Quote:Yang: "Did he just get a little girl to stop crying?"
Blake: "Yes, he did."
Yang: "And then get a hug and a kiss from that little girl after he found her mommy?!"
Blake: "I thought I was seeing things at first, but yes.  Yes he did."
Yang: "WHY THE HELL IS HE STILL SINGLE!?  I KNOW HE'S NOT GAY!  I'VE CAUGHT HIM LOOKING AT ME!!!"
Blake: ".... Perhaps you'd like to do something about that?"
Yang: "Wha?  No way!  He's twenty years older than us!  That'd be like dating Professor Oobleck." (O///O)
Blake: "Your sister doesn't seem bothered by it."
Yang: "Huh?"
Ruby: *Hearts in her eyes as she practically drools, completely unaware of the conversation behind her.*
Weis: "Honestly, you could do a lot worse Yang.  Benjamin is an incredible manager.  In fact, if he had the means, I'd put money on him being able to manage a hostile takeover of my father's company.  Besides, he's such a handsome gentleman - like a more refined version of your Uncle Crow."
Blake: *Evil Little Grin(tm)*  "Why Weis!  You make me wonder just what such a hostile takeover would entail~."
Weis: (O///O) "Uhm...  Well!  It's only make sense!  It would smooth things over amongst the shareholders if they knew that there was a Schnee in the family!  And I know he'd never mistreat me!  And....   he'd be a much better father than mine."
Blake: *Looks to Yang with a raised eyebrow.*  "Fascinating.  Not only does she not deny it, but she looks forward to having children with him."
Yang:  "Weis, you are a far more courageous girl than I ever imagined."
Weis: *turning her nose up in the air* "Well, if I honestly have to marry someone twice my age, like Father might try arranging for me, then it might as well be someone who cares about my feelings!  I will not make my mother's mistake!"
Blake:  *Evil Little Grin(tm)* "You better hurry if you want that 'First Wife' position then.  Rumor has it Nanoha's and Homura's cohorts are both taking action."
Yang & Weis: "WHAT!?!?!"
Blake: "You three have fun courting him.  I'll be sitting next to Sun and eating popcorn."

Quote:"... That is extraordinarily bold.  You realize what you are asking for?  To allow her to siphon off of your very soul to sustain hers?  You are aware of the risks, right?  And you are aware that this is something that Lord Phantomhive or even the Goddesses will not be able to compensate you for?"

"Very much so aware.  She is a sweet girl with a beautiful soul.  She deserves this."

Hild placed a hand on Benjamin's face.  "And what do I get out of this?  What you're asking for isn't cheap, even with what you're willing to do for it."

Ben thought for a moment.  "Let's make it an IOU with collateral - my soul will be on the line unless I can come up with something better."

Hild grinned.  "Deal."

(07-16-2018, 03:03 AM)Black Aeronaut Wrote:

(07-15-2018, 10:22 AM)robkelk Wrote: Taking things out of order...

Quote:many of the bullet points on Ben's list: Youthful, but not underage; tiny; very intelligent; and incredibly dangerous.

If it wasn't for the first and last criteria on that list, I'd be wondering what Ben thinks of Nakano Azuza from K-On!. (And Azuza isn't going to be underage for too much longer, although I expect she'd be more interested in college than marriage once she graduates from high school. Her lack of power (other than the Power of Rock™), OTOH...)

Have you forgotten how I've made perfectly normal girls into outrageously dangerous little vixens while somehow keeping them entirely within character? Minmei comes to mind, though I had a lot of wiggle room there.

(07-16-2018, 03:03 AM)Black Aeronaut Wrote:

(07-15-2018, 10:22 AM)robkelk Wrote:

Quote:Really, the more I bring in, the harder this is for Ben. And few people would really understand how bad it is for him.

