4th Record ｢Bonds Formed｣

[guiding_starlight]

[ Phone ]
Good morning, Mayfield. This is Nanoha Takamachi speaking. [ How formal! But she has a question, so it's only right she does it this way. ] I have a request. I know that we can recover items from home, and such technology was not available in the era this town is modeled after, but does anyone have a more modern television or entertainment system available that I might be able to borrow? It would need to play video discs of DVD quality or higher. I promise to take really good care of it. [ And she is using her mature-but-cheerful voice for this call. ] It would either be that, or I would ask to borrow your property for a time, so that I might show off a film from home. I will even clean up when we are finished.

---

[ Action : On the streets of Mayfield ]
[ Nanoha is out walking today, dressed simply but outside of Mayfield's usual standards. It's amazing the difference a shorter skirt makes. Those who know her can probably take a guess that her neighbor and friend, Hayate, is the one responsible for this alteration.

The woman is moving with a purpose in mind, but she'll still stop for some pleasant conversation if someone approaches her. ]

---

[ Action : 945 Beulah : Closed to residents ]
[ There is a knock at the door! But this should come to no surprise as she had called ahead the day before to make certain everyone she wanted to see would be here. Nanoha would very much like to meet Fate's assigned "family". No reason they cannot all get along well, right? ]

Comments

[answerer_sword]

Both of these things are good news to hear.

[Her face shows little emotion. It is as if she is just discussing everyday events. Even if she wants to wince as the mention of Hayate, she ignores the impulse and continues on, calm as ever.]

How long do you think it may be before she can perform minor spells, at least, without need for her device?

[guiding_starlight]

[ A curious, but not wholly unexpected reaction. Though she has to wonder just what Hayate had said about her abilities before. ] I think she is more than capable as she is. It isn't as if she needs Reinforce around to do what needs to be done. None of us would need our Devices, but I'm certainly glad Raising Heart had been returned to me.

[answerer_sword]

I have...heard that her specialty is wide area assaults that she needed to coordinate using her device. How has she advanced in other areas of magic? Healing? Repair? Item construction? Or even melee combat?

[Hayate is still an ally. Even if it feels strange to speak of everything like the change in their relationship status had never occured, she has no reason to ignore the other woman.]

[guiding_starlight]

I believe you'll have to talk to her to receive specifics. We worked together, and trained together, but the true nature of all of her returned abilities are a mystery to me. [ Which isn't entirely untrue. ]

...though I understand that might not be easy for either of you. [ If Bazett had any doubts as so what Nanoha knew, that should shed some light on the idea that she's at least heard something from Hayate. ]

[answerer_sword]

[It had been too naive to hope that Nanoha had not found out about the recent changes.]

It would be...awkward at this time, yes. I would, at least, require some more time to think about it. But even so, I consider her an ally.

[guiding_starlight]

In that case, I don't see why you couldn't discuss it. Hayate is a professional. [ She straightens her posture somewhat, her tone losing some of its softness. ] Or did you not tell me that you considered her your superior, for the time being? Tension is not uncommon between coworkers, but when the work demands it, conflict has no place between allies.

[answerer_sword]

There is no conflict.

[Only confusion and some bitterness.]

We were and are still in agreement about what we have arranged. However, discussing this might lead to both of us bringing up subjects that we would rather avoid for the time being.

[guiding_starlight]

[ No conflict? ]

I want to know how long you plan on avoiding her. It is possible to take "giving someone space" too far.

[answerer_sword]

Simple--how long does she plan on avoiding me?

[guiding_starlight]

[ Nanoha's expression shifts. First, frustration. Then, recognition. Finally, she settles on something between amusement and a certain level of being put out.

Hayate... ] I see that you're both handling this in the same way.

[answerer_sword]

Are we? I told you that there was no conflict.

[Strange that she should feel amused at such an awkward and emotional matter, especially one that involves herself.]

I suppose when lingering negative feelings have faded in both of us, we will start speaking again as friends.

[But not as romantic partners. That would be too painful.]

Wow, I needed that to be LESS p.a.

[guiding_starlight]

[ Here's what's funny to her: ] She told me you are the one who wanted space.

