CCS+MGLN: The Shard Card
The Story So Far: Tomoyo and Sakura have successfully integrated themselves into the TSAB system with the help of the MSLN cast. Two years after a Lost Logia benignly merged with Tomoyo's linker core, she has become an "A" class support mage with a protective ostrich familiar named Freya. One and a half years have passed since Sakura has divorced Shaoran to follow Tomoyo to Mid-childa, and she has recently succeeded in making a name for herself after a year-long mission in a war-ridden non-magical planet. At long last, the stage is set for the two mages to fight side by side, both during peace treaties and on the battlefield.
Although a potential rift was narrowly avoided on the eve of Sakura's return, Hayate and Sakura understand that neither should be out for the other's throat nor should either do anything to warrant hostile behavior. But how things will turn out when an accident on a recent mission renders Tomoyo unable to remember her time with either of the two up until that point remains to be seen. Hayate provides no hints that she and Tomoyo ever had anything together and Tomoyo expresses her doubts as to whether she really loves this stranger who insists that they are indeed lovers (Sakura). Will SakuTomo when out in the end?
Meanwhile, Nanoha and Fate find that raising a child while furthering their own relationship in a military setting is even harder than it sounds. When Fate sets out to correct their out-of-wedlock child rearing, however, a new problem arises. Similar to Tomoyo's plight, Fate wonders if she really knows Nanoha as well as she once believed she did. Can she still go through with the proposal with this lack of faith?
Last Time on Shard Card: Tomoyo confides in Hayate and Fate... but are the answers she receives enough to combat her rising doubt in the veracity of her relationship with Sakura?
Disclaimer: MGLN, CCS, and the related creations are not mine, nor is the original plotline even. But where the story goes, how they are characterized, in essence, the story itself, that, I hope, I can claim.
Pairings consciously made: Sakura/Tomoyo, Nanoha/Fate, Tomoyo/Hayate
Pairings that can also be found: Signum/Shamal, Hayate/Harem
Mentionings of: VivioVita, Yuuno/Arf, possible KeroZafira, ReinAgito...
Please, please review. It makes me happy that each chapter averages 100 hits (which I hope means 100 people are reading it) but knowing what you think when you review individual chapters makes me reallllly happy. :3 So please?
Chapter 29
"Ah... that was fun." Tomoyo giggled as she slowed to catch her breath. Her eyes glistened as she smiled at Sakura. "We should do that again sometime."
Sakura laughed. "That was borderline illegal. But is that an offer for a second date?"
"It wasn't that bad. What we just did, I mean." Tomoyo smiled as she walked a little farther and leaned on the railing to look out at the bay. "And... it's a maybe. I won't count my checks until they're cleared. It depends on how today finishes. But the night is still young. What do you want to do now?"
Sakura shrugged lightly. "It doesn't matter to me. You can pick."
Tomoyo frowned. "I picked the last three times. It's Sakura's turn. I won't forgive you if you don't take a turn."
Sakura laughed at that. "I guess I can't turn down the opportunity then. Hmm... this is a nice spot. Ah, the vendor's still open I think, too. You want to buy something and just sit here and... watch the sun not set?"
Tomoyo laughed. "It'll set. In about... two, three hours. And I don't mind. I haven't run that far in a long while; some resting might be good anyhow. I'll pay for myself though."
Sakura shook her head. "Only if I get to choose what you order."
"Isn't that reversed? Normally people tell other people to pick their own and then pay for it."
"You're the one that said she was going to pay for herself. In return, you can pick mine."
Tomoyo considered this, and then smiled. "Deal. Let's go."
A few minutes later, they had found a nice spot just before the decline of rocks started and sat down.
Tomoyo giggled, looking at the seafood crepe she had picked for Sakura. "I don't even know what's in that. Does it taste good."
Sakura had already taken an experimental bite of it before Tomoyo asked. Offering it, she said, "It's not bad. You want to try some?"
