I'm such a liar. I'm all like: 'Oh! I'll write something about Nanoha and Fate next! With Vivio in it!' and instead I write something about Einhart's coworker Maxima. In my defense this had been sitting around for a while and as such I felt like I should upload it. Since Max is going to be a pretty recurring character in the Einhart and Vivio stories, I figured I'd formally introduce him. And yes, his name is Maxima because of the car name gag that the Nanoha franchise is fond of. Lexus-who is ONLY know as Lexus or Lex, is a character who will turn up less often, but he's based off of my beloved car. My extremely old, and ever dependable Lexus, that despite having many flaws, is my trusty steed to wherever I ask him to bring me. But anyways-this short one is just for Einhart and Max-who have a pretty funny relationship.

This is the first of a few short drabbles or one-shots about these two that aren't really related to the main storyline-but still have something to do with the two of them and their lives.

As always, I own nothing except for Max, Lexus, and Vergoldt Licht.

Some Man Talk or (Einhart can talk like a man because she WAS a man.)

"Yo! Stratos!" Einhart turned towards the call and the call continued, "C'mere! I need another person to demonstrate this move!"

"Ah, coming Max-sempai," Einhart scrambled up from the front table where she was writing out a report and hurried towards the tall man who was teaching. "What move?" she asked, looking the tall man up and down. She sincerely hoped it wasn't a block, because the man, standing at 6'2, was a giant and anything her threw at you would be aching for days, properly blocked or not.

A roguish grin swept across his face and he addressed the group of young students, "Alright, Stratos and I are going to show you the proper way to come out of a toss. There may be times when an opponent with magic will toss you in the air, and you will be expected to get yourself righted in the air. Stratos here will be demonstrating for us," He turned to his coworker and the grin widened, "Ready Stratos?"

"You'd toss me even if I said I wasn't," Einhart muttered, but still let the man pick her up in a hold she'd never let anyone properly execute in a proper fight, and felt herself thrown into the air without ceremony. A ungraceful, sloppy throw, meant to quickly put an opponent down, not to create distance. Still though-Einhart found her center and twisted, being sure her head was on top and not headed towards the mats. The mats came into view and her elbows and knees tucked in as she came closer to the ground and she extended only to absorb the blow and winced as her bare feet slammed against the mats. Should have used some magic in that descent…She scolded herself, but the students were awed, and she brushed herself off and blushed. "It's not too hard. Just…try to keep your head on top and remember to keep your arms and legs bent when you land so you don't hurt yourself," she gave a nod of her head and scurried back to her work, listening to Max laugh as she went.

"You know Stratos-You seem so confident when you teach the basics class, I dunno why you get so flustered when you have to help me demonstrate things," Einhart yelped as she heard the comment right next to her ear and spun around.

"Sempai!" She flushed and shook her head, "Jeez…you're worse than Nove…" she grumbled, "It's just…most of them are boys and they're gawking at me and it's just…" She squirmed and her coworker laughed.

"That's reserved for your girl's eyes only?" He teased, violet eyes glimmering with the tease. Einhart couldn't fathom how this man who had spent the best years of his life fighting in the TSAB ground troops and had gained a reputation as the ruthless and unyielding Maxima Stelhelm could be such a damn tease. He was goofy to a fault.

"It's not just that, I just-I mean I can understand them gawking," Hegemon gawked at Olivie and court women plenty of times after all… she added in her head, "It's just, it's almost as if they don't believe I can do it until I do it," she groused.

The man shrugged, "It's the same for Lexus-sensei you know-People think that because he's got only one eye he can't fight-But man can he throw a punch!" Max rubbed his jaw, "A damn good punch indeed…"

Einhart studied the man before her for the umpteenth time since she'd begun working here. Messy locks of fading navy that were not TSAB regulation length any longer, but still short enough to be considered a soldier's cut, and eyes of bright violet. His face was clean shaven, but sharp, and he had a long jagged scar running from the bridge of his nose all the way down to the junction between his ear and jaw. Einhart knew there were countless others on the man's body, but there was a sort of youthfulness to him, despite his battle worn body.

