Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.


Chapter 15: Homecoming

Knocking. He heard a knocking at the door from downstairs. He opened his eyes and rubbed at least enough drowsiness out of them to check his phone. It was too early to open or for Sojiro to show up at Le Blanc. So, he did what every rational, tired young adult did in such a situation: Ignore it, hope it goes away, and go back to sleep. As solid a solution as it was, it would appear that it was ill advised as the knocking continued, and he swore it now sounded like two people were knocking on his door.

"Ren… go get it…" Morgana drawled. Ren supposed that there were worse ways to start his summer back in Tokyo. After making sure he was decent he walked downstairs, still a bit lightheaded, and walked over to the door that was clearly marked open… well the sign said open on his side but on the outside, it would say closed. It was still too early for him to process things properly.

"Hold on, I'm coming," He said, while fighting a yawn. For a moment the knocking stopped, probably because they noticed someone coming to open the door. "Sorry, but we're closed right… now…"

"Ren!" Cried a brunette little girl with a large travel bag.

"Good Morning," said a blonde little girl who also held onto a large travel bag.

"No, too early." He closed the door. Gently mind, he didn't want to hurt them after all, but this was not something he would deal with this early in the morning. Maybe an hour or two from now and a nice coffee. They were big girls; they could handle being alone for a little while.

"Ren!" He heard Nanoha shout from outside as the knocking started up again.

"Maybe we should blast it open." He rushed back to the door and swung it open as fast as he could, but before he could scold them for that- "Now will you let us in?" Since when was Fate so sly, he wondered. He sighed, and got out of the way to let the two of them in.

"Sorry about that," Nanoha said, bowing her head as she walked in.

"Excuse me," Fate followed after. The two took a seat at one of the booths, setting their luggage to the side as they relaxed. Once he was sure they were settled in, Ren finally spoke up.

"Alright, so what are the two of you doing here?" He asked them as he sat at the stool nearest to the booth.

"Don't worry I have my parents' permission to be here, and Fate has Lindy's," Nanoha answered with a perky energy that Ren was kind of jealous of at the moment. Even so he stayed as focused as he could.

"Nanoha, that's not an answer to my question."

"We're here because we wanted to be with you," Fate stated in the same manner and tone one might report the weather.

"Fate! That's a little too…" Nanoha scrambled to say, trying to grab Fate's attention "You're not supposed to say that so bluntly!"

"Oh, but you told me to be honest with my feelings."

"Not that honest!"

"Okay, settle down you two… Fate," Ren called to the girl. "How were things… you know…"

"I'm basically free to go now. The evidence that Lindy found was enough to basically acquit me of all charges and lessen my punishment to simple probation and observation under her supervision. Lindy's planning on enrolling me into Nanoha's school next semester," Fate answered, smiling at the good news she was able to deliver. "Mother is still undergoing trial, but it seems that it's going well for her. As things are, she might only have to serve a decade at most, with visitation, or earlier with good behavior. Of course, it's not over yet, so it's still best to prepare for the worst."

"I suppose that's better than what most could hope for," Ren mused, a little disappointed that more couldn't be done, but resigning himself to the outcome at present. It certainly could have been worse.

"Alicia's body is being held by Lindy…" Fate quietly added, unsure if it was appropriate to bring up, but feeling the need to say so all the same. "She's doing all she can to keep it for Mother."

"And what about Arf and Yuuno? Weren't they with you?"

"They're coming tomorrow," Nanoha answered him.

"Why tomorrow?"

"We were supposed to come tomorrow as well, but Nanoha and I wanted to see you sooner, so we left this morning," Fate told him… Ren placed his hand on his face. He was happy that they wanted to see him that badly, but this was a bit much. In… Out… In… Out…

"I see… anyways that's enough of that topic. I need to change and get ready for the day. You can leave your things in my room upstairs for now. Will you two need any help?" Ren asked.

"No, we'll be fine," Nanoha answered, her eyes wandering about the shop. She couldn't help but be fascinated by how different it was from her family's cafe. It was a bit darker and dingier, but there was a mature charm in the place that Midoriya lacked. There was… what was the word… Sophistication.

"Alright, then once you're done, take a seat and make yourselves comfortable." He went over to change the sign to open. "I'll be in the restroom to change."

-0-0-15-0-0-

"Hmm… the clientele here certainly has gone through a bit of a demographic change." Nanoha and Fate froze as they stared at the woman who'd just walked in wearing what could only be described as a punk outfit. Spiked choker and bracelets, leather jacket, torn stockings, a blue dress with a white pattern on it resembling a spider web; there wasn't any other way to describe it other than punk.

"Is that normal?" Fate asked Nanoha in a tiny whisper.

"Well it is for me," the woman answered, surprising the two girls, as she sat down at the stool. "Do the two of you know where the owner is?"

"Um… no, but-" before Nanoha could elaborate, Ren came out of the restroom, wiping his hands on his apron. Upon coming out his, eyes immediately trained on the woman, and widened in surprise.

"Tae-san, I wasn't expecting you," he said, an unfamiliar name to the two girls reaching their ears. "At least not this early…" he added after looking at the clock and realizing it was still before opening hours.

"Neither was I, but the sign did say open. Why didn't you tell me you were back in town?" The Tae woman asked, a small smile forming on her lips as she spoke.

"I just got back yesterday. I was going to stop by later today to let you know once my shift ended this morning."

"Well I'm glad to see you again. I have a couple of new drugs that need testing. Would you like to take the first trial run?" Tae said teasingly. Nanoha and Fate collectively scowled, unsure of what to make of what they were hearing. "I promise it won't make you pass out or anything. We've already gotten past that phase."

"He'll be fine!"

"He's going taking us out to see the city today." Nanoha and Fate spoke up, putting themselves between the two, arms outstretched to protect Ren, as it were.

"Oh? So you know these two I take it?" Tae asked Ren, only tacitly acknowledging the two's interruption.

"They followed me here from Uminari. I'm looking after them, by default," he answered. "C'mon you two, introduce yourselves." Giving the two a pat on the back, Nanoha and Fate decided to let go of their animosity at his beckoning and gave their introductions. After all, she seemed to be a friend of Ren's.

"I'm Nanoha Takamichi."

"And I'm Fate Testarossa." The two gave a respectful bow.

"I'm Tae Takemi. I'm a doctor, and my clinic is close by; just a little down the alley. If you need anything during your stay in Tokyo, let me know. I can give you a discount since you two seem to be Ren's acquaintances."

"We're close friends," Nanoha corrected her, to which Fate nodded in agreement.

"Is that so… Ren, give me the usual but to go. You know how I like it."

"Are you sure you want those to go? It's not any trouble for you to stay." Ren asked as he moved behind the counter, already getting to work on her order.

"No, I'll be fine. I was already planning on getting to go, and I spent more time here than I wanted to. I've got a meeting later this week, and I'm still not done with the preparations. How long will you be staying?" Tae asked, taking a seat as she watched him work.

"For the whole summer basically," he said grabbing a to go cup.

"So we'll have plenty of time to catch up later then." Out of Tae's peripheral vision she could see the two girls still watching her cautiously. "Would you mind if I also took these two with me? They seem to have taken a shine to me. I could always use some variation in my guinea pigs. Would help with the data collection an awful lot." The remark caught Nanoha and Fate off guard, making the two of them look away without reply.

"Nah, their parents will kill me if I let them spend a night taking your shots. Here's your coffee, just how you like it." Ren handed the cup over to Tae, who in turn gave him his payment.

"Keep the change, think of it as a welcoming gift. Be sure to stop by when you can. I'll be waiting." With a wave of her free hand, she walked out of the café, leaving the three of them behind. After a few seconds passed, Fate spoke up.

"Does everyone in this city dress like that?"

"No, not at all… I think…" Nanoha answered without any surety.

"Tae-san's just got a unique sense of fashion. Don't let it bother you. She's one of the best doctors in all of Japan, I can guarantee that," Ren said as he moved around the store to prep a few other things before more customers were to show up.

"How do you know her?" Nanoha asked, taking a seat on one of the stools. Fate followed suite, taking a seat next to Nanoha.

"I just needed some medicine, and she was the best I could find, and close by."

"Anything to do with your Phantom Thieves stuff?" Nanoha whispered.

