Disclaimer: I do not own MGLN
Magical Babysitter Lyrical Zafira
Chapter 3 part 2
In Which the Story is Continued from the Previous Part
"Well, if you guys don't mind waiting here at the library then I'll take you home after we close up."
It was a stroke of luck that Yuuno hadn't already left. It was also lucky that he drove a giant car and didn't mind lugging them all around. Zafira found himself praising what ever kind of spirit was watching over him. His "friends" may have been useless but Yuuno was reliable as ever.
"It's big!" Vivio, who had been released from the backpack, held out her arms like she was trying to hug the massive infinite library.
Yuuno smiled happily as he gripped the door's handle, "yes it is."
"Yuuno," Zafira and Griffith struggled to hold up all of dozen grocery sacks. "Hurry."
Yuuno blinked, then realized his friends' predicament and hurriedly opened the door. "Sorry about that."
Vice laughed, "Don't worry they need to build up some muscle!" He then slapped Griffith's back earning himself a glare.
Vivio skipped into the library, Vice close behind her. Zafira, the now useless backpack hanging loosely on his shoulders, and Griffith shuffled in after them with Yuuno pulling up the rear. Upon entering Zafira and Griffith immediately threw the groceries into a corner (well actually Zafira threw them; Griffith had to be goaded into the throwing).
"Woah this is so cool!" Vivio spun around in circles around the main hall. "Lookit Zaffy!" She pointed at the four-story tall bookshelves.
Zafira scratched the side of his head. He'd forgotten what it was like seeing someone so excited, though truth be told Vivio seemed to be that excited on a constant basis, everything in the world entertained her. "Yes I see."
Yuuno looked around his library proudly. "No one knows how many books we actually have, many have tried to count—" he shot a playful glance at Zafira who looked away—"but none have actually succeeded."
Vivio eyes widened, "Woah."
Yuuno snapped his fingers (despite how it sometimes seemed he was quite the skilled mage. He just didn't seem that good when compared with Nanoha, Fate and Hayate). The shelves shuffled around, some parting to the side and allowing another bookshelf to come forward. From that bookshelf a single book flew out and in to Yuuno's waiting hand. He flipped it over elegantly, proving the librarians could be cool too. "Now I believe 'Cinderella' is a favorite of yours?" Yuuno showed the book to Vivio.
Vivio's little mouth hung open in shock and surprise, "how did you know?" She eyed him with a hint of suspicion.
Zafira rubbed his forehead. Vivio only announced her favorite story to every person she met. Ana read her the story everyday, often two or three times. Vivio could recite it by heart but that didn't stop her from asking for it to be read to her.
"All you have to do is listen," Yuuno crouched down and spoke like he was sharing the world's biggest secret. He had Vivio eating out of the palm of his hand. "Do you want me to read it to you?"
"Yeah yeah!" She took his hand and dragged him off to a table.
"So what do we do?" Vice complained. "We're stuck in a library."
Griffith started to answer but he was interrupted.
"Ne Yuuno did you get any meat?" Arf's head popped out of a pile of books. Her hair was ruffled and her clothing crooked. She looked around for her boss but her eyes fell on a certain wolf instead. A light pink hit her cheeks. "What are you guys doing here?!" She pointed accusingly at Zafira.
"Visiting," Zafira answered trying to keep his amusement off of his face.
Arf squirmed out of the books, popping out of her kid form into her adult one as she did. "You've never visited before."
"We needed a ride." Zafira looked up at the books floating around the ceiling, Arf's outfit was not the kind of distraction he needed.
All Griffith and Vice could do was watch the exchange.
"Just you three?"
Zafira shook his head, "Vivio too."
"Vivio?" Arf smirked teasingly. "Who's that your girlfriend?"
"Well considering she's five…"
Arf pretended to look scandalized, "then… your daughter."
"Fate didn't tell you?" Zafira looked down, raising an eyebrow.
Arf looked sad. "Fate doesn't tell me anything anymore." It was true that Arf had been out of the loop for a while.
"Vivio's Nanoha's kid. Fate's taking care of her too," Zafira raised an eyebrow.
"So why do you have her?" Arf looked like she was about to accuse Zafira of kidnapping.
"I'm her… well… guardian."
"You mean babysitter don't you?" Arf grinned and giggled.
Zafira glared. "No. That's not what a meant." Yes it was.
The afternoon went by quickly. Yuuno made them lunch, meat filled sandwiches to Arf's delight. Vivio found herself fascinated by Arf who she called, "Girl Zaffy". And with Arf to entertain her Zafira was allowed to spend the afternoon doing some minor research. Well actually he tried to. Unfortunately Vice decided to distract him instead, eventually Zafira sent Vice off to bug Griffith.