"Max?" Einhart probed.

"Yeah?" the man looked to his fellow teacher and grinned.

"Why'd you leave the military?" Einhart saw the look flash across Max's face and she almost regretted asking until he laughed.

"Is that what's buggin' ya? Well…I was sort of forced to leave," he admitted, rubbing his neck sheepishly, "Dishonorably Discharged is the term they use for guys like me,"

"What'd you do?" Einhart asked, eyes wide.

"I punched my superior officer and told him he was a miserable general and a piss poor soldier," He laughed again, raising his fist, "Then I punched the Enforcer who came to court martial me," he shook his head. "I was a hot head back then. I hated the idea of losing my men and pals to battles when it could have been avoided. To be fair, the general was a royal dick, but punching one is a big no-no," he gave a weary smile, "So I suppose it was fair. Sooner or later I may have snapped worse, so they cut me loose before that. I came here because I had nothing else to do, and I was only good at fighting so…" he shrugged.

"I see…I had no idea…I knew Lexus-sensei had to leave because of his sight, but I'd assumed you just left because you got bored with it," Einhart admitted.

"Hah! Bored? That may have been it too…Who knows. But the question becomes…why didn't you join the TSAB? You've got enough firepower to soar up their ranks. An AA ranked mage at least," Max ventured, eyeing the girl with interest, "I've heard stories about you and your girl duking it out. I've heard it's explosive," he grinned.

"Oh…Well-Vivio and I just like to keep our skills fresh so…" she flushed, "But, I didn't want to become a tool of war I suppose. I mean, Vivio and I…we're powerful, no doubt. But the problem is, that when they need someone to blow a whole city up, I don't want my name to come up on the list, you know?" Einhart shivered, remembering Ingvalt's despair at the destruction of the endless Belkan wars that he caused in the name of his people.

"There's that to be sure. And you know-I don't see you in the army anyways. You're too soft," Max grinned, "I feel like your apartment is filled with the little mutts you find on the street. Betcha can't resist their little puppy dog eyes, can you?"

Einhart actually laughed at that and swatted the large man, "Hardly. I may not enjoy causing serious pain to anyone, but I don't give out charity, that's Vivio's bit."

"Riiiiight, since she's a saint an' all she's gotta or something, right?" Max laughed, and shook his head, "The two of you are an odd pair Stratos…but-You gotta be weird to work here, don'tcha?" he stretched and cracked his neck, "I'm heading out then. Have'ta treat the lady friend to a dinner tonight so she doesn't get jealous of my young coworker."

"Jealous? Of What?"

"Well, how often does a man work with a living member of royalty? Or an incarnation of royalty? Come on. You're like…Mid-Childa's most eligible bachelorette!"

"I have a girlfriend Stelhelm."

"Yeah, who's also like a religious figure or something right? So you two are like…Mid-Childa's most influential couple of the year or something."

Max's last name is based off the words Steel and Helm-meaning HE'S A TOUGH COOKIE. Who happens to have a wicked sense of humor. But yeah.

So anyways-the first of the drabble series for Nanoha. -sigh- I suppose it was only a matter of time-since I have one for Mai HiME, and then the chaptered story for Sailor Moon-it wasn't long before Nanoha joined the legions of having a dumping spot for ridiculous stuff. Also-I started a Fiction Press pen name for my original character stories. The link's in my profile if you'd like to check it out and all. There's nothing up yet-but there will be soon.

ANYWAYS. (again) As it is with the Mai HiME stories if you have a suggestion for a drabble or short story, let me know! I'm always willing to see how things will work out with nifty ideas. Anything short of actual sex and such. You know-PG-13 and such. As per usual-reviews are lovely and make me feel so very, very happy, so if you would be so kind as to leave one...I'd appreciate them. Thanks a bunch for reading-until next time!

~konaxookami