"Sort of. Sometimes things get tiring and it's nice to have a pick me up," Ren indirectly answered. "Especially when they don't ask too many questions."

"Ooooh…" Nanoha let out in amazement. "Actually, this is the first time I've heard you talk about what it was like doing… you know…"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I guess that's true. Well if you two are dead set on following me around today, you might hear a bit more."

"I'm looking forward to learning more about you, Ren," Fate said calmly, but a twinge of enthusiasm dripped ever so slightly from her tone.

"Well it will have to wait until the owner gets here and we can take off. Until then, you two just get comfy. Want some coffee?" Ren asked, holding a couple of mugs.

"Um… lots of sugar and cream please."

"I'll have whatever you think is best," Nanoha and Fate said respectively.

"Nanoha, we do have other drinks if you don't want it," Ren offered, a bit amused by her bashfulness.

"Oh, then I'll just have an orange juice," She corrected her order. "Sorry, I don't like coffee."

"Well if you ever want it, I'll brew one up however you like it. Fate, I'll give you sugar and cream so you can add however much you want of it." Ren got right to work on their drinks before he even finished speaking.

"Thank you!"

"Alright," Nanoha and Fate said one after the other. Neither of them said it out loud, but for some reason they enjoyed watching Ren work behind the counter. They just for some reason liked it. Perhaps it was the apron.

-0-0-15-0-0-

"So, these are the two I've heard so much about." Nanoha and Fate looked up at the man eyeing them with his fingers cupped around his chin. A slim, if a bit lanky figure that wore a stylish pink shirt and khakis below an apron much like the one Ren was wearing. "My daughter has told me all about a couple of hanger-ons Ren's snapped up back at his hometown. Wasn't excepting you two to be so young though."

"We have permission to be here!" Nanoha yelled in a minor bit of nervous panic. "I'm Nanoha Takamichi!"

"Fate Testarossa." The two bowed for the second time that day.

"Takamichi-chan, and Testarossa-chan. Testarossa sounds foreign…" The man mused.

"Yes, you can say I'm not from this country." Fate answered in a technically truth.

"Oh, it's not a problem, just never heard the name before. I'm Sojiro Sakura. I believe you've already met my daughter Futaba. Of course, you've also met this rascal over there," he said pointing at Ren in a dismissive manner. Ren knew though that it just Sojiro ribbing him a bit and took it in stride with a single shrug.

"I'm the owner of this café, and I was the one that let him stay here the past year. Speaking of, where are you two staying?"

"My mother was fine as long as I stayed near Ren," Nanoha said, pointing at the young man.

"The one who's looking after me said the same thing," Fate added, mimicking Nanoha's pointing.

"I… I see… well you're welcome stay here I suppose if your parents are fine with it. I've got extra rooms at my house down the street though," Sojiro offered to them, knowing that the upstairs wasn't exactly filled to the brim with amenities.

"It's okay. I want to stay here."

"I would also like to stay here, if that's alright," Nanoha and Fate answered without hesitation or timidity.

"Huh, well the offer is available if you change your mind. Futaba would love to have you over. She wouldn't stop talking about you two and Ren's welc- well never mind." Sojiro gestured over to Ren to which the young man followed him into a corner of the store next to a painting that Nanoha felt looked familiar. "Say these two are quite attached to you. Nothing… weird is going on, right?"

"Nothing their parents wouldn't approve of," was the answer he practiced if he was ever questioned on the matter.

"Well alright then, I'll trust you on that. Just make sure to give them the bed and sleep on the couch. I don't have spare futons. Only have beds at the moment."

"Thanks." Sojiro nodded at his response, sure that his advice was being heeded. He turned to the two kids and began to talk to them.

"Hey, so how've you been liking Tokyo so far?" Sojiro started as an ice breaker.

"We just arrived this morning. Ren said he'd take us around the city when he's off work," Nanoha said.

"Well then he's off work now. Ren, take the rest of the day off and show these ladies a good time around town," He said with a smile, wink, and nod. "Just be back before dark, alright?"

"If you're sure," Ren said, already moving to take his apron off.

"Yeah, go have a good time, show them around," He said almost with a bit too much insistence, Ren noticed. Ultimately, he ignored it, not sensing any ill will from Sakura-san. "And would it be alright if you left Morgana here? I haven't seen the little thing in a while."

"Uh…sure, I guess. Fate, Nanoha, just give me a moment to change and we'll leave right away."

"Okay!" The two said in unison. As he ran up the stairs. Fate and Nanoha's excitement grew, wondering just where they were going to go for the day.

-0-0-15-0-0-

"And so, I implore you to remember that what we do today will affect the future of our nation, our youth who will take up the mantle in our place. Please act in such a manner that will allow you to aspire to do what you believe in, just as I will."

Nanoha watched the massive monitor above Shibuya Crossing, mesmerized by the speech given by a… she read the name at the bottom again, Toranosuke Yoshida. As just an elementary student, politics wasn't something she'd given any thought towards. However, this man's speech was something she couldn't help but be enamored by. It was little like how Ren spoke actually now that she could place why the politician sounded so familiar. It wasn't so much the words as the cadence and confidence.

"Nanoha," Fate called to her, snapping her friend back to the present. "We're leaving now."

"Oh, sorry!" Nanoha replied as she finished her drink, she got from the subway station, and threw it away into a nearby garbage bin. "Where are we going again?" She asked once she grabbed onto Ren's hand so as not to get lost in the crowd with Fate on the other side.

"We're going to a place I went to all the time, and even worked part time," Ren explained. "I'm friends with the owner, so I just want to drop by and say hi."

"Another friend of yours? I wonder what they're like," Fate said, imagining just who it could be that Ren was thinking of, only to be distracted by the sights of the city as they neared a side street next to the sky scraper that had some kind of number on it. "Hamburger?" She noted as she read the poster on a restaurant they passed by.

"We can go there for lunch if you like."

"Yeah, that sounds good," Fate said, accepting Ren's offer, wondering what it would taste like. There was still so much she wanted to try.

"Big Bang Burger Challenge?" Nanoha looked put off as she looked at an image of what could only be described as the fast food pinnacle of gluttony and excess.

"Oh, I finished that. It was pretty good, but I didn't want to look at another burger for about a month after that," Ren told them. "Maybe I could try it again… Anyways, this way," he told them, ignoring their looks of incredulity, and directing them towards a dingy and dark alley.

"Ren, are you sure this is it? It's kind of… dirty," was the only way Nanoha could describe it.

"Yeah, but it's not that bad. In here," he said as he pointed to a shop, the sign of which said 'Untouchable'. Ren walked into the store as Nanoha and Fate looked around still unsure. However, Ren's confidence in the location spurned them to follow, as well as a desire to not be left behind.

"Are you even old enough to be in here?"

"Are you even man enough to be in here?" The two heard immediately upon entering the store. Because the store was about as small as it looked, they were quickly able to find the source of the two voices.

The older boy wore a simple green and white long sleeve shirt with jeans, his short messy hair dark hair framed a fair, though forgettable, boyish face. He looked, to the two girls, plain and ordinary.

On the other side of the argument was a much younger boy. He wore a blue varsity Jacket with white sleeves that said something in English on the front to which Nanoha read as 'NOOBS' but she didn't know what that meant. His elementary school backpack showed that he was around their age, probably only a little bit older. However, what caught Nanoha's attention the most was the bright red hat that read 'Get Smoked', again in English.

"Don't fight over me," Ren said, immediately causing all in the store (which so far was just them) to look at him in utter bafflement, even the two girls.

"Wait, Ren?"

"Ren! What are you doing back in Tokyo?" The older and younger boy said one after the other once they'd gotten over their surprise.

"I just got back yesterday. Decided to go around town and see how everyone is doing. I didn't expect to see either of you here though."

"That's great… wait you know this kid?" Mishima realizing that Ren wasn't just talking to him.

"You know this lame-o?" Shinya asked as well.

"We just went to the same highschool together. That's all," Ren said, trying to disassociate from Mishima.

"Aww come on! Can't you throw me a bone here! I mean, didn't we hang out with Ryuji, called night maid services together, and even roomed together in Hawaii. I even managed the Phansi-"

"Mishima, I'm kidding. It's great to see you again," Ren, said finally putting down the act just in time to stop Mishima from saying anything more. "You too, King." Mishima's eyes lit up upon hearing that title.