Time passed quickly when Zafira was busy reading. Soon it was time for Yuuno to close up and head home, which meant it was time for him to return to Nanoha's apartment and try to fix Vivio food.
"If you ever need a favor," Zafira paused at the door to Nanoha's apartment, "just ask Yuuno."
"Bye Uncle!" Vivio waved from over Zafira's shoulder.
Yuuno shook his head and waved. "Sure. Bye Vivio"
Zafira and his bag boys entered the rather spacious apartment. Vice had "volunteered" (read: forced) to carry the bags in. Griffith had offered to help him, Griffith was too nice.
"Remember to stock the fridge," Zafira gave an uncharacteristic grin before disappearing with Vivio upstairs to find her some entertainment.
Vice groaned.
"I want to make the sauce!" Vice drew one of Nanoha's kitchen knives and started waving it around dangerously. He picked up a tomato in one hand and looked like he was going to try and stab it.
"We're using sauce from a jar Vice," Griffith took the knife from the pilot's hands.
"That sucks."
"Vivio," Zafira reminded them, motioning with his head towards the little girl sitting at the table coloring.
Griffith offered Vice a can of peas, "here try this."
Vice nodded solemnly and started to stab it with another knife.
Meanwhile Zafira placed the giant metal pot on the stove. He wasn't quite sure how it worked but if he placed water in it and turned on the stove it would start to boil surely. He did just that and added the pasta but nothing happened. This was of course because boiling isn't an instantaneous process but Zafira didn't care much for details like that. A tiny touch of magic aimed at the pot got it nice and hot nice and fast.
Griffith pushed up his glasses, "Now if I finish up the vegetables we'll be ready to eat soon."
"I'll check on the pasta then!" Vice bounded towards the pot, hands ready to grab it.
"Don't Vice that's boiling water!"
"YOWWWWWWWWWW!"
"It hurts," Vice sat at the dining table with his left, now burned, hand submerged in icy water.
Griffith scowled, "If you hadn't grabbed a boiling pot you'd be fine."
"You're so mean Griffith."
"Thanks for the food!" Vivio cheered before diving into the pasta and spraying red sauce everywhere. Zafira started to cry on the inside as he realized he'd have to clean up everything.
A good ten minutes into their meal Zafira noticed that something on Vivio's plate wasn't quite right. He set out to remedy this problem.
"Vivio eat your vegetables," Zafira eyed the little pile of greens in the corner of her plate.
"But-but Zaffy doesn't," Vivio pointed to the equally sized pile of the offending veggies.
"Yeah Zaffy she has a point," Vice grinned and forked some of the meat into his mouth.
"Indeed," Griffith pushed up his glasses with a glint, "you can't expect her to eat them when you won't."
Zafira looked down, "Well I…" Sigh. He had no choice, if he wanted Vivio to eat the peas, spinach and broccoli he would have to too. His head shot up, blazing determination in his eyes. He took his fork in one hand, a giant glass of milk in the other and attacked the pile. He scooped some of the greens onto the fork and jammed it into his mouth. They were just as disgusting as he remembered, slimy, squishy disgusting tasting, the half gallon of milk he downed with it didn't hide the taste very well. He felt his well trained gag reflex almost give in.
"Hey Zaffy if you keep looking like that she won't want to eat them," Vice poked Zafira in the forehead.
Zafira glared at the happy-go-lucky man before turning his face into a smile that could only be called disturbing, "mmm mmm mmm," he swallowed, "Y-yummy. I'm really glad I ate those. But I'm sooo full now." Vice looked on in horror.
"All of them," Vivio puffed out her cheeks. "You have to eat all of them or you'll never get bigger!"
'Never get bigger'? Zafira didn't want to get bigger. "Well Vivio it's not good to—"
"She told you to eat all of them Zafira," Griffith looked like he was trying to hide his amusement, as if Zafira's pain was fun to watch.
"Yeah wouldn't want to disappoint her," Vice on the other hand wasn't hiding his glee at all.
Zafira shot the two of them I'll-kill-you-later looks before forcing another forkful into his mouth. He tried to swallow it whole. It was slightly better that way, though swallowing it whole added in the bonus of pain. In two more nauseating bites he managed to finish them off. "There…" he shuddered, "all done. Yum I feel so healthy now."
"There you go now Vivio eat your greens. Zafira likes them and he hates everything," Vice winked at the six-year-old.
"No," the three men looked down at the little girl in shock.
"Why not?" Griffith scratched his chin, "Don't you want to get big?"
"Uncle Vice and Uncle Griffith didn't eat theirs," she pouted.
Zafira slowly turned his head from Vivio to face the two hypocrites, "What's this? Oh well I'm sure they'll be happy to right this wrong, after all they all want to get big and strong."