Tomoyo paused at this, but then nodded, leaning over to take a small bite of the crepe. As she did so, Sakura leaned over and nipped her ear. Tomoyo yelped and pulled back, her hand on her ear. "What was that for?"
Sakura grinned playfully. "I just wanted to 'try some'. And it's good, isn't it? The crepe?"
Tomoyo wrinkled her nose, still touching her ear as she bit her own crepe. "It's not horrible, but I'm not much of a fan for seafood. It probably has something to do with a bad experience when I was little."
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Was it a bad experience that you remember or are you guessing?"
"I remember it well enough." Tomoyo looked out onto the water and watched the waves move in and out methodically. "When I was around... six, my family went to our private beach resort. It was the first time that I remember going there. I was so excited, I just had to try out swimming in the ocean. I'd had private lessons and learned the basics already, and I was confident I could at least get out to 'that rock over there'. We weren't that rich yet from our own pocket- the beach belonged to my great-grandfather- so we didn't have as many bodyguards with us either. It was a little too easy to slip away from them."
Sakura thought back to how strict her bodyguards had been when she had first met them. Although they had let Tomoyo do as she wished so long as she was escorted back, there was a... a more pressing manner about them than one might usually find in bodyguards for a child.
Tomoyo continued after shaking herself out reminiscing, "Well, the long and short of it is, I went literally in over my head, I touched a mildly poisonous plant-thing... I don't remember what it was exactly... but my body was overwhelmed by it- I was actually a bit anemic then too- and I ended up in the hospital. My mother forbade me from going in the water again anytime soon, and I really didn't want to either."
A memory of Tomoyo saving her from the pool during the Watery Card incident came to mind. She had known Tomoyo wasn't very good at swimming and had made no attempts to learn, but she had never thought about the possibility of it resulting from a prior incident. Sakura smiled. "How do you feel about it now?"
"Now?" Tomoyo considered it. "I wouldn't mind trying it again, I suppose. But I'm horribly out of practice."
Sakura offered, "I'll be your coach and aid if you need it? Swimming is really fun."
"I take it you're the athletic type then? I noticed you weren't really all that worn out from our run earlier."
Sakura grinned. "Yeah, it's one of the few things I can be proud about. I've played pretty much every popular sport by now and I like to think I'm pretty decent at them too."
"Volleyball?"
"Mmhm."
"Bowling?"
"There's a lot of room to improve, but I'm not bad at it either."
"Cricket?"
"..." Sakura paused, and then laughed. "Okay, you got me. I've never played cricket before."
"You haven't? Well, I suppose it's not a common sport in Japan. My great-grandfather taught me the few times he visited. It's actually pretty easy, though he might have kept it simpler than usual because I was really little when he first introduced it to me. We should see if there's a place here that lets you play cricket."
"A gym maybe? One that has cricket and a pool?"
Tomoyo shrugged with a smile. "I've seen and heard of stranger combinations on this world."
"Mm." Sakura looked down at her crepe as she finished off the last bit. She must have been hungrier than she thought. Balling up the paper that had been wrapped around the crepe for convenience, she looked around for a trash bin. There was one beside the road, perhaps fifteen feet away. "Do you think I can make this shot?"
A breeze moved Tomoyo's hair in the opposite direction that she turned to look. Seeing the trash bin regardless, she commented, "That's far. And there's the wind to account for, too. If you make that from here, I'll..." Tomoyo paused, and then turned to Sakura. "If you make it, I'll give you a kiss."
Sakura laughed as she started to line up her shot. "I thought you said you don't kiss on the first date?"
"I'm making an exception for the girl who kissed me first."
This made Sakura pause, before she remembered what had happened back in the medical wing. "Oh. That. I apologized for that, didn't I?"
"Why? I never said I was sorry it happened, did I?" Tomoyo finished eating her crepe.
