mayfield_rpg | 1st Record ｢The Value of Family｣

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1st Record ｢The Value of Family｣

[ Action : 1336 Benny Road, for Housemates ]
[ Her wide violet eyes take in her surroundings as the panic slowly creeps in on her. Whose bedroom is this? Whose house is this? Whose dress, and purse, and photos? Gone are her ribbons. Gone is her uniform. Gone is her A.I. partner; her magic; her ability to communicate with others with a simple thought.

Let's get one thing straight: there are few things that will unsettle the placid Ace of Aces quite like a kidnapping. To even consider that she could be taken so easily from such a secure location... the thought chills her to her core. The calm, rational part of her mind takes a back seat to momentary, blinding panic. She needs her bearings. She needs to find the comfort and peace of her family, and safety of the Bureau. She needs to get out of this house.

And that's exactly what she does. The door she assumed was locked gave way to a twist of the knob. The hallway was unguarded, as were the stairs, and the living room. It seems the house was impeccably clean, and yet there were still signs that it was lived-in. Plates and crumbs here and there, newspapers, school books, bags, shoes by the door, a coat and hat on the rack. She took all this in and it is this delay that led to the sound of footsteps.

Tense, Nanoha could not bring herself to a proper ready position before she turned toward whom she assumed was her captor. Though she might be stripped of her power, there is a fighting spirit that no amount of bindings can suppress, and she is quite fit, to boot. There is no way she will take this situation sitting down! ] Who's there?

[ Action : 1336 Benny Road : Outside, for Hayate Yagami ]
[ The revelations were... exhausting, to say the least. After those talks, Nanoha really needed some fresh air. She could try and take to the streets, but those efforts have been deemed futile before she was even out of the door. Later. She'll recover her strength, and head out later. There has to be a plan of action and not just blind stumbling through this town.

Though she has no reason to distrust the information she has gathered, there is no reason to outright trust it beyond her usual habit of giving others the benefit of the doubt. And trust me, there are a lot of doubts in her mind right then.

—like the fact she looked to the side and there, visible through the window of the neighboring house, stood one of her oldest and dearest friends. It's almost unreal. ] Hayate...!? [ Hoping beyond hope, she cups her hands to her mouth and shouts. ] HAYATE!! [ If this is not a dream or a nightmare, then it stands to reason that this is not an illusion. ]

[ Phone/Action, for Fate T. Harlaown & Vivio Takamachi ]
[ Her voice takes a moment to find its strength, but it's there. She is much calmer after having spoken to a close and trusted friend, but there are still yet two people she must really hear from, today, to help ease her troubled thoughts. ]

Fate? Vivio? ...my, this is such an outdated method, isn't it? But...

[ No! She will not ramble and lose focus. Nanoha takes a breath. ] I'm here, now. I'm at 1336 Benny Road... it seems I'm going to be Hayate's neighbor for just a short while. [ A subtle promise that yes, she WILL get them all out of here. ] Won't you please come see me? I'll be waiting.

[ And once she hangs up the receiver, she will go out and wait on the front porch, hands clasped tightly before her, eyes alert for the arrival of her family. ]

((OOC: sob, I'm sorry how closed this all is, but I do have a voice post prepared for Nanoha after she's settled in a bit! Feel free to come across her standing out front and waiting for arrivals in the last prompt if you really want to, though. o/ ))

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[The other side is dead silent for several moments. Maybe the call didn't go through?]

... Nanoha?

[No, it did. But by the way Fate's voice is shaking, by the way she sounds so genuinely shocked and disbelieving, she was probably speechless for a good few minutes.]

[ There had been that concern, and she had very nearly hung up to go try and find her on her own time.

But hearing that voice, finally, causes her to clutch the receiver tightly in her hands. ]

Yes, Fate. It's me. [ The one-and-only. ]

I... [Oh god, she's tearing up already. It had been so long - close to a year now, wasn't it? - that she had even heard Nanoha's voice. With the things to keep her occupied in this town, she hasn't dwelled on it too much, but now that she's made contact with her again...

Fate's not sure she can hold it all in much longer.]

Hold on a bit, okay? I'll head over to where you are.

[And right after that, there's the click of the phone as it's hung up. It's a little rude to hang up on someone like that, yeah, but she's sure she'll be forgiven in this case.]

Of— Oop! [ No signal.

She had though that Fate would have a lot to say to her, but ... she supposes that it'll have to wait a moment.

Nanoha sets the phone down quietly and moves outside to wait. ]

[Fate doesn't even bother taking her car; she doesn't trust herself to drive in such an emotional state anyway. So it takes a few minutes, but soon she's approaching the house Nanoha mentioned.

She stops a few feet away from Nanoha, the disbelief that was heard in her voice earlier etched clear on her face.] You... you're really here...

[And she doesn't even give Nanoha a chance to respond. She just practically leaps forward, wrapping the other woman up in a near-crushing hug.]

[ Nanoha's wearing one of her patented smiles. The sort that hide more sorrow than she admits to others on a normal basis. After all, she's heard some terrible rumors of this town, and also of roughly how long the others have been here without her.

It goes against a lot of her promises. ]

[ She doesn't get any words out before Fate takes hold of her, so she just brings her arms up in a reassuring embrace. ] Mm. It seems I'm a little late.

