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The Hello! Project Fanfics => H!P Fanfics => Topic started by: Quietriot on April 17, 2012, 05:12:03 AM

Title: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XX, 10/17]
Post by: Quietriot on April 17, 2012, 05:12:03 AM
The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up

Chapter I -- For Lack of a Better Name (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1028043#msg1028043)
Chapter II -- Party Rock Anthem (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1029048#msg1029048)
Chapter III -- Karma Police (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1029694#msg1029694)
Chapter IV -- Four Love Songs (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1030772#msg1030772)
Chapter V -- Time is Running Out (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1031287#msg1031287)
Omake I -- 27 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1032635#msg1032635)
Chapter VI -- House of Wolves (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1032901#msg1032901)
Chapter VII -- Liar Liar (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1033448#msg1033448)
Chapter VIII -- SONGS (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1033951#msg1033951)
Chapter IX -- Dance Inside (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1036117#msg1036117)
Chapter X -- Ignorance // Omake II -- Human (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1037940#msg1037940)
Chapter XI -- The Only Exception (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1039088#msg1039088)
Chapter XII -- Not Coming Home (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1046949#msg1046949)
Omake III -- Little Lion Man (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1047367#msg1047367)
Omake IV -- Butterflies and Hurricanes (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1049990#msg1049990)
Chapter XIII -- What I Have Done (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1051370#msg1051370)
Chapter XIV -- Speeding Cars (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1052383#msg1052383)
Chapter XV -- Creep (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1053142#msg1053142)
Chapter XVI -- You and I (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1058356#msg1058356)
Omake V -- Hide and Seek (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1059662#msg1059662)
Chapter XVII -- 50 Ways to Say Goodbye (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1061278#msg1061278)
Chapter XVIII -- Ladykiller (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1067336#msg1067336)
Chapter XIX -- One More Night (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1068026#msg1068026)
Chapter XX -- Wings (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32608.msg1233040#msg1233040)

Prologue

Fingers, slender but wrinkled with time and age, descended carefully upon the pages of the scrapbook, worn pads tracing over faces in photos like a meaningful caress. There were stories here, in these pictures, or at least the ghosts of them remained, because each one returned something to her memory: a feeling, a melody, the sound of laughter and of confessions whispered in king-sized beds. With each turn of the page, she felt clarity again. It wasn't that she was senile or had forgotten; she was much too stubborn and defiant to let age rob her of everything. No, it was more like her mind was a painting, and as she looked through the scrapbook, she was restoring it to some semblance of its former glory.

For hours now she had been in the dusty attic alone, rummaging through boxes of what appeared to be junk to anyone but her. At one point, her hands had grazed against an old, worn jacket and she trembled as she pulled it from the box, pressing it to her face in the vain hope that somehow old familiar scents still lingered on the fabric.

After that the woman discovered a stack of letters (too soon, much too soon), a necklace (which she was holding still now in her free hand, thumb rubbing against the silver charm each time she turned a page), and then, of course, the scrapbook itself. There were more pictures elsewhere in the boxes, she knew, but this was a thing she had to do piece by piece, and for now, the scrapbook was the least distressing option to start with.

She had purposely avoided going into the attic for years. Whether that decision was motivated by cowardice or pain or both, she couldn't be sure, but she alone had the key to the room, and until that very morning it had remained untouched inside of a drawer in her bedside table. Upon waking, the desire to confront what she had been keeping locked away hit her suddenly, like a flash of lightning. So she'd gotten out of bed, made her way downstairs for an appearance at breakfast like any proper matriarch would do, and then very simply told her son and daughter-in-law that she would be in the attic and that she would like to remain undisturbed for the rest of the day.

They of course, seemed shocked and perhaps a bit awed by the announcement, but nevertheless as she walked away she distinctly heard her grandchildren being instructed to play quietly today.

Some part of her knew, even before she heard the pattering of feet scrambling up the stairs and little voices talking in curious whispers, that her peace would be short-lived. Dark eyes--still as sharp as the day she was born, mind you--glanced up from the sketchbook and over towards the doorway, catching sight of two small heads poking before they rapidly disappeared from view. This was followed by stifled giggling, and the old woman could not help but to allow a grin to grace her lips before calling out to the children.

"Your father told you to leave me be today, did he not? He's no fun, is he?"

She was aware that it had been her own request, but the woman had been born with a mischievous streak that she had never quite grown out of, and besides, grandchildren were a parent's best revenge. Never once did she miss an opportunity to tease her son. Or anyone for that matter. At the sound of her voice, the children reappeared in the doorway, this time completely in view; a boy and a girl, ages eight and nine respectively, like carbon copies of their parents. She loved them dearly, and was proud that even though they'd never look anything like her both had picked up some of her wilder traits, much to her son's dismay.

The old woman patted the empty space beside her on the dusty couch she was seated on, beckoning for them to join her.

"Come. I have pictures to share with you. And perhaps even a story as well if you promise to behave."

They would. Especially for her. The two hurried happily into the room, both scrambling up onto the couch and settling to where they could see the scrapbook. Almost immediately, the boy's arm shot out, pointing to a photo of a girl, dressed like a rockstar and singing her heart out into a microphone. Her expression was fierce and passionate, that of someone who thought she could take on the whole world at once.

"Grandma, who's that?" He questioned, unknowing that the sight of the picture had caused a twinge of pain to settle deep into the old woman's heart. She steeled herself, however, remembered that she had come up here for this very reason. She could not run forever.

"Why, that's me, actually. Can you believe it?"

"You used to sing?"

"Amazing!"

"I was rather good at it. And I was fortunate enough to get to do it with my friends."

She turned the page to reveal another picture, this one a bit larger and of five girls, herself included. Their arms were slung about one another and they were smiling, laughing, making hilarious faces without a care in the world. This picture too, she traced gently, lingering on one face in particular above the rest. Tears threatened to well up in her eyes as she stared at this face, but thankfully they would not come. Not yet.

"Would you like me to tell you about it?" She asked softly, earning two enthusiastic nods in response.

"It started around the time I turned twenty. I had just moved out of my parents' house, and as far as I was concerned, I could do anything. I was going to make all of my dreams come true..."

-----

After... wow, four, uh, five years now, I have returned with a thing. That I wrote. And uh, am going to continue writing. I've had a few ideas in my head now lately but this one suddenly sprung to me and I couldn't sleep so have a prologue. For those of you who don't know and haven't checked out my signature, I used to write fics here as FeverInducedMadness [Voices of Angels, Heartbeat Tempo]. I feel like this may very well end up being a spiritual successor to HT, though with a major change in cast. More is soon to come when its not 4am and I have more of a game plan down. Feel free to guess who our faithful narrator is here if you'd like, as the answer will be revealed in the first actual chapter. Bye for now~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Prologue, 4/17]
Post by: rndmnwierd on April 17, 2012, 06:38:38 AM
Well, it certainly is a promising start. As for the narrator... Ai-chan?

I dunno, but I'm looking forward to more, definitely!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Prologue, 4/17]
Post by: risa_ai on April 17, 2012, 01:54:00 PM
Ohohoh! xD me want read!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Prologue, 4/17]
Post by: Quietriot on April 18, 2012, 02:05:17 AM
Whoa, lots of views after just one day haha thanks to everyone who's read so far, whether you decided to comment or not. Of course if you don't comment I can't thank you personally, ne?

@rndmnwierd: ahaha thanks for your interest, I hope I don't disappoint. The narrator is not Aichan, but continue reading to find out who is. She will, however, make an appearance in this chapter.

@risa_ai: ask and ye shall receive!

Without further ado, the first chapter. I shall take this moment to point out that chapter names will be song titles. Random song titles. Likely whatever I'm listening to at the time. Don't read too much into them! XD Enjoy!  :cathappy:

Chapter I: For Lack of a Better Name

"I can't believe you're listening to music and trying to sleep through all this... Would you just look out the window once?"

"You know buses make me sick. Leave me alone."

"Ah, but this place is so great, Reina..."

My lip curled upward in an annoyed half-snarl as my baby sister's voice trailed off into a whine, somehow managing to cut through the sounds of heavy metal  I was blasting into my ears. I knew how this would end; she would continue to pester me until I placated her and I sighed, deciding then and there that I was not about to deal with this nonsense for another half hour. I grunted, making a bit of a show of ripping out my headphones--that she missed, as she was still plastered against the glass--before glaring past her out the window.

Currently our bus was weaving in and out of some very crowded streets, and I noted with some slight panic that we had just very narrowly avoided collision with a cab. When we came to a stop I was able to properly take in our surroundings. Buildings clawed their way towards the sky on every  side, some so tall I couldn't see the top from where I was seated, and they were packed in as close as was physically possible. It almost looked as though they were stacked one atop another, as if when the city ran out of room to expand outwards, they built up instead. Everything closer to the ground was old and worn, faded street signs bolted to the corners of shops and bits of graffiti here and there among the littered alleyways, while the further up my eyes traveled, crumbling brick gave way to shining, impressive steel and polished glass.

People were everywhere as well, swarming the streets and pavements like herds of animals, not bothering to pay any heed to the crossing signals...sometimes not paying any heed to the traffic around them at all. They came in all shapes and sizes, colors and walks of life, and the only thing I really noticed that any of them had in common was that most seemed to be busy or in an extreme hurry.

A wave of nausea passed over me as our bus lurched forward again, and I pressed my head into the back of my seat, screwing my eyes shut and feeling the color drain from my face.

"This place is shit."

"Aw, you're just saying that because you FEEL like shit. When we get off this bus and you have a nap you won't be so grumpy."

"Whose idea was it to come here again?"

"Yours."

Oh. Right. She had me there. And I was feeling much too ill to bite back a second time. Instead, I chose to try and remember exactly why I wanted to come to this godforsaken place.

Getting away from my parents was certainly a major factor; I had just become a legal adult and it wasn't in my nature to be one of those girls that stayed at home until she was married off. In fact the idea repulsed me a lot, and I'd started looking for an apartment months before my birthday even came about. In hindsight, announcing on the day itself that I was moving out was probably a little... tactless. And had it been just me, they'd have likely come around to the idea soon enough, but naturally Aika was there to swoop in and make things more difficult. My sister decided that she was coming with me, and that was that; nevermind still being a kid or having no prospects for a job, her stubbornness had always rivaled mine and while I got my way through careful manipulation, she got hers by being doggedly persistent.

She was the most irritating person I knew. But deep down, I had to admit I loved my baby sister dearly, and if I was even more honest with myself I was glad that I wasn't making a change like this all on my own.

Before I realized it, we had stopped at the station, and Aika was nudging me insistently in the shoulder in an attempt to get me to move faster. This incited a small slapping war, one that I lost the moment she cheated and moved to tickling me. I got my revenge in the form of a well-placed kick in the rear as she was exiting the bus, feeling infinitely better as I stepped outside into fresh air.

For a moment I realized that my new life, well, our new life, had just begun, and that I was in a place that I was going to have to learn to call home. I wasn't ready for that, not quite yet, but now that I wasn't on the verge of throwing up every five minutes I felt the familiar burn of excitement and possibility spreading over me. We were finally here, and this was really happening.

Aika had been watching me carefully while I was thinking, resting her weight on the handle of her suitcase. I was brought back out of my head when I realized that a boyish grin had made its way onto her face and I raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I just wonder what goes on up there in your head sometimes. When you start to think, the expression on your face makes me think you might be smarter than you look."

"Oh haha, very funny," I snapped in response, starting to stalk away with my bags, "Just for that, YOU get to buy lunch."

"Eh!? Wait- Reina! Whyyyyy?"

----------

A dissonant chord struck the air like a sudden thunderclap, causing everyone in the room to flinch and shoot glares in the direction of the cause. One Michishige Sayumi was sprawled lazily across the stage, eyes fixated on the ceiling as she absently dragged her fingers across the strings of her electric guitar, seeming not to care about the horrific note combinations she was producing. The girl also seemed oblivious to the atmosphere she was creating around her, the tension rising steadily every time she strummed the instrument.

This continued for a few minutes until from the other side of the room someone finally decided they'd had enough.

"Oi! Sayu! Cut it out!"

The rabbit sat up a bit at the admonition, eyes narrowing as she  searched for the person who would dare to speak to her like that. The bassist, Niigaki Risa, was leaning against the wall directly across from her, a scowl on her face and her hands clamped over her ears in an attempt to block out the noise. Sayumi made a face at her, tongue jutting out defiantly past her lips. Risa flashed her a rude hand gesture in response, causing the rabbit to squeal with rage and scramble to her feet as if to rush the bassist. But before the fighting could go on, the drummer--who had been using her snare as a pillow the entire time--suddenly lifted her head with a long-suffering groan that halted the two in their tracks.

"Guys...it's a bit early for a catfight, don't you think?"

"Eri, it's three PM." Risa replied flatly, raising an eyebrow. The turtle girl nodded in agreement, eyes half-closed as she moved to lay her head back down on the drum.

"Exactly," she mumbled, "Too early. So behave."

The two guitarists stood there a moment longer, both giving the drummer an incredulous look before turning back to each other. The turtle girl's interruption had been enough to diffuse the situation, and Risa marched back to where her bass lay, strapping it on and quietly going through some of the riffs for their opening song.

The trio, along with their currently absent leader/keyboardist, were waiting to start the sound check for that night's show, set to perform in one of the city's hottest bars. The band hadn't been doing so well since their other lead singer had bailed on them, and thus this show was important for several reasons and everyone was on edge about it.

For one thing, it was their first major gig in over a month, the bar's owner the only one willing to give them a chance since their shows had been on the decline. For another, they planned on making a fairly major announcement towards the end, one that they hoped would generate a bit more interest for them.

The band's leader soon walked in, running a hand tiredly through her short, boyish hair and sighing as she approached the trio, causing even the turtle to rouse from her nap once more to look up at her. She obviously came bearing some not-so-great news. Only Risa was brave enough to break the silence.

"What is it, Aichan?"

"Well, we're still doing the show, but it seems as though they're gonna cut us short to make time for another band afterwards..." The leader trailed off with a sigh, automatically ascending the steps of the stage and moving towards her keyboard to begin preparing it for the sound check. "It's not the most ideal situation, but it's what we're stuck with, so we'll make the most of it."

She got only stunned and angry silence in reply, and Ai looked up to glance at each of her bandmates in turn, gaze turning a bit stern.

"Right?"

Slowly, hesitantly, she got three affirmatives, and she nodded, leaning forward into the mic in front of her to signal to the sound tech that they were ready to begin.

The show would go on after all. For them, it had to.

----------

I stepped into the apartment with Aika at my heels, immediately shrugging my bag off of my shoulder and onto the ground with a thud. She closed the door behind us before wandering a bit farther into the main room, examining what was now our new home. I had already seen the apartment, of course, as I had been the one to move a majority of our things in a few weeks earlier. We didn't have much outside of the essentials, but in my opinion it was enough.

"It's a bit boring, isn't it?"

"Yeah, well, there will be plenty of time to make it more..." I flopped on the couch at that point, lazily twisting my hand in the air as I made a half-assed search through my vocabulary for the right word.

"Homey? Cozy? Exciting?" Aika supplied, sitting down beside my feet on the other end of the couch.

"Sure, all of those." To be honest, I could have cared less in that moment. We'd been traveling all day and I was completely exhausted and in need of a serious nap. Fortunately, Aika was the best at reading my moods--even if she sometimes used that to her advantage to tease me--and she dropped the subject, moving to curl right up behind me on the couch, arms slipping loosely about my waist.

"Well, I like it here," She declared quietly, and my combative sibling nature gave way to the rare and comfortable moment I was sharing with her. I think I even smiled a bit.

We had reached the point where words weren't really necessary anymore, and I was grateful, because I was fading fast and didn't care to struggle against sleep any longer.

"Rest well, Rei."

"You too, Aika."
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter I, 4/18]
Post by: rndmnwierd on April 18, 2012, 04:59:35 AM
I love band AU's. And I love where this is going!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter I, 4/18]
Post by: risa_ai on April 18, 2012, 10:06:37 AM
U rock. xD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter I, 4/18]
Post by: Quietriot on April 20, 2012, 12:27:56 AM
I don't have much to say about this chapter other than...uh...I should have been studying about textiles and prepping fabric instead of writing it. As for the title...

Party Rock Anthem - WotE/AAM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-K1amTMA0I#ws)

Enjoy. XD

Chapter II - Party Rock Anthem

I woke up later that evening on the couch alone, more than a little disoriented. But that was what I got for napping for a good three hours, and I staggered dangerously when I rolled onto my feet, the haze of sleep drunkenness clouding my head. I wandered towards the little kitchenette first to grab some water, cursing loudly when my hip clumsily connected with the corner of the breakfast table.

"Are you alright?" Aika's voice came to me from one of the bedrooms; I suddenly noticed that her things were no longer scattered about the main room, knowing my sister had probably taken advantage of my being asleep to stake her claim on the room she wanted more. Fair enough, because I would have done the same.

Instead of answering right away, I went ahead and got my water, splashing a bit on my face for good measure before sluggishly making my way towards her room. I leaned against the doorframe, poking my head in while taking small sips from the glass in my hand.

We had only just gotten here today and the place was already a mess. But not because my sister was disorganized or lazy; actually, all of her things like clothes, books, music, I was sure were put away and in their proper places. She had even wasted no time in tacking pictures to the wall, pieces of home and our old life serving to warm up the otherwise dull space. 

There in the middle of the floor was Aika, covered in paint, a large plastic tarp beneath her and extending up onto the wall she was facing. She was wearing an orange tanktop and a pair of overalls that were stained so many different colors now that not much of the original denim was visible. Between her and the wall was set an easel and canvas that was dripping splotches of blue and red profusely onto the tarp, though from where I was standing, it certainly looked more like my sister was meant to be the canvas.  She hadn't yet noticed my presence, eyes focused intently on her work as she knelt down to grab a different brush; I didn't always understand my sister's work, but there was certainly something about it that went deeper than lines and colors on paper.

Ever since we were children she had been doodling on anything she managed to get her hands on, whether it was a notebook or the walls or say, my favorite band's poster... And as the years went on she became more and more prolific, hell, she'd spent most of the trip that morning sketching away. Even I had to admit, my sister was quite talented.

It made me worry; being here with me likely wasn't a stable enough environment like she was used to with our parents, considering she was going to have to find a job alongside keeping up with her schoolwork. I wasn't about to let her drop out, and one of my conditions for her staying with me was that she finish school; if her grades dropped below what I deemed acceptable, it was straight back to mom and dad. Somehow I felt that she'd keep up her end of the deal, though, because once she set her mind to do something, she got it done. But I couldn't help but feel protective, and wouldn't really be at ease with the situation until we'd been here for a while.

"Brooding again?" Her deep voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I calmly finished off the last of my water, hoping that I looked as cool as I was attempting to be. She could be quite the mind reader, but only when she could see my eyes, and currently they were fixated on the ground. She didn't need to hear about my worries, not at the moment anyway.

"I just woke up. You didn't waste any time setting up, I see."

"Yeah, well, you were out cold and  I couldn't sit still anymore." I had had enough time to arm my mental defenses by that point and looked up to meet Aika's gaze, resisting internally as she searched for what was bothering me. She let out a sigh when she realized she wasn't going to figure it out, wiping the paint on her hands off on her overalls. 

"I was thinking maybe we could go out tonight? Get some food, see the city?" I proposed, setting my empty glass down on her bedside table. But Aika shook her head, grinning at me as she got down on her knees to mix another color.

"I'm too far into this now, but maybe another night? Besides, I know you would rather party and go somewhere to drink than hang out with your kid sister, and you can't do that with me around anyway."

"Heyyy, that's not true, you know very well that I enjoy spending time with you," I whined a bit, unable to keep a slight pout from forming on my lips. She was teasing, I knew, but I was serious and she wasn't one to turn me down often so it was a bit of a shock.

"Well, the way I see it, you start at the restaurant tomorrow morning and who knows when the next time will be that you can go out and have some serious fun? Or that you'll even want to much after you're worn out from work," she rose to suddenly apply another mark to the piece in front of her, a brilliant stroke of obsidian cutting a ragged, organic path through the primaries already there. "That being said, we're in a new place, we don't have friends here. Well, except Junjun, but she'll have her own friends too. I'll be okay because I'll have school and all, but I don't want you playing the lone wolf all the time."

I started to open my mouth to argue that I was perfectly fine with being a lone wolf, but Aika seemed to expect a retort and chose that moment to waggle her paintbrush dangerously at me, a warning glare on her face.

"I'm telling you to go out. I'll physically put you out if I have to, you know I can. In fact-" Aika broke off at that moment to carefully extract something from one of her desk drawers, before shoving it in my hands. It was a flyer for some rock band playing at a club tonight, and I looked up at her, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"Where'd you get this?"

"I went out to get some groceries while you were sleeping as well--you're welcome, by the way--and some guy was handing them out on the street. Looks like it could be fun, I dunno." 

She shrugged, turning back to her painting. My eyes skimmed across the flyer again, sizing up the girls pictured there. They didn't seem like anything particularly special, but they weren't bad on the eyes, and I had heard of the club before through Junjun, remembering that it was supposed to be one of the better ones in town. I sighed, because I couldn't really think of a reason not to go other than just not wanting to, and I knew that Aika would make good on her threat to literally put me out of the apartment if I didn't go willingly.

"Fine. I'll go." I turned out of the room with a growl, moving back into the main room to start the process of dragging my things into my bedroom. "But I don't promise anything else! Not even to have fun!"

I heard her cackle in the other room and I snorted, grumbling under my breath as I hefted my suitcase up onto my new bed.

"Oh, and Reina?" She called from the other room, teasing evident in her voice still.

"Hn?"

"If you bring someone home, make sure she has a cute friend for me, okay?"

I slammed my door shut, still able to hear her roaring laughter from behind it. 

...Pervert.

----------

I left the apartment an hour later, properly dressed and feeling a lot less apprehensive about going out on my own. I sort of had a thing for fashion, not necessarily because I was obsessed with my looks, but I liked the challenge of putting outfits together, especially when I could make something really simple look like it came straight out of a magazine. Of course it did help that I was cute, and I was never above showing off to some degree. Tonight's choices were pretty close to my norm; I had a reputation for being a bit of a rebel back home after all, mostly stemming from what I wore. I had on a short, thin-strapped black dress with a yellow belt around the waist, its buckle a silver skull to match both my necklace and earrings. Over this I wore one of my favorite cutoff jackets, purple, of course, and adorned with studs, and to finish the ensemble off, I also had on black, high-heeled zip-up boots that stopped just above my knees. My hair I left down and straight for once, though as I trekked in the direction of the club I was sort of regretting that decision because it was a humid night. 

Fortunately, the club was supposed to be pretty close in relation to our apartment, so I would just deal. At least, that's what I thought until I actually got to the place, jaw dropping slightly as I realized that the line to get in was ridiculously long. Reluctantly, I wandered over towards the end of it, arms crossed as I wondered to myself whether or not this something I cared to wait so long for. As I waited, I felt the stares and glances from the other people waiting in line around me, some sizing me up, some openly checking me out, and I bristled on the inside. I would never get used to drawing attention, at least, not of this variety. I told myself I'd feel better when I had had a few drinks and was able to dance. The only reason I enjoyed clubbing was the sense of anonymity it provided, the chance to get lost in a crowd and forget about everything else. I wouldn't care if people were staring then.

A bouncer was making his way down the line, checking for ids and dragging the underaged kids out of it before they even got to the front. I had mine ready when he got to me, but instead of asking for it, he gave me a very confused look.

"Excuse me, miss, but shouldn't you already be inside?"

I blinked, mirroring his expression almost instantly at the question.

"Eh? What?"

"If you'll just follow me... I guess they didn't tell you you could go in through the side..." 

Before I could ask any more questions, the guy grabbed my hand and began tugging me towards the front, barking at the people in line to move out of the way. I wasn't exactly sure how to react. Was this a joke? Was I getting special treatment because he thought I looked pretty? I wasn't about to complain, though, as it beat standing in line, and it wasn't like I could break free of the burly man's grasp if I wanted to anyway.

He led me inside, where the atmosphere was super-charged and the music loud, just the way I liked it. The floor was already crowded with bodies, moving to the rhythm of the band on stage, some three-piece girl group singing about love. They weren't the ones I had seen on the flyer, but I would have liked to stay and listen had the bouncer not continued to drag me through the club. Before I had gathered my wits enough to protest, he led me backstage, abandoning me there alone, a thousand times more confused than I had been moments earlier. I started to turn on my heel to leave, when I suddenly ran right into a hard, very unmovable wall. 

"Hey, watch where you're- huh? Who the hell are you?"

That wall turned out to be a girl, who's hands were now on her hips as she glared at me. She was wearing a ripped-up leather jacket, tight jeans, and a shirt with some foreign saying plastered across the front of it. Her hair was in a wild ponytail, bits of it purposely messed up by gel and hairspray, and her makeup was very dark and pronounced, only intensifying the look she was giving me. I might have cowered a bit, were I not pissed off by the accusing tone in her voice. It wasn't like I had asked to be there! And then realization hit me a I recognized her from the flyer Aika had given me; she was part of the band, and I- 

...oh.

"There's been a mistake." I replied firmly, "The bouncer brought me here, I think he saw my clothes and thought..."

The girl looked over me, her glare fading somewhat into just simple annoyance as she brought a hand to her face, groaning. Before she could say anything further, though, a taller, darker-haired female sauntered up beside her, similarly dressed with the exception of super short shorts instead of jeans, and high-heeled boots in the place of sneakers. This girl eyed me like a piece of meat, using her bandmates as an armrest so she could further size me up.

"What's this, Gaki-san? I thought we agreed on not bringing groupies backstage?" She paused, a devilish grin marking her lips as she gave me one last hard look. "Even if she is a pretty kitty." I shivered in spite of myself, not sure whether to feel repulsed or seduced.

The girl called Gaki-san snorted, roughly sliding out of the newcomer's touch, disgust coloring her features.

"Its not like that, idiot. The bouncer did this. I think he's still paranoid about that one time he didn't let Eri in and almost got fired..."

"This is like the fifth one, though. You'd think he'd recognize all of us by now..."

"Are you guys talking about me again?"

A third girl materialized behind the first two, looking a bit dazed as though she had just woken up. The situation was quickly explained to her as well, and she looked over to me, smiling kindly. I nodded curtly in response, ready to escape the situation altogether; at this point I really needed a drink. But before I could apologize and slip away, the final member of the group appeared as well, attempting to put in some sort of earpiece as she approached. She didn't even notice me at first, too focused on the task at hand.

"Why are you guys always standing around? We go on in like three minutes, you know, and I'd really appreciate it if we had just one show that didn't start off with a stream of bickering and- ...who's this?"

Spotted. I locked eyes with the short-haired girl, feeling intimidated. But unlike her companions, she seemed intrigued, almost as if she had just come up with a sudden idea.

"We don't know..."

"...happened again..."

"...this club needs a new bouncer..."

"Okay, okay, I get it, but has anyone even asked the poor kid her name?"

A silence descended over the group, and I found my voice again, hackles rising at being referred to as a kid.

"Tanaka Reina." I snapped, finding the courage to glare at the leader. She seemed completely unaffected, a relaxed smile on her face as she reached out to shake my hand.

"Takahashi Ai. These three are Kamei Eri," She gestured towards the girl with the kind smile, "Michishige Sayumi," the dark-haired one who was still leering a bit at me, "and Niigaki Risa," and finally, the girl I had encountered first. Ai stepped forward, and I realized I wasn't the only one here looking at her strangely.

"Tanaka-san, can you sing?"

----------

I don't know what compelled me to answer yes other than I'm not very good at directly lying to people. And I don't think I'll ever know why common sense and rationality didn't take over at some point and get me out of the situation. What I knew then was that I had somehow ended up on the stage, in front of a crowd of cheering party-goers, blinded by lights and sort of reeling from the speed at which this had all happened to me. I turned to glance at the other band members; only Takahashi and Kamei gave me reassuring looks, while Niigaki looked pissed and Michishige lost interest in me quickly once it was decided I would perform with them. Takahashi grabbed the mic in front of her keyboard, calling out to the crowd and causing the noise level to increase dramatically as a result.

"Hey everybody! We are Wild Musume!" There was a loud roar from the audience in response, and energy rushed through me, my nervousness subsiding for a moment. Takahashi was grinning, and she continued to speak, extending a hand towards me. "Tonight we have a guest singing with us. Say hello to Reina-chan, guys!"

I bowed a bit, another spike of adrenaline surging through me as it sunk in that this applause was now for me. 

She began playing a melody on the piano, punctuated by a cymbal roll from Kamei. Takahashi glanced sideways at me as if to ask if I was ready, and I couldn't help the tremble in my breathing, glad that it was much too loud now for a thing like that to be heard. 

"We're mostly doing covers tonight so you should know everything. And if you don't, just follow my lead."

I reached for my mic with one hand, gripping the stand in the other, body subconsciously moving with the rhythm building around me.

"You're crazy!" Niigaki, Michishige, and I all looked at each other, having cried out at exactly the same time. Takahashi just smiled.

"Maybe so."


I pulled the stand towards me and began to sing.

"But maybe not."

----------

I came home later that night, sore, voiceless, sweaty and wild-eyed. Aika was snacking on the couch in the living room when I entered, an appreciative smirk growing on her face as soon as she got a good look at me.

"Looks like someone had a good time."

"I think... I think I just joined a band."
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter II, 4/19]
Post by: Koei on April 20, 2012, 12:57:57 AM
WOW !!! hahaha ! I know this is my first time commenting on this but: I just had to do it !!! This is greatly exciting!! at the first chapter (prologue): I was thinking Risa from the eyes still as sharp as the day she was born, but the I thought Reina since they were dark and sharp as well. Yatta!!! I guessed (almost) one character!
Then Aika and Reina moving and stuff and I was like: The beginings of a new life  O0 And the band!!! what !!?!!?!?!? Of course at the song I was like !!! WHAT?!?!?!?!!? Girl you just joined a band!!! but I still would have loved to read how it went, and then I thought: bah it doesn't really matter: the memories of the first live performance one has are either blurred or completely non-existing We only recall the feelings of that moment!! We can always imagine it! So I was like  :twothumbs  Keep it up !!!!!! :cow:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter II, 4/19]
Post by: rndmnwierd on April 20, 2012, 05:41:29 AM
Ai-chan! XD Randomly snagging some girl as their singer without actually listening to her.

And always pissed off Gaki-san, for some reason, makes me laugh.

Quote
"I think... I think I just joined a band."
Super lols here for Reina though :lol:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter II, 4/19]
Post by: risa_ai on April 20, 2012, 12:50:50 PM
Oh me gosh! Fast update!
Dang, reina's adorable! xD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter II, 4/19]
Post by: Quietriot on April 21, 2012, 03:31:53 AM
@Koei: Thanks for the kind comment, means a lot to me. :3 you hit the nail right on the head about the whole performance thing, as a performer myself I barely recall most of the shows or concerts I've been in, just the feelings and intensity linger (unless it was an awful performance, in which case...I just wish I could forget!)

@rndmnwierd: heheh impulsive leader. Good thing her instincts aren't half bad. ;) And there's much more pissed off Risa yet to come! Girl has a good reason for it here...

@risa_ai: Ain't she? <3 haha I hope y'all don't get too attached to all this fast updating, it's pretty unlike me... But I won't question it and just take advantage of the inspiration while it's here!  :cathappy:

Short update today, I suppose I could have tagged this on the last one, but I liked the rather frantic abruptness of it all since I felt that best conveyed Reina's inability to process it all. XD and the next chapter will likely be LONG. As always, enjoy.

Chapter III: Karma Police

"There you two are... Should have expected this, right in the very place I told you NOT to be after all..."

Reina paused in her storytelling to look up, noticing that her son had entered the attic, a stern look on his face. The children whined as their father approached, both clutching at their grandmother's arms.

"Papa, we just got to a good part..."

"Yeah, and we weren't being pests at all! ...Right, grandma?"

The old woman grinned, giving her grandson and approving pat on the head.

"Not at all. Come sit down with us, Hiroshi-kun, you can listen as well."

The father shook his head.

"I just came to tell them they needed to finish their chores. And also Aika-bacchan has dropped by to visit with you anyway, mom."

"Oh? Is that so?" One of the singer's eyebrows arched slightly and she closed the book in her lap. "Well you can tell that old bird if I'm young enough to still make it up the stairs, she can too."

"I heard that."

Aika appeared in the doorway, a smirk on her face even as she stopped to catch her breath. She waved her cane in Reina's direction.

"At least I'm still beautiful."

"I may be seventy, but that doesn't mean I won't get up off this couch and teach you a lesson, pup."

"Ahh, so fiesty this morning, Rei, did Hiroshi-kun put something in your food?"

As the two siblings bickered playfully with one another, the father took that moment to usher his children out of the room despite their protests. They would leave the women to catch up with one another, as it had been quite some time since the sisters had been together.

"...MY body is still all in one piece."

"Nothing a few hits with my cane won't fix."

Aika maneuvered her way towards the couch, plopping down ungracefully next to Reina and tossing the cane onto the floor as if she took personal offense with it. The two eyed each other fiercely for a few moments and it seemed like the insults would only continue, but then they both broke into wide grins and settled back together. Reina patted her sister's knee.

"So where's that wife of yours, hm? Finally finished with putting up with me after all these years?"

"She has her good days and her bad days. Today was a bad one," Aika responded, trailing off quietly as she subconsciously played with her wedding band, "But you know she loves seeing you. Even when she can't remember your name, I don't think she'll ever forget your face."

Reina let out a fond hum. She really needed to remember to ask her son to take her to visit sometime. Her sister-in-law's 'good days' were becoming fewer as the years went on, after all. She moved the scrapbook into Aika's lap, opening up to some of the pages she had been looking at with her grandchildren.

"Remember this?"

"How could I not? That certainly was an interesting part of our lives..."

"I was just telling the children about it. I got to the part when I first came home that night and told you I was in a band."

"Ah... I definitely remember that night. That was when it all really started..."

----------

"You what?" Aika was blinking at me incredulously, mouth slightly hanging open, a piece of popcorn spilling out due to shock. I could only nod wordlessly at first, closing the front door behind me and leaning against it before sliding down to the floor, spent. My sister quickly shut off the tv and hurried to my side, brushing my sweaty bangs off my forehead.

"Wow... You really aren't kidding, are you? What happened?"

I recounted the nights events to her, starting with the bouncer's mistake and going over every detail that I could remember: Takahashi's strange sudden proposal that I join them on stage, the insane crowd, the offer to join them permanently afterwards. It had all happened so fast... I couldn't actually remember much of the show itself, other than I liked the rush I felt being on stage. What had Takahashi been thinking to pull something like that? I mean, I knew I could sing--I had been doing it since birth, though I'd never really taken it seriously. But there was no way she could have known that. And then I wondered what the others thought of me... Oh, why did I say yes?

"Well, when I said you needed to go out and have fun, I'm not sure this was what I meant. But now that I think about it I guess this really is the perfect way to get yourself out there?"

"Eh?!" I was stunned, wasn't she supposed to be the voice of reason here? "You're actually encouraging this? Don't you think it's crazy?"

Aika shrugged, straightening out my jacket collar.

"Well, of course, but how many girls just suddenly get the opportunity to be a rockstar? And you liked it, didn't you?"

My mouth opened and closed wordlessly as I tried to come up with a response. I couldn't lie to myself or to her; I really had enjoyed performing with the band. And try as I might, I couldn't really think of any negatives to continuing on with them. If things didn't work out, well, I could always just step out and that would be that.

"...I guess I could stick with it for a while."

Aika grinned and pulled me to my feet, patting me on the shoulder.

"That's the spirit. And now I have something to talk about on my first day at school~"

I groaned, rolling my eyes and pushing past her into my bedroom, flopping face first into my bed without even bothering to shower or change. Fragments of the performance began to replay over and over again in my head, and I was soon lulled to sleep by the stage lights and the roaring of the crowd, chanting my name...

----------

Ai didn't even have to glance up from the book she was reading in order to sense that Risa was at her doorway, and she ignored the younger woman at first, knowing that when she wanted to speak, she would. She wasn't about to lose her place now, in the middle of such an interesting chapter, just to ask the girl what was on her mind. They had known each other long enough to where their conversations didn't require that kind of unnecessary filler. And as if on cue, as soon as the blonde turned the page, Risa cleared her throat, prompting Ai to finally glance in her direction.

"That could have gone very badly tonight, you know... What you did, asking that girl to sing with us."

Oh. This again. Ai's gaze flicked back down to her book.

"But it didn't."

"You made a lucky guess, but that doesn't change the fact that it was reckless and-"

"We needed a change. I took a risk that more than paid off for us. The audience enjoyed our performance tonight, and frankly, so did I. It felt like we were reenergized. And you can't tell me that you didn't feel it too," the blonde finally put down her book, giving Risa her full attention, "I could tell you were even almost enjoying yourself at times."

The younger woman bristled at that, unable to meet her best friend's searching gaze. She rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

"I'll admit it was a good gig. But I don't trust that girl. None of us know her..." Risa finally managed to glance back at Ai, serious now, "And she doesn't know us. There are things that other people don't need to know that we can't exactly hide from her once she starts coming around more often... If she's not a good fit, and things end poorly..."

Risa seemed to be searching for the right words to say, her frustration melting into simple concern.

"Just don't forget that this affects more than just you."

"I haven't forgotten." Ai replied calmly, picking at a stray thread sticking up from her blanket, "We need this. We were going to announce auditions at that gig anyway, it just happened that the answer fell into our laps instead. However..."

The blonde sat up slightly, leaning forward so that Risa was aware she was being sincere.

"If she royally screws up or can't get along with everyone, then we'll cut her out before the music festival at the end of the month. Deal?"

Risa grunted her approval, not really looking satisfied, but apparently deciding to trust her best friend on the matter anyway. It wasn't as if there was much else she could do; once Ai got an idea in her head, she carried it through to the end. Usually, everything turned out alright, but Risa couldn't help but worry, especially when a stranger was involved.

She turned to head towards her own room after they said goodnight, unable to shake the uneasy feeling that had settled inside of her.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter III, 4/21]
Post by: Koei on April 21, 2012, 06:26:01 AM
It's so funny that I can completely imagine old Reina and Aika teasing each other in their advanced age  XD Wonder who's Aika's wife though, :P and hey: Karma Police?? :twothumbs Does this mean that soon we'll get to read the chapter titled: 'Somebody that I used to know?'  :cow: Come on let's see what awaits this fiery kitten in this band !!!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter III, 4/21]
Post by: mochi.rini on April 21, 2012, 06:29:07 AM
Man oh man!  You're spoiling us Quietriot! XD  Not that I don't mind~ :D

Elderly Reina and Aika, though an odd image, is so cute~  I love seeing Reina and Aika interaction, so you make me happy ^_^  So Reina was with a man at one point in time?  And Aika is currently with a woman?  Hmmm...I'm interested to see these faces revealed! :D

I can't wait to see what happens next, especially these "secrets" that the band seems to have :O  Fabulous chapter(s)!  Can't wait for me ;)
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter III, 4/21]
Post by: Quietriot on April 23, 2012, 03:19:31 AM
@Koei: they make perfect sisters, imo. :3 and writing them as old ladies is fun~ as for Aika's wife, naturally, it's gonna be a while before I reveal that heheheh. Also, "Somebody That I Used to Know" is indeed a part of my playlist for this story, but I'm holding out on using it for the name of a particular chapter.

@mochi.rini: thanks for the kind comment~ pretty much have the same things to say here as I've said to Koei. Tho I'm just bad at responding to comments XD

Uwehhh this took me longer than it should have but things are getting more complex heheh enjoy!

Chapter IV: Four Love Songs

The next day I arrived very, VERY late to my new job. Had my boss not been a childhood friend of mine, this might have been a terrible mistake on my part, but as it were, Junjun happened to be one of the most laid-back people I knew. Still, four hours later and I hadn't exactly stopped apologizing to her yet. It was a slow day at the Hello! Cafe, and so as soon as I had served the last customer waiting in line, I darted into the kitchen to find her supervising the other trainee, a girl called Linlin. Said trainee was absolutely screwing up an otherwise perfectly good batch of pancakes, but Junjun turned away from her when I entered, raising an eyebrow at me.

"How are you supposed to serve customers from back here?"

"I just wanted to apologize again, I really am sorry for being late... I don't want you to think I'm taking advantage of our friendship, Jun... Some really crazy stuff happened last night..."

The tall Chinese woman leaned against the countertop slightly, curiosity creeping into her eyes.

"Crazy stuff? Like what- Careful, Lin- you're burning that one..."

"Sorry~"

"Well, I joined a band..."

"Eh? Really? What band?"

"Wild Musume."

The elder of the two Chinese women snorted at the name, while the younger looked up from her work, eyes widening appreciatively.

"They're amazing..."

"Lin, the pancakes- definitely not slow to get yourself into trouble, huh, Reina?"

Trouble? I must have looked completely confused at that point, but whether or not Junjun noticed was lost because Linlin somehow managed to spill the rest of the batter all over the floor. I watched as the two women bickered with each other in Chinese, deciding that it was a good time for me to slip back out to the front. I would just have to ask my friend later about what she meant, but for now a line had formed in front of the register and I set my focus on work.

I was grateful that Junjun had offered me this job, really; I had been a waitress before so it wasn't entirely new territory for me. But that was just it. This was fine for now, but I didn't exactly want to work in cafes and restaurants forte rest of my life. It was much too easy, smiling and catering to people's needs everyday; I didn't find it beneath me, I just thought it was boring.

But last night's performance on the other hand... now there was something I could see myself doing over and over and never getting tired of it. I hadn't expected to feel that way, like it was the most natural place on earth for me to be. It was as if there was another person inside of me, and the stage was the switch that brought her to the front.

The question is, though... What exactly have I gotten myself into?

"Hey."

I was so lost in my thoughts that i hadn't even noticed that she'd walked in. She was staring at me with a vaguely amused smirk on her lips, and I realized that I had no idea how much time I'd spent spacing out. For all I knew, she could have been standing there for a while... I felt heat rising to my cheeks and ears, embarrassed at having been caught off guard, and I adopted a scowl in order to save some of my dignity.

"Niigaki-san." I managed, the syllables coming out a bit clipped, "What brings you here? ...Actually, how did you know I was here? I didn't tell any of you where I worked..."

The bassist shrugged, pulling a slip of paper out of her back pocket. I recognized it as the one I had given to Takahashi last night, with my address and phone number scribbled hastily across the front.

"Well, I went to your place, but obviously, you weren't there. The kid told me where to find you, though, so here I am."

"And you want... what?"

She glared at me slightly, crossing her arms.

"You know, I get that maybe we didn't start off on the right foot, but this isn't exactly the way to build any kind of camaraderie with a bandmate, yeah?"

I thought about that a moment, tempted to point out that she had been the one to be sort of gruff with me all along, but I knew she was also right. Niigaki seemed to have some sort of chip on her shoulder, fine, that was her problem. I'd figure out what it was soon enough and learn how to avoid making it worse. I didn't want to spend a great deal of my free time making enemies after all.

"Fine. Reina is listening." I stated a bit petulantly, mirroring her stance. The bassist gave me a funny look before going on to explain her sudden appearance.

"Aichan asked me to come pick you up for practice... Whenever you're done here anyway. Though it doesn't look like you're all that busy..."

She was right, we weren't, but I still had a few hours until we closed up shop, so I wasn't really free to go either. I was about to sigh and tell her to come back later, when Junjun and Linlin finally emerged from the kitchen, the former still attempting to get bits of batter out of her hair as she approached me from behind. Strangely, she seemed to lock eyes with Niigaki as she moved closer, lazily slinging an arm around my shoulder. The bassist seemed confused, the first expression other than jaded irritation that I'd actually seen on her.

"Junjun? I didn't know you worked here..."

"I'm the manager now." The Chinese girl replied, not unkindly, but still firm enough to make me sense that something was going on. They knew each other? Okay so maybe it wasn't so far-fetched, the two living in the same city and all, but it seemed to me there was a familiarity there that would have classified them as more than acquaintances. Niigaki looked almost guilty now, but she was staring off to the side and picking nervously at the edge of her jacket, and Junjun said nothing else after that.

Awkward...

"Reina, why don't you take off early today?" I looked up at Junjun, blinking, but her eyes remained on Niigaki, "I don't think we're going to have many more customers and even if we do, Linlin could use the experience more than you."

That statement elicited a bit of a pout from the younger Chinese girl, but neither one of us were about to argue with our boss.

"...Sure. I'll be here on time tomorrow, I promise." I replied slowly, still a bit distracted by the weird atmosphere. Nevertheless, I obediently made my way back into the employee restroom, slipping out of my uniform and into something way more casual. When I returned, Junjun had disappeared back into the kitchen and Linlin was already busy dealing with a customer, leaving Niigaki still standing off to the side, out of place.

I guess I have a LOT of things to ask Junjun later... maybe I'll get her to have dinner with me or something...

I walked over to the bassist, slinging my bag around my shoulder.

"Well, I guess I'm ready to go now. Shall we?"

She nodded absently, seeming to finally shake whatever thoughts had paralyzed her out of her head with a grunt. I waved goodbye to Linlin and followed Niigaki out of the shop. She led me around the corner and I almost fell flat on my face when I realized what she was walking towards, watching dumbfounded as she began to fish for keys from her pocket.

"Niigaki-san... That's... Is that yours?!"

The bassist was leaning against a sleek black sportscar, and though I knew next to nothing about cars, I didn't need to to be able to tell that said vehicle was worth a pretty penny or two. Niigaki, however, seemed absolutely unphased, finally locating her keys. She moved around to unlock the passenger door, opening it and looking expectantly at me. The gesture caught me a bit off guard and I couldn't help but blush slightly as I got in the car, muttering quiet thanks under my breath. She soon hopped into the driver's side, starting the ignition, and I was going to question her again when she finally decided to speak.