"Okay, here goes." Sakura wound up for the pitch, felt for the pattern of the breezes, and launched the projectile. Both watched the paper sail through the air, and Tomoyo smiled as Sakura's aiming failed miserably. But it was Sakura who smiled last when the ball was taken up by a gust that deposited it safely in the bin. She turned to Tomoyo. "I won."
Tomoyo stared. "That was pure luck. Do it again." Tomoyo crumbled up her own empty paper and offered it to Sakura.
"I get two kisses then. Promise?" At Tomoyo's nod, she took the ball, making it more compact before aiming again. Once again, both watched as it seemingly went off course only to be picked up by the breeze. Sakura answered Tomoyo's shocked look, "Some people call me the Daughter of the Gods because my luck is so good that way. But that, mind you, was also part skill. So? Kissies for victories?"
Tomoyo sighed and leaned over. "Close your eyes then." As Sakura obeyed with a small smile, Tomoyo looked over her facial features, amazed again by the tenderness that the mere sight of it invoked in her. Slowly, she pulled herself closer, a bracing hand on Sakura's jawline. Half closing her eyes as well, Tomoyo inhaled Sakura's scent just before she kissed Sakura... once on each cheek.
She was surprised at the soft blush on Sakura's cheeks as she pulled away, but then, she was feeling a little shy as well.
Sakura's smile was full of warmth. "Thank you, for that."
"No, thank you," Tomoyo smiled back, "for throwing away the trash. I hate litterbugs."
Sakura giggled first, with Tomoyo soon after. Sakura murmured afterwards, "Do you want to stay to watch the sunset? It's getting cold."
"I noticed that." Tomoyo folded her arms, although it wasn't cold enough to need to cover her bare arms. "Maybe we could walk alongside the beach for a while? It's not as cold if you move around."
"All right." Sakura stood up before offering a hand to Tomoyo. "Careful, watch your step."
"I know tha-" Tomoyo yelped as she lost her footing, though she was deftly saved from falling by Sakura's reflexes.
"Are you all right?"
Tomoyo smiled sheepishly as she accepted Sakura's help. They returned to the road before Tomoyo muttered, "These sandals give no traction. It's horrid."
Sakura laughed. "It's all right. That reminds me though; don't you still want to go shopping? If we take the road up this way, it might take another half hour before we get there, if we walk."
"Half an hour of walking..."
"I'll carry you, if you like."
Tomoyo flushed. "That's quite all right. Thank you, but no."
Sakura grinned as she simply tugged Tomoyo's wrist to get them moving. "Enjoy the scenery while it lasts; the inner city has nothing like this."
"Mm, I know." Tomoyo smiled as she looked away from Sakura towards the setting sun. They walked in silence for some time before Tomoyo asked, "Sakura, what is your special place?"
"My special place?" Sakura slowed her pace to listen.
Tomoyo nodded. "A place that has the most memories... good memories that you always recall when you visit there again... do you have a place like that? On Earth or Mid-Childa?"
'My special place is wherever you are, Tomoyo.' Sakura looked up at the sky as she thought about a physical place. "Where is your place?"
Tomoyo didn't meet her eye. "I... I was just thinking that... one day soon, it might be wherever you are."
Sakura flushed and turned to look in the complete opposite direction. She grew too shy to admit that she had been thinking the same. "Is there a reason for that or...?"
Tomoyo shook her head. "It's not something I can place exactly. It's more... intuition, I suppose. I won't lie; I like being around you. Even though I don't know you that well yet... I can't help but want to. There's something mysterious about you, Sakura."
Sakura smiled slightly. "Something mysterious?"
"Something... magically mysterious." Tomoyo laughed at her own wording. "I mean, I'm honestly starting to grow fond of you, Sakura. And it's silly, because I've hardly known you exist for three days."
"It's not silly." Sakura grabbed Tomoyo's hand, making the other look up in surprise. "Tomoyo, I... I like you, too."
Tomoyo's eyes softened. "I know that."
