[OOC][PLOT] Planning for Arc 1 - Arrivals

[robkelk]

Taking things out of order...

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...)

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.

Might be interesting if a seed of attraction was planted in Nanoha of all people. Or better yet, Ruby Rose.

So... Nanoha, Ruby, and Weiss? Misquoting Mii quoting Washuu-chan, "if you were a Juraian noble, you could marry all three of them and a couple more, too."

Although I suspect Nanoha wouldn't be interested in anybody who wasn't also interested in Fate. (And, if we're talking post-StrikerS, he'd also need to be interested in being a parental figure for Vivio... but Ben's already qualified there.)

But even so, too easy. They're all a bit too young, and it'd just be infatuation anyhow.

Exactly. If my SI was their age, he might be thinking "instant harem, just add male"... but he isn't their age.

Really, the only ones that I can see going for him are the ones young enough that he leaves a strong impression on them and, because they tend to be a lot less jaded, can see his limitations for what they are and are willing to give him the benefit of a doubt.

Which, in your SI's complex, might include Sayaka Miki and Mami Tomoe - but they're definitely still too young. (Homura Akemi is already too jaded despite her youth.)

Teletha might have been nice as she'd be the type to sit down with Benjamin and match wits with him in one way or another. But again, too young, and also carrying a torch for Sosuke - in fact, after the Halloween Party she'd probably form some kind of pact with Kaname. While a bit annoying, Kaname can certainly appreciate Teletha and have her as sister-wife.

I can see Sosuke/Kaname/Tessa... with Teletha being the noble (Whispered plus command experience should be enough to qualify for a minor Juraian noble rank, I'd expect.)

Of course, nobody's brought in Full Metal Panic. Yet.

Running gag:
Tessa: "Teletha Testarossa. Pleased to meet you."
Fate: "Fate Testarossa. Pleased to meet you."
Person being spoken with: "Are you two related?"
Fate or Tessa, trading off: "We don't think so."

EDIT: Or, for somebody who actually speaks Italian:
Tessa: "Teletha Testarossa. Pleased to meet you."
Fate: "Fate Testarossa. Pleased to meet you."
Person being spoken with: "Testarossa? But you're both testa rubia."
Fate and Tessa: "Okay, that reply's new."


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.

• 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.)
  

If it ends up "group marriages for nobody", then the relationships presented to the outside world are Mamoru/Usagi, Luna/Artemis, Rob/Mii, and Touma/Mikoto.

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 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.


(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.)