A little... [Fate laughs, despite the tears now falling fast down her face.] It's been nearly a year since I saw you... since I last heard your voice...

[She pulls back, just enough so that she can look at Nanoha.] But that doesn't matter now. We're together; that's what's important.

[ A year...? Hayate mentioned they had been here longer, but not quite that long. ] I'm sorry. [ There is the familiar look in her own eyes as she meets Fate's; the tell-tale sign that emotions are just welling up inside, ready to break out of that dam of hers. ] I had no idea. If I did... I would have come right away.

[ She pulls her arms away, but only so she can bring her hands up to her dear friend's cheeks. To use those thumbs to try and wipe those tears away, as futile as the effort is. ] Yes, we are together, again.

[Fate knew Nanoha probably better than anyone else did; no matter how much she'd try to smile or cover up her own problems, Fate can read her like an open book. And that's why her smile fades a little, when she notices the emotional buildup.

She mirrors the other woman's actions, placing her own hands on Nanoha's cheeks, and leans forward a little so she can press their foreheads together.]

This isn't your fault, Nanoha. [Her voice is soft, yet firm at the same time.] Everything here... kidnapping us, keeping us apart for so long... it's all the fault of the ones running this town. So please, don't blame yourself.

[ Just how it wasn't her fault when Vivio was taken that first time? Fate really should know better but, then again, they made it through that incident. They'll make it through this one. ]

I understand. You know that I would never abandon you and Vivio, under any circumstances. [ And deep down, she knows it — she didn't even realize they were gone, for crying out loud! She had just spoken to Fate not so long ago, and sent Vivio some mail. Hayate was on the mend, and everyone was home and safe and.... and... ] I can't help but feel sad when I think of what you all must have been through.

It's nothing. [A blatant lie. Many bad things had happened in the year Fate's been in Mayfield, but...]

We endured. We always will. I couldn't give up, because I knew I had to fight to return to you and the others. There are many people here that need help, and it's for them that we've been able to stay strong.

[ Nanoha makes a quiet sound of assent as she listens to Fate. ] I'm sure everyone is thankful for that strength. I know, for a short while, I'll be relying on it, too... [ And here is where she looks downward at the space between them; toward the chest where she cannot sense her Core at all; to the empty space where Raising Heart should be dangling. ]

I haven't felt this weak in a long, long time.

Everything will come back in time. [Fate finally pulls a hand away from Nanoha, reaching into her pocket and pulls out a familiar golden pendant.] It took a little bit, but they eventually gave him back to me. If you can be patient, you'll get Raising Heart back as well.

[Her hand closes around Bardiche, and a spark of determination shines in her eyes.] Until then, you don't need to worry. I'll protect you with everything I have, Nanoha.

[ The sight of Fate's trusted device brings a smile to her face. She brings a hand down to rest on that pendant. ] It seems I'll be in your care a little while, Bardiche.

[ Then she clutches at Fate's hand and raises her eyes to meet that steady gaze. ] And you, too Fate. I feel safer already.

[The Device chimes in acknowledgement. He will do his very best to help his Master protect her lady!!]

I won't disappoint your faith in me. I promise. [It's been close to twenty years since they met, and Nanoha's faith in her can still warm her heart.

... The emotions are really getting too much for her. It's been so long... so Fate can't really help herself. Closing the distance between them, she gently presses her lips to Nanoha's in a light, gentle kiss.]

[ Nanoha sees that coming, and had thought that something like this might happen... privately. Though she supposes that, after a year, Fate is entitled to just about anything Nanoha has to offer her. One little kiss in the front yard is rather bold, still! What if the neighbors saw~?

She keeps that thought to herself (more because she CAN'T broadcast it than she WOULDN'T).

When their lips part, she gives her close friend a smile bordering on the bashful. Just goes to show that even Nanoha can be surprised after all these years. ] Sealed that promise now, haven't we?

[Fate giggles, gently bumping her forehead against Nanoha's.] Yep. Now you know there's no way I can go back on it.

You could have just used a pinkie for that. [ The gentle, teasing tone is a good indicator that she is feeling somewhat more at ease, despite the weight of the situation they have found themselves in. Kidnapping, brainwashing, disposable lives in the figurative and literal...

It's not enough to crush her spirit, but heavy enough that she feels the strain. ] I spoke to Vivio a bit ago, over the phone. She's heading over, and we should spend some time together tonight once she arrives.

... Sounds like a good plan to me. [Fate can feel her eyes stinging at that. They'll finally be able to spend time together as a family again...]

Vivio's been living with me, thankfully, but... it still hasn't been the same. Not without you.

It still won't be quite the same, from the sound of things. But I know we'll do our best with the arrangements that have been made for us.

Of course, you'll have to tell me your address, and show me where Vivio has been attending classes. [ Introduce her to the other not!family, show her Vivio's friends, you know. Things Nanoha should get caught up on. Though it's not like she expects to be kept out of the loop. ]

I also want to hear as much of what those who are in charge of this town are capable of. [ She squeezes Fate's hands. ] I understand it was difficult, so I will not rush you. [ There is also the underlying current that Nanoha, herself, needs to be braced for what is to come. ]

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1st Record ｢The Value of Family｣

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