Sakura shook her head. "It's different from before. Going through things again, slowly, casually like we are, I've been able to take the chance to appreciate things in a different light. And I'm finding that... even though you may not be the person I thought you were, I'm genuinely starting to like the 'real' you, too. Perhaps even more so than the image I had made you out to be."
Tomoyo smiled, but then asked with open curiosity, "What kind of image did you imagine?"
"Mm..." Sakura looked away again, though she didn't let go of Tomoyo's hand. "I guess... I thought you were perfect... flawless... unquestionably generous... never angry... someone you might expect to be valedictorian... or at least a role model for everyone."
Tomoyo gave a bemused smile. "I was valedictorian."
"But you're not perfect." Sakura grinned, as if she had just been let in on a secret she intended to keep close to her heart. "You are nice to people in general, but you don't mind causing people a little trouble now and again- like with today. And your anger is on a much quieter level, but it's still there. It's subtle, but still definitive. And... I think it gives you a good sense of balance."
"Balance?"
"In a feng shui kind of way."
Tomoyo laughed. "Are you teasing me?"
"Maybe." Sakura smiled playfully. "But I don't think I'm lying. Do you?"
"Maybe," Tomoyo returned. "As for me, my opinion of you is changing, too. When I first met you, I thought you were an obsessive, overzealous stalker girlfriend. But it appears you can show some restraint after all."
Sakura laughed. "Now I know you're teasing me."
"You look like someone who has a very cute expression when she's being teased."
Sakura swept Tomoyo up against her body, a hand on the small of her back. "Well, am I?"
"Are you cute?" Tomoyo smiled as she appeared to give the matter serious thought. She traced her finger along the side of Sakura's face, commenting as she did so. "Well, let's see here. Your cheekbones are a hair higher than the average Japanese woman, and you still have the slightest bit of baby fat, despite all your exercising. Your nose is small and rounded off and it is indeed as cute as a button."
"Do you find buttons cute?"
"Don't you?" Tomoyo almost purred as she continued, "Well, I'm a designer through and through, so I suppose my tastes are a little off. But hmm... are you cute... that's a very tough question you've imposed on me, Sakura."
Sakura leaned down so that her forehead rested against Tomoyo's. She drawled, "Tomoyo..."
"Yes?" Tomoyo drawled back.
"You're such a tease, you know that?"
"Really? Why thank you. I learn from the best."
Sakura laughed. "I'm not the best."
"Whoever said was referring to you?" Tomoyo's eyes shone with her barely contained mirth. "I didn't learn anything from you."
"Why you... That's it- tickle time." As Sakura unleashed her attacks, Tomoyo broke into a fit of giggles and quickly tried to get away, despite knowing Sakura's arms were keeping her very close indeed.
Hardly a minute later, Tomoyo was giggling out, "I give, I give! Mercy!"
Sakura tickled her an extra few seconds for good measure before simply holding Tomoyo close. "Am I allowed to hold you?"
"You're supposed to ask and then do something, not the other way around." Tomoyo sighed and closed her eyes as her hands held Sakura's in place. "But yes, yes you are."
Sakura closed her eyes as well, dropping her chin to Tomoyo's shoulder. Sakura reveled in that Tomoyo's hair was as soft as always, and that her curves seemed to completely complement Sakura's arms. It was a wondrous feeling, a ring fitting around a round peg. She never wanted to let her go.
"Tomoyo."
"Hm?" Tomoyo had been enjoying the sensations that came with Sakura holding her, and didn't want to ruin it by talking more if she didn't have to.
"Will you be my girlfriend? Officially?"
--
Fate jumped a little when the door slammed shut. She hadn't heard that sound in a while, as one would have had to manually disengage the automatic closing function in order to do so. And it was a heavy door without the electronics to power it. She felt warm arms wrap around her neck and shoulders. "N-Nanoha?"
"I missed you today."