I believe there is some tremendous misunderstanding here. [ A hand on her hip, Nanoha cocks her head to the side slightly. ] And since this all seems to stem from another misunderstanding in the first place, can either of you afford to just wait this out?

Re: Wow, I needed that to be LESS p.a.

[answerer_sword]

She suggested it. I agreed because I needed it.

[She crosses her arms.]

I know it was a misunderstanding. Neither of us had malicious intentions. But it nevertheless had a detrimental effect.

[She's still bitter about it. Even worse, with all the lies that she had told, she could not know which part of her feelings were love and which were guilt. Or whether or not she should continue this relationship now that she no longer felt guilty.]

Confronting her might...cause things to end more explosively.

[guiding_starlight]

[ Nanoha relaxes, not wanting to appear on the attack. ] It might, but leaving things to stagnate will be no less painful. I would like to believe that you do not hate her for the teasing that she drew on for far too long, and I know that she feels genuinely regretful over how she handled it.

At this point, I think she is just as scared of a poor outcome as you are. [ Making assumptions about Bazett's state of mind, of course, but she is hoping that she is right that the woman is not going to approach the situation so coldly. ] I am not saying to confront her. I just... wish you would talk to her. For me, though you owe me absolutely nothing.

[answerer_sword]

You are correct in that I do not hate her. Or, rather, I have no desire to hate her.

[But she cannot help it. The bitterness...the knowledge that she had been tricked into torturing herself emotionally...the fact that she had wasted so much time and effort out of guilt that she did not need to have...]

[The more she thinks of it, the more it seems to be an attempt to assign blame. Was she to blame for misunderstanding? For lying? For creating a relationship based on guilt? Or was it Hayate for playing the trick in the first place? But Bazett had been the one who was drunk first, so did that mean she was at fault after all?]

[She nods when she hears Nanoha talking about Hayate's regrets.]

Then...it would be even worse for me to antagonize her about it, would it not? At this point, if I were to speak to her, I would have to tell her how much everything had hurt me. How...horrible that prank was even if its effects were unintended.

[For the first time in their conversation, her calm facade breaks as her voice trembles a bit.]

[guiding_starlight]

[ She steps closer, so she doesn't have to speak with any force at all. ] If it is something she doesn't yet know, then yes. I think she needs to hear it. [ Nanoha attempts to catch Bazett's eyes, so that her own confidence can shine through. ] Hayate might act childish, but she is no child. I have been friends with her since we were young. We have been through many difficult times together, and I have seen her grow into a fine woman. A strong woman.

I don't see you two walking on eggshells, Bazett. I see people walking on shards of glass. If you don't sweep that aside and meet on even ground, then you are both only hurting yourselves. [ And Nanoha has a firm stance on seeing her dear friends in pain. ]

[answerer_sword]

[Bazett averts her eyes, not wishing to look directly at Nanoha. The other woman's confidence is too much compared to Bazett's doubts.]

Are you saying that it will be more beneficial for the long term if I hurt her in the short term?

[At the same time, she would give Hayate a chance to confess her negative feelings as well.]

And what if we walk away from our meeting hating each other? You said that conflicts are not conductive to the work environment.

[guiding_starlight]

I'm not saying I want you to hurt her. [ In fact, Nanoha has this feeling someone will end up being upset over something or other no matter how this plays out. But that is a risk she is willing to take. ]

You aren't working with each other right now. You can't even talk as colleagues on a common subject such as magic. Do I think you'll be able to work together any easier after you talk things through? That's my hope.

[answerer_sword]

...Give me two more days to think on this. Then I will see about contacting her.

[This is the best compromise that she can make.]

[guiding_starlight]

[ She smiles. ] I didn't want a deadline, but... I'm glad to hear you're going to think it through soon.

[ Just getting that off of her chest makes her feel better about the situation. She can brace herself, and Hayate, for a Bad End. But what if her friend finds the bottom of a bottle before she gets an answer? That wouldn't be good. ] I didn't want to take up so much of your time with this, but I want to thank you for your time and consideration, Bazett.

[ Nanoha half-turns away. ] I should go. I'm going to go visit my daughter's household for the first time, today, and won't want to keep them waiting.