"No way! You're not talking about that King, right? The arcade one? This kid's King?"

"Yeah, so what if I'm a kid?" Shinya asked, annoyed by Mishima's questions.

"No-nothing…" Ren sighed, seeing Mishima as meek as ever.

"Anyways what are you two doing here?" Ren asked, his eyes darting about as he noticed someone was missing.

"I followed this kid in here, since you know. This isn't the kind of place kids normally would come to. I just wanted to make sure he wasn't doing anything dangerous or anything," Mishima explained his side first.

"I was just curious, that's all. I mean it's just airsoft stuff. Unless you're a police officer, you can't get the real thing anyway. Well I guess the Phantom Thieves might have the real thing though," Oda said, eyeing Ren as he did so. Mishima also looked at him with a bit of a nervous tick in his movements, though Ren's calm demeanor also helped to ease himself.

"Still this place is literally in an alleyway. Ren, back me up on this!"

"Who the hell's making all that racket!" Fate and Nanoha jumped as they all heard a voice coming from the back. Everyone in the room froze in fear as they heard movement from behind the back door, all except Ren that was. Not a moment later, the door swung open and out walked a rough looking man with gray hair and a stubble in a black turtleneck, long gray coat, blue jeans and a hat with what looked to be headphones. As the man scanned the room, his jaw dropped a bit upon seeing Ren, also revealing that the stick in his mouth was a lollipop.

"Ren! What are you doing here, you bastard!" He said as his expression morphed from annoyance to happy surprise.

"Iwai, long time no see," Ren replied like he would to anyone else, leaving the rest of the room a bit stunned. "Just making the rounds now that I'm back in town."

"Ah, that's good! Looking for anything, by the way? I can give you discount, for old time's sake."

"Nah, would be kind of weird to buy something with them around." Ren pointed to the two girls who were trying to make their presence as scarce as possible, not just because they found the place a bit scary, but also because they just didn't want to butt in.

"Huh… I'm not going to ask why they're with you, but yeah, I get it. Just good to see you again kid," Iwai said as he relaxed into a chair behind the counter.

"Jeez, Ren who don't you know?" Mishima asked in wonder, something that Nanoha and Fate were also beginning to wonder.

"What were you doing at the arcade if you knew a guy to get you airsoft stuff?" Shinya asked, elbowing Ren with a cheeky grin.

Fate and Nanoha looked on, unable to rid themselves of their loneliness looking at Ren. He just seemed so carefree and happy. They'd never seen him so… free. They couldn't make out the particulars of his conversation with the three others. Something about the owner letting the kid around their age to come around whenever he wanted or something like that. They just couldn't find any where to enter the conversation. Their world seemed so… different.

They lost track of how long Ren had been talking to the other three. Smiles and chuckles were easy to discern, but the details were simply lost on them. They tried to understand it as best they could, to perhaps find a way into this little world of Ren's that they weren't a part of. However, in the end they just couldn't find a way in.

Nanoha looked around the shop, but it was filled with military stuff, and model guns. Basically, things she didn't even have a passing interest in. Besides she had the power to fire magic spells way more powerful than the real versions of any of the models she saw on the walls. Fate Just stood, there a bit bored and lonely. She wanted to talk to Nanoha, but she also didn't want to interrupt Ren when he seemed to be having a good time. He hadn't seen them in a long time apparently. Far be it for her to ruin it for him.

"Well I think I better get going, I think my entourage is feeling a bit ignored at the moment." The two perked up upon realizing Ren was talking about them.

"No, we're fine!"

"Don't mind us," Nanoha and Fate replied, not wanting to get in Ren's way.

"Come on, you think I don't know you two? Sorry to bail, I'll see you guys later."

"You're welcome anytime kid."

"You can find me in the arcade if you want to go a round."

"Text me if you need anything," Iwai, Shinya, and Mishima told him, as they bid him goodbye. Ren walked out of the store with a wave of the hand and taking the two girls with him. Once they were a bit away from the store, he lowered himself to their level.

"Sorry about that. I was a bit caught up talking to them and didn't mean for it to take that long. Must have been boring, huh?"

"That's okay. I mean, they're your friends, right? I mean I'd probably be the same with mine," Nanoha said, trying to be polite.

"Your friends are quite varied," Fate noted as she looked back at the store.

"I guess you can say that… Anyways that's enough of that. Is there anywhere you two would like to go? To make up for boring you two." Nanoha and Fate looked at each other. The blonde couldn't think of anything, while the brunette placed a hand on her chin, letting a hum out as she thought.

"Oh! That Mishima guy said he went to your school, right? Is it okay if we visit?"

"My school? I mean sure, but why would you want to go there?" Ren asked, a bit taken aback that they'd choose that of all places.

"I just want to know more about you. That's all," Nanoha answered.

"I'd like to know more too. It also might prepare for my own schooling next semester," Fate added.

"Well, alright. Let's go then," he said as he got up and got ready to go.

"Yay! And Ren?" Nanoha called as she tugged on his shirt.

"What is it?"

"What was that about a nightly maid service?" Her mouth was smiling, but her eyes weren't. Fate also looked the same. Actually no. Fate wasn't smiling at all.

"Ren… what is a nightly maid service?" Fate asked, a seriousness in her voice he'd only heard from her when she was in battle.

Unbeknownst to them, a little head popped out from a blue velvet door only a select few could see, watching them in silence as Ren tried his best to explain his way out.

-0-0-15-0-0-

"Ren is this really the way to your old school?" Nanoha asked as they turned into an alley way.

"Believe it or not, yeah. You can probably tell but there's not exactly a lot of room to go around in Tokyo. Have to put things where you can," Ren explained as he led the way. He felt nostalgic, coming down the way after such a long while. He was no longer a student, and he'd only gone this way for about year, but even so he still held memories of it. Not all of them fond, and indeed he didn't really care much for the school itself or most of the students there, save for a select few. However, he couldn't help but look back on it with at least some miniscule degree of fondness.

"Is that it?" Fate asked causing Ren to snap back to the present with the school in sight.

"Yeah, that's Shujin Academy." The dingy school hidden between the buildings still looked the same as it ever had. "It's no castle, but it is what it is." The two were confused as to why he'd bring something like that up but made no comment. "This is as far as we're going. I'm not a student anymore so even getting this close is a bit weird." The two girls still looked and marveled at a piece of Ren's past. It felt a little weird to him, to have people this interested in such a thing just because it was related to him, but far be it from him to deny their wishes.

"Huh? Ren?" A familiar voice chimed in. He should have expected to run into her. He turned around, giving a wave to the person walking up to them. "It is you! What are you doing here? And who are they?"

"Hey, Kawakami-sensei," Ren greeted the woman who wore a yellow long sleeve shirt and a jean skirt, her hair as frumpy as always. "Just wandering around Tokyo for old time's sake, and these two insisted on wanting to come here."

"What are you doing with a couple of kids?" Kawakami asked, her force showing a familiar look of suspicion. "I trust you and all, but it looks kind of weird." Ren sighed, exasperated but understanding.

"Yeah, it does… I'm just looking after them while they're in Tokyo. They wanted to come, and their parents trusted me to make sure they don't get into trouble," he replied, trying to say something that included the truth.

"I hope they're not staying in that dusty attic of yours. Seriously, that place is not fit for anyone to live in." Ren relaxed as it seemed she bought it.

"Wait, you're a teacher, right? How do you know what Ren's room is like?" Nanoha asked, taking her turn to look at her with suspicion.

"Ah…hahahaha… yeah… uh… Just uh… Look it's a teacher's job to look after their students, right? Ren's situation in school was a bit special so I had to look out for him just a bit extra is all." Ren stayed quiet as he pulled at his collar, hoping that Kawakami wouldn't say anything else incriminating. "Make sure neither of you end up like him okay? Make sure to follow the law, and also don't go calling any maid service while you're in town, okay Ren?" She told him, switching from speaking to the two girls to Ren and almost speaking through her teeth. The young man got the hint, giving a nod back in understanding.

"Ren won't need a maid. I can clean his room for him," Fate said from out of the blue.

"I hope it's just cleaning that's happening…" Kawakami eyed the young man. "Anyways, it's great to see you. How're your studies coming along."

"I'm doing fine," he answered with a shrug.

