the door of her home in response to the knock, finding a gun pointed at her head.
"Nanoha S. Takamachi, you are under arrest on suspicion of large-scale destruction, assault, and murder," Teana told her, her voice a bit shaky, but calm as she held Cross Mirage at her suspect with her left hand.
Nanoha stared in shock at how beat up Tea was looking; beyond scratches and bruises, her right arm was in a sling, and a bandage was wrapped around her head. Behind her, the full Wolkenritter contingent had their weapons drawn, but Nanoha was most struck by Subaru. The cyborg girl was equally beat up, and her teary face displayed a mixture of anger, sadness, and fear.
"Hayate, is this a joke?" the Bureau Ace asked.
Hayate shook her head, a hardened expression on her face. "I'm sorry, but this is no joke. We'll need you to hand over Raging Heart and surrender to us."
---------------------
Nanoha: The friends I have made and trust with my life...
---------------------
Floodlights lit up the area and a large-scale barrier went up, causing Fate to snarl in anger. "A trap! You lied to me and set me up!"
"I'm sorry, Fate!" Caro cried.
"Please, Fate, it's for your own good!" Erio added. "Just come with us; we'll help you, please!"
Bardiche shifted to Haken form, dictating Fate's answer.
---------------------
Nanoha: And I worry for my children; both the one within me...
---------------------
"Nanoha?" Fate questioned, looking in worry at the girl's teary face.
"I CAN'T!" Nanoha exclaimed, eyes shut tight in pain. "I can't have my baby now, not here, not like THIS!"
The green barrier flickered as more shadowy shapes struck it, and Yuuno took a half step backward.
"At the current rate, his barrier will collapse in 3 minutes and 48 seconds," Alicia intoned, a bit of worry in her voice.
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Nanoha: And the one I have adopted.
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Nine-year-old Vivio Takamachi turned as she heard her name called, a plush rabbit peaking out of her backpack. Her two friends turned with her.
"Your mamas and papa have been hurt badly," the saint church knight told her, kneeling. "If you come with me, I can take you to them."
Vivio glanced worriedly between Rio and Corona.
---------------------
Nanoha: And I ask myself: How did things go so wrong?
---------------------
Carim slammed her hand down on the table. "This is NOT the reason the Church was founded!"
The suspect smiled slowly from hsi chair, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table. "Oh, but this is exactly the reason for it's founding, Knight Carim Gracia. There is more going on than you know. The order runs very deep; there is no way you can hope to go against that. And you will throw away everything you believe in if you try."
---------------------
Nanoha: And how do we deal with those dark impulses in all of us?
---------------------
"NO, DON'T!" Subaru cried, unable to free herself from the rubble.
There was a sickening crack, and Tea's pained scream drowned out Nanoha's echoing laughter.
---------------------
Nanoha and her friends are about to be forced to confront everything they believe in...
MGLN: Through a Mirror, Darkly
The devil is no longer just in the details...
"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.
2009-12-28, 00:37
Author
I'll end up reading more as you post.