"No, it's not mine. Well, not technically. I suppose it may as well be, but it actually belongs to Eri."

"Eri...? Kamei-san? How...?"

Niigaki easily pulled out of the space she had parked in and began driving through the streets; I noted with some relief that she appeared to be a cautious driver.

"Eri's father is some sort of... Well he's an investor. Plays the stock market game and all that junk."

"So she has a lot of money...?"

The bassist smirked faintly, keeping her eyes on the road.

"Well that's a bit of an understatement. I'll let you decide that for yourself when you see their home."

"Is that where we're going?"

"It's where we have most of our rehearsals. Sometimes Sayu convinces her boss to let us play at his club when it's not open, but that's never a reliable option... And then Aichan and I don't have any room in our apartment."

"Ah..." I murmured quietly, taking in this information. I definitely hadn't expected any of them to be insanely rich, but I supposed that if I were rich it wasn't something I would broadcast either. And then the matter of Takahashi and Niigaki living together... Realization dawned on me; maybe there was something serious going on there. It would have helped to explain Niigaki's aloofness around me, anyway. I made a mental note to study their interaction during practice.

For now, I would focus on the girl beside me.

"So how do you know Junjun?"

Niigaki stiffened, obviously hesitant to answer that.

"...I could ask you the same question. I thought you just got here yesterday. How is it you already know someone?"

Her tone was a bit accusing and it irritated me, but I figured that maybe if I answered her questions first then she would answer mine.

"Our parents were friends for a long time, so my sister and I grew up with her. They moved away when I was fifteen, but we always stayed in touch. So when she found out I was coming here, she offered me a job."

I watched Niigaki process my answer, the suspicion fading from her face and replaced with... relief? What exactly was she hiding? If I thought I could push and get an answer from her, I would have tried, but I wasn't that naive. Asking Junjun instead seemed like a much better idea.

We sat in silence for a while after that, and I turned to look out the window, realizing that we had left the city and were going down some pretty winding roads. I was beginning to wonder if she was lost, and then I saw it: just beyond the crest of a hill on my right was a gigantic mansion, bigger even than the ones I had seen on tv before. And we were driving towards it.

----------

"What did you do to her, Gaki-san? She looks kinda pale..."

"She's just overwhelmed I think. Walking into your house for the first time is intimidating."

Niigaki had ushered me briskly through the mansion, directly towards what she told me was Kamei's personal wing of the building. From what I understood the strange girl had ten rooms or so that belonged to her alone, although the bassist was quick to add that the drummer only used one for herself aside from the room the band rehearsed in. This was the room we had entered, and it was definitely perfect for a band, complete with sound equipment and a small stage. Kamei was the only one there when we arrived, and she was quick to approach me, concern on her face.

"I'm fine... Niigaki-san is right," I managed, finally able to get over my shock a bit and gazing around the room, "You guys have everything you need right here, that's so awesome..."

"Yep. Compliments of my father..." Kamei replied, and even though she was smiling, I could still pick up on the disdain in her voice. When I looked at her more closely I realized that she looked a bit different than she had last night. She was more... alert, perhaps. Her eyes were clearer, but she seemed on edge as well. She began to move towards the door. "Gaki-san, I'm going to, uh..."

Something unspoken passed between them, and the bassist simply nodded as the other girl left the room. She moved up onto the stage after Kamei shut the door, kneeling down to begin taking her guitar out of its case. Before I could even pose the question, she started speaking.

"Nope. If she wants to tell you herself, she will, and in her own time. Though it's not like she can hide forever." She stood up, slinging the guitar strap around her shoulder and turning to look at me.

"There's a lot you don't know. For now, lets leave it at that."

"Fair enough..." I mumbled, awkwardly rubbing my arms and joining her on the stage. "So where are Takahashi-san and Michishige-san?"

The question seemed to strike a nerve and I watched as Niigaki very nearly dropped her bass, fingers slipping and accidentally plucking a sharp note into the air. She recovered quickly however, enough to scowl at me again.

"I don't know, I'm sure they'll be here soon..."

As if on cue, the door opened and the blonde leader and the dark-haired rabbit entered the room, both laughing and smiling. I watched Niigaki carefully, taking note of the way her frown deepened, adding more pieces to the puzzle in my head. Takahashi soon had my attention, though, making a beeline for me as soon as she realized that I was there.

"Ah, Reina-chan, how are you?"

"I'm doing fine. I'm ready to start rehearsing with everyone." Well, it was true, but really I didn't know what to say to the woman. She had an intense gaze and radiated confidence so it was safe to say she intimidated me. More than a little bit. And I couldn't help but be disarmed by her charming smile, either, and my answer had earned me one of those.

"That's good to hear, that's the kind of energy we need here."

I could only nod, smiling back at her as she ascended the stage and walked over to her keyboard. I then felt an uncomfortable prickling on the back of my neck and turned to realize that Michishige was coldly smirking at me. She moved closer, and I felt myself growing a bit light-headed as I tried to focus anywhere but on her cleavage or the amount of leg she was showing with her current outfit.

"It's nice to see you again, kitten~" She breathed, tracing a finger down my arm, making my knees grow weak. The warning sirens in my head were completely drowned out by her voice and I was helpless to speak. Fortunately for me, Niigaki seemed to notice my predicament and snapped at her.

"Sayu, leave her alone. She's not going to be able to sing with you trying to get in her pants before every rehearsal."

The rabbit pouted at that, feigning offense, but not once taking her eyes off me.

"I wouldn't do such a thing~"

"Yes you would," Niigaki responded, unamused, "Just so you could say you've slept with everyone in the band again."

"Well you know what they say," she began, and I could feel her warm breath on my cheek as she moved even closer, my eyes instinctively fluttering shut, "No song unsung, no wine untasted..."

"And I say leave her alone or I'll come over there and knock you flat on your back."

Michishige tore her eyes away from me to glower at Niigaki, who shot her an equally intense glare.

"Risa..." Takahashi's voice held a note of warning in it, and the bassist backed down first, muttering things under her breath as she went on to finish setting up her instrument. I sighed with relief, but it did not last, because Michishige's attention returned to me.

"Let's do well today then. We can always talk later." She gently stroked my cheek before stepping around me, sauntering over to where her guitar lay. I snapped out of it, once again unsure whether or not I liked the game she was playing or if I just felt violated by it. I wasn't exactly sure what the rules were anyway...

I glanced over at Niigaki- Risa, whispering a quiet thank you. She nodded, though her expression remained neutral; she disliked me less than she disliked Sayumi, that much was obvious and that was why she had stuck up for me. I was grateful nonetheless.

Kamei finally returned after a while, staggering slightly when she entered the room. For the most part she was walking normally, and smiling as always, but when she passed me on stage I realized that her eyes were glazed over with a look that told me she wasn't entirely with us. But she sat down at her drumset anyway, warming up and easily tapping off a few complex rhythms.

Perhaps I'm imagining things...

In any case, Risa was right. There was a lot that I didn't know.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter IV, 4/23]
Post by: rndmnwierd on April 23, 2012, 03:58:18 AM
Holy crap, I just read your siggy! Fim? Fimmy?! Is that really you?

Anyway, we start to get a bit more insight into the dynamics of the band. I feel like Reina in this story, slowly piecing things together. I'm already beginning to put forth a few theories on everyone's malfunctions... But I'm also happy to have it spelled out for me later. I'm really enjoying this so far!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter IV, 4/23]
Post by: rokun on April 23, 2012, 07:21:24 AM
^ LoL, I wondered if you'd noticed by the tone in your earlier posts. XD I thought, "Surely rndy remembers her......"
I guess I had the advantage of IMing with her along the way ;)

And ahh... I've missed your writing....!!! :cry: :cry:
This is so good... and I can't wait to see how it continues. ^^ Is Eri... a junkie? :o And I'm sure you have many surprises awaiting us  :heart: Even if you don't keep up this posting rate, I hope you at least keep continuing and finish it <3

If nothing else than to get on to that new Berryz fic too *cough* XD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter IV, 4/23]
Post by: risa_ai on April 24, 2012, 12:45:00 AM
There's alot we readers don't know bout either~ xD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter IV, 4/23]
Post by: Quietriot on April 24, 2012, 04:57:33 AM
@rndmnwierd: it is indeed me. ^^ the well-known 'secret' of my identity haha. You should reveal some of your theories! I love reading people's speculation on things, heheh

@rokun: :P so pushy with the Berryz fic thing, sensei... Heheh, soon. Soon. XD

@risa_ai: perhaps this chapter will offer more insight~ and even if not I enjoyed writing it bahaha

It's almost 4am... Haha so not much to say. However for the first time the chapter title is actually relevant as it is the song I quoite throughout the chapter. Enjoy~

Chapter V: Time is Running Out

"Stop, stop, stop- Eri-chan, I said stop, can't you hear me?"

The drums rumbled to a clumsy halt, the poor girl completely losing hold of one of her sticks in the process, having not realized the song was over. Though it wasn't her fault we stopped, as she was playing even better than she had been last night, if such a thing were possible. No, Takahashi was stopping rehearsal for the fifth time that afternoon because of me, and I let out a deep sigh, running my hand through my hair. It wasn't that I wasn't getting the lyrics wrong or that I wasn't hitting the right notes, but more that I was unable to capture the essence of the song's character instead. I was frustrated, with myself and with the growing impatience of my new bandmates. Michishige in particular was being... well... a bitch.

"Are you gonna get to a point where you stop just pretending to be a badass and actually sing with some spine or...?"

She stood with one of her hips jutting sharply towards the side, arms crossed over her guitar, sending a pointed look in my direction. Whatever spell she had had on me earlier was definitely broken by such direct and, in my opinion, unfair criticism.

"What makes you think I'm not a badass?"

"Its not just that I think that, it's that it's true." She tugged on the cord connecting her guitar to the amp, giving her enough slack to walk over towards me. I could feel the tension in the room build back up again, both Risa and Takahashi eyeing the guitarist warily. She was quickly in my space again and the hair on the back of my neck stood up as she tugged at the jacket I was wearing.

"You can dress the part, but you're singing like a princess. Like the lyrics aren't registering."

My anger diffused slightly, because I knew she was right. The problem was that I didn't have any idea how to change that. Last night was different, because I didn't have time to think about what I was doing or how to do it. But now that my mind was in the way I was definitely at a loss...

Michishige rolled her eyes at me, turning to Takahashi for help. But the blonde woman simply shrugged and crossed her arms as if to say, "What do you need my help for?" The rabbit nodded and turned her attention to Risa, lazily pointing a finger in her direction.

"Gaki-san, start the song again please~"

The bassist glowered at the sickeningly sweet tone in her voice, but her curiosity was obviously going to win out, and she began the bass line riff that opened the song. The line rumbled through my chest as it filled the room, and my eyes grew wide as Michishige began to sway, moving to use the mic that had been set up for me. Her eyes locked onto mine, and once again I felt trapped.

"I think I'm drowning,
Asphyxiation,
I wanna break this spell,
That you've created..."


Her hand moved towards my neck, trailing down it to trace the skull necklace that rested against my collarbone, and I felt a chill run through my spine. Michishige didn't have the best voice in the world, but it didn't matter; she was using her entire body to convey the message, and in doing so it was reflected in her tone. I was captivated. Kamei began to punctuate the rhythm with a simple drum beat, and Michishige continued, the hand that was on the mic sliding purposefully down its stand.

"You're something beautiful,
A contradiction,
I wanna play the game,
I want the friction..."


Delicate piano notes began their descent from Takahashi's hands, and Michishige's voice began to croon slightly, further hypnotizing me.

"You will be the death of me,
You will be the death of me..."


Finally, she broke my gaze as she turned her focus to her guitar, playing chords to fill out the rhythm. She closed her eyes and leaned into the mic, taken away by the crescendo building around us.

"Bury it,
I won't let you bury it,
I won't let you smother it,
I won't let you murder it..."


I felt something welling up inside of me, the same feeling that had taken over me last night on stage. The music was moving me, and I let it, knowing that this was how I needed to feel to perform. I joined Michishige at the mic, no longer caring about things like how close that put our faces and bodies but instead allowing this other side of me take control.

"Our time is running out,
Our time is running out,
You can't push it underground,
You can't stop it screaming out."


There was a desperation there that I felt, coming from me or from Michishige as we sang, I wasn't sure. But I knew the song meant to communicate that and I suddenly knew how to do it. Somehow, I began to turn the tables on the rabbit girl, a husky growl lacing my voice as I took the lead.

"I wanted freedom,
Bound and restricted,
I tried to give you up,
But I'm addicted..."


Michishige took a step backwards, the smallest hint of shock registering in her eyes, and I couldn't help but smirk, my confidence growing. She obviously didn't like where things were headed, and as I kept singing she hesitantly moved back to her original spot.

"Now that you know I'm trapped,
Sense of elation,
You'd never dream of
breaking this fixation..."


During the bridge, I realized that Takahashi's and Risa's voices had joined in to support me, the former's taking place beside mine in the comfortable mezzo range, while the bassist dipped below that as a powerful alto. The blend surprised me, as I had only heard the leader sing with me last night, and the way their voices fit together was almost as though they weren't meant to be apart. We reached the final chorus with Michishige and Kamei vocalizing beneath it all, and as the song finally came to a close I found myself gripping the mic stand for support.

Singing like that, with everything I had, took a lot out of me. It wasn't something I was used to at all, and I found myself panting slightly for air as the music ended, definitely winded. But it was a good exhaustion in a way, rewarding, the kind following a great accomplishment. After all, I had just made a bit of a breakthrough somehow.

I finally turned to look at my new bandmates, all of them giving me looks of either shock or approval. Risa and Michishige were in the first category, though the rabbit seemed to also be a little... annoyed as well. Kamei and Takahashi were clapping, though, and the blonde leader approached me with that charming grin on her face again.

"That was perfect. Really. You're a natural, Reina-chan."

I timidly accepted the compliments, bowing my head slightly. I didn't really know what to say to her apart from that anyway; until I got to know her better, I suspected I was going to continue to remain tongue tied in her presence. Risa cleared her throat, catching both of our attentions.

"As great as it was... We've been at this for a long time. It's getting late."

I hadn't even realized. Quickly, I pulled my phone out of my pocket to check the time, groaning as I read the numbers. It was very nearly midnight now and I had the opening shift at the cafe in the morning.

"I need to head home..." I stated quietly, still unable to believe rehearsal had gone so long. Kamei  raised her hand from where she was seated at the drums, smiling at me.

"I can take you. Or rather, I'll have one of my drivers take us and I'll make sure you get home."

To be honest, I wasn't sure how I felt about spending the long drive to my house alone with the drummer, but Risa wasn't offering and at least it seemed that Kamei was acting somewhat normal again. Her eyes had lost that glazed appearance, anyway. I nodded to her, causing her smile to light up a bit more brightly. The turtle descended from the stage and offered me her arm like a gentleman, and I couldn't help but grin. Perhaps it would be just fine after all.

----------

The ride with Kamei, or Eri, as I was beginning to think of her, was much different than my earlier time with Risa. For one thing we hit it off almost immediately, and spent a great deal of the trip laughing our heads off and chatting about the most random things. For another, where Risa was closed off and suspicious of me, Eri was an open book and I was already learning a great deal about her.

She told me she couldn't really stand being rich, the only part of it she enjoyed being the times when she could use it to help other people out.

"Like with Gaki-san and her car. She needed a way to get around and papa gives me a new one every year. So I figured she could just have it because it's not like I'm using it myself."

She also explained to me her passion for music and drumming specifically when I mentioned that I found her skills impressive.

"I picked the drums because... Well, growing up in my household, I was always expected to be proper and quiet. Or at least to give off that image. When I'm behind my set, though, I can be however wild or free as I want to be."

"Do your parents know that you play?"

She shook her head at the question, leaning back in her seat. As always, she was smiling, though it was a bit fainter now, and I could detect the sadness in her eyes.

"They don't. Well, they give me tons of money and don't seem to care what I do with it. As long as I'm not disrupting their business, it doesn't really matter."

Sensing that we were swimming towards a sensitive topic I decided not to push her. I was growing to like Eri and her go with the flow personality and I didn't want to damage a possible friendship by dragging out all of the negative stuff into the light so early on. If she wanted to rely on me, she could.

"So... You were pretty brave with Sayu earlier, you know." She started, changing the subject suddenly.

"Yeah I guess I managed to be. What's the deal with her anyway?"

Eri chuckled, and when she glanced over at me I could see that the sparkle had returned to her eyes.

"Sayu is Sayu. She likes to be top dog, even though Aichan is our leader. I think maybe she's feeling threatened by you being in her territory, so to speak."

"I can't really tell if she wants to beat me up or if she wants to sleep with me..."

"Probably both."

"Eh?" I blinked at her, confused.

"Well, she's going to bully you until she puts you in your place or you show her hers. Once that line is drawn she'll back off a little bit. But she definitely will try to get you in bed."

"So then, what Niigaki-san said about her sleeping with everyone..." Eri nodded, shrugging lightly.

"I mean, she's pretty good at getting what she wants. As far as I know, she never sleeps alone, even if it's not the same person every night. She dances at this club downtown so a lot of times she'll take the customers home with her, and then sometimes it's one of us..." she paused as she was telling me this, tapping a finger thoughtfully against her lips, "I'm surprised she got Gaki-san at all, but I think they were very drunk that night. And then lately I know she and Aichan have been together a bit."

And there it was, another missing puzzle piece. The friction between Risa and Michishige made a hell of a lot of sense with that sudden revelation. Though I still wasn't sure what the relationship was between the bassist and the leader, I definitely could see enough to spot the jealousy there.

"And then... With you?"

"Just friends with benefits," she replied nonchalantly, "We get along really well, and neither of us take it seriously. And it's always really fun in the end."

I wasn't sure I wanted to hear any more about that, and fortunately Eri read the silence well and decided to change the subject again.

"So tell me a little more about you. Why did you decide to come here?"

"Well... It was far enough away from home, I guess."

"Ah, sick of your folks, huh?"

"It's not really like that," I replied carefully, shifting so that I could look out the window of the car. The lights of the city were coming up in the distance and I focused on them, enjoying the view. "I love my parents. But I wanted to be on my own. I was ready for it, and I just happened to be lucky enough to be able to start off by myself so early, I guess."

Eri nodded at me, seemingly satisfied by my answer.

"What will they say when they find out that you're in a band? Or do you plan on telling them?"

I hadn't actually thought of that, and I paused, wondering. What WOULD they say? Would they be alright with it? Or worried? Supportive?

"I mean, I guess technically I don't have to tell them anything... But I'm not hiding it either? I don't know how they'd react, honestly. My sister knows, though, and she seems to be perfectly alright with it."

"Well as long as you're happy, I guess." The drummer concluded, "I mean, in the end I think all parents think that for their kids, even when they wish things are different. Even people like my own parents."

Maybe she was right. The drummer was definitely a lot wiser than she let people think, at least. As we wound our way back through the city streets, getting closer to the apartment, I quietly decided to ask Aika about it later.

After all, no one knew me or my family better than my sister did.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter V, 4/24]
Post by: rndmnwierd on April 24, 2012, 01:26:20 PM
Wow Fim, long time no see! Glad to have you back!

Yay for Reina getting back into her performing place! And yay for a little Tanakame bonding! Can't wait for more!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter V, 4/24]
Post by: Koei on April 24, 2012, 08:46:46 PM
Woah !! 2 chappies !!! Kame + You will be the death of me + glazed eyes = Our time is running out + _____________ (a little secret for the other readers who still ain't got a clue :P) but yeah. Keep it up I want to know more... MOAR !!!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter V, 4/24]
Post by: risa_ai on April 25, 2012, 12:39:26 AM
Risa's jealousy got me there. xD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter V, 4/24]
Post by: Quietriot on April 26, 2012, 08:22:15 PM
...

Omake I: 27

Her word for Eri was caged.

They had been under the stars by the woods near the drummer's mansion, laying in the grass and Eri was quietly murmuring something about how she thought stars were actually giant flaming aliens. Sayumi couldn't focus on anything but the girl's soft pink lips and the curve of her body as she lay on her side, facing her, one arm lazily propping up her head. They were close, so close, and several times during the conversation the rabbit had been tempted to reach out and touch Eri's face, but found herself much too paralyzed to follow through. She felt the warning sirens in her head go off; she wasn't supposed to like someone this much. It wasn't supposed to get this deep, but even as she told herself that all she wanted from the turtle was her body, Sayumi knew that it was much more than simply that.

She liked listening to the girl talk. She liked the way she looked when they were in the middle of a performance, eyes like a demon and smile sharp as she drowned herself in the rhythm. She liked that Eri didn't look at her like she was a slut or a piece of meat or both.

And yet, here she was, trying to convince herself to just get in the girl's pants and be done with it. Sayumi vaguely wondered when and how she had become like this, trading in her moral compass for
her own self-preservation, moving from bed to bed with little regard for anyone's feelings but her own. Maybe not even her own.

"What are you thinking about?"

She realized Eri was focused on her now, and she willed herself to meet that soft gaze with her own. That gaze darkened considerably when the turtle realized what was lurking there in the depths. Sayumi continued staring steadily at her friend, knowing that she had trapped her prey right where she wanted her.

Now what to do with you...

Before the drummer had too much time to think about anything, Sayumi finally leaned in to claim those lips she had been so focused on before, drinking in the faint moan Eri made in response. The rich girl stiffened at first out of surprise, but soon her eyes fluttered shut as she eagerly began to return the kiss, and much to the rabbit's delight she felt arms snake around her waist to draw their bodies closer together. Sayumi couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corners of her mouth when Eri's tongue ran eagerly across her bottom lip, and she parted them slightly to allow the drummer access.

She stopped thinking about whether what she was doing was right or not. Soon all she was aware of was heat, in the air, between her thighs, and every place that Eri's hands began to wander. And in that moment, that would be enough, consequences be damned.

There developed in her a pressing need to feel more of Eri's skin against her own, and when she finally broke their kiss, it was as if the drummer had read her mind because she began to attack the buttons on Sayumi's blouse, all but tearing the garment away. The rabbit shivered as the night air chilled her now exposed skin, but Eri was there, blazing a trail of kisses down her neck and across her shoulders. She almost cried out in frustration when those lips left her skin, about to protest, but she stopped cold when she realized that Eri was fumbling around for something in one of her pockets. Her eyes widened when she realized what that something was, catching a glimpse of it glinting in the moonlight.

Why... Do you really have to do that now as well?

But she didn't say a word, simply laying there as she watched her best friend's eyes shut tightly, and when they opened again Sayumi could not find Eri in them. This demon smiled, and it was crooked, and by all rights she should have been afraid. But she had seen enough demons in her life, and knew how to take them, so instead of recoiling, Sayumi merely plastered a seductive grin on her face. She would have what she had come for.

----------

Her word for Risa, wounded.

She wasn't quite sure how she had ended up like this, on her bedroom floor, half-naked, tangled up with a very drunken Gaki-san fighting her--almost literally--for dominance with every move. She honestly didn't give two shits about Risa, found her irritating, and mainly tried to bring her down a peg every time the opportunity arose. So when the bean had called her up asking if she could come over with some drinks, it occurred to Sayumi that this was the perfect situation in which she could crush the older girl.

But so far, things hadn't really gone according to her plan. For one thing, drunk Risa was angry Risa, and so Sayumi had already acquired a number of bruises during their rough make out session thus far. Of course, she was keen on returning the favor, and rewarded the other girl with a bloody lip and scored dozens of scratches on her back. Risa managed to roll on top of her again, straddling Sayumi's hips and pinning both of her arms to her sides. From this angle, with her hair falling out of a messy ponytail, eyes blazing, sweat rolling down her flat, bare stomach, even Sayumi found Risa beautiful, if but only tragically so.

The bassist panted heavily, chest heaving beneath the sports bra she still wore. Sayumi assumed the girl wanted to say something, but she focused instead on a bead of sweat that trailed its way down into Risa's cleavage, mind wandering elsewhere. Just because she didn't like the girl, didn't mean she wasn't going to enjoy herself.

"You slept with Aichan."

The accusation came out in between breaths, and Sayumi rolled her eyes, flicking them upwards to meet Risa's in a challenge.

"Yes. I did, several times. I still do. I don't understand why you still can't get your mind around it."

Risa faltered, and Sayumi watched as sharp pain flooded her eyes. For a moment, she felt the stab of something familiar in her chest. Was it guilt? She could hardly remember what that felt like, and did not allow the feeling to linger. Instead, she grinned tauntingly up at the older girl.

"The best part is, she came to me, you know?" Sayumi crooned happily, "I didn't have to seduce her or anything, she easily hopped in my bed when you were gone. I guess she couldn't take being so lonely with you having abandoned her and all..."

A strangled sort of noise escaped Risa's throat, and Sayumi realized that tears were now flowing freely down the girl's cheeks. She felt that stab in her chest again, only this time it was much stronger and she felt a growing irritation at the fact that it wouldn't just fade away. And now the bassist was sobbing openly, her grasp on Sayumi's arms going limp.

Of all the times to suddenly find my conscience again...

She pushed herself up and out from beneath Risa enough to where she could sit up, and she reached out with her thumb to brush away some of the tears on the other girl's face. When Risa looked at her it was a cross between a bitter glare and the most disparate heartache, but Sayumi was unphased and leaned forward to start kissing the rest of the tears away.

"I hate you, you know? I really do. But..." She paused, tenderly pressing her lips to the older girl's jawline, "You came to me, and so tonight, my bed is yours."

Risa tensed as a hand brushed against her spine, sending jolts of heat straight to her core. It was all she could do to not arch her body right into Sayumi's touch, and her sadness was temporarily forgotten if only so she could intensify the glare she was giving the rabbit. Sayumi only smirked, knowing she had almost won, and she moved to where she could whisper in Risa's ear, her warm breath causing the bassist to shiver.

"Tonight, you don't have to be lonely."

That seemed to do it, as Sayumi could hear another sudden sob threaten to escape Risa's throat, and whether it was her words or the alcohol acting as the catalyst, the bassist pushed her back onto the floor to begin her assault again with a renewed vigor.

And tomorrow I'll go back to hating you again.

----------

For Ai, Sayumi couldn't find the right words.

Their affair had begun nearly two years ago, when the blonde leader had shown up at her doorstep one night, cold and soaking wet from the rain outside. That was the one and only night Sayumi could remember sharing a bed with someone for nothing but sleep. She wasn't sure why she had done it, it went against all of her rules and all of the red flags in her head, but she quickly found that she for all of her experience and personal conquests could not bring herself to resist those beautiful chocolate eyes. Ai had chosen to pour out her heart to her, her fears, her confessions, and Sayumi had let her do it, and afterwards held her until she cried herself to sleep.

She knew she was a substitute; Risa was gone and Ai was relying on her instead. And really, she should have cut it off from the start, because she only did the emotional thing with Eri, everyone else had to remain purely physical. But soon Ai was coming over on a regular basis to talk, and before Sayumi realized what was happening she was sharing things with the leader as well. Things she hadn't told anyone else. Not even Eri.

And then one night, Ai had asked to kiss her.

The rabbit had nearly sliced her finger off at the request, as she'd been in the middle of cutting a tomato to put on her sandwich. The silence that hung in the air after that was so deafening that Sayumi wasn't completely sure she had heard right, and so she turned to face her leader, maintaining a neutral expression.

"What?"

"I asked... Well... I'd like to kiss you."

Here was a girl that was confident in everything she did, radiated a constant aura of strength, and made heads turn when she walked in a room. A girl that was currently staring intently at the tiled floor so as to not meet Sayumi's eyes. The rabbit was at a loss for words.

This is where you kick her out. Tell her it doesn't work that way. Not for her sake, for yours.

Her pulse quickened when the small leader looked up at her, and Sayumi realized that this was what it must have felt like for the various men and women she had drawn into her bed. She couldn't say no. She didn't want to. But neither would she say yes and bring the responsibility of what could happen down on herself. So instead the rabbit stood there, frozen to the spot as Ai moved towards her, confidence seemingly restored by Sayumi's hesitation.

Fingers hooked into her belt loops and the rabbit felt herself being tugged towards the blonde, firmly but gently, Ai's face closer to hers now than it had ever been or she'd ever dared to hope.

"I didn't hear a no...?" The whisper passed over her mouth, heated, and Sayumi could detect the hopeful, almost longing note within it. She could still feel those chocolate eyes on her as well, even though her own had closed.

I know you're looking at me, wishing I was her.

She felt the faintest hint of pressure on her lips then, so sweet and so gentle, unlike any of the kisses she'd ever had before. When she didn't pull away, Ai seemed to interpret it as permission to continue, and Sayumi instinctively returned the kiss, bringing her arms up to rest on the leader's shoulders.

You think that being here with me will make the pain go away. And it will, for a while. I can distract you.

When the kisses grew more insistent and she felt fingers sliding under her shirt, Sayumi broke away and grabbed one of Ai's hands, causing her to freeze and flush suddenly as though she'd forgotten who she was with and what they were doing. She even looked as though she was about to prepare an apology until she saw the fire in Sayumi's eyes and she wordlessly followed along as the girl led her out of the kitchen and into her bedroom.

But for once I... I feel like I'm the one who's about to be used instead of the other way around. And even though I know that... I'm going to let you do this. It doesn't matter if you never see me for me... She doesn't deserve you for what she's done, but until she comes back... I'll be whatever you need...

----------

"She's amazing... I still can't get my mind completely around the fact that my intuition was right on this one."

Sayumi rolled her eyes, continuing to plant gentle kisses along Ai's bare shoulder. The evening's rehearsal with Reina had left her angry and frustrated and after they'd dropped Risa off at the other apartment, the leader had escorted her back to her own and she'd poured all of her aggression into a somewhat violent romp with her most frequent bedmate. She'd since calmed considerably, however, and all she really wanted to do now was cuddle up with Ai and go to sleep. 

But the woman simply wouldn't shut up about the latest addition to their group, and Sayumi felt the anger and even jealousy stirring up inside of her again. It was enough that she had to compete with Risa for Ai's attention (though, truthfully the bassist had done plenty to all but disassemble their relationship herself); she didn't need this new girl to deal with too.

"She is cute... Not as much as I am, of course, but still. She's got some nerve though..."

Ai chuckled, rolling over to face the guitarist.

"Still on about that? You were asking for it."

Sayumi's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I didn't know she had it in her to actually back her shit up. In my opinion she still seems... well, innocent."

"Really?"

The rabbit smirked.

"...For now, anyway."
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake I, 4/26]
Post by: rndmnwierd on April 26, 2012, 09:42:37 PM
So, things become more clear.

Eri is a junkie(as I guessed before)... And Sayu quite loves her, in her own messed up way. Though, maybe Eri doesn't feel the same?

The Takagaki dynamic is where all the questions seem to be for me. Why would Risa "abandon" Ai when she clearly feels something strong for her? Is their relationship even able to be salvaged?

And seeing Ai from Sayu's point of view... It's clear Sayu feels for her, too, though is that just because Ai is Ai or are those feelings real?

I dunno, I'm just rambling now... But the convoluted relationships that Reina has fallen into don't really bode well for her mental health...
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake I, 4/26]
Post by: Quietriot on April 27, 2012, 03:08:01 PM
@rndy: Heh, yes, Eri is a junkie. As for Sayu's relationships with all three of them, I suppose you'll have to ask yourself if you think the bunny is the most... reliable lens to view things through. XD You are correct tho, Reina definitely seems to have gotten herself into a mess...

So yeah that last bit was sort of hard for me to write so I kept on going with the next chapter right afterwards, meaning it's already ready. I apologize for my sporadic responses to comments, I'll try to get better at it. hahah as always, enjoy. 

Chapter VI: House of Wolves

When we finally reached my apartment complex, I asked Eri if she wanted to come inside for a snack or anything since she'd gone to the trouble of coming all the way home with me, and she happily accepted, hopping out of the car. Upon entering my suite, I was a bit confused to realize that the lights were still on, until I saw Aika over by the kitchenette. She turned back to look at me, a piece of toast hanging out of her mouth and the expression on her face turning guilty. 

"What on earth are you doing up this late?!" I exclaimed, my arms crossing as I shot my baby sister the sternest look I could muster.

At that point Eri hovered over my shoulder, peering into the room, and the toast dropped from Aika's mouth in a screech. The kid shot into her room like a lightning bolt, leaving my bandmate and I standing there blinking.

"You're supposed to tell me when you bring someone home!! I'm not even wearing pants, jeez!" She whined from the other room, and I rolled my eyes, stepping inside with Eri close behind me.

"If you'd been asleep like you're supposed to be, being pantless wouldn't really be an issue now would it?"

Aika reemerged wearing a pair of paint-stained jeans, her shirt haphazardly tucked in and a scowl prominently etched into her lips. She returned to the kitchenette to clean up her mess, grumbling the entire way. I sighed.

Teenagers.

"You're making quite an impression on our guest, you know..."

She paused, standing up straight and turning her attention to Eri, the scowl still on her face.

"Hi. Aika. Nice to meet you." 

"Uh... hi. I'm Kamei Eri..."

"Cool." But the tone in her voice was all but polite and she went right back to cleaning. I had half a mind to march over to her and give her a piece of my mind, but Eri laughed and seemed to be more or less amused by the encounter. She walked over to the couch to flop down on it, making herself right at home. Fine by me, I hated playing hostess anyway; as far as I was concerned, if I invited someone inside, my home was as good as theirs.

I moved towards the kitchenette, maneuvering around Aika to retrieve two glasses from the cupboard. She wasn't quite out of hot water with me yet, but I could tell something was off with my kid sister and I wanted to know what was up before I continued scolding her.

"How was your first day of school?" I asked, grabbing the milk from the fridge just as Aika stood back up to dump her ruined toast into the trash.

"Well... word sure gets around fast in this city."

"Huh?"

"You were on the news this morning. And this afternoon."

I whirled to look at her, eyes wide, nearly spilling the entire carton of milk in the process. Eri sat up straighter at the announcement as well, both of us focused on Aika.

"The news?!"

"Yeah, I recorded the afternoon one for you if you wanted to see it."

What did she mean IF I wanted to see it? I didn't bother asking the question, though, hurrying over to the couch with mine and Eri's drinks, handing hers over before searching for the remote. When I finally found it I quickly turned the TV on and scrolled down through the recordings to find what Aika had saved for me.

The news report started out simple enough, the anchor going over some local piece about a lady who had just celebrated her 103rd birthday. Awesome as that was, I didn't have much interest in centenarians, and fast forwarded until, to my shock, a picture of me popped up on the screen. It was a shot from the club, during the middle of one of the songs.

"...twenty year old Tanaka Reina allegedly entered the Jump Club last night around 9PM, where the bouncer mistook her for a member of local rock band Wild Musume and escorted her out of the line right backstage. Fans were shocked and surprised when Tanaka took the stage with the members, announced by leader Takahashi Ai to be the night's guest performer. The crowd went absolutely insane for Tanaka's voice and fiery stage presence, leaving many to wonder if she'll become a permanent addition to the group."

"Well, they certainly could use a boost after all, I mean, Wild Musume hasn't been doing so hot since-"

The program cut off there, and I sat, frozen, not really sure what to think. One day, and I was already on TV? I turned to Eri, who was nonchalantly sipping at her milk, seemingly unphased by the report.

"How famous... are we... exactly?" I stammered out, putting my drink down on the nearby end table so I wouldn't accidentally drop it on the floor.

"Uh... Pretty famous, I guess?" She responded slowly, stroking her imaginary beard, which I had to try really hard not to giggle at, considering she'd just earned a milk mustache to go with it. "Or, we were, but some stuff happened  a few years ago so we had to split for a while. It's actually only just recently that we all got back together again."

"What kind of... 'stuff'?"

Eri held up her hands defensively, shrinking away from me.

"Not my story to tell."

There was a lot of that going around, wasn't there? 

"Who's story is it then?" I pressed, eyes narrowing. Eri only stared back at me, wide-eyed, hiccuping a bit. Fine. Whatever. I'd deal with that later. Still a bit annoyed I turned finally back to Aika, who was now leaning lazily against the table near the kitchenette.

"So okay, this happened, but you still didn't really tell me about your day..."

"Well, some girls in my first class mentioned your name and started talking trash... And I got sent to the principal's office."

"Aika!" I exclaimed, executing a perfect facepalm. She threw her hands up in frustration before crossing them over her chest, mimicking the stance I'd taken when I'd entered the apartment earlier.

"No one talks about my sister like that! So I sort of slapped her. You should have heard her, Rei, you would have wanted to hit her too. I don't even remember her name, Momoko, I think, but she-"

"Eh? You mean Momochi? Tsugunaga Momoko?" Eri had stopped her cowering to sit up and pay attention. Aika grumbled, obviously irritated at the mention of the name.

"Yeah, that's her. How did you know?"

"She's in the band Buono. They got together while we were still on our break." She finished off the last of her milk, finally licking at the bit that was stuck above her lip. "They, and their fans, haven't really been happy that we're back on the scene... Momochi is one of the most vocal about it during interviews and such, though... So when you said it was a Momoko, I just assumed because she's about your age."

"Well you're right. Makes a lot of sense now, I guess. Some of her fangirls even tried waiting for me outside of detention, but Koharu-chan made sure they didn't bother me."

I raised an eyebrow suspiciously at my kid sister.

"Who's Koharu-chan?"

"My new friend..." She began to sidle towards her room, "...that I met in detention." Before I'd had the chance to go after her my sister disappeared into her room, shutting the door, the tell-tale click of the lock sounding afterwards.

I groaned, sinking back into the couch and laying my arm across my face. I didn't need to be taking care of a kid. Especially not one so... so... like me. 

"Well... She's cute." Eri offered, and I groaned again, eliciting a giggle from my new friend. 

"She's my sister." I replied, and she nodded, as that was all I really had to say in order for her to understand the statement. I relaxed in the comfortable silence that passed between us, until I noticed that Eri's hands were trembling in her lap. She followed my line of vision when she realized I was staring and immediately stood up.

"Well, it's late and I should be leaving. I'll just see myself out. Tomorrow, then, Tanaka-san."

"Alright... thanks for the ride. See you tomorrow." 

She bowed slightly and smiled at me before turning on her heel and quickly exiting the apartment. I sighed again, pinching the bridge of my nose. It was just a long day, I told myself, and I'd feel much better after getting some well-deserved rest. However, I still had a disobedient sister to tend to. I swung myself up off the couch and in the direction of Aika's room, rapping my knuckles against her door.

"Hey. She's gone now. I need you to open this so I can talk to you."

The door creaked open slightly and I could see her eyes peering cautiously at me through the crack.

"What...?"

"All the way, Aika. Please."

She relented, pushing her door completely open and stepping aside so I could enter. The place was less of a warzone now than it had been yesterday, but I still picked my way gingerly through; the last thing I wanted to do was track lavender paint around the apartment. I sat down on the edge of my sister's bed, patting the space next to me. She groaned but obediently flopped down next to me, knowing she was about to get it.

"Aika... You can't just go off on someone when you feel like it..."

"I know..."

"I mean, I appreciate you wanting to defend my honor or whatever, but you gotta pick your fights a bit more wisely than that..."

"I was just doing what I thought you would do..." She muttered under her breath. I snorted quietly.

"I would have waited until the kid was off school property- no- wait, nevermind, listen to me. I didn't finish high school, okay? But you are going to. That's our deal, remember? You'll get kicked out if you deck everyone who rubs you the wrong way, jeez..."

Aika tossed me a quick, nervous glance.

"You're not gonna tell mom and dad, are you?"

"And put my ass on the line? Hell no, like I want to deal with that kind of nagging for weeks on end."

She smiled and hugged me tightly from the side, a silent thank you. I wriggled out of her grasp, but only so I could sling an arm around her shoulder. Aika already knew I was a big softy at heart, so there really wasn't much sense in my pretending to be a badass at home. I did love the kid after all. But there was something else I needed to address as well.

"So... I'm also not so sure about you having met this Koharu girl in detention... That's not really the place you should be making friends."

"She's harmless, I promise. She was only in there because she's clumsy and accidentally tripped one of the teachers..."

"'Accidentally?'"

"Yeah, that's what I thought too, and then I saw her in action. The number of times she tripped or fell when we were walking back from school... anyway, you know I'm a pretty good judge of character." She waved it away, and I couldn't really argue with her there. She really was good at figuring others out. "Anyway, what about you? You joined this band thing without knowing them, that's a lot sketchier than meeting someone in detention..."

"I thought you were cool with it?"

"I am, I'm just saying maybe you should be careful. That Eri girl seemed a bit... off."

I noticed, but I liked Eri, and even though there was something about her I couldn't put my finger on, I also didn't have a reason to not trust her either. 

"Whoa, first name basis so soon? Even I'm not there yet and I'm actually in the band." 

Aika's face flushed at her mistake, but she was quick to recover.

"It's not like she's here... Ugh, anyway, you know what I meant. And the point still stands."

I grinned and ruffled her hair, quickly hopping off the bed to avoid her badly-aimed swipe in retaliation.

"I'm always careful. But anyway, you need to sleep. We both do. It's been a long day."

She answered with a huge yawn that choked out what I guessed was going to be some sort of argument that she wasn't tired. I rolled my eyes affectionately, and we both said goodnight before I slipped out of her room. I wandered back to my own, head still full of questions.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VI, 4/27]
Post by: risa_ai on April 27, 2012, 03:31:00 PM
Oh mah. Oh mah. So much me wanna know~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VI, 4/27]
Post by: rokun on April 27, 2012, 04:19:07 PM
So Eri's the first girl Reina brought home, huh? :lol: I agree though that she would at the very least need to be careful, since there does seem to be something "off"... oh wait, we've already established she's a junkie. XD
We certainly don't want that influence on Aika...

Speaking of which, Aika starts school, and new characters! lol. You know I'm always happy seeing Buono! around, and I suppose considering it's you, we should have expected BeriKyuu to make an appearance at some point. :lol:

Aika meeting a clumsy Koharu in detention? Hmm... and Aika (despite Koha's innocence, Aika can't quite claim the same) becoming a delinquent already, and along with having a rock star sister (which btw it's awesome Reina's already famous in town XD), she may have already established the reputation as "the new bad girl" XD
Hmm, for some reason I'm brought to mind of Buffy again... sigh, I connect too many things to that :lol:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VI, 4/27]
Post by: rndmnwierd on April 27, 2012, 06:29:41 PM
So many questions about the band~ I wonder if the internets would be of any help to Reina? XD  Or maybe she needs to talk to JunJun, like, now.

Eri getting an invite into the Tanaka household is pretty awesome, though, even if Aika seems wary... Let's hope she's not all right there, considering her bitch slap to Momo.

Also a big lol to clumsy Koharu. :lol:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VI, 4/27]
Post by: Quietriot on April 28, 2012, 10:32:51 PM
@risa_ai: haha i bet you can tell by now but, I kinda like having secrets. XD

@rokun: And she didn't even get any! Darn. :P haha but yes, certainly wouldn't want that influence on Aika... Glad you enjoyed Aika in school, there's a bit more of it in this chapter and then more still to come! And Buono! will be making more appearances later on, count on it. ;) Being the new kid is hard, ne? And I'm also just gonna have to watch Buffy sometime. XD

@rndy: I think I recall that Reina isn't the most tech-savvy of girls? And even if she is, this incarnation's shortcomings will be made apparent soon. XD as far as questions go... Here comes that talk with Junjun.

I managed to finish this today I between research and a paralyzing migraine. haha hence why it may be a bit short. Nevertheless, please enjoy. c:

Chapter VII: Liar Liar

Alright... Just remember what Reina said... Keep cool. And if she runs her mouth again... Wait until after school... Or was that the part I wasn't supposed to hear? Whatever. I'll just...

Aika narrowed her eyes as she lifted her head to see who was entering the room, surrounded by her little flock of fans from the day before. Momoko and her fangirls all glared at the painter as they walked into the classroom, and she felt her mood instantly plummet.

...avoid her.

The tiny idol seemed as though she was going to attempt to say something, but she shrunk back a bit when a taller female appeared at Aika's side, shooting her a warning look.

"Nice day isn't it, Tsugunaga-san?"

Momoko gave her a curt nod in response, and she and her little group dispersed, taking their seats at the empty desks in the room. Aika visibly relaxed, glad that she wouldn't have to break her promise to her sister today. She turned to her new friend, flashing her a smile.

"Thanks, Koharu-chan. Why exactly is it that Tsugunaga-san won't bother you?"

"Because her bandmates are some of my best friends, and neither of them would be happy to hear that she's running her mouth again. And also she knows my half-sister is in Wild Musume."

"What?" Aika exclaimed, startling the taller girl a bit with her outburst.

"Well... Yeah, she's the guitar player. I mean, I don't see her often since she doesn't live at home anymore. Why, is that a big deal? I thought since you were pissed enough to attack Tsugunaga-san yesterday that you liked Wild Musume, so..."

"No, no, it's not that," The painter furiously shook her head, beckoning for Koharu to come closer so she could lower her voice, "Tanaka Reina, well... she's my sister."

"...EH?!?" Koharu all but screeched her reaction to the entire room, causing Aika to leap forward in her seat, grabbing the older girl by her collar and yanking her down to the same level. They'd earned a few looks, but perhaps because it was Koharu, and this sort of noise level was fairly common for her, most of the other students went back to their own business.

"Jeez, be quiet!" Aika hissed, finally releasing the girl when she was sure they weren't being watched anymore, "It's not exactly something I want broadcasted all over school..."

"Your sister... Wow. I guess I should have figured that out by your family name. But you're right, maybe you should keep that quiet... It would make you popular, but not the way you might want..."

At that moment, the teacher entered the classroom, and the girls took their seats as the lecture began, Aika's mind immediately starting to wander. 

I'm not ashamed of you, Rei. But... "pick your battles," right? I'll try my best.