"That's what you told me when you were still attending Shujin, and you literally got the top spot in every exam. Even the one you weren't around for most of the classes for. Have a bit more confidence. It will help when you're applying for college."

"College, huh…" That's right, he'd have to look for college soon. Nanoha's eyes widened as she also realized the same.

"Yeah, I mean where are you planning on applying? With your grades, I bet you could even get into Tokyo University… Hmmm… You don't seem too sure about that."

"I just… didn't really think about it," he admitted. He was so preoccupied with what had been going on in Uminari, that it hadn't crossed his mind what he was going to do after high school.

"I see… Well college isn't the only path. You can just go straight to work. I mean, I think it would be a waste for you not to go, but I believe that whatever path you choose, you'll do great in no matter what. You're a talented kid, Ren. Tell you what, if you need some counseling, you know my number. I'll help you anytime… I'm not sleeping or fishing." Ren, still a bit off balance from before, took a bit of time before finally nodding in response.

"Thanks, Kawakami-sensei. You really are a teacher," he teased.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kawakami placed her arms on her hips in indignation. "I might be a sorry excuse for a teacher, but at the end of the day I'm still a teacher; your teacher. And you two," Nanoha and Fate jumped from being suddenly addressed. "What are your names?"

"Um… I'm Nanoha Takamichi."

"Fate Testarossa," The two introduced themselves with a bow.

"I'm Sadayo Kawakami. You already know this, but I was this kid's Homeroom Teacher when he attended Shujin. I don't why you two are hanging out with him, but make sure he stays out of trouble okay? He can do some surprisingly dumb things when you aren't looking."

"I wouldn't mind getting into trouble with him."

"Dumb things wouldn't be that bad if it's with Ren," Nanoha and Fate answered.

"The hel- Heck's with these kids? They kind of remind me of you Ren."

"How so?" Being compared to little girls wasn't something he would have ever expected.

"It's that kind of 'more than what they seem' sort of thing, I guess. Anyways, you should probably leave. Today's summer classes have already ended and it's not like you need them, right? Go have fun! Enjoy your last summer as a high schooler."

"I will, thanks," he said, waving goodbye as Kawakami walked back into the school building. "Well, you two had enough yet?"

"I guess…" Nanoha replied, a bit sad they wouldn't see the inside.

"I suppose this will have to do." Fate seemed more content by comparison. "Ren, what are you planning to do in the future?" The girl broached without care.

"Fa-Fate," Nanoha stuttered, unable to continue as Ren took the reins of the conversation.

"Why do you ask?"

"It's just that… whatever your future is, Nanoha and I want to be part of it too. To that end, I want to know what you have planned going forward, and how we can be with you." Ren let out an exasperated sigh, unable to immediately deal with Fate's bluntness. After a moment, he finally composed himself enough to answer.

"I don't know. I honestly just don't know." College didn't feel right, but he didn't what else to do. A higher education would bring in many more opportunities for work, and would secure a safe future… but is that what he wanted to do? "Sorry, but that's all I can say."

"No, that's okay. If you figure something out, please tell us," Fate said, trying to assure him that his answer was fine.

"Yeah, sure," Ren replied, not entirely there as he did so.

A grumble was heard, taking Ren's attention as he looked to find Nanoha trying to quiet her stomach. The girl tried to hide her embarrassment, only for another grumble to come out.

"I'm sorry, we didn't have breakfast before coming here so…"

"Well if that's the case, let's get something to eat. I can think about future another day," Ren said, the mood from before finally lifted. "Do you two still want burgers?"

"Yeah!" Nanoha replied, almost salivating at the prospect of food.

"Anything Nanoha's okay with," Fate added.

"Well let's get going, shall we?" Ren offered his hands to the two to which they happily took into theirs. As they walked off, he realized something that he didn't say aloud to the two of them, but it was the only thing he was sure of. He didn't mind a future if he was at least going to be with them. Strangely, he couldn't imagine it without them.

-0-0-15-0-0-

"Ren… are you really going to try the… what was it… Big Bang Burger Challenge?" Nanoha asked as they tried to find a free seat for the three of them to eat at. While Fate and Nanoha ordered the kids meals, Ren had instead opted for the challenge.

"A good nutritional balance is key, and if I'm reading these correctly… this is basically over ten times the daily caloric intake… for five people," Fate recited from a nearby kiosk detailing nutritional facts about restaurant's menu. "Ren, this is something that kills people. How are they selling this as food, let alone a challenge?"

"I'm not dead yet, and I've finished a few times in the past already. So, for what it's wor-" He stopped speaking the moment he spotted a trio of women sitting at the side, all of whom he knew coincidently. The three of them were hunched over a table, but the one facing them seemed to notice Ren. Her eyes blinked for a moment before she waved at the young man.

"Ren! You're back in Tokyo?" The woman with long blonde hair asked him.

"Ren?" The long black-haired girl murmured before turning around. "Ren! How are you?"

"Speak of the devil, I was asking this fortune teller about you," Short haired woman said, a camera shifting in her hands.

"Ren, just how many people do you know?" Nanoha asked as she looked at the three women.

The first woman who called to Ren wore a light purple dress over a long-sleeved navy-blue shirt with matching tights. A headband of the same color wrapped around her long flowing blonde hair that looked a shade darker than Fate's. Nanoha could sense something mysterious about her as she looked into her purple eyes.

The second woman looked younger, about Ren's age. She wore a checkered white, orange, blue dress and black stockings. In her hair was a red accessory resembling a rope with a three leaf clover like an omamori. Her look was fairly simple but still quite chic. She exuded a natural beauty like that of a model.

The last woman's outfit consisted of a white and black shirt combo worn over each other, with the black shirt emblazoned with something in English that was too stylized for Nanoha to read. On her simple jeans hung a pink fanny pack and a water bottle. Her bob cut hair also had a pair of orange sunglasses stuck in them, and her lips were a very luscious shade of red.

"Fortune telling at a Big Bang Burger? What happened to Shinjuku?" Ren asked the girl with long blonde hair. Nanoha looked on the table to find a set of cards that she didn't recognize the designs of, arranged in an odd circular pattern.

"I wasn't planning on it, but Hifumi wanted me to read her fortune before a big game latter this week," She explained.

"I'm not one for superstition, but I thought it might be fun to get my fortune read and decided to have it focused around my Shogi game. I came here to eat lunch with Ohya-san, and saw Chihaya-san whom I recognized from passing her by in Shinjuku every now and then," The girl named Hifumi explained, amusing Nanoha due to the simplicity of her name being one, two, three, as well as revealing the fortune telling girl to be Chihaya, and the camera lady to be named Ohya.

"I'm here interviewing Togo-san's Shogi comeback. She's been making the rounds lately and I thought it would be a good story. I don't normally do these kinds of stories, but it's a good change of pace," Ohya informed Ren, finally completing everyone's testimonies.

"Right, I was keeping up. You're almost back to where you were before you decided to start over from the bottom. If I remember correctly, this next game will put you back to where you were," Ren recalled, trying to remember the article he read online a few days ago.

"That's assuming I win, however thank you for the vote of confidence." A blush painted Hifumi's cheeks, becoming bashful under his attentiveness to her career.

"You're the one who taught me to play, so of course I'd believe in you."

"Huh, wait a second… Ren you're doing it again," Chihaya interrupted them, as she moved the cards around to match the new fate revealed to her. "Geez, it's not even been five minutes and you're already changing the course of fate. Hmmm… Certain victory… it changed from near certain defeat to certain victory."

"Well I certainly cannot afford to lose. Not if Ren's confident in my victory."

"Huh, interesting. If this pans out, perhaps I should do my next article on Miss Fortune Teller," Ohya mused with her hand cupping her chin.

"A-a-a-an article on me? N-no! I mean it would be great for business, but I don't know about being in any kind of spotlight or anything."

"Come on, I promise to tell only the truth. And as you yourself said, it would be good for your business." As Ohya continued to egg Chihaya on, Fate cupped her hands over Nanoha's ear.

"What's fortune telling? Is it some kind of magic spell?" She asked her friend.

"Well I don't know how this kind works, but it's the kind of magic we're used to. It's kind of just a fun thing to predict what your future is going to be like. I've never really believed in it, but I do admit I don't think it isn't fun," Nanoha did her best to explain.

