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The Hello! Project Fanfics => H!P Fanfics => Library => Topic started by: OTN1 on September 24, 2007, 05:52:43 PM

Title: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: OTN1 on September 24, 2007, 05:52:43 PM
Murder, OTN Wrote

"What the fuck are you talking about?!"

--

Meet Fujimoto Miki.  She's just been told that she's being arrested.  For murder.

--

"I'm sorry, Miki.  I had to tell them my suspicions."

--

Meet Matsuura Aya.  She's just gotten Miki arrested under the suspicion of first degree murder.

--

"You will be escorted to the nearest police station and questioned."

--

Meet Officer Nakayama Daiki.  He's just handcuffed a famous idol and is feeling rather awed by being in the presence of not one but two of them as he leads Miki out the door of her own apartment.

--

"When did you first start noticing her strange behaviour?"

--

Meet Detective Takahashi Kazuyoshi.  He's just asked Aya the first of a series of grilling questions about Miki's behaviour over the past two weeks.

--

This story starts when Miki was relaxing in her change room and eating a delicious vanilla ice cream cone on a sunny mid-June day.  She had chosen to ignore her mobile phone for the ten or fifteen minutes it would take her to devour this special treat.  She heard it buzzing several times as it sat on the table, but nothing could distract her.

She was about to bite into the cone when a violent knocking was heard at the door.

"Open the door, you idiot!!" screamed an all too familiar voice.

Miki sighed and ignored the door, biting into the cone.

"If you don't open up, I'll throw your entire stuffed toy panda collection out!"

"Urk!" Miki gulped, jumping up and flying to the door as quickly as possible in order to save the pandas.

She yanked it open, and because Aya was in such a concentrated fury knocking on the door, she didn't adjust to the new situation quickly enough, and her fist went crashing down on Miki's face.  The girl dropped her ice cream and recoiled in pain.

"Ahhhhhrgh!!"

"Miki, watch it!" Aya scolded her, not even thinking of apologising. 

Miki groaned as Aya pushed her way into the change room, slamming the door behind her.

"Now I want to know why you've been ignoring my phone calls for the past fifteen minutes."

The infuriated girl put her hands on her hips as full out bitch mode vibes oozed from her.

"I was eating ice cream," Miki said, her voice muffled by her hand, which was touching her face and checking for blood or broken bones.

"And that means you can ignore me?  You know what you are?  A selfish b-"

Aya's phone started to ring.  She glared at Miki and whipped out the noisy piece of machinery.

"What?!" she barked into it.

She listened, her eyes growing wide with rage.

"Why are you calling me?!  I don't know anything about it.  Go find someone who cares to explain it to you!"

She hung up viciously, and it was at this point that the unnaturally-slow-that-day Miki realised that Aya was in a very, very... very, very bad mood.  She took a step back in fear when Aya pierced her with that evil look once again.

"Now I want you to tell me just exactly what I've done to bother you."

Miki gulped.  Aya was angrier than she'd ever seen.  She could lose limbs because of this.  She really could.

"You haven't done anything to bother me, Aya-chan," she said timidly.  "I just couldn't pick up the phone 'cause, um, my hands were sticky?"

Aya glared at her.

"And my tongue was frozen?"

More glare.

"And, um, because my mouth was full?"

Glare glare glare.

"And.. er... I love you?" she tried.

Yet even that didn't help.

"You'd better watch it, Fujimoto.  You're on my list," Aya spoke in a dangerously low tone, narrowing her eyes and sending the kind of look that writers often describe using the phrase "if looks could kill" as a starting point.

Then without waiting for Miki to say or do anything, she stormed out of the room, slamming the door on her way out.

Out in the hallway, Kamei Eri, Yoshizawa Hitomi, and Takahashi Ai, who had been walking by, had all frozen in horror as they'd heard Aya ripping into Miki.  They knew the soloist was prone to mood swings, but they'd never heard Morning Musume's new sub-leader so utterly punished.  It was chilling.

Aya shot them all the bitchiest of glares, and they all quickly busied themselves.  Kamei bent down to tie the non-existent shoelaces on her velcro shoes, Takahashi whipped out her Takarazuka collectible cards from her back pocket and practiced memorising names and roles, and Yoshizawa took out a knife and a twig, whittling the latter into a likeness of Japan's third foreign minister as she whistled Hyokkori hyoutan jima.

Aya looked at the three of them suspiciously, but then without a word, stalked off.  Twenty seconds later, Miki's door opened a crack, and a frightened head popped out.  She looked up and down the hall and spotted her three fellow Musume.

"Is she gone?" she whispered.

Yoshizawa, Kamei, and Takahashi disengaged in their emergency Look Productively Busy activities and crowded Miki at her door.

"Yeah, she's gone," Yoshizawa replied, shooting her friend a sympathetic look.

"Did she hurt you?" Kamei asked in awe and horror.

Miki shook her head at the younger girl, appreciating the concern but not wanting to get her junior involved in her life.

"Too bad," Takahashi said.

Everybody looked at her oddly, surprised to hear such words coming from the gentle girl.  Then again, she had the odd habit of spewing out the most random things at the most inappropriate times.

Takahashi noticed the looks being given to her, and she shrugged.

"Never mind.  I guess my brand of humour's not really fashionable," she sighed.

I'm far too advanced for them The Real Voice of Morning Musume thought smugly, but she did not let her thoughts show.  She made sure to keep her wide-eyed, startled look on her face, tricking everyone into thinking she was a little slow on the uptake.

"Yeah, we'll have to work on that later," Yoshizawa muttered, wondering how Takahashi would ever make a good leader before going on to address Miki.  "What did she want?"

Miki made a gurgling sound at the back of her throat.

"I have no idea.  She didn't say.  She screamed at me for not answering my phone before because I was eating ice cream, but she never told me what she was calling about.  She just stormed out."

"Maybe she wanted some ice cream, too," Kamei said.

Yoshizawa looked at the endearingly innocent girl and patted her on head, giving her a defeated smile.

"You're so cute."

Kamei scrunched her face up in confusion and wondered why her senior was suddenly complimenting her.  She'd never understand grownups.

"Maybe that really is it," Miki said thoughtfully.

Aya had looked at the ice cream for a second longer than any normal person would have.

Yoshizawa shot her a look of disbelief.

"Your friend almost tore you apart because she wanted ice cream?  I don't think so."

"Well, I honestly have no better idea," huffed Miki.  "You know she's not all there all the time."

Miki tapped her head and Yoshizawa nodded knowingly.

"Maybe she's there and just needs to change the light bulb in the sitting room," Takahashi piped up.

Again, the three stared at her.

"Right," Yoshizawa said, clapping a hand on Takahashi's shoulder.  "Let's go to the studio and practice this little thing called humour."

Takahashi stared back at Yoshizawa with wide, innocent eyes that not even Kamei could master, and she let herself be dragged off, leaving Kamei with her sub-leader.

"Um..." the younger of the two mumbled, feeling incredibly awkward and embarrassed to be left with one of Hellopro's scarier members.

"Are you okay?  Your ears look a little red," Miki asked, pointing to Kamei's exposed right ear.

Kamei quickly slapped a hand down on her ear and ruffled her own hair to cover it back up.

"I'm fine.  It's just really hot in here!"

Miki shrugged.  She thought the air conditioner was working just fine.

"I, um, have to go and water a plant," Kamei blurted out suddenly, and with that flimsy excuse, she turned around and ran down the hallway.

"I work with weirdos.  All of them.  Weirdos," Miki muttered, going back into her room to change.

She pushed the morning's events out of her mind and went to her rehearsal.

--

That evening, Miki went back to her apartment and took a long shower to clean away the accumulated sweat of a strenuous day.  Once she'd changed into her pyjamas and settled down with a giant picture book about koalas, there came a knock at her door.

She checked the time.  Half past eleven.  It was a little late for visitors.  Nevertheless, something told her to go and check who it was.  She walked stealthily to the door and look through the peephole.  She was filled with both excitement and trepidation at the sight of her worst nightmare and sweetest dream all bundled in one.  She unlocked the door and let Aya in.

"Hi," she said warily, careful not to say anything that might offend the volatile girl.

Aya seemed to have been cured of any earlier bad mood, and she smiled back, walking in and taking her shoes off with an air of familiarity that Miki would only tolerate from very few people, Aya being one of them.

"A little late, don't you think?" Miki joked lightly.

Aya smirked.

"As if you care."

Hit the nail on the head.

"Make yourself at home," Miki said, gesturing to the couch.

Aya walked over to the couch and sat down.  Miki was about to also sit when Aya swung her legs up and lay across the whole couch, settling in as if she were about to go to sleep.  Miki paused.

"Um, you're kind of..." she trailed off, not sure how to put it.

Aya had closed her eyes.

"Hmmm?" she asked without opening them.

"You're in my way," Miki giggled.

"Find your own couch," Aya replied snootily.

Miki rolled her eyes, but she smiled and sat on the floor, leaning against the couch, her back to Aya's head.

"You're a real pain the ass, you know?"

Aya started to play with Miki's hair.

"Yeah, I know."

Miki closed her eyes and leaned back.  She liked Aya.  Lots.  The only flaw in the almost flawless girl was that she could sometimes explode with anger at random moments.  It didn't happen often, but when it did, it was scary.  It had happened about five or six times since Miki had met her, the latest time being just that afternoon.  Other than that, though, Miki could think of nobody else she'd like to spend her time with. 

"Never change, okay?"

Aya laughed at that, and the two fell asleep like that.

--

The next morning, Miki awoke in pain.

"Oh, my butt," she cried, rubbing the offended muscles.

"You shouldn't sleep sitting like that," Aya scolded her, rolling up from the fluffy couch and standing up with a stretch of the arms.

"I only did because you took the whole couch for yourself," Miki bit back.

"You could have always hopped up here with me and I would've made some room.  Or you could've gone to your bedroom and slept in your own proper bed," Aya reminded her.

Miki scowled at the girl's logic.

They got ready for the day and went off to their respective jobs.

--

Some days passed.  As expected, Aya had no more irrational outbursts of anger.  They were usually separated by long periods of time from four months to a whole year.  The two of them got along splendidly, inseparable twins born from the same pod and the butt of many jokes from their co-workers (inappropriate ones from certain rambunctious Melon girls).

But then one day, everything went wrong.

--

Miki had been acting very strangely for several days.  She'd suddenly hide things in her bag when anyone walked into the room, and she would quickly end phone calls whenever anyone - especially Aya - walked into the room. 

Aya found it disturbing, and she'd inquired about the situation several times, each time garnering a "whatever are you talking about?" response from Miki.  Aya would have let it go, but on an important day - the eve of a tragedy - she'd caught Miki wrapping something in a cloth and then quickly stashing it in her bag, claiming it was her lunch bag.  It had been too long to be a lunch box, and it looked heavy.  Aya hadn't thought too much of it until the next day.

She was sleeping over at Miki's.  She'd popped by at night for a surprise visit and had been puzzled to see Miki getting ready to leave.

"I have to run an errand," Miki had said.