"Eh heh heh," Vice rubbed the side of his head, "Well I'm pretty big already and I don't want to be a giant like Zafira so you know…"
"Give up Vice," Griffith picked up his fork. "You can't win."
"But but but," he poked his own pile with his fork, "they're you know… those things."
"Eat!" Vivio ordered.
At the same time Vice and Griffith took their forks scooped up the green menace and plopped it in their mouths. They also turned the same sickly shade of green in sequence and they both ran to the bathroom as if synchronized.
"Now will you eat them Vivio?"
Vivio nodded and with a determined look on her face, she took her fork, put a comparatively small amount of the accursed food on it and ate them Zafira watched in anticipation for her reaction, silently praying that it wouldn't be like Vice and Griffith's. To his surprise she smiled, "Yummy!" She ate some more. "Really good."
Zafira rubbed his stomach. He wasn't sure if he should be proud or embarrassed that a little girl was tougher then all three of them.
"Alright Vivio brush your teeth and then we'll put you in bed!" Vice put his good hand on his hip, kept the other wrapped in an ice pack, and started to direct their little motley crew. He was much more responsive now that he had gotten the vegetables out of his system. "Zafira you go and make the bed! Griffith… you do go do… something."
"I'll warm up some milk," Griffith shook his head and walked back to the kitchen.
"And what exactly will you do?" Zafira muttered as he examined the giant bed, how exactly did Fate and Nanoha sleep on it and not get lost.
"I'm the commander of this operation so I don't need to do anything but instruct," He laughed.
Zafira growled but got to work as soon as he heard Vivio turn on the sink. Zafira took the giant bed's comforter in his hands, he seemed to owe a lot to thumbs today, though since he had never gotten around to finishing it off it wasn't that hard. He proceeded to pull down the covers and straightened the pillows with the same care a sculptor gives his statue, the little girl was going to be comfortable no matter what.
After a last proud glance aimed at his handiwork he trotted to the bathroom where Vivio was brushing her teeth while Vice looked intensely at his watch. Zafira raised an eyebrow, well this was unusual, "Vice-san what are you doing?" Zafira picked up a towel from the counter.
Vice held up a hand, indicating for him to wait. "Five, four, three, two, one, okay Vivio you can stop now!"
Vivio spat out her toothpaste and took the towel Zafira was now offering. She hopped off her stool, it was necessary due to her lack of height, and tugged on Zafira's shirt. "Bedtime now."
Zafira knelt down and lifted Vivio up, "that it is." He carried her out of the bathroom, Vice right behind him.
"So what exactly does bedtime consist of?" Vice tilted his head to the side.
"I don't know," Zafira had no idea what happened when Vivio went to bed, before tonight his job had always ended before it got to that point. "Vivio?"
Vivio looked thoughtful, "When Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama are home it's like this: Fate-Mama tucks me in then Nanoha-mama tells me a story." Her petite face scrunched up in concentration, "Oh and then they kiss my forehead and we all say goodnight!"
"Got it, tuck in, story, kiss goodnight," somewhere between the bathroom and the bedroom Griffith had joined him. Hayate's assistant had a pair of oven mitts on his hands to protect him from the steaming cup of milk.
"Could you have made it hotter?" Vice eyed the cup suspiciously, "really we're trying to lull her to sleep not burn off her tongue."
"Do you want to taste test it Vice-san?"
"Not particularly Griffy."
"Griffith."
"Ahem!" Zafira cleared his throat causing the other two to look up. "We have a child to attend to."
They both looked embarrassed much to Zafira's pleasure; it seemed the shoe was on the other foot now wasn't it. Vivio giggled at the sight, which only caused both of them more shame.
Zafira walked towards the bed, his tail wagging slowly (he didn't notice of course), and gently laid Vivio in the center of the bed, a bed that was at least ten times her size. It looked like the bed would swallow her up if she was left there.
"Why is their bed so big?" Griffith examined the monstrosity. "…Never mind Shari's the one who decorated the room isn't it?"
"You can tell that by looking at the room." Vice smirked, "Someone has a crush."
Griffith chose to ignore the pilot and focused on cooling the beverage in his oven mitted hands.
Zafira prepared to cover up the girl, grasping the edge of the comforter in both hands he started to move it forward.
"Wait!" Zafira was stopped by Vivio's cry. All three officers turned to her, trying to figure out what exactly had gone wrong. Vivio pointed at her pink bunny off in the corner, "Mr. Flobbles wants to come too."
Zafira nodded Vivio's wish was his command, if she wanted her stuffed animal he would get it for her… it was like she was his superior officer, Zafira was being ordered around by a five year old. He took the rabbit from the pile of stuffed animals as gently as if it was made of priceless gems and placed it next to Vivio, then he went back to pulling up the covers.