"I see…" Fate looked back over to the trio of ladies who were still in the midst of some kind of discussion, but the contents of which were not really of any interest to Fate. Still, she walked up to their table and tried to get their attention. "Excuse me, would it be alright if I had my fortune told as well?"

"Huh? Uh… sure. Hold on, are you alright if I go ahead and give this girl her fortune, Togo-san?" Chihaya asked.

"Of course, thank you for your time." Hifumi got up out of her seat and offered it to Fate. "Here you go." Fate thanked her, and sat down, facing Chihaya.

"I'm sorry, what was your name?" Chihaya asked as she began to gather then shuffle the cards.

"Fate Testarossa, and my friend there is Nanoha Takamichi. We're visiting Tokyo under Ren's supervision," Fate introduced both herself and Nanoha at once.

"Fate-chan, huh? It's a bit funny that you're asking for your fortune when your name is something like that. Nonetheless it's a nice name." Chihaya mused as she placed the deck down. "Alright Fate-chan, are you ready?" Fate nodded, her hands tightening in anticipation as she carefully gleamed the process about to unfold.

"Well let's get started then." One by one Chihaya drew card after card and placed down 7 of them down onto the table in a circular pattern with a single card in the middle. "Hmmm, alright then." She let out, reading the cards that Fate couldn't understand.

"In your near future it appears that you will undergo some kind of trial. Dark skies and loss… It will be something more difficult than any you've encountered before, however if you work with those around you, you should be able to overcome. One other thing, be open to new solutions as they may resolve things in a new way." Ren's eyes narrowed. Chihaya also sent him a fortune before things really hit the fan last time. Dark skies and loss… What could those mean.

"Now, as for your far future… huh, it says you've already met your destined… two? And a choice isn't needed? That's weird… But how nice. It seems whoever you're supposed to be with in the future is someone you've already met. Though for some reason it's two people."

"That's… I'm happy to hear that," Fate said her eyes flitting over to the side where Ren and Nanoha stood by. "Is something wrong?" She asked as she saw Chihaya leer over the cards as if waiting for something to happen.

"Oh, sorry, it's just that my fortunes have a tendency to morph whenever Ren is a round, but not this time for some reason. I guess maybe this is already the best outcome, or Maybe Ren is already involved…" Chihaya seemed to fall into deep thought as she continued to look over the cards.

"Ooh, already know who you're going spend the rest of your life with? And it's two people? I'm kind of jealous," Ohya commented, of course picking up on the most sordid part of the fortune, except the little blonde girl didn't stammer or fluster like she had hoped. Instead she just smiled.

"Yes, I'm happy to already know them," was all Fate said on the matter before turning back to Chihaya. "Thank you for the fortune. Nanoha do you want to have your fortune done as well?"

"No thanks. I think I'd rather make my own fortune rather than get it told to me." What she didn't say was that she also didn't want it aired in front of everyone.

"Yes, making your own future is perhaps the best course of action. Though it was still fun, so thank you Chihaya-san. Also, I wasn't aware that both of you knew Ren," Hifumi added, her focus now turning to the other two women.

"I don't find it too surprising. His kind tend to be pretty popular in my experience," Ohya mused.

"Maybe a bit too popular…" Chihaya's lips raised as her eyes narrowed at nothing in particular. "Still it's great to see you again Ren. As well as meet the both of you," she added looking at Fate and Nanoha. "It was an interesting fortune to read, and Ren, if you want your fortune done again, you know where to find me."

"Same, you can find me at the bar once you're done babysitting. The owner wouldn't mind seeing you again either, if you catch my drift," Ohya said to him with a wink, as well as causing a bit of a pout to come from the two magical girls.

"If instead you desire another lesson in Shogi, I can be found in the usual place. I could always use a practice partner," Hifumi offered with a soft smile. "I also wouldn't mind an audience to our games. Perhaps they would like to play as well."

"Um… I don't know how to play Shogi…"

"I've never seen it before," Nanoha and Fate responded.

"That's alright. Ren didn't know the first thing about Shogi either. Now he's… still unable to best me even at my worst, but he has definitely made strides. I'm sure the both of you can as well," Hifumi said with a small chuckle at Ren's expense. Nanoha and Fate also couldn't help but giggle as well at the idea of Ren actually being beaten at something.

"Sir, where are you sitting exactly?" Ren turned around to find an employee with their order in hand. Realizing they hadn't found a seat yet, he just pointed to a nearby table big enough for him, Nanoha, and Fate that was empty. "Sorry, over there." At his direction, the employee went ahead and placed their order onto the table.

"We'll start the timer as soon as you start. We hope you enjoy it," And so the employee left, keeping an eye on them so as to know when to start the timer.

"Ren… are you seriously going to eat all of that?" Nanoha asked finally getting a look at the behemoth of the challenged. While Nanoha and Fate's orders were reasonable kids' meals as one would expect, Ren's was… a monster. It was literally about double the height of Ren's head, and about three of Nanoha's burgers wide. Cheese, tomato, lettuce, onions, and beef just haphazardly put together in a mess that barely stood due in part to its poor structure. She almost felt sick just looking at it and its size.

"Wow…" was all Fate could say as she looked at it. Chihaya, Hifumi, and Ohya also just looked on in shock at the fact that Ren was even attempting the Challenge.

"All those calories…" Hifumi shuddered. "Where do you even start with something like that?"

"Like this." Ren just started digging in. Not even breaking the stack into parts, just putting his face into the mass of fast food and biting at it wherever he could. Watching this, Nanoha decided that she was fine not eating burgers for the rest of the year after today.

-0-0-15-0-0-

"Welcome back!" A torrent of voices and party poppers echoed from Le Blanc the moment Ren opened the door. It took him a second, but eventually he broke into a smile and chuckle.

"Guys I came back yesterday. You're a bit late," he said as he walked in, taking the free seat in the booth they had set food on. "No wonder Sojiro-san was so eager to kick me out."

Nanoha and Fate followed, sitting next to him with Ren moving so that Nanoha could sit on the inside, and Fate on his other. The girls' eyes lit up as they saw a magnificent spread of sushi of all kinds of fish. Salmon, tuna, eel, tamago, inari, squid, just everything. While Nanoha's mouth drooled just a little, Fate was more so curious. However, she trusted Nanoha's excitement despite her reservations over eating what looked to be raw fish over rice.

"Yeah, Dad'll swing by after he takes care of a couple of things. Though he said to go ahead without him," Futaba explained to Ren.

"Hey Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan! We weren't expecting to see you again so soon," Ann was first to talk to them. "So, how has Tokyo been so far?"

"Hello Ann. It's a lot bigger and more crowded than I thought it would be," Nanoha admitted, exhausted and simply happy to rest her feet. After they finished eating at Big Bang burger, and reevaluating her future dietary choices, the three of them walked around Tokyo, even going to an underground mall, and an arcade. There was also a shrine, a park, and so much more that she didn't realize was all in the city. Even then it felt like they hadn't even seen even a fraction of Tokyo.

"It's a really nice city," Fate said as she two began to recall their time going around to see the sites. "Nanoha and I had a lot of fun."

"Yeah, I can't wait to see more tomorrow."

"That's great. Glad to hear that," Makoto said with a smile as she poured the three of them some soda. Once finished, she grabbed her own cup before raising it. All the others followed suite as Ren, Nanoha, and Fate were last to raise theirs. "Alright everyone ready?"

"Kanpai!" They all said in unison, save for Fate who was half a second behind, and then drank from their cups to varying degrees.

"Mine!" They all heard as Morgana rushed as quickly as he could to the spread of sushi before anyone else could even think about picking up their chopsticks, only to be grabbed by Ryuji at the last second.

"Woah, slow down there. We have a plate all set up for you, so keep your furry butt to yourself. Nobody wants cat hair all over their sushi," he said as he pulled the cat over to a different booth.

"Yeah, clam down Mona. There's enough for everyone and then some," Futaba said while clacking her chopsticks a little loudly. "You three can go first. Afterall it's your party." The orange haired hacker gestured for them to go ahead, to which Ren followed by gesturing to Nanoha and Fate to go first. Fate looked around but still felt unsure of just what to try first.

"Hey, Fate-chan?"