----------

The next week or so passed relatively without incident. I was pretty exhausted to be sure, working during the days and rehearsing with the band at night, but I was getting used to the routine and found comfort in that familiarity. Even Aika seemed to be adjusting better to life in the city, and had managed to stay out of trouble since the first time. I'd since had a chance to meet her friend Koharu when the girl came over one night for a study session, and all my fears about her being a delinquent disappeared; they decided to watch a horror flick during a break and the kid was in tears before the thing even started.

I'd almost forgotten about a few of the questions I had about my bandmates as well, so wrapped up in the craziness of it all with too many things on my mind. That is, until one afternoon during closing time, Junjun decided to ask me how things were going.

"You look awful." She commented, and I glared up at her  from where I was on the ground, attempting to grab a piece of trash that had been left under one of the tables.

"Thanks, Junjun. That's just what every girl wants to hear. I bet you're just covered in ladies everywhere you go." 

"You don't have rehearsal tonight, do you?"

"No...?"

"Good," She grinned, crossing her arms. "I'm treating you and Aika to  dinner, then. You can come too, Lin."

A whoop sounded from behind the register, the younger Chinese girl throwing her hands happily into the air. As much as I'd wanted a simple, quiet evening at home for once, I would never say no to free food. And besides, I figured it was as good a time as any to talk to my friend about her connection with Risa, as well as find out anything else I could about the band.

We finished closing the store and Junjun drove us back to my apartment so I could change and to pick Aika up as well. The four of us then made our way downtown to a cozy little restaurant; it was nice, nothing particularly special, but quiet enough that I found myself easily relaxing in my seat as we waited for our food. Aika and Linlin were talking pretty animatedly about some character in a manga they both liked, and I took the opportunity while they were distracted to turn to Junjun.

"I've been meaning to ask you since that day she came to pick me up... How is it that you know Niigaki-san?"

The Chinese woman tensed up a bit, surprising me; I'd never really known Junjun to react very intensely to anything, but she seemed bothered just by the mention of Risa's name. Sensing that I didn't really want to involve the others in our conversation, she replied to me in a low voice.

"My father owned another cafe downtown, you know. That was the reason we moved here, so he could get a chain started up. But two years ago, he went in to work one afternoon because the manager had fallen ill. That same night, three thugs came in while he was closing, beat him up and cleaned out the register."

I felt my stomach dropping as I watched a bit of pain flicker through my friends eyes, unsure of what it was I was about to hear.

"He recovered, but he still has to use a cane to get around. It was just gang members, they didn't target him specifically, he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time..." She took a sip of her drink, glancing over at the other occupants of the table to make sure they were still oblivious before looking back at me. "Niigaki Risa was one of the ones involved. She was the only one that served time though, and because she turned herself in, she only ended up with two years. She was the only one that served time for it, though; they couldn't catch the others, and she wouldn't give any names."

Junjun held my gaze steadily, seeming to drink in my confusion and shock.

"I don't think she actually was one of the ones to hurt my father, but were it not for the people she ran with, he'd be perfectly fine today. And because of her, the ones truly responsible got away with what they did."

I was trying really hard to process this new information. Risa in a gang? Sure the girl seemed a bit jaded but I wouldn't have pegged her for a criminal, either. And yet, Junjun wouldn't lie to me; I knew her story had to be true. The question that still remained--among others, of course--was what was I supposed to think about it?

"Ah... Speak of the devil..." Junjun murmured quietly, and I looked past Aika's head to see two familiar figures enter the restaurant. Takahashi and Risa were walking in together, and though they were wearing clothes that disguised them to some degree, there was no mistaking that flash of platinum hair and the frown on her companion's face. Risa spotted us first, quickly looking away when she noticed Junjun, her reaction causing Takahashi to glance in our direction. The leader winked at me from beneath her fedora, holding a finger to her lips before she and Risa moved to sit elsewhere in the restaurant. 

I followed them with my eyes until I couldn't see them anymore, and then I finally glanced back at Junjun.

"Jun..." I started, but our food had arrived and the Chinese woman was already digging right in. I sighed, deciding that I would just let it drop and do the same, when I felt my phone vibrate beside me. I reached down to discreetly flip it open, eyes scanning the screen to read the new text.

Been meaning to ask, tomorrow's your day off from work, right?

~Ai


I blinked at it curiously, resisting the urge to look around to try and spot where she was sitting. I quickly sent back a response.

Yeah. Why?

~Reina


...Bzzt.

Wanna come out with me for the day? Someone needs to show you the city. ;)

~Ai


Spend the day... with Takahashi? I wasn't sure that was the best idea in the world, for more than one reason. After all, I'd just found out what Risa was capable of and she certainly seemed attached to the older woman... And then there was the whole issue of my leader being so cool that I really didn't know what to do other than melt. I had an image to protect, after all! But still, on the other hand, perhaps this was also the perfect opportunity to get the rest of my questions answered once and for all.

...Sure. What time?

~Reina

Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VII, 4/28]
Post by: rokun on April 29, 2012, 04:06:49 AM
Well, I wasn't expecting to hear that about Risa. Maybe I wasn't reading closely enough earlier on? >.>
Then again, the other girls in the band aren't exactly strait-laced, so I suppose it shouldn't be the biggest surprise. I hope none of the other band members were involved with it... though it might help explain why Ai did certain things after Risa "went away". It would be messed up if they were also involved. XD

And a date with Ai tomorrow for Reina...
I wonder if she'll finally get some. XD
Oh wait... I'm jumping again again. >.>;
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VII, 4/28]
Post by: risa_ai on April 29, 2012, 06:04:43 AM
GAWD. A REINAI FIC? MPDMPMPGMDPGDMGPD!!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VII, 4/28]
Post by: rndmnwierd on April 29, 2012, 09:20:50 PM
Dang Risa! :O A gang!? The heck?! That must be an interesting story.... But it certainly explains her always sunny disposition. And it leaves Ai looking a bit less innocent as well.

Next it's Ai's turn to have a happy heart to heart with the kitty... So many ways that could fail too
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VII, 4/28]
Post by: Quietriot on April 30, 2012, 12:08:40 AM
@rokun: good to know I can still surprise, tho I don't think I really left any hints about Risa. XD As for Reina getting some...? Who knows~

@risa_ai: ReinAi fic?! Where? Oh... You mean this one? ...is it? That's a good question...

@rndy: I'll probably end up doing an omake about it soon. And yes, let's just see how the kitten fares against the monkey heheh

Long chapter is long? I suppose it's like a part one of two parts. Whatever. XD Enjoy~

Chapter VIII: SONGS

Ai flipped her phone shut with a grin, pocketing it and making a mental note to send Reina the rest of the details later. From across the private booth they shared, Risa was watching her with an unreadable expression, absently poking at her salad with her fork.

"...I guess someone has a date?"

"Something like that. I'm going to show her around town, get to know her a little better." The leader reached for her wine glass, swirling the crimson liquid a bit before sipping elegantly from it. "Besides, I'm a little jealous, since you and Eri have gotten to spend alone time with her already."

Risa snorted, stabbing fiercely at a piece of lettuce.

"I don't know if a car ride really counts as 'alone time'."

"Well, regardless, I just want to talk to the girl, build up some camaraderie-"

"Do damage control..."

"Eh?"

The bassist gestured over in the direction of the table where their newest member sat with her party. Though the girl could not see them from where she was, the older females had the perfect vantage point from which to spy on her. Risa had watched the entire exchange between Junjun and Reina, her apprehension growing as the singer's expression shifted into shock near the end of it.

"You did see who she was with, didn't you? If Jun hasn't told her anything before now, I'll bet you she just finished spilling everything to Tanaka."

"And? It's not like that secret was very secret to begin with, Risa. In fact, they tend to retell that story every single time we're on the news. If something like that scares the girl off, she's probably not fit to stick with us anyway."

Silence fell between them, interrupted only by the sounds of Risa continuing to viciously attack her food. Ai leaned comfortably back in her seat, turning her head so she could watch Reina while finishing off her wine. Risa, on the other hand, carefully studied Ai. 

I wish I knew what it was that's caused you to be like this... My Aichan was never so... calculating. Surely my being gone didn't do all of this? You've been spending too much time with Michishige...

"...What about Sayumi?"

"What about her? You know that's nothing serious."

The bassist sighed, biting back the retort that she didn't think that Reina would see it that way if she found out. Or that it was more serious to Sayumi than the leader realized. And then it occurred to her that maybe that was the best way to get rid of the new girl, anyway. After all, what did she care? Ai would stubbornly do what she wanted no matter what was said, and that was that.

I just want you to be happy...

----------

The next day, I found myself cheerfully walking along the city streets, filled to the brim with nervous excitement. Aika had made several comments that morning about my 'date' before she left for school, but I was repeatedly reminding myself that it was just Takahashi being friendly. And anyway, I really was happy to get the chance to explore the city for once as well. Being with someone who knew her way around just made things that much easier. 

I was headed towards the leader's apartment; after dinner last night she'd sent me another text with the address and time to meet. It turned out that the apartment was fairly close to my own, and it was such a nice day that I'd decided to walk over instead of trying to flag down a cab.

When I finally got to the door, I tapped out a playful rhythm on it with my knuckles, ready to get this day started. Needless to say, I was a bit startled when Risa was the one to appear, at least until I remembered that she lived here too. And then I was only startled by her clothing... or lack thereof. The bassist answered the door in a pair of shorts and a bra, apparently completely unfazed to see me.

"Ah. It's you." She stated plainly, lazily bringing her free hand up to scratch at her bare stomach. "Aichan isn't ready yet, but I guess you can come inside."

Risa left the door open, turning to walk back towards what I could see was their kitchen. As her back faced me, I'd forgotten all about being embarrassed as I caught sight of the impressive tattoo that marked her skin; it was a massive tiger, crawling it's way up from her right hip to her left shoulder. Parts of it looked unfinished, but I still thought it was equally beautiful and intimidating. Seeing it also definitely confirmed Junjun's story, because I didn't know any ordinary people to go out and get something like that put on them. She must have felt me staring at her, because as I entered the kitchen after her she began to speak.

"It's real, in case you were wondering. Though I assume you know all about me now, don't you?"

She grabbed one of the chairs around the kitchen table, flipping it  so that she could sit on it backwards, arms crossing over the top of it as she faced me. She looked like someone on trial, chin resting on her forearm and eyes focused hard on the floor, and her posture rigid as if she constantly expected the worst. Though I barely knew her, I couldn't help but feel some compassion for her, in spite of what Junjun had told me.

"Well... I can't say I approve of what you've done before now but... Even so, when I heard about it I was pretty surprised, since it didn't really match up with my impression of you..." Risa raised her head to look up at me, confused, so I continued, "What I mean is, who you were then and who you are now seem to be two different people. I can't say for sure, I guess, but I'll reserve my judgment until I get to know you better. Fair enough?"

She continued to blink at me, completely surprised, and opened her mouth to say something before a voice called out to her from one of the other rooms.

"Risa? Who are you talking to?"

"It's just Tanakacchi." The bassist called back, and I raised an eyebrow at the nickname, earning a smirk in response, "She's waiting for you, so hurry up."

Takahashi poked her head into the kitchen, attempting to put on a pair of earrings. Even in a rush, the leader looked flawless, makeup perfect, dressed, well, like a rockstar. She acknowledged my presence with a smile, before turning back to Risa, who'd since gotten up to help the other woman with her earrings. It was strange watching the two of them interact; every touch and glance Risa sent the other girl was tender, but Takahashi seemed to merely be tolerating everything.

"Tanakacchi...? Where's that name coming from all of a sudden?" Takahashi asked, looking vaguely amused.

"Just a cute name for the kid, don't read too much into it."

"...hey! I'm not a kid! I bet you're not all that older yourself even!" I snapped, managing to find my voice again. The two of them simply laughed at me, furthering my irritation, but when Takahashi walked up to me with that charming grin of hers, I immediately shut my mouth.

"Ready to go, then?"

All I could do was nod, and she gently began to usher me towards the door, exchanging a goodbye with Risa before we exited the apartment.

----------

"This isn't exactly what I thought we'd be doing today..."

Takahashi- Ai, I mentally corrected myself, much like she'd been doing aloud for me all morning, looked up at me from where she sat in a hair-drying chair, her once platinum locks sandwiched between sheafs of aluminum foil. Somehow we'd ended up in a salon, and while she was having her hair dyed back to black, another woman was putting the finishing touches on my new cut. My leader grinned at me, disarming as always.

"A rockstar needs a rockstar look. Besides, I can tell by the way you keep staring at yourself in the mirror that you like it."

She had a point, I did like it. My hair was now a nice auburn color and my bangs framed my face perfectly. I also had to admit that I just enjoyed having people waiting on me, and the poor stylist had to keep asking me to sit up straight; it was hard staying awake while people were working on my hands and feet as well.

"Do you do this all the time, Taka- er, Aichan?"

"Sometimes." She turned her attention back to the magazine in her lap, and I felt my eyes threatening to slide shut again. "I tend to get called in for a majority of the interviews, so it's necessary that I look my best."

"Ah..."

I thought about that for a moment. Ai was really the only one in the group that gave off a more... elegant image. Sure she wasn't the picture of purity or anything--the way her eyes smoldered when we performed and rehearsed was anything but innocent--but who she was on stage versus who she was in person was completely different. Like night and day, carefully crafted personalities to please the fans and the media alike. Something about that thought unnerved me, but before I could think on it too hard the stylist tugged on my hair a bit to wake me back up again and I glared at her via the mirror as best I could. Ai was watching me again and I could hear her laughing softly, causing my cheeks and ears to burn.

Within the next half hour we were finished, and as we walked the streets side by side I couldn't help but really feel like a celebrity for once; people stopped dead in their tracks as we passed them, and it made me nervous. I felt an arm slide around my shoulder, and I turned my head to face Ai, who calmly returned my gaze.

"The 'deer-in-the-headlights' look isn't really working for you."

I could feel my face flushing at our proximity, and I made a bit of an incoherent noise in response, causing her to grin.

Goddamnit woman, can't you see the smiling makes it worse?! Or maybe... She can... Actually I bet she knows exactly what she's doing and that's why she keeps doing it...

"Calm down. Focus on breathing and walking. And meet everyone's eyes." As she said that she glanced at some poor guy that happened to be jogging past us, causing him to nearly trip and do a faceplant. "Either they'll look away or... Be like him."

I nodded, though I wasn't feeling all too confident in myself. Still, having something to focus on helped, and I did as Ai instructed, counting my breaths and steps one by one. I willed the expression on my face to become much more apathetic, and I soon managed to lift my head, tossing a glare in the direction of the nearest passerby, forcing the woman to quickly move well out of our way. Ai began to laugh at me again and I glanced sideways at her, eyes still burning a bit.

"What?"

"Well, I meant for you to be a bit more subtle than that, but you've got the clothes and personality of a yankii... I suppose having the swagger to match is appropriate."

Her arm slipped from my shoulder back to her side, hand brushing against mine occasionally as we continued to walk. The contact was making it hard for me to focus, but she didn't even seem to notice or care herself. Again I suspected she was doing it on purpose, but by now I was starting to relax more, and I couldn't say that I didn't like the attention from her.

"Where are you taking me now, by the way?" I asked, finally beginning to feel comfortable in her presence. 

"Don't you trust me?" She asked, smiling in a way that seemed as though she was sharing a private joke... with herself.

"No," I answered quickly, honestly, "I don't." But I found myself smiling back at her anyway. It was too hard not to.

"Smart girl. It's probably just as well since I'm taking you to an amusement park."

...Oh. Oh no.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VIII, 4/29]
Post by: risa_ai on April 30, 2012, 12:42:34 AM
xD xD AWESOME TAKAGAKI THERE! :D hehehehe... *evil smirk* xD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VIII, 4/29]
Post by: rndmnwierd on April 30, 2012, 01:32:13 AM
Oh yes! Reina at the amusement park is going to be golden!

I love the Tanagaki bonding moment there. And the little bit of insight into Takgaki was interesting. Have I mentioned that I really like your Risa? Cause I really like this Risa.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VIII, 4/29]
Post by: mochi.rini on April 30, 2012, 02:47:50 AM
Aichan at amusement park....joyous

Reina at amusement park...panic

This next chapter is going to be fabulous :D

And I totally agree with rndm....your Risa is fabulous.  Admittdly, I have an epic girl crush on her at the moment (not that I probably didn't before XD)  I hope you write more about her history...I'm curious to see who the ones who beat up JunJun's dad really is :O

Quote
It was strange watching the two of them interact; every touch and glance Risa sent the other girl was tender, but Takahashi seemed to merely be tolerating everything.

So sad...so sad...  Risa obviously cares so much about her~  but there's something....something that's blocking the epic forcefield of TakaGaki-ness~

Kame as a druggie...no wonder she's a complete weirdo XD 

As much as I need to avoid JPhip in order to do my finals....I KEEP COMING BACK~  So wonderful Quietriot....you are so wonderful <3
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VIII, 4/29]
Post by: kawaii beam on May 01, 2012, 01:44:54 AM
forever delayed with replys ;3; 1st of all i wanna say that i'm loving teh story so far and that i cant wait for so much more~! it looks really promissing! X3

2nd i'm loving the risa vs sayu rivalry as well as everyones relationships with one another. reina's really got herself into a web of stuff that i hope she can fully survive when its all done with lol i mean we know she lives sicne she's a grandma now but well yeah XD

3rd and last i'm all for criminal risa or well ex criminal? and that description about her tatoo was awesome~~~~~ :panic: 1st thing i thought when i read that part with her in a bra and shorts was this pic from her new pb
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y39/nasus543/part2/RisaButtocks10.jpg)
granted its a bikini top but still lol :inlove:

i cant wait for reina's reactions to an amusement park with ai~ keep up the great work! :deco:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VIII, 4/29]
Post by: Quietriot on May 01, 2012, 02:08:12 AM
^-claws way out of pile of research and artwork-

BLESS THAT POST!!!  :heart:  :heart:  :heart:

-returns from whence she came-
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter VIII, 4/29]
Post by: Quietriot on May 04, 2012, 05:22:46 PM
@risa_ai: I hope you're not too attached to them either XD;

@rndy: Momusu at amusement parks is generally hilarious, no matter the girl, heheh. And I'm glad you like my Risa! I've never written much of her, even though I like her well enough, and all too often I find her characterization in fics to be a bit... disappointing, I guess. Not all of them, but yeah. Rambling now. XD basically, thank you. She's one of the girls I don't understand as well, so to hear that people like her here is a relief.

@mochi.rini: No worries, Risa will get her moments. I have plans. XD  As for whatever may be blocking the Takagaki forcefield... Tis a mystery~ XD heheh funny you mention finals, as I should be studying for mine instead of writing this. Let's procrastinate together, ne? You're too kind~

@kawaii beam: I still can't get over that pic, like, I know you said other things but, uh, bless that post again! XD damn, what was I gonna say again? ...thanks for reading! Late comments are more appreciated than no comments at all, of course~ 

So I know I said I was gonna update this last night in the prologue of Quicksilver, but that obviously didn't happen. :P but I was in a clearer state of mind today anyway~ and ended up shuffling some of my plans around to make this chapter last a bit longer. Enjoy~

Chapter IX: Dance Inside

There's no way I'm getting on that thing.

Towering above me was a great length of twisted steel track, curved in loops and turns that were designed supposedly to thrill anyone brave enough to ride it. But the moment I laid eyes on it, my instincts were screaming all sorts of things like, "This will kill you," and "Twenty is an awfully young age for someone to die," so I stood completely rooted to the spot when Ai tugged on my arm in an attempt to pull me into the line.

"Reina-chan, the ride is this way, you know." Her voice was soft, likely meant to be encouraging, but I hadn't missed the gleam of mischievous excitement in her eyes when she'd first caught sight of this machine.

"I know where it is. That's why I'm here and not there." I growled in response, attempting to wrest my hand from her grasp. She held on tightly, not enough to hurt, but I definitely wasn't going anywhere fast. A grin crossed her lips.

"Are you afraid?"

I snorted, irritation spiking through me and quickly replacing my earlier panic. 

"No, of course not." She raised a slender eyebrow at me, and I tried again, hoping to control the tremor in my voice, "I just... you know, I enjoy my life and I've only just started on my own as an adult..." I trailed off, faltering and losing resolve as she only grinned wider at me.

"Don't be a baby, the Skullsplitter isn't going to kill you."

"For some reason, strangely enough, the name doesn't exactly reassure me!" I shrieked, but Ai was relentless and managed to drag me into the line with her. For the next twenty minutes my anxiety grew, increasing dramatically every time the coaster roared past us, carrying with it the terrified shrieks of the unfortunate souls that thought they'd be having fun today. 

Ah man... That's gonna be me in a minute... What do I do?

As we finally reached the front of the line, I realized that I had subconsciously moved closer and closer to Ai, and was practically leaning into her as I watched the group right before us get strapped in. I didn't notice until the coaster lurched forward with its unlucky passengers, causing me to jump and stumble back into her, one of her arms immediately grabbing my waist to steady me. This put us in really close proximity, with Ai practically hugging me to her side, and I temporarily forgot my fear, heat spreading throughout my cheeks and ears. She leaned towards me, her breath just grazing my neck and ear, forcing a shiver out of me.

"You should be more careful, hm?" She murmured, and I nodded quickly in response, once again unable to form words. Thankfully--or maybe regretfully, I was having trouble deciding--she didn't linger, removing her arm from my side as well as the next empty line of cars rolled into place in front of us.

"Shall we ride in the back then? It's the most exciting place to be, they say."

I barely heard what she said, eyes locking onto a child stumbling away from his seat, the color completely drained from his face. I let out a tiny, very not-brave squeak as Ai pulled me towards the back of the coaster, sitting me down next to her before I could protest. The restraints were then locked down over us, sealing my fate. I whined miserably as we began to move forward, while beside me, the usually reserved Ai was bouncing a bit in her seat, happily anticipating what was to come.

I might have found it incredibly cute, but we were beginning our climb, and I was focused completely on keeping my eyes shut.

"Hey, you're missing out on the view! Open your eyes~"

"No. Shut up. I hate you."

Her fingers laced themselves with mine, squeezing gently.

"Just look."

Slowly, I cracked one eye open, turning my head to the side to catch a glimpse of what she was going on about. From up here, I could almost see the entire city, and because the sun was starting to set, the buildings were outlined with a golden glow. It was beautiful, breathtaking even, so much so that I wasn't ready to scream when the cart finally dropped.

----------

"So maybe that wasn't the best idea in the world..."

After the ride, I'd immediately darted towards the nearest trash can, clutching desperately at the rim as I heaved my lunch into it. Ai had come up behind me to pull my hair out of the line of fire, using her other hand to gently rub my back. While it was definitely helping, every time my stomach twisted I remembered that this was her fault to begin with.

I finally resurfaced, eagerly snatching the napkins she'd swiped from a nearby vendor to wipe my mouth with before tossing them away in disgust.

"...yeah, sort of the point I was trying to get across to you before..." I mumbled, shooting her a weak but baleful glance. Ai only smiled at me, reaching to tuck a stray strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Still, you're perhaps the only person I've encountered who can manage to look pretty even after vomiting."

...Really? I pretended to gag again, which lured the other woman close enough to where I could sock her hard in the arm. To my surprise, Ai let out a particularly manly scream and jumped back, rubbing her arm in shock.

"Ow!! What was that for?!"

"You know... You're all mysterious and alluring until you open your mouth for too long..." I replied, smirking at her confusion. For once I felt like I had the upper hand, and I sure as hell was gonna hold onto it for as long as I possibly could. "But man, that was pretty lame... Do you actually say stuff like that to girls on a regular basis?"

She raised a hand to scratch sheepishly at the back of her neck, a move I found endearing. 

Get it together, Reina...

"Well I don't really spend time with girls like this... Or well, anyone for that matter. So I probably don't know the right things to say."

She finished with a laugh, the kind that made my heart skip a little beat.

...oh, I think you know exactly the right words to say.

Ai paused, looking around as though she'd just realized how late it was getting, the lights on the attractions around us sparking to life as dusk began to settle in. She smiled, extending a hand towards me.

"So, how about I buy us some ice cream and then I walk you home?"

...well, I couldn't very well say no to ice cream.

----------

Halfway home and easily placated by the cup of sweet deliciousness in my hands, I contentedly fell into step beside my companion, enjoying the comfortable silence between us. Ai had gone for a cone instead, which, at first I thought was stupid, given that we would be walking... but I soon realized the benefits of her choice. Particularly for me, in that I got the privilege of watching her tongue as it... Ah... oh. She had caught me watching her, but instead of stopping, she deliberately licked at her ice cream again, a glint of something dark in her eyes.

I frantically searched my mind for something to say, unwilling to get lost in the depth of her gaze for too long... And then I remembered: I did have questions to ask, after all.

"Aichan... Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Ask away."

"Well... I was wondering... About you and Niigaki-san..."

She sighed, and I saw something unreadable flicker through her eyes. A wall had come up as soon as I mentioned the bassist's name, though I had been expecting it. Now it was just a matter of whether she would tell me anything at all...

"Gaki-san and I grew up together. There really isn't much more to it than that." So she said, but there was something in her tone that didn't quite match her words. Even if she were able to completely act indifferent, the way that Risa had acted earlier would have been enough to tell me she was lying. "She and I were inseparable until... high school, I suppose. Her parents were in an accident..."

A quiet note of pain had entered her voice, though her mask remained intact, and I wondered how many people her facade actually managed to fool. I remained silent, allowing her to continue.

"She started to fall in with a pretty rough crowd. At the time, I had no idea anything was gang-related... I just knew she was in trouble. I met Eri and Sayu around that time as well, and when they talked about starting a band, I dragged Gaki-san to all of the rehearsals, hoping that maybe... Well I guess I hoped it could be a safer outlet for her. And at first it seemed like I was right, because she stopped spending time with her other friends and got really serious about what we were doing."

Ai's eyebrows knitted together in frustration, the first real change in expression I'd seen from her since she started her story.

"But... she went back to them again after a while... And I think you already know that part of the story. Wild Musume was the most popular band in this city... All of it ruined by what she pulled. ...and even after everything, she chose to protect the names of those punks."

Obviously this was a touchy subject for her, and I could definitely see why, making a mental note not to bring the topic up with Aichan again. However, there was still one thing that I didn't quite understand...

"But... If all that is true... Why let her back into the band? And why are you living with her?"

"This band means a lot to all of us... When Gaki-san got out of jail, she had nothing. No home, and certainly no money to speak of. We weren't going to be able to find anyone to replace her... And I'm not so cruel as to leave her on the streets."

I could hear all of the unspoken words. At one point, it was pretty obvious to me that Ai must have cared for Risa as more than just a friend. Even now though things were strained between them, she still cared, but for whatever reason was holding the other girl at arms length. I couldn't really blame her... but I wondered what she was playing at here with me. Perhaps it really was just as I'd told Aika that morning.

You're just a cute kid that she's looking out for. That's really all it is. Just because she makes your heart go dokidoki doesn't mean you have the same effect on her...

We were approaching my apartment complex, and I hurried to finish the last of my ice cream--I didn't want to listen to Aika whine about how I hadn't brought her any. In my rush, I managed to get a bit on my nose, but before I could reach up to wipe it off, Ai grabbed my wrist, stopping me. 

She leaned in, beginning to close the distance between us, and I completely froze, processing the situation as if it were happening in extreme slow motion. Her lips brushed the tip of my nose, feather-light, and I felt that tongue that I'd been so carefully studying earlier dart out to clean the mess I'd made.

I'm pretty sure, if it's possible, my entire body turned red.

As soon as she pulled away and I regained my senses, I almost immediately jumped backwards, dropping my ice cream, knocking over a trashcan, and very nearly falling on my ass. I scrambled to regain my balance, stammering out an apology.

"Ah- sorry- I have to, uh- go."

And then I fled in the direction of my apartment, as fast as my little legs would carry me.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter IX, 5/4]
Post by: mochi.rini on May 05, 2012, 02:17:08 AM
Skullsplitter!? what kind of person would voluntarily ride that!?  Geez...I agree with Reina...the name is scary enough Dx

Lol @ Man screaming Aichan :D  I should turn that into a ringtone...:P

Ooooh Risa :O  I was totally off lol~  I seriously thought the other members were in the gang too lol.  Actually, I thought that the three were Kame (while high), Sayu (while drunk), and Risa (still sane-ish)....random gang members...interesting :O  AICHAN IS SO LOVELY~ :D  What a pal!~  :deco:

:O  ReinAi?  Y U RUN REINA?  Everyone else would be all for it lol~

I'm glad you updated~  I've been procrastinating by stalking this forum xD  GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR FINALS~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter IX, 5/4]
Post by: risa_ai on May 06, 2012, 04:16:47 AM
Good luck, author-san! ^^
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter IX, 5/4]
Post by: gracula on May 06, 2012, 03:52:45 PM
God bless fanfic writers with assignment/work deadlines. Procrastination makes the best muse ever.

 :thumbsup Good luck with RL. Hope your muse hits you hard there too.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter IX, 5/4]
Post by: Quietriot on May 08, 2012, 05:52:31 AM
@mochi.rini: I can't ride roller coasters anymore without first being medicated. XD and LOL at Aichan man scream ringtone... It'd be hilarious if you used it for texts or something ahahahaha~ thank you for the support!

@risa_ai: Thank you~ <3

@gracula: unfortunately the muse only hits in the unnecessary parts of my life... T___T ah well, this is more fun anyway. XD thanks~

Hi, sometimes I write stuff. And then I look at that stuff and I'm like, ew no, disgusting. So then I delete the stuff that I wrote. And stare at a blank document. I ponder the benefits of being a cat with the ability to fly. I write some better stuff. Then I get a fever and a bad cough. I finish writing stuff anyway. :cathappy:

I've smushed this chapter together with an omake because both were too short in my opinion to stand alone. And also I do what I want. 8D Enjoy~

Chapter X: Ignorance // Omake II: Human

Sayumi was completely aware that someone had entered her apartment, despite the fact that whoever it was was obviously trying to sneak in unnoticed. The door had shut so quietly that she may have passed the sound off as her imagination, were it not for the telltale creak of the floorboards as the 'intruder' crept through the hallway. A light smile tugged at her lips as she realized who it had to be; only Ai and Eri had keys to her apartment, and the latter would have immediately made her presence known.

The guitarist continued what she was doing, preparing a late-night snack for herself, waiting for her surprise guest to approach. Relying on intuition, she whirled around suddenly, shoving a piece of cake into the open mouth of the would-be prankster, smirking at the other girl's stunned reaction.

Ai let out a strangled sort of noise as she struggled not to choke, but she eventually managed to swallow the surprise treat, carefully wiping a bit of the icing off of her face with her thumb.

"One of these days... I will figure out how to sneak up on you."

"You can keep trying, anyway." Sayumi replied, wagging her fork at her leader before turning back to her plate. She wasn't about to let a snack go to waste after all.

"No one to entertain tonight?" Ai questioned, moving up behind the bunny to rest her head on the younger girl's shoulder, peering hopefully at the rest of her cake. Sayumi shook her head, feeding another bite to the older woman, eliciting a pleased hum from her.

"Didn't feel like it. And besides, there wasn't anyone at the club cute enough around to bother."

"Hm... That's not like you." Ai mused, whining like a dog as Sayumi teased her with another bite, holding the fork just out of reach. Her leader looked so adorable like that, face scrunched up like a monkey, that she couldn't resist turning her head to kiss the girl's cheek before finally giving her what she wanted.

"Some days I wake up and I don't feel like playing the game." The bunny shrugged and Ai hummed again against her shoulder, obviously focused more on the cake in her mouth than anything else. "Anyway, what on earth have you been up to today? You didn't respond to any of my texts... Or any of Gaki-san's either, apparently, as she just sent me one a few minutes ago asking if you were here. Also, your hair is black again."

Ai finally moved away, a hand self-consciously reaching up to brush through her recently dyed locks.

"So it is. Does it not look good?" She questioned, deliberately ignoring the rest of what the rabbit had said. Sayumi noticed, but decided that Ai would tell her anything worth telling in her own time, and simply placed the now empty plate and fork into the sink before turning to face her leader.

"I prefer it this color, actually," the guitarist replied, reaching out to play with a few strands, "Though I wish you'd stop cutting it so short."

"Too much hassle when it's long." Ai quipped, and Sayumi fondly rolled her eyes.

That's just like you to say.

"I was out with Reina-chan today." The leader announced suddenly, catching the guitarist off-guard. Well, she wasn't exactly surprised, but rather, irritated, both at the mention of the singer's name and by the fact that Ai had spent time with her. Alone.

"Oh," Came the lame response, and Sayumi let her hand fall, gritting her teeth as she stalked into her living room. Why was she even angry? She flopped onto her couch, burying her face into one of the throw pillows there. Ai didn't seem to notice the sudden change in atmosphere, or if she did, she didn't comment on it, instead following after the younger girl and perching gracefully on the armrest opposite the one Sayumi's head was near.

"She's a sweet girl beneath that exterior. I see now what you meant by innocent, she's mostly bark and no bite."

The bunny grunted in response. She wasn't really all that sure this was something she wanted to talk about. Reina could go jump off a cliff for all she cared... unless she wanted to jump into bed, but that was another matter entirely, one that Sayumi hadn't figured out the plan for yet. Even then, though she would concede the kitten was attractive, her main motivation was the pleasure she'd get out of bringing the other girl down a notch.

"She even ran away from me when I kissed her on the nose... It was cute, but... She's got a lot to learn. One can't really sing about love and loss if they've never loved and lost."

"What are you planning, then?" Sayumi asked, having sat back up to face her leader. Hearing Ai sound so detached about the situation made her feel a lot less threatened by Reina, but it also sounded as though the woman intended to keep spending time with the girl.

"Well, someone has to teach her how to be a rockstar."

"Someone should teach her how to be a woman..." The rabbit mumbled, having buried her face back into the cushion.

"I'll leave that to you, then."

"Eh?"

Immediately the bunny shot back up, very nearly launching herself off the couch in her shock. Was Ai really implying... what she thought she was implying?

"Half of what makes us popular is our image, after all. She's new, and for now, that makes her interesting, but when that wears off people may start to comment that she's fake or that she doesn't fit in." The leader shrugged nonchalantly, "I plan on doing whatever I can to draw out that part of her she seems to have reserved for the stage. Otherwise, we may as well just kick her out now."

Sayumi considered this, and found that she had to agree to some extent. If Reina had what it took, she was going to have to prove it, which meant breaking her some way or another. And either they'd have to do it purposely, or the girl would bend under all the pressure that was yet to come; after all, the first major wave of interviews started... tomorrow.

"Just confirming... but you're giving me permission to sleep with her? That's what I'm hearing?"

Ai glanced back at Sayumi lazily.

"Since when have you asked my permission for that sort of thing? If anyone's gonna manage to do it, it'll be you."

It was the truth, but the rabbit found herself liking the idea less and less. Still, she could stomach the thought of being with Reina herself much more than the thought of Reina being with Ai. It was just a game, nothing more. And the kitten was playing now, whether she liked it or not.

"I'll see what I can do." Sayumi murmured before rising from the couch. She didn't want to think about this anymore, let alone talk about it. Ai was here now, that was what she wanted to focus on. Slowly, she moved towards her leader, trailing her fingers up the woman's thigh when she got close.

"Anyway, seeing as I haven't anyone to entertain tonight, it would seem as though there's a vacancy in my bed."

Ai grinned.

//////////

Subtle glances from across the room, eyes meet, a blush, then hurriedly the gaze is broken. Here, they run in different circles, and being seen together would be social suicide.

And yet...

Another stolen glance finishes the unspoken conversation.

...I'm walking you home today, right?

You'd better be!

Smiles, slight, all but hidden, and then-

"Takahashi-san, what are you staring at?"

"Ugh, those weird juniors again.. Are they bothering you? Niigaki seems obsessed..."

"Not really sure how she ended up friends such a rich kid like Kamei... But she's sort of a freak too, isn't she?"

Laughter erupts at the table, and the elder of the two ducks her head low, wishing she could disappear, smile melting away. She dares to look over again, but the other is pretending to speak with her turtle friend.

The younger's cheeks are burning. Anger, embarrassment- perhaps she heard...

She definitely did. The elder pleads mentally for the other to look at her again. It's a sidelong gaze out of the corner of her eye, but that's enough to say what she needs to.

I'm sorry... Risa...

I get it. Anyway, after school then.

----------

Arms linking, comfortable, they're side by side and even in the heat, the closeness is just fine.

"I really am sorry... About the things they said today... I just never know what to do in those situations."

"Aichan, I said it was okay. I don't really care what other people think about me."

A lie. Brave, but a lie. Still, she's happy now.

"Still..."

"Let's just enjoy today, ne? I bet mama's cooking something wonderful for dinner, that's all I really want to think about now~"

Every moment together, she enjoyed. Always.

----------

Sirens. Yellow tape. Screaming. Risa. Where is Risa?

"Don't let go of her. She really doesn't need to see this."

She's holding Risa. Somehow. Though the girl's shrieking and sobbing and fighting tooth and nail to get out of her grasp, she won't let go.

Finally the struggle ceases as reality sets in. The body slumps back against her, too weak now to do anything but whimper.

"I've got you."

Gentle. Tender.

She cries.

----------

"I know you've been hanging out more with Ishikawa and Fujimoto lately..."

The voice, meant to be concerned and calm, comes out in tremors, accusatory.

"And? They're just friends, Aichan."

"Friends don't let friends start disgusting habits like this-"

The cigarette is stolen and disappears out the window, still smoldering. A deep frown sets in on the younger's face.

"-nor do they force things like this-"

Fingers trace her back through fabric, brushing over still tender, freshly-marked skin.

"-onto each other. I'm not stupid, Risa... This is dangerous, what you're getting into here."

Gazes lock.

I get why you're angry...

No. You don't. You can't.

I would if you'd let me...

I can take care of myself.

----------

"Listen... So I sort of let it slip that you can sing and play piano really well to Eri... She's starting a band and she asked me to ask you if you would be interested."

A pause.

"Only if you join too."

----------

She really hates rehearsals.

The new kid, Michishige, gets under her skin, and Eri is really, really awful at the drums.

But she gets to watch Ai sing and listen to her play.

And somehow, because of this she's starting to heal, so she tolerates the parts she hates until one day she realizes she doesn't really hate it anymore at all.

She loves rehearsals.

----------

Their first gig isn't all that memorable.

Or it wouldn't have been, except somewhere in that rush of post-performance excitement she walks right up to Risa and kisses her so hard she thinks the other girl might faint.

But she doesn't. She kisses back.

And later after passion and sweat and they're tangled up together in her bed, she glances down at the girl she adores and all the words she's ever wanted to hear are right there in plain sight.

I love you.

I love you too.

----------

Pain. Shock. It's like the world around her is crumbling into pieces.

She reaches out for the elder, a pane of bulletproof glass stops her fingers. Ai isn't picking up the receiver, and she won't look up either.

The glass rattles as Risa pounds on it.

Anger, hurt flashes in Ai's eyes and she looks up, finally ripping the receiver from its cradle and pressing it to her face.

"Why? Can you even answer me that?"

"...I, they just asked and I didn't..."

"Didn't what? Think it would be an issue? Did you think that you wouldn't get caught and I'd just never have to know? You... You didn't think about any of us, did you? ...about me, either..."

"Aichan... Please."

"Please what? What do you want me to do? You're the one that has the power to get out of here and you're the one who's choosing to put some scum above that, above your friends and above your... girlfriend..."

They're both crying now, but Ai is burning, her tears streaming but expression staying cold, while Risa shakes like she did before, only this time the older can't and won't comfort her.

"You don't understand..."

"You're right. I don't."

Click.

----------

Two AM. The phone call crackles with static and is punctuated by the sound of sirens and the bunny's tears.

"Takahashi-san... Can you- Oh god, Eri- Please, can you come over here?"

The scene is familiar to her, though it's Sayumi in her arms this time, and Eri's being carried off on a stretcher and not in a body bag.

"How long... Do you know how long she's been doing this?"

"Since we stopped rehearsing. That was her biggest outlet..."

Kamei...

----------

The interviewer is ugly and all she can really focus on is his greasy mustache, wishing she were anywhere but there. The studio lights burn but the questions he's asking are far more uncomfortable.

"...so what does Wild Musume intend to do now without a bassist?"

"We're on hiatus for now."

"Until the delinquent Niigaki-san gets out of jail? How do you think your fans will respond to having a criminal in the group?"

"I didn't say-"

"I mean, we all get that the image is raw and edgy, but isn't pulling stunts like this for publicity's sake a little cheap?"

She feels lightheaded and torn between leaving the interview and punching the man right in his big fat nose.

She settles for leaving.

----------

During one of her nights at Sayumi's place--which were becoming far more frequent--the younger girl had a surprise for her.

"I didn't know you... Um... danced..."

"Gotta make money somehow. But I like the attention too. As well as all the added benefits."

...Oh.

----------

"Aichan..."

"Look, I'm not gonna offer again. You can stay with me. There's an extra bedroom. I'm not using it. But if you stay here, you're following all of my rules from now on or you can sleep on the streets. Do you understand?"

"...Thank you."

She grunts, nodding her head before floating off into her own room, leaving Risa to settle in at her own pace.

And in the darkness, Ai sinks to her knees and weeps softly, for Risa, for herself.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter X, 5/8]
Post by: kawaii beam on May 08, 2012, 06:37:48 AM
oh my gah so much emotion in this crafty ai-chan is crafty! and that omake D: all my feels ;3; you can really tell when the innocence they had just broke apart ;3; too many feels~~~~

plus i totally have those kind of thoughts LOL i need some modivation too and this will help me
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter X, 5/8]
Post by: risa_ai on May 08, 2012, 04:04:32 PM
~>GET WELL SOON! <~ don't need to rush. ^^
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter X, 5/8]
Post by: rndmnwierd on May 10, 2012, 06:24:47 AM
Oh, so Takagaki was really that serious before Risa went away, huh?

You know, Gaki made a pretty stupid decision, joining the gang to do the Bad Thing, as I like to call it, but I would think that the consequences of snitching would be a bit more lasting than a 2 year stint in the pen. Even if she put away the real punks and got herself out, every other gang member would know who was responsible and make her pay. And if they couldn't get to her directly, wouldn't they go after the ones she's close to?

No matter her reasoning for staying silent, I still kinda think that Ai's the "bad guy" in their relationship. She did cheat afterall, right? Or were they officially broken up while Risa was away? Either way, Gaki's reaction to Sayu being with Ai was pretty broken-hearted.

On another note, I had a really vivid dream about this story. I dreamt that during a break in rehearsals, Risa was strumming along on her bass while Reina watched her curiously and the others were out of the room. Gaki eventually noticed Reina's gaze and invited her over to take a whack at the instrument, teaching her a few chords. They bond a bit, Risa ruffles the kittens hair, then Ai and Sayu come back in to see the scene and Ai is instantly and obviously jealous.

Then I woke up. XD I think it's my subconscious's way of telling me that I want more Tanagaki scenes :lol:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter X, 5/8]
Post by: Quietriot on May 11, 2012, 03:34:48 AM
@KB: -helps you gather up your feels- XD too much sadness? Well, maybe this chapter will make up for it somewhat in hilarity. Glad to have helped, as well?

@risa_ai: thank you~ I am feeling much better. :3

@rndy: -shifty eyes- are you reading my notes? Stop it! XD no but really it's like you know what I'm thinking... Creepy... (or maybe my ships are just starting to show XD ) As for Ai being the "bad guy" here, I will specify that at least, in her mind, things were officially over between her and Risa when the younger girl went to jail. Even if she still had some feelings. Even if she still has them now. More omakes to come, I promise~

Still feeling a bit under the weather, but my muse seems to be coming back to me, so hopefully I'll get around to writing more often. This chapter feels a bit filler-ish to me, but I still like it all the same. (And besides, I guess in slice-of-life type stories there is no real filler, is there? :cathappy: ) Enjoy~

Chapter XI: The Only Exception

Two trays settled down in front of her suddenly, jolting the young artist out of her thoughts. She recognized the girls as Natsuyaki Miyabi and Suzuki Airi, Momoko's bandmates, and bristled slightly, wondering if perhaps they'd come to seek revenge for their pint-sized friend with Koharu being absent today. All apprehension dissolved, however, when both girls sat down and simply began eating their lunches.

"We decided to sit with you," Airi started after a moment of awkward silence, noticing that Aika was staring, "Because Koharu-chan is sick today, we figured you'd be alone. And that's no good!"

When she finished she had a cheery smile on her face, and realizing that it was genuine, Aika smiled back. She wasn't one to turn down new friends after all, especially considering the reception she'd gotten after her first day. Most of the other students now thought of her as some sort of crazed delinquent after her outburst.

"Thanks... You guys aren't, uh, mad about what happened with Tsugunaga-san?"

Miyabi looked up from her food, tossing her boyish hair to the side and narrowing her eyes a bit.

"Was she asking for it?"

"Yes." Aika replied without thinking, and when her brain caught up with her mouth she kicked herself inwardly. But much to her surprise and relief, the other girl didn't seem offended at all, actually looking as though she completely expected that answer.

"Then she got what she deserved. Trust me, it's not the first time her mouth has gotten her into something, and I doubt it'll be the last." Miyabi shrugged and focused her attention back on her food, "I'm sort of glad you hit her, she needs reminders every once in a while..."

Airi choked on her drink a bit at that, though Aika couldn't tell if it was out of amusement or shock. She was starting to like these girls already.

And then it occurred to her that several people were staring in the direction of her table, expressions ranging from mild disbelief and curiosity to full on spiteful glares. She'd nearly forgotten that she was in the presence of two of the most popular girls in school. Was she supposed to be intimidated? Respectful? That definitely seemed to be the way that everyone else treated them, but the thought disgusted Aika. The Tanaka women bent to no one. They were just normal girls to her, anyway, and she resolved to treat them as such.

She couldn't help but be a bit curious, however.

"So... Buono!, is it? I've heard you guys are sort of a big deal."

"We're a really big deal." Miyabi responded almost instantly, about to say more when she received a swat to the arm and a reproachful look from her bandmate.