"Not yet!" Zafira stopped again, apparently she wanted something else too, what time was she supposed to go to bed again? "Bearington too."
"The bear's named is Bearington?" Vice raised an eyebrow, "that's so original."
Zafira shot him a look, "Just go get it."
Vice shrugged and headed to the pile, "Whatever." He picked up the bowtie clad bear and tossed it to Zafira who laid it beside Vivio.
"FC too."
"Who's FC?" Vice searched the pile.
"It's the ferret," Griffith said between blowing on the mug. He looked startled when the other two both looked at him in astonishment. "W-what!" His ears turned red from the attention and he looked down into the drink, "It's obvious isn't it?" His voice got a little softer, "I mean it was a gift from Admiral Chrono."
"How do you remember all that?" Vice tossed the ferret to Zafira. "I mean I forget where I'm going if I'm in the sky too long." He laughed, "Storm raider has to remind me."
"Why exactly did Hayate hire you?"
Zafira sighed, between their comedy routine and the long bedtime routine she'd go to bed around midnight. "Ella!" And she wasn't done yet.
Between the four of them they developed a routine. Vivio would call out a name, Griffith would figure out who she was referring to (Zafira couldn't imagine how he figured out Harvey was a giant rabbit), Vice would manhandle it and toss it to Zafira who would put it next to Vivio. Over a ten minute period they moved at least 40 stuffed animals. By the time they were finished only Vivio's little head popped through the pile.
"Can we continue now?" Zafira looked down at Vivio who nodded. "Griffith?"
"Right. Story's next."
"Story?" Zafira didn't know many of those. He looked to Vice and Griffith for help. They shook their heads.
"Cindery!" Vivio cheered.
"But she's had it read to her like seven times today," Vice complained.
Griffith shrugged. "Vivio gets what Vivio wants."
Zafira grunted and shuffled in his chair. "I guess… I'll tell story then…" He cleared his throat. To be honest he only had a basic idea of the story. . Who had two evil stepmothers-."
"Named Fate and Nanoha!" Vice took over. "Now they loved each other very very much—"
"But they mistreated their poor little stepchild CinderVita," Griffith stopped Vice.
CinderVita?! Zafira's mouth fell open.
"They made CinderVita do all the work—"
Vice cut the green haired man off, "While they went off in the back and ha—"
"Look Vice I'm trying to tell a story here so if you'd just sit down and be quiet!"
Vivio giggled, "That's not how the story goes." She smiled and wiggled around.
Vice pouted, "Then you tell it."
Vivio took a deep breath and began, "Well Cinderella had two stepsisters and one stepmother who made her do all the work 'cause they were really really really mean and then there was a ball." Breathe. "But they wouldn't let Cinderella go 'cause they were meanies but then there was thingy with the fairy and she made Cinderella a dress and let her go to the ball where she met the prince!" Vivio was very excited and took another breathe. "And he was really cool but Cinderella had to go 'cause it was 12 and the fairy said so so she ran home but she lost her shoe but the prince found it and he went to all the houses to find the one person who fit the shoe and it was Cinderella's and then they lived happily ever."
The three men blinked. They had barely caught any of her story but what truly amazed them was that somehow Vivio managed to say her entire story in about three breaths.
"You just got schooled Griffy," Vice poked his friend's side.
"So did you."
Vivio yawned. "Sleepy time."
Griffith stood up and pulled Vice with him. "Well we should go."
"Thank you," Zafira was looking down, embarrassed by what he was saying. "Vivio had fun."
Vice grinned. "'Course she did! Right Vivio?"
"Right!"
Vice and Griffith left, the downstairs door squeaking as they left.
"Right then." Zafira stood up. "I'll just turn off the light and—"
"Wait!" Vivio cried out more urgently then before.
Zafira looked down at the little girl. What was it this time? More animals? A glass of water?
"Goodnight kiss!"
Zafira was confused. What did she mean? He wasn't her mother; it wasn't his job to do such things.
"Every night," she looked incredibly serious. "We do it every night."
Zafira faltered, she was just a kid it couldn't hurt. He bent down.
Vivio sunk into her sheets making sure her forehead was in ideal kissing position.
With a speed uncommon to someone of his size, Zafira pecked Vivio's forehead.
And to his utter shock she reached up and kissed his cheek in return. Zafira's eyes widened and he turned bright red. Zafira fumbled towards the doorway and the light switch, regaining his composure on his way there.
He touched the light switch but didn't turn it off yet. "Goodnight Vivio." He flicked off the light.
Out of the darkness came a single, small voice. A voice that somehow managed to bring a small, unnoticeable even to him, smile to her mouth.
"Goodnight Zaffy."
A/N: And with that Chapter 3 was finished. Please review if you have the time.