"Yes Nanoha? What is i- murgh!" While she was speaking, she felt something enter her mouth, and instinctively began to chew. It was soft, squishy and a bit salty, but it was good, tasting a bit like the sea. After savoring it just a bit longer, she swallowed, and started to want another one.

"That was the salmon. I'm kind of scared of spicy stuff like wasabi, but I did put it in a bit of soy sauce. How was it?" Apparently Nanoha had fed her the salmon sushi.

"It was good. I like it."

"I see. Seeing as you aren't from our world, and haven't been here for very long, you perhaps have never tried sushi before," Yusuke commented as he started to stuff his own mouth with a plate nobody noticed him get.

"Well luckily it seems she's okay with it, so it all worked out," Ann said with a smile. "Though we didn't have anything else so if she didn't like it we might have had to order something." As Ann was speaking, Fate went ahead and grabbed another piece of sushi topped with tuna. However, rather than bring it to her own mouth, she placed it in front of Ren's.

"Here," was all she said as she held the sushi in front of him. Ren blinked a couple of times before looking at everyone around them. All of them stared blankly at him, both curious as to what he was going to do, as well as just the act itself.

"Come on, Ren. Just eat it…" Nanoha whispered to him from the side. Without thinking on it too much, he ate the sushi. He could taste the tuna as he chewed on it.

"Uh… thanks, Fate."

"You're welcome. Would you like another one?" She said, smiling and poised to grab another piece for him.

"No thanks. I can grab my own. Besides you should have some as well," Ren said, trying to avoid another feeding.

"Alright, if you say so."

"Um, Fate-chan, maybe you can try the tamago if you want something sweet," Haru told her, trying to restart the party mood.

"Ooh, then you got to try the fish egg one. That one's got a kick to it," Futaba added, getting in on the fun of molding a newcomer's experience.

"Excuse me, pardon me," Yusuke said as he came up and started piling another plate.

"H-hey hold on. I get you're hungry but leave some for us!" Ryuji said, not necessarily stopping Yusuke, so much as nagging him.

"Mrowr, sushi…" Ren heard Morgana purr and munch from somewhere else in the shop.

"Ren," The young man turned to his other side to see Nanoha also holding up a piece of sushi to him. "Have enough room for another one?" He sighed, realizing he wasn't getting out of this one either. Oh well, he was hungry anyways. The burger had already passed. After eating Nanoha's offering, he finally grabbed his chopsticks and grabbed a piece, dabbing it in the sauce that had wasabi mixed in.

"Your turn," He said to the brunette who had been distracted by the weird dance Yusuke was doing to avoid Ryuji.

"Oh… uh… thank you…" she said, her eyes averting for just a second as she blushed. After steeling herself, she finally took a bit of the sushi. As she began to chew on it, she savored the flavor of the tuna as she chewed on it and the rice. However, something was different than what she was expecting. The sauce was… not just salty like soy sauce usually was it was… it was… "Mmmmmm, so good!"

"Huh?"

"Ren what did you put on that piece?" Nanoha asked, eager to find out just what Ren added.

"Uh…" Well it was time to come clean. "…Wasabi…"

"…" Nanoha stared at him for a moment, gave him a bit of a glare causing him to shrink just a bit. However, she immediately gave him a sly smile like that of a cat's upon seeing him squirm a little. "I guess I actually like wasabi," she announced her discovery about her tastes. "At least with sushi. Now Ren?"

"Yeah, Nanoha?"

"Give me another," she commanded as silently understood recompense. Without another word, Ren did the same thing, grabbing a salmon this time, and held it in front of her, to which she gladly ate. She squealed as she enjoyed the flavor, her mouth forming a big smile as she chewed. Afterwards she took a big gulp of her soda. Even though she enjoyed it, she had to admit it still stung.

"Ren, my turn," this time it was Fate who called him. "No Wasabi. I tried it. I don't like it." He wondered when he was actually going to get one for himself. Nonetheless he did as Fate asked, grabbing a tamago for her, and feeding it to Fate.

"Geez Ren, they've got you on a short leash," Ryuji joked.

"Shut up Ryuji," was all Ren could reply as he was finally able to grab a piece for himself, though the plates of sushi were already almost a third gone. As he finally stacked his plate, he heard someone hitting their cup. Looking up he saw Haru trying to get everyone's attention.

"In celebration of Ren's return for the summer, I got us tickets to the amusement park for tomorrow. Now it's not like last time where we had the whole park to ourselves, but I think it might be more fun to go when there's lot of people, don't you think? Oh, and Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan, don't worry. I also had extra tickets ordered just in case," she added to reassure Fate and Nanoha of their inclusion.

"Aw sweet!"

"Woohoo!"

"That's wonderful. There's still so much food there I have yet to try."

"I suppose it couldn't hurt. I've already done most of my summer work already," Ryuji, Futaba, Yusuke, and Makoto said one after the other.

The brunette's eyes lit up as she heard Haru's announcement. She'd seen commercials of the park from home. It looked like such a fun time, that she'd always wanted to go.

"Nanoha, what's an amusement park?"

"Well… I suppose you'll just have to see for yourself tomorrow. Don't spoil it, okay Nanoha?" Ann butted in, placing a finger to her lips with a wink towards Nanoha.

"Yeah! You're going to love it, Fate-chan!" Nanoha exclaimed. Fate looked at Ren, hoping for him to explain anything.

"Don't worry, it'll be a fun time," he said as he rubbed her head, causing her heart to both flutter and ease at the same time.

"Okay… here."

"Fate, I have my own plate already, so you don't hav-" His mouth got stuffed as he was speaking. Giving up, he just chewed on it as he watched the rest of the party go on. Morgana, Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, and Haru; everyone was together in Le Blanc again, and he decided to enjoy every second of it while he could. Of course, he couldn't forget about the two new additions that sat at his sides. A smile formed on the Trickster's lips. He didn't know what the future would hold, but certainly the present wasn't bad at all.

-0-0-15-0-0-

"Well I ate a little bit too much today. My stomach has finally settled so I'm going to go out for some air. Don't stay up too long you three." With a little hum, Morgana walked out the little cat door, that Ren didn't remember being there before, at the bottom of Leblanc's door leaving Ren, Nanoha and Fate in the café alone. The café had become quiet, a far cry to the bustling that had gone on not long earlier. Ren was finishing up washing the last of the dishes while Nanoha and Fate talked amongst one another.

"Public baths are nice," Fate mused to Nanoha, a look of content on her face as she relaxed on the stool. Nanoha, who sat next to Fate, gave a light girlish giggle, happy to hear of Fate's approval. Just earlier they'd gone to the nearby bath house in order to clean up. Upon return, they had already changed into their sleepwear, and their hair still glistened just a bit under the lights. An almost fluffy air pervaded the two.

"I'm glad you liked it. It's nice that there was one nearby. I was worried when I realized there wasn't one here in the cafe," Nanoha admitted with a bit of embarrassment. "I wondered if we'd have to go to bed without taking a bath first, or maybe go to Sakura-san's house."

"Do you need to take a bath before bed?" Fate tilted her head, curious about Earth's customs. She hadn't had the chance before to really think about them. She'd been occupied by other things at the time of her arrival up until recently.

"Well, I don't know. I've never gone to bed before taking a bath. It's just something I've been taught to do for as long as I can remember."

"Japanese people tend to be sticklers for it. I think it's not as big a deal in other countries, but Japanese people tend to have a habit of bathing more than most others," Ren clarified for the two of them as he began to dry the last few plates and utensils.

"I see… I'll keep that in mind." No one else found a way to continue the conversation, so Fate and Nanoha remained quiet, watching Ren put away the dishes for tomorrow, and cleaning up some spots on the counter that were missed earlier.

As Nanoha watched him, she noted how relaxed he seemed to be. Though perhaps it was because she was never given much opportunity for it before, she watched him intently and found him to be, not so much happy, but content. In fact, he seemed to be like that all day. They'd traveled quite a bit around Tokyo, and every place they went, they met someone that Ren knew. Did he ever look like that when he was with her and Fate?

Nanoha's hands clenched. She didn't like what she was thinking. However, she couldn't help but wonder, and she knew that the longer she held on to it, the worse it would get. Besides, Ren would probably find out anyway. It was somewhat nice but embarrassing how much he was able to see right through her. So, she threw caution to the wind and asked.