"You're just as bad as Momo sometimes, you know?"

"What? It's true! I'm not dissing anyone else by saying that, I'm just stating the facts. Look- er, actually, what is your name again?"

The short-haired female was getting flustered now, embarrassed that she'd forgotten the introductions earlier. Not that Aika really cared; she already knew who the other two were, after all. But she had to admit, it was sort of amusing to watch the girl who had such a cool image struggle to maintain composure.

"You can both call me Aika."

"Fine. Aika-chan, what you don't know is that Buono! has been steadily climbing the charts lately, and our music is selling more and more every day. All of our gigs sell out within the first week, and I can't even walk to the store without being swarmed by cameras. So yes," She took another bite out of her food with some degree of finality, and Aika tried very hard not to laugh, "I'd say we're a pretty big deal."

Airi rolled her eyes.

"You're pretty ridiculous. It's not all about being popular and famous, you know..."

"I'm not saying it is," Miyabi replied, eyes sparking with a hint of annoyance, "But you can't tell me that anything I've said isn't true... Sometimes I think you actually hate being popular."

"I do hate being popular." Airi stated firmly, "You and Momochi might enjoy having crowds of people fawning over your every move but I just want to sing."

The short-haired female snorted, a sharp smirk lining her lips as she leaned forward towards Aika and lowered her voice.

"She's just mad because the one person who's never noticed her still doesn't even now... Ow!!!"

Miyabi had earned another slap to the arm for that comment, and Airi left them in a whirlwind of movement, dumping her entire tray into a nearby trashcan before stalking angrily away. Aika blinked awkwardly, watching the remaining singer grumble to herself as she rubbed her shoulder.

"She seemed... pretty upset... Should we follow her?"

"Nah... I'll go apologize later. She needs to cool off first. Things will be better when she stops lying to herself though..." Miyabi trailed off, still mumbling slightly.

I wonder if being in a band just makes people super dramatic... Maybe this is the sort of thing Rei's been dealing with that's made her so stressed... Man... Seems like too much trouble to me...

"It's the captain of the track team."

Miyabi's sudden statement broke Aika from her musing and she looked up at the other girl, confused.

"...Excuse me?"

"Yajima Maimi. Captain of the track team. Have you met her?"

The artist paused, rifling through her brain for whatever she associated with that name. It certainly was familiar, and she seemed to recall passing by the girl in question with Koharu the other day, but she didn't find much special about her other than her friend obviously considered her to be a rival. Which, to Aika, was amusing.

"I know who you're talking about but I've never actually spoken to her... Do you mean that Suzuki-chan has a thing for her?"

"I think that's pretty plain to anyone who has eyes," Miyabi replied drily, "Just watch Airin anytime Yajima's in the same room. It's actually sort of hilarious, her eyes start glazing over and she even drools a bit sometimes, heh..."

The singer was snickering like it was some really stupid joke, but Aika couldn't help but smile slightly at the thought. She was not-so-secretly a romantic, and thought crushes and people in love were cute. The only person she teased about that sort of thing was Reina, and only then because her reactions were too perfect.

"What about you, Natsuyaki-chan?"

"Eh?"

"Do you like anyone?"

Miyabi's face slowly began to heat up and her eyes shifted, focusing intently anywhere but Aika's curious gaze.

"That's... um, of course not. I'm too busy and besides, the fans don't really like us to be attached."

Liar. But Aika wasn't one to push, especially not a person she'd only just met. It wasn't as though it really concerned her much anyway.

She caught a flash of something white, and glanced down to see that Miyabi had slid two tickets towards her before beginning to gather her things together.

"I almost forgot, Koharu suggested that I give these to you since she won't be able to make it to our next concert. See you around, then."

And with that, the cool girl was gone, and Aika was left sitting alone, feeling a bit dazed. She carefully examined the tickets, shaking her head slightly before deciding to pocket them.

Looks like you're not the only one who can make interesting friends, huh Rei?

She lazily moved to throw away her trash, when the bell sounded for class, flooding her with shock and dismay.

Oh no... Late again...

----------

To say that I was humiliated was a bit of an understatement. There were very few instances in my life that came close to denting my pride this much, and the fact that Junjun was enjoying every moment of it made the experience that much worse.

For whatever reason, the Chinese girl had decided on a whim that Fridays were going to be cosplay days from now on. Which meant that Linlin and I had been forced into some ridiculous and somewhat revealing costumes. Jun had dressed up as well, sporting a set of panda ears for the occasion, but her outfit at least came with pants.

I on the other hand, was stuck in a very short skirt, a sleeveless top that exposed way too much of my stomach, knee high stockings, and matching cat paw gloves and boots. Of course, I was also stuck with fluffy ears and a tail to complete the ensemble, and Jun threatened to fire me if I didn't end every sentence to a customer with a cute little "nyan~". Linlin was given similar treatment, though she was supposed to be some kind of dog instead, and she actually seemed to like what was going on. It caused me to seriously wonder about the state of her mental health; how could one person be so goddamned cheerful?!

Surely this was some sort of revenge for the pranks I'd played on Jun as a child. I knew those were gonna come back to bite me someday...

"I've decided how I'm going to kill you," I started as I entered the kitchen for my final break of the day, eyes narrowing in on Junjun who was leaning against a table with a banana in hand. "I've read about this thing where the Greeks or someone had built an iron bull, and they stuck people inside of it, locking them in. Then they started a fire beneath it so that the people were slow-cooked to death. That's what I'm going to do to you. And I'll record the sounds of your agonized screams so can play them back to myself at night and sleep with a smile on my face."

She paused for a moment, struggling to translate what I'd told her in her head. When she finally got it, however, she laughed hard, very nearly dropping her precious banana.

"You're so twisted sometimes. But really, it's hard to take you seriously like that~ you're just too damn cute, Reina~ Oh, and you forgot to say 'nyan'."

I scowled fiercely at her, slowly lifting both of my paws.

"Nyan~" Injecting as much sarcasm into the sound as I could, I pawed at the air, before quickly turning both of them over to flash her a rude hand gesture involving my middle fingers. Said gesture only made Jun let out a loud guffaw, and she slapped her knees as she tried to regain her composure. Unamused, I turned on my heel to exit the kitchen, deciding that I'd much rather deal with the wandering eyes of customers than her teasing.

"Oi, Linko," I called to my coworker as I walked up to the register, "You go ahead and break first this time, Jun's being a pain in the ass."

"Hai~" She smiled cheerfully at me as she bounced past me, and I had to bite down on my tongue to keep from screaming.

Too happy... She's too happy. Man... Well, it's only an hour left now, no big deal... Almost done.

Thankfully as well, there didn't seem to be many more customers coming in, despite the fact that mine and Lin's outfits had definitely drawn in more that day than usual. I sighed, leaning against the counter as I was offered my first moment of quiet, which meant time to dwell on what had happened the day before.

I hadn't really dealt with it yet. I mean, I'd even been in the middle of thinking about what was going on between her and Risa when she up and kissed me so suddenly. Sure, it wasn't exactly on the lips or something but... How was I supposed to take that? Had yesterday actually been a date?

I mean... I do like her... She's beautiful and she's cool and she's talented... Who wouldn't like her? But...

It seemed like there was something there under the surface about Ai that I still didn't know, something powerful or dangerous and it was the part of her that made my throat go dry and made me lose all power of speech.

Of course, talking to Aika about it had done me no good. My kid sister had scolded me for being such a baby and told me that from her point of view, there was chemistry and to go for it if another opportunity came up. Though I wasn't sure that would happen either; after all, who wanted to date a weirdo who ran away from being kissed?

"Oh my god."

I jerked my head up suddenly, a sinking feeling coiling in the pit of my stomach as I realized just who was standing in front of me now at the register.

Shit.

Risa and Eri were there, the former with an expression on her face that was equal parts shock, mischief, glee, and something else, and the latter taking quick snapshots of me with her camera phone. Instinctively, I lunged for the turtle over the counter, but she had seen my intent and had already slipped her phone back into her pocket with a devilish grin.

"Oh, no way, Reina-chan~ I'm keeping those forever. You look soooo cute! And kinda sexy, too~"

"Oh my god."

"Eri. You have five seconds to delete those pictures before I choke you with one of my ribbons."

"Hey, that doesn't sound like something a cute kitten would say..."

"Oh my god."

"I think you broke Gaki-san..."

Suddenly, the bassist broke out into a fit of shrieking laughter, falling to the ground and clutching at her stomach as her body convulsed with hysteria. And that was it for me, the final straw. I'd been ogled and teased and miserable all day up until that point, and while her laughter embarrassed me, I felt something inside snap. I was pissed. Beyond pissed. And my humiliation quickly morphed into white-hot fury.

I grabbed the nearest weapon, a wooden spoon, and launched myself over the counter, descending upon Risa with all the rage a tiny cat-girl could muster.

"Ow!!! Holy- Shit! Stop it! What the hell?! Eri, get her off of me!!!"

Risa had only enough time to shield her face as I assaulted her with the spoon, but I went for her hands anyway, knowing it probably hurt just as badly. She was too busy defending herself to do much else, and instead of helping, Eri simply hovered around us, taking more pictures with her phone.

"I dunno, Gaki-san, she looks like she knows how to use that thing, I'm not getting involved."

"Oh for goodness sakes- Ow!!! Tanakacchi, stop!"

I probably would have relented soon enough, given that I was already tired from working all day, and by then I think she got the point. But Risa had found an opening in my attack, managing to quickly grab both of my arms, pinning them above my head and me flat on my back. I immediately froze, reminded of just how skimpy my outfit was and instantly aware of every single place that her body brushed against my bare skin.

She seemed to quickly realize the same thing, paralyzed as well. We stayed like that until I heard the excited murmurs of the customers around us and Eri's phone made another clicking sound. That was enough to snap me out of it, and I gritted my teeth hard, hissing out my next few words.

"Let go of me."

"Right, um, sorry."

Risa rolled off of me and to her feet as if she'd touched fire, and I quickly stood as well, straightening out my costume as I tried to regain whatever shreds of dignity I had left. There weren't many.

What was that... just now?

"Oh man, you guys... That was amazing~ I'm going to make this picture my new wallpaper. Priceless..." Eri murmured cheerfully, watching both of us in case either tried to make a move for her phone again. I decided it wasn't worth it, and was too distracted anyway now by the sudden awkwardness between myself and Risa to care.

"Why are you two even here...?" I questioned tiredly, padding back to my spot behind the counter, "You know I don't get off work for another hour..."

Risa remained silent, pointedly avoiding my gaze, but that didn't seem to matter much as Eri was eager enough to talk. Fine, I was more comfortable speaking to the turtle anyway.

"Well, we decided since we usually pick you up here anyway that we might as well buy something to eat for once." She stated with a grin, eyes wandering absently over the menu board on the wall behind me. "Oh, and also I brought a surprise for you."

I choked down a groan.

"I don't know... That I can handle any more surprises today."

"Oh, trust me, you'll like it." Eri replied, waving her hand in dismissal. Still, knowing the rich girl, I had a feeling it was probably a pretty big deal... "Anyway, I want cake! What about you, Gaki-san?"

"Just coffee, I guess," The bassist grunted, still refusing to look at me. I sighed, deciding to ignore it as I began to ring up the order on the register.

Jun poked her head out of the kitchen then, clicking at me to get my attention.

"Reina..." She mimed my hand motions from before, sans flipping the bird, giving me a stern look before she disappeared back behind the door.

I resisted the urge to slam my head into the counter.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XI, 5/11]
Post by: kawaii beam on May 11, 2012, 04:14:04 AM
omg kitty reina asulting poor risa with a spoon is hilarious XD totally made me feel better! XD :rofl: and i wonder what kind of gift eri has for reina?

so we also have yajisuzu going on? hmm~~~ and waht about miya? could it be capitan? or chisa? idk h!p kids relationships so well ^^;  cant wait for the next chapter and get well soon k? :3 :deco:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XI, 5/11]
Post by: rndmnwierd on May 11, 2012, 05:45:25 AM
Aika's making more friends, yay! And with the rest of Buono! no less... That is going to be quite interesting, huh...

Omg, skimpy kitty dressed Reina.... Assaulting Gaki with a spoon?! That is so lol worthy! :lol: :lol: Oo, but what is this? A little physical appreciation going on there? And after Reina was so innocently thinking about her attraction to Ai, too.

So... What part of your notes do I have down, huh? XD

As for Takagaki, did Risa know Ai thought they were over? ...Did Ai even visit her in jail? I can imagine Eri going, but if Ai was really that mad... Even if she's not cruel enough to leave Risa on the streets, would she have given the girl that pleasure? Answered in Omake form?

Feel better!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XI, 5/11]
Post by: risa_ai on May 12, 2012, 03:35:18 AM
I reread the previous chapter thrice. I didn't get what it was about at first, then I realised it was takagaki's history. T.T so they used to be lovers, then risa being put to jail ended it all. :O OHGAWD. The sad history. *cries*
Then the newest update~! Hilarious Reina with a wooden spoon. xD THERE'S A SURPRISE TO REINA~! ^^
Oh, i've been wanting to ask, what's omake? ... Hehe...
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XI, 5/11]
Post by: mochi.rini on May 13, 2012, 02:30:32 AM
my oh my~  Our little kitten is just get friendly with everyone isn't she?  XD  I wonder who's next :lol:   Nyan~

Present for Eri?  Is it a car too!?  I'll gladly take it if Reina doesn't want it!

I'm glad Aika is making friends with 2/3 of Buono :D  Though I don't think there will be this good of a friendship with Momo, not that I'd blame Mittsi.  Girl needs to be kicked a few more times :P

I can't wait for the next chapter~  I hope you did well on your finals ^_^  And I hope you get to feeling better~  :deco:

P.S.  The TakaGaki + co. historical omake...it was so sad~  Man...they're all screwed up, except for Aichan!  Though I do agree that if Risa had snitched, she would've gotten is some serious trouble, or maybe Aichan would've been in some serious trouble as a consequence :O  I wonder why Risa turned herself in though...there's more history to be discovered I hope :D 
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XI, 5/11]
Post by: Quietriot on May 30, 2012, 07:42:55 AM
@KB: Glad to have made you feel better. :3 And I wonder what kind of surprise indeed... Read on to find out~

As for Miya, both options you suggested are pretty canon so I'd say you know the kids well enough. ^^ of course, the answer will come later, as always. Thanks for the well wishes~

@rndy: youuu crack me up XD but I sincerely appreciate all your analysis both here and on the podcast. I love watching people speculate... And torturing them... By making them wait... So really you're just adding fuel to the fire~

As for Takagaki, the only question I'll answer is the first: no, Risa most certainly did not know they were over. Sort of a case of Ai making that decision in her head, expecting it to be obvious to Risa, all the while Risa is thinking, "Well, she never said we were done, so I still have a chance." I shall reveal more soon~

@risa_ai: so sorry if it was confusing! I meant to add a note in to kind of explain that it was a stream of consciousness sort of thing but I totally forgot. XD and omake, to the best of my knowledge, means extra. In this case, it's everything that's still canon but outside of Reina's little running narrative so I can shed light on some things she didn't personally experience.

@mochi.rini: indeed she is, though none of it's completely voluntary on her part... yet. XD virtual cookie for you for guessing the surprise~ And we certainly haven't seen the last of Buono, so perhaps more Momo-kicking to come in the future... Maybe Aika can kick her into friendship XD I won't address your P.S. there as its pretty much questions to be answered soon but thanks for the well wishes~ I haven't the slightest idea how I did on my finals but they're over now and that's all that matters heheh

Hey guys! Sorry bout the extended absence, I have been incredibly busy these past few weeks. I just returned to the states last Wednesday, went to a wedding Friday, went to the doctor today (for a bone thing, no worries, I'm totally fine!) and all of this while trying to adjust to a new home and city. x___x But! I think I'm settled enough to get back on track with this, hopefully. Been trying to take inventory of what needs to happen to get where I want it to go, and I've changed my mind about a few things... So, the next chapter! Enjoy~

Chapter XII - Not Coming Home

After ditching the terrible cat costume for a much more appropriate outfit, I followed Eri and Risa out to the latter's car, where my surprise was supposedly waiting. I half-expected the rich girl to dump the keys to a new sports car in my hands, and so was fairly stunned when she deposited a warm, fluffy animal into my arms instead.

"This... is a puppy."

"Yep. His name is Charles." Eri replied, voice muffled as she was digging around in her car for something. Risa was leaning against the side of it, attempting to light a cigarette, her usual fuck-the-world attitude apparently restored. Charles was desperately trying to lick my face.

"Eri... I can't keep a puppy. Even if I liked dogs, our apartment complex doesn't allow pets." The puppy doubled his efforts, squirming in my arms so that I had to cling tighter just to make sure I didn't drop him. Cute as... Chuck was, I wasn't a big fan of his breath or slobber.

Eri backed out of the car to look at me, smiling and shaking her head.

"Oh, he isn't for you, he's my new pet, I just needed you to hold him while I looked for these."

The drummer held up a set of keys, and I nearly lost my grip on the dog in shock, even though I'd been expecting such a gift. Eri moved forward to swap the puppy for the keys and I held them in my hands for a moment, unsure of what to say. I realized then that the car Risa was leaning on wasn't one I'd seen either of them drive before; it was sleek, bright red, obviously brand new, and obviously worth more than I would ever make in my life.

"I... can't accept this either..." I started, rolling the keys between my fingers as if I couldn't believe they were real. Tempting as it was, I couldn't take something so expensive for nothing.

"Why not, I've given one to all the other members. It's not like I need it, and my father doesn't care." Eri replied reassuringly, paying more attention to the puppy in her arms than to me. Risa on the other hand was watching me carefully, in stark contrast to how she'd been purposely avoiding my gaze only minutes earlier. She seemed to be amused by something again, and I glared at her as I could only figure that something had to be me.

"Maybe Tanakacchi has more expensive tastes than this," the bassist suggested through a puff of smoke. I glared harder, but Eri didn't seem to register the sarcasm in our bandmate's voice.

"Eh? Really? I mean if that's the case, there are other cars you can choose from..."

"It's not that," I insisted, trying to keep annoyance out of my tone. I must not have succeeded, because the smirk on Risa's face only grew wider. It was obvious that saying the gift was too much wouldn't convince Eri to take it back, so I let out a sigh and tried something else. "I don't know how to drive."

"Oh, well, if that's all..." The drummer shot Risa a look, the kind that was mischievous and plotting something and made me immediately regret saying anything. "How long do we have before the interview, Gaki-san?"

"Oh... a little over an hour," Risa responded while stomping her cigarette out, "Plenty of time to teach a princess how to drive."

She was really pushing her luck for someone I just beat up with a spoon. In fact, I was half tempted to punch her in the face, but I settled for gritting my teeth, silently resolving not to let her keep getting under my skin.

"I was actually hoping to head home first to see my sister for a bit, so, thanks, but no thanks." I replied, brushing past Eri to hop into the passenger seat.

The other two shared another look, the grins never leaving their faces. Risa gripped the doorframe and leaned in, and I felt the urge to slap her rising again.

"That's alright, the kid can just tag along."

----------

Why I allowed it, I don't know. I think it had something to do with the way Aika's face lit up when she saw us that made me feel guilty for having not spent as much time with her lately. And as much as my instinct told me to keep her separate from this new world I'd recently stepped into--especially considering I didn't fully understand it yet myself--I knew she was excited to meet the other band members and see what it was like. So I reluctantly agreed to let her come along, provided Eri watched her when I couldn't, and that she stayed out of trouble.

That's how I found myself alone in the car with Risa. We drove out to a mostly empty parking lot on the edge of town, and as soon as we arrived both Eri and my sister bailed with the puppy to go sit on the sidewalk. Something about not wanting to die with me behind the wheel.

Though I should have probably been relieved that Risa was my teacher here--because, after all, I knew her as a careful driver and I'd never seen Eri once get behind the wheel herself--she wasn't exactly making me feel confident or encouraged.

"Easy there, jeez..." She hissed beside me as I slammed the brakes a bit too hard, jerking both of us forward, "And here I was thinking the problem would be getting you to go, not getting you to stop..."

"Well, you're not really helping," I snapped back, frustrated, "I've literally never done this before, and it would help if you got off my back a little bit. I didn't even want to do this in the first place."

A charged silence fell between us, and I set my jaw, glaring ahead because I didn't feel like looking at her anymore. She let out a loud, drawn-out sigh beside me, and I could hear a muffled thump as she forcefully leaned back in her seat.

"Fine. Just- let's sit here for a minute while I think of some better way to do this..." She muttered quietly. I rolled my eyes.

As if continuing like this is something I actually want to do... Idiot.

My eyes settled on Aika and Eri in the distance, and I watched the two talk for a moment. It seemed like they were easily becoming friends, though in my mind both were the type of person that could befriend anyone, so I wasn't all too surprised. Eri appeared to be completely at ease for once, something I'd picked up on back at the cafe but it seemed more prominent here. Perhaps I was just seeing things, but it was nice to spot a more genuine smile on her face.

Risa made a weird half-grunt, half-chuckling noise, drawing me out of my thoughts and causing me to shoot her a glance. She was watching the same thing I was, but I doubted her mind was in the same place.

"What?"

"They kinda make a cute couple. A weird one, of course, but still cute."

I blinked, my expression quickly souring.

"Does your mouth get you into trouble a lot? Because honestly..." I let my sentence trail off with a growl, feeling my fists instinctively grip the steering wheel tighter. "Besides, nobody goes near my baby sister. I'd kill them. Even if it was Eri. But that'd be ridiculous."

"Alright tiger, calm down, it was just a thought is all," Risa responded, completely unapologetic, "Note to self... Little Tanakacchi is off-limits."

I really did take a swing at her then, which the bassist dodged with a laugh by quickly exiting the vehicle. I struggled with my seatbelt in an attempt to pursue her, but before I could free myself she appeared at my door, opening it.

"Come on, get out, I came up with an idea. Though I bet you won't like it."

This time I regarded her curiously, stopping my assault only because I wanted to see what she would do. I did as I was told and watched as Risa slid into the driver's seat, adjusting it to where it was much too far back. I nearly made a comment that my feet wouldn't reach the pedals that way, but then I realized what she intended. The bassist sat with her legs apart, leaning back and motioning for me to sit in her lap.

"No. Hell no."

"Told you you wouldn't like it. But I think it might work. Besides, I just want to get this over with faster, I don't really fancy the idea of being so close to you but you're not really getting it with me just telling you what to do."

No, you're the one who doesn't get it... There's no way in hell I'm putting myself in that kind of position.

I crossed my arms and glared at her, eliciting a shrug from the other girl.

"Hey, it really is not my problem if you can't drive. Eri's the one who'll be hurt if you don't use the gift she's given you, not me."

Ouch. Low blow. She was playing the guilt card and it was working. I really didn't want to see the disappointment on the drummer's face if I rejected her present. With a sigh, I climbed back into the car, settling gingerly into the seat. Risa's legs were on either side of mine and I was completely aware of her behind me, trying my hardest not to touch her any more than was necessary.

She reached to pull the door shut and then leaned forward, pressing her front to my back and guiding my hands once more to the steering wheel.

"Okay, first off, you need to relax."

"I'm not really a fan of being touched," I muttered, trying not to squirm.

"Yeah, uh, shockingly I managed to figure that one out. But if it calms you down any, the only pleasure I'm getting out of this is the fact it irritates you."

She chuckled, and I felt the noise rumble against my back, not unpleasantly. Strangely, I found my tension easing a bit, and I concentrated on the task at hand, allowing her to lead me. Much to my surprise, her weird method was working; I understood better how to handle the wheel with her arms next to mine to demonstrate correctly, and every time I was tempted to slam on the breaks she kicked me a bit with her foot. Okay, so that part was annoying, but I couldn't deny its effectiveness.

After a few minutes she had relinquished control to me and I was taking us in a successful, albeit slow and careful lap around the parking lot. When I finished, I brought the car to a stop and let out a satisfied cheer, momentarily forgetting myself and leaning back against her.

"I did it~"

"Yes, you managed to drive us in a circle around a parking lot, you're now ready to take on the world." She replied, though I could tell she was satisfied through her tone.

"Hey, it's the little things in life, okay."

"Fine, fine. I maintain that you had an excellent teacher, though."

"True, I did," I conceded, "Thank you for helping me."

"...You're welcome." The response was quiet, as though she hadn't expected thanks. I smiled, feeling comfortable after my tiny victory, so much that I didn't particularly mind the closeness or the fact that her arms had some point come to circle loosely around my waist.

But it was then that my mind began to wander a bit... thinking about how she smelled... Like cigarette smoke--which I didn't care for--and of flowers, which surprised me, but I certainly wasn't opposed... And then how she felt...

I sat forward suddenly with a jolt, cutting off my thoughts and startling her.

"Eh? What is it?"

"Oh- it's nothing, just wondering how much time we had before the interview."

I lied, but my senses had returned to me and I was definitely no longer okay with the situation. It was confusing and, quite frankly I had plenty of things already on my mind to be confused about.

I didn't give her a chance to answer before hopping out of the car and moving around to the passenger seat, earning a bewildered look for my actions, one that I ignored while I tried to steel myself enough to put up a wall.

"Uh... Well, if you're done being weird, we have like, twenty minutes until the interview... So I guess we should probably head over there now..." she stated slowly, still looking at me as though I was a freak. I heard a faint buzz and watched as Risa dug in her pocket to retrieve her phone, flipping it open to check her messages.

My awkwardness disappeared as I watched the look on her face morph into irritation. Whatever she was reading pissed her off, and she hammered out a furious response with her thumbs before slapping the phone shut.

"...What is it?"

"Well, forget the interview, Aichan just told me she's handling this one alone again. So yeah, guess we have the afternoon off."

Somehow I sensed that was only part of the story, as I was personally relieved to not have to go through the stress just yet. Before I had been hesitant to push Risa for her thoughts; now curiosity fueled my actions.

"Did she say why?"

"She doesn't think we're ready yet."

"We? I mean, I can understand me, but everyone else has done this before, right?"

Her lip curled slightly in a sneer, preceding a short huff of disgust.

"Yeah, but don't forget, we also only recently got back together. So its been a while since anyone but her has talked. Aichan says she's trying to protect me from the press... But I think she actually just doesn't want me screwing up our image any more." As I processed this, she turned to look at me, and I saw something hesitant in her eyes, "And then there's you..."

She trailed off, though, as if she thought better of what she might say and decided against it. I studied her carefully for a moment, making up my mind.

I rolled down my window and stuck my head out to shout at Eri and Aika.

"Hey, the interview isn't happening! We'll be right back, okay?"

Despite a strange look from Aika, I got two shouts of "okay!" in response, and I ducked back into the car, turning to Risa. The bassist was watching me wearing a similar expression as my sister.

"What was that about?"

"Drive. Anywhere. And on the way, you're going to tell me what really happened with you and Takahashi-san and with you and Junjun."
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XII, 5/30]
Post by: rndmnwierd on May 30, 2012, 07:56:28 AM
Ahhh~!  :w00t: :w00t: Will edit later!

EDIT: Well, it seems as though I'm not the only one who's excited for this update, if all the caps in here is any indication. XD

I'm intending to make this a long reply...

Quote
@rndy: youuu crack me up XD but I sincerely appreciate all your analysis both here and on the podcast. I love watching people speculate... And torturing them... By making them wait... So really you're just adding fuel to the fire~

As for Takagaki, the only question I'll answer is the first: no, Risa most certainly did not know they were over. Sort of a case of Ai making that decision in her head, expecting it to be obvious to Risa, all the while Risa is thinking, "Well, she never said we were done, so I still have a chance." I shall reveal more soon~

Yeah, I try XD I love this story and I love to speculate... I know I'm probably wrong about Risa's parents, but I hold to my "Snitches get stitches" thing.

You answering one of my Takagaki questions just makes the whole thing a little bit more sad. I imagine Risa sitting in jail, thoughts on Ai, not even suspecting that her now ex is now her ex and hopping into bed with another woman.

....Then I imagine her clocking someone in the mess hall with a tray and starting a riot, but that's just me with my badass fantasies again.

Onto the story!

First, Eri's surprise.

I don't know why I didn't think she was about to get a car... Maybe it was because I was also thinking, "Naw, Reina can't drive." Forgetting that people are capable of learning these things... Then again, I got a bit confused when I scrolled down and the first thing I lay eyes on is:

Quote
"This... is a puppy."

I was like lolwhut?

THEN Eri gave her keys and I lol'd.

I really love Risa here, have I mentioned that?
Quote
Risa on the other hand was watching me carefully, in stark contrast to how she'd been purposely avoiding my gaze only minutes earlier. She seemed to be amused by something again, and I glared at her as I could only figure that something had to be me.

"Maybe Tanakacchi has more expensive tastes than this," the bassist suggested through a puff of smoke.
  :wub: So cool~!

And I'm really loving the Tanagaki interaction, too.
Quote
"Oh... a little over an hour," Risa responded while stomping her cigarette out, "Plenty of time to teach a princess how to drive."

She was really pushing her luck for someone I just beat up with a spoon. In fact, I was half tempted to punch her in the face, but I settled for gritting my teeth, silently resolving not to let her keep getting under my skin.
:lol: :lol:

And the whole driving scene, omg lols. Their bickering is so cute.

Then,
Quote
"They kinda make a cute couple. A weird one, of course, but still cute."
Foreshadowing? :?

Quote
then I realized what she intended. The bassist sat with her legs apart, leaning back and motioning for me to sit in her lap.
  XD Risa guilting her into it, too!

Quote
Much to my surprise, her weird method was working; I understood better how to handle the wheel with her arms next to mine to demonstrate correctly, and every time I was tempted to slam on the breaks she kicked me a bit with her foot. Okay, so that part was annoying, but I couldn't deny its effectiveness.
And it's working~! :lol:

Quote
"True, I did," I conceded, "Thank you for helping me."

"...You're welcome." The response was quiet, as though she hadn't expected thanks. I smiled, feeling comfortable after my tiny victory, so much that I didn't particularly mind the closeness or the fact that her arms had some point come to circle loosely around my waist.
Aww, bonding~

Quote
But it was then that my mind began to wander a bit... thinking about how she smelled... Like cigarette smoke--which I didn't care for--and of flowers, which surprised me, but I certainly wasn't opposed... And then how she felt...
...More than bonding? :w00t:

Quote
"Well, forget the interview, Aichan just told me she's handling this one alone again. So yeah, guess we have the afternoon off."
Hmm, more friction between the Takagaki pair, I guess. It raises my curiosity, too.

Quote
I rolled down my window and stuck my head out to shout at Eri and Aika.

"Hey, the interview isn't happening! We'll be right back, okay?"
Lol, Reina really trusts Eri to watch her sister? That's cute.

Quote
"Drive. Anywhere. And on the way, you're going to tell me what really happened with you and Takahashi-san and with you and Junjun."
Oooo, she wants answers!

I guess it's a good sign that she's getting more comfortable with the members, being so assertive with Risa and trusting Eri with Aika. Ai-chan is still on that brink, though and I certainly wouldn't trust her, knowing what I know. Even more, Reina hasn't even interacted one on one with Sayu yet and that is a terrifying prospect, considering Ai has planted the suggestion that the bunny should bed the kitty. I think this may be the first story in a while where I'm totally not ok with Tanashige... But actually see Tanagaki brewing!

Even though I know you've got a lot going on life, unlike me stuffs, I can't help but be impatient waiting for the next chapter to come out. Especially since you've left it on such a cliffhanger-y note there. I promise I won't spam your thread unless you're gone for a month, though XD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XII, 5/30]
Post by: mochi.rini on May 30, 2012, 08:17:32 AM
It's 1 AM here...and I was about to go to bed...AND THEN YOU DECIDED TO UPDATE!~ :D  Yeah...I can just take a nap tomorrow~ :3  This > Sleep <3

Haha, I don't know if Risa's purposely trying to be all touchy touchy with Reina, or if she's just....stupidly smart? :3  Yeah, stupidly smart lol.  If this is how bad drivers learn to drive...I'll take a snarky + lovable Risa to teach me in the same method~ ^_^

so curious about the next chapter~  I can't wait to discover the TRUE HISTORY! -bumbumBU~UUUUUUUM!-

take it easy okay? :)  And now, I fade back into obscurity ^_^
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XII, 5/30]
Post by: risa_ai on May 30, 2012, 12:18:00 PM
HECK. HANDS UP TO RISA'S FUCK-THE-WORLD ATTITUDE. Shitz, I SO LOVE THAT GIRL. Ain't she just... OHGAWDCRY.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XII, 5/30]
Post by: kjpop on May 30, 2012, 01:21:24 PM
OH MY GOD I HAVE YET TO READ THIS BUT I HEAR FROM AMAZING SOURCES THIS IS AWESOME.


SO BRB WHILE I SPILL MORNING COFFEE ALL OVER MYSELF <3 I shall be back to cry and fangirl T_T
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XII, 5/30]
Post by: kawaii beam on May 30, 2012, 05:52:26 PM
omg stuff's getting serious, cute puppies with eri and aika, tanagaki bonding with cars, and now reina wants risa to spill the beans?! *shot*

more more more~~~! :panic:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XII, 5/30]
Post by: mochi.rini on May 30, 2012, 10:01:17 PM
since I had freetime/procrastinating study time, I decided to go photoshop crazy (> 3 <) I was re-reading your fic again...so forgive my weak photoshop skills :3  I couldn't help it though~  I made three different versions.  The first one was okay...but it wasn't "massive" enough  :twothumbs

First attempt (http://i45.tinypic.com/11jmziv.png) via clicky since it sucked hardcore XD
Third try (http://i48.tinypic.com/2afxvzl.png) was slightly darker...XD

But I liked the second try the best :D
(http://i45.tinypic.com/2mxl4ev.png)
-fades away again-

P.S. Here's the original image (http://hamdoggz.deviantart.com/art/Tiger-288918273?q=boost%3Apopular%20tiger%20tattoo%20design&qo=82) of the tiger.  I couldn't find a good enough colored tiger~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XII, 5/30]
Post by: Quietriot on May 31, 2012, 01:42:28 AM
Ohhhhhh myyyyyy goodnesssss. That's asdfhjkadbka- freakin amazing! Holy shit, that's like, exactly how it is in my mind!  :bow:
Excuse me while I spaz out a bit. And also I might love you now, just sayin.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XII, 5/30]
Post by: Quietriot on May 31, 2012, 07:40:41 AM
@rndy: wow, long reply~ so happy~ it deserves a long(ish) response XD

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I hold to my "Snitches get stitches" thing.

Law of the streets, bro~

Quote
You answering one of my Takagaki questions just makes the whole thing a little bit more sad. I imagine Risa sitting in jail, thoughts on Ai, not even suspecting that her now ex is now her ex and hopping into bed with another woman.

You're giving me ideas for MEGA-sad omakes...

Quote
Lol, Reina really trusts Eri to watch her sister? That's cute.

I'm surprised people aren't more worried about this XD

Quote
Even more, Reina hasn't even interacted one on one with Sayu yet and that is a terrifying prospect

Indeed it is, and unfortunately for Reina, it's an event that will occur rather soon...

Quote
I think this may be the first story in a while where I'm totally not ok with Tanashige... But actually see Tanagaki brewing!

Heheheh Rokun just told me he really hopes Tanagaki doesn't happen and that Tanashige would be hot. Good thing I've set the final pairings from the beginning~ Though I have to admit I'm fond of both for different reasons~

Heheh, I don't actually mind the pestering at all, I think it's what helped motivate me to finish up the last chapter. Feel free to give me a good kick if I go that long without updating... Though hopefully that won't happen!

@mochi.rini: heheh~ I'm a pretty nocturnal creature and now that I'm back in the states, anyone around a similar timezone can expect nighttime updates <3 I have to say I'm not sorry for keeping you up~ XD

Quote
If this is how bad drivers learn to drive...I'll take a snarky + lovable Risa to teach me in the same method~ ^_^

...hm... Too bad I already know how to drive... T___T

Thanks for your constant positivity and encouragement in your comments! Means a lot to me. :3 and once more, the photoshop thing with the tattoo... So amazing!

@risa_ai: She's very much Risa and we all love her <3

@kjpop: :0 new reader get?! Haha what sources? I'm sure they're all lying~ anyway, I hope you enjoy, I'd love to hear what you think when you catch up~ <3 (ahaha, morning coffee)

@KB: I see... what you did there... beans... XD no worries, I come to deliver more!

Whoa two updates so fast?! Is it possible? Yes indeed XD I began furiously working on this omake right after the last update and voila, already finished. Within lie a lot of the answers you've been waiting for! (no of course not all of them, pfft, you should know better by now) Also a warning for anyone who cares that this gets a tiny bit violent, though I don't think it's that bad. Enjoy~

Omake III: Little Lion Man

"Look, it's just one last job, okay? And you don't even have to get your hands dirty, just babysit the new kids until they've taken care of business and you're outta there."

"I'm telling you no, Mikitty." Risa replied firmly, watching the gang's second-in-command settle down on an overturned trashcan. Miki had summoned her after the afternoon rehearsal, and the bassist came out of curiosity; it really had been quite some time since the gang bothered her at all. They weren't really the type to care about deserters, just as long as said individuals kept their mouths shut and didn't cause trouble. At least, she thought that was the case...

The older woman puffed out a sigh, slipping a hand inside her jacket to search for what Risa assumed was a box of cigarettes. She was right, and Miki offered one of the white sticks to her, which the bean accepted and lit before leaning forward to do the same for her gang mate. Calmed by the smoke, Miki gave her a level look.

"Listen... I like you, Gaki-san. You've had some tough stuff happen to you, but for the most part you're still one of those kids that really doesn't belong out here on the streets," Risa attempted to protest that she wasn't a kid, but Miki held up a hand so she could continue.

"So, because I like you, I'm gonna shoot straight with you here. Things aren't how they used to be. The gang's getting bigger and Rika's more ruthless. If she finds out you won't help, and I assure you she will whether I tell her or not, she'll come after you."

"Why? She's never done that before, why now?" Risa pressed, not as certain about her decision to stay out of it as before.

"Control. You're the most experienced member under me, so her rep as a leader would be more than a little dented if she just let you do whatever the hell you want."

Miki stomped out her cigarette, rising lazily from her perch on the trashcan.

"If nothing else persuades you, then realize that Rika also has the option of hurting you in other ways... Ways that don't even involve you. She knows who your friends are..." She paused a moment, then with more emphasis: "...who your friends are."

Risa felt her whole body run cold at the implication. Not Ai. Not her Aichan. She would die first. She clenched her hands into fists, unaware that she was even doing so until her nails dug painfully into skin.

The older woman offered her an apologetic look.

"You don't really have a choice, I'm afraid. But I'm glad you understand that. I would not enjoy hurting you or that girl of yours. I'll send the recruits your way."

Miki sauntered away, leaving the bean alone in the alleyway with a smoldering cigarette and her thoughts. She couldn't be angry with the woman, knowing how it was that Rika pulled her strings; without the leverage, Risa was sure Miki would have likely killed the gang leader a long time ago. But she couldn't help the overwhelming sense of dread settling over her at what was to come later tonight.

...Like Mikitty said, it's just babysitting... If we're careful, nothing will go wrong... Right?

And then there was Ai. Risa knew if her girlfriend found out about her plans, she'd be beyond pissed. But putting her in danger was absolutely out of the question.

I'd much rather risk her being angry with me for a while...

She grunted, kicking over the trashcan Miki had been sitting on out of frustration before exiting the alley, heading nowhere in particular.

----------

The new recruits were very green. In fact, Risa doubted that either had been on the streets long at all, if ever before. Miki hadn't told her much about them, though.

The tall one, Yajima Maimi, was still in school and apparently Rika planned on using her to recruit younger members from the inside. She looked intimidating enough, but when she spoke, Risa got the impression that she had a mild disposition and was likely a bit of an airhead.

The other, a nervous girl named Mano Erina, was a recent drop-out and almost immediately the bean realized she was a junkie. Where Maimi looked to be at least somewhat useful, Erina seemed like a liability, but it wasn't really Risa's place to question Rika's choices.

And in an hour or so it would no longer be her problem anyway.

The trio had met up after midnight in the same place as before, and were now heading towards their target; the cafe where Risa had once worked a part-time job. She felt somewhat guilty for choosing this location, considering the owner and his daughter had always been kind to her, but it was an easy hit as she knew all the tricks to getting inside the building.

She would not risk failure here, not with bigger things at stake.

"Hey, boss... It looks like the lights are still on?"

Risa looked up from where they were camped out, a frown etching it's way onto her lips. It was much too late for the cafe to still be open, and she felt her suspicion growing. Still, it remained the easiest option for the new kids, and she decided to investigate before sending them in.

A rustling noise beside her briefly caught her attention, and in the darkness she could see that Maimi was rubbing gingerly at her back.

"Ah... New ink?" Risa questioned softly, remembering how it felt and feeling sympathetic. The younger female nodded, offering her a bright grin nonetheless.

"It's a bear. Or it will be. What's yours?"

"A tiger." The bean replied, slowly rising to her feet, "You two stay put until I call for you. ...or if there's trouble."

The subordinates grunted in response and Risa moved, quickly, catlike across the street until she was able to take cover around the side of the building. She made a beeline for the cafe's back door, completely slowing to a halt when she realized it had been tampered with.

Someone had taken the time to break the thing off its hinges; with what, she didn't know, but the door hung loosely on the now bent scraps of metal, completely open. Confused, she cautiously poked her head inside, picking up sounds of a loud argument going on in the main room. Perhaps, out of some lingering concern for the family that had helped her out with a job in the past, she continued forward to see what was going on.

Making sure she was out of sight, Risa peered into the cafe's main room, spotting two large thugs ransacking anything they could get their hands on, while a third, a woman, stood over a motionless figure. She recognized the victim as the owner of the cafe; he was bloody and battered and very unconscious, but she thought--hoped--he was still alive.

Risa knew who the others were too; she registered the thugs as belonging to Matsuura's gang, as well as the woman, who she knew only as "Nacchi". Boiling anger coiled up within her, but she willed herself to stay put.

Steady, Risa... You gave up the idea of revenge, remember?

"This guy had a nice place... Kind of him to leave so much money in the register." She heard one of the grunts saying as he flipped over a table.

"Too bad the daughter wasn't here... Can't always get what you want, I suppose."

The men snickered darkly at that, and Nacchi regarded them with a disinterested look, wiping her knife off on her pants.

"I think he's been thoroughly educated about not setting up another shop on our end of town. Which means it's time to leave. Take what you can carry."

"I can't let you do that." The words left her mouth before she could really think about what she was doing, and Risa stepped forward, brandishing her switchblade with a snap. It was a bold but stupid, stupid move. One of the men leered at her.

"Well, well, if it ain't Ishikawa's little brat. How's mom and pops, kid?"

Risa trembled with fury, still managing to hold her ground. Before she could respond, the other man spoke up as well.

"Doesn't look so little anymore to me... Maybe we'll have some fun tonight after all."

"Don't count on it." Maimi and Erina appeared at Risa's sides, the former wielding a knife of her own, while the latter gripped a smiley loosely in her hands. The taller girl acknowledged Risa with a nod. "You were taking too long."

"I'm glad you're impatient, then." The bean responded, confidence restored with the recruits at her back. The men, however, seemed unphased, and Nacchi remained emotionless.

"If you'd rather fight, that's fine with me, baby."

The thugs looked to the woman for approval, and she waved her hand tiredly, moving away to let them do all the dirty work for her. One of them produced a knife from his pocket; the other got creative and snapped the leg off the nearest table, wielding it like a club.

Club guy charged at Erina, who shrieked and attempted to dodge blows while trading a few of her own with the smiley. Maimi went to her aid, leaving the guy with the knife to Risa. She supposed it was an even enough match; despite his obvious height advantage, she could tell instantly that she was faster.

She fought him the way Miki had taught her to fight anyone stronger; when the thug dove for her with his blade, she dodged and then struck quickly at anything within reach like a cobra. She wouldn't hit anything vital that way, but after a good ten minutes, she was still unharmed while her attacker was bleeding profusely from shallow gashes that peppered his forearms and legs. Risa noticed he was getting sloppier due to pain and frustration, and was waiting for the right moment to strike, when a shot suddenly rang out in the room.

Against all she had been taught, she turned to look, watching as the other thug collapsed to the ground. Maimi was frozen where she stood, the gun in her hands still smoking, blood dripping down her face from a cut above her eye. Erina was on the ground, shaken, but otherwise okay.

Before Risa could really process the scene, sharp, white-hot pain ripped through her side and she staggered, strangled hurt escaping her lips as she looked down at the knife that was buried in her hip. The remaining thug sneered at her, still gripping the handle as though about to twist it.

"Ready to scream?"

Something more powerful than pain surged through her as she met his gaze then; the rage from before returned, and she clutched her own knife so hard her knuckles turned white. She managed a smirk that was mostly grimace.

"Are you?"

Like lightning, her blade struck his face, tearing through his eyes and the bridge of his nose like butter, causing the thug to backpedal and howl in agony. Of course, the effort hurt her like hell, but there was something satisfying about watching the man roll around on the floor like a pitiful animal. She expected and feared that Nacchi would now intervene, but the sounds of approaching sirens caught everyone's attention.

The rival female quickly darted to her blinded gangmate, pushing him to his feet and barking at him to grab his fallen brother so they could quickly make their exit. They managed to disappear, and as the sirens got louder, Risa sank to her knees, the corners of her vision beginning to fade as unconsciousness threatened to take over.

The recruits seemed petrified, and unsure of what to do, and with what remained of her energy, the bassist shouted at them.

"Go! Run! Get the hell out of here!"

Maimi hesitated, taking a step forward as though to help the fallen girl. But Risa wasn't having any of it. She knew very well they'd get pegged for the robbery and assault of the store owner, and she wasn't about to let a couple of kids go to jail if she could help it.

"I'm serious! Out, now! Leave me, I'm dead weight and I can handle the consequences."