Fate smiled softly. "I missed you too?"
"I skimmed through the rest of that folder you gave me."
"That folder... the omiai one?"
Nanoha nodded into her shoulder. "No one comes close. No matter which way I think about it, there's no one else for me. That I want for me."
Fate smiled with light embarrassment as she tried to say something. "Nanoha..."
Nanoha moved around the couch and sat next to Fate. She cupped Fate's cheeks gently and whispered, "This face, these eyes, these lips..." Nanoha traced Fate's lips with her thumb. "I only want to see yours. When I wake up in the morning, when I go to sleep at night, I only want you. I only need you. Yeah, maybe I could have married for fame, for wealth, for making my parents happy, but all that seems empty if it means having to give up you."
Fate reached up and held Nanoha's hand with one of her own. "Nanoha, what brought all this on?"
Nanoha leaned forward, giving Fate a chaste kiss that wasn't denied. Then, pulling back, but not enough that their lips separated, Nanoha finished, "So please, please promise me... if something happens to either one of us, promise me that we'll still be okay. That our love will stay true, that our pillars, our anchors in each other will remain firm. That... even if I forget you, or you forget me... even if we have to start over... we'll still be together, supporting each other, for always."
Perhaps it was hearing the slight tinge of fear in Nanoha's voice, or perhaps it was the confidence that Nanoha's insecurity brought about, but nonetheless, Fate's own worries were assuaged by merely this. She kissed Nanoha, a little deeper than before, but still relatively innocent and tender, and whispered, "For always, Nanoha. You don't even have to call my name."
"Fate..." Nanoha closed her eyes and was content to simply be held. "Don't ever... don't ever doubt that I love you far and beyond anyone else, all right? Even though there are people that hold special places in my heart, like Yuuno or Vivio, you hold the most special place of all. The most important part."
"I didn't." Upon admitting so, Fate realized that she really never had. She also realized the same could apply to her. "And Nanoha... Nanoha is even more so... the one most special to me."
"Can we get married?"
Fate started. That felt oddly anticlimactic after what she had felt she had gone through. "Nanoha?"
"I'm not saying let's get married right now. Just... we can do it, right? It's not against the rules?"
Fate wondered if she should tell Nanoha now, and realized, it would make no difference in the end. "I already filed the papers. Yes, we can."
Nanoha stopped, realizing that Fate had already gone one step ahead of her. Pulling back so that she could look into those deep red eyes, she asked, "Don't I need to do anything?"
Fate shook her head. "What I did was petition to have a military personnel marriage union. You only need one person to ask for one, since they screen couples for probabilities of staying together before you can be approved."
Nanoha whispered, unable to quite comprehend it, "We... we were approved? How long have you been-"
"I actually filed for it after Vivio came to live with us. It's taken some time, but a few months ago, I was notified that we were approved."
Tears welled up in Nanoha's eyes. She squealed and hugged Fate as if she had just been told that Fate was having her baby. Well, that would come, in time perhaps. "Fate... I... thank you."
Fate shook her head. "Sorry for not consulting with you first. I just assumed-"
"No." Nanoha smiled. "You assumed right. I trust you."
Fate smiled back. "I also took care of something else, but I don't know if you'll like it."
As Fate's smile twitched, Nanoha grinned. "I know you well enough to know that you know I'll love whatever it is. Is it time crucial? I mean, do we have to get married within a certain time?"
"No. It's for as long as we're part of the military. I got a civilian one too- that one was easier- so that it would still be valid if we moved into the city one day."
Nanoha calmed outwardly, but Fate knew she was bubbling inside. "Fate... We're still so young."
"But we've done so much with what time we've already been given."
"I want to continue doing everything I can to help."
"So do I."
"But... if... if it's all right with you..." Nanoha flushed, playing with Fate's fingers. "One day... when there's someone who can 'take up the slack' for the next generation... do you want to... I mean... we don't have to but..."