"Ren?" She started, but hesitated to continue, waiting for him to reply.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" It warmed her heart to be cared for like that, but this time it wasn't enough to dampen her misgivings.

"You really know a lot of people, don't you?" Nanoha asked, her voice distant as she focused on trying to remember all of Ren's friends that they'd met that day. It was a surprising amount, maybe around 20 people or so. Because of the probation, she'd thought that Ren might not have a large circle of friends, outside of the thieves at least. It came as a shock then, to find out that Ren didn't just know quite a lot of people, but such different people as well. Quite a few as well that weren't exactly typical for a high-school student's social circle.

"Yeah, you could call them… my confidants." Though at first a bit confused at her question, there was an unmistakable nostalgia in Ren's voice that was both a source of admiration and dread for Nanoha. Dread that she wanted to shoo away or keep down. However, she'd already resolved herself to be open with Ren, especially today.

"So… do you… do you regret leaving? Leaving them?" Nanoha braced herself once the question had been broached. Fate also curled just the tiniest bit, staring intently at Ren. Nanoha couldn't help but feel regret begin to settle in as she and Fate waited for an answer. They both were somehow frozen stiff yet shaking. Without a hint of mercy, Ren answered them.

"As much as I hated this place at first… yeah. I kind of didn't want to leave when all was said and done. Even with the police on my ass…" Though it had worried her when he said that, she figured if he wasn't worried, she shouldn't be. At least for now anyway. "If you asked me at the time whether I wanted to stay or not, then the answer would have been yes."

At that, the two girls had become crestfallen. It was an answer the two had expected, but that had not lessened the pain the two felt upon hearing it. Of course, Ren wanted to stay. This was where his best friends were.

"But that was then." Ren stepped out from behind the counter and walked out until he was next to the two girls. Perhaps the two hadn't realized it, but they both looked dreadfully miserable. The sight made Ren anxious as his hands found purchase on the crowns of their heads. The palms of his hands, almost like magic, provided a sense of ease and comfort that helped to overtake their anxiety and sadness. When they tried to look up, Ren's warm smile was there to greet them, causing the two to blush simultaneously. "Now? I'm happy I went back, because if I didn't, I wouldn't have met you two."

Perhaps Ren didn't realize the gravity of what he just said, but Nanoha and Fate certainly did. Nanoha for her part couldn't help but put her hands on her face, squirm just a bit in her seat as she did as quiet a squeal as she could from the over-excitement. Fate in contrast, opted to place her hands atop Ren's, sandwiching it between her palms and her head of golden hair.

"I'm happy to have the both of you too," She said while savoring the sensation of being patted. Because his hand was being held hostage by Fate, he couldn't take his hands back as quickly as he wanted, so he just let Fate continue to hold onto his hand, while leaving his other on Nanoha, who's squirming was beginning to worry him. After a bit of time passed, his arms started to get numb, which was enough prompting for him to move.

"Okay, that's enough of that." Though a bit saddened, the two girls were happy to have gotten at least that much. Ren took a seat at the booth close to where Fate and Nanoha were, and relaxed into the cushion, letting his feet rest for once after a straight hour of standing and walking. Once he was fully adjusted into his seat, Nanoha and Fate both looked at one another and nodded at the same time. Now was probably the best time they were going to get.

"Ren, there's something else we wanted to talk about as well." Ren looked up at the two once he'd heard Nanoha begin to speak. He didn't completely sit up in his chair, but he was at least no longer slouching. He could see Nanoha's eyes shifting, unsure, but decided to wait and see, rather than prompt her. Finally, though, it seemed she'd gathered her courage.

"Ren, it's about our promise." Ren stiffened, before a cringing just a bit, but not too much to be noticed by anyone save for the most observant. He didn't want to insult Nanoha's earnestness. "Um… Fate and I talked it over in the bath and… we've decided on something…" Her eyes wandered over to Fate who, with a solemn look, gave her a nod. Nanoha in turn, nodded back, and faced Ren again, a bit surer of herself.

"You never gave us an answer on the bridge. I know you haven't had a lot of time to talk to us but watching you today…We've decided that… that you don't have to keep the promise if you don't want to." Ren realized he'd blinked twice as he processed what he'd heard. Before he could ask anything, not that he was sure of what to ask, Fate continued where Nanoha left off.

"Ren, we love you. Nanoha and I really, really love you. If possible, we'd like to stay with you forever. Just being with you makes us so happy. It's wonderful being by your side."

"But," Nanoha took a breath, trying to find the words and courage. "It's not fair to you if we're the only ones who are happy. We can tell it makes you a bit uncomfortable to give us an answer. If it's a burden to you, if you don't feel the same way… we're okay with just bein… brea… not…" Nanoha kept trying to say something, but each attempt was as futile as the last. She couldn't say anything else as her stuttering devolved into inelegant blubbering as tears finally broke through.

"Nanoha…" Fate murmured as tears streamed down her cheeks as well. The two of them tried their hardest to stop crying, but no matter how hard they tried, they simply could not keep it in.

Nanoha didn't want to let it go. She wanted to one day be able to stand next to Ren's side as something more than just a friend, standing there with Fate as well. Ren was sacrosanct. She felt happy just being next to him, and felt even happier when talking with him, when doing anything with him, and making him happy was something that she wanted to do. A feeling she felt the same for with Fate even though she was a girl. She didn't want to entertain the idea of parting with either of them. But if Ren wasn't happy, that hurt even more. Yet it also hurt to be apart. It was so confusing and hurt so much that she wanted it all to stop.

Fate wanted to say something, anything to object to Nanoha's declaration, even though she herself had agreed to it. Ren and Nanoha were the ones that gave her and her mother a second chance. It's thanks to them that she could now really be a family with her mother and maybe one day Alicia.

However, she wanted that family to include Nanoha, and Ren. Ren was kind and gentle. He listened to her. He made her feel safe. He understood what it was like to be in circumstances that put one at odds with society and how to overcome it. Like with Nanoha, being with him made her feel happy, and she wanted to give Ren that same happiness too.

She'd just gotten her mother back, but she didn't want to give this up either. However, like Nanoha said, if it was hurting Ren, then she knew what she had to do. It still did not ease her sorrow at having to let go. She didn't want to let go of Ren who showed her how to hold on to the people dear to her.

Ren found himself at a loss. His mind went wild trying to think of something to say to console the two of them. As he brainstormed ideas one after the other, a part of him was able to at least acquiesce to a certain notion. It wasn't adoration nor a simple childish bout of puppy love, as much as he'd hoped it was. With how the two acted in front of him, he had to finally admit to something he wanted to deny for as long as he could, and still wanted to deny.

These two girls genuinely loved him. It wasn't just a precocious crush they'd get over in a couple of years. It was a notion that he wanted to avoid if at all possible, and he was horrified to an extent as well as parts flattered, and flustered.

Well girls did mature faster than boys. Of course, it'd make sense for the two of them to have matured quickly as well. Especially if that TSAB Survey was to be believed of Midchildean maturation rates. Girls also entered puberty sooner. Nanoha and Fate would soon be growing out their secondary sexual characteristics such as wider hips, and swelling bre-

He shook his head to clear it of that image and re-rail his train of thought that had so catastrophically crashed off course. Now more than ever he had to focus. He couldn't afford to give anything less for the earnest feelings these two have given him and at least tide the situation over.

"Fate, Nanoha," he called to them, grabbing their attention and putting their crying to sputtering stop, though a sniffle could still be heard. He looked at the two of them, making sure he had their full attention before taking a deep breath.

"I can't say for sure I love the two of you in that way," He admitted to them. "Just hold on for a second though and let me say the rest of what I need to say," he said added before Nanoha, or Fate could even make a sound. "Right so… even though I'm unsure of… unsure if I have feelings like that for the two of you, there is something I am sure of."

"Huh?"

"What?" Nanoha and Fate let out as Ren carefully and softly wiped their faces clean using some nearby napkins.

"I don't like seeing the two of you cry. When I see you two crying, the only thing I can think of is how to make the both of you smile again."

Nanoha and Fate looked at one another in mutual surprise, both taken aback. They both looked back to Ren once he started speaking again.

"If keeping… that promise makes you happy, if it's what will bring back your cute smiles, then let's keep that promise. If the two of you are happy, then I'll be happy too."