The other girls lingered a moment longer, then both fled the scene as they were told. Risa let out a shuddering sigh, pulling the knife from her side before completely passing out.

I'm sorry, Aichan.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake III, 5/31]
Post by: rndmnwierd on May 31, 2012, 08:51:15 AM
Holy crap! Omake so soon!? :w00t:

Quote
You're giving me ideas for MEGA-sad omakes...

And why shouldn't I be? It's a pretty sad situation there... And it makes for good drama. Now I'm wondering if Ai even visited Risa much at all...

Quote
I'm surprised people aren't more worried about this

Worried? That the flighty junkie will corrupt Aika? I kinda thought the kid would have a stronger will than that...

Quote
Heheheh Rokun just told me he really hopes Tanagaki doesn't happen and that Tanashige would be hot. Good thing I've set the final pairings from the beginning~ Though I have to admit I'm fond of both for different reasons~
Ah~ Now I really wanna know what the final pairings will be~ XD Either way, I'm sure it will be well worth the wait and drama!

Quote
"Look, it's just one last job, okay? And you don't even have to get your hands dirty, just babysit the new kids until they've taken care of business and you're outta there."

"I'm telling you no, Mikitty." Risa replied firmly,
:w00t: Risa omake!

Quote
Risa felt her whole body run cold at the implication. Not Ai. Not her Aichan. She would die first.
I knew it! No way she would ruin something so good for stupid reasons.

Btw, I really like the Fujigaki relationship here.

Quote
The tall one, Yajima Maimi, was still in school and apparently Rika planned on using her to recruit younger members from the inside.
Waaait a minute... Maimi? Hasn't she been mentioned somewhere before...? As Airi's crush?

Quote
The other, a nervous girl named Mano Erina, was a recent drop-out and almost immediately the bean realized she was a junkie.
Dang, poor Mano. XD

Quote
the cafe where Risa had once worked a part-time job. She felt somewhat guilty for choosing this location, considering the owner and his daughter had always been kind to her, but it was an easy hit as she knew all the tricks to getting inside the building.
Ah, makes sense now...

Quote
Risa knew who the others were too; she registered the thugs as belonging to Matsuura's gang, as well as the woman, who she knew only as "Nacchi". Boiling anger coiled up within her, but she willed herself to stay put.

Steady, Risa... You gave up the idea of revenge, remember?

Wait, are they...?

Quote
"Well, well, if it ain't Ishikawa's little brat. How's mom and pops, kid?"

Risa trembled with fury, still managing to hold her ground.

*narrows eyes* Is this...? Did they...? Accident...?

Quote
*fight scene*

Does it make me weird if I say Risa being so vicious in her attack makes me swoon a bit? I think I just have a terrible Badass!Risa complex. Badass, and yet compassionate, too. Taking the fall for those kids instead of trying to drag them down... But why not try to take Matsuura's gang down instead?

Ah~ So much explained in that little omake. I can rest easy tonight XD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake III, 5/31]
Post by: risa_ai on May 31, 2012, 01:06:04 PM
I DO NOT ACCEPT THIS, OKAY. Risa did so much just for ai, yet ai never knew?! YOU SAY WHAT?! NONONONO, I TELL YOU, YOU COME BACK WITH A FAST UPDATE, AND SOME TAKAGAKI RABURABU! Or else a Risa_ai will come with a fuck-the-world attitude. xD Ohohohoho. But okay, seriously, I need a fast upate. I need Takagaki. Or I might die.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake III, 5/31]
Post by: kjpop on May 31, 2012, 02:21:11 PM
Y U UPDATING SO FAST AND FIURIOUSLY~!?!??!?! *cries*
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake III, 5/31]
Post by: kawaii beam on May 31, 2012, 04:54:07 PM
gah best thing to wake up in the morning and see that there's an update! so much things make some more sense now!

i seriously just want to hug risa, it seems like whenever she trys to do some type of good, the wrong like comes and shoves her into a bad situation.>< i also feel bad abput mano XD in one fic she's a zombie, and now this one she's a junkie XD girl gets no love lol

the conection to jun makes more sense as well, and could it be that ayaya's gang were the ppl who did something to risa's parents? or that they know and want to rub salt in the wound?

the end brings me back to what i said before about risa, does good but ends up with crap >3> like her sacrifice for mano and maimi, it was a good choice but now she's bleeding and heading to jail ;3; 

i'd love to see a risa in jail omake too, maybe a more detailed omake about how everyone bared with finding out, and then dealing with the time risa was in jail? idk if im even making sense @~@ anywho i cant wait for the next one!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake III, 5/31]
Post by: mochi.rini on May 31, 2012, 06:32:20 PM
I knew going to bed early was a bad idea (>3<)  WH~HHHHHY Dx  And then I wake up late and only see stuff that says "Risa omake" and I get all sad Dx  Those people in my physics class were probably thinking "wtf?  Why is that little Asian girl twitching and spinning around in her seat?"  And now, I'm happily at home, re-reading about 20x more for the full effect :3

Quote
"If nothing else persuades you, then realize that Rika also has the option of hurting you in other ways... Ways that don't even involve you. She knows who your friends are..." She paused a moment, then with more emphasis: "...who your friends are."
I was right!  Everyone was right!  That little....Rika no longer makes me HA~AAAAPPY anymore >.<  I hope...you get arrested...?

I wonder if Maimi is still in the gang?  She seems like too much of a good girl to still be in a gang...but then again, she might be in the same situation as Risa, who at least had herself an Aichan to radiate some positive influence. 

Lol @ Mano junkie :3  She always has glazed eyes if you ever see her profile pics :D

Nacchi is evil?  I knew it!  Behind that sweet babyface of hers is an evil diabolical mind just waiting to steal everyone's lines money!  Poor Papa JJ...he got pwned.  It seemed like he could easily defend himself against three girls...but now that there was some guys and an evil Nacchi involved?  ♫ I can see clearly now the rain is gone~ ♫

And now we know the truth, but there are still many questions.  Rndy's "Snitches get stitches" concept applies to Mano and Maimi still, but why didn't Risa at least report that it was the Matsuura gang?  And that she was trying to help Papa JJ (kind of "help" XD)  Wrong place, wrong time- that's for sure!

Man, I just wanna hug Risa now (; 3 ;)  PAPA JJ- Y U NO HAVE SECURITY CAMERAS? Dx

Okay...I'm good.  :D  Please update soon.  You make many people happy. 

Glad you liked the edit :D  I was scared I might get a "Rini, you suck GTFO!" in response ^_^;

P.S.  Risa jail omake= :twothumbs


Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake III, 5/31]
Post by: Quietriot on June 01, 2012, 03:42:49 PM
Y U UPDATING SO FAST AND FIURIOUSLY~!?!??!?! *cries*

Just popping in real quick to say I'm currently working on a buffer of chapters so I can update at a more regular and leisurely pace, so I wouldn't expect another chapter for a couple of weeks. So y'all can relax~ :cathappy:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake III, 5/31]
Post by: Quietriot on June 06, 2012, 08:06:20 AM
@rndy:
Quote
Worried? That the flighty junkie will corrupt Aika? I kinda thought the kid would have a stronger will than that...

She is still only just a kid, though. But we shall see what happens~

Quote
Ah~ Now I really wanna know what the final pairings will be~  Either way, I'm sure it will be well worth the wait and drama!

I'm sorta interested in what people  think will happen. Maybe I'll put up a poll~

Quote
Waaait a minute... Maimi? Hasn't she been mentioned somewhere before...? As Airi's crush?

Indeed~

Quote
Does it make me weird if I say Risa being so vicious in her attack makes me swoon a bit? I think I just have a terrible Badass!Risa complex. Badass, and yet compassionate, too. Taking the fall for those kids instead of trying to drag them down... But why not try to take Matsuura's gang down instead?

Haha only if I'm weird for feeling the same way. She's got a badass shell but is super soft on the inside. :heart: As for not going after Matsuura's gang, it's sort of still a matter of not squealing to protect the ones she loves. Though there's more to come on that, I assure you. XD

@risa_ai: *shifty eyes* but... its not a Takagaki fic... Is it?

@kjpop: I have... Lots of free time right now. XD

@KB:
Quote
i seriously just want to hug risa, it seems like whenever she trys to do some type of good, the wrong like comes and shoves her into a bad situation.>< i also feel bad abput mano  in one fic she's a zombie, and now this one she's a junkie girl gets no love lol

Gaki has become a bit of a tragic character in H!P fanfics. XD it's too easy to make bad things happen to her. (This despite the fact she's one of my favorites, haha) And actually I love Mano too! I intend for her to get lots of love in Quicksilver whenever I get around to working on it again. haha

Quote
could it be that ayaya's gang were the ppl who did something to risa's parents? or that they know and want to rub salt in the wound?

...who knows? *shifty eyes*

@Rini:
Quote
Why is that little Asian girl twitching and spinning around in her seat?

LOL thank you for this image XD

Quote
I wonder if Maimi is still in the gang?  She seems like too much of a good girl to still be in a gang...but then again, she might be in the same situation as Risa, who at least had herself an Aichan to radiate some positive influence.

Good question. And if she is, what does it mean for Airi and by extension (sorta) Aika? ...Well, I mean, I know after all. XD 

So remember when I said I wouldn't update for a while? I lied. But it's not a "chapter" so technically I didn't lie? I do what I want. XD besides I feel angsty and y'all all asked for this and I felt it fit better here than later. So here's the short omake I didn't actually intend to write. And in Risa 1st-person POV as well! Enjoy~

Omake IV: Butterflies and Hurricanes

Every muscle throbbed and ached from overuse, and a spike of pain shot up my side, a reminder of the knife wound that hadn't had enough time yet to heal properly. Yet even as blood bubbled from a fresh cut on my lip, I kept grinning like a maniac, because I had figured out my opponent's weaknesses and now all I had to do was wait for the right moment.

She was much bigger than I, a huge, brutish creature that couldn't have had much of a fair start in life; but whatever pity I might have felt was far outweighed by my desire to hit something.

The spectators around us were shouting taunts and insults at me, making bets with money and phone cards and anything they managed to scrape together in this little hellhole. Some of them were about to lose everything that way.

I noticed while being used as a human punching bag that my opponent walked with a limp; it was so slight that I hadn't realized it when I was dragged into the lunchroom, but I was sure the girl was favoring her right leg. She lurched towards me, fists curled and aimed at my face.

She wasn't about to land a single hit.

Quickly I ducked and rolled under her swinging arm, placing myself dangerously close. But before the big bully could react, I twisted and slammed my foot against her right shin, causing her to buckle and tumble backwards. Riding on my momentum, and wanting to ensure that the girl wouldn't get up again for a while, I stomped down hard on the same leg, hearing a sickening, satisfying crack.

The girl roared with pain, writhing on the floor as the crowd around us broke out into a frenzy. Some of them began scuffling themselves, but I focused my eyes on the bully's pals, standing behind her with varying degrees of shock on their face. There was a great deal of fear there as well, and I realized I'd sent a message to them loud and clear.

"Leave me alone," I growled, just loud enough to be heard above the chaos, "Otherwise I'll break more than legs next time."

The leader of the group nodded slowly at me, and I spat crimson onto the ground before turning and walking away.

Four months in jail and already I'd been in more fights during that time than I'd been in my entire life.  As fresh meat, I walked around the compound with a target on my back, and the various gangs had been taking turns everyday trying to beat the living shit out of me. Fortunately, most of them were inexperienced with real street fighting. They were druggies and thugs and I was much faster and much smarter.

Still, I was definitely beginning to feel the effects of this daily struggle, and as I reached my cell I stumbled inside, sinking down onto my bed with no small amount of exhaustion.

I felt terrible. Fresh bruises overlapped ones that were fading away, and when I pulled off my shirt I noticed that the bandage around my waist was darkening.

Probably pulled out one of the stitches... Again...

It wasn't going to heal right this way, but I had little choice. It wouldn't be my first scar, anyway.

I groaned and laid back on the bed, staring up at the dull grey ceiling, taking note for the second time today of where the paint was peeling off. One year and eight months more of this.

Without Ai.

I hadn't seen her since my sentencing, and the time before that things had ended... poorly. How was I supposed to make her understand? Would she even believe me?

...Would you even listen to me now?

Tears stung the corners of my eyes as I remembered the look on her face as she confronted me. I knew I had broken her trust, and taking the hit for my gangmates seemed like betrayal.

I just wanted to protect you.

The sound of approaching footsteps brought me out of my mind and I looked up as one of the guards stood at my doorway.

"Niigaki Risa. You have a visitor."

----------

It wasn't who I wanted it to be, but still I couldn't help but smile when I saw Eri on the other side of that glass waiting for me. She grinned at me, but as I sat down I realized that something was off about her. Her eyes reminded me of Erina's, and instantly I knew what was wrong with my friend.

Guilt settled thick in my throat as I reached for the phone.

"Hey, Kame."

"Hi, Gaki-san, it's been a while."

I watched her fingers tremble as they curled around the receiver, both hands clutching it to keep it steady. I had done this. I had taken away the one thing that was helping her cope with her shitty life and now...

I'm so sorry, Eri.

I pulled myself together, trying to sound strong and reassuring for her sake.

"Yeah, it has. How are you?"

"Nevermind me, the real question is how are you?" She surveyed me quietly, as though she just noticed my condition, "You look like... Did someone beat you up?"

"Trust me, I came out on the winning end." I replied with a chuckle, rubbing sheepishly at one of the bruises on my arm.

We talked for a while, about various random things, and I kept my eye on the clock, not wanting our time to run out before I had the chance to bring up the topic of my girlfriend.

"I miss Aichan."

The words hung heavy in the air between us, interjected into a sudden lull in the conversation. Eri shifted uncomfortably in her seat, and for the first time during the visit seemed unable to meet my eyes. That was when the cold spike of worry traveled down my spine.

"Listen... Gaki-san... I have something to tell you about Aichan... and Sayu."

----------

The next time I stumbled onto the bully alone, I completely lost it. I shattered her jaw and ripped my knuckles raw beating her up. It took two guards to pry me off, and a third to restrain me.

I was all white-hot fury and rage and desperate sadness rolled into one package, and from that point on the other prisoners steered clear of me, because anyone unfortunate or stupid enough to cross my path ended up in the infirmary.

Were I given the choice I would have picked getting abused by those thugs every day over nursing my shattered heart.

The worst part was, I still loved her.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake IV, 6/6]
Post by: risa_ai on June 06, 2012, 09:34:20 AM
I know you love her... I love you guys too. Why not get 2gether again. T.T SAYU IS A DISTRACTION, RISA!! Please... Don't kill me. Ai loves you too~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake IV, 6/6]
Post by: rndmnwierd on June 06, 2012, 05:40:56 PM
Quote
As for not going after Matsuura's gang, it's sort of still a matter of not squealing to protect the ones she loves.
Ah I figured I would have answered my own question on that.

So, we get a Risa's time in jail omake... I have a feeling I caused this one XD Or maybe I'm being too arrogant. Still, poor girl, having to deal with being fresh meat, then finding out her girl is sleeping with someone else. After only four months! Damn Ai, that's quick.

Will we get a non omake update soon? I miss Reina a bit.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake III, 5/31]
Post by: Dswizzle10 on June 06, 2012, 07:31:05 PM
Gaki has become a bit of a tragic character in H!P fanfics. XD it's too easy to make bad things happen to her. (This despite the fact she's one of my favorites, haha) And actually I love Mano too! I intend for her to get lots of love in Quicksilver whenever I get around to working on it again. haha

I know this is pointed at me too.  :mon lmao:

But sorry it's taken me so long to comment or anything on anyone's stories. I just don't know what to say!
Hmm. Well I was thinking up a story about Gaki being in a gang before I joined up XD Great minds think alike? *eyebrow wiggle* But holy crap this is amazing.

"Sayu, leave her alone. She's not going to be able to sing with you trying to get in her pants before every rehearsal."

The rabbit pouted at that, feigning offense, but not once taking her eyes off me.

"I wouldn't do such a thing~"

"Yes you would," Niigaki responded, unamused, "Just so you could say you've slept with everyone in the band again."

Probably my favorite line of the whole story. XD

Quote
@risa_ai: *shifty eyes* but... its not a Takagaki fic... Is it?

IT BETTER BE! I'm with you risa_ai!  :angry1:

And I'm sorry Quietriot! I never mean to make you cry when I write new chapters. T.T
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake IV, 6/6]
Post by: mochi.rini on June 08, 2012, 01:38:18 AM
:gmon tears::gmon tears::gmon tears:
Poor Risa~  She's just living a crappy life now huh?  You'd think the guards would do something if the poor girl is getting attacked everyday....nope.  How cruel [; A ;]  And besides all that anger, now she's filled with even more guilt!  WHY IS IT SO MUCH FUN TORTURING THIS WONDERFUL GIRL!? :depressed:


At least fighting all these bullies prepared her to knock Sayu's teeth out for stealing her girl...too bad Aichan most likely wouldn't let her Dx  DARN IT!  Four months....you are one heck of a horny girl Aichan Dx I OFFICIAL SUPPORT TANAGAKI IN THIS FIC NOW  :deco:

I hope Risa gets a happy ending...and doesn't die at the end of this >w< :farofflook:

Totally ready for the next chapter :3
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake IV, 6/6]
Post by: kjpop on June 08, 2012, 05:15:25 PM
I seriously started reading this last night since I knew I had a day off today and that was like the biggest mistake of my freakin life since I couldn't sleep after reading halfway through it. But then I somehow passed out anyway LOL


So now I'm back and I've FINALLY caught up and like HOLY BALLS I CANNOT EVEN.

Can I just say, thug life Risa with her tattoos, battle scars, and smoking habit are so f*cking attractive I don't even wanna put my pants on anymore? LOL TMI but foreal. Every time she pops up in your fic, this song just comes on and I'm OH HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL YEAH.

2 Pac and Coolio - Gangsters Paradise With Pics (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UzezOP2bX4#)


I'm totally down with Reina and Gaki getting down n dirty n serious LOL Aichan can go be a manipulative little biatch with her horny bunny in a goddamn corner for all I care. I never thought I'd be capable of disliking either until I read this fic LOL Like, Takagaki? PSH whatevs yo. Give me GANGSTA-GAKI and Reina and I'll go to my grave smiling.

And Eri being some sort of junkie...is also kind of a turn on LOL I have some f*cked up tastes. But seriously, the messed up history that added some crazy depth into all of them is kind of addicting. I can't stop reading. I AM A JUNKIE FOR YOUR FIC. A DAMN JUNKIE. THEY TRIED TO MAKE ME GO TO REHAB BUT I SAID NO NO NO.

More junkies and badass Gaki please. PLEASE. Because let's put it this way. Your updates are my fix. Your periods of going away, not updating, and leaving us hanging is like sobriety period (and junkies don't like that lol). I WANNA RELAPSE. GO GO GO.




Btw, all this BADASS gaki talk in this fic and from *cough*Black and Blue*cough* have inspired me to pull some crazy badass Gaki sh!t of my own for quid pro quo ;D AHHH UPDATE DAMNIT.


One more thing: I might be outright vocalizing my dislike for Ai in this fic since she's a two-faced ho (joking, of course) but man, she's just so easy to mold into a horrible person sometimes LOL I'm glad someone else likes doing that to her hahah makes me feel less alone~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake IV, 6/6]
Post by: rndmnwierd on June 09, 2012, 08:04:00 AM
New chapter plox? [insert hopeful expression here]
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake IV, 6/6]
Post by: mochi.rini on June 09, 2012, 08:07:04 AM
I SECOND THAT MOTION!  I refuse to go to bed >w<

P.S.  the magical green dot says you're currently online...:)
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake IV, 6/6]
Post by: Quietriot on June 09, 2012, 08:11:35 AM
Guys. gUYS. What the heck. Go to sleep.

I have one more section to write and I'm not sleeping until its done... But no promises that'll be all that soon?

I PROMISED NOTHING~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake IV, 6/6]
Post by: Koei on June 09, 2012, 08:23:59 AM
GAAAHHHH !!!!! Quietriot-sama !!!!  :heart: :heart: :heart:  so much updates and so fast I CAN'T KEEP UP !!!! AND I'M LOVING IT!!! Ok let's see... I've read them all but my reply time is so short... I'm ashamed of myself!

First. Reina's attack with the spoon had me clutching my sides from the pain brought on by pure ammusement.

Second. I can so understand Risa...like on a personal level so I can surely say that her portrayal is pretty close to real and human. And the tat...dang it mochi.rini!!! Beautiful just doesn't cover it !!!  :heart: :heart: it's just like I imagined it !! and funny thing it's on the same picture I had in my mind lol

Third. (maybe I should go by chapters???) Sayu is smart as heck and the pain she feels is hidden by her poison tounge so well that even her bandmates don't notice since they're too engrossed with Risa and Reina.

Fourth. Eri and Aika... Aika can heal Eri with her innocence but that can only be done when Eri reaches the lowest of the low. If Aika can cope then no doubt she will be destined with her.

Fifth. Ai kind of worries me... there's something big she's hiding from the others and it's the one that has the potential to attempt the band's success but mostly... she seems to be hiding something that could take away her life...(insert paranoid me whilst reading)


Dang it!! So much stuff and so little way for my mind to come up and reply about them!!! The only thing to reply is: PLEASE CONTINUE !!!  :bow: :bow:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake IV, 6/6]
Post by: Quietriot on June 09, 2012, 09:15:57 AM
Check back for an edit for comment replies tomorrow, I'm sleepy~ I know the chapter is what you're more interested in anyway bahaha


@risa_ai: oh the tangled love-web I've woven~ and it only gets more complicated from here on out in my opinion, so, ah, buckle your seatbelts. :cathappy:

@rndy: haha you definitely started a rally for the omake, at least. But no worries, I think doing it this way turned out easier in my grand scheme of things. XD also holy crap I feel the need to defend Ai. Maybe gonna have to write an omake after the halfway mark to get behind her POV. -flails-

@Dswizz: I have bestowed upon thee a nickname because I'm too lazy to type the whole thing out. Besides, it's moar gangster that way~ and heh, yeah you've got Gaki-angst happening in your fic too. Happens to the best of us. ;) Sorry to steal your thunder on the gang bit, tho! The only reason I put that element in Rockstar is because it is technically a spiritual successor to my old fic Heartbeat Tempo. Actually I've borrowed several elements from HT to use here. Most are ones that never made it into that fic. XD but I digress. Glad you're enjoying the story~

@Rini: I think it's fun to torture Risa because it's easy? People don't tend to put girls like Reina or Ai (unless you're kjpop XD) into the same situations, I guess. See my reply to Rndy for my thoughts on Ai... Haha oh boy I've completely villainized her haven't I... And I make no promises about the ending. ;)

@kjpop: (I need a nickname for you, bro, this ain't workin. Must establish my LOVE AND AFFECTION with fun names OKAY.) Um anyway, can I hug you? XD Risa up and decided she was gonna be a badass when I started planning this story and I was like, "Okay~ <3" True story. I definitely appreciate her a lot more after writing this fic, that's for sure. And you guys have no idea how much this poll and everyone's opinions about the pairings are giving me the lulz~ I wonder what people will be saying say, four chapters or so from now... UPDATE YOUR OWN DAMN STORY! I stayed up until 2AM for y'all... (But I'm cool with it, cuz the writing bug bit me and yeah I don't sleep anyway~) :heart:

Some comment about Rndy and Rini being insane and not sleeping... The little green dot is not always telling the truth~

@Koei: Long time no see! Sorry there was an avalanche of updates in your absence, I can get carried away as I think everyone is aware of by now. XD -bows- no need for the -sama, bro, I'm just like everyone else. :3 all I gotta say about your comments is... Your insight is pretty spot on. ^^

(Guys I love you so much, for real, your support is fantastic and it makes me super happy. T___T thank you for supporting me and this fic!)

Chapter XIII: What I Have Done

I wasn't sure how to react to everything she'd just told me. After all, it wasn't a story full of sunshine and rainbows and I certainly understood the girl beside me now better than ever. Her surliness was nothing more than a front to hide the hurt she had endured, and maybe she was good at fooling everyone else, but from now on I knew the truth.

I chewed anxiously on my bottom lip. How was I supposed to comfort someone I barely knew, who disliked me (mildly at least), when I was terrible at it? And I figured she neither wanted or needed my pity.

The air was tense, and I could almost feel Risa's eyes burning on me as she waited. My reaction to her story would say a lot, and she seemed to be preparing herself for the worst again, almost as though she expected me to be disgusted and write her off.

I suspected a lot of people wrote her off at first glance.

Still, I was convinced every bit of her story was true. She may have been an ex-gangster and was rough around the edges, but she seemed a poor liar to begin with and I had a built-in bullshit meter that worked 98% of the time. And though she'd been obviously uncomfortable revealing all of this to me at first, I knew she was trusting me with something big. A liar wouldn't have cared.

But there was still one thing I didn't understand.

"...Did you tell all of this to Takahashi-san?" I asked quietly after a few more minutes of silence, unintentionally causing Risa to jump at the sound of my voice.

Looks like the badass bit only runs so deep...

"I've tried," She responded, and for once I saw a crack in her armor, pain flooding her eyes as she stared out of the car at the city's skyline in the distance, "But every time... It just never comes out right. Either she refuses to listen or I stumble over my words and we fight... And after two years without her, I'm grateful that she's even my friend."

"But you still love her." It was a statement, not a question, and her silence confirmed it. Cue moment for me to forget tact and open mouth, insert foot. "...I think you should never stop chasing the person you love."

"Hey, she's the one that tossed me out of her life like trash, okay?" Risa snapped back at me, her voice growing louder as she defended herself, "I was gonna do whatever it took to make her trust me again--fix things--make it right. But four months gone and she's in Sayu's bed. And now she's even chasing after your skirt."

My face and ears grew hot and I stammered out a response, remembering the incident from the other day.

"I didn't know! I-I thought she was just being kind... And I couldn't have known what was between you two..."

"Do you like her?" Risa asked tauntingly, and I didn't know how to respond. I felt like the way I physically reacted to Ai was very different from the way my mind flew red flags at every thing she said and did and now with all of this new information in my head I just didn't know what to think. Did I respect her? Yes. Did I find her impressive? Yes. Smooth? Yes. Attractive? Yes. But did I like her? Want more from her?

My head was beginning to hurt and I couldn't come up with a coherent response, so Risa drew her own conclusions, letting out a huff of breath and leaning back in her seat.

"Of course you do. And I'm not surprised she has her eye on you, either. Innocent princess from the middle of nowhere, and ready to take on the world, like a breath of fresh air." The bassist dug around in her pockets, pulling out her lighter and a cigarette. "You two would look fuckin' perfect together. Definitely an upgrade from convict or 'exotic dancer,' that's for sure."

Sometimes I thought my sense of self-preservation may have been broken, because when she lit that cigarette I instinctively leaned over to snatch it from her hands and tossed it out the window. This brought me within close proximity to her, and I was having trouble ignoring the fact I'd brushed against her as I returned to my own seat. Risa stared at me like I was the bravest idiot in the world.

"Might as well throw yourself off a bridge if you're going to nurse that habit," I stated shakily, trying to compose myself under her fierce gaze, "Would be a quicker way to kill yourself, anyway."

Risa gave me a look that clearly said she had had enough of me for one day, and I sighed quietly as the bassist turned on the car and began driving us back to the parking lot.

----------

The chalk scraped unpleasantly along the sidewalk as Aika made various marks against it in an attempt to make a portrait of Eri in her style. The noise made the junkie twitch with every pass against the pavement, but enough of her previous high still lingered that it wasn't painful yet. Besides, she had been having a good day so far; days hanging out with Risa were always nice, and she definitely liked being around Reina. She was finding the yankii's kid sister to be an interesting character as well; the girl had a soothing presence much like her sister, and thus far Eri had been able to keep her mind off of the drugs for the majority of the time.

"Kamei-san, you're moving again." Aika scolded plainly, but when she looked up, she had a good-natured smile on her face. Eri smiled back apologetically.

"I warned you, I'm not known for sitting still."

"Well, at least I'm almost done." The artist relented, turning her attention back to the pavement. The kid had multi-colored dust all over her arms and knees now, and Eri suspected it was probably a pretty natural state for her to be in.

"Do you always carry chalk with you?"

"I always have something with me, since you never know what you might need." Aika replied, tongue sticking out slightly as she concentrated on what she was doing, "But I tend to switch out the materials in my bag daily for a bit of variety. It forces me to work with what I've got. You can look through it if you want."

The artist gestured lazily towards the messenger bag next to Eri, who curiously dragged it to herself so she could dig inside it. Today Aika was carrying a set of watercolors, various brushes, a bottle of ink, and several sketchbooks, most of which Eri noticed were at least half full.

She pulled one of these from the bag and began to flip through it, genuinely impressed by the skill of the young girl in front of her. Most of the drawings were portraits--a random guy dozing off on a park bench, an older woman carrying groceries, a little girl playing with her new puppy--like snapshots of the world around her.

"These are very good... Is this what you wanna do with your life?" Eri questioned, looking over at the girl when she reached a blank page.

"I dunno, I think I'm still a bit young to figure something like that out." Aika replied, rocking back to sit on her knees so she could survey her work, "Besides, mom and dad aren't so happy about it... And Rei's supportive but she wants me to finish the whole school thing right now so I guess I'll get through that first and decide."

Eri nodded in understanding, reaching beside her to pat Charles on the head. He was dead asleep all curled up on the sidewalk, paws swiping at the air as he chased some imaginary squirrel in his dreams. It was probably really nice to be a dog, having people feed you and pet you and not caring about anything. Charles was lucky.

"Well you should definitely never stop doing this." Eri mused after her mind returned to the present, "You have a gift."

Aika hopped to her feet, the faint pink that colored her cheeks unnoticed by the drummer. She would have passed it off as chalk dust anyway.

"Well... Thank you. Anyway, I'm finished."

As the artist moved off a ways to pat the dust off of her hands and clothing, the junkie rose and moved around to where she could see the work Aika had done on the ground. It was a startlingly accurate representation of herself, every contour of her face mapped out on the pavement. Even her expression was perfect, though painfully real for Eri to look at; she was smiling, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Is that how I always look?

The familiar ache was becoming more prominent in her head, and she swallowed a bit as Aika came up beside her, anxiously awaiting her opinion.

"Well? I may have messed up a few things but I'm no master yet, after all...."

"Nah," Eri replied, fighting to ignore the tremors in her hands, "I think it's dead on."

The artist's face broke out into a happy grin, and Eri shakily sat back down on the curb as Aika collected her things, glad the girl seemed oblivious to her condition. She hoped Risa and Reina returned soon; the bassist had become eerily skilled at noticing when she was close to meltdown. Still, she gritted her teeth and tried to focus her attention on other thoughts.

"Hey, um... Kamei-san?"

"Hm? You know, you can call me Eri, I don't mind. It's not like I'm that much older than you."

"Ah, okay. Eri... Well, it might be a weird question and you can totally say no, but..." Aika flopped down beside the older girl, tossing her chalk into her bag, "I have tickets... For the Buono! concert tomorrow night. But Reina doesn't want to go and my friend Koharu-chan is sick and, well, I don't really have any other friends, so..."

"So you're asking me?" Eri questioned, surprised enough to temporarily forget the burning in her head. Aika fidgeted with the strap on her bag.

"I mean, you don't have to. I just thought- I liked hanging out with you today and you're cool, so..."

"Sure, I'll go." The drummer cut in with a smile, "I've been curious to see them at their own gig anyway, they've mostly just been an opening act up until now. I'll come pick you up after tomorrow's rehearsal?"

The artist nodded her head, looking equal parts relieved and excited. She began to babble on about something like what she was going to wear, when Eri heard the sound of screeching tires approaching. The red sports car came into view, grinding to a halt nearby. Risa immediately stepped out of the vehicle, looking more pissed than usual as she stalked towards the two of them.

"Get in the car. I'll be there in a second after I smoke over here so that damn woman doesn't toss it out the window again."

The bassist continued stomping on past them and Aika and Eri watched her with the same confused expression on their faces.

"...My friend... Doesn't exactly play nice with other people all the time..." Eri explained after a moment of silence, almost as if to apologize for Risa's behavior. Aika smirked softly.

"Neither does my sister."

----------

I collapsed onto the couch when we made it home, letting out my exhaustion and frustration into the cushioned armrest in the form of a loud groan. I didn't want to think any more today; I had a headache and I couldn't process anything, and we had rehearsal early tomorrow since it was the weekend. I could hear Aika chuckling at me as she shut the door behind her.

"Well, that was interesting. I can't wait to meet the other two."

I groaned again. There was no way in hell I would let Michishige within a mile of my sister. And then Ai... Well... Like I said, I didn't want to think any more about it.

"You and Niigaki-san seem to get along well." She continued sarcastically, lifting my feet up so that she could slide onto the couch, resting them in her lap. I started to say something to the effect of Risa getting hit by a bus for all I cared but I stopped myself. It wasn't true anyway, I was just tired and irritated.

"It's been a long day." I stated, flipping over so that I could lay on my back and face her.

"I assumed as much. Eri showed me the pics on her phone."

I closed my eyes, wincing and reminding myself to grab the drummer's cell and delete the evidence when I had the chance. Not that it would stop her from coming in and taking more pictures the next time it happened, but it would have made me feel a little better.

"By the way, she's coming with me to the concert tomorrow." Aika continued carefully, her eyes fixed on my face. Had she just said it outright I probably wouldn't have thought anything of it, but I knew my baby sister as well as she knew me, and realized she was acting a bit strange. I also knew how she was when she was crushing, and boy was she being obvious here; trying to keep her voice cool, gauging my reactions, faint blush...

Oh, but I wouldn't let her know I knew. Not yet. Payback was in order for the teasing I endured about Ai. I smiled sweetly, nodding my head.

"Sounds good. I'm sorry I'm not going myself, but after rehearsing all the time, I just want a little break from band stuff."

"Oh- no, that's fine!" Aika quickly responded, and I had to fight to keep my expression from morphing into a smirk, "I get it, you've been really busy, so I understand."

"I'm glad. You'll have a great time, I'm sure." I replied, making a mental note to bug her after the concert. Then on a more serious note, I added: "I'm sorry I've been so busy lately... With work and the band and stuff. I don't want you to feel left out or neglected or anything."

"Rei, I'm not a baby, I know you're working hard," She decided to curl up beside me, and I relaxed as she snuggled into my back. I wasn't the only one tired from working hard, apparently.

"But if you feel that way, you promise to say something, right?"

"Of course," Aika replied, stifling a yawn, "Besides, since when does anyone in our family hesitate to say what's on their mind?"

She had me there. The Tanakas were blunt and direct. Always had been. Likely always would be.

"Speaking of family..." I started, remembering what Eri had said to me during the car ride that first time we met, "What do you think mom and dad would say about all of this?"

Another loud yawn muffled against my shoulder.

"About you being in a band?"

"Yeah."

"They'd probably go psycho on you." She said with a small laugh, and I couldn't help but giggle a bit myself. "But you're an adult now after all... They'll just have to accept it, I guess."

I grunted affirmatively, but inside I wasn't all too convinced. I had no plans of calling our parents up to break the news to them, of course, but with Wild Musume being famous, it wasn't as though I could hide it forever either. I was about to ask Aika what to do when I realized her breathing had evened out, and I lifted my head to see that she had drifted off to sleep.

I smiled gently, watching her innocent face for a moment before carefully sliding out of her grasp. My baby sister may have been taller than me, but I wasn't about to let her spend the night on the couch. With great effort I collected her into my arms and moved her to her bed, rolling my eyes affectionately when she let out a snore and clung to one of her pillows. Silly kid.

I wandered into the bathroom after that, popping a couple of aspirin before dragging myself into the shower, more than happy to wash the day away.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIII, 6/9]
Post by: rndmnwierd on June 09, 2012, 09:27:36 AM
Yes!! >.<


Quote
I wasn't sure how to react to everything she'd just told me.
Reina read the omakes, too. XD

Quote
My reaction to her story would say a lot, and she seemed to be preparing herself for the worst again,
Well, it's understandable that Risa doesn't have a lot of faith in humanity. I certainly wouldn't after all that and perhaps would have even gone back to the gang.

Quote
Cue moment for me to forget tact and open mouth, insert foot
Feels like the beginning of a Tanagaki theme, there.

Quote
I felt like the way I physically reacted to Ai was very different from the way my mind flew red flags at every thing she said and did and now with all of this new information in my head I just didn't know what to think.
...is this the whole 'girls like assholes' thing I've heard so much about? All the red flags going off and a part of her still wants Ai. For now, at least.

 Or maybe Reina's just really slow... XD

Quote
"Of course you do. And I'm not surprised she has her eye on you, either. Innocent princess from the middle of nowhere, and ready to take on the world, like a breath of fresh air." The bassist dug around in her pockets, pulling out her lighter and a cigarette. "You two would look fuckin' perfect together. Definitely an upgrade from convict or 'exotic dancer,' that's for sure."
Is that jealousy I detect? Of Reina or of Ai?

Quote
Sometimes I thought my sense of self-preservation may have been broken,
Good way to get into a scuffle, that's for sure. Maybe we'll see more of the broken thing getting Reina into trouble later?

Quote
This brought me within close proximity to her, and I was having trouble ignoring the fact I'd brushed against her as I returned to my own seat.
More than bonding!

Quote
Risa gave me a look that clearly said she had had enough of me for one day, and I sighed quietly as the bassist turned on the car and began driving us back to the parking lot.
Somehow I think it's not hard to get that particular look.

Quote
The noise made the junkie twitch with every pass against the pavement, but enough of her previous high still lingered that it wasn't painful yet.
Aww, Eri...

Quote
"So you're asking me?"
Ha! I so saw that coming! I'm so interested in this dynamic!

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"...My friend... Doesn't exactly play nice with other people all the time..." Eri explained after a moment of silence, almost as if to apologize for Risa's behavior. Aika smirked softly.

"Neither does my sister."
They're perfect together! XD

Quote
She decided to curl up beside me, and I relaxed as she snuggled into my back.
That is so frickin' cute.

Quote
With great effort I collected her into my arms and moved her to her bed, rolling my eyes affectionately when she let out a snore and clung to one of her pillows. Silly kid.
Daww~

Quote
I wandered into the bathroom after that, popping a couple of aspirin before dragging myself into the shower, more than happy to wash the day away.
Don't be too eager to wash away the memory of that sexy badass all pressed up against you now. :inlove: XD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIII, 6/9]
Post by: risa_ai on June 09, 2012, 12:22:55 PM
Dawdeedeedoo~ is all i'm gonna say. xD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIII, 6/9]
Post by: kjpop on June 09, 2012, 01:41:48 PM
I JUST SHAT MY GUTS OH MY GOD BRB WHILE I CRY AND READ


Ok, I wasn't like, waiting in anticipation like a dog or anything. Nope, not at all...


Yeah ok I'm finished with lying. SO LIKE, TANAGAKI SEMI-BONDING. Whoa, heavy  :shocked

And I know the entire point of that portion was you know, to give us insight on some of Reina's thoughts and how her relationship with Gaki would be from now on, but I was kind of totally being distracted with Risa smoking  :doh: Like, whoa LOL I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm not down with the whole smoking biz (too much of a runner for that LOL), but unffff you make it sound so damn attractive it hurtssssssssss

Aika+Eri is interesting. Took me a while to like take the hint LOL but then I remembered the present day scene with grannies Aika and Reina, and now it kind of makes sense  :cry: Kind of sad to think about, but I'm still interested to see how that works out.

Tanaka sister love  :deco: Mega dope, yo. I wish my sister loved me like that  :lol: But foreal, now I'm curious. Since Reina's got all the dirt on errbody in the band, I wonder how rehearsal will be the next day. Will smooth operator Ai keep up with her personal mission with corrupting Reina? Will Sayu pull through with bangin' the girl like it's her job? Will Gaki throw a bitchfit when she sees what's going down? Will Eri...idk lol just be stoned out of her mind and not give a rat's ass what's going on? AHHH THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDORESS~

So with that, I wanted to dedicate a song to you. This probably just shows how old I am, but whatever LOL I thought it fit with the whole "band" sort of thing anyway.

Grow Old With You - Adam Sandler (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKs3bybeTO8#ws)

Now, hurry up and update again (TEEHEE JK) so we can grow old together  :wub:



...And I suppose this counts as an update from you. Hmm, guess it's my turn to fork over another chapter? Idk yo, this "vacation" is a little to sweet  :bath: i reckon you'll be begging first  8)
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIII, 6/9]
Post by: kawaii beam on June 09, 2012, 04:32:24 PM
omg this morning is getting better and better! D: XD it seemsl ike tanagaki bonding took some kind of weird turn in the wrong direction now ^^; and it didnt help at all when reina took the cigeret away just like a certian monkey did all those times before shit went down ^^; then again i can see why risa would be pissed/jelly i mean reina's like the holy virgin wile we got 2 girls who's innocent days are way long gone. im sure risa wouldnt mind going back to when everything wasnt so messed up as it was now. like everyone's screwed in the head here...

erika(thats what im calling them now XD) is legit cute in this ;3; im wondering what it was that really led eri to start taking drugs, it must be more than family troubles right? i cant wait to see how this date-imean outing goes for the 2 of them XD plus i wanna see how tense and awkward band rehersal will be now ^^;

NOW GIVE KIWI MORE PLZ~! :deco:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIII, 6/9]
Post by: mochi.rini on June 09, 2012, 04:55:20 PM
I forced myself out of bed because I knew it would totally be worth it.  And it most definitely was~   :heart:

I'm a bit surprised that Risa actually spilled.  After keeping all that personal information and emotions to herself...I'm half surprised that she let it all out.  You'd think that she'd be able to keep it all bottled up, especially when it came to Reina, who she still barely knows.  But they're gonna be in love at the end of this so that justifies it all~  :heart:

d~awwwwh!  Kame+Aika luffles~  Hopefully our sweet little artist won't get too attached to Kame (unless she gets rid of the drugs)...or else she may be at a risk too.   They've only met twice and they're going on a date~  I wonder if Kame feels the same way about Aika?  Cause...they're like my OTP in this fic...:)

RISA~ :heart:  I agree with kjpop.  Smoking=bad.  Risa+Smoking=...not bad :3  Not bad at all~

But back to the TanaGaki...denial of love is the first sign of of getting together :)  Just sayin.  And if Sayubear really is going along with Aichan's jacked up plan...I hope Risa beats her first ;)

Sorry for hounding you last night/this early morning.  BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING SO DEDICATED~ I knew I should've stayed up that extra hour and "cleaned my room"   I've planned out the rest of this fic in my head, so I'm totally ready to see how close I get once you finish this lovely guide of chills and excitement.  (Are we at the halfpoint yet? :O)

YAY~  :deco:  Get some rest you awesomely awesome person~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIII, 6/9]
Post by: Quietriot on June 09, 2012, 10:39:07 PM
Just passing by to say I've edited the chapter to include my comment replies for that last omake, in case anyone is interested~

Also, um, y'all can all call me Fimmy if you'd like? Quietriot is sort of a mouthful. XD -rolls away to attempt to catch up on commenting-
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIII, 6/9]
Post by: Quietriot on June 11, 2012, 10:28:48 PM
@Rndy:
Quote
Reina read the omakes, too.

XD In all actuality, the omakes were basically Risa recounting her story to Reina, so that's not far off the mark.

Quote
Feels like the beginning of a Tanagaki theme, there.

Takagaki: Fluff and cuddles or one-sided unrequited love with Risa usually suffering.

ReinAi: Bucket of angst, with Risa usually suffering.

Tanagaki: Slap slap kiss, with Risa... suffering? XDDDD 

Quote
...is this the whole 'girls like assholes' thing I've heard so much about? All the red flags going off and a part of her still wants Ai. For now, at least.

Reina's not really sure what she wants. She's settling into the band slowly but surely, but her life is still kind of a whirlwind that hasn't slowed down. She trusts Risa's words, but still really admires Ai, so it's hard for her to figure out how to think. Though I think I've explained this a bit in this next chapter.

Quote
Is that jealousy I detect? Of Reina or of Ai?

Perhaps a bit of both~

Quote
Good way to get into a scuffle, that's for sure. Maybe we'll see more of the broken thing getting Reina into trouble later?

Absolutely! XD

Quote
Somehow I think it's not hard to get that particular look.

Not if your name is Tanaka Reina!

Quote
Don't be too eager to wash away the memory of that sexy badass all pressed up against you now.

Teehee~

@risa_ai: hopefully that's a good noise? Of approval? XD

@kjpop:
Quote
Ok, I wasn't like, waiting in anticipation like a dog or anything. Nope, not at all...

Yeah. Right. XD

Quote
And I know the entire point of that portion was you know, to give us insight on some of Reina's thoughts and how her relationship with Gaki would be from now on, but I was kind of totally being distracted with Risa smoking   Like, whoa LOL I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm not down with the whole smoking biz (too much of a runner for that LOL), but unffff you make it sound so damn attractive it hurtssssssssss

I would never date a smoker myself, as I think it's stupid and I have asthma problems so it would quite literally kill me LOL but if it was Risa... Hm. Might be worth it. :heart:

Quote
Aika+Eri is interesting. Took me a while to like take the hint LOL but then I remembered the present day scene with grannies Aika and Reina, and now it kind of makes sense   Kind of sad to think about, but I'm still interested to see how that works out.

Haha I was wondering if anyone would remember that tiny hint in the beginning. Or make that connection, heh I mean, I'm not officially confirming or denying anything yet~

Quote
Will smooth operator Ai keep up with her personal mission with corrupting Reina? Will Sayu pull through with bangin' the girl like it's her job? Will Gaki throw a bitchfit when she sees what's going down? Will Eri...idk lol just be stoned out of her mind and not give a rat's ass what's going on? AHHH THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDORESS~

If this were a tv show I would definitely hire you to do the little cliffhanger announcements at the end of every episode XD also 'smooth operator Ai' makes me think of Smooth Criminal ahahaha

Quote
So with that, I wanted to dedicate a song to you. This probably just shows how old I am, but whatever LOL I thought it fit with the whole "band" sort of thing anyway.