If Rei mentions anything to Usagi - and I suspect she would - then Ben can expect a personal intervention after Thanksgiving and before Christmas. Yes, Fate (not Nanoha's Fate) has dealt Ben a shitty hand. Yes, Ben's life has been miserable. But there is absolutely no reason why it needs to remain miserable. Ben has friends now; Usagi noticed how Ben and Tenchi got along at the Halloween party, just for one example. Ben's doing useful work and has the respect of his peers. And Usagi is willing to help Ben, or even just give him a shoulder to cry on, whenever he asks.

Oooh. Ben's gonna pull the Kirk defensive here...

Quote:"Ben, you have to let me do this. It's killing you!"

"Usagi... You know that I love you all, right?"

Tears forming in her eyes, Usagi nodded.

"Then you understand, while I can love you as sisters, I could never..." his voice faltered and he steadied himself. "I could never have what I really want. It's not my place."

"But... at least I can take you pain away."

Benn shook his head slowly. "No. This pain... it's part of what I am, part of what makes me me. Yes, I've made mistakes. Every morning I wake up alone and I confront those mistakes again and again. But if I didn't make those mistakes in the past, would I be the person I am today? Would I have the strength of character to stand up to the likes of Ryouko and tell her to chill? Or to look down at Teletha and tell her she needs to ease up? Or sweet little Nanoha, telling her that she needs to relax and be a kid while she can enjoy it? Would I have the courage to do these every day things if I didn't have this pain?"

"You made Rei-chan cry," said Usagi softly. "I've never seen her cry like that before. I couldn't believe it. Something inside of you frightened her so much that I'm afraid of letting you see her again. And what's so terrible about that is that I cannot see how you can hold something that horrible inside of you when you are the sweetest, most kind, gentle, and loving man I have ever seen since my Mamourou or Rob-san."

"I know," he said, feeling like he was a thousand years old as he put his head to the doorway, his eyes screwed shut. "I am so sorry that I hurt her. I shouldn't have talked to her. I should have just kept my distance. As for what she saw? She saw my soul. She saw how it hungered for warmth - so much so that it feels like a black hole trying to pull you in. That is what scared Rei - that I might consume her completely."

"Then... can we at least talk?"

Benjamin shrugged. "What is there to talk about? I've had my loves. I either made mistakes, or they couldn't handle my intensity. The one that I wish..." He sighed and sat down on the couch. "She couldn't leave her family behind. She chose that over me. She and I... I could feel how we matched. She not only handled my intensity, she let it fuel her own passion. We'd make utterly bed-breaking love to each other, then tell me how much she loved it even though it made her sore. And her mind was utterly diabolical. She was studying psychology and wanted to be a profiler for serial killers - to get into their heads and discern what they were thinking. She was twisted, in a ways. Perverted, you might even say. But it was something I could love and appreciate.

"And I had to leave her behind.

"And that was just the cleanest breakup I've ever had. There's also my childhood. I can go on and on about all the horrible things I've had to live through. How half of my brothers were verging on being psychotic while we were growing up. How my step-dad would berate me in front of said siblings, and then demand that I be a leader to them. You would not believe the vindication I felt when my step-brother from my step-dad's first marriage called him out on how he treated me! He could hardly believe his own dad would do that, but it happened right before his eyes and it disgusted him."

Benjamin then took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"You take my pain away, you're going to lobotomize me. Because so much of my life has been hurt and suffering that taking it all away would leave me a mere shadow of myself. I'd be just a child - naive and weak willed. Yes, I would be happier. But I also wouldn't be able to do even a tenth of what I do now."

And then to Usagi's surprise, he got up and then pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you for trying anyways.... little sister."

That was it. The straw that broke the camel's back. Usagi started bawling against his chest.

The world really was a horrible place. Because not with youma, but instead with everyday people, had this man been made to suffer. And she could do nothing about it. But Ben knew, as she wailed pitifully, that this was just how life was. And for this bit of pain? Usagi herself would be a stronger, wiser person for it.

Ben only hoped that his own stamina would hold out until someone would come along, strong enough to help him shoulder the burden.

And then, just because I haven't punched you in the feels hard enough, we go out on this little gem of a classic...



Egads, I'm such an evil cuss.