She'd avoided all questions and refused to explain any further.  She'd told Aya to wait for her and that she'd be back soon.  Just past midnight, Miki had returned looking fatigued.

"What's wrong with you?" Aya had asked.

Miki had simply replied that she was exhausted from the long day and that she just wanted to go to bed.  She put her bag away in the closet, and the two changed and got into the bed.

Over the course of the night, Aya had been pushed into a small corner by a sprawling Miki, and she lay there going over just how exactly she was going to bring up this touchy issue with the wilder sleeper of a girl that couldn't control her nocturnal actions (and Aya had experienced first hand how wild Miki could be when asleep.  In fact, there'd been one awkward incident two months ago that Aya had tried to forget but simply couldn't.  It had involved a soundly sleeping Miki who must have been having some sort of interesting dream and had targeted the nearest living, breathing being... but that's a story for another day.  Perhaps in Matsuura Aya's personal memoirs, to be published long after the two girls have turned to ashes).  That was when her phone rang and gave her an excuse to get up.  Miki groaned as the noise and movement ripped her out of her deep slumber, but she promptly put a pillow over her own head and was back asleep in seconds.

The number was unlisted.

"Hello?" Aya asked.

"Aya-chan.  Good morning."

It was Tsunku.  A sombre-sounding Tsunku.

"Tsunku-san," she said in greeting.

"I'm calling from Maeda Yuki's home."

Suddenly Aya had a very bad feeling.  She could hear a lot of voices in the background.  Either Maeda was having a party at six in the morning or...

"There's been a murder."

Aya swallowed.

"Maeda-san?"

Tsunku's silence spoke volumes.

"Oh my god..." Aya mumbled, unable to believe it.  "How?  Who?  Why?"

"I don't know.  Investigators got over here an hour ago and called me.  They don't know anything other than Yuki-chan was shot twice in the chest and she bled to death in her bedroom."

Aya gagged at the thought of someone she knew being shot and bleeding to death.

"It happened some time before midnight yesterday.  And the person must have known Yuki-chan in order to get in without any trouble.  There was no sign of a break in, and there were even two cups of tea set out on the table.  Unfortunately, there were no prints on either cup.  The murderer did a good job of cleaning up after himself."

Aya listened with half of her mind as the other half reeled.  The person had known Maeda.  The person had killed her before midnight last night. 

Miki had known Maeda.  Miki had been acting strangely lately.  Miki had gone out for a few hours just before midnight, carrying a mysterious bag and coming home looking tired... perhaps disturbed... perhaps guilty.

She gulped down the words she wanted to scream and listened to Tsunku finish his report, which he had undoubtedly plagiarised from the investigator he'd been talking to.

Aya finished up on the phone with orders to go to work as usual, as there would be a big meeting concerning the tragedy.  She went back to her bedroom where Miki lay with a pillow over her head.  Aya reached down, picked the pillow up carefully, and studied the slumbering girl.  She didn't look guilty of any crime, but when all the pieces were added together, it made sense.  As for motive... there were plenty of possibilities.  Perhaps Miki was jealous of Maeda's talent (in that case, Aya would have to watch out for herself lest Miki come after her with a gun).  Or she could have done it for fun or as a favour for someone else.  Perhaps a disillusioned Abe or a raging mad Iida.  Or maybe she just wanted a day off from work, knowing that a murder would cause a break down in the operation of things at the studio.

Now scared of the sleeping tiger that lay in front of her, Aya was filled with a horribly masochistic desire to wake the girl up and question her despite the dangers to her life.  She sat down on the bed and shook Miki awake gently.

"Miki-chan," she whispered, and Miki's eyes opened.

"Mmmm?"

"That was Tsunku-san on the phone.  He had some bad news," Aya said, pausing for a reaction.

Miki looked up at her sleepily, no reaction whatsoever.

"Maeda Yuki-san has been killed.  Murdered in her home last night."

Miki didn't even show a hint of remorse or shock.  She reached up, locked her hands behind Aya's neck, and pulled her down to hug her.

"Good for her.  Still half an hour till the alarm rings.  Sleeep."

Terrified, Aya stayed put.  Miki and her reaction.  She'd praised the girl who'd gotten herself killed and then claimed they still had half an hour to sleep.

She did it.  She must have killed Maeda-san.  She must have...

It was in this way that the idea planted itself in her head, and now in a position that once would have made her blush and squirm away, she was made to realise that she had her head stuck in the mouth of a beast and had to get away.

Miki fell asleep and relaxed her hold, letting Aya slip out from her arms and creep out of the room.  She paced for twenty minutes until she grabbed her phone and went into the bathroom, locking the door and running the water.  Tsunku may have had his personal number unlisted, but he'd given it to Aya so that she could contact him any time. She dialled him up.

"Aya-chan, what it is?" he asked.

"Tsunku-san... I think something's up with Miki."

"Fujimoto?"

"The same."

There was a pause.

"What do you mean there's something up with her?  Is she okay?"

Aya took an unsteady breath.

"No.  I think she had something to do with Maeda-san's death."

There was a stunned silence from Tusnku's end.

"That's no light accusation.  Why do you think so?"

Aya explained her reasoning, starting with when she'd first noticed Miki acting strangely around her and ending with Miki's apparent disinterest in the news of Maeda's death.  Tsunku listened carefully until Aya was finished.

"As much as it saddens me to say this, we'll get some police over to her as soon as possible.  Where is she?"

"She's in her apartment.  I'm here with her."

A disapproving silence.

"A sleepover on a weeknight?  You know that's not a good idea.  You should be rested for work."

Aya flushed in embarrassment and a little annoyance.  This reminded her of the stupidly strict junior high school she'd gone to that didn't approve of students sleeping over at each other's houses.

"Anyway," she mumbled, "please get them to come quickly.  I'm a bit worried."

With that, she hung up just as there was a loud bang at the door.  She almost screamed.

"Aya-chan, I'm just going to the convenience store to get some juice.  I'll be right back!" Miki cried out.

Before Aya could burst out of the bathroom to tell her to stay, Miki was gone.  Quivering with fear, Aya wondered what to do.  She was trapped in an apartment with a murderer.  Her best friend.  A murderer.  She'd just ratted out her best friend/murderer to Tsunku, who was going to alert the authorities.

Could she carry this out?

She thought of poor Maeda Yuki lying in a pool of her own blood.

She certainly was going to carry this out.  She started to fume.  How dare Miki do something like this!?  To take a human life was the most despicable thing one could do.  She was going to bring Miki down and teach her a little bit of respect.

The murder weapon! Aya's mind cried to her suddenly.

The bag must have contained the murder weapon!  Eagerly, Aya went to the closet she'd seen Miki stash the bag in, but when she opened it up, the bag wasn't there.  It was gone.

"She must have taken it with her.  She's not really going to the convenience store!  She's escaped from right under my nose!" she cried out.

The front door opened a minute later.  Miki walked in smiling cheerfully and holding a bag that contained juice.

"They had the kind I like."

She went about preparing breakfast while Aya kept her distance, keeping one eye on the clock and the front door and one eye on the murderer.

"Do you want an apple?" Miki asked.

Aya turned her full attention to Miki and almost screamed when she saw the size of the knife the girl was holding.

"Ah, no thank you!" she replied in a shrill voice.

Miki crinkled her eyebrows but turned right back around and continued to peel an apple for herself.

Ten minutes into breakfast preparation, Miki's phone rang.  She ran to her room to get it and spoke in low tones that Aya could barely hear.  She strained her ears to catch any words.  What she heard chilled her to the core.

"That won't be necessary.  I've finished the job."

Aya began to mash her fingers together, a nervous reaction to being in such close proximity to a killer.

"What time do you have to leave?" Miki asked casually as she returned to the kitchen and picked up her knife.

"Yes," Aya replied automatically, not having heard Miki's question.

"Huh?  I asked what time, not if."

"What?" Aya squeaked.  "I mean, um, eight.  Thirty.  Eight-thirty."

Miki shrugged and chopped her apple up.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Miki frowned.  Aya sighed in relief.

"Who could that be?" Miki wondered aloud.

She wiped her hands on a cloth and went to open the door.  The room was bombarded by four police officers.  Aya pointed at Miki, and one officer took her wrists, slapping handcuffs on them.

"You are Fujimoto Miki?" asked the officer.

"What?!  Yes!" Miki yelled.

Look at her feigning confusion, Aya thought bitterly.

"You are under arrest.  You are a prime suspect in the investigation of Maeda Yuki's murder."

"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Miki screamed, now trying to struggle so that she could look the officer in the eye.

"I'm sorry, Miki.  I had to tell them my suspicions," Aya piped up, and Miki struggled to turn and look at her.

Miki's eyes were large and sad.  Hurt.  She stared at her best friend - or who she thought had been her best friend - and wondered what was going on, why Aya had called the police over, and why Maeda Yuki had been murdered.

"Aya, what are you talking about...?"

Miki tried not to start crying and wished that she could wake up from this nightmare.  But it all felt too real.  The officer holding her roughly.  The other officers swarming her apartment.  Aya looking like she did during one of her mood swings.

"Don't think I didn't notice your actions for the past week, Miki.  I've been very aware of them and now I've figured it all out.  I'm so disappointed in you."

Miki frowned.

"Wait a minute, Aya.  It's not what you think.  This past week I've been-"
 
However, she could go no further because the officer that had handcuffed her spoke.

"You will be escorted to the nearest police station and questioned," he informed her.  "Should you need legal advice, you may call a lawyer."

That's it?! Miki thought.  That's all the advice I get?!

Her life was ruined.  She was being arrested for something she didn't do, and not only that, but her supposed best friend was the one who'd called her in.  The best friend that she wanted to spend all her time with.  The best friend that she'd kind of probably scared a tiny, tiny bit one night when, under the guise of restless sleeping, she'd... well, that's another story.

"This is a big mistake," Miki said, her voice breaking in misery.

The officer dragged her out of her apartment before she could say another word.  Aya watched, filled with sadness.  Miki had had so much potential.  So many good things going for her.  Why she'd thrown it all away with one senseless act was beyond Aya's comprehension.

"Excuse me, Matsuura-san?" a tall man asked.

Aya nodded.

"I'm Investigator Takahashi Kazuyoshi.  I'm going to have to ask you some questions."

Aya nodded.  They helped themselves to seats on Miki's couch.

"When did you first start noticing her strange behaviour?"

And so began three hours of intense questioning, after which Aya wished she had never met Miki, had never joined Hello! Project, and had gotten more sleep the night before.

--

Miki sat on the hard cot that was supposed to be her bed.  She'd been like that for two days.  She felt dirty, tired, and miserable.  She had been forgotten.  Nobody had contacted her, nobody had come to see her.  She'd simply been asked for her name and occupation, and then had been left in silence.

"Aren't you bastards supposed to question me?" she muttered aloud.

If they questioned her, they'd soon see that she hadn't killed anybody.

She waited.

--

In another part of the country, Aya sat in a restaurant with Shibata Ayumi.

"I couldn't believe it, Shiba-chan.  I mean, Miki-chan.  Our Miki-chan.  A murderer.  It's unreal."

