Tokimeki Hetalia: Russia's Side
Intro:
For those who don't know, Tokimeki Memorial: Girl's Side is a japanese dating simulator for girls (otome game). The main character is a girl that just entered high school. For the next 3 years until graduation, you need to raise your stats and woo the guy of your choice. There are English patches for TMGS1 and 2 for DS and also TMGS3 for psp. I won't supply links, just google it if you are interested.
My initial approach was to write a fanfiction with a female heroine (Liechtenstein) just like the game. But, since I am a shameless fujoshi, halfway through the planning I started imagining how Tokimemo would be with one of the male nations as the MC pursuing/being pursued by other males. Still, I couldn't pick a MC for the yaoi version of Tokiheta. I have my ships, the story would be completely biased, and the fun of Tokimemo is being able to choose and explore the many routes and guys. That is… Until a thought crossed my mind: RUSSIA. Russia as the main character, the MC of a dating sim? I laughed so hard, it was so crack-ish that I couldn't banish the idea from my mind anymore.
Don't get me wrong, I love Russia. Ivan is one of my favorite characters from Hetalia, but he isn't the most, uh, romantic guy there (not in the normal sense). And that would make it so much funnier. I decided to make a crack!fic out of this, but somehow it turned serious. I can't write crack even if my life depended on it. Sooo… This story is supposed to be a sort-of-crack-ish-but-turned-serious-fic. I don't even know what I'm doing anymore… Well, whatever. I'm having fun, if you also have fun then that's a plus. I appreciate constructive criticism (especially towards my grammar, English isn't my native language), ideas and maybe in the future I'll make voting polls to make crucial decisions on the storyline (like which club Ivan will join, part-time jobs, who will he pursue, things like that).
Oh yeah, before people flame me about the progression of the school year, events and all, I'll have you know that I'm following the game's calendar! The school year will begin in April, there will be a big summer break and two smaller breaks (winter and spring), and all that jazz. Even though the story is supposed to happen somewhere in Europe, it will follow the Japanese schedule.
Important/Disclaimer:
This is a HumanAU! They are all humans, not nations, and I'll use their human names. Yaoi means boy dates boy, if it's not your thing stop reading now. The title is "Russia's Side" just because I still find amusing when I picture Russia as the MC of a dating sim. Also, this is a Hetalia FANfiction based on Tokimeki Memorial. It means I don't own the characters (besides an OC here or there), nor the setting and basic premises.
Chapter 1: Start
*BEEPEEPEEP*BEEPEEPEEP*BEEPEEPEEP*
The figure under the sheets stirred, pale ashen blond gleaming under the strands of sunlight that entered the room through a crack between the curtains. Being brought back to reality from a blissful dream about a field of sunflowers, he rolled to the side and slammed his alarm clock off.
*BEEPEEPEEP*BEEPEEPEE- SLAM!
Ivan opened his sleepy eyes only to shut them again, cursing in Russian, as the sunlight hit his pupils directly. He rolled to the other side of his bed, yawned and opened his eyes again, revealing two exquisite violet irises. He sat up and stretched. Feeling a bit more awake, he scanned around his new room.
Oh yes, his new room. A childish smile graced his features.
His mother got a raise as a head nurse and his father got a promotion on the import company he worked for, so the Braginskis decided to move to a better neighborhood after years saving up money. He was pleased with the new furniture in his bedroom – the furnishings had a simple and practical clean-cut design, but were made with real wood instead of flimsy compressed material. Mahogany in particular was an all-time favorite of his, the deep brown color with red tints gives the room a regal and somber air at the same time.
Other 15-year-olds would scorn his preferences, calling it an "old man's taste", and decorate their bedrooms with plastic, metal, glass, mirrors and the aforementioned flimsy compressed material just because they are modern. Their walls would be covered with bands/idols/sports posters and the like. But not Ivan Braginski. He'd rather have a single framed replica of a Russian painting hanging on his wall over the writing-desk across the room from his bed. More precisely, Shishkin's "Rain in an Oak Forest".
His half-asleep reverie was cut short with the sight of the unopened boxes around his room. A new room means moving, moving means packing and unpacking, and he wasn't finished with the unpacking part. He'd better get a move on if he wanted to finish it any time soon instead of laze around all day.
Ivan stood up and stretched once more, casting a shadow of his tall and big frame on the closet doors as the stray sun rays from the partially covered windows hit his back and formed an almost angelic halo when his white skin and pale hair glimmered. It seems that his room faced east and next time he went to sleep, he would have to make sure the curtains were properly closed to avoid a second assault of the full morning glory on his retina.