"Will you grow old with me?" Fate smiled. "In the very, very long way that mages do?"
"Can we settle down somewhere quiet, away from the wars, away from the military life... maybe... raise a family? A family that's truly ours?"
Fate kissed Nanoha's cheek gently. "As soon as I find out how they do it."
"I know how to-"
"Properly." Fate smiled, her eyes shining with the devotion that she felt for the woman before her. "If there's a way without physical repercussions, without causing real damage to either us or those who will come after us... then I will find it. I promise."
"Just retiring with you would be fine, too."
"Same." Fate moved her lips along Nanoha's cheek to kiss her closed eye. "As long as I'm with you... I know it'll all turn out okay."
Nanoha smiled. "Vivio might have 'left the nest' by then. Do you think she would come back, if she had a new little brother or sister?"
"I think she would visit regardless."
Nanoha nodded. "Fate... I'm sorry I'm so possessive."
Fate blinked, wondering where that had come from. "Nanoha?"
"Tonight, I'm so selfish, I want to send Vivio away and have you all to myself."
Fate smiled, stroking Nanoha's hair. "Nanoha... Vivio asked to stay over at Hayate's tonight and I already took her there myself."
"... I love you. You're a mindreader."
Fate kissed Nanoha again. "You're a godsend."
"Can I be on top tonight?"
"Only if you promise not to use the vibrator."
"But it's fun!"
"It makes me go numb when I hold you."
Nanoha pouted, but relented. "Fine. Will you wear the one in green?"
"Green is not my color. You know that."
"It is when it's," Nanoha whispered the rest in Fate's ear. The recipient colored.
"If you pull out the nun chucks, I'm using my long pole. Just to warn you."
"I know. When has that rule ever changed?"
"It's not Friday."
"It doesn't have to be Friday."
Fate smiled. "All right. Then let's play. Go change out of your uniform while I set things up."
Nanoha kissed Fate's cheek before jumping up. "I'll be back down in a flash!"
Fate called after her, "Remember to close the blinds when you're changing!"
"I know!"
Fate shook her head as she smiled and went to set up the Xii. It would be a long night. But story mode always took its time anyway. Especially when they played the Limited Edition Unabridged Version of Call My Name.
--
"Can I help?"
Hayate smiled as she looked down at Vivio. "Sure. Pull up a stool and apron and you can mix these eggs. I bet you have a killer technique for doing that with all your practice, don't you?"
Vivio giggled as she went to get the stool. "Nanoha-mama was surprised when I showed her. Until last week she'd never really watched me cook. Fate-mama usually cooked with me if I did."
"She must be proud to know the culinary blood runs through you, too."
"Call an airy? What's that?"
"Cul-i-nary. Basically, I mean that Nanoha's parents cook, Nanoha cooks, and now you want to cook too. Then again, cooking is somewhat necessary, so I suppose it isn't surprising. Maybe I should say everyone in your family likes to bake."
"Momoko-nana said it's 'cause everyone likes the smell of freshly baked cookies."
Hayate laughed. "Except weird people like Zafira who don't like sweets, right?"
Vivio sent a rueful look at the poor wolf who realized he was being talked about. "Bad Zaffy. Disliking sweets will get you anti-cavities."
Hayate smiled. "What's wrong with 'anti-cavities'? Cavities are the ones you're not supposed to get."
"But 'anti' means 'against' which is bad. So having anti-cavities is bad too."
"But then it's two negatives that make a positive. Anti-cavities cancels out the bad, and it's a good thing."
Vivio stared. "But my English teacher said it's bad to have double negatives."
"It's not bad, just confusing. But there's one kind of anti that is always proper to use."
Curious, Vivio asked, "What?"
Hayate winked. "When someone gives you some playing cards and says 'ante up', offer up something equal to what the people near you offer up."
"Like what?"
"Oh... if you're playing with cookies for example, if they put one cookie in the gimme pile, then you should too."