"Ren…"

"Ren," the two of them said in a grace note like manner. Simultaneously, they leapt from their seats, latching on to the young man with their tiny arms.

"Ren, thank you."

"We love you." Ren couldn't make out who had said what, but he was certain the difference didn't matter. Currently he was glad to not only see them smiling again, but also that they didn't have enough strength to choke him. The two held on tight, nuzzling themselves against him like overly affectionate kittens.

"So, you'll give us a chance when we grow up some more?" Nanoha asked, still clinging to him.

"Well, I'm at least looking forward to how the two of you will grow up. I'm sure the both of you will grow up to be very beautiful… and maybe fill out a bit," He couldn't help but tease.

"Mou!" Nanoha began to lightly hit him with one her hands as Ren laughed at her expense, trying to swat away her fists that pelted him. Fate for her part looked down at her chest.

"My mother's breasts are decently sized, so please look forward to mine being similar."

"Fate!" Nanoha with mouth agape, realizing that she had more she needed to teach her friend. At least she thought so after the shock of what she'd just heard Fate say blew over.

"Nanoha, your mother's breasts are also quite large. I'm sure you will grow just as big to satisfy Ren's tastes once we're old enough to date him in an official capacity."

"That's not the issue! I mean… it would be nice to be big, but… Ren you started this!"

"But it didn't have to go as long as it did. Well either way," He lifted the two of them up, startling them before they settled into his arms. He then moved towards then up the stairs. "Let's head to sleep. We've got a busy day tomorrow as well, so we need to get all the rest we can get."

"Sleep in the same bed?" Fate asked.

"No, I'll be taking the couch. The two of you will probably have to share the bed, if that's alright."

"Nuh-uh, let's all share the bed. We can't let you sleep on the couch," Nanoha argued to which Fate nodded in agreement.

"Sleep together, all of us," The blonde girl spoke with a surety that normally would have left no room for further rebuttal.

"On a twin? No, that's not happening." The three of them finally reached the top of the stairs, Nanoha turned the lights on for them, still sitting pretty in Ren's arm, which she was beginning to appreciate for its musculature and rigidity.

"Share the couch then," Fate said almost as soon as Ren finished speaking, also appreciating the long exposure to Ren's arms.

"Even worse. Do you see that thing?" He would have pointed but carrying two girls and pointing was a task even Atlas would have shrugged at. At least a human sized Atlas anyway. "If the bed's too small, then the couch is completely out of the question."

"So, then we should all sleep on the bed."

"Snuggle closely for room."

"No, I said-"

"Together!" The two said at once with a decent amount of force, to which Ren's ears cried a bit from receiving. A sigh escaped his lips as he gave up on fighting them. One of them was stubborn but manageable eventually. Two however was a brick wall that he had no hope of breaking, he realized. The both of them were thick as thieves, funnily enough, and he doubted anyone could ever change their minds if they worked together on it. Though somewhat messily, they did eventually find a comfortable, though cramped, sleeping position.

"Ren?" Nanoha whispered, as she used his arm as a pillow.

"Ren?" Fate asked as well from the other side, using his other arm as her pillow.

"Yes?" He asked, trying to ignore how close the two were.

"We love you, good night," The two whispered at the same time followed by two light pecks upon his cheeks. Ren cursed inwardly as his cheeks burned, wondering how he was going to sleep now. Though it certainly wasn't a problem for the two of them as they almost immediately fell into slumber, their fingers intertwined above his chest. Nevertheless, he couldn't bring himself to completely reject the gesture and simply smiled at the two now snoozing girls.

"Yeah, good night." His eyes closed, and he felt his consciousness slipping away. The sound of rattling chains echoing in the darkest, furthest parts of his mind.

-0-0-15-0-0-

"Well then, I suppose it was time for me to finally meet the two of you." Fate and Nanoha's eyes snapped open as they jolted up from the bed. Their heads swiveled about as they realized that not only were they not in Ren's Room anymore, but Ren himself was nowhere to be seen. The two found themselves in a room containing an obscene amount of velvet. No, it was a cell, as the bars and chains made them aware of the room's exact nature.

"Good, the two of you are awake." The turned towards the end of the room that was brightest, there stood a girl with long platinum hair in a velvet colored dress. In her hands was a book almost bigger than she was wide. She looked no older than the two of them.

"Who are you? Where's Ren?" Nanoha asked, her eyes focusing in on the unfamiliar girl.

"Nanoha, get back. I can sense a lot of power emanating from her." Fate stood between them, shielding Nanoha with one arm.

"You need not be wary. Ren is sleeping safely. It is you two whom I have business with." A small wave of relief washed over the confused girls, but their vigilance was once again brought to the fore as the girl bowed. "My name is Lavenza. You may consider me something akin to that of the Trickster's assistant."

"Trickster?" Nanoha mouthed syllables one after the other, trying to process the unfamiliar word.

"Ren Amamiya, our most recent guest in the Velvet Room. Normally our services are given to those in need of them. However, should fate permit it, others may find themselves in this domain between dreams and reality, mind and matter."

"Send us back," Fate demanded without waiting for any further explanation, her scowl growing harder by the second.

"I will soon enough. However, there is something I'd like the to ask the two of you before I send you back."

"Us?" Nanoha pointed to herself in a quizzical fashion.

"Yes, for you see I have called the two of you here for a personal reason, rather than any whim of fate. It is matter that involves the two of you specifically," Lavenza's grip tightened around the grimoire.

"And if we fulfill your request will send us back?" Fate asked, as she picked up on the velvet girl's enmity.

"Even if you fail, I will send you back safely." Nanoha relaxed, now that the threat of never returning had apparently disappeared. Even so, the room remained tense.

"So, then what's the request?" Nanoha asked, stepping forward to match Fate. Lavenza took a deep breath and focused upon the two of them. In her gaze was clear contempt, but for what reason?

"All I wish to do is test the two of you to see if you are worthy of my Trickster's affection." The two magical girls swallowed down their objections as they waited to hear the details. The atmosphere too thick to hastily reply without thought. Finally, Lavenza laid out her desires.

"Your task is simple. Face me and show me you are worthy of standing at his side."


Author's Note:

NEXT CHAPTER, PREPARE TO GET BEFRIENDED as fanfiction and yaqkawer proudly present MEGA LOLI BATTLE RALLY AT THE VELVET ROOM FEATURING ALL YOUR FAVORITE LITTLE GIRLS! NANOHA, FATE, LAVENZA! AND DON'T MISS THE 25th ANNUAL BREAKFAST PANCAKE COOKOFF! PRICE OF ADMISSION IS FREE! BRING YOUR OWN COFFEE! NO TICKETS ON SALE, JUST SHOW UP. SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY! BE THERE OR BE SQUARE! DON'T MAKE THE LOLIS CRY!

This only came out as quickly as it did because I already wrote most of it out before the last chapter had released. I originally had this as the epilogue but then the end of the show dragged a bit more than I had realized, and so I just set this as an interquel before the next season of the show. I also decided to speed this chapter's writing along because today marks the second anniversary of this fic's starting. Not really all that special really, but I thought it warranted a chapter to come out on the day. Can't believe it's been two years since I started this one. I should get to work on FiEW…

Now, just to answer some people, the reason I'm not covering Scramble and parts of Royal is because I want to play those entries for myself, and not watch it on Youtube. It's the desires of my hobbies clashing, but in the end, I decided to prioritize experiencing the games fresh with minimal spoilers to be more important. Besides I already started this fic before Royal was announced anyways, so why not just go the whole nine yards and accept I won't have the extra stories in here. Had I made this after playing those games I would have integrated them, but alas.

So today was more so just Nanoha and Fate go to Ren's Tokyo, and meet his friends, and foreshadowing of future plot points. Next chapter will be shorter as its main focus will be on the battle. There will be more than just that, but the battle is going to be mostly what it's about. Then after that will finally be Nanoha A's.

By the way, I might be giving it away just by drawing attention to it, but can anyone guess what Ren's Aeon Ultimate Persona I have planned is going to be? Just wondering what you all think it might be. Just one hint, it's a historical figure.

Anyways, as always, thanks for stopping by. I hope to see you all again next time for the Loli-bowl. If you have any comments, remarks or criticisms, feel free to leave a review and let me know.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go back and kill myself trying to get perfect 100 scores in all the Mega Man Zero levels again… Help me…