Shibata stirred sugar into her coffee.

"Did you see the gun?" she asked.

"No," Aya said quickly, "but I hardly needed to."

"I still would've gotten a look at the gun before pointing a finger at her," Shibata said uncertainly.

"There was plenty more evidence against her," Aya assured her.  "But let's not worry about it.  We're in Kobe, she's in jail in Tokyo.  She can't get us here."

--

In Tokyo, a murderer sang a tune with her best friends in a karaoke box.  She took a sip of her Coca Cola and smiled at the girl sitting beside her.  She loved her life.

--

They finally questioned Miki.  For two hours.  It was intense, but Miki managed to say everything she had to say.  When she was finally left alone, she began to pray.  Pray that they'd listen to her and check up on her story.

--

Aya returned to Tokyo with the Melons and the W duo.  The mood had been subdued due to the murder and the arrest, but the show had to go on.  Always.  They separated and went back to their respective homes after wishing Aya a final happy birthday.

When Aya returned home, there was a letter waiting for her in the mailbox.  It was an unmarked envelope with her name written neatly on the front, no indication as to who it was from.  She opened it, and inside was a typed note that read "Look under the sink."

And so she did.

Under her sink, among the pots, pans and lunch boxes, was a potted sunflower.  On it was a note.

"This flower was dying.  Please adopt it and take care of it.  Look behind the TV set," Aya read aloud, getting a sinking feeling about what was going on.

She tread carefully into her living room and looked behind the TV.  There was a long, wrapped package wedged between it and the wall.  She pulled it out.  It was heavy.  She was starting to feel like she was going to burst into tears any minute.  With great care, she placed the package on the floor and unwrapped it.

Inside was a variety of objects both great and small.  A skipping rope, some candy, a water gun (or more like rifle), two old Barbie dolls, and a card.

She opened the card.  Written in familiar handwriting was the following: This year's your last chance to act like a kid.  Make the most of it, Aya-chan!  Love forever and ever (and ever!), Miki.

Aya burst into tears and realised the gravity of the mistake she'd made.  Without putting away anything, she ran out the door and down to the police station, hoping that it wasn't too late to save her friend and salvage their friendship.

--

"She didn't do it!!" Aya screeched when she arrived at the station.

"All right, honey.  Take it easy," the woman sitting at the desk said, sounding as if she was about to burst into a comforting song about sugar.

"No, it's not all right.  I got my friend arrested for a crime she didn't commit!"

Aya burst into tears again, and the woman jumped up and went over to comfort the sobbing star.

"There there, there there," she said, rubbing Aya's shoulder.  "Word has it that your friend was just released."

Aya stopped crying and looked up, her normal voice returning to her.

"She was?  When?  Why?"

The woman peeked at Aya over the rim of her glasses and then looked around to make sure nobody was close.

"I'm not supposed to discuss these sorts of things with just anyone, but I'll tell you.  They found the real killer.  Fujimoto-san didn't do it.  Her story also checked out okay."

Aya sighed in relief, but then realised that Miki would be furious with her.

"Thanks, um, lady," Aya said graciously.  "Do you know where Miki-chan went?"

"Hm.  She said something about taking a shower when she left about an hour ago."

"Good!" Aya cheered, and with a grateful smile, she left the station.

Aya ran most of the way to Miki's apartment.  She was on the train for the other parts of the journey.  She grew more and more nervous as she neared the place.  When she stood in front of the door, her hand faltered just before pressing the doorbell.  She shut her eyes tightly.

Hakuna matata.  Hakuna matata.  Hakuna matata, she thought to herself.

She ran the doorbell.

Miki answered the door, a towel in her hand.  When she saw Aya, she dropped the towel, crossed her arms, and glared.  Aya put on her sweetest expression.

"Miki-chan.  I'm so sorry about that.  I misunderstood everything."

Miki's expression wavered.

"And thank you very much for the birthday present.  It was very thoughtful and sweet of you."

This time Miki looked embarrassed, and she broke eye contact.

"It was hard to arrange that," she mumbled.  "I had to call some of my friends to help me plant that stuff."

"So that's why you were being so mysterious all week."

Miki nodded.

"Miki?"

Miki looked up.

"I mean it.  I'm sorry."

The silence seemed to stretch on for hours.  Eventually, Miki's face softened, and she smiled shyly.

"It's okay, Aya-chan.  It's okay."

She took a step back to let Aya in.

Aya made it a point to be extra nice to Miki for the next two hundred years, and as she sat down beside Miki on the couch and fell back into the playfully teasing relationship they had, somewhere in the back of her mind Aya could hear Mr. McGregor singing about the beautiful green hills that were so alive with music.

--

"The hell ya talkin' 'bout!?" screamed the inebriated murdered.  "I didn't kill nobody!"

"If you didn't kill nobody, you must've killed somebody," Officer Nakayama said sharply.

The killer in question stopped to consider those words and then started to screech.

"Okay!  So I did it!  Bu' i's jus' 'cause she's soooo annoyin'."

Nakayama looked at his partner and they exchanged surprised looks, not having expected a confession so quickly.  The girl was a talkative drunk.

"I mean, there she is with all 'er talent and voice 'n stuff, and there I am wi' my cuteness, and she kicks my ass sooo hard without being famous at all.  Like, she really does.  And then they all say 'Why can't you be more like 'er?' and I go 'Screw you, too!' 'cause I'm better 'n her, youknowwhatimean?"

Somebody shut her up Nakayama begged in his mind.

"So then I's like 'time to take action', you know?  So I get the gun from my friend's dad an' I go to her place and am all, like, friendly and 'let's be friends, Yuki-chan' and she's all, like, happy to see me."

"That's great.  Why don't you wait till we get to the station," Nakayama's partner said gruffly.

"You're soooo rude.  But, like, I shot her twice.  Didn't mean to.  Only wanted to once.  But oh well, ya know?  An' so I left."

Nakayama couldn't help and asked the question that had been on his mind the entire time.

"Why didn't you get rid of the murder weapon?  Why did you leave it in such an obvious place like a group changing room?"

The murderer grinned.

"They always say I'm not the brightest one outta all of us.  My head's all full of usa-chan peace, and shit.  So yeah.  Tha's why."

Partner rolled his eyes and took a hold of the small murderer's upper arm.

"Let's go."

They dragged her into the police car.  But not without a final protest from her.

"Ew!  Get yer icky hand off my new pink angora sweater!!"

--


The End


This story was written because I was tempted to do so.  Is it depressing?  Hah!  I hope not.  Please don't take it seriously.  It's not supposed to be good or realistic.  Just a whole lot of stupid.  Hahaha!  And now I think I'll go and get some precious sleep.
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Yuuyami on September 24, 2007, 07:13:46 PM
My dear, you just made my day xD

-blows up hell with my deaths of laughter-
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Sevii on September 24, 2007, 09:02:56 PM
Laughing so hard atm. XD

And Fujimoto needs a sign around her neck that says, "Hi, I'm whipped and house trained."
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Kreuz_Asakura on September 24, 2007, 09:21:44 PM
This was cool!!!
I really liked it
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Amarghetta on September 24, 2007, 10:20:23 PM
Miki's so whipped! XD

And the murderer is Sayu? Hahaha!

Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: glcorps2002 on September 24, 2007, 10:48:23 PM
I never thought that Sayu would have killed Maeda. And what Miki did for Aya's birthday seemed kinda cool.
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: g4rfield on September 25, 2007, 01:15:59 AM
 :mon lmao: This is called taking a suggestion to the next level. With that said, I really have to be careful not to plant angsty ideas on your already angst-filled-brain for fiction. A drunk and murderer Sayu ckckck the epitome of Evil Sayu unleashed?  :lol:

"Hi, I'm whipped and house trained."

And Aya knows it too.  :whistle:
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Aioros on September 25, 2007, 01:18:45 AM
Brilliant! XD :lol: :thumbsup
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: rndmnwierd on September 25, 2007, 02:09:27 AM
You are a sick man. I love it! XD
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Novaforever on September 25, 2007, 02:45:10 AM
Oh.
My.
Goodness.

Words cannot describe how absurdly happy I am right now.  I should have known that you would actually take me up on my post.  But this was so hilarious and not what I expected, although half way through it I did start to hope that Sayumi would be the murderer.  But that is probably because I just don't like Sayumi that much...

The best part was that I knew it would end all right since I mentioned that Miki would forgive Aya in the end!  So it was happy all around!


Hmmm.  I think I owe you one for this.  Expect a present from me in the future as repayment. 
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Mikitty-saikou on September 25, 2007, 03:21:57 AM
Quote
"My head's all full of usa-chan peace, and shit.  So yeah.  Tha's why"

One of the best lines.  Ever. :mon lmao:

I knew it had to be Sayu when the karaoke part came up.  Lol  :lol:
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: DO Me DO Me on September 25, 2007, 04:14:25 AM
Oh good, I thought this was another continuing story from your Love x a zillion series. :P

Very random and hilarious XD
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Sukoshi on September 25, 2007, 05:45:28 AM
LOL that was funny.  First I was all giggles over the ice cream then all depressed cause of paranoid ayaya but the last bit brought back the smile  XD  that was too good!
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: OTN1 on September 25, 2007, 11:38:32 AM
I'm glad this story was enjoyed.  That's many hours of my life I will never get back.  Whipped Miki, bitchy Aya, evil Sayu... I'd say it's all pretty close to real life.  Rndmnwierd, I've always wanted to hear you say those words to me!

Novaforever, your appreciation is more than enough. Thank you for reading and enjoying.

Oh good, I thought this was another continuing story from your Love x a zillion series. :P
Would you like me to incorporate it?  Because I could. Hahaha!
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: ChiruChaCha on September 25, 2007, 07:21:50 PM
 :lol: I loved the randomness xD
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: DO Me DO Me on September 26, 2007, 03:57:50 AM
Would you like me to incorporate it?  Because I could. Hahaha!
oh I believe you and no one's stopping you :P (of course, that would mean I'd be even way behind on the series :lol:)
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: JFC on September 26, 2007, 04:48:13 AM
Quote
"What the fuck are you talking about?!"

--

Meet Fujimoto Miki.  She's just been told that she's being arrested.  For murder.
Ehhhhhhhhh!  :shocked:



Quote
"I'm sorry, Miki.  I had to tell them my suspicions."

--

Meet Matsuura Aya.  She's just gotten Miki arrested under the suspicion of first degree murder.
EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! :OMG:



Quote
This story starts when Miki was relaxing in her change room and eating a delicious vanilla ice cream cone on a sunny mid-June day.  She had chosen to ignore her mobile phone for the ten or fifteen minutes it would take her to devour this special treat.  She heard it buzzing several times as it sat on the table, but nothing could distract her.

She was about to bite into the cone when a violent knocking was heard at the door.

"Open the door, you idiot!!" screamed an all too familiar voice.
Obviously someone needs to get Miki's attention...and they need it fast.



