Second Life -- Welcome to Fairplay [Stage 1]

[cityship]

It had been the usual mission briefing, not that any of them remembered it. The crew knew they were gone and had no idea when they'd be back, and likely wouldn't attempt rescue for quite some time, especially with Stacy considering the mission "ongoing."

They had no idea when they'd be back, either, namely because they never remembered being on the ship in the first place.

It was home. It had always been home.

Welcome to Fairplay, Iowa, folks, happiest little town in the Midwest.

[ooc: Read this before tagging.]

Comments

Location: Somewhere in the residential area

[thunder-ace.livejournal.com]

Fate was having one of those dreams where you just didn't want to wake up.

She was flying, as free as a bird, through a clear blue sky. The city was far below her, and even the skyscrapers looked no bigger than anthills. She had never felt so free... and she hadn't felt this happy since the time before her beloved sister died.

She wasn't alone, either. Not too far off to her right was a streak of pink, but when she tried to move close to see who the person was, a loud buzzing sound interrupted her.

... And she woke up.

With a sigh, she rolled out of bed, grabbed a set of fresh clothes, and went about her daily morning rituals, with one addition; taking care to cover up the dark bruise blooming just under her left eye. No need to draw attention to herself and get asked unwanted questions, right?

After freshening up and eating, Fate grabbed her schoolbag and her house keys, locked the front door behind her, and began making her way to school.

[starlightace]

There was a figure standing on a corner not too far from Fate's house - one who she might recognize. They'd always used to walk to school together, hadn't they? ...but even if Fate had seemed more and more reluctant to spend time with her, that didn't mean that she couldn't show up in their usual spot, right?

Still, her back was facing Fate's route, so she might not have noticed her coming yet.

[thunder-ace.livejournal.com]

A wave of emotions threatened to overwhelm her as Fate spotted the other girl, and she stopped in her tracks. There was that normal feeling of happiness she felt whenever she saw her friend, and that warm and fuzzy feeling she had recently found out was love.... but that was all crushed by her fear and guilt. Fear, that Nanoha would find out about these feelings that were supposedly so wrong, and guilt over the fact that one wrong word and her best friend might end up in the exact same situation she was in now.

So she had been avoiding her. And as much as it tore Fate apart, she would keep doing so. So she turned, already trying to figure out a good alternative route to school, but if Nanoha looks fast enough, she might be able to catch her...

[starlightace]

Nope. Too late, Fate - she heard those footsteps and that abrupt turn on the sidewalk. Nanoha turned around to see a familiar blonde head of hair headed away from her, and she couldn't help but feel a little sting in her chest. Why was she being avoided, anyway?

"Fate!" A shout from behind as the auburn-haired girl jogged to catch up with the blonde.

[thunder-ace.livejournal.com]

And again Fate paused. She should make an excuse, quick. Anything to get her away before one of the girls that had been tormenting Fate for what felt like ages saw.

... But Fate really, really didn't want to. Her mother's actions were beginning to get worse, especially after the latest round of tests ("Why can't you be as good as your sister!" she would say). So, despite the looming threat of bullying falling down on her friend... Fate just wanted to spend some time with the one person that made her feel like she still mattered.

So she turned, and smiled a smile that was only half-forced. "H-Hey, Nanoha..."

[starlightace]

Nanoha slipped her fingers beneath the straps of her backpack as she slowed to a walking pace, giving her friend a warm, affectionate smile. "Where were you going, anyway? School's the other way."

[thunder-ace.livejournal.com]

"I... thought I left something at home." Okay, lamest excuse ever, but it was the best she could come up with on the spot. And just to make sure Nanoha believed it, Fate opened up her messenger bag and began looking through it.

"Guess I was just being paranoid...?

[starlightace]

"Hmm. If it's a textbook, you can always borrow one of mine. We have the same teachers, don't we?" They did; Nanoha knew they did. But for some reason, Fate had rearranged her schedule so that they didn't share any periods anymore. It was weird.

[thunder-ace.livejournal.com]

"Y-Yeah... thanks." Fate said, laughing. But, like her smile, it seemed just a little forced.

"So.. how have you been, Nanoha?"

[starlightace]

Nanoha noticed, but she opted not to say anything. "I've been okay. It's the time of year when a lot of people buy cakes, so we're getting ready for a busy Christmas." They were hoping for one, anyway. "What about you?"