(07-16-2018, 03:03 AM)Black Aeronaut Wrote:

(07-15-2018, 10:22 AM)robkelk Wrote: Since it's come up: What I'm thinking for my SI's building - and plans change as stories are written - is the dynamics settle down into a few different families, official or not. Usagi would insist that laws regarding polyamourous relationships apply to everyone equally (not just the nobility), and she and Mamoru together have the power and lineage to make their claim to the Sol system stick if the Juraians complain. Whether that means group marriages for everybody or for nobody remains to be seen.

Really, I think that polyamory in general is more or less, if not the norm, then socially acceptable in the greater galaxy in the Tenchi-verse.

(07-16-2018, 03:03 AM)Black Aeronaut Wrote:

(07-15-2018, 10:22 AM)robkelk Wrote:

• First Family (with a Head of State and everything): Usagi, Mamoru, and Rei, with Chibi-Usa as a dependent.
  
• All alone because of that thrice-dammed curse: Minako. (Just ask her. Everyone else will consider her to be part of the building's first family, especially Usagi, Rei, and Mamoru.)
  
• Second family: Luna and Artemis, with Diana as a dependent. Yeah, going with canon here - there aren't a lot of talking cats out there to add to this dynamic, and they seem more comfortable in feline form than in human form.
  
• Third family: SI-Rob, Mii, Ami, and Makoto.
  
• Fourth family: Kamijo Touma (who hasn't shown up yet), Mikoto, Kuroko, and Misaka Niiko (sister 10032), with Index (who hasn't shown up yet) as a dependent. Touma/Minako is canon. Touma/10032 is strongly shippable by canon; he saved her life specifically and the other clones' lives generally, she was the first person who he ever gave a gift to, and she canonically has feelings of some sort for him.
  
• Fifth family: Ruiko, Kazari, and ... somebody. (Not Accelerator.)
  

Makes sense to me, except the bit with Venus. What's this curse that you speak of? I may have heard it before, but it's slipping my mind...

(07-16-2018, 03:03 AM)Black Aeronaut Wrote:

(07-15-2018, 10:22 AM)robkelk Wrote: As for the Jack of Kinrowan characters, Jacky's canonically in an on-again-off-again relationship, Kate is single and wants a relationship, and Finn hasn't expressed an opinion on the matter.

I'm gonna have to go find these books...

(07-16-2018, 03:03 AM)Black Aeronaut Wrote:

(07-15-2018, 10:22 AM)robkelk Wrote: I don't know (or am not sure) what to do with Accelerator, Misaka Kokono (10339), Misaka Nana (13577), Misaka Rei (19090), Misaka Misaka (20001, a.k.a. "Last Order"), and Kazakiri Hyoga (who hasn't shown up yet but by canon has a connection to Misaka Misaka). All I am sure about is (a) Misaka Misaka and Kazakiri Hyoga stay together, and (b) that Accelerator isn't about to marry the sisters of the clones girls he killed, even if he does Get A Clue™ and stops being an asshole all the time. (Luckily for him, it's canon that helping to look after Misaka Misaka is giving him at least part of that much-needed clue... but he might end up alone anyway.) It would be reasonable for spoilers-regarding-canon to include a Misaka Sister in each of the first, third, and fifth families listed above; the girls might even be interested.

Accelerator kinda strikes me as the natural loner anyhow - the one who is just fine being on his own, and having only limited contact with people. Though I'm sure Misaka Misaka won't let him get away with that entirely.

(07-16-2018, 03:03 AM)Black Aeronaut Wrote:

(07-15-2018, 10:22 AM)robkelk Wrote: (And if I get any urges to add more "friendly" characters to my corner of this, please whack me over the head with a paper fan. More foes are good; more people who I'll need to write on an ongoing basis are bad.)

Kek. I'll keep that in mind.

---

Dartz, the new story post looks great! I love where you're going with it.

---

Rob, just saw your new one, too. Hoo boy, he's about to have a whopper laid on him by those two, isn't he?