Quote
She yanked it open, and because Aya was in such a concentrated fury knocking on the door, she didn't adjust to the new situation quickly enough, and her fist went crashing down on Miki's face.  The girl dropped her ice cream and recoiled in pain.
Oh SHIT! :o



Quote
The infuriated girl put her hands on her hips as full out bitch mode vibes oozed from her.

...

Aya's phone started to ring.  She glared at Miki and whipped out the noisy piece of machinery.

"What?!" she barked into it.

She listened, her eyes growing wide with rage.

"Why are you calling me?!  I don't know anything about it.  Go find someone who cares to explain it to you!"
Geez, something really big must have happened to Aya to cause her to be THIS pissed off. :scared:



Quote
"I just couldn't pick up the phone 'cause, um, my hands were sticky?"

Aya glared at her.

...

"And.. er... I love you?" she tried.

Yet even that didn't help.
Aya was unmoved by Miki telling her she loves her? :O Damn this IS big.



Quote
"You'd better watch it, Fujimoto.  You're on my list," Aya spoke in a dangerously low tone, narrowing her eyes and sending the kind of look that writers often describe using the phrase "if looks could kill" as a starting point.

Then without waiting for Miki to say or do anything, she stormed out of the room, slamming the door on her way out.
Kowaii~.  :mon scare:



Quote
"Did she hurt you?" Kamei asked in awe and horror.

Miki shook her head at the younger girl, appreciating the concern but not wanting to get her junior involved in her life.

"Too bad," Takahashi said.

Everybody looked at her oddly, surprised to hear such words coming from the gentle girl.  Then again, she had the odd habit of spewing out the most random things at the most inappropriate times.
:lol: Aichan.  Now the way I see it, there are three ways that Aichan could have meant that comment. Either it's a bad attempt at being funny, she's secretly sadistic and wanted Miki to get beat up...or she's secretly sadistic and finds the prospect of "violence" to be...ummm..."stimulating". :twisted:



Quote
"Maybe she wanted some ice cream, too," Kamei said.

Yoshizawa looked at the endearingly innocent girl and patted her on head, giving her a defeated smile.

"You're so cute."

Kamei scrunched her face up in confusion and wondered why her senior was suddenly complimenting her.  She'd never understand grownups.
That really was pretty damn cute.  :wub:




Quote
That evening, Miki went back to her apartment and took a long shower to clean away the accumulated sweat of a strenuous day.  Once she'd changed into her pyjamas and settled down with a giant picture book about koalas, there came a knock at her door.

She checked the time.  Half past eleven.  It was a little late for visitors.  Nevertheless, something told her to go and check who it was.  She walked stealthily to the door and look through the peephole.  She was filled with both excitement and trepidation at the sight of her worst nightmare and sweetest dream all bundled in one.  She unlocked the door and let Aya in.
Hopefully Aya's calmed down a bit and will be able to explain what had her so pissed off before.



Quote
"Hi," she said warily, careful not to say anything that might offend the volatile girl.

Aya seemed to have been cured of any earlier bad mood, and she smiled back, walking in and taking her shoes off with an air of familiarity that Miki would only tolerate from very few people, Aya being one of them.
Hmmm...so far so good. Aya smiled, at the very least.



Quote
"A little late, don't you think?" Miki joked lightly.
As if Miki would care. It's Aya, regardless of whatever mood she's in.



Quote
Aya smirked.

"As if you care."

Hit the nail on the head.
Damn I'm good. :hee:



Quote
"Make yourself at home," Miki said, gesturing to the couch.

Aya walked over to the couch and sat down.  Miki was about to also sit when Aya swung her legs up and lay across the whole couch, settling in as if she were about to go to sleep.  Miki paused.

"Um, you're kind of..." she trailed off, not sure how to put it.

Aya had closed her eyes.

"Hmmm?" she asked without opening them.

"You're in my way," Miki giggled.

"Find your own couch," Aya replied snootily.

Miki rolled her eyes, but she smiled and sat on the floor, leaning against the couch, her back to Aya's head.

"You're a real pain the ass, you know?"

Aya started to play with Miki's hair.

"Yeah, I know."
Deep down inside though, we all know there's still rabu-rabu.  :luvluv2:



Quote
Miki closed her eyes and leaned back.  She liked Aya.  Lots.  The only flaw in the almost flawless girl was that she could sometimes explode with anger at random moments.  It didn't happen often, but when it did, it was scary.  It had happened about five or six times since Miki had met her, the latest time being just that afternoon.
Hmmm...maybe Aya's just the type of person that keeps her anger "bottled up inside", so to speak, and keeps it there until she just can't take anymore and she snaps.  If this is the case, she needs to find a better/healthier way to vent.



Quote
But then one day, everything went wrong.

--

Miki had been acting very strangely for several days.  She'd suddenly hide things in her bag when anyone walked into the room, and she would quickly end phone calls whenever anyone - especially Aya - walked into the room.
If it was only Aya around whom she was acting strange, I might think that she's just trying to NOT say or do anything that could piss her off.



Quote
she'd caught Miki wrapping something in a cloth and then quickly stashing it in her bag, claiming it was her lunch bag.  It had been too long to be a lunch box, and it looked heavy.  Aya hadn't thought too much of it until the next day.

She was sleeping over at Miki's.  She'd popped by at night for a surprise visit and had been puzzled to see Miki getting ready to leave.

"I have to run an errand," Miki had said.

She'd avoided all questions and refused to explain any further.
An errand in the middle of the night? Couldn't it have waited until the next day?

Strange though that at first Aya was the one who was acting unlike her usual character (or at least unlike how we fans perceive her character to be), and all of a sudden Miki's the one being all suspicious... :pig huh:



Quote
In fact, there'd been one awkward incident two months ago that Aya had tried to forget but simply couldn't.  It had involved a soundly sleeping Miki who must have been having some sort of interesting dream and had targeted the nearest living, breathing being... but that's a story for another day. Perhaps in Matsuura Aya's personal memoirs, to be published long after the two girls have turned to ashes
You just can't resist the urge to tie in/make references to your other stories, can you?  :mon sweat:



Quote
"Tsunku-san," she said in greeting.

"I'm calling from Maeda Yuki's home."

Suddenly Aya had a very bad feeling.  She could hear a lot of voices in the background.  Either Maeda was having a party at six in the morning or...

"There's been a murder."

Aya swallowed.

"Maeda-san?"

Tsunku's silence spoke volumes.
OMGASS NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!  :pleeease:




Quote
"It happened some time before midnight yesterday.  And the person must have known Yuki-chan in order to get in without any trouble.  There was no sign of a break in, and there were even two cups of tea set out on the table.  Unfortunately, there were no prints on either cup.  The murderer did a good job of cleaning up after himself."

Aya listened with half of her mind as the other half reeled.  The person had known Maeda.  The person had killed her before midnight last night.
Oh boy, I can see where THIS is going.  :k-crazy:



Quote
"Miki-chan," she whispered, and Miki's eyes opened.

...

"Maeda Yuki-san has been killed.  Murdered in her home last night."

Miki didn't even show a hint of remorse or shock.  She reached up, locked her hands behind Aya's neck, and pulled her down to hug her.

"Good for her.  Still half an hour till the alarm rings.  Sleeep."

Terrified, Aya stayed put.  Miki and her reaction.  She'd praised the girl who'd gotten herself killed and then claimed they still had half an hour to sleep.
Whoooooooooooooa boy...please just say that Miki's still completely out of it and actually didn't hear a word Aya said.  :cry:




Quote
"Tsunku-san... I think something's up with Miki."

...

"What do you mean there's something up with her?  Is she okay?"

Aya took an unsteady breath.

"No.  I think she had something to do with Maeda-san's death."

There was a stunned silence from Tusnku's end.
Damn, this is big in quite a few ways. Firstly, Aya's actually thinking that her best friend killed someone, and she's telling someone of her suspicions.  Normally, one would think that you'd know your best friend better than that.  If Miki DID kill Maeda, then apparently Aya doesn't know her as well as she thought she did.  It still begs the question though, if she did it...why would she have done it? Aside from the big H!P concerts, it doesn't seem likely that there would have been much of a chance for the two of them to see each other that much in the workplace.



Quote
With that, she hung up just as there was a loud bang at the door.  She almost screamed.

"Aya-chan, I'm just going to the convenience store to get some juice.  I'll be right back!" Miki cried out.
Uh-oh...is Miki making a break for it?



Quote
The murder weapon! Aya's mind cried to her suddenly.

The bag must have contained the murder weapon!  Eagerly, Aya went to the closet she'd seen Miki stash the bag in, but when she opened it up, the bag wasn't there.  It was gone.

"She must have taken it with her.  She's not really going to the convenience store!  She's escaped from right under my nose!" she cried out.
Well, if Miki really did do it, then she probably went to get rid of weapon. Depending on how long she's gone, she can't have ditched it that far away. It's likely in a trash bin or something.



Quote
"Do you want an apple?" Miki asked.

Aya turned her full attention to Miki and almost screamed when she saw the size of the knife the girl was holding.

"Ah, no thank you!" she replied in a shrill voice.
Aya needs to stay calm, lest she start making Miki nervous.



Quote
Ten minutes into breakfast preparation, Miki's phone rang.  She ran to her room to get it and spoke in low tones that Aya could barely hear.  She strained her ears to catch any words.  What she heard chilled her to the core.

"That won't be necessary.  I've finished the job."
... 

Oh dear...:stunned:



Quote
"I'm sorry, Miki.  I had to tell them my suspicions," Aya piped up, and Miki struggled to turn and look at her.

Miki's eyes were large and sad.  Hurt.  She stared at her best friend - or who she thought had been her best friend - and wondered what was going on, why Aya had called the police over, and why Maeda Yuki had been murdered.
:cry: :cry: :cry:



Quote
Her life was ruined.  She was being arrested for something she didn't do, and not only that, but her supposed best friend was the one who'd called her in.  The best friend that she wanted to spend all her time with.  The best friend that she'd kind of probably scared a tiny, tiny bit one night when, under the guise of restless sleeping, she'd... well, that's another story.
You tease. :banghead:



Quote
"This is a big mistake," Miki said, her voice breaking in misery.
  :k-sad:



Quote
Miki sat on the hard cot that was supposed to be her bed.  She'd been like that for two days.  She felt dirty, tired, and miserable.  She had been forgotten.  Nobody had contacted her, nobody had come to see her.  She'd simply been asked for her name and occupation, and then had been left in silence.

"Aren't you bastards supposed to question me?" she muttered aloud.

If they questioned her, they'd soon see that she hadn't killed anybody.
Why haven't the cops questioned her? It's been two days and they've done nothing? That doesn't make sense.



Quote
Shibata stirred sugar into her coffee.

"Did you see the gun?" she asked.

"No," Aya said quickly, "but I hardly needed to."

"I still would've gotten a look at the gun before pointing a finger at her," Shibata said uncertainly.

"There was plenty more evidence against her," Aya assured her.  "But let's not worry about it.  We're in Kobe, she's in jail in Tokyo.  She can't get us here."
Well, all the evidence that Aya had wasn't really actual evidence, it was really just suspicions and coincidences that happened to fit the timeline of the murder.  At the best it could only be thought of as "circumstantial".