[thunder-ace.livejournal.com]

"That's good. I'm glad you've been getting a lot of business lately." Fate may not have visited the bakery in ages, but she knew how much her friend's family had to struggle to keep everything afloat. And as for Nanoha's question...

"... I've been fine." Which, considering how long they've known each other, Nanoha might easily translate as everything not being okay.

[starlightace]

They hadn't, really. But there was no reason Fate needed to worry about that. The girl's brows furrowed ever so slightly. "...fine? It's better than bad, I guess. But not quite good. School hasn't been giving too much trouble, right?"

[thunder-ace.livejournal.com]

"Not really..." A total and blatant lie, but hey. Aside from The Problem Nanoha Didn't Know About, there really wouldn't be any reason for anyone to bully someone like Fate, right?

"It's been a little stressful, but I guess that's just because all the teachers are trying to cram before winter break."

[behaemmert.livejournal.com]

Vita was, of course, also on the way to the school. Her mood was...somewhat sour, somewhat okay. On the one hand, school. Somehow, she just didn't seem to fit in perfectly.
On the other hand, Hayate was there, which cheered her up. Hayate was one of the few people she got along with. Well, to be fair, she did not have much contact with her but...it counted, right?

If only there wasn't that unpleasant Nantoka-girl. For some reason, the redhead kept getting on her nerves, and what made it worse was that she didn't even know why. It was unfuriating.

So lost in thought, she bumped into someone.

"Oi, can't you look where you're going?" She said with an annoyed tone in her voice, disregarding that it was her fault.

Oh...the other girl she had often seen around. Something was off about her, but Vita couldn't really tell what it was. She didn't really cause her trouble, though, so she wasn't a particular target of her annoyance, she just...was.

[starlightace]

Nanoha had been so consumed with her conversation with Fate that she hadn't even noticed the smaller - much smaller - girl on a collision course with them.

That is, until they literally ran into each other. "O-oh, I'm sorry!"

"...Vita?"

[thunder-ace.livejournal.com]

"Oh... hello Vita." Was all Fate said. She didn't know the other girl well, but she knew about the strange "rivalry" she had with Nanoha... so she was just a little wary.

Ak, didn't notice Fate was already there o.o;

[behaemmert.livejournal.com]

"Oh. It's you two." Vita replied, and glared up to Nanoha. "Fate and Nantoka! I know who you are!"

[starlightace]

"Well, I'd hope you would..." Nanoha said, a bit sheepishly in response to the glare. She didn't know why Vita disliked her so much, honestly.

[thunder-ace.livejournal.com]

Neither did Fate. From all the interactions she saw, Nanoha tried being as nice as she always was to the small redhead. So this whole rivalry really confused her.

"You keep getting her name wrong, you know..." Fate said. She wasn't planning on getting involved with whatever was about to happen, but she had to point that out.

[behaemmert.livejournal.com]

"I don't. It's Nandatto, it's not hard." Vita snapped, then glared back at Nanoha. And then punched (not too hard) against Nanoha's hip(due to size constraints).

Damnit, she wasn't really sure why Nanoha ticked her off so much. Sure, the Hayate thing, but there was also something else.

"I'd almost challenge you, but I know you'd never be up for that!"

Challenge...to what?

[starlightace]

"Na-no-ha," she corrected, giving a little 'oof' as the punch glanced off her hip. She really was an odd girl.

"Er, challenge me to what? And why?"

[behaemmert.livejournal.com]

"Nanowa, as I said!" Vita replied, completely serious.

The problem was what. For some reason, she had the impression that she and Nanoha could compete, but she wasn't exactly sure with what. And while "whacking her with a hammer" came to her mind, it seemed somewhat...contrary to the point. Which wasn't killing Nanoha, just making her...stop that!

"Why? You don't even know that!?"

[thunder-ace.livejournal.com]

"I don't think you've ever told us..."

Fate turned to Nanoha, as if silently asking her to confirm it. "At least, I've never heard you mention anything."

[starlightace]

"Na-no-ha," again. "And I haven't... ever heard anything. You're always just so angry at me."

Sadly, Hayate still doesn't exist here.

[behaemmert.livejournal.com]

...Vita paused, then got annoyed again. That obviously wasn't true.

"Stop trying to steal all of Hayate's time, damnit!" The short girl burst out, then pointed accusingly at Nanoha. "You got that blondie, for crying out loud! Leave Hayate alone!"