After a quick shower and change of clothes, the ruski went downstairs to have breakfast. Three steps down, a mouthwatering smell filled his nostrils, making his stomach rumble in anticipation. Whoever was responsible for the enticing smell was still around the kitchen as the sounds of pans hinted it. 'Strange', he thought, 'Mat' and otets should have left by now…'. He made his way down the stairs quickly and as he entered the kitchen, the mystery was solved. A young woman with short blond hair with the same shade as his stood in front of the stove, preparing something.
"Sestra!" Ivan exclaimed gleefully, the little smile never faltering. "You are here!"
His older sister (or sestra, since he liked to use the Russian word for sister) turned abruptly and gave a big heartwarming smile when she saw her little brother: "Vanya!"
They hugged each other with gusto and then parted. The older sister, Ekaterina, had moist eyes and sniffed as if she was on verge of tears. "Oh look how my baby brother grew up and became so big and strong!"
"Um, sestra, we were apart for only a week, I don't think I grew up that much during that time…"
"Maybe, but it finally dawned on me that you are a high schooler now… Sniff…"
Sensing an impending waterfall of tears, Ivan was quick to change the topic: "So, what are you making? Won't it burn, da?" He pointed towards the pan on the stove.
With a little yelp, Ekaterina jumped back to the stove, big boobs bouncing haphazardly. She proceeded to man the kitchen, making what seemed to be…
"Ohh, blini…" Ivan could feel his mouth water. His sister only looked over her shoulder with a little smile and put the almost burnt pancake at the top of a small stack on the counter and said: "I only made a few so far, I was planning to call you when I finished."
"Da, I see… Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Well… You can set the table." the kettle started whistling "Oh, and make tea."
The younger sibling nodded his head and took the kettle from the stove. He chose to make chamomile tea – to soothe his older sister – and then put the dishes and silverware on the table. As he was working, he decided to engage on small conversation and hoped that he wouldn't trigger Katyusha's tears again.
"I thought you would only arrive in the afternoon, da?" It was a bit of a statement and a question at the same time.
"Oh, I finished settling myself at the dorms earlier than I predicted and managed to get the last bus. I arrived late at night, you were already sound asleep."
"Da… I was really tired after helping mat' with organizing the house."
Ekaterina chuckled. "Mother can be a slave driver sometimes…"
"Da, no wonder she is the head nurse at the hospital."
The conversation died naturally and a comfortable silence settled in the kitchen. They had a lot to talk about, but for now, both enjoyed each other's presence, something that would become a luxury on the near future. When Ivan decided that the tea had seeped for long enough and poured two cups, Ekaterina finished making all the blinis and poured some chocolate over them.
"We'll have to make do with chocolate. I still can't believe how expensive ikra is around here!" the older sibling made one of her rare annoyed faces for a split second then settled back to her usual apologizing expression and sat on one of the chairs. "I hope you don't mind."
"Nyet, nyet, the blini sestra makes is always delicious, da?" the teenager avoided a metaphorical landmine. As if to make a point, he sat across his sister and took a good bite of one blini and let out a satisfied "Yum! Very good!". Since their parents were often out at work, Katyusha acted as both an older sister and a mother. Anything that could cast a shadow of doubt over her parenting skills - such as cooking good food - was a sensitive topic and could make her cry at the drop of a hat. "Besides, it's more like ikra is cheap in Russia. Almost anywhere else it's called caviar and considered a delicacy to millionaires, da? Nothing we can do."
"As soon as I graduate college, I'll get a good job and buy lots of ikra, you'll see! I won't be a blundering burden anymore!" Resolution shone through her eyes. "I'll earn more than mat' and marry a man wealthier than otets!"
"Sestra, you are not a burden…" Ivan tried to reassure his sister, but his mind ventured into dark corners when Ekaterina finished her sentence. At the beginning she wasn't all that able in taking care of him and their younger sibling, always making mistakes and tripping on her own feet. But, even when she was still a blundering fool in middle school, due to the sudden development of her… physical assets… there was never a shortage of suitors pining for her. Even boys from extremely rich families tried to woo her. Thankfully, he also went through a growing spurt (maybe it is genetics?) and managed to scare away all the perverts with his towering height and sinister aura even when Ivan pretended to be 'cordial' and be all 'smiles' around them. The bone-breaking handshakes during greetings probably helped.
By now, Ivan emanated a purplish aura and breathed out a low "kolkolkolkol" while he pictured a certain Turkish fellow that worked with their father on imports. He tried to get close to his sister last year, even though the guy was probably around 30 years old! Ekaterina paled and quickly changed subjects before her brother bent the fork he was holding.
"So, tell me about your new school! I was surprised when the letter of acceptance came! I'm so proud of you!" Katyusha got up, circled the table and gave him a bear hug, successfully smothering him with her ample bosom.