Quote
In Tokyo, a murderer sang a tune with her best friends in a karaoke box.  She took a sip of her Coca Cola and smiled at the girl sitting beside her.  She loved her life.
A murderer? Maeda's murderer??? :mon ko:



Quote
When Aya returned home,

...

She tread carefully into her living room and looked behind the TV.  There was a long, wrapped package wedged between it and the wall.  She pulled it out.  It was heavy.  She was starting to feel like she was going to burst into tears any minute.  With great care, she placed the package on the floor and unwrapped it.

Inside was a variety of objects both great and small.  A skipping rope, some candy, a water gun (or more like rifle), two old Barbie dolls, and a card.

She opened the card.  Written in familiar handwriting was the following: This year's your last chance to act like a kid.  Make the most of it, Aya-chan!  Love forever and ever (and ever!), Miki.
Oh man. THAT'S why Miki was acting all weird, she was gathering presents to surprise Aya for her birthday!  :mon cry:  She must have selected these "kiddy" items in particular to try and help keep Aya happy and cheerful (rather than how she gets when she has her mood swings).

Damn Aya messed up...badly.



Quote
"She didn't do it!!" Aya screeched when she arrived at the station.

"All right, honey.  Take it easy," the woman sitting at the desk said, sounding as if she was about to burst into a comforting song about sugar.

"No, it's not all right.  I got my friend arrested for a crime she didn't commit!"

Aya burst into tears again, and the woman jumped up and went over to comfort the sobbing star.

...

"I'm not supposed to discuss these sorts of things with just anyone, but I'll tell you.  They found the real killer.  Fujimoto-san didn't do it.  Her story also checked out okay."
See? if they had questioned Miki right away then they would have realized that she wasn't the one that did it.

Question now is...how will she react when she first sees Aya again?



Quote
Aya ran most of the way to Miki's apartment.  She was on the train for the other parts of the journey.  She grew more and more nervous as she neared the place.  When she stood in front of the door, her hand faltered just before pressing the doorbell.  She shut her eyes tightly.

Hakuna matata.  Hakuna matata.  Hakuna matata, she thought to herself.
Lion King? That was Eri that did that bit. :lol:



Quote
Miki answered the door, a towel in her hand.  When she saw Aya, she dropped the towel, crossed her arms, and glared.
Gotta ask, was Miki wearing anything else other than the towel?  :drool:


Quote
"Miki?"

Miki looked up.

"I mean it.  I'm sorry."

The silence seemed to stretch on for hours.  Eventually, Miki's face softened, and she smiled shyly.

"It's okay, Aya-chan.  It's okay."

She took a step back to let Aya in.
The sceptic in me finds it really hard to believe that Miki would forgive Aya so easily. I mean, she had her ARRESTED for pete's sake.  When you're as close to someone as Miki and Aya are to each other, you'd think that there'd be a sense of trust there. But did Aya trust Miki here? No, despite the fact that all Aya had were her suspicions, despite the fact that she didn't have any hard evidence to link Miki to the murder, she still turned her in to the cops without so much as even trying to find out for herself if she was actually involved.  That's a pretty big breach of trust/friendship that happened right there.

Then again, the GAM fanboy in me is all relieved that Miki forgave Aya.   :shy1:



Quote
somewhere in the back of her mind Aya could hear Mr. McGregor singing about the beautiful green hills that were so alive with music.[/b]
Huh? Who? :dunno:

Sound of Music? That song was done by Rogers and Hammerstein. Who's this McGregor?



Quote
"The hell ya talkin' 'bout!?" screamed the inebriated murdered.  "I didn't kill nobody!"

"If you didn't kill nobody, you must've killed somebody," Officer Nakayama said sharply.
Double-negatives, gotta love 'em...NOT. XD

Ok, so they've got the real killer now. Who is she and why'd she do it? Also, how'd they actually catch her (as in, what pointed to HER as being the killer)?



Quote
"Okay!  So I did it!  Bu' i's jus' 'cause she's soooo annoyin'."

Nakayama looked at his partner and they exchanged surprised looks, not having expected a confession so quickly.  The girl was a talkative drunk.
Well, that answers one question. The whole being drunk thing probably helps too since people are less inhibited when they're like that.



Quote
"I mean, there she is with all 'er talent and voice 'n stuff, and there I am wi' my cuteness, and she kicks my ass sooo hard without being famous at all.  Like, she really does.  And then they all say 'Why can't you be more like 'er?' and I go 'Screw you, too!' 'cause I'm better 'n her, youknowwhatimean?"
She killed her because she was jealous of Maeda's talent, and despite not being as famous, was still being compared to her?

...

Cuteness...

...

WTF it's not Sayu, is it?



Quote
"Why didn't you get rid of the murder weapon?  Why did you leave it in such an obvious place like a group changing room?"

The murderer grinned.

"They always say I'm not the brightest one outta all of us.  My head's all full of usa-chan peace, and shit.  So yeah.  Tha's why."
Sunnovabitch it IS Sayu.  :err:

And yeah...not getting rid of the weapon...and she wonders why they say she's not the brightest one.  :pig refuse:



Quote
This story was written because I was tempted to do so.  Is it depressing?  Hah!  I hope not.  Please don't take it seriously.  It's not supposed to be good or realistic.  Just a whole lot of stupid.  Hahaha!  And now I think I'll go and get some precious sleep.
Dammit, I gotta stop reading these fics when I'm tired. I probably would have realized that you were just being random waaaaaaaaaaaaaay sooner if I was more mentally alert.  :bleed eyes: :kekeke:
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Amarghetta on September 26, 2007, 07:10:50 AM
Quote
somewhere in the back of her mind Aya could hear Mr. McGregor singing about the beautiful green hills that were so alive with music.
Huh? Who? :dunno:

Sound of Music? That song was done by Rogers and Hammerstein. Who's this McGregor?
Ewan McGregor, maybe?  :P
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: OTN1 on September 26, 2007, 11:37:18 AM
Wow, yeah, JFC.  I think you took this story a little too seriously.  Hahaha, glad you figured out it was mostly a big joke.

That's right, Amarghetta.  It's a reference to the movie Moulin Rouge.
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Amarghetta on September 27, 2007, 01:45:20 AM
That's right, Amarghetta.  It's a reference to the movie Moulin Rouge.
Funny, I haven't seen that one.
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: rokun on September 27, 2007, 02:37:36 AM
That's right, Amarghetta.  It's a reference to the movie Moulin Rouge.
Funny, I haven't seen that one.
Haha, that's even more impressive that you guessed Ewan McGregor there not having seen Moulin Rouge, Amarghetta. Good one, er, OTN! I didn't catch that right away. :) And I even love that movie... although I've not watched it for a long time now...
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: JFC on September 27, 2007, 04:46:22 AM
Wow, yeah, JFC.  I think you took this story a little too seriously.  Hahaha, glad you figured out it was mostly a big joke.
Took me a while since my ass was only working one cheek (half capacity). :P
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: OTN1 on September 27, 2007, 10:15:27 AM
Funny, I haven't seen that one.
Haha, that's even more impressive that you guessed Ewan McGregor there not having seen Moulin Rouge, Amarghetta.
  I'll say.  Good one!

It's an excellent movie that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys music and a bit of good, angsty drama.
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: OTN1 on October 18, 2007, 07:11:03 AM
A bit of spare time today was used to write this:


Murder, OTN Wrote II

"You've really done it this time, Shige-san.  Really done it."

"I didn't do anything!  I have no idea why I'm here!"

A disappointed look, a heavy sigh, a shake of the head.

"Didja know they threw me in here for a couple of days 'cause they thought I did it?"

"Really?!  Why'd they think that?"

"Uh... that's not important.  The fact is that you're a murderer, you're in jail, and we don't have enough money to hire you an appropriate lawyer."

Stunned silence.

"Excuse me?  I think I was traumatised as a child and thus am a little slow.  I thought you just said there's not enough money."

"That's exactly what I said."

"... How the hell can Upfront Agency have 'not enough money'?!"

Unconcerned shrug.

"Don't ask me.  I don't own it.  Anyway, that really limits what you can do here, now, doesn't it."

"Fujimoto-san, you can't do this to me!!!"

The prisoner looks desperate.  Perhaps like she'll kill someone.  Again.

"I'm not doing anything to you.  All I'm saying is that you'll have to come up with the money for a fancy lawyer by yourself."

"And you won't help?"

"Hey, I have bills to pay and I've gotta eat, not to mention having to buy off Aya-chan every time she gets moody or threatening."

"...! You b-"

A third party interrupts.

"Time's up, prisoner."

Two heavily armed guards approach the small girl and cuff her, dragging her off to her cell.

"You can't do this to me!  You've gotta help me!!"

She disappears through the doors.  The visiting Miki sighs.

"Sorry, Shige-san, but you did this to yourself.  I can't do much, but I'll do what I can.  I'll call the one person you can afford.  Good luck, my friend.  Good luck."

Then with a wary look, she makes sure nobody has caught her talking to herself in the style of a cheesy drama.  Satisfied that nobody appears to be watching, Miki stands up and leaves.

What she will never know is that two security guards watching live footage of the visitor area are now in stitches, howling with laughter.  But what Miki doesn't know won't hurt her.  Not in this case, at least.

--

"Fujimoto-san?"

"I need a favour."

"Umm... You know, I don't really swing that way, but I've got this cousin who-"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Eep!  Nothing."

"I need you-"

"Fujimoto-san, I already told you-"

"-to call Shige-san.  Can you do that?"

"Call... Oh.  Sayu.  Oh!  Okay, yeah, sure.  Anything you say!  Oh!  Yeah."

"Uh... good.  She needs your services-"

"Listen, I know that you think it's fun, but me and Shige are just-"

"-in her trial.  For god's sake, girl.  Could you let your imagination stop running wild for once?"

"Sorry."

"Go see her tomorrow.  She needs your help."

"Ah, got it."

Click.  Miki hangs up.  Her work is done.

--

"Michishige.  Your lawyer is here to see you."

Sayumi looks up from her comic book.

"My lawyer?  I thought they couldn't afford one," she mutters aloud.

"If he's mistaken, we'll send him back," comes the mocking reply of the guard.

He's taken a disliking to Sayumi because she's simply too cute.

"No no no!" she gasps in horror.  "I'll see him."

The guards cuff her and lead her out to the visit area.  She's un-cuffed and pushed into the area.

Sitting at a table, she sees the backside of her so-called lawyer.  She walks around and faces him.

Her.

"Eri-chan...?"

Disbelief.  Gratitude.  Regret.

The visitor stands

"Shh!" the Musume hisses.  "Kamezou.  Eric Kamezou.  Representative attorney.  I'm here to win your case."

Sayumi's eyebrows furrow.

"Um, who are you trying to kid?"

"Just shut up and go with it," Eri hisses.  "They wouldn't let me see and help you if I wasn't a lawyer."

"But you're not a lawyer.  And Eric's not a real person."

Eri chuckles.

"How little you know," she says as Sayumi looks at her for explanation.  "Eric Kamezou is based on a real man.  Lovely chap from Peru.  Died in eighty-three."