Wait, this is supposed to show that you're old? ...Does that make me old too if I know it? XD Whatever, you can dedicate songs to me any day~ :heart:

Quote
...And I suppose this counts as an update from you. Hmm, guess it's my turn to fork over another chapter? Idk yo, this "vacation" is a little to sweet   i reckon you'll be begging first

Or I'll just run this story into an OMGWTFBBQ-type cliffhanger and refuse to update until you give me like five chapters. The choice is yours~ I have such great capacity for evil, just you wait and see...

@KB:
Quote
it seems like tanagaki bonding took some kind of weird turn in the wrong direction now ^^;

Well, after all, I'm not one to make my characters' lives easy~

Quote
then again i can see why risa would be pissed/jelly i mean reina's like the holy virgin wile we got 2 girls who's innocent days are way long gone.

Ahahahaha hilarious comparison but it's pretty true XD

Quote
im sure risa wouldnt mind going back to when everything wasnt so messed up as it was now. like everyone's screwed in the head here...

Too bad life doesn't have a reset button, ne? But perhaps things won't end so badly for her. :3

Quote
erika(thats what im calling them now )

Heheh, you may have just coined the pairing name as I don't think anyone has ever put the two together. That I know of. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong, of course.)

Quote
NOW GIVE KIWI MORE PLZ~!

YES MA'AM -salutes- XD

@Rini:
Quote
I forced myself out of bed because I knew it would totally be worth it.  And it most definitely was~

Crazy people not sleeping... XD still I'm so flattered you guys stayed up to see if I'd update hahah just for future reference, if I'm online, 99% of the time I'm simply lurking~

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I'm a bit surprised that Risa actually spilled.  After keeping all that personal information and emotions to herself...I'm half surprised that she let it all out.  You'd think that she'd be able to keep it all bottled up, especially when it came to Reina, who she still barely knows.  But they're gonna be in love at the end of this so that justifies it all~

Thing is, Risa is so used to people not giving a damn or not giving her a chance to speak, Reina's insistence sort of caught her off guard. Plus on top of that, Reina's already surprised her a few times before by being different (for one, deciding to reserve her judgment after hearing about Risa's gang days instead of just writing her off) so she's curious despite being cautious. Of course, Reina knows how to say the right things to set her off as well, thus ruining the moment. XD

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d~awwwwh!  Kame+Aika luffles~  Hopefully our sweet little artist won't get too attached to Kame (unless she gets rid of the drugs)...or else she may be at a risk too.   They've only met twice and they're going on a date~  I wonder if Kame feels the same way about Aika?  Cause...they're like my OTP in this fic...

Heheh it's not technically a date~ though you'll have to wait and see what happens~ :heart:

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But back to the TanaGaki...denial of love is the first sign of of getting together   Just sayin.  And if Sayubear really is going along with Aichan's jacked up plan...I hope Risa beats her first

XD I'm sort of reminded of the Twilight fandom and I feel like I may have inadvertently (psh, what am I saying, it was definitely on purpose) started a Team Tanagaki v. Team Takagaki campaign. As for Sayu... Bunny's been absent for the last few chapters, huh. I did say there would be an encounter between bunny and kitten soon. :x

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Sorry for hounding you last night/this early morning.  BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING SO DEDICATED~ I knew I should've stayed up that extra hour and "cleaned my room"   I've planned out the rest of this fic in my head, so I'm totally ready to see how close I get once you finish this lovely guide of chills and excitement.  (Are we at the halfpoint yet? )

Don't apologize, all the hounding definitely motivates me to work hard on this. :) plus all the comments have been excellent feedback that have helped me tweak a few things and make the story better. Haha I'm interested to see if you've predicted stuff correctly as well! As for the halfway mark... Tentatively it's probably gonna be chapter twenty? (I say that because I keep having to break chapters into new chapters because they're gettin long so they keep multiplying on me XD) 

Haaaa~ I've decided to put comment replies and the story posts into separate posts now since they're getting long and the chapters are long and it's better for my OCD mind XD

Just a point of interest, I'm going back and putting links to the songs I've used for titles at the beginning of each chapter, just so you guys can listen to my personal playlist for this story if you so desire. ^^ Remember, the songs don't necessarily go with the chapter they're placed with; I basically picked the titles from my list at random so as not to give anything away too early or too obviously.

I've got some editing to do and then the next chapter should be up soon~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIII, 6/9]
Post by: Quietriot on June 11, 2012, 10:43:51 PM
Chapter XIV: Speeding Cars

"Hey, I just met you // And this is crazy // but here's my number // so call me maybe~"

I rolled over in bed, fighting to free my arms from the comforter in order to grab for my phone. However I only managed to clumsily knock it from the table to the floor, and I groaned loudly, laying still for a moment as my groggy brain tried to process how to retrieve it.

"It's hard to look right // at you baby // but here's my number // so call me maybe~"

My instinctive reaction was simply to ignore the stupid thing until whoever was calling me gave up, but as I cracked an eye to peek at my alarm clock I realized it was 6AM. Nobody ever called me this early, and even half-awake I realized it could possibly be important. With a sharp grunt I reached over the side of the bed and groped along the carpet until I found my phone, whipping it up towards my face before any more of my ringtone got stuck in my head.

"...Hello?"

"Reina-chan." Ai's warm voice filtered through to me from the other line, and I immediately sat up, alertness spiking through my body like a lightning bolt, "I'm sorry if I woke you, I realize it's a bit early..."

"Uh, yeah- no- I mean," I ran a hand through my messy hair, shooting the alarm clock another confused glance as I tried desperately to shake my grogginess, "It's not a problem... Um, what's up?"

"Well, I was wondering if perhaps you could come let me in?" A beat, then, "I brought coffee and donuts."

What...?

The comforter and I settled round two with my falling flat on my face as I tried to get out of bed, the blankets tangled around my feet. I dashed into the living room like a kid at Christmas, though my motivation was less of excitement and more of curiosity. And sure enough, when I opened my door, there stood Ai, the aforementioned goods in her arms and a calm smile on her face.

"Good morning," She all but sang, subtly looking me over. I shifted uncomfortably, suddenly remembering I was still in pj's; an old t-shirt and sweatpants, but I felt a bit exposed even still.

"Ah, good morning..." I replied hesitantly, combing my hair with my fingers in an attempt to look more presentable. Ai, of course, was the picture of perfection, even at this hour. I stepped aside to let her in, following slowly as she made her way to the table next to the kitchenette. "So... What are you doing here?"

She chuckled softly, sitting down at the table and linking her hands together to rest her chin on them. Ai was looking at me the way a wolf pack studies prey, and that thought excited me as much as it scared me. Her overall expression remained amicable, though, which was probably the most jarring thing in my opinion; the intensity in her eyes did not match her appearance or demeanor.

"It's always to the point with you, isn't it?" She questioned, offering one of the drinks to me. I took it before slipping down into the seat across from her, waiting for an answer.

"Well, to be honest, I came to apologize for the other day. My actions were a bit inappropriate."

I took a sip of the coffee, grateful for the instant warmth and comfort it offered. It gave me the strength to meet her gaze again; though those orbs were still very much intense, I could detect the sincerity behind her words.

"It's fine, really." I managed awkwardly, remembering the way I'd fled from her like a little girl, "I just... wasn't expecting you to do that..."

"Well, I assure you, I meant no harm. I keep forgetting you haven't been here long." Ai replied, and I felt her smile disarming me, "Being with you was so comfortable it seemed as though I'd known you for years."

"Do you kiss all of the people you're comfortable with?" I blurted out suddenly, some combination of nervousness and suspicion blocking my internal filter. To my relief she only laughed at me and shrugged.

"No, I suppose I don't. You're rather cute, after all. I couldn't resist."

My ears definitely burned at that and I focused on scarfing down the donut she'd brought me in an attempt to temper my embarrassment.

"Other than to apologize--and to offer you some company to rehearsal, as I hear you've got a new car--I actually have another reason for coming by."

I stopped chewing, looking up at her to indicate my curiosity. Ai was still smiling her charming smile, but she seemed to drop the teasing for a moment, all business as usual.

"Do you enjoy singing, Reina-chan?"

Of course I did. And lately, probably more than I thought I could. I'd just never really been given a chance to do it before.

"Well, yeah..." I answered, unsure of what her aim was, "I mean, I never considered it seriously until you guys asked me to join the band, but... I like it. A lot."

"How would you feel if I were to give you voice lessons?"

"Lessons?"

I had to admit, I was drawn to the idea. A chance to work on my voice, the passion I'd kept to myself for so long, sounded like a fantastic idea. And I thought I was lucky for the opportunity to use it in the band, but here was a woman who was leaps and bounds ahead of me in experience and talent, offering me the chance to be even better.

But everything Risa told me drifted around in my head, and I hesitated. Ai hadn't done anything yet to make me feel as though she was untrustworthy, and while I don't think I would have been able to move on so quickly myself... I also felt like I could understand her reasoning for keeping her distance from Risa. The two of them had both hurt each other, so I couldn't really take a 'side'.

It wasn't like Ai was asking something ridiculous of me. But I decided there that I would be cautious, at least until my crush wore off... or... well, it was still too soon to hope for anything else. Especially until I found out from Ai herself what the situation was with Michishige...

Until then, I decided that spending a bit of extra time with her couldn't hurt.

"You have a gift, Reina-chan." Ai stated sincerely after my silence persisted a moment too long, "Of course, it's up to you to decide what to do with it, but I'd like to help you if you'll let me."

I was about to give her my answer when I heard footsteps padding up behind me, and both of us turned to glance at Aika, who had wandered into the room. She looked much like I had after waking up, rubbing at her eyes as she stumbled over to me.

Tanakas were not morning people.

"Rei...? What's going on? It's so early..."

Our conversation must have woken her, and I smiled apologetically as she settled down into my lap. Almost instantly she drifted back asleep with her head against my shoulder, reminding me of all the times she would crawl into my bed to sleep when we were kids. Well, she still was a kid, after all. I stroked her hair until her breathing evened out, content to let her stay there for a moment longer.

"Your sister?" Ai asked quietly, a soft smile on her lips as she watched us.

I nodded, shifting Aika a bit so that I could still see the woman across from me.

"About your offer... I accept." It was less of a struggle to maintain my confidence while around my sister, even if she was out cold. "I'm a fast learner and... I know that you could teach me a lot, so I'm grateful. Not only for that, but for what you've done so far as well."

Ai grinned at me, taking another sip of her coffee.

"It's nothing. Nothing at all."

----------

Though it took a bit longer than necessary, I managed to drive both Ai and myself to Eri's mansion, remembering all of the things Risa had taught me the day before. If the older woman was unnerved by my ability--or lack thereof--she didn't let it show, rising from the vehicle with her usual dignity and poise. In contrast, I stepped out on wobbly feet, feeling as though I'd shaved a few years off of my life.

The rate I'm going, I'll be lucky to even make it to fifty...

I composed myself quickly, not wanting to seem weak around my leader, and I hurried to catch up with her as we entered the house. I was used to the giant mansion by now, and even the maids greeted me by name when Ai and I passed them by. Still, I found it odd that I had yet to catch a glimpse of the master of the house; it wasn't that I really wanted to meet the guy, since he seemed like a less-than-stellar dad to Eri, but I found it strange that it had been a bit over a week now and the guy didn't even make an appearance.

I guess if you're that rich, what do you care if you've got girls coming over every week?

"Oh, there was something else I meant to mention to you," Ai stated as we rounded the corner into Eri's wing of the building.

"Mm?"

"I managed to set up an interview for you to attend on Monday. An opportunity for the public to get to know the newest Musume better."

She grinned and winked at me, but I was more than a little apprehensive about the idea. Sure it was one thing to be on TV with the whole group, but by myself? It wasn't like I could say no, either; it made sense for me to do an interview on my own, I'd just have to be brave and get through it somehow. As if she read my mind, Ai stopped to place a hand on my shoulder, slowing us to a halt just outside the room we used to rehearse.

"You'll be fine. All you have to do is focus on the interviewer and you'll forget the camera is even there."

Somehow I doubted that, but I gave her a weak smile and nod in response. Satisfied, Ai reached for the door and opened it, and we were immediately assaulted by the sounds of a loud scuffle. I wasn't really surprised that a fight had broken out in our absence...

Eri was desperately attempting to keep Risa and Sayumi apart, sporting a bruised lip for her efforts. She had the bunny's shirt gripped tightly in her fist, attempting to avoid her swinging arms, while Risa had been knocked to the ground, pinned there on her stomach with the drummer's foot pressing into the small of her back.

Ai let out a disgusted groan.

"What is going on here?!" She demanded, the tone of her voice interrupting the madness. Sayumi looked smug, breaking out of Eri's hold to step back and rub at what looked like a fading handprint on her cheek.

"Someone has anger problems..." The bunny mused, and as Eri helped Risa to her feet I watched the bean begin to bristle all over.

"Hey, you started it with your big mouth, you little-"

"Enough!" Ai shouted, cutting in sharply and causing all of us to jump. I hadn't known her to be anything but quiet since I'd met her, after all. "I don't care who started it. The two of you have been fighting nonstop since we got back together and my patience is wearing thin."

The room fell into an awkward silence, neither girl willing to meet our leader's gaze. Ai let out a tired sigh, reaching up to rub her face.

"I don't care how you two settle your differences--go outside and beat each other until you bleed, I really could care less--but you will not do it here." She stated fiercely, and I watched as Risa and Sayumi both flinched at her words, with Eri standing between them, shuffling her feet awkwardly.

"We have two weeks until the festival. Get it together." With that, Ai silently left the room, our cue to start setting things up.

Almost immediately, Sayumi jumped up and shot after her, leaving me alone with Eri and Risa. The latter refused to look at me, hurt evident in all of her features as she slunk out of the room as well, slipping out a side door instead. I let out a quiet sigh, making my way over to Eri, who looked so torn and distraught that it almost made me want to give her a hug.

"What happened?" I asked, eyeing her injured lip, "You alright?"

"Y-yeah..." She replied shakily, looking at me as if just breaking out of a trance, "This is why I always try to be the first one here... It never ends well when Sayu and Gaki-san end up alone in the same place..."

Well, I could certainly believe that.

"What were they even fighting about?" I asked, though I was sure I already knew the answer.

"Well, first it was the usual, Sayu started pushing Gaki-san's buttons, teasing her about Aichan, that sort of thing. Then somehow the topic shifted to you..."

Me? I blinked in confusion, and the drummer nodded at me, anticipating my reaction.

"Well, Sayu doesn't like you much, after all. I don't remember what she said exactly, but whatever it was it set Risa off like a bomb. I was so surprised by her reaction that I couldn't separate them before she got to Sayu and slapped her... Even if maybe Sayu deserved it."

As she trailed off I processed her account of the incident, trying to make it make sense in my head. Why would Risa care what Sayumi had to say about me? Especially after things ended up sort of tense between us yesterday...

"Either way, looks like it's gonna be a little bit before everyone cools off... I'm going to grab a bite to eat. You hungry?"

"Aichan brought me breakfast, but if you don't mind, maybe I'll tag along?" I replied, somewhat eager to see more of the mansion. Eri smiled and nodded and I followed after her as she led me out of her wing and into the main part of the building.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIV, 6/11]
Post by: kjpop on June 11, 2012, 10:48:49 PM
SHITTING MYSELF DRY. BRB WHILE I GET A DECENT INTERNET CONNECTION TO READ AND COMMENT.

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Haha I was wondering if anyone would remember that tiny hint in the beginning. Or make that connection,

My memory is impeccable  ;) And I would love to be the Morgan Freeman equivalent to your fic bwahaha
And for the record, challenge has been accepted and I am happily lounging away doing nothing related to writing whatsoever  :pimp:

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"Hey, I just met you // And this is crazy // but here's my number // so call me maybe~"

OH NO YOU DIDNT.

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"Well, I was wondering if perhaps you could come let me in?" A beat, then, "I brought coffee and donuts."

YOU'VE BEEN HIT BY A SMOOTH CRIMINAL. She said coffee, she might as well jump with me in the shower LOL Magic words.

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"Well, I assure you, I meant no harm. I keep forgetting you haven't been here long." Ai replied, and I felt her smile disarming me, "Being with you was so comfortable it seemed as though I'd known you for years."

ANNIE ARE YOU OKAYYYYY, ARE YOU OKAY ANNIE?! ok foreal, smoothest. Smoother than a baby's backside  8)

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Until then, I decided that spending a bit of extra time with her couldn't hurt.

 :doh: Reina, you're an idiot. I repeat, you're an idiot. *le sigh*

After that "fight scene," I'm kind of just laughing at how Ai's words just seem to be the end all, be all for everything LOL You make her seem like she's freakin jesus christ or something like that ahha

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Then somehow the topic shifted to you..."

RED ALERT RED ALERT  :panic: But GOOOOOO gaki for defending her, sort of ahha And now we will see more of the kamei mansion? What goodies hide behind closed doors? What skeletons does our junkie drummer keep in her 10,000 closest? oh ho ho, stay tuned~


But foreal. Tanagaki or bust :P Or no updates HO HO HO. I'll play dirty if I have to  :glasses:




Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIV, 6/11]
Post by: kawaii beam on June 11, 2012, 11:22:19 PM
ai-chan's a total wolf in sheeps clothing to me now XD it's only a matter of time...and i want to see more gakishige battles XD i'd write more but my brain is all crazy right now @~@
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIV, 6/11]
Post by: mochi.rini on June 12, 2012, 12:27:04 AM
Homework or Fanfic?  I'll take fanfic anyday :3

No trust for Aichan.  nuh uh.  no way.  I agree with Kawaii.  She's a sneaky, devious, deceptive, calculating, sly, wily, deceitful, manipulative, untrustworthy little trickster with a hidden agenda >.<  Be aware everyone!  I feel like she's gotten a plan up her sleeves that even Sayu may not know about :O 

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Our conversation must have woken her, and I smiled apologetically as she settled down into my lap. Almost instantly she drifted back asleep with her head against my shoulder, reminding me of all the times she would crawl into my bed to sleep when we were kids. Well, she still was a kid, after all. I stroked her hair until her breathing evened out, content to let her stay there for a moment longer.
Awwww~  :nya:  such a cute image in my head now~  No matter how mature and adult like our Mittsi acts...she's still such a little kid on the inside~  I'm gonna go cuddle with my sister now after I type this!

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Eri was desperately attempting to keep Risa and Sayumi apart, sporting a bruised lip for her efforts. She had the bunny's shirt gripped tightly in her fist, attempting to avoid her swinging arms, while Risa had been knocked to the ground, pinned there on her stomach with the drummer's foot pressing into the small of her back.
KICK HER BUTT! :knee: DESTROY HER RISA~  AVE~EEEEEEEEENGE YOUR HONOR! :scolding:

Hmph! I gots a recipe for some braised bunny  :kekeke: beware Michishige...BEWARE!  (On a lighter know, it's so easy/fun to villainize Sayu :3)

Bam! Risa's been bit by the L.O.V.E bug~  She's defending her kitty just like how a defensive husbands beat the crap out of people who slander their wives >.<  Keep up the good work my lovely gangster Risa  :heart: :heart: :heart:  You make me so proud~  :deco:

So the adventure continues on as kitty and turtle journey into the dark lair that is the Kamei household :O  Maybe now is when Reina finds out that she's actually a junkie?  Can't wait to see her reaction for that XD

Y~aaaaay you updated midway~  I'll go to bed early tonight instead of refreshing the page for two hours straight while reading online posts about how 50 shades of grey sucks beyond all belief :3  I'M PROUD OF YOU TOO MY LOVELY AUTHOR/SECRET GANGSTER  :heart: :heart: :heart:

P.S. Way to go voters! :D  Whoot!  :onioncheer:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIV, 6/11]
Post by: risa_ai on June 12, 2012, 04:02:25 AM
SLAPPING?! WHUT?! Oh risa... OH MY AIGAKI.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIV, 6/11]
Post by: Quietriot on June 13, 2012, 04:31:07 PM
@kjpop
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And I would love to be the Morgan Freeman equivalent to your fic bwahaha

*Fimmy imagines kjpop as deep-voiced man who is God and also the guy she gets confused for the Allstate man

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And for the record, challenge has been accepted and I am happily lounging away doing nothing related to writing whatsoever

...she says as she then silently prepares another chapter for QPQ or HnK. Yep. :P

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OH NO YOU DIDNT.

At least it wasn't Super Bass. XD

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kjpop quotes some lyrics from Smooth Criminal

GODDAMNIT IT'S STUCK IN MY HEAD.

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After that "fight scene," I'm kind of just laughing at how Ai's words just seem to be the end all, be all for everything LOL You make her seem like she's freakin jesus christ or something like that ahha

Here's why: though she becomes leader because she's the eldest, Ai's real power here lies in the relationships she has with the other girls. At the start it's not something she exploits because she's kind and relatively innocent and Gaki loves her, she loves Gaki, Sayu has a secret admiration for her, and Eri doesn't rock the boat. XD then, post Gaki-jail time that power only increases cuz she's got two women here who are very much in love with her, Reina who has a crush/is starting to idolize her a bit, and Eri still trying to please everyone. For them she may as well be Jesus because even though she's made her share of mistakes (and though my reader base here seems to have definitely pushed her into the villain slot XD Guess you can only be sympathetic when you know the whole story ahaha~) Ai remains the most sane and most stable out of the four.

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RED ALERT RED ALERT   But GOOOOOO gaki for defending her, sort of ahha And now we will see more of the kamei mansion? What goodies hide behind closed doors? What skeletons does our junkie drummer keep in her 10,000 closest? oh ho ho, stay tuned~

NEXT TIME ON: FIMMY IS A GREAT BIG TEASE- What? Oh. You mean that isn't what the show is called? ...oh. Damn. XD

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But foreal. Tanagaki or bust  Or no updates HO HO HO. I'll play dirty if I have to

I promise nothing except for that I'm totally NOT DONE screwing around with the pairings yet. :heart:

@KB: She is, isn't she... And ahaha Gakishige still have plenty of things to say to one another, rest assured. -pats- Hope your brain gets less crazy! ^^

@Rini:
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Homework or Fanfic?  I'll take fanfic anyday :3

Hellz yeah! procrastination is the best! :3

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I feel like she's gotten a plan up her sleeves that even Sayu may not know about

So... Let me get this straight... You don't trust Aichan? XD I feel like this part of your quote is pretty  correct...

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Awwww~    such a cute image in my head now~  No matter how mature and adult like our Mittsi acts...she's still such a little kid on the inside~  I'm gonna go cuddle with my sister now after I type this!

Awwww~ T___T I think I write them so fluffy because deep down I wish I had a sister to cuddle with. -sadness- My brother is not cuddly and we don't come within five feet of each other because usually it = slapping. XD

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Bam! Risa's been bit by the L.O.V.E bug~  She's defending her kitty just like how a defensive husbands beat the crap out of people who slander their wives >.<  Keep up the good work my lovely gangster Risa      You make me so proud~ 

Ahahahaha~ Well, she only slightly dislikes Reina after all. She HATES Sayu. ;)

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So the adventure continues on as kitty and turtle journey into the dark lair that is the Kamei household   Maybe now is when Reina finds out that she's actually a junkie?  Can't wait to see her reaction for that

Maybeeee~

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Y~aaaaay you updated midway~  I'll go to bed early tonight instead of refreshing the page for two hours straight while reading online posts about how 50 shades of grey sucks beyond all belief :3  I'M PROUD OF YOU TOO MY LOVELY AUTHOR/SECRET GANGSTER

Ahaha you just can't predict what I'll dooo~ lol and apparently I need to figure out what 50 shades of grey is because I've heard it being referenced a lot lately and I'm all ??? tee hee secret gangster~ :heart: Secretly I'm the biggest freaking nerd EVER.

@risa_ai: Nobody messes with the Gaki. ^^

GUYS. After that teasing yesterday I totally meant to update! But then LORD OF THE RINGS happened. And then tired Fimmy was tired and fell asleep. ^^;

In other news omg this bit of the story keeps spawning babies. (And also I'm realizing how much of an idiot I am for using Roman numerals to number the chapters, wow.) Enjoy~ (No really, I'm super tired, I need to write something fluffy. Or someone else write something fluffy. I'm going to go sulk for a few hours XD )
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIV, 6/11]
Post by: Quietriot on June 13, 2012, 04:33:54 PM
Chapter XV - Creep

"You seemed awfully chummy with the kitten just now..."

Ai turned away from the window to glance down the corridor at Sayumi, who was approaching her slowly. Chocolate eyes narrowed sharply, halting the bunny in her tracks.

"Everything I do, I do for a reason." The elder female replied quietly, the faintest hint of an edge lacing her tone. Because she knew Ai, Sayumi registered this quickly, and she decided to stay where she was.

"I understand, Aichan..." She murmured quietly, in the hopes she could find some way to placate her leader.

"You say the same thing when I ask you not to bother Risa and yet here you are again, getting under her skin," Ai replied with a scowl, turning back to stare out the window. "So, needless to say, I'm not sure that I agree with you when you tell me that you understand."

Her response hit Sayumi much harder than Risa's slap had, and it stung worse, too. She inhaled a shaky breath, attempting to curb the jealousy and hurt welling up inside of her. She hated it when the leader treated her like a child, regardless of whether or not she was acting a bit like one. After all, she had every right and reason to hate Risa; Sayumi didn't think she'd ever forgive the girl for hurting Ai and Eri.

After a moment of silence, Ai spoke again.

"I don't belong to you. Or Risa." She added quietly, "The two of you are fighting over something you simply don't have."

Ouch. The bunny willed herself to become numb, instinct burying emotion. It wasn't the first time the older girl had said something like that to her, and she really shouldn't have been surprised; Ai never promised her anything, even if she always harbored some hope that things might change. Still had hope, even. Sayumi was stubborn and used to getting what she wanted.

"I'll try to behave myself," The guitarist answered icily, though she promised nothing for those moments when she was with Risa alone. What Ai didn't know didn't matter.

"Thank you," came the terse response, and Ai finally turned to face Sayumi again, her usual fake smile plastered on her face. To people that didn't know the singer, it was a pleasant, even charming expression. But to Sayumi it was an irritating reminder of the walls the woman had built around herself to keep others out.

To keep her out.

"Oh, since we're alone, I suppose I should mention that you and Reina-chan have an interview together on Monday. Just the two of you."

Sayumi's gaze darkened considerably as thoughts of revenge swirled through her head. Whatever hesitation she'd had about attempting to seduce Reina had flown out the window when she saw the new girl with Ai. She wasn't about to let some outsider waltz in and do whatever she wanted.

"Excellent."

----------

I could have lived in Eri's pantry. Literally--the thing was much bigger than the apartment Aika and I shared, and held enough food to feed probably fifty people for a week.

As I stood inside of it gaping like an idiot, Eri rummaged through the shelves to my left, looking for something to eat. The maids had swarmed us when we first entered the kitchen to offer their assistance, and even though the drummer waved them off, I could see them peering in at us out of the corner of my eye. But if Eri was ignoring them, then I would just have to do my best to do the same.

"Do they... always follow you around like this?" I asked, turning back to the older girl. Eri had found a muffin and this she held in her mouth as she moved to the fridge in search of a drink. I was reminded of Aika and I couldn't help but smile a bit.

"Mhm..." She mumbled back, hopping up to sit on the counter after pouring herself a glass of juice. This she offered to me as well, but I shook my head, still content after what Ai brought me earlier. The drummer paused to take a bite of her food, swallowing before she attempted to speak again. "At least outside of my wing of the building."

"What for?" I was curious; after all, it wasn't unreasonable for a place this big to have a large staff, but it was almost as if the maids lingered around Eri for another purpose besides to cater to her whims.

She gave me a hesitant look, the kind that told me she was about to make a decision whether or not to trust me. After a moment it appeared she decided she would, and the drummer slid off of the counter, beckoning for me to follow her.

Eri led me silently back through the house, reaching behind her for me, and I gladly latched onto her hand. The idea of getting lost here didn't sit well with me, not with the weird maids about. And they were definitely following us, their footsteps padding along in rhythm behind ours. Eventually the drummer and I emerged outside into a central garden of sorts, an oasis of green carved out into the middle of the building. There it was quiet and peaceful, and much to my surprise and relief, the over-attentive women remained inside the mansion, leaving the two of us alone.

Eri let out a sigh that was half-groan, taking a few steps forward into the grass before flopping face-down into it. I stifled a laugh, deciding to sit down beside her. It was soft and comfortable there, and were it a bit later in the day, and the sun higher in the sky, it would have been the perfect place for a nap.

"The maids are sort of... bodyguards." Eri started to explain, rolling over on her back so that she could look up at me. "I mean, they're not like... trained to kill or anything but any one of them would have knocked Sayu and Gaki-san out cold were they allowed to be in that part of the house..."

I blinked, leaning over to remove a stray leaf from her hair.

"But- bodyguards? Why would you even need them?"

"Gaki-san told you my dad's an investor, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, it's not exactly a lie, but it's not the whole truth either," Eri replied, smiling slightly, "Nowadays, he's pretty legit, watching the market, that sort of thing... But when I was younger all of his dealings were more on the shady side."

Sensing there was a story behind her words I laid back in the grass beside her, listening intently. It was still somewhat chilly being early in the day, and Eri must have noticed my shivering because she turned to lay on her side, draping her arm lazily across my middle. To any passersby it may have looked a bit intimate, but I thought nothing of it with no one else around.

"First it was smaller stuff, like drugs." She continued with a yawn, "I mean, I suppose that's not really small to someone on the outside looking in, but my life was much more dangerous when he began putting money towards moving weapons...

"That's when Daddy started to be afraid of what he was getting into as well. And then the police followed a few pointing fingers that lead them to him. They offered my father a deal; information and complete shutdown of all illegal operations for a clean slate and freedom."

I raised an eyebrow; Eri's dad must have been pretty high up to be important enough for the police to offer him a deal that good. But the drummer's expression told me the story wasn't easy for her to recall. Eri had probably buried everything she didn't want to remember, and I wasn't cruel enough to pick up a shovel and start digging.

"Of course, Daddy took the deal. And for a while it seemed like things were gonna be okay. But one of the guys that got put behind bars managed to get out..." A shudder passed through her and I reached for her other hand, squeezing it gently to offer some comfort. I noticed that her fingers were trembling, reminding me of the time she had been in my apartment. "He broke into our old house one night while Daddy was off on a business trip. I was the one who heard the guy moving around in the house and I got up to investigate. I thought maybe my father had come home early...

"He knocked me out when he found me, and took me. I don't remember a lot after that, other than most of the time I was blindfolded, and I think he was putting something in the food he gave me to keep me asleep. Three days of that before the police finally found me and brought me back home... That was the first and last time I ever saw my father cry."

I rubbed my thumb over the back of her hand, willing myself not to cry. I couldn't imagine how I would react to the situation were I in her place, but her shaking suddenly made a whole lot of sense.

"I was only fourteen when that happened. Daddy got extremely paranoid after that and used his money to buy the mansion... And every year since he's hired new 'maids', installed new security cameras... Know why he buys me new cars all the time? He's afraid someone will tail my car driving home." Eri let out a heavy sigh, "Even though it's pretty clear the people he dealt with aren't coming back to bother us now..."

I nodded slightly, still unsure of what to say. It was clear to me that Eri's dad cared about her a lot, and wasn't exactly the cold, rich bastard I imagined him to be. But the way he handled the situation was like locking his daughter in a cage; a gigantic, well-stocked, beautiful cage, but a cage nonetheless.

"There's something else I need to tell you about..." She whispered, and as I looked up to meet her gaze I realized Eri was crying. Instinctively I reached forward to pull the older girl into my arms and the dam broke; she clung to me like she'd never been hugged before and sobbed openly into my shoulder.

I let her cry as long as she needed to, gently rocking her there in the garden, ignoring the twenty sets of eyes watching us vigilantly from the mansion. She needed a friend, and I decided then that I would be that friend.

"You don't have to tell me anything else right now," I whispered, "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

I was gonna hold myself to that quiet promise.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XV, 6/13]
Post by: kawaii beam on June 13, 2012, 05:12:36 PM
OH MY GAH WHY SO SHORT?!  :panic:

this aisayu combi is like full of evil plots. i felt that blow too when ai said that she doesnt belong to neither sayu or risa, but yet eventhough she doesnt really seem to care about risa she cares enough to scold sayu over starting the fights...but then again that could just be so the band can get through with rehersals no? damn it i think we all need to just go and kick down these walls she has up >3>

as reina put it, eri does seemed like a caged bird. of course her dad's doing this cus he loves her but at the same time it isnt right ;3; and i bet sayu's hate meeter will rise if she catches reina and eri being all huggy and such.

lastly how is risa calming down? she couldnt've gone far in eri's side of the mansion right?

cant wait for more~! ;3;
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XV, 6/13]
Post by: kjpop on June 13, 2012, 09:41:36 PM
You know, I wish I could have a god voice LOL but instead, i have my voice =__= which is soooo not awesome haha AND SHH DON'T SPOIL IT FOR PEOPLE RAWRR!!! Super stoked you didn't use super bass, and super happy to get smooth criminal stuck in your head <3 Sheesh about stable Ai though LOL idc if she didn't need prozac to function, she's still evil to me LOL


And if you ruin tanagaki for me, I will find you >=[ I KNOW WE'RE ALL SUPPOSED TO DESTROY GAKI'S LIFE AND EVERYTHING BUT BAHHH HAVE SOME MERCY AND GIVE HER SOMETHING TO LOVE AND LOVE HER BACK AHHHHHHHHHH *crying* lol

Ai v Sayu: I kind of giggled to myself when you used "chummy" LOL I love that word ahha Anywho, wow all sorts of ouchies errwhurrrr. It's kind of funny really. Especially when you recall that one omake/chapter that was from Sayu's perspective about everyone, and you remember how "nice" Ai was to her at the beginning. I just found it funny LOL It probably isn't, but *le sigh* Um, so I can't wait to see Sayu go batshit crazy horny on Reina. Just sayin'.


Eri & Reina: IF YOU KEEP THROWING HEAVY THINGS AT ME, I WILL DROWN DAMMIT. holy crap about Eri though T__T There go all my feels since I love her so freakin' much T__T And damn 3 days...she could have honestly been murdered aklsjhfdlkahdlfkhaskldfj

And I reckon that last bit was going to be about her junkie-ness? WHY U RUIN ERI!??!?! IT'S GAKI'S LIFE THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE MISERABLE T__T NOT THE LOVABLE IDIOT'S T_________T
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XV, 6/13]
Post by: risa_ai on June 14, 2012, 04:08:30 AM
MGAPDMGADM+PMDGMIMPDMGM!!! AICHAN, WHY U NO LOVE GAKI?! Ugh, heart pain. T.T WE GETTING SOME TANAKAME RABURABU THERE, I SEE. :glasses:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XV, 6/13]
Post by: rndmnwierd on June 14, 2012, 08:46:09 AM
Oh man, I realized I forgot to reply to the last chapter. XD

Dang, Ai is certainly butting in where I totally don't want her :lol: You really have made her a great villain, though. XD

Oh man, BunnyBean fight! That would be awesome to watch, though.

Hmm, Ai's command over them is amazing... :shocked

Hmm, fighting over Reina? I wonder what was said.

Now, the short chapter. Short, yet important.

We learn that Ai has manipulated Reina into being alone with Sayu, which is terrifying on many levels, but the most important ones to me are Sayu wants to get into Reina's pants and Ai wants Sayu to get into Reina's pants.

So, that...

Then we learn about Eri, though she still hasn't told Reina she's a junkie... And the two become closer in a pose that is just begging for someone to stumble upon them and a misunderstanding occurs...
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XV, 6/13]
Post by: mochi.rini on June 18, 2012, 06:41:05 AM
I poofed :O

Anyways...I KNEW IT!  Aichan IS evil~  At least...I still think she is XD  You...I HOPE THERE'S A SCANDAL ABOUT YOU IN THIS FIC!  That'll teach ya >.<  You don't need to belong to Risa anyways since she's with Reina now~  Or she will be :3

At first, I felt like Sayu was strictly in love with no one (although slightly with Kame) and only bedbuddies with Aichan...but she seems to have a softspot for this evil demonwoman.  :O  The moral side of me says I should feel pity for Sayu since she has that small sliver of hope that she'll be loved back...but we all know she's a turd to Risa and Reina without knowing the full story...so no pity for Sayu or Aichan! >.<

Eri's family...it suddenly makes so much more sense :O  How...tragic.  No wonder the girl is a junkie.  After having been scarred like that and then enforced such strict ruling from her pops...I'd go insane too~  :panic: 

TanaKame is bonding :D  She's just taking everyone's buds huh? XD  Risa from Ai and Kame from Sayu :3  Like a boss~

P.S.  50 Shades of Grey is a "rated M twilight fanfiction turned into an adult novel."  AKA badly written mommy porno that use to be a poorly written fangirl fanfiction porno :3  IT'S FUN TO MAKE FUN OF THOUGH~ :heart:

I hopes you come back soon~  :byebye:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XV, 6/13]
Post by: Quietriot on June 26, 2012, 05:14:34 AM
-will reply to comments in the morning-

@KB:
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OH MY GAH WHY SO SHORT?!

Ahaha I'm not a machine bro! I gotta write shorter stuff sometimes too. I go with my instinct on length and pacing of stuff I write ;)

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but yet eventhough she doesnt really seem to care about risa she cares enough to scold sayu over starting the fights...
 

Actually, she's scolded Risa in front of the others. In chapter... Four? I think? Though Sayu started it and kind of was teasing Reina... It would get sort of boring if I wrote out every rehearsal but lets just say that if she's got a choice between yelling at one or the other she's much more likely to get on Risa's case.

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sayu's hate meeter will rise if she catches reina and eri being all huggy and such.

The question is, are Sayu and Eri very close anymore? Eri sort of perceives all of them as her friend to some degree, but its been a while since that little KameShige fling in the omake, and that was the last moment Sayu really had any feelings for our spacey turtle. 

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lastly how is risa calming down? she couldnt've gone far in eri's side of the mansion right?

Perhaps she saw something and misinterpreted it~ (lol answered this question with the following chapter XD)

@kj:
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And if you ruin tanagaki for me, I will find you >=[ I KNOW WE'RE ALL SUPPOSED TO DESTROY GAKI'S LIFE AND EVERYTHING BUT BAHHH HAVE SOME MERCY AND GIVE HER SOMETHING TO LOVE AND LOVE HER BACK AHHHHHHHHHH *crying* lol

I didn't say it wasn't Tanagaki and I also never said I wouldn't give Risa somebody to love (caaaaannnn~ ANYBODYYYY~ find meeeee~ somebody toooo~ LOVE~). I'm just neither confirming or denying that ship. XD

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Ai v Sayu: I kind of giggled to myself when you used "chummy"

I legit use this in conversations XD

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Especially when you recall that one omake/chapter that was from Sayu's perspective about everyone, and you remember how "nice" Ai was to her at the beginning.

Well, you have to consider that it's been two years (well, a little less than, but basically) since that point and Risa came back into Ai's life. She's sort of suffering some dissonance and doesn't know how to deal. So basically she's fucking up everything around her. lolol

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Um, so I can't wait to see Sayu go batshit crazy horny on Reina. Just sayin'.

COMING SOON TO A THEATER NEAR YOU.

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-stuff about Eri-

Ahaha everyone here has a bit of angst to deal with. Basically only Reina, Aika, and Ai have come from decent backgrounds. But I can say it gets better ;)

@risa_ai: Because she's being an idiot mostly. XD and not really Tanakamei but it certainly would look that way to any passersby...

@Rndy:
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Dang, Ai is certainly butting in where I totally don't want her  You really have made her a great villain, though.

-cries- I didn't mean to~ Lolz she's certainly an antagonist, and to be honest I actually wanted to make her a lot worse. But I have this thing about people not really being 100% good or bad and I wanted her to be able to redeem herself at some point so hopefully--if I do my job right--she won't be so hated by everyone at the end.

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We learn that Ai has manipulated Reina into being alone with Sayu, which is terrifying on many levels, but the most important ones to me are Sayu wants to get into Reina's pants and Ai wants Sayu to get into Reina's pants.

I'm so excited about this chapter like you have no idea XD 

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And the two become closer in a pose that is just begging for someone to stumble upon them and a misunderstanding occurs...

-cough- Risa. -cough- XD

@Rini:
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You don't need to belong to Risa anyways since she's with Reina now~  Or she will be :3

You're so determined, its so cute :heart:

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The moral side of me says I should feel pity for Sayu since she has that small sliver of hope that she'll be loved back...but we all know she's a turd to Risa and Reina without knowing the full story...so no pity for Sayu or Aichan! >.<

To be fair, Risa hated Sayu from the beginning, just because Sayu annoyed her. The bunny didn't really start antagonizing her back until Risa got thrown in jail, thus breaking Ai's heart and p much causing Eri to spiral out of control (indirectly, but Risa's absence killed the band which was what Eri was coping with). So. XD Also I haven't written much about Sayu's past other than her sleeping with her bandmates, but as of yet we don't know her home situation or how she got into the business she's in~

Quote
-Rini's helpful and accurate description of 50 Shades of Grey-

Lol I googled it and I regretted it. You're right tho, it's damn hilarious to make fun of XD

-blows the dust off this thread- its been a little while, ne? This chapter was exponentially hard for me to write for whatever reason, I literally started it and deleted what I'd written three times before getting it done. I kept changing my mind about things and added in stuff to make some later chapters not as stupid to write XD and then today I was determined to finish this so I spent about five hours locked in my closet writing the bulk of this chapter, I kid you not. And it's done! The good news? It's long and there's lots in it. The bad? It's kinda a double cliffhanger. :cathappy:

I love you all :heart: -scampers off to work on Crimson more-

Enjoy~

EDIT: also there's a new poll XD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XV, 6/13]
Post by: mochi.rini on June 26, 2012, 05:16:14 AM
 :heart: :heart: :heart:

I totally locked myself in my closet today too  :cathappy:

-continues bouncing in seat-
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XV, 6/13]
Post by: Quietriot on June 26, 2012, 05:17:23 AM
Chapter XVI: You and I

"You alright?"

A gentle voice brought Eri out of her musings, and the drummer turned her head slightly to glance at Aika, who was looking at her with concern. She offered the younger girl a faint smile, leaning her head back against the seat.

"Yeah, just- it was a long day today."

"If you're tired, you really don't have to come with me," Aika frowned, "I can just go by myself."

"No," Eri shook her head, leaning over to place her hand on top of the artist's, which rested in the space between them, "I'm happy to be going, really. Honestly, I think it'll help me take my mind off of things..."

She failed to notice the other girl's slight blush and left her hand where it was, thinking nothing of it. Eri was too focused on replaying the day's events in her head, and soon got lost in her thoughts again, staring out the car window.

She had wanted to tell Reina her secret. She wanted to be honest with the singer because she thought perhaps the other girl wouldn't judge her, and she trusted her, but instead all Eri managed to do was turn into a sobbing mess like always. And Reina had been kind and understanding then, too. For whatever reason, perhaps because Reina was a newcomer to the situation, Eri almost felt like the girl could help her.

But just as she managed to stop crying long enough to talk again, Risa burst into the garden, looking more annoyed than usual and announcing that it was time for rehearsal to start. Eri didn't pay attention to much else after that; they got so busy putting together a set for the festival that she never got an opportunity to slip out, and so she spent the entire time focused mainly on her shaking hands and the burning ache in her body.

Unfortunately, by the time rehearsal was over, she only had just enough time to get ready and head over to pick up Aika. This was the longest Eri had been without her fix in a while, and although her mind was full, she was pleasantly surprised that her hands had stopped shaking and the burn was dull enough now to ignore.

Maybe it really is this easy to just stop.

"Hey, Kamei-san- Eri?"

"Mm?" Eri looked over at Aika again, blinking as she tried to clear her head.

"Do you really think it's alright to show up in a car like this? It might draw a lot of attention..."

"Oh, I hadn't really thought about that..." She murmured, grinning apologetically, "I'm used to it by now, but I can get the driver to let us out before we get there and we can just walk the rest of the way."

Eri didn't really ever take much notice of people staring at her or following her; after all, she'd been thought of as a freak since elementary school so being a rockstar really only changed the meaning behind the way people looked at her, and she had secret bodyguards for the latter. Now that she was focused back on Aika, however, she realized that the girl seemed nervous, even uncomfortable, and she gave her hand a light squeeze.

"I guess wanting to be in the spotlight is more your sister's thing, huh?"

"Kinda..." Aika admitted quietly, smiling a bit, "My friends back home used to ask if it frustrated me that she always got all the attention, but I kind of like hiding in her shadow."

The drummer sized the other girl up, really looking at her for once. She shared similarities with Reina, like her attitude to some extent, and maybe her taste in clothing-- besides the fact that Aika was more practical--but the two were seeming more different to Eri with each moment she spent with either one of them. But while she got along with Reina well, she found Aika fascinating, and was completely forgetting about her earlier worries.

"Speaking of my sister... Do you like her?"

"Of course I do," Eri beamed, completely missing the implication there. Aika shook her head, reluctantly slipping her hand from beneath the other girl's as she attempted to make herself clear without being obvious.

"No, I mean, do you like her?" The high schooler tried again, gesturing vaguely in the air.

Eri got it the second time and she blinked rapidly, quick to explain.

"I see your sister as a friend. That's all. Why, does she like me or something?"

"No," Aika blushed hard as she realized how harsh her answer might have sounded, "I mean, you're great, that's not why- I'm just asking because I care about Rei. I needed to know what your intentions were."

Eri resisted the urge to laugh, not wanting to make fun of the other girl. But a thought suddenly occurred to her, like a puzzle piece locking into place.

Gaki-san got so mad at Sayu when she was making fun of Reina... And then when she saw us in the garden... 

Oh.