Ivan tried to protest, but only his muffled cries could be heard. The older sister's breasts were dangerous weapons, both metaphorically and literally speaking. Feeling his lungs constrict due the lack of air, Ivan lightly smacked the woman's back, as a silent plea of 'let go!'. Ekaterina pulled back and tussled the younger's hair in an affectionate manner. "W Academy is a really prestigious school. You have always been a good, studious kid. You managed to do what I wasn't able to. Sniiifff…" Tears threatened to roll from her eyes.
"Da, but sestra managed to enter university!"
"A second-rate university, but I'm really happy I've managed to be accepted! I was so nervous after the entrance exams, thinking that I had flunked them…" She took out a handkerchief and dried the almost-tears. "I'm glad I have the chance to study agronomy. I've always enjoyed taking care of crops and plants in general. Maybe I'll help at dedushka's once I graduate."
Their grandparents from the mother side, the Chernenkos, own a sizable plot of land on Ukraine (not too big, but not small either). They grow beets and sunflowers. Their grandfather has always called Ekaterina a 'harvest goddess', because whenever she visited and helped around the plantation, they would have a spectacular harvest afterwards.
"I've met some of my dorm neighbors. The girls all seem very nice. I think we'll get along just fine." Katyusha nodded to herself, mentioning her dormitory mates in an attempt to ease any doubs Ivan had about she living on her own. He was really against her leaving home to attend university, saying something about a 'swarm of izvrashchentsy' and only relented when he learned about the girl's dorm. "Enough talking about me! What about you? Did you visit your new school?"
"Nyet, not yet. All I've done since we arrived yesterday was clean, unpack, organize and move furniture around. I didn't have the time to do anything else. From what I've seen from the internet, the school is within a 30 minute walk. I want to check out the course and the neighborhood as well."
"I have an idea! How about we take a leisure stroll after we finish organizing our stuff?"
"Da, that would be nice." Ivan's eyes crinkled a little at the sides and his smile grew a little, showing that he was feeling genuinely happy and wasn't sporting his everyday smiley façade.
Author notes:
Wow, I've never thought I could be so… prolific. I hope it wasn't boring to you guys. What I intended with this chapter: 1) Describe Ivan's bedroom, 2) Give a bit of family background and 3) Get the feel of his personality. Because:
1) At Tokimemo, the bedroom you choose at the beginning of the game affects your initial parameters, so it's an important decision. Stoic decorations and a plethora of books probably mean high intelligence points, while flowerily and lacy rooms reward with high charm and/or style. Ivan's choice of furniture (or what I imagine a modern humanAU Russia choosing) reflects a conservative and stubborn person, with high regards for intellect and arts (it will become clearer at the next chapter). So, using Tokimemo parameters, Ivan's initial stats would be (in order of higher to lowest) Intelligence and Arts, Fitness, Charm, Style and Social.
2) The only family that is mentioned in Tokimemo is the heroine's younger brother in TMGS1, and only because that he acts as the wingman. Of course, I can't do the same in this fanfiction and completely ignore the existence of a family because Ivan's character would be incomplete without his sisters. So, I had to find a way to lower their interference to a minimum. In this case, Ekaterina (Ukraine) moved out to attend college. As for Natalya's (Belarus) situation, it will be explained at the next chapter. It was supposed to be part of chapter 1, but it was getting too long for my tastes.
3) My first few tries ended up with a completely OOC Russia. He was too sickly sweet to be Russia. OK, he is a caring brother toward his sisters (and this chapter mainly revolves around him talking with Ukraine), but I completely eclipsed his terrifying and possessive side. I hope it's better now.
Translation notes: (I don't know Russian, so this is all from google translator. I am listing down even the most obvious words)
Mat' or mama: mother
Otets or papa: father
Sestra: sister
Brat: brother. I ended up not using it because… Seriously? Ukraine calling Russia a brat?
Da: yes
Nyet: no
Blini: a kind of pancake
Ikra: fish eggs/caviar
Dedushka: grandfather
Izvrashchentsy: perverts
Vanya: endearing nickname for Ivan
Katyusha: endearing nickname for Ekaterina
Help needed with:
Okay, I've been racking my brain for a while listing up possible clubs for Ivan. Traditionally, at Tokimemo there are 8 'clubs' available to join: 4 sports-related, 4 culture-related. Each raise different parameters and allow the MC to meet a different guy. You can only be part of one at a time, but you can drop out and join another if you want. For now, I only managed to list 3 that will appear in the storyline for sure: The Student Council (not a club, but in-game it's considered culture-related), the Handicrafts Club and the Hockey Club. I'm uncertain about the following: gardening club, literature club, the Amateur Orchestra, Football club (the 'soccer' kind, not the 'american' kind). If you have a plausible idea (not a crack idea), please let me know. Or you can just cast a vote toward one of my uncertain ideas.