Sayumi can hardly believe any of it.  That Eric Kamezou was a real man from Peru.  That Eri is going to try and impersonate him in order to free her from prison.

"But if he's dead, the court will know," Sayumi sighs.

"Oh, Sayu-chan.  How little you know.  How little you know," Eri clucks with a smug look on her face.  "Do you think I could have impersonated Mr. Kamezou on television for all that time if we hadn't bought the rights to his image?"

"How in the world do you buy a man's image?!" Sayumi screeches.

"Shh!" Eri says, yanking the murderer down to sit down on the chair beside her.  "We just did."

Sayumi tumbles into the chair.

"I'd rather have that money to get me a real lawyer to get me out of here," the accused whines.  "The air is stale and making my skin dry, and they don't have real conditioner in the showers."

"Well, since the money's already been spent, there's nothing we can do about that," Eri says in a cheerful manner.

Sayumi squirms uncomfortably and wonders what Eri is going to do next.

"Now first I need to hear the whole story from you.  What you did and why you did it."

Sayumi opens her mouth to start speaking, but Eri jumps up to her feet, pointing a finger to the grey ceiling.

"But I need the truth!" she yells dramatically.  "You must trust me as your best friend!  Um, I mean lawyer!  Your very male and Peruvian lawyer!"

Sayumi sighs.

"It'll take some time."

"Time, my friend, is something I have much of."

Sayumi screws her face up in a weirded out expression.

"Okay, but could you stop talking so weird?  You're kind of creeping me out.  Majorly."

Eri laughs nervously.

"Sorry.  I'm just trying to get into character, Sayu-chan.  Now talk!"

With yet another sigh, Sayumi opens her mouth to tell the whole story.


~


Sayumi had been agitated for weeks.  She hadn't let it show, but it was there bubbling beneath the surface of her skin.  It was present in every look, in every turn, in every note sung.  Nobody knew to look for it, though, so nobody saw it.  After all, one does not see what one does not want to see.  One won't see what one does not believe in.  And it was with the help of these two immutable facts that Sayumi hid her rage.

The cause of her rage was, in truth, reasonable.

Criticism.

It had all started with criticism years ago.  When she first became an idol, she was criticised to no end.

She couldn't sing, she couldn't dance, she had no personality, she was too stuck up, her speaking voice sounded like she had marbles stuck at the back of her throat.

She knew that she wasn't as talented as the other girls and that she lacked charisma, but she felt it was unfair to be torn into so viciously by the media, by supposed fans, and even by her fellow Project members.  Was she not human?  Did she not have eyes to see all the articles written about her untalented performances?  Did she not have ears to hear her co-workers whispering and giggling every time she went off key and got scolded?  Did she not have a heart and feelings that could be easily hurt by the insensitive remarks of others?

Sometimes people forgot.  Sayumi was not a robot.  She was not supposed to be perfect.  She was supposed to be a role model for those girls who couldn't make it to the Hello Project auditions.  She was supposed to show them that even a common girl could become part of a famous group of talent.  She was supposed to give other girls hope and confidence.  They didn't have to be perfect.  She wasn't, so why should they be?

But it somehow backfired.  Because she had that role, she became the scapegoat.  The butt of all the jokes about clumsy girls.  The laughing stock of the entertainment world.

In response to the overwhelming bitter and harsh reviews thrown around about her, she started to develop her personality.  She clung onto the childish innocence that she'd come into the Project with.  That characteristic of hers had been misdiagnosed as a deep interest in self.  As a stuck up, I'm-the-cutest-thing-in-the-world act.  And while it had honestly been merely her lack of exposure to the outside world that had led her to sometimes make assertions that sounded so self-absorbed, she began to milk its misinterpretation for everything it was worth, and she fashioned for herself a character that thought she was the cutest girl in the world.  She thought that if she could at least take a stance and show that she was confident enough to establish herself as a character that the common person may not immediately take a liking to, that in fact the reverse would happen and she'd be praised for being so honest about who she was and brave enough to step out into the world and admit that she liked herself quite a bit, thankyouverymuch.

No such luck.

Just as her character began to solidify, her beauty came out.  She grew up, became more and more gorgeous, and suddenly when she looked in the mirror and then into the camera and said "I'm the prettiest girl in the world!" everybody resented her because it was true.  She really was the prettiest girl, and to hear her saying that aggravated everyone.

This led them to be even more critical of her and for her to become more and more depressed.

But remember, it was not just strangers and fans of Hello Project that badmouthed her.  It was sometimes her own friends.  They didn't always mean it in a malicious way, but the effect was all the same.

--


Reina tripped in dance practice.  A rare incident.

"Hey, Reina-chan.  Did you and Sayu-chan switch bodies?" Eri snickered.

"That's not funny!" Reina barked.

"Eriiii!" Sayumi whined.

They laughed and continued their practice.

--


Risa messed up her lines in a skit.

"Channelling Shige-san again, huh?" Yossi asked.

"Uh!  As if!" Risa sputtered.

"Heeeey," Sayumi pouted.

Everyone laughed and returned to rehearsing.

--


"That's so cute!" Sayumi squealed when she saw a tiny stray kitten wandering around in the parking lot where they were filming a promotional video.

"Funny," Miki snorted jokingly under her breath to Ai.  "She actually finds something other than herself cute."

Everybody chuckled.

"I heard that!" Sayumi cried out with a cute glare.

--


Nobody was innocent.  Everybody was guilty of making fun of Sayumi, whether meaning to or not.

And one day, one final criticism made her snap.

She had just arrived for a dance rehearsal and had found herself in an elevator with Abe Natsumi.

"Shige-san, how are you?" Natsumi asked.

"I'm fine!  You?" was Sayumi's usual cheery reply.

"Way too tired to be here," the elder of the two groaned in a rare moment of honesty with a younger member.

"Yeah, me too," Sayumi agreed, allowing herself a little honesty, too.

Natsumi clucked her tongue and gave the girl a reproving look.

"I'm old so I'm allowed to think that, but you should think more enthusiastically about being here and shaping and improving yourself."

Sayumi was left speechless by this sudden one-hundred-eighty degree switch of mood.

"Yes, Abe-san," she managed to croak.

"And while we're on the subject," Natsumi continued, all traces of nicety gone from her voice and demeanour, "you should become a little more serious.  There have been some complaints about you holding everyone back."

Sayumi's heart sank deep into her shoes.  She wanted to collapse and cry.  However, years of handling harsh words quietly helped her avoid causing a scene, and so she fixed her eyes on a spot on the carpeted floor of the lift and listened.

"If you were more like Maeda-san, we wouldn't have this problem."

Maeda Yuki?  That nobody? Sayumi couldn't help but think.  What does she have that I don't have?  I mean, really.  Besides a powerful voice.  Does she have a personality?  Does she have a fun job?

Unwittingly, Sayumi began to do what everyone had been doing to her for so long : judging, criticising, lambasting.  She had never had any problems with Yuki before - barely any communication, in fact - and yet she found herself hating the girl the more she thought of her.

The elevator let out a cheerful tone to let the two know they'd reached the next stop.  When the doors opened, Natsumi's entire demeanour changed, and she smiled.

"But that's a little harsh.  Hang in there, Shige-san.  It'll all work out!"

She skipped off, leaving Sayumi all alone in the metal box whose doors closed and carried her up to the next floor.

Sayumi stood still, staring at the uninteresting spot on the floor, her mind racing with thoughts.  Thoughts full of violence she'd never imagined.  And while a part of her mind told her that her anger should be aimed at Natsumi, it somehow took a detour and ended up being pointed entirely at Yuki.  Maeda Yuki, the perfect person that everyone was supposed to emulate.  Maeda Yuki, the person whose shadow Sayumi would forever live in no matter what.

It clicked then.  She had to get rid of Yuki.  Give her food poisoning, break her ankles, ruin her vocal chords... something to make sure she couldn't work.  The elevator came to the final stop and Sayumi walked out in a zombie-like way.  She didn't notice the yelling just down the hallway or her fellow Musume - Yossi, Ai, and Eri - standing frozen outside Miki's dressing room and listening in fear to a loud scolding.  She had her mind set on one thing, and that was getting rid of Maeda Yuki.

She walked into her own dressing room just around the corner and started to plot.

--


Rehearsal passed by without her noticing.  She attended physically, but her conniving mind was off in a small room, plotting and planning in a cool, calculated way that did not suit her outward appearance.

That evening, she made a list of things she needed to acquire, and by the time she woke up the next morning after wild dreams, she was convinced that if Maeda Yuki no longer walked and breathed on this Earth, her own life would be perfect.

With a smile, Sayumi picked up her phone and called a friend.  A non-Project friend.  A very special friend.  Special because her father was a licensed hunter.

They made plans to get together in a few days.

--


The next three days passed by far too slowly for Sayumi.  Her hands began to twitch with the need to take action.  She felt the complaints piling up about her, and every look aimed towards her she interpreted as nasty and resentful.

"Stop it stop it stop it," she muttered under her breath when nobody was within hearing distance.  "Get rid of Maeda and it'll all stop."

--


The fateful day arrived when she would meet with her friend.  They went out shopping, ate ice cream, and giggled about everything silly.  When the end of the day rolled around, Sayumi received the invitation she'd been waiting for all day.

"Do you want to come over for dinner?  We're making gyoza!"

Sayumi smiled toothily.

"Really?  Is it okay?"

"Of course!"

"Aw, Kaneko-chan.  You're the best.  Thanks!"

And so Kaneko took Sayumi home and up to her room where they continued to gossip until dinner was ready.

"Girls!  We're going to start making the gyoza!" Kaneko's mother called up from the kitchen.

"I'll be right back.  Just going to the washroom," Kaneko said quickly, and she dashed off.

Sayumi wasted no time.  She knew the house fairly well, and she knew she had one minute - a minute and a half if she was lucky - to do what she had to do.  She scuttled off to Kaneko's parents' bedroom and began to look through the drawers.  Nothing.  She opened up the closet, and was met with her reward.  A plethora of guns awaited her scrutiny.

She had no time to think, however, so she took out the handkerchief tucked in the waistband of her skirt and used it to pick up the smallest gun she could see.  She then tucked that into her waistband along with the handkerchief and quickly shut everything in the room to make it look untouched.  She then skittered back to Kaneko's bedroom and slipped the gun into her purse, zipping it up just as Kaneko came back in.

"Ready?" Sayumi asked, standing up quickly.

Kaneko nodded and they walked downstairs.

As Sayumi made and ate gyoza with her friend's family, all she could think about was the gun in her purse upstairs.  She was sitting there in the house of the man whose gun she had stolen.  Sitting and enjoying a family dinner.  She should feel something like guilt.

All the years of resentment, however, kept her from feeling anything of the sort.  She was filled with glee and was extra talkative, telling the enthralled Kaneko and her family tales of her job.

If only all people were like this family, Sayumi thought, then I wouldn't have to kill Maeda.  If everyone was like them, I'd be respected.

She revelled in the impressed looks Kaneko and her parents gave her, and she made a silent promise to reward them somehow for their good natured loyalty.