"Why?"
"Well because if you win the game, you get the other people's cookies. The number of cookies can go up, but can never go below the ante amount. People who don't ante up lose."
"Lose?" Vivio looked fearful. "Nanoha-mama said she'd kill me if I ever lost at something she could do at my age."
Hayate laughed. "Oh, don't worry, Nanoha-mama has lost her fair share of games, when it wasn't cookies on the line."
"Really? What were you playing with then?"
"Well-"
"Mistress Hayate!" Both Hayate and Vivio froze as they slowly turned to see Signum in the doorway. A little disheveled, as if she had been in the middle of doing something, she scolded, "Nanoha specifically told you not to bring up stories like that around Vivio."
Vivio protested, "But I wanna hear more about Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama!"
"Yeah!" Hayate chipped in, "If she wants to hear it, then she should be allowed to hear it! God knows her mamas at her age were already-"
"Hayate!"
Hayate laughed. "Oh, all right. I'll tell you when you're older, Vivio."
Vivio pouted. Glaring at Signum, she muttered, "Partypooper."
Signum flushed at the name but shook her head and warned one last time, "Hayate, really, don't tell her that story. Or anything like that story. And don't teach her to gamble."
"Oh she's too young to gamble." When Signum gruffly turned and left them alone again, Hayate leaned down and whispered, "But every girl needs to learn the rules in case someone forces her to play. Right, Vivio?"
Vivio instantly cheered up. "Unh!"
"Keep stirring, kid. Gotta keep up the act if you want to learn some new things."
"Unh! Hayate-neechan, what do I do with the eggs?" Vivio asked in a loud voice so that it carried over to the people in the living room.
Hayate giggled softly. She whispered, "Don't be too obvious, Vivio," before saying at a normal tone, "Ah, set it aside for now. You want to wash the lettuce, Vivio?"
"Unh!" In a softer voice, she asked, "So how do you 'gamble'?"
Hayate grinned. She wished Vivio was her kid. Actually, she didn't; it was much more fun to spoil her and then give her back to her parents to deal with. She liked being the Aunt-older-sister type. "Well, let's start with something easy. Have you ever played a game where each player put something up for grabs and the winner got everything offered in that round?"
Vivio thought up about it and then nodded. "Tomoyo-san plays that game with me a lot. It helps me study."
Hayate chuckled. "That Tomoyo... she's a tricky little one she is..."
"Why? Is gambling bad? Is what she did gambling?"
"Well, yes and no. It's the same principle, except with money. Money is a lot worse to lose, because of what you can buy with money. But it's also a whole lot better if you win those games. Because you know what you can buy with money?"
"What?"
"Come closer."
Vivio, curious, naïve little thing she was, leaned closer.
"Two words." Hayate whispered, "Edible underwear."
"Ewwwwwww!" Vivio pulled back. "Who would want that?!"
Hayate laughed. "Your Mamas fought the big fight for just one pair of those."
"Why?"
"You'll understand when you're older. Maybe."
"But I wanna understand now."
"... Have you heard the story of the birds and the bees?"
"No?"
"Really? I think you have. Maybe they said... the pink bunnies and the white bunnies?"
"Ooh, yeah, I know that one!" Vivio grinned, but then frowned. "What's the bird and the bees?"
"Same thing, just with using animals with different body structures- like boys and girls. White bunnies and pink bunnies have the same general body but are obviously different, right? That's all it is."
"... but what does that have to do with... with..." she lowered to just above a whisper, "Edible underwear?"
Hayate grinned. "Bunnies like to nibble things right?"
"Yeah..." Vivio's eyes widened. "Ewwwwwwww!!"
Signum called over from the other room, "Hayate! What are you telling that poor girl now?"
A/N: I love balancing Vivio's knowledge of adult things with a still childish perspective on things. :3 And I have a fixation on the term/idea of "edible underwear". I would find it distracting; I don't know why people would bother.