The turtle's eyes widened and she sat up straight, clapping her hands together and causing Aika to jump. It was just a guess, of course, but it made sense; Risa only defended people she cared about, and it had been a hell of a long time since she cared about anyone new. But Eri didn't know how Reina felt, and if left to their own devices the yankii's bluntness coupled with the bean's anger issues, the two were likely to develop a relationship even more toxic than the one Risa shared with Sayumi. She would have to watch them for more clues, and definitely needed to talk to Risa asap.

"Uh, Eri?"

She looked up, realizing that Aika was staring at her, and that the car had stopped as well. The drummer smiled.

"Oh, don't worry about it. I'll tell you later." She could enlist the younger Tanaka in her plans, after all. Eri hopped out of the car, waving her driver away so that she could be the one to help Aika out of the other side. "For now, let's just have fun, okay?"

The younger girl blushed and nodded, and the duo walked together towards the venue, Eri not minding one bit that Aika was still holding her hand.

----------

The space outside the arena was packed with people, and the mood was high-tension, glowsticks bright in preparation for the concert. This wasn't really Aika's scene, but she didn't mind the crowd so much as soon as they were lost in it, and she had to admit that the buzz in the air gave her excited chills. Reina had snuck out to her fair share of concerts as a teenager, and so the artist knew essentially what to expect, but being there in person was much much different.

"They're more popular than I thought," Eri shouted to her over the din, and Aika had to agree, nodding her head as she surveyed the crowd again. Most of the fans appeared to be girls her age or a bit older, and she recognized many of them from school.

"Oi! Mitsui-chan!"

A voice called to her from the side and Aika turned to see the face of Shimizu Saki, a petite, cheerful girl she knew from her science class. The artist smiled and waved, watching as Saki moved towards them.

"I'm surprised to see you here," Saki chirped, "Especially after that thing with Momochi. I wouldn't have pegged you for a Buono! fan."

"Guess it's definitely all over the school, huh," Aika groaned, receiving a comforting pat on the shoulder from Eri, "Actually, I'm sort of friends now with Miyabi-chan and Airi-chan, they gave me tickets."

"Ah, I see."

Though the smile didn't leave the older girl's face, Aika could see a flicker of something strange pass over Saki's features at the mention of Miyabi's name. Whatever it was disappeared quickly when the small girl glanced at Eri, mouth forming a tiny "o" as she realized just who the drummer was.

"You're... Kamei Eri-san... From Wild Musume..." She breathed, and Eri gave her an amused smile.

"I am." The turtle confirmed, placing a finger over her own lips, "Let's not tell the world now, though."

"Oh, no, I understand. I don't think anyone will notice you in a crowd this big," Saki replied, seeming to understand. She glanced back over at Aika with a newfound curiosity in her eyes. "You certainly have interesting friends, Mitsui-chan."

Before Aika could respond, the crowd around them roared as the doors to the arena were opened, and people began to steadily stream inside. She clutched tighter at Eri's hand, not wanting to lose the older girl, eliciting a chuckle from her companion. Saki, however, seemed unconcerned, obviously a concert veteran.

"Hey, you guys wanna get up close? I've been to plenty of these so I know the best ways to move through the crowds."

----------

True to her word, Saki had led the duo around the clusters of people in the arena until they were right up next to the stage, where it was so uncomfortably hot Aika thought she might literally melt. Of course Eri and Saki didn't seem phased at all, and so the artist decided she'd just suck it up for now. Besides, there was, surprisingly, a bit more room at the front and she was relieved to not have to keep bumping into random sweaty strangers anymore.

"This is the only way to watch a concert," the smallest of the three stated happily. She began to babble about the setlist and her favorite songs, Aika graciously pretending to listen until she noticed that Eri seemed distracted again.

She followed the older girl's line of sight, eyes landing on a tall, striking girl standing not too far from them. The girl's head was down, and she seemed focused on her phone, but still Aika thought she recognized her. When the girl looked up at the stage, she was sure.

"Do you know Yajima-san?" She questioned, even as Saki continued going on about Buono! beside her. Eri nodded slowly, and Aika registered a slight apprehension in her features.

"Through Gaki-san, yes... Though-"

"Ah! Maimi-chan~" Saki had noticed her audience was no longer paying attention, and when she spotted the girl they were talking about she waved her over to them. Aika felt Eri tense up beside her, and she moved closer to the older girl as the runner approached them. 

"Hey Captain, how are you?" The girl smiled softly, giving her friend a light hug. 

"I'm good, happy to be here of course~" Saki gestured to Aika and Eri, "This is Mitsui Aika-chan, she goes to school with us--she's the one that hit Momochi in the face."

Maimi's lips twitched with what was an obvious attempt to stifle a laugh. 

"Thanks for doing what the rest of us have wanted to do for about a year now." She shook Aika's hand firmly, leaving the artist to wonder just how strong the athlete actually was.

"And this is-"

"Kamei-san," Maimi cut in before Saki could introduce the girl, holding out her hand to the turtle next, "It's nice to see you again."

Eri nodded shook the runner's hand almost robotically, her expression neutral. Aika wasn't sure what was going on, and decided to be cautious until she could ask the drummer about it.
If Saki noticed the tension between the two, she didn't let it show.

"So, are you here to watch Airi-chan~?"

Airi...?

The runner sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck, swinging playfully at Saki, who easily dodged the hit.

"Maybe, but we all know why you're here, hm?"

Aika watched as the smaller girl lunged at her much taller friend in an attempt to cover her mouth, giggling at the sight. The two scuffled amicably for a bit, Maimi easily maneuvering Saki into a headlock. They stopped struggling as soon as the lights began to dim, smoke billowing dramatically off the stage while the crowd around them went into a cheering frenzy. 

A low hum vibrated through the air, a single bass note setting the ambience for the performers as they were slowly raised up from beneath the stage. This was followed by the drums and a guitar riff, the lights above the stage pulsing in time with the music. A spotlight struck Airi in the center like a flash of lightning, and Aika was stunned at how the kind and seemingly-docile girl she met only days ago could look so fierce and sexy.

Two more beams of light illuminated Miyabi and Momoko in turn, and soon Aika was lost in the atmosphere, swept up by the sights and sounds.

----------

"Just to think, had Eri managed tell me her secret that day, things would have turned out very differently," Reina mused as her sister finished her account of the date, turning to the next page in the scrapbook.

"You don't regret the way things happened, do you?"

The old woman smiled, shaking her head and leaning back against the couch cushions, wrinkled fingers caressing the necklace she still held in her hands. 

"Not at all. Everything happens for a reason, after all. The good and the bad. ...I just was a very naive young woman."

"I'm glad for that," Aika chuckled, and the two sisters spent a moment in companionable silence, each reminiscing on their own. Both were too old for regrets now anyway, and Reina had let all of hers go a long, long time ago. Sure, some of the memories were painful, and there were even some she still wasn't quite ready to revisit, but in the end her choices landed her in a place where she was happy, and she'd had a good life.

As she sat there, however, Reina felt her throat tighten uncomfortably, the familiar cough that had plagued her for the last few years rising up to seize her tiny frame. 

"Are you alright?"

Reina wanted to answer that she was, that it was normal and there was no need to worry, but she couldn't catch her breath long enough even to do that. The old woman watched as her vision became blurry, and the last thing she heard was Aika calling out to her son before she lost consciousness.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVI, 6/25]
Post by: mochi.rini on June 26, 2012, 05:27:16 AM
nuuuuuuu don't die Reina Dx (> ; A ; )> 

shall return tomorrow to finish off comment since Rini has a killer headache and bounce-spinning on the roll-y chair ain't helping  :catglare:

...12 days since last update?  seems like a lot longer then that XD

I still retain the first line :3  Reina~ <3  I've grown to actually like you more now...so don't die even though you're old Dx

Wow...I've only heard that quitting drugs is tough, so poor Kame...withdrawls must suck beyond all belief...but LOVE can fix it~  :heart:

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Gaki-san got so mad at Sayu when she was making fun of Reina... And then when she saw us in the garden...

Oh.


The turtle's eyes widened and she sat up straight, clapping her hands together and causing Aika to jump. It was just a guess, of course, but it made sense; Risa only defended people she cared about, and it had been a hell of a long time since she cared about anyone new. But Eri didn't know how Reina felt, and if left to their own devices the yankii's bluntness coupled with the bean's anger issues, the two were likely to develop a relationship even more toxic than the one Risa shared with Sayumi. She would have to watch them for more clues, and definitely needed to talk to Risa asap.
YES!  OPERATION RRR time~ (Risa-Reina rabu  :heart:)  Go Ka~aaame!  :onioncheer: 

Y'know, at the beginning of this, I didn't think GakiKame would be very close, but as we delve deeper in, Kame's pretty much the only friend Risa really has now since TakaShige are acting like complete turds~  So Kame probably knows a bit of the truth huh?  Or at least a tidbit that Risa was arrested for protecting Maimi and Mano? Your fic causes lots of speculations y'know :P


Quote
"Just to think, had Eri managed tell me her secret that day, things would have turned out very differently,"
Eri: Reina...I have a secret  :err:
Reina:  :pig huh: Eri...you don't have to-
Eri: I'm a drug addict!  :gyaaah:
Reina:   :mon wtf:
Eri:  :depressed:
Reina:  :mon mad: NO CONCERT FOR YOU! :on kimbo:

And thus, there would be no KamexAika and readers would be very very sad :3  At least...this is how my mind is imagining things ^_^;

.....DON'T DIE REINA~  :fainted:  ...I'm glad you updated...my mopey-ness has reformatted to happiness now~  -hug-  :deco:

-notpesteringatall- u~uuuuuuuuupdate so~ooooooooon :D closets are fuuuuuuuuun except if there's god-sized spiders o.o
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVI, 6/25]
Post by: rndmnwierd on June 26, 2012, 08:35:07 AM
EriKa date!~!

Eri is such a sweet space case, not even realizing the effect she's having on little Aika.

Quote
She had wanted to tell Reina her secret. She wanted to be honest with the singer because she thought perhaps the other girl wouldn't judge her, and she trusted her,
Hmm, being said like this makes me wonder if Eri really can trust Reina... There're so many ways that conversation could end badly, especially since Aika now has some feelings for the drummer.

Quote
Gaki-san got so mad at Sayu when she was making fun of Reina... And then when she saw us in the garden...

Oh.

Oh, indeed. Wonder what her meddling is going to be like?

Quote
"Through Gaki-san, yes... Though-"
Hmm, that sounds like an interesting story...

Quote
Two more beams of light illuminated Miyabi and Momoko in turn, and soon Aika was lost in the atmosphere, swept up by the sights and sounds.
:w00t: :w00t:

Quote
"Just to think, had Eri managed tell me her secret that day, things would have turned out very differently,"
Damnable curiosity! It practically hurts! >.<

Quote
The old woman watched as her vision became blurry, and the last thing she heard was Aika calling out to her son before she lost consciousness.
:O :shocked Damn!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVI, 6/25]
Post by: kjpop on June 26, 2012, 02:24:56 PM
BOOKMARKING KSJHFKSDHFLKSDF


ErixAika is sooooooo adorable~ Aika asking her about the whole "do you like her" thing is like so innocent and like high-school-ish xD megadorbs <3 Plotting turtle to bring on the Tanagaki action? OH HELLLZ YEAHHHHH  :thumbsup

But whoa buddy, Saki doesn't seem to dig the whole ErixAika thing as much as the rest of us xD Guess her reputation precedes her. Yikes  :(

Quote
"Thanks for doing what the rest of us have wanted to do for about a year now."

BAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHA

And whoa, mad intense moment between Eri and Maimi. AHH THE TENSION  :panic:

Which died down when the AirixMaimi love started ahahhahahah oh Maimi <3 you idiot  :wub:

Quote
"Just to think, had Eri managed tell me her secret that day, things would have turned out very differently,"

BUT HOW DIFFERENTLY?! AHKASJDHAKSDHA I NEED TO KNOW!!!!!!!!!  :panic:

AND WTF REINA CAN'T DIE! UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :panic:  im being a total nerd now and going through my mental index of illnesses and diseases to figure out what her problem could be AHHAHAHHAHA im such a loser T__T

As for the omake that's gonna happen regardless hahah any of the girls would be interesting, but personally speaking, I think we've gotten quite an eyeful of Ai and Gaki already (and how tragic they are T__T) and Sayu as well. We got a lot more insight into Eri in the last chapter, and bit more-ish in this one. Idk what you could say about her, unless you're gonna recount that horrific blackout encounter when she got abducted X__X that'd be so cruel and hard to read  :cry: Buono would be interesting ahhaa but I voted for another chapter instead HOHOHO  :lol:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVI, 6/25]
Post by: kawaii beam on June 26, 2012, 04:20:28 PM
double clifhangers...u slay me! erika is forever adorbrable and plus the leader/capitan crushes were cute~! ;3; i want more~! but pls dont lock urself up in the coloset XD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVI, 6/25]
Post by: Quietriot on June 28, 2012, 11:37:37 PM
So yeah locking poll cuz that's p much how many people voted in the last one and the obvious winner is obvious XD (NOT SURPRISED AT ALL) ahaha

Okay SO, because I'm the author and I do what I want I'm granting yalls request HOWEVER, I sort of wrote a really long thing that is mostly an Ai omake that fleshes out the Takagaki past from her POV, leading into the Takagaki part (which is a perv lol). My hang up is that the Ai part might be a bit redundant...so I'm kinda hesitant to post it or I'm thinking of editing it to make it way shorter.

tl;dr I'm probably gonna post everything anyway lolol so I guess this is mainly a post to say that I finished comment replies to the last chapter and am gonna edit this with my replies to the last one soon~

EDIT:

@Rini:
Quote
nuuuuuuu don't die Reina Dx (> ; A ; )>

She's old, bro, it's inevitable T.T

Quote
Wow...I've only heard that quitting drugs is tough, so poor Kame...withdrawls must suck beyond all belief...but LOVE can fix it~

Love conquers all~ :heart: And perhaps in this case that's not quite too far off the mark ;)

Quote
Kame's pretty much the only friend Risa really has now

True story. And was kind of vice versa until Reina and Aika showed up. Though Eri calls p much anyone her friend XD

Quote
So Kame probably knows a bit of the truth huh?  Or at least a tidbit that Risa was arrested for protecting Maimi and Mano? Your fic causes lots of speculations y'know

Fortunately you're good at speculating ;)

Quote
-Rini's Tanakamei omake- And thus, there would be no KamexAika and readers would be very very sad :3  At least...this is how my mind is imagining things ^_^;

Yeah that's pretty accurate XD

Quote
...spiders o.o

... -flips shit and runs-

@Rndy:
Quote
Eri is such a sweet space case, not even realizing the effect she's having on little Aika.

Indeed~ They're pretty much the cutest couple in this whole thing hahaha at least until I screw it up with drama trololool~

Quote
Hmm, being said like this makes me wonder if Eri really can trust Reina... There're so many ways that conversation could end badly, especially since Aika now has some feelings for the drummer.

Depends on what you mean by trust. To keep her secrets? Perhaps. To keep her head where it involves a junkie associating with her baby sister? ...Debatable XD

Quote
Hmm, that sounds like an interesting story...

Considering what you know about Maimi...

@kj:
Quote
ErixAika is sooooooo adorable~ Aika asking her about the whole "do you like her" thing is like so innocent and like high-school-ish xD megadorbs <3 Plotting turtle to bring on the Tanagaki action? OH HELLLZ YEAHHHHH

Haha yeah wanted to make the distinction that Aika's still a high schooler in this XD but Eri is all spacey and derpy it just makes it even better~ <3 and Eri plans on involving Aika as well, so hilarity will abound fa sho XD

Quote
But whoa buddy, Saki doesn't seem to dig the whole ErixAika thing as much as the rest of us xD Guess her reputation precedes her. Yikes

Actually, Saki's sort of impressed. She's kind of a big -cough-Miya-cough- wota here but she appreciates bands in general so the fact that the new kid is pals with a famous drummer is points for Aika in Captain's opinion.

Quote
BUT HOW DIFFERENTLY?! AHKASJDHAKSDHA I NEED TO KNOW!!!!!

See Rini's post for detailed illustration XD

Quote
AND WTF REINA CAN'T DIE! UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    im being a total nerd now and going through my mental index of illnesses and diseases to figure out what her problem could be AHHAHAHHAHA im such a loser T__T

Do recall that I'm an art major and know like jack squat about illnesses and disease. Read: Fimmy just BS's symptoms and shit. XD

Quote
I think we've gotten quite an eyeful of Ai and Gaki already (and how tragic they are T__T)

True. XD likely won't be writing any more about them after this one.

Quote
and Sayu as well.

Kind of. We know she does stuff, just not really why XD tho I think everyone hates her now so they don't care~

Quote
Eri...Idk what you could say about her, unless you're gonna recount that horrific blackout encounter when she got abducted X__X that'd be so cruel and hard to read

I dont think I WANT to write that XD; 

Quote
Buono would be interesting ahhaa but I voted for another chapter instead HOHOHO

I can only assume which it was Ahahahaha

@KB: Ehehehe but the closet is dark and cool and I like it there~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVI, 6/25]
Post by: rndmnwierd on June 28, 2012, 11:41:42 PM
Don't care if redundant, just want all the Ai omakes!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVI, 6/25]
Post by: Quietriot on June 29, 2012, 12:38:26 AM
(Expect the extended part of this later tonight, I've a headache now XD)

Omake V: Hide and Seek

Takahashi Ai was a rational person. At least, she liked to think she was. She didn't rock the boat, played by the rules, and since graduating high school lived her life following a rigid routine that allowed her to maximize her time. These were habits that had followed her since childhood, thanks to a mother and father who were loving but strictly invested in their child's talents and future.

So when Niigaki Risa stepped into her life, loud and emotional and a little bit wild, Ai really wasn't sure what to do with herself at first. She could still remember the day they met, when she'd transferred schools and she sat in the cafeteria alone to eat, the aura of 'new girl' scaring off all prospective friends. Risa had ambled up to her, completely fearless even though she was two years her junior, wanting to know everything.

The girl firmly wedged herself into Ai's life. They quickly discovered that they didn't live too far from each other and often walked one another to and from school, the latter frequently ending in sleepovers. So frequently, in fact, that she'd gotten into the habit of referring to Risa's parents as mama and papa and vice versa. They were together save for when they had class, and Ai had to admit that she didn't mind that one bit. Risa was like the little sister she never had, and Ai doted on her every opportunity she got. 

And then she entered high school, where everything changed. Different campus, different people, and fewer and fewer opportunities to see Risa. Not to mention her body was changing and people started to look at her differently. Boys asked her out. Girls did too, when they weren't busy trying to imitate her or to push their way into her circle. Almost overnight she became extremely popular, and overwhelmed, Ai was swept up in the peer pressure.

"I can't walk home with you as much anymore, Risa..."

"Why not?" The younger girl stopped swinging, kicking up a bit of dust as she glanced sideways at her best friend. Ai couldn't meet her gaze.

"Because people don't like it when they see me with you."

"You're worried... About your reputation?"

The silence was enough of an answer for Risa, the look of hurt on her face twisting in Ai's stomach like a knife. She wouldn't ever forget that look, or the tears that started to run down the bean's cheeks as she turned to walk away.

"I won't bother you anymore, then..."


It was a terrible, awful thing to do to the person who had befriended her when no one else would. But Ai didn't know how to say no or to resist the clique that was steadily building itself around her. She attempted to apologize for weeks afterwards, but Risa ignored her completely, and the monkey couldn't blame her. 

She didn't give up on trying to mend their broken friendship, however. When the bean's next birthday rolled around, Ai was determined to make it special in the hopes that Risa would forgive her. What she didn't anticipate, however, was that her skill level didn't match up with with the skill required to bake a cake from scratch; when the bean came home that evening, she found Ai in the kitchen in tears, covered in flour and clumps of dough.

She laughed. It started out as a low series of chuckles before erupting into shrieks that sent her to her knees, clutching her sides. Risa's reaction only made Ai cry harder.

"I was just trying to make you a cake..." The monkey wailed miserably, sure that she would never get her friend back now.

To her surprise, Risa gathered her in a tight hug, still giggling a bit.

"I can't stay mad at you forever. You're just too hopeless without me anyway."


It was true, Ai realized. She didn't really know what to do without Risa; the girl was her rock and her confidante, always reliable. Their friendship was restored, but things didn't go back to the way they had been before. Risa insisted that Ai remain friends with her group, which meant that when the bean moved up into high school as well, Ai had to pretend that the girl didn't exist in public.

"I don't like doing this. I don't know what to say to them when they make fun of you... I don't care what they think of me anymore, I'd rather just spend time with you..."

"Trust me, its probably not the best idea to make enemies of the most popular girls in school. They'd make your life hell. And I don't want that for you."

"Risa..."

"Just trust me, I can take what they say, it's no big deal."


But it hurt the girl, Ai knew, to be pushed around and teased all the time. Risa laughed it off, but it was just to refuse her tormentors the satisfaction of seeing her cry. The monkey was glad when the bean managed to find a friend other than herself; Kamei Eri was constantly cheerful, and was such an airhead that bullies had all but given up on bothering her anymore. This 'protection' extended to Risa when they were together, but it didn't keep her from getting whispers and dirty looks.

Still, Ai was grateful for the moments she had with Risa, and always did her best to make the girl happy when she could. Life seemed just fine; time passed, and Ai entered her senior year, and she couldn't help but await her graduation with eager anticipation.

It was during this time that she began to notice Risa more, beyond the platonic things one would think about their best friend. The girl had stopped wearing her hair in pigtails so much, and cut her bangs so that they cutely framed her face. Ai found herself staring whenever Risa smiled or laughed, and made conscious efforts to elicit these reactions out of her friend. The bean began to walk with an unconscious grace and though she was still much skinnier than Ai liked--the monkey continuously attempted to get her friend to eat more--every time they hugged, Ai was aware of the gentle curves that Risa now possessed.

"Sounds like you've got a crush on your best friend." Sayumi stated bluntly, stretching out lazily in her seat. The bunny was new to her circle, chosen for her looks and her sharp tongue after humiliating one of the older girls in the cafeteria. For whatever reason, she stuck close to Ai, and didn't seem to care that the girl was friends with someone so low on the social totem pole.

"What?!" Ai shot up straight and very nearly brained her head on the wall behind her.

"Trust me, I know a thing or two about attraction," The younger girl replied mysteriously, "Besides, you just spent a whole two minutes describing what her perfume smells like."


The more she thought about it, the more Ai had to agree that Sayumi was right, and as with most things involving Risa, she had absolutely no idea what to do. She couldn't simply just walk up to her best friend and tell her she wanted to be... well, more than that. Besides, Ai didn't know the first thing about romance. She'd never even been kissed! Granted, neither had Risa--unless the awkward incident with Eri counted and the bean liked to insist it didn't--but how was she supposed to woo someone if she didn't know what to do?

For weeks the monkey agonized over her feelings, steadily working up the courage to do something about them, and she finally decided while walking Risa home one day that she would tell the girl that very night.

But...

When she'd gathered all of her thoughts and emotions back together, Ai decided to finally approach the nearest officer, leaving a sleeping Risa against the station's wall. She paused for a moment, using her thumb to brush away half-dried tears from the exhausted girl's face before walking up to the policeman.

"Do we know what happened yet?"

"Are you family?" The man questioned gruffly, barely looking at her over the notepad he was scribbling on.

"I may as well be." Ai replied firmly, refusing to back down. The officer looked at her fully this time, shrugged, and then answered her.

"Seems like the usual gang-related violence we get around here. Probably initiates who were told to rob the place. These two just unfortunately happened to be home at the same time."

She imagined Mama and Papa Niigaki, Mama making a snack for her and Risa and Papa just arriving home from work, likely getting in the way with a good natured smile on his face. Her eyes stung at the senselessness of their deaths, and the realization that had she and Risa been there on time...

"Listen, miss, you probably should take your friend and go home. It's been a long day."

"Thank you," She mumbled, sniffling lightly as she pulled her phone from her pocket, dialing her mother's number.


Risa wasn't the same after that. Ai hadn't expected her to be, of course, but the change was so drastic she could barely recognize the girl she'd fallen in love with. Though her parents had offered to take the bean in, Risa was adamant about taking care of herself and got a job at a cafe downtown, as well as her own apartment. Her grades started to slip, her mood was awful, and she began to pick up habits that Ai found disgusting. Like smoking.

The monkey knew her friend was spending more and more time with a few rumored gangsters, and even discovered that Risa had gotten a tattoo all of a sudden. She worried, constantly, but every attempt to talk some sense into her friend was met with defense or anger.

And then hope came in the form of Eri's little band project. It was meant to be for fun, mostly, but Ai knew that what Risa needed was a distraction. She made the girl promise to come to rehearsals, and while the bean protested loudly every chance she got, Ai slowly began to notice that her friend was smiling again. 

Sometimes she would even laugh. 

She wasn't sure who suggested it first, but soon after they'd been rehearsing the band managed to get a real gig at some karaoke place in the city. It was small, and definitely not a full house, but the lights and the music had charged Ai to the point where she felt like she could jump off a skyscraper and bounce back like it was nothing.

Electrified with the post-performance high, she found Risa backstage after the concert, humming as she put away her bass.

"That was amazing, wasn't it?" The bean asked, knowing it was Ai without even looking up, "I mean, there weren't a lot of people, but we were perfect and it..."

Risa trailed off as she stood up, caught in Ai's intense gaze. She swallowed, and for a moment the monkey caught a glimpse of the girl hiding beneath the badass gangster facade.

"You are amazing," Ai replied softly, taking a few steps to close the space between them. She watched Risa's face flush red in the dim lighting as she slipped her arms around the younger girl's waist, pulling her close, "Not to mention beautiful, wonderful..." Ai realized how close their faces were and attempted to stay on track, "Well... I have a list of things but that could very well take forever to go through."

"Aichan..." 

"I love you." Ai confessed, holding Risa's gaze, "I have... For a while now. I just didn't know how to tell you or how you'd react or-"

"Ai, please shut up and kiss me now," Risa breathed, and her request was quickly granted, lips crashing hard together. 

Unlike most first kisses, this one was desperate and hungry, Ai pressing the younger woman back up against the wall while Risa clutched fistfuls of her shirt in an attempt to stay upright. Both had been waiting for and imagining the moment for so long that for it to finally happen seemed to shatter some invisible wall between them, and when they broke the kiss, Ai met Risa's grin with a dark gaze.

"You're coming home with me tonight," She whispered into the bean's ear.

"I better be." Risa replied, nipping lightly at Ai's neck before gently pushing her away. Feeling pleasantly light-headed by the action, Ai watched the younger girl pick up her bass and sling it over her shoulder, and she quietly followed Risa out of the building.

----------

"Risa...?"

"Nn?"

Ai nuzzled into her new girlfriend's hair, breathing in deep the mixed scents of perfume and sweat and sex, nearly intoxicated by that alone. She was so comfortable that she almost forgot what it was she was going to ask, until the girl in her arms rolled over, dark eyes curious.

"Will you promise me something?"

"Of course," The younger girl snuggled up under her chin, "Anything."

"Please don't go back to them," Ai murmured softly, her fingers lightly tracing the contours of Risa's shoulder blades, ghosting over the tiger etched into her skin. The bassist seemed to tense at the contact at first, but then she let out a quiet sigh, her breath tickling Ai's collarbone.

"I won't. I promise."


She failed at protecting Risa from the cruelty of their classmates. 

She failed at giving her enough support when the girl's parents died. 

She could not keep Risa from joining a gang, nor could she pull her out of it.

She also couldn't keep Risa from going to jail.

They made her leader, trusted her, respected her, and she watched as it crumbled around them; she watched Eri get carted off in an ambulance, and watched Sayumi leave a trail of broken hearts in her wake.

The blame for all of these things she carried on her shoulders; because she had done nothing.

Because she was a coward.

But the moment Risa got out of jail and walked back into her life, something snapped inside. She resolved then and there that they would succeed, that the band would be restored to its former glory and she would crush anything or anyone that got in their way. She wouldn't even allow Risa to distract her from this goal.

I don't hate you... But I don't trust you... 

Not yet. 

But maybe when this is all over, I'll take you away from here and we can start over again.

Just you and I.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake V, 6/28]
Post by: kawaii beam on June 29, 2012, 12:56:15 AM
can i just go cry in a corner? i dont think i can hate ai anymore ;3; god damn it ;3;

i had to edit after re-reading and i clearly want to know how that gakikame 1st kiss went XD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake V, 6/28]
Post by: rndmnwierd on June 29, 2012, 02:07:59 AM
...Ok, I have sympathy... But I still see Ai as the "villain" here. Just because she started out with good intentions, doesn't make the things she's doing right. Openly encouraging Sayu to do something about Reina, manipulating everyone around her. No good will come of it.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake V, 6/28]
Post by: kawaii beam on June 29, 2012, 02:16:34 AM
^
gah ur so right ;3; can we just clarify that everyone's messed up in the head? XD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake V, 6/28]
Post by: mochi.rini on June 29, 2012, 03:02:40 AM
Quote
I don't hate you... But I don't trust you...

Not yet.

But maybe when this is all over, I'll take you away from here and we can start over again.

Just you and I.
UGH!  Right in the kokoro Dx  My overweight TakaGaki fangirl is psyched and cheering for them...but my little average sized TanaGaki fangirl resists on...IT'S TOO LATE TO TURN BACK~ Why are OTP decisions so difficult? Dx

Ma~aaaan you just HAD to make me feel sympathetic for Aichan (> 3 <)

Quote
"I was just trying to make you a cake..." The monkey wailed miserably, sure that she would never get her friend back now.
Lol I could seriously imagine this happening.  With an addition of her accent of course :D


Still....I feel pretty bad for Aichan ; A ;  Don't be so darn ambitious dude~  the ambitious ones always die first in this crazed battlefield Dx 

^ and ^x2
AGRE~EEEEEED :O
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake V, 6/28]
Post by: kjpop on June 29, 2012, 03:11:42 AM
FACK AHHH SAVE THISSSSS SPACE FOR MY FEELINGS

Pssh Ai, rationale is so boring. you end up like me  :thumbdown:

Quote
Ai really wasn't sure what to do with herself at first.
Easy, just fuck her brains out ahhahahahhahahahhaha  :lol:

Quote
Risa was like the little sister she never had
...well I guess incest is ok.... XD

Quote
But Ai didn't know how to say no or to resist the clique that was steadily building itself around her.
Oh my god this is like freakin' Mean Girls LOL AI, Y U HANG WIT DA PLASTICS!? lol

kahlskdjfhaskldfsdf cake scene  :cry:

Quote
Ai had to pretend that the girl didn't exist in public.
Duuuuuuuuude...... :( RISA STOP TRYING TO BE A FREAKIN' HERO. IT'S ATTRACTIVE.

AND HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PUBERTY  :mon blood:

Quote
unless the awkward incident with Eri counted and the bean liked to insist it didn't
Prithee, do tell  :P AND LOL ABOUT POPULAR MEAN GIRL AI NOT GETTING KISSED ahah it's always those damn popular kids that get some >___> jerks lol

Oh man, I was bracing myself for the heavy X__X That really blows for Risa man >__< We really gotta give her some lovin' these days xD BUT WOO ERI TO THE RESCUE <3

DAT CONFESSION THO  :farofflook:
Quote
"Ai, please shut up and kiss me now,"
OH HELL YEAH  :on GJ:

Quote
"You're coming home with me tonight," She whispered into the bean's ear.
OH HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL YEAH  :mon nyah:

THE HEAVY ENDING THOUGH  :cry: THERE'S HOPE FOR TAKAGAKI!! REJOICE!!!  :wriggly:




....But I take that back because Ai still has bad intentions >__> and I ain't trusting her LOL LET ME WAVE THE TANAGAKI FLAG, FOREVER ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :cool1:

EDIT: jk everyone is kind of on the same boat haha
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake V, 6/28]
Post by: Quietriot on June 29, 2012, 07:23:14 AM
Hurhur, so to make all of your shipping feels even more complicated, you can find the extended part of Omake V in the perv section, located here:

http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32701.msg1059772#msg1059772 (http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=32701.msg1059772#msg1059772)

If you can't access, tough nuts.

Now I need to... Tanagaki... Help, my brain... Someone write something to get my OTP back on track...  :panic:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake V, 6/28]
Post by: risa_ai on June 29, 2012, 10:33:47 AM
I NEED A PM. ONEGAI~ I WANNA READ IT SO BAD. :( *sits in corner and cries*
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake V, 6/28]
Post by: kjpop on June 29, 2012, 02:51:11 PM
commenting here to troll the unfortunate souls that cant read LOL

I have no idea where the hell you're going with the tana/takagaki/sayu/eri love orgy XD I'm like I SURRENDER I SURRENDER. You make Takagaki so lovely and adorable and like AHHHHHH~ Smooth operator virgin Ai, bahhhhhhh And to think that was before she became like a total manipulative ass xD

I STAND STRONG, HOWEVER. I WILL BOYCOTT THE CRAP OUT OF TAKAGAKI UNTIL THERE'S A CHAPTER THAT WILL STEER ME TO BELIEVE THAT AI IS A GOOD PERSON. Because let's get real lol Tanagaki is pretty baws =3
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake V, 6/28]
Post by: Quietriot on July 03, 2012, 02:18:53 AM
@KB: heheh glad to keep messing with your emotions~ as for Gakikame incident, perhaps I'll throw it in some conversation later on XD

@Rndy: haha you're right, no good will come of it. Basically just wanted to show that Ai has motivations just like the others; they're not exactly pure but she feels justified in what she's doing.

@Rini: hurhur I'm just gonna keep confusing your emotions I promise~ hang on tight XD

@KJ: yeahhh don't trust Ai too soon. XD shits all about to just hit the fan~ And soon Tanashige encounter as well :x

@risa_ai: my policy is if you can't access the perv, there's a reason for it, so I'm not in the business of sending PMs. Doesn't sit right w my conscience. If someone else doesn't mind copy pasting for you, I can't stop 'em, but I won't do it. My apologies. :)

Lots of dialogue in this one but I couldn't help but come up with two more scenes to involve before moving forward. Forgive my long-windedness~ this is about to pick up a bit XD Enjoy~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake V, 6/28]
Post by: Quietriot on July 03, 2012, 02:20:47 AM
Chapter XVII: 50 Ways to Say Goodbye

The sound of a gentle beeping and mechanical hissing greeted the elder Tanaka when she awoke, the former keeping time with her pulse and the latter, her breathing. Dim fluorescent lights cast a glow overhead, and Reina quickly deduced she was in a hospital bed; as if the oxygen mask plastered to her face weren't enough of a clue. Carefully, so as not to bother the IV taped to her hand, the old woman slowly propped herself up so she could look around.

She was not alone; Aika sat dozing in a chair on the other side of the room, next to another bed that was also occupied. Reina wasn't surprised they'd moved her here, since it would be much easier for her sister to keep an eye on the both of them. In fact, she also wouldn't have been surprised if Aika had personally requested such a thing.

Reina gingerly moved her legs so that they hung off the bed, grumbling something about her body not working the way it should. She discarded the oxygen mask, silently hoping some doctor would notice later so she could argue with someone. The old woman reached for the stand that her IV and pulse monitor were hooked up to, and after rising from the bed, used it for balance as she rolled herself over to the other side of the room.

She sat on the edge of the bed almost reverently, careful not to touch or wake its occupant. Not that she could; the woman was in a coma after all. It had been too long since Reina last saw her, though she knew if the woman were awake, forgiveness would come easily. Still, the old yankii felt guilty, even if her absence was due to mourning.

"How are you today, Eri?" She questioned the still form, reaching for the unconscious woman's hand. Her eyes fell on the wedding band as her fingers brushed against it, and she smiled, "Aika and I were talking about you just before I ended up here, you know. I was beginning to think perhaps you were sick of me since you don't visit anymore."

Eri's breathing remained steady, and though it hurt to see her friend this way, talking to her still helped. And Reina liked to think that somehow the turtle could hear her anyway.

"I know I haven't been here since..." She gripped Eri's hand for strength, unable to say the name. Three years wasn't enough time to heal some wounds. No time would be enough for this one. "Well, I haven't ever been here alone. I'm sorry. I know you'd tell me it's alright and that you understand, but that's just you being an amazing friend and me being a terrible one. And I guess that's how it's always worked between us, hasn't it? As much as you try to argue differently..."

She paused as Aika shifted in her chair nearby, but her sister wasn't waking up anytime soon. Another pang of guilt ran through Reina's system, considering what her own plans were. She turned back to Eri, voice softer now.

"She misses you terribly, you know. She doesn't ever leave, unless it's to check up on me," Reina brushed stray hairs from Eri's face, "So I'm afraid I have to ask you to hurry up and wake up soon. She's gonna need you even more when I go, you know?"

The old woman sighed, leaning back against the wall.

"I've been dying since... Since I lost her, you know? It's my time to go, Eri. I'm tired. But I've still got a few things left to do. Gotta make my peace to die in peace I guess."

Reina picked at the flimsy hospital blanket, wondering if she'd live long enough to do what she wanted. As old as she was she no longer feared death, but certainly wished she could outrun it just enough to have no regrets. 

No one's that lucky, though.

"...Can I tell you a story? Aika and I were just getting to the good parts."

----------

When Eri returned home that night, it was late and and she felt absolutely terrible. All she could focus on was getting to her fix; fortunately, the overwhelming urge hadn't kicked in until she and Aika left the concert. But by the time she dropped the artist off at her home, she was gritting her teeth and making her most valiant effort to keep from shaking in front of the younger girl.

"Thank you for coming with me tonight." Aika said shyly, staring at the ground near Eri's feet, "I had fun."

"So did I," The drummer tried her hardest to smile, thankful that the girl wasn't looking at her. It'd been quite some time since she regretted picking up this addiction, but she definitely wished she weren't bound by it now. "We should hang out again soon."

"Y-yeah?" The younger girl squeaked, head jerking up to meet Eri's gaze. The drummer hoped it was dark enough that Aika didn't notice much. 

"Yeah. I'll call you sometime this week, okay?" She replied with a grin, shoving her hands in her pockets as she turned to leave. The drummer only managed to walk down one step before a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Eri?"

"Mm?"

As she turned to face the artist again, she felt warm lips on her own, Aika using the height advantage to surprise her with a kiss. It was chaste, and over too quickly for Eri to react fast enough, blinking as the younger girl pulled away. Aika was too red now for even the drummer to be oblivious.

"A-ah, I'm sorry-" She began apologizing, and even in her shock Eri thought she was cute, "I just-"

The drummer smiled, forgetting her aching head for a moment and reaching for one of Aika's hands. 

"Don't be sorry," she murmured quietly, leaning up to give the artist a kiss of her own. The younger girl sighed happily against her lips, and after a moment Eri broke the contact to look up at her, still smiling, "I'm not."

Aika slowly smiled back at her, and the drummer gave her hand a squeeze before turning again to descend the steps.


She could still taste the faintest hint of strawberry lip gloss, and couldn't help but smile even as she wandered through the quiet mansion towards the kitchen. But regret soon crept into her mind; what was she thinking, spending time with someone so innocent? And then letting herself start to develop feelings...

Eri needed those damned drugs. Now.

As soon as she entered the kitchen, she was greeted with the sound of clanging metal, watching as an avalanche of pots crashed down in the corner of the room. Risa was in the middle of this, cursing loudly as she surveyed her mess.

"Gaki-san?" The ex-gangster looked over at her, eyes narrowing slightly, "What are you still doing here? It's nearly midnight..."

"Didn't really feel like being around Aichan tonight," Risa grumbled, "Figured you wouldn't mind if I just crashed at your place."

"Oh, I mean, I don't mind, but..." She could no longer ignore the burning, but she could tell her friend was definitely bothered by something, "What's wrong, Gaki-san?"

Risa shook her head, kneeling down to gather up the scattered kitchenware, and Eri sighed. When the bassist was in this state it was best to let her speak first, and the drummer decided to take care of her own problem in the meantime. She wandered into the pantry and pushed aside a few boxes on the shelf, reaching into the darkness to find a small metal case she knew was 'hidden' there. Her secret wasn't so secret from the staff, who minded their own business, didn't ask questions, and didn't touch her stuff.

Eri drew the case close to herself, giving it a slight shake to hear the contents rattling inside. She had about a week's supply left before she'd have to get more... Aika's face popped into her mind, and she felt a pang of guilt, unable to open it.

The drummer walked back into the kitchen, where Risa had set a pot of water on the stove to boil, everything else back in its place. Eri walked around the bar to sit across from her, setting the case down on the counter with a sigh before burying her face in her hands.

"What's eating you, Kame?" Risa grunted, looking over her shoulder.

"I don't want to do this anymore, Gaki-san..." Eri replied, even as her fingers trembled against her face, "Today was the longest I've gone without and it was like... stepping out of a cloud or something. I can speak easier... Think more clearly..."

The ex-gangster raised an eyebrow, turning to face her friend fully.

"You gotta be serious to get out of this kinda shit, Kame. And you have to want to do it for yourself, not some girl you like." She replied, firm but not unkind, "You tried that before with Michishige and it didn't work. Same thing will happen with Tanakacchi."

Eri blinked, lifting her head to glance at Risa.

"Gaki-san, about Reina-chan..."

"You don't have to explain anything, I saw you two in the garden..."

"Gaki-san..."

"...I mean, it's not like I care or anything but..."

"Gaki-san."

"...you should probably know she has a thing for Aichan-"

"Risa!"

The bassist stopped her rambling, confused.

"What?"

"Reina and I are just friends," Eri clarified, smiling softly, "I know maybe it looked a bit fishy, but we were just talking when you saw us. I told her about a lot of things and I started crying. She was just trying to comfort me."

"Oh," Risa replied dumbly, looking a mixture of sheepish and relieved, "Then, what were you doing tonight? I thought you said you were going to her house?"

"I did, but it was to pick up her sister," The drummer fidgeted with the clasp on the case, aware of Risa's questioning gaze. Risa was smart enough to figure things out on her own, however, and began to chuckle, shaking her head.

"Oh man, you have a thing for the kid? I so called it... But you're so dead. If Tanakacchi finds out, she'll kill you. Does she know about this?" The bassist gestured towards the case.

"No... I was trying to tell her in the garden before I started crying, but then someone interrupted..." Eri groaned, slumping back down on the table, "But forget Reina... If Aika finds out I bet she won't want anything else to do with me..."

Risa watched her friend quietly for a moment, trying to come up with something to say. It'd been a long time since Eri showed interest in somebody, and the short-lived thing with Sayumi... The drummer had started using during all of that, and her inability to care for herself, let alone the other girl, had destroyed that relationship. And to think the bunny had actually been good for Eri once...

But that was then, and thinking of Sayumi even for a moment made Risa see red, so she shook the thoughts from her mind, returning to the present. Aika was an innocent kid, and probably just what Eri needed in her life... but only if Eri could rid herself of the drugs. And if she did it for Aika and then the girl left her, Risa knew things would just go back to the way they were.

"What if I help you quit this," She held up a hand just as Eri sat up to thank her, "But, you gotta promise you're doing it for you. And you need to tell Tanakacchi and this girl of yours soon. Nothing good will come of keeping something like this from a woman like her..."

"Okay... I promise." Eri replied slowly, seeming to think hard about the answer, which was good enough for Risa, "And I'll tell them. But since we're making deals here, you do a few things for me as well."

"Why?"

"More incentive for me to be serious about this."

"Depends on what you're asking, I guess," Risa replied, but she couldn't help but be curious, "What is it?"

"First, you quit smoking."

The bassist scowled, leaning on the counter so she could be eye level with her friend.

"The hell I'm doing that."

"Come on, Gaki-san... It's terrible for you, and besides, how am I supposed to listen to someone when they're tearing up their own body?"

"Fine," Risa growled, eyes on the case under Eri's hands. She fished around in her jacket for her pack of cigarettes and tossed it on the table, holding her hand out for the case in exchange. The drummer stared at her. 

"And the one in your back pocket as well, Gaki-san."

The bassist scowled harder and reluctantly complied, pulling the mentioned pack out and tossing it next to its twin. Eri obediently slid the case into Risa's hands, pocketing the smokes to dispose of them when the older woman wasn't looking. Risa knew she would regret this later, but maybe Eri was right, and besides, she would do whatever she needed to get her friend sober. She definitely owed her that.

"What's the second thing?" The bassist asked, trying to keep the irritation out of her tone.

"You should go apologize to Reina for being such a jerk today."

"What?!" Risa jumped to her feet, the look on her face telling Eri that the older girl would much rather throw herself off a cliff. The way the girl reacted sometimes, honestly...

"It wouldn't kill you," Eri replied flatly, "She's trying pretty hard to fit in here and you and Sayu aren't making that easy for her."

"Don't lump me in with that bitch," Risa warned coldly, but the drummer was unphased.

"Then stop being an idiot about things," Eri replied gently, tone contrasting with the insult, "I don't understand why you're suddenly all standoffish with Reina anyway, you stood up for her when Sayu harassed her once, and even today you took a swing at Sayu for saying... well..." It had been a really lewd comment about taking the singer to bed--not too uncharacteristic of the bunny, of course, and Eri wasn't a prude but she didn't say things like that. "Anyway you were there. It just seems like since that day you taught her to drive you've been kind of rude to her."

Risa was aware of the way she'd been acting. But she couldn't help it, not with the singer slowly getting closer and closer to the woman she loved. Especially with the thought that Reina was so much better for Ai than she could be floating around in her mind. Reina didn't carry around 50 tons of baggage and a bad attitude, and she was good-looking and talented beyond that.

It wasn't Reina's fault Ai was taking an interest in her, and Risa certainly couldn't blame Reina for liking Ai. There was the other thought that crept into the bassist's mind, the one that told her she was probably just holding Ai back by not letting go of what they'd had before.

And maybe... If something were to happen... Maybe Ai could be happy again with her instead of me.