--

The moment Sayumi got home, she unplugged her home phone and donned a pair of thin gloves.  She inspected her newly acquired weapon, finding out what make it was.  She then searched on the internet for all the information she could find regarding the usage of the weapon.  She spent the entire night studying and learning, and when the sun started to rise, she spread out her futon for a short nap before she had to be at rehearsal.  Things were going perfectly.

--

Sayumi walked by a room.  From within, she heard Melon Kinenbi practicing the song "Happy Birthday".  As a passing thought, Sayumi recalled that Melon, W, and Aya would be doing a concert down in Kobe on the weekend and that it was Aya's nineteenth birthday.  It would be wise to carry out her plan well in advance of the event, for if Aya's birthday ended up overshadowing the unpopular Yuki's death, it would bring Sayumi even more glee and feelings of self-worth.

Tomorrow.

--

It was eleven o'clock in the evening.  Sayumi walked down the street and shivered in the hot, humid weather.  She shivered with excitement and a bit of disbelief.  She couldn't believe what she was about to do.  It seemed like years ago when she'd decided what she had to do.  Now her dream would finally be fulfilled.

She felt through her purse and was comforted by the hard metal barrel of the gun that lay there carefully, two pairs of thin gloves beside it.

"She'll never know what hit her," she mumbled.

Suddenly, she stopped.  She saw a familiar person walking in her direction.

What is Fujimoto doing here?! she thought, panicking.

She ducked behind a vending machine and watched the older girl approach.  Miki was carrying a long bag and seemed lost in thought.  She hadn't noticed Sayumi.

Okay.  She's going somewhere.  Not Maeda's.  Not chasing me.  I'm safe.

Sayumi darted from her cover and ran the rest of the way down the street to the station.

She hopped on a train and got off five stations later.  Since she'd planned out her route carefully, she wasted no time looking for the right exist and scurried to Yuki's apartment, which was conveniently near the station.

All feeling left her body as she wandered into the large apartment building, and she felt no guilt, no fear about what she was going to do.  She simply felt ready.

Knock knock.  Knock knock.  RING!

She announced her presence in a cheerful way.

The door opened.  Yuki looked surprised to see Sayumi standing there.

"Michishige-san.  Can I help you?"

She seemed a bit concerned about the younger girl.

All an act, Sayumi thought disgustedly.

"I really need to ask you some advice, Maeda-san.  Do you have some time?  It's kind of, um, urgent," Sayumi said sweetly.

Yuki opened the door, and with a calm smile let Sayumi in.

"Would you like some tea?"

Sayumi refused, Yuki offered again, and Sayumi accepted.

"Please have a seat.  I'll be with you in a moment."

Sayumi feigned a wide-eyed look of awe that one usually used when in the presence of a senior.  Yuki went off to make tea, and Sayumi sat on the floor, putting her purse in her lap and undoing the latch at the top.

"I hope nothing's wrong," Yuki said conversationally as she came back into the room and set two teacups on the table. 

Sayumi closed her purse smoothly and shook her head.

"Nothing bad.  I just want to ask some things about life and stuff."

Yuki smiled pleasantly at the younger girl and went off to finish making the tea.

Probably thinks I'm an amusing pet that can be given five minutes of attention and then kicked out.

Sayumi opened her purse, a coldness gripping her heart and mind.  She began to remove the gun.

"Oh dear!  I left the oven mitts in my bedroom with the rest of the dried laundry!" Yuki cried out in explanation as she dashed out of the kitchen, giving Sayumi no time to put away her weapon.

She panicked, but she had no reason to, for Yuki ran right by her and into her bedroom.

"Now or never," Shige said, steeling herself.

She stood up and followed Yuki to her bedroom. 

Yuki was standing over her bed, sifting through a pile of freshly cleaned and dried clothes.

It was all quite simple.  Sayumi lifted the gun, pointed it at Yuki's back, and waited.  When Yuki turned around, she didn't have any time to react.  Sayumi pulled the trigger and a bullet ripped through Yuki's chest.  Dead centre.  In a bit of awe, Sayumi released the trigger and shot again by accident.  A second bullet pierced Yuki's chest, slightly to the left of the first bullet's entry hole.

Yuki swayed, her face caught in a strange expression.  It looked like she was about to say something but her mouth wouldn't work.  Her jaw fell slack, followed by her entire body.  She hit the bed and then slid down to the floor, a puddle of blood accumulating on the tatami below her.

Sayumi snapped out of her trance and walked back to the living room.  She wrapped the gun in her handkerchief and then wiped the tea cups of Yuki's prints.  The less prints, the better.

Then without even a second glance at the dying (or was she dead already?) Project member, Sayumi left the apartment.  Once she stepped out into the fresh air, a huge smile spread across her face.  She felt like she had been reborn.  Now she would no longer be compared to Maeda Yuki.  Maeda Yuki was dead.  Michishige Sayumi was alive.  Alive and ready to overcome anything that was thrown at her.  In a few days, after Yuki's death was discovered, she would go out and celebrate.  She'd do some karaoke and get drunk.

And nothing would ever go wrong for her again.


~


"... But I made the mistake of leaving the gun in the change room after handling it with my bare hands because I wasn't exactly thinking straight.  And then they came and arrested me one night when I got home from partying."

Sayumi finishes speaking and Eri sits there in shock.  A tear rolls down her cheek.  She doesn't bother to wipe it away.

"Did we really treat you that badly?" she is finally able to rasp out.

Sayumi has become quiet, and she shrugs.

"It's okay.  I know you didn't mean to."

Words of forgiveness coming from a murderer.

But why had she become a murderer?  It could almost be said that it was through no fault of her own.  She'd been pushed, pressed, hounded, and teased into it over many years by strangers and close friends alike.

"I'm s-so sorry, Sayu-chan," Eri stammers, sniffing, more tears spilling down her face.

No wonder Sayumi has snapped.  She has had to endure so much.

"It's okay, Eri-chan.  It just means a lot that you're, um, that Eric's here to help me."

She's been betrayed by everyone.  She is innocent in all this.  It is everyone else that should be arrested.  Charged with murder of a girl's spirit.  Charged with driving a good girl into indescribably sinful activity. Charged with being careless, pathetic excuses for human beings.

"Sayu-chan..." Eri says, her hoarse voice unsteady.  "I'm going to get you out of here."

Sayumi blinks.  She hears something definite and immediate in her friend's voice.

"I don't know if you can.  It's pretty obvious I did it."

Eri shakes her head and squeezes her eyes shut.

"No," she says, her voice hardening into something more confident than she feels.  "I mean I'm going to get you out now.  Right now.  Fall on the floor and don't get up until I tell you to."

Sayumi recognises this rare courage in her friend's voice.  Eri is going to do something she might regret later but that she believes is necessary.  Like that time she made Sayumi bike through a red light with her right in front of their work building so that they wouldn't be late for the live airing of a radio show .  Except this time it's much more serious.

"Okay," Sayumi agrees.

"Fall!" Eri whispers harshly, and Sayumi does just that.

Her body simply flops down on the ground, her chair tipping over and crashing against the weak metal frame of the table.

"Help!  We need a doctor!" Eri - or rather Eric - cries out.

A guard opens the door and runs in. 

"She went into a seizure and collapsed," Eri explains in a panic.

The guard reaches for her radio to inform another guard that they need paramedics when Eri grabs the man's truncheon and clubs him over the head three times with it.

"Okay, get up and go!" Eri screams, and Sayumi springs up, looking down at the collapsed guard as Eri runs and pulls her by the wrist.

"What are you doing?!" Sayumi cries out in horror.

This is not going to work.  They're just going to be caught again, and this time Eri will be in trouble, too.

"Don't think!  Just move!"

Sayumi runs after Eri, and the two try not to scream in terror as an alarm starts blaring.  They barrel down the hallway and right into a gate.

A locked gate.  A locked gate guarded by guards.

"Great thinking, Eric!" Sayumi snaps bitterly.

Eri tears at her hair trying to think of a solution, when suddenly the gates open.  Sayumi and Eri shoot the guards a questioning look.

"Just get her out of here.  I can't stand her!" the leader of Sayumi's hateclub tells Eri.

Nobody has to tell the two girls twice, and they run like they've never run before.  Rather than slow down, they gain more and more speed as they near the entrance.  With a final burst of energy, they bowl over a crowd of waiting people and jump out the door, which has just opened to admit two lawyers who are working on a high profile robbery case.

"Sorry!" Eri screeches, unable to help herself from being polite.

They run and run and run and run and run...

And then they stop.  They're out of breath.  Out of energy.  Out of adrenalin.  They're exhausted.  They collapse against a vending machine along a tiny side street and catch their breath.  After two minutes, Sayumi speaks up.

"We're fugitives.  We can't stay here.  We can't stay in this country.  Oh my god, Eri.  What have you done?!"

She's not sure if she's angry at Eri for doing something so stupidly reckless or glad that she's no longer in that smelly prison.

Eri doesn't pay attention to what Sayumi is saying because she's busy shedding silent tears.

"Sayu-chan, I'll never treat you badly like that again.  I promise.  Can we still be friends?"

She speaks slowly and seriously and looks at Sayumi with overwhelming guilt.

It has never been Sayumi's intention to stop being Eri's friend.  Somehow she's known all this time that out of the countless people that have teased her, Eri has done it out of friendship.  Eri and a few others.  Reina, Miki, Yossi, Risa... She knows there is good in these people.  She has somehow aimed all her blame at one person - Yuki - and now that that one person is gone, there's nobody left to blame.  She can start anew.  It's a twisted philosophy, but now that she's a fugitive on the run, she has more important things to think about anyway.  Now it no longer matters what the newspapers will have to say about her weak voice.  Now what matters is dodging the eyes of the police.

She grasps Eri's hand.

"We've always been and always will be," she says in a moment of seriousness.

Eri smiles, but she still feels guilty.  She's still part of the reason why Sayumi is in this mess.

But she knows the real Sayumi better than most people around.  She knows that Sayumi means what she says, and so she is comforted.

"Now let's get out of here and get our cute butts overseas," Sayu says, pausing for a moment to inspect herself.  "And ug.  I totally need new clothes before we go.  Orange prison suits don't do my cuteness justice."

Eri smirks at her friend, and they share a laugh.  An odd time to be laughing, but they're not the most normal of girls.

"Come on!"

They run off, away from the authorities and into an adventurous new life.


The End



(All of it is highly unlikely.  Yes, I know.  But hahaha, did it at least make some people like Sayu a little more?)
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Sukoshi on October 18, 2007, 08:34:24 AM
oh wow there's a part 2 to this  :w00t:  lol, the first chunk was really funny.  Especially with money issues and Eri's crazy imagination.  I've always loved the bunny girl and you are just too good at writing.  The explanation behind Sayu's actions seem so possible the way you put it that it became a little disturbing to read....but you know I just can't stop reading your work and I so love how it ended!  Eric to the rescue  :wub:
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: JFC on October 19, 2007, 12:50:24 AM
And here I thought the first one was a one-shot. :P


Quote
"You've really done it this time, Shige-san.  Really done it."