(07-16-2018, 05:35 AM)Black Aeronaut Wrote: Also, interesting thought: Precia shows up and still has Alicia's preserved body.  After everything dies down, Benjamin makes a deal with Hild that blows everyone's minds: His life energy split between himself and Alicia to bring her back.

Quote:"... That is extraordinarily bold.  You realize what you are asking for?  To allow her to siphon off of your very soul to sustain hers?  You are aware of the risks, right?  And you are aware that this is something that Lord Phantomhive or even the Goddesses will not be able to compensate you for?"

"Very much so aware.  She is a sweet girl with a beautiful soul.  She deserves this."

Hild placed a hand on Benjamin's face.  "And what do I get out of this?  What you're asking for isn't cheap, even with what you're willing to do for it."

Ben thought for a moment.  "Let's make it an IOU with collateral - my soul will be on the line unless I can come up with something better."

Hild grinned.  "Deal."

Fate will be torn between tearing him a new one for making such a deal...  and kissing him for bringing Alicia back.  Because she still has that oh-so-bittersweet memory of something that could have been...  She knows that he knows about it.  And it both warms and breaks her heart that he would go to such a length for her.

Quote:There was a knock on my door and I looked up from my laptop, wondering who on earth this could be.  To my surprise, Alicia was waiting for me as I opened the front door.

"Alicia!  What are you doing here so late, sweetie?  Come on inside before before someone sees you and wakes up your sister."

Quietly, she came inside, her slippers padding on the ground as she hugged her teddy bear close to her chest.  As she worked at getting herself settled, I went and put a glass of milk in the microwave.

"Alright, it's only you and me here now.  Akemi-chan's already asleep.  You can tell me what's bothering you."

Alicia was silent for a moment before the microwave beeped.  As I was getting her milk, she suddenly said, "You were thinking about stuff again, weren't you?"

I paused mid motion, then sighed and brought Alicia the warm milk.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," I said as I sat down next to her, leaving the glass of milk on the coffee table in front of her.  Rather than say anything, though, she latched onto me, sniffling softly.  I put my arms around her and said, "Oh Alicia.  I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," she whispered through her gentle sobs.  "You brought me back.  You made it so I can live with my sister.  You made her happy.  You made me happy.  But as much as I feel what hurts you, big brother, I also feel what makes you happy.  And I know that seeing big sister and I together...  it makes you so happy that it blots out the pain."

I know it may seem strange for such a little girl to be so articulate, but Alicia had always been ahead of the curve for her age - every bit the budding intellectual that her mother had been in her own youth.  And she only grew more sharp and intelligent once she was resurrected.  Washu-chan was absolutely certain that my intellect was passively bleeding through like osmotic process.  Which probably meant that very soon she would be able to start learning the basic calculations she needed to know in order to become a mage like her sister.  From what I heard, Hayate was already working on a Device for her.

A few quick taps on my computer brought up some music - a selection of soothing and uplifting tracks by James Horner.  Not only to ease Alicia's reciprocal hurt, but to help me so the feedback effect would be cut off.  I then got her to drink her glass of milk, and then showed her what I was up to (this week's expense and income reports - boring adult stuff, but she found it mildly interesting anyhow to see how things behind the scenes worked).  I then picked her up and went to Fate and Nanoha's apartment.

Fate opened the door before I could even knock.  "Just bring her inside, Benjamin," she said kindly.  Alicia was already dozing on my shoulder.  As I laid her down in her bed, Alicia sighed and snuggled her teddy bear closer.  A quick little kiss on her forehead left a content smile on her lips as she drifted off.

Suddenly, I felt Fate's arms around me.

"Fate?"

"It's alright," she said quietly.  "I just want to stay like this for a moment.  I am so grateful for you and everything you've done, and everything you keep on doing.  You know that you're the closest thing she has to a father?"

It made my heart twinge in a bittersweet way and I put my arms around Fate's petite form and hugged her back.  "Yeah... it's hard not for me to treat her like as if she was my own.  Every day she seems to become just a bit more like me - she might as well be my daughter now."

"That's fine by me," whispered Fate.  "Her becoming more like you...  I can't think of anyone better.  I love you so much after all - just as much as I love Nanoha."

I couldn't even sigh at that.  A love that true I could never berate.  Not in a million years.  Fate was growing like a weed now - her adolescence had hit hard and fast, and she was turning into a tiny woman before my eyes.  While I knew that hormones were a factor, I also knew that there was nothing false about what she felt for me.

I then kissed the top of Fate's head.  I would be lying to myself if I said that I didn't feel any love for her.  Or for the others, for that matter.  She then looked at me with those beautiful ruby eyes of hers.  They normally seem more like a brilliant hue of brown, especially when half-shaded by her low-hanging bangs, but once the light caught them, they glittered like the finest cut corundum.  She was already so gorgeous, even as a child.  She would be breathtaking once she was an adult.

"I need to get some sleep.  You do, too.  Go on, Benjamin.  We still have a lot to do tomorrow."

I rolled my eyes at that.  "Oh lordy, do we ever."

Quote:This will provide an interesting bit of tension in that while Benjamin has this IOU hanging over his head, he has to be careful about not getting himself killed. I mean, sure, getting killed in the first place would be a bad thing. But once he's clinically dead, even IF Washu were to bring him back, Hild can then say that he belongs to her now because he did indeed die before paying the debt owed.

(07-16-2018, 05:35 PM)Dartz Wrote:

Quote:This will provide an interesting bit of tension in that while Benjamin has this IOU hanging over his head, he has to be careful about not getting himself killed.  I mean, sure, getting killed in the first place would be a bad thing.  But once he's clinically dead, even IF Washu were to bring him back, Hild can then say that he belongs to her now because he did indeed die before paying the debt owed.

Define death?

The devil's in the detail of the IOU. In how it's worded and in the fine print where somewhere, it may define death as something eminently surveable by modern standards - a good spark across the chest and a shot of adrenaline can work wonders.

And there may not be time to read all the terms and conditions in detail.

You can't make a deal with the devil and not take the consequences... you're not smarter than the devil. That's called hubris, IIRC.

Quote:Right now, I'm leaning towards it being a side effect of Alicia being undead until her metabolic process starts taking over. Ideas?

(07-17-2018, 01:32 PM)Dartz Wrote: ... (I like Pink Trenchcoat....)

Quote:As he made his way from kitchen to living room, something small and pink popped up in front of him. It was Skuld.

"Hihi, Mr. Constantine!"

John stared. "Wha... wha?"

Skuld twirled in front of him, beaming. "What do you think? Chas told me about these neat trenchcoats you're always wearing, so I thought I'd get one!"

She was wearing a trenchcoat, all right. It looked a lot like his, only...

John frowned. "It's... er... pink."

Skuld smiled. "I know. Isn't it CUUUUTE?" She stuck her hands in the trenchcoat pockets and beamed.

Quote: It depends. Hell gains from chaos. Hell is the promulgation of Chaos over order.... (Well, depending on your theology)

(07-18-2018, 03:00 PM)Labster Wrote:

Quote: It depends. Hell gains from chaos. Hell is the promulgation of Chaos over order.... (Well, depending on your theology)

Oh, should I not introduce Tomo Takino to Discordianism, then?

(07-18-2018, 03:00 PM)Labster Wrote: Also, if Hild gives Ben a bad deal, couldn't Michiru Kaioh challenge her to a fiddle match for her soul?

(07-18-2018, 03:00 PM)Labster Wrote: I'm also getting from this thread that I really need to watch PMMM to be able to keep up.

Robkelk Wrote:

Labster Wrote:

Quote: Wrote:It depends. Hell gains from chaos. Hell is the promulgation of Chaos over order.... (Well, depending on your theology)

Oh, should I not introduce Tomo Takino to Discordianism, then?

Wouldn't that be like introducing Mizunashi Akari to canoeing? (Possible, but completely unnecessary.)

(07-19-2018, 04:06 AM)Labster Wrote: Just for this, my next story will have a canoe <grin>