"I didn't do anything!  I have no idea why I'm here!"
Oh man, Sayu's in jail!



Quote
The fact is that you're a murderer, you're in jail, and we don't have enough money to hire you an appropriate lawyer."

...

"... How the hell can Upfront Agency have 'not enough money'?!"
EHHHHHHHHH??? :O



Quote
"And you won't help?"

"Hey, I have bills to pay and I've gotta eat, not to mention having to buy off Aya-chan every time she gets moody or threatening."
She could always just give Aya some rabu-rabu action instead. ;D



Quote
The visiting Miki sighs.

"Sorry, Shige-san, but you did this to yourself.  I can't do much, but I'll do what I can.  I'll call the one person you can afford.  Good luck, my friend.  Good luck."

Then with a wary look, she makes sure nobody has caught her talking to herself in the style of a cheesy drama.  Satisfied that nobody appears to be watching, Miki stands up and leaves.

What she will never know is that two security guards watching live footage of the visitor area are now in stitches, howling with laughter.  But what Miki doesn't know won't hurt her.  Not in this case, at least.
Miki  :cool2:

Security guards = :on lol:


Quote
"Fujimoto-san?"

"I need a favour."

"Umm... You know, I don't really swing that way, but I've got this cousin who-"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Eep!  Nothing."
HOLY SHIT! The lawyer thought that...  :mon lol:



Quote
"I need you-"

"Fujimoto-san, I already told you-"

"-to call Shige-san.  Can you do that?"

...

"Listen, I know that you think it's fun, but me and Shige are just-"

"-in her trial.  For god's sake, girl.  Could you let your imagination stop running wild for once?"
:mon lmao:



Quote
Sitting at a table, she sees the backside of her so-called lawyer.  She walks around and faces him.

Her.

"Eri-chan...?"
Huh?   :stunned:



Quote
"Shh!" the Musume hisses.  "Kamezou.  Eric Kamezou.  Representative attorney.  I'm here to win your case."
:wahaha:



Quote
"Now first I need to hear the whole story from you.  What you did and why you did it."

Sayumi opens her mouth to start speaking, but Eri jumps up to her feet, pointing a finger to the grey ceiling.

"But I need the truth!" she yells dramatically.  "You must trust me as your best friend!  Um, I mean lawyer!  Your very male and Peruvian lawyer!"
Eri/Eric =  :cool1:

Sayu =  :mon huh:



Quote
Sayumi had been agitated for weeks.  She hadn't let it show, but it was there bubbling beneath the surface of her skin.

...

The cause of her rage was, in truth, reasonable.

Criticism.
Awwwwwwwwww...poor Sayu. So she must have been unable to deal/cope with all the criticism and just snapped one day, huh?



Quote
Just as her character began to solidify, her beauty came out.  She grew up, became more and more gorgeous, and suddenly when she looked in the mirror and then into the camera and said "I'm the prettiest girl in the world!" everybody resented her because it was true.  She really was the prettiest girl, and to hear her saying that aggravated everyone.

This led them to be even more critical of her and for her to become more and more depressed.
:mon waterworks:



Quote
"I'm old so I'm allowed to think that, but you should think more enthusiastically about being here and shaping and improving yourself."

Sayumi was left speechless by this sudden one-hundred-eighty degree switch of mood.

"Yes, Abe-san," she managed to croak.

"And while we're on the subject," Natsumi continued, all traces of nicety gone from her voice and demeanour, "you should become a little more serious.  There have been some complaints about you holding everyone back."
Whoa, Nacchi dealing out the harshness.  :dizzy:



Quote
Sayumi's heart sank deep into her shoes.  She wanted to collapse and cry.  However, years of handling harsh words quietly helped her avoid causing a scene, and so she fixed her eyes on a spot on the carpeted floor of the lift and listened.

"If you were more like Maeda-san, we wouldn't have this problem."
Oh shit here we go.  :shocked:



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She didn't notice the yelling just down the hallway or her fellow Musume - Yossi, Ai, and Eri - standing frozen outside Miki's dressing room and listening in fear to a loud scolding.  She had her mind set on one thing, and that was getting rid of Maeda Yuki.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaait a sec...there was yelling coming from Miki's dressing room?  About what? Who? :?



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With a smile, Sayumi picked up her phone and called a friend.  A non-Project friend.  A very special friend.  Special because her father was a licensed hunter.

They made plans to get together in a few days.
A licensed hunter? :O  That's not encouraging.



Quote
"Stop it stop it stop it," she muttered under her breath when nobody was within hearing distance.  "Get rid of Maeda and it'll all stop."
At this point, I'm thinking that maybe Sayu can get away with pleading insanity?



Quote
Sayumi wasted no time.  She knew the house fairly well, and she knew she had one minute - a minute and a half if she was lucky - to do what she had to do.  She scuttled off to Kaneko's parents' bedroom and began to look through the drawers.  Nothing.  She opened up the closet, and was met with her reward.  A plethora of guns awaited her scrutiny.
Damn, I knew it. Why bother going to the trouble of buying a gun when you know where your friend's dad keeps his?
 :badluck:


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She revelled in the impressed looks Kaneko and her parents gave her, and she made a silent promise to reward them somehow for their good natured loyalty.
The last part of that sentence is just...creepy.



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What is Fujimoto doing here?! she thought, panicking.

She ducked behind a vending machine and watched the older girl approach.  Miki was carrying a long bag and seemed lost in thought.  She hadn't noticed Sayumi.
A long bag? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...I wonder what's in it? :pig huh:



Quote
Sayumi pulled the trigger and a bullet ripped through Yuki's chest.  Dead centre.  In a bit of awe, Sayumi released the trigger and shot again by accident.  A second bullet pierced Yuki's chest, slightly to the left of the first bullet's entry hole.
"Shot again by accident"? Somehow...that just sounds odd the way it's described.



Quote
Sayumi finishes speaking and Eri sits there in shock.  A tear rolls down her cheek.  She doesn't bother to wipe it away.

"Did we really treat you that badly?" she is finally able to rasp out.
This is the thing about teasing. Regardless of what they'll tell you, you never really know how it REALLY affects someone.



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I'm going to get you out now.  Right now.  Fall on the floor and don't get up until I tell you to."
Oshit, I'm sensing jailbreak!



Quote
Sayumi runs after Eri, and the two try not to scream in terror as an alarm starts blaring.  They barrel down the hallway and right into a gate.

A locked gate.  A locked gate guarded by guards.
D'OH!!! 



Quote
suddenly the gates open.  Sayumi and Eri shoot the guards a questioning look.

"Just get her out of here.  I can't stand her!" the leader of Sayumi's hateclub tells Eri.

...

They run off, away from the authorities and into an adventurous new life.


The End
W...T...F... :mon one:



...



Hmmm...scary yelling from Miki's room, a "long bag" (with "long stuff" inside it, of course), and an "accidental" second shot.  All we need is a grassy knoll and for Yuki's apartment to have been next door/close to a book repository. 
 :mon uggh:



Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Novaforever on October 19, 2007, 05:09:51 AM
I've been so busy lately that I haven't been checking back here as often.  I finally decide to see if there were any new OTN1 epics, and I find this continuation instead.  And this is fine with me!  It was very amusing and maybe made me like Sayumi a little better... just a little.   I'm surprised that you managed to keep yourself in check and keep it from turning into something about miki/aya again.

Also Eric Kamezou was the best thing about the six gen (naturally excluding Miki).
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: ChiruChaCha on October 19, 2007, 01:37:10 PM
"Your very male and Peruvian lawyer!"

 XD XD XD

Gosh, I love the randomness in this story :lol:
I also love how Sayu never really gets to regret her actions xD

You know, you could do a "Oh my God, they killed Yuki! You bastards!" series xD Or any other H!P member for that matter, seeing your fondness for killing characters xD
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: OTN1 on October 20, 2007, 09:02:56 AM
You know, you could do a "Oh my God, they killed Yuki! You bastards!" series xD Or any other H!P member for that matter, seeing your fondness for killing characters xD
Does anybody remember Morning Battle: Everyone Dies. Even Miki (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=720.0)?  Before you all start pointing fingers at me for being morbid and killing people, check that story out. :lol:  Vikitty's really got it in for all of H!P.  (By the way, it's one of the best (possibly THE best) fanfictions I've ever read.  Very well done.)

I'm surprised that you managed to keep yourself in check and keep it from turning into something about miki/aya again.
You and me both.  I'm pretty proud of myself for resisting!!

Hmmm...scary yelling from Miki's room, a "long bag" (with "long stuff" inside it, of course)
Hahaha, those are things that overlap with the first story.  If you re-read part 1, you'll be able to spot them.

It's a pretty silly story, but I think it deals with an important topic (uh oh, here I go being all moral), and that is bullying.  They say that bullying often comes from the most unexpected place - your own circle of friends.  This story is an exaggerated worst case scenario, but it really makes you think twice about the whole issue and maybe your own behaviour.

Wow.  It's like Aesop's fables intact with a lesson.  Please ignore me.
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: Yuuyami on October 20, 2007, 11:13:57 PM
I noticed you changed your icon and signature set xD

-falls over laughing, remembering the Hokkaido sisters in general-

Now if only you can somehow create "dramas" from the H!M skits... Ohhhhhh that will be so golden... xD
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: JFC on October 20, 2007, 11:22:11 PM
You know, you could do a "Oh my God, they killed Yuki! You bastards!" series xD Or any other H!P member for that matter, seeing your fondness for killing characters xD
Does anybody remember Morning Battle: Everyone Dies. Even Miki (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=720.0)?  Before you all start pointing fingers at me for being morbid and killing people, check that story out. :lol:  Vikitty's really got it in for all of H!P.  (By the way, it's one of the best (possibly THE best) fanfictions I've ever read.  Very well done.)
Particularly Aichan. :lol:

But yeah, that was definitely an epic fanfic. :thumbsup



Hmmm...scary yelling from Miki's room, a "long bag" (with "long stuff" inside it, of course)
Hahaha, those are things that overlap with the first story.  If you re-read part 1, you'll be able to spot them.
/me reads

...


Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...Damn, I gotta remember that you have a habit of doing that. XD
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: OTN1 on October 22, 2007, 11:08:48 AM
Now if only you can somehow create "dramas" from the H!M skits... Ohhhhhh that will be so golden... xD
Hahaha, that would be fun!

JFC, in reply to your comment in the other thread: dude, yeah.  I got bored of my old skin.  Decided to go with something a little more lighthearted.  And remember, it wouldn't be an OTN story if you didn't have to go back and read it a second time to get everything. :lol:
Title: Re: Murder, OTN Wrote
Post by: JFC on October 22, 2007, 07:53:43 PM
JFC, in reply to your comment in the other thread: dude, yeah.  I got bored of my old skin.  Decided to go with something a little more lighthearted.
It's cute Miki, so it works for me! :wriggly:



And remember, it wouldn't be an OTN story if you didn't have to go back and read it a second time to get everything. :lol:
True. :lol:  It's part of the fun!