She buried the other thoughts in her head, the strange ones that confused her thinking, like the way  she'd felt when Reina had fallen on top of her in the restaurant, or what it was like to hold the other girl in her lap as she taught her to drive. It was easy to filter them out, and she chalked them up to the fact that Reina was simply an attractive girl, and Risa noticed. It meant nothing more than that.

Risa sighed. No, it wouldn't kill her to make peace with the yankii. 

"Fine, I'll do that too." She finally responded, eliciting a pleased grin from Eri. "Now come here and help me with this, I'm starving..."

----------

Sayumi realized something was out of place as soon as she approached her apartment door. The untrained eye would have completely missed it, of course, but the bunny noticed everything, and the fading watery footprints leading up to her place didn't escape her gaze. She reached for the handle, turning it slightly, her apprehension fading into annoyance when she realized the lock had been tampered with, rendered useless. 

The guitarist kicked the door open, stomping inside and throwing her bag on the floor when she entered the kitchen.

"Koharu! That's the fifth one you've broken! It's not exactly cheap to get the lock replaced every time you decide to drop in, you little brat..."

"If you would just give me a key, I wouldn't have to break in every time," A tired voice responded, coming in from the living room. Sayumi huffed angrily, following the sound to find her half-sister curled up on the couch.

"You know very well why I don't do that either. Look, you can't crash here tonight, I've got someone coming over and-" The bunny halted as she realized Koharu's current state. The girl was soaking wet--not really surprising considering the way the rain was coming down outside--jet-black hair plastered to her face. An angry bruise graced Koharu's otherwise lovely cheek, and Sayumi could tell her sister had been crying. Eyes that were generally sparkling with energy stared back at the bunny, completely hollow.

"Oh Koharu," She sighed, quickly and silently moving back into the kitchen. Sayumi pulled a large dry towel from one of the top cabinets and then opened the freezer to retrieve an ice pack. These things she returned to the living room with, and she handed the latter to Koharu while forcing the younger girl to sit up. 

Sayumi and Koharu shared the same mother, and thankfully had gotten most of their looks from her as well, rather than from their absent fathers, both of whom the bunny had been told weren't exactly handsome. Their mother had chased after them for their money, just like every other man she'd ever had in her life, unsurprised and uncaring when they left at the first mention of pregnancy.

Sayumi had inherited her mother's cunning, and was all but following in her footsteps; the only difference being that she never saw the same partners more than once, save for Ai and occasionally Eri. She had been ousted from her mother's home when she was three, and bounced around from foster home to foster home until she eventually simply aged out of the system. She took up exotic dancing and sold her body when she needed extra money, careful to avoid getting caught.

Koharu hadn't even been a factor in her life until her mother returned to the city a few years ago, and Sayumi had to deal with the double shock of seeing her mother again and coming to terms with the fact she now had a half-sister.

Where Sayumi was cold and ruthless, Koharu was somehow kind and cheerful. The bunny mostly thought her sister was an idiot, and never missed an opportunity to tell her so. What was irritating was that Koharu generally answered her with a dopey smile. She tolerated the younger girl, however, and would die before admitting out loud that she liked the kid.

Koharu enjoyed a more stable home life than Sayumi ever had, save for the fact that their mother took up drinking and tended to get violent at times, meaning that the girl was prone to becoming a human punching bag. It was after these episodes that the kid would flee to Sayumi's apartment for a few days, returning when her mom threatened to call the cops to bring her back. It was a cycle that Sayumi hated, and as much as she wished she could take the kid in, she was barely able to take care of herself.

She couldn't force Koharu to turn their mother in, either; the kid was adamant about not doing so for whatever reason. The most the bunny could do was nurse her sister back to health each time and give her a few days of refuge.

Sayumi threw the towel around the girl's shoulders and dug in her pocket for her phone, dialing the latest number she added to her ever growing list. As Koharu sniffled and settled into the crook of her arm, the bunny cleared her schedule for the next few days. 

She would do what she could to take care of her sister.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVII, 7/2]
Post by: kawaii beam on July 03, 2012, 03:23:39 AM
ogranny reina is so sweet...and still in the mood to argue with someone even at that age is hilarious XD though it totally shocked me that eri was in a coma ;3; i wonder how that even happened? >.<

gakikame bonding is the best and i had to lol when risa was all rambling on and on and had a total "hell no" at the mention of giving up her cigs XD like i can just imagine all of the expressions of this moody risa lol and with kame i really hope she can pull it through. risa's right that she has to do it for herself and not aika cus if something happens thats it and she'll dive her way back into the hole again >.< and with risa gah i swear i think she needs to talk stuff out with ai and just straighten out the jumbled mess in her head @~@

sayukoha bonding is also cute but totally bittersweet ;3; poor koha. atleast she has sayu there for her >.< i wonder if koha's met ai then when she comes over? speaking of ai, does that mean that she's the only one pretty much chilling alone at her place? i just realized this lol

gah i cant wait for the next chapter :panic: :deco:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVII, 7/2]
Post by: rndmnwierd on July 03, 2012, 09:24:31 AM
A long chapter! :w00t:

Whew, Old!Reina survived, for now. And we get a bit more insight into her past, a confirmation of EriKa and a narrowing down of suspects of who she ends up with. Still sad, though, poor broken hearts.

GakiKame bonding! I'm so excited that they're helping each other with their addictions, though, one has to wonder how long it will last. I sense a lot of drama coming up and it will probably be hard for them both to get through without smokes/drugs unless they really lean on each other.

And a bit of Risa introspection. Beginning to think that she should let go of Ai is a good thing, now, lets just turn her sights a little harder at a certain kitty...

And SayuKoha relationship gets delved into a bit, a lot of their backgrounds coming to light. Poor kids, though I still kinda don't like Sayu...
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVII, 7/2]
Post by: kawaii beam on July 03, 2012, 06:42:38 PM
rereading this i just noticed risa never gave eri the lighter XD and then i was on tumblr when i saw this:
http://pettanko-.tumblr.com/post/26422223627 (http://pettanko-.tumblr.com/post/26422223627)
and it made me have a funny thought that eventhough risa has this "bad ass" attitude she could still have and show her girly side by having things like a rilakkuma lighter on her XD

i must sound crazy but i just had to get this out my head XD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVII, 7/2]
Post by: Quietriot on July 03, 2012, 06:49:33 PM
^This is an idea I like very much  :cathappy:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVII, 7/2]
Post by: kjpop on July 03, 2012, 07:17:05 PM
AHHH YAY BREAKTIME WOO~

Comatose Eri made me sad =[ but this popped up:
Quote
"I know I haven't been here since..."
And now I'm wondering  :?

ErikxAika loving was megadorable <3333333 High school crushes are so adorable, until you realize they're not that cute in real life LOL ever~ Gakikame bonding was love <3 For the record, I'm taking mental bets with myself to see who's gonna crack first LOL Risa's lack of self-confidence and total I-suck-as-a-human-being mentality is so depressing omg >__< I just wanna hold her~  :(

And this is the first time I've ever actually sympathized for Sayu lol As much as I love your Crimson Sayu to bits and pieces, I like how you give her just a bit of humanity to make her less bitchy and evil here ahha But i'm gonna remain cynical and wait until the next chapter. I'm guessing it's only a matter of time before we get her back to scheming and being bad again xD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVII, 7/2]
Post by: Koei on July 04, 2012, 05:59:58 AM
*Sigh*

I'm behind on commenting once again.  :bow: Sorry! But here goes my paranoid insight!

Haha I can see ErixAika wasn't so crazy as I thought!

So GakiKame will begin to sober up. Bring on the pain. Shivering, nausea, headaches, the sudden numbness and cold that rushes through your body, your brain screaming and pleading for the drug. Yeah. That's going to test all the girls in an unimaginable way. No one can escape that lol.

TanaGaki are becoming closer but there has to be a huge blow that brings Reina to the state she is right now (meaning: old Reina)

Ai is fading from the spotlight. But she carries some serious baggage she surely cannot withstand. In the end that's what's probably going to fuel the TanaGaki fire that causes the ultimate fall-out.

Sayu and the sudden appearence from little Koha will bring such a twist! It's the showcase of the girl's only oportunity to become honest to herself and decide to accept who she is and not the part she plays in someones life.


...
...
...


Ok I know I'm crazy and that the comment is all scrambled with thoughts but: I like this fic!
Not only the fic but the title songs as well. I listen to them before I begin reading and they actually help the story make sense  :P

Keep it up!  :peace:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVII, 7/2]
Post by: rokun on July 05, 2012, 10:05:52 PM
So I've been a horrible friend and now just caught up with this story... (not to mention all your other stories - wow, you've been going crazy!!! You'll have to IM with me sometime with brief summaries to see if I should read them :P)

But it doesn't feel like I've missed a whole lot. XD You like going crazy with the omakes, lol. Although we do have that *ahem* EriKa confirmed... I wonder if Sayu clearing her schedule means she's not doing that interview with Reina? Still suspicious of how that's gonna turn out... but it certainly is a crazy orgy you've got going on. XD It's like, "who's gonna trip the kitty into bed first?" lol. Well, at least it shouldn't be Eri. Or well. I HOPE it's not Eri  :shocked  Though it'd add nicely to the whole fucked up flavor of the story. XD

Anyhow, looks like you've slowed down your updates (probably with all the stories you're updating), but I'll look forward to the next one... You need to be around more to get me in shape with keeping up. :P
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVII, 7/2]
Post by: darkacex99 on July 06, 2012, 03:46:54 AM
Omg i juss started this fanfic and i love it already!! There is a good aount of drama in each chapter :cathappy:

Eri trying to give up the drugs :pimp:, thats gunna be intersting to see how she battles her withdrawl

Sayukoha sistah relationship, sistahly luv eager to see wat hapens there  O0
I juss luv the role of everybody in this story XD sooo nice!!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVII, 7/2]
Post by: Dswizzle10 on July 09, 2012, 01:12:33 AM
 :stoned: EGAD! I'm behind. *quickly reads chapters*

Hmmmm. I'm torn. A view inside the conflict of my brain:

 :on yellcard: We vote TanaGaki! They're just so...so...hot! :drool:

And on the other side...

  :on redcard: We vote TakaGaki, tried and true, and obviously Ai-chan still likes her!

Then someone pulls out a chair...  :bangchair: Then everyone goes nuts.
:knee: :kickass:
(And this is what's going on in reality) :mon slapself:

So, we adjourn this meeting and turn our vote in as undecided on the relationships (minus Eri and Aika :heart:)...even if there is no official poll anymore XD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVII, 7/2]
Post by: mochi.rini on July 12, 2012, 11:36:23 PM
poor old!Kame Dx  In the earlier chapters when Aika said that she "had her good days and her bad days"  I thought you meant she had Alzheimer's or something Dx  Not...coma  :cry:  And old!Reina's dying :(  old!Risa's already dead ain't she? Dx  THEY CAN REUNITE IN HEAVEN~

GakiKame...I've missed me some GakiKame  :deco:  Way to support each other though~ ....although their cravings better not result in using each other's addiction as relief...or I'll die Dx

I been waiting for some SayuKoha...they're such opposites lol!  Just turn in the stinkin mama >.>  Abuse=bad.   :thumbdown: 

Y'know, if SayuKoha mama threatens to call the cops for "stealing Koha" the smart thing to due would be to call the cops for child abuse and get that woman's nasty butt in prison (or Project Morning Reformatory where she can chill out with cannibal!Kyuukies and Juukies  :twisted:)

oh these 10 days seem so long~ -glomp-
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVII, 7/2]
Post by: Quietriot on July 16, 2012, 06:39:19 PM
@KB:
Quote
ogranny reina is so sweet...and still in the mood to argue with someone even at that age is hilarious

Mm, I just can't imagine Reina ever 100% mellowing out. Gotta have some of that fiesty yankii in her up until the very end, ne?

Quote
gakikame bonding

Heheheh I figured those two needed a moment together, they're the best friends foreverrrr~ now let's just see if they can lean on each other well enough to pull out of their addictions. As for Takagaki, i wouldn't hope for things to be resolved between them so soon. We're not even halfway done yet bahaha

Quote
sayukoha bonding

Big sis is strangely enough a perfect refuge. As for whether or not Koharu has met Ai, Sayumi tends to keep her... 'personal business' away from her sister. It's more likely that Koha knows Ai from being a fan of the band. And yes, alone indeed... Though its not really important ^^

@Rndy:
Quote
a confirmation of EriKa and a narrowing down of suspects of who she ends up with.

But whooooooo could it be?! XD

Quote
GakiKame bonding!

Ahahah I think we all knew there was drama coming up with or without those two tryin to cut their habits. But you're right, it certainly won't be an easy road, especially coupled with upcoming romantic entanglements...

Quote
And a bit of Risa introspection. Beginning to think that she should let go of Ai is a good thing, now, lets just turn her sights a little harder at a certain kitty...

;)

Quote
And SayuKoha relationship gets delved into a bit, a lot of their backgrounds coming to light. Poor kids, though I still kinda don't like Sayu...

Haha you probably still won't like her for the next chapter or so. Though my aim isn't to make her likable so much as it is to make her human :3

@kjpop:
Quote
ErixAika loving was megadorable

Haha the pairing was so crack to me when I started writing this and then ever since, when I watch stuff that they're in together I notice their little interactions and I'm all <3333 

Quote
For the record, I'm taking mental bets with myself to see who's gonna crack first LOL

Who indeed. Ahaha either one is likely to, but perhaps the bonds of FRIENDSHIP will sustain them. ...ahahahah

Quote
And this is the first time I've ever actually sympathized for Sayu lol As much as I love your Crimson Sayu to bits and pieces, I like how you give her just a bit of humanity to make her less bitchy and evil here ahha But i'm gonna remain cynical and wait until the next chapter. I'm guessing it's only a matter of time before we get her back to scheming and being bad again xD

+1 for me~ I love it when I can manage to change people's minds about a character XD but you're right, may wanna hold your breath. This next chapter...

@Koei:
Quote
I'm behind on commenting once again.   Sorry!
 

No need for apologies! ^^ I'm way behind myself...

Quote
So GakiKame will begin to sober up. Bring on the pain. Shivering, nausea, headaches, the sudden numbness and cold that rushes through your body, your brain screaming and pleading for the drug. Yeah. That's going to test all the girls in an unimaginable way. No one can escape that lol.

Reality is kind of a bitch. It's easy enough to want to quit cold turkey, but willpower quickly diminishes as soon as your body starts reacting. We shall see...

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Ai is fading from the spotlight. But she carries some serious baggage she surely cannot withstand. In the end that's what's probably going to fuel the TanaGaki fire that causes the ultimate fall-out.

Hahahaha I love your paranoid predictions~ I won't say one way or the other though~ we'll just have to see~

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It's the showcase of the girl's only oportunity to become honest to herself and decide to accept who she is and not the part she plays in someones life.

!!!

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Not only the fic but the title songs as well. I listen to them before I begin reading and they actually help the story make sense

Glad you like ^^ Ive actually gone through and removed most of the links because I noticed some of them were broken, but I intend to go back and fix that when it's easier for me to do so. Hard to do on a phone XD  

@Rokun:
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So I've been a horrible friend and now just caught up with this story...

Bad Rokun! :P jkjk

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I wonder if Sayu clearing her schedule means she's not doing that interview with Reina?
 

oh no, Reina's not getting out of that so easily XD

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I HOPE it's not Eri
 

It's not. XD ahaha I'm not THAT crazy. 

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You need to be around more to get me in shape with keeping up.

Though I've already said this via AIM, you need to update your own stuff bro -prods- :P XD

@Darkace: ^^ glad to have you on board here as well! :D and happy to see you enjoy it~

@Imouto:  Bahaha~ I'm so behind on everything myself it's not even funny T.T Still, I think you've pretty much illustrated the Team Tanagaki/Team Takagaki conflict well. XD Unfortunately, I'm not at all finished messing with everyone's heads on the matter so just sit tight and buckle your seat belt.

@Rini:
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GakiKame

Ahaha no worries, they won't mess with each others addictions, but they are in for some tough times, as I've said above. At least it'll probably give birth to some funny and dramatic moments XD

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SayuKoha insight

It's not quite as easy as just turning in their mother in Sayu's mind, for several reasons. For one, Sayu's afraid of their mom, as will become apparent later. Second, even if the police come and take the mom to jail, there's the possibility they could snoop around and discover her own illicit activities. Third, Koha would have no where to go but to be with Sayu and assuming the police left her alone, the bunny doesn't see herself as fit to take care of a kid; she can barely support herself. So in her mind, better that Koharu go back and forth between them like that than to starve with her or be out on the streets.

Ten days? It's been such a short vacation... Perhaps a bit longer ^^

Jk, I'm going ahead and replying to comments now as I've started work on the next chapter finally. Third time's the charm, I suppose XD I wouldn't be hopeful for an update tonight, but you never know~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVII, 7/2]
Post by: Quietriot on July 17, 2012, 10:40:49 PM
(The song Reina and Ai are singing is called I'll Be Back by the Beatles. I don't really care for the original song but this cover got to me and finally helped me start the chapter properly XD)

Julia Nunes - I'll Be Back (Beatles Cover) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVPdPwOeO9Q)

Chapter XVIII: Ladykiller

"Sit up straight Reina-chan, you keep slouching."

I complied tiredly, only because it was too early to be anything but obedient. Ai had decided it was probably most convenient for us to meet for voice lessons in the morning, before I had to go to work and before she did whatever the hell it was she did. I hated mornings with a fiery passion, but I didn't really know how to say no to Ai, and couldn't think of a better solution anyway. At least, not one that didn't involve us spending our nights together instead and that... that...

"Are you listening?"

"Yes!" I replied, snapping back to attention at the stern look I was receiving from my leader and blushing slightly in embarrassment. Ai saw right through me though, rolling her eyes as she repeated whatever it was she had been saying before I drifted off into my thoughts.

"You're still singing from here," Ai jabbed me a bit harder than necessary right in the sternum, "You ought to be singing with your whole body, all the way from your toes."

"You can keep sayin' that over and over all you want--it still doesn't make any sense to me," I yawned, rubbing a bit of sleep from my eyes.

Ai stroked her imaginary beard for a moment as if to contemplate what to do with me. I was ready for the lesson to be over; nice as it was to be around the older woman, I hadn't made any sort of breakthrough that morning and my voice was just as tired as the rest of me.

"Stand up," She commanded, and I reluctantly slid off of the stool onto my feet. Ai gestured to the keyboard at the other side of the room with her hands, "Do you need the starting note again?"

I shook my head, scowling a bit. We'd gone over this song so many times that I could have easily sung it in my sleep. Plus it didn't hurt to have decent relative pitch. She smiled at me, moving a bit closer.

"Your pitch and range are perfectly fine, and you have total control over your voice. Tone is... well, something you have to earn, but you're getting there. What you lack..." Ai held me steady with one of her hands behind my back, while the other pressed uncomfortably into my stomach, "...is power."

She was close, so close that it was almost an awkward embrace of sorts. My breath caught and I glanced at her, eyes questioning.

"What are you-"

"Sing." Another quiet order that brooked no arguments. I swallowed hard, still very much aware of her hands on my body. Drawing in a shaky breath, I began.

"You know, if you break my heart I'll go
But I'll be back again
'cause I told you once before goodbye
But I came back again..."


As the air left my lungs with every word, she pressed harder against my stomach, until I trailed off into nothing, unable to continue singing. She released her hold when she realized this and I took a gasping breath, feeling more than a bit light-headed.

"What on earth... Was that supposed to do?" I panted, trying to steady myself.

"Show me how lazy you're being," Ai drawled, taking a step back to put some space between us again, "You used every bit of air in your lungs and still I had to be that close to you to hear..."

Irritation washed over me and I glared at her, temporarily forgetting my infatuation and embarrassment and swapping them for indignation. I watched as Ai wandered over towards her keyboard, gracefully taking a seat before filling the room with a gentle melody. It didn't calm me so much as it made me more irritable.

"You know, I find it amusing just how much you remind me of Gaki-san sometimes." She mused over the sound of the music, looking back at me over her shoulder, "At least, all those years ago."

I wasn't sure how to respond to that, so I just listened to her play, waiting for her to continue. It was only then that I even realized Risa wasn't around. Surely the girl would have made it a point to be there if she knew I was coming... If only to keep an eye on me and Ai. Of course, it was possible the leader hadn't told the other girl about our arrangement, or had, and Risa decided to ditch the place specifically to avoid me. I still wasn't sure what exactly I'd done to make her so hostile towards me and I sighed as I recalled every cringe-worthy glance that'd been sent my way.

Maybe I... should apologize for making that comment about Ai to her...

"But the difference between you two is that you've had this just fall into your lap while she's always had to work very hard to get anywhere." Ai went on, making me bristle at her words, "If you're not going to be serious about this, the two of us are wasting our time here, I'm afraid. You'll be good enough, no doubt, but only just enough."

"I am trying. But not all of us can be so perfect just like you."

It was a stupid thing to say, another instance of my pride and anger getting the best of me, but my sharp words had cut the older woman before I could even think of taking them back. Her fingers slipped against the keys, a painful yet bitter-sweet dissonance flooding the room.

"Perfect, you say..." She intoned quietly, and I could see her shoulders shaking with what seemed to be strange laughter as she turned back to the keys. I quickly thought up an apology, but Ai had begun to sing before I could speak.

"I love you so, oh
I'm the one who wants you 
Yes I'm the one who wants you 

You could find better things to do
Than to break my heart again
This time I will try to show that I'm 
Not trying to pretend

I thought that you would realize
That if I run away from you
That you would want me to
But I got a big surprise

I want to go, oh
But I hate to leave you
You know I hate to leave you..."


Her voice was a slow and melancholy note against the haunting harmonies she drew out with her hands, and I thought her very soul was being bared to me through the lyrics. It moved me deeply, as if her sadness was mine and I had never felt something so terrible and lonely before that I almost thought I could cry right then and there.

"You... If you break my heart I'll go
But I'll be back again..."


She finished, leaving the final chord unresolved and hanging in the air between us. Ai sighed deeply, shrugging off some heavy invisible weight that I could not understand and that I hadn't noticed was there until now. Was everyone here so deeply wounded?

Perfect people don't sing like that...

I moved forward quietly, lifting a hand to place it on her shoulder, but before I could touch her she turned her head to flash me her ever-charming smile.

"We're done for today, I think. You're going to be late for work if you don't get a move on. Don't forget your interview later tonight."

It was as though the song hadn't even happened. Ai seemed perfectly normal and I could only nod dumbly at her as she turned once again to the keyboard, losing herself in another melody. Confused and feeling more than a little out of place, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door, slipping away after one last look back at her.

When Ai was finally alone, she drew the melody to a close, rising from the bench to grab her phone resting on the coffee table. She flipped the device open, only to be met with the same disappointment she'd encountered all night and this morning: several unread messages from Sayumi, but nothing from Risa. The bunny could wait a bit longer; Ai was still a bit put off by the younger girl canceling their plans to meet last night.

Instead, she dialed the bean's number for likely the tenth time that morning, listening to the phone ring once before the call clicked and cut off. It was a sure sign the bean was ignoring her; Risa was likely answering and hanging up each time. Ai continued to hope for a different response, but it didn't seem as though the younger girl was going to ease up any time soon.

At least the leader knew she was alright if she was getting this sort of treatment. She closed her phone and moved back to the piano, attempting to fill the lonely apartment with the sounds of music instead.

...I hope you'll come home soon.

----------

"Koharu-channn~" 

Aika happily sing-songed as she skipped up to her best friend, tackling the girl in a hug as best she could. This resulted in the duo crashing to the ground next to the lockers, the older girl's books and papers going up in a flurry of movement. She didn't seem to mind so much, however, simply grinning as she returned the hug.

"Mouuu... I missed you! I've got so much to tell you and- eh? What happened to your face?"

Koharu managed not to flinch as Aika's thumb brushed against the bruise on her cheek, valiantly maintaining her smile. It didn't look half as bad as it had when she'd shown Sayumi, but was still prominent enough that she couldn't completely hide it with makeup.

"Ah, well, you know me..." She replied, grinning and sheepishly scratching the back of her head, "I'm clumsy and that factor sort of multiplies when I'm sick. I fell down the stairs the other day."

"Jeez, be more careful..." Aika scolded, Koharu responding with a cheerful affirmative as the younger girl pulled her to her feet. The two began to gather up the books and papers, chattering about nothing in particular as they started heading towards their first class.

"...So you said you had lots to tell me? Like what? How was the concert?" The older girl questioned, glancing sideways at her friend. She hadn't seen Aika so happy... well, ever, and it was as if the girl was walking on air that day. 

"Mm, that's mostly what I wanted to talk about. I sort of... met someone the other day."

"Oh~? Details, please."

And so Aika recounted the weekend's events to her friend, the majority of their conversation carried out via notes passed in class. This did not go unnoticed by Miyabi, who quickly intercepted the duo before lunch with Airi in tow, and the four of them sat down to eat, still continuing the same discussion.

"At least you had the sense to fall for Kamei." Miyabi stated around bites of her sandwich, "She's hot, maybe a little weird, but not as sleazy as Michishige."

"Miya..." Airi scolded, cutting a glance at Koharu, who shook her head.

"No, she's right, I wouldn't let any of my friends date my sister, and it's definitely not for her sake..."

"Takahashi-san wouldn't be so bad, either..." Airi's eyes seemed to glaze over a bit as she spoke, her nearby bandmate mumbling something like, 'Here we go again...' "Or Niigaki-san, but she kind of scares me... that whole ex-con thing..."

"Rei has a thing for Takahashi-san." Aika chimed in, drawing the looks from the other girls at the table, "Well, she won't admit it, but it's obvious to me. They sort of had a date the other day and now Takahashi-san is giving her private voice lessons."

Miyabi smirked knowingly, even as her bandmate adopted a distressed expression.

"So I guess your sister's off-limits then, too?"

"Ew, yes, don't even think about it," Aika replied, making a face as she swiped at the singer, only to miss and be subjected to the older girl's chuckling. Airi slumped in her chair, head falling back as she let out a depressed sigh. Koharu rolled her eyes.

"Don't be dramatic, Airin. It's not like you ever had a chance with Takahashi-san, and besides, you like Maimi-chan, remember?"

"Wh- no! It's not like that! She's just my idol, and, uh, Maimi-chan is..."

The lead singer seemed to be struggling for words while her face got redder and redder, causing her friends to burst out into a fit of laughter. 

"Your prince?" Miyabi offered, grinning devilishly as Airi glowered at her from behind her lunch tray. "Knight in shining armor?"

"Actually, she was at the concert, you know." Aika cut in, deciding to try and save the poor girl from more teasing. "She talked about you. Or rather, Captain brought your name up and she got kinda mushy."

Airi sat up straight, eyes wide with excitement, while Miyabi's narrowed slightly.

"Shimizu was there too?"

The older girl was tense, and Aika was more than certain now that something must have happened between her and Saki. Especially with the way that Captain had reacted to hearing Miyabi's name at the concert. It wasn't hate, but there was definitely something negative there. Aika wondered briefly if Koharu knew, as her friend was staying well out of the conversation, and was about to reply to Miyabi when the group was approached by three other girls.

"Hey guys."

Maimi walked up behind Airi, and Aika watched as the color drained from the singer's face. Miyabi's strange mood melted back into mischievous glee, and she seemed to be struggling to keep her mouth shut. The track captain was flanked by Sudo Maasa and Sugaya Risako; they were the only students that Aika ever saw with Maimi on a regular basis besides her adoring fanclub and she assumed they were likely her only real friends. Maasa was a friendly girl with a good sense of humor, but Aika had heard rumors that she also possessed certain triggers that weren't to be touched unless you wanted to spend a week in the hospital. Risako, on the other hand, was a quiet and pretty girl who had some trouble speaking and by choice seemed to avoid it when she could.

They were a strange trio, but then, Aika had been befriending some interesting people herself lately. 

"Aika-chan, I just came over to ask if you wouldn't mind giving something to Kamei-san for me?" The runner slipped a sealed envelope across the table to the artist, who took it and looked at it curiously, "Tell her it's for Niigaki-san."

"Sure, but, uh-"

Maimi ignored her, moving slightly so she could catch Airi's eyes.

"You were amazing at the concert," She stated quietly, smiling, "I'll have to come to those more often, I guess."

Airi seemed to melt on the spot, making incoherent noises as the older girl and her friends wandered off, much to Miyabi's delight. As the two squabbled with each other, Koharu leaned over to glance at the envelope in Aika's hands.

"What was that about?"

"I don't know... Eri was acting strange around her too..." Aika replied lowly, "I guess I'll ask her about it when I see her next."

She had been intending to bring up the topic of Maimi anyway, but now with the envelope she had a reason to do so. Something was going on, and young as she was, Aika knew better than to start a relationship with secrets in the background.

"Ah~ tell me all about it, okay? And go back to what you were saying earlier about a kiss!"

----------

When I arrived for my interview later that night, I was quickly ushered into a waiting area of sorts where I was given cards with all the potential questions on them, a bit of coaching, and a few minutes to process everything. But as I sat there, flipping through the cards and very much distracted by the crew members that continued rushing back and forth, I knew I was too overwhelmed for anything to stick. I'd never been to a tv studio before, and so far the impression I was getting was that they were all crazy and hectic, and the sooner that I could get out of there, the better.

I was going over one of the questions for what seemed to be the tenth time when I suddenly felt hands slide onto my shoulders, beginning a gentle massage.

"Mm, you're very tense, Reina-chan~" A husky voice purred into my ear, intensifying the shivers I was getting from her expert touch. The latter was effectively disarming me, at least until I felt a pair of soft lips nibbling at my neck, causing me to shoot out of the chair like a rocket. I fell to the ground in a clumsy heap, staring wide-eyed up at one Michishige Sayumi.

"Wh-what are you doing here?!" I stammered out, face growing hot under her gaze.

"Oh? I'm here for the interview, same as you," She replied easily, as if I were an idiot for even asking, "Didn't Aichan tell you?"

No... She failed to mention that... I watched as her eyes traveled up my legs towards my disheveled skirt and I quickly adjusted it, managing to glare at her despite my embarrassment. Sayumi smirked, sending another chill down my spine.

"Ah, I'm so very looking forward to getting to know you a bit better tonight..."

Something in her tone told me that she wasn't talking about the interview and I gulped, feeling my throat suddenly go dry. All of my instincts were telling me to get out of there, but I couldn't embarrass the others like that, so I pulled myself together. 

You can do this, Reina. Besides, she won't do anything in front of the camera, right? Just get through this and go home, no big deal...

The crew were calling for us to get on the set and before I could protest, Sayumi had dragged me to my feet, and I stumbled forward, very nearly planting my face right into her chest. My mind went blank as I hovered there, steadied by her hand on my waist, and she tilted my chin up with the other, dark gaze piercing mine.

"Don't worry Reina-chan, I'll take good care of you."
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVIII, 7/17]
Post by: darkacex99 on July 18, 2012, 01:35:20 AM
 :cow: yay!!!! New chapter!!! Oh man risa givin ai da silent treatment :(, miyabi saki secret past chemistry :deco:,  secert envelop for risa O0 or lord things r gettin tooo gud

Poor reina, she better run before sayu gets her :cathappy:

Nice chaptahhhh :twothumbs
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVIII, 7/17]
Post by: kawaii beam on July 18, 2012, 02:59:27 AM
seeing risa giving ai the silent treament makes me think that next to the cigs maybe she's also gonna try and give up on ai now too? like aichans also one of her drugs? does that even make sense?@~@

i love aika's school life LOL such intresting ppl. i wanan know what that letters about~ ;3; and what miya and saki have going on for miya to act weird like that....

lastly seems like sayu's obsession with cats have reached a new level with trolling/"seducing" reina XD cant wait to see how this interview'll go
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVIII, 7/17]
Post by: kjpop on July 18, 2012, 04:58:22 AM
BEATLESSSSS <33333333



The ReinaxRisaxAi triangle struggles on!!!!!!! And mad props to Risa for stickin' it up TO THE MANNNNNNNNNNNNNNN. But seriously, she doesn't need that poison in her life ho ho ho~ but it's a nice relief to know that Ai misses/worries about her still.

Apart from the sketchy envelope for Eri/Gaki, I JUST LOVE THIS LOVE ORGY BETWEEN ALL THE BERIKYUU MEMBERS <3 Getting passed all the subtle dark secrets and everything, it's totally like high school crush fest ahha it's adorable.

OH MY GOD YOU ARE MAKING TANASHIGE HAPPEN!  :panic:  I AM ACTUALLY SO EXCITED AND I WANT THAT NAUGHTY TO HAPPEN. I just wanna see how Risa reacts. Seriously. That's all xD
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVIII, 7/17]
Post by: risa_ai on July 18, 2012, 11:35:51 AM
I SEE AICHAN WANTS RISA EHHS. XD I didn't comment for  long time, but I was reading and catching up. THINGS ARE GETTING INTERESTING.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVIII, 7/17]
Post by: Quietriot on July 19, 2012, 06:21:15 PM
@Darkace: glad you like :3 and things are bout to get MORE complicated XD

@KB: Good speculating. It's sort of the case, but Risa's ignoring Ai more because she's pissed and slightly hurt by the way Ai treated her at their last rehearsal. But totally makes sense. :3 as for the letter... Coming soonish. MiyaSaki revelations? Not as soon. XD maybe. Haha I've some planning left to do. But you don't have to wait long to see what happens with Sayu and Reina...

@kjpop: I don't even LIKE them but this song, I just T.T XD But yep, Ai does care about Risa... In her weird, sort of messed up way now, but she does care. And haha, writing the school bits are like, my new favorite parts. High school drama is the besttttt XD To read about, not necessarily get stuck in ahaha and Tanashige... eheheheh~

@risa_ai: Glad to have ya back :3 Just wait and see~

What!? Another chapter so soon?! And a long(ish) one?!?!?! Yep. Was so inspired I couldn't stop myself so I just kept on writing XD and there's LOTS to pay attention to here as the plot thickens a bit and the game of seduction is played and well... Enjoy! XD did I mention you need to buckle your seatbelts, cuz you should...
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XVIII, 7/17]
Post by: Quietriot on July 19, 2012, 06:23:59 PM
Chapter XIX: One More Night

Smoke flooded the large basement in a haze, the dim fluorescent lights overhead doing little to illuminate the room. That was fine enough for its occupants, though; one had a pounding headache, and the other was trying to forget the throbbing pain in her arm, her wound only just now beginning to stop bleeding. The latter was using the former's lap as a pillow, the two of them sprawled out comfortably on the couch in the room.

"Bastards..." The upright girl hissed after a brief moment of silence, smoke billowing out of the corner of her mouth, her cigarette glowing in the haze, "I still can't see straight."

The girl in her lap said nothing, simply curling more into the other female for comfort. She felt a hand come down to gently stroke her hair and she relaxed a bit, closing her eyes.

"You did well, Rii-chan." The older girl continued, her voice less brusque than before, "That one guy ain't gonna be able to walk anymore... That'll send Matsuura a pretty clear message, I think. The Lion of Fujimoto Clan don't mess around."

Risako attempted a smile, but it came out more of a grimace as another spike of pain shot up her arm. Those gentle hands that had been playing with her hair moved to her arm, thumb trailing carefully over the bandages beneath her sleeve.

"He nicked ya something nice, though... Those damn kids better get back here with the stuff soon."

As if summoned by her voice, four younger girls suddenly piled into the room, looking breathless and worn out. They were the gang's newest recruits, and with Aya pushing so determinedly into Miki's territory, they were being worked overtime to prove their worth and loyalty. The youngest of these was barely even ten, and yet she moved fearlessly towards the couch first, tossing the older female a bag.

"Sorry it took so long, Maasa. Daishi thought we were being followed, so we took the scenic route home."

Maasa grinned reassuringly, reaching out to ruffle the kid's hair.

"No worries, Kuduu. You did the right thing. You guys just chill out for a while now."

Haruka nodded, sitting down on the floor next to the couch and watching as Maasa dug through the bag, producing a sewing kit, gauze, surgical thread, and some painkillers. She helped Risako sit up before assisting her in peeling off her bloody shirt, wincing as she saw the bandages completely stained with crimson. As Maasa began to remove these as well, one of the younger girls paled, deciding to move to the other side of the room as the wound was exposed.

"Ayumi, it's just blood, jeez..."

But even Maasa in her experience felt bile rise in her throat at the sight. A nasty slash had been torn into Risako's arm, trailing from her shoulder all the way down to her elbow, painfully deep. The only fortunate thing about it was that her attacker had made a fairly clean cut, and it wasn't yet showing signs of infection; meaning Maasa would attempt to stitch it up herself, much as she didn't want to. It wasn't as though they could go to the hospital, as too many questions would be asked.

"Riho, bring me some water and a clean towel. Fukuchan, come steady her..." Maasa murmured the commands quietly but firmly, the two girls in question immediately obeying. After handing over the water, Riho went to try and comfort Ayumi, while Mizuki climbed up on the couch behind Risako, pulling the trembling girl's hair back out of her face.

Maasa began to clean the wound, flinching herself every time the girl would hiss or whimper. It couldn't be helped, though, and she tried to go as quickly and carefully as possible, setting the rag aside to begin skillfully stitching up the wound. She was the gang's medic by default; her father was a surgeon, and she'd watched him practice at home, as well as take care of herself and her mother whenever was needed. She knew what she was doing, regardless of the way Risako was reacting.

She was finishing up when the door opened again, and in walked an exhausted Maimi, sweat plastering her hair and clothes to her skin. Maasa could tell that the girl had a fair amount of blood on her as well, and she gave the track runner a slight nod, speaking through the cigarette and needle clamped between her teeth.

"You're next." She muttered, winding a length of bandage around Risako's wound.

"Don't bother," Maimi grunted, flopping down in the armchair across the room, "It's not mine." She gestured to the red streaks across her middle, before waving her hand in Maasa's direction. The younger girl tossed her her pack of cigarettes.

"Where's Mikitty?"

"Hell if I know," Maimi responded through a breath of smoke, "We had to split up to get outta there. Managed to take a few guys out along the way, though."

The runner pulled her gun out and began to dutifully reload it. She'd been lucky tonight; three guys and only four bullets. Maimi berated herself inwardly for being so unprepared.

But at least I had the gun with me.

The door swung open for the final time that night, the woman in question stumbling in and cursing as she slammed it shut behind her. Miki looked just as haggard as Maimi, and was limping slightly, but was otherwise no worse for wear. The gang leader staggered over to the fridge in the back of the room, pulling out several bottles of beer before flopping down on the only other unoccupied chair in the room. The gang members watched her quietly as she started in on the first bottle, waiting for her to speak. When she did not, young Haruka dared to break the silence.

"Mikitty... What are we gonna do?"

"I am going to get very drunk and then probably go out and engage in various acts of debauchery until either I pass out or morning breaks, whichever comes first," The woman glared cat-like over the top of her drink, causing the kid to jump slightly, "This used to be a great business, you know. Fresh meat didn't ask questions--didn't even make a sound unless they were told to--and now there are brats like you..."

Maimi rolled her eyes, mentally preparing herself for one of her leader's moods as the older woman barked for all "kids" to leave the room. This left Maasa, Risako, and herself, though Risako remained simply for the fact that she didn't ever talk and the painkillers Maasa had given her were beginning to kick in.

"I bet Ayaya doesn't have to babysit..." Miki growled, letting the empty bottle roll to the floor as she reached for another. The Matsuura clan did indeed have four new recruits just as green as their own, but Maimi wasn't about to correct the woman. Not in this state. 

"The hell does she want over here anyway?" Maasa asked, shifting so that Risako could lay down in her lap again, "She never dared to go so far before... And it ain't like we've been askin' for trouble."

"I think she figured out that Rika's dead." The leader replied, taking another gulp of beer, "It was only a matter of time, I guess. Ayaya must think we can't handle our shit without her, so she's throwing her weight around."

Maimi carefully surveyed their leader's face, eyes trailing across the scar that stretched from one cheekbone to the other. It had been barely two months since the power shift that ended in Rika's death, but things were already so much better under Miki's leadership. The change had not been planned, but Rika's harsh treatment of their latest recruits had caused something in Miki to snap, leading into a full out street brawl between the two. Rika made it clear that it would be a fight to the death, leaving Miki with little choice but to cut the other woman down. It had affected her deeply somehow; Miki was much surlier and more irritable than ever before, and prone to getting into more trouble. Maimi wondered how long it would be before she made a move she could not undo...

"Did you deliver the letter as I asked?" Miki questioned, gaze landing on the runner.

"Yeah. Aika has it now."

"Remind me who the kid is again?"

"Apparently she's related to one of Gaki-san's new bandmates." Maimi replied, stretching out her tired legs a bit, "Tanaka is the name--in fact, I heard she's supposed to be on TV tonight." 

Miki's gaze rolled towards Maasa at that, who grunted and dug around in the couch for the remote, switching on the television. The screen flickered to life and Maasa flipped through the channels until she found the right station, settling on an image of Reina and Sayumi, the interviewer's laughter booming from the speakers.

"Ah~ Michishige-san, it's always such a pleasure to have you here."

"Pleasure to be here. But I think Reina-chan's feeling a bit neglected, ne?"


The yankii squirmed uncomfortably in her seat, trying to put as much space as she could between herself and the dark-haired female. Sayumi seemed unphased, however, and was taking every opportunity to touch Reina as casually as possible, causing Miki to snicker.

"Knew I always liked that girl for some reason..."

"So my sources say you were a bit of a rebel in your hometown, Tanaka-san. They say you dropped out of school, even."

"Well, that's true, but-"

"Fans are saying you got in Wild Musume based on looks alone. What do you think about that?"

"I... don't know. The bouncer thought I was part of the band so I guess that's somewhat true. After all, if he hadn't dragged me backstage none of this would have ever happened."


"She doesn't seem like anything special." Miki determined, the sounds of the show fading into the background, "What do I know about bands anyway... So this kid you gave the message to is that one's sister?"

"While most fans seem to be pretty thrilled about Wild Musume's comeback, there's also been a lot of negativity... Perhaps even hatred generated towards you, Tanaka-san."

"Yeah. And she's got a thing with Kamei, it seems." Maimi replied, tossing the smoldering remains of her cigarette into a nearby metal bucket. "Who hasn't placed an order for her usual stuff this month, I might add."

The gang leader raised an eyebrow.

"Well that's interesting. Not that it matters, we have other clients... But perhaps it's just as well."

"...All I can promise is that we're working hard for the music festival. And that it'll be an amazing show."

"Can we just get back to the question of what we're gonna do?" Maasa growled from her position on the couch, hand clenching the armrest she was leaning on. "They've all but declared war by what they've done tonight. We can't just sit around, but we can't hit 'em directly, either--they outnumber us by two...three to one."

Miki leaned forward in her seat, discarding her second bottle and reaching for her third as she rose to her feet. The leader staggered towards the door, looking back at her young subordinates.

"For now, just shut up and wait. Ayaya will make the next move, and this time we'll be ready. Now, if you'll excuse me, I told that kid I was gonna be up to no good tonight and Fujimoto Miki is no liar."

With that, the cat-like woman slipped out of the basement, the door creaking shut behind her. Maasa cursed the woman's name several times before gingerly lifting Risako off the couch and informing Maimi that she was going to bed.

The runner waved her away, pulling out a second cigarette from the pack as she rose from her chair. She shrugged off her jacket and pulled the bloodied t-shirt over her head, the roaring bear on her back exposed as she searched around the room for something else to wear. Maimi spotted a baggy tank top--likely Maasa's, but she didn't care--and slid into it before tucking her gun back into her pants. She was just planning on going for a walk, but after the ambush earlier that evening, she wasn't going to leave the hideout unarmed.

She fished around in her jacket for her phone, unraveling the headphones from it and putting them in her ears as she made her way to the door.

I just hope Gaki-san gets that message soon... 

That was her last grim thought as she stepped out onto the streets, before Buono!'s latest album began to play, and she relaxed and hummed along to the sound of Airi's voice.

----------

All things considered, I didn't think that the interview had been a complete disaster, but I still felt dazed when I exited the studio that night. My mind was a blur of questions; I thought it was strange that the interviewer had asked me certain things, and a bit more than frustrated to hear that certain fans disliked me so much that they hated me. I hadn't even officially performed with the band yet, not counting the time in the club, so to hear something like that had shocked me.

"Well. You survived, hm?"

Sayumi appeared at my side, gaze fixed on her phone as she finished sending a text message. The device flipped closed and disappeared into her purse before I could see who she'd sent it to, and I remembered that I was supposed to be nervous as she shot me a disarming smile.

"Yeah... I guess so... Are they always like that?"

"When you're new to the game, yes." She looped her arm through mine, and I resisted the urge to shiver as she pulled me a bit too close for comfort, "That's why when I heard Ai had set you up for this by yourself, I volunteered to join you. I couldn't let our newest member be thrown to the sharks all alone."

Something in her tone made me incredibly wary, but I had to admit that despite her relentless flirting during the interview, I was relieved that I didn't have to do it by myself. And when I went back over the questions in my head, I realized that she had deflected a good deal of the more personal ones towards herself. I didn't know what she was playing at, but I knew that I didn't trust her, and what gratefulness I felt was certainly overshadowed by my desire to get home.

"Well... Thank you, Michishige-san," I started, prying myself free from her grasp, "But its getting kind of late and I-"

"Aw, come on, Reina-chan~" She cooed, her fingers tracing my jawline and temporarily rendering me incapable of logical thought, "We haven't really spent any time together just the two of us... Come out with me for a while, I'll buy us some drinks, we can dance... It'll be fun~"

No. No. Don't. Bad idea.

I swallowed hard, closing my eyes so I could steel my will. This woman had an obvious effect on me, but if I gave in, I knew that I'd simply just regret it in the morning. Nothing good would come of it. At all. I'd just only managed to gather enough strength to refuse the offer when I felt a hand sliding down my waist, down over my stomach and into my... pocket. My eyes shot open as she dangled my car keys in front of my face, smirking at my breathless expression.

"I'll drive."

...Shit.

----------

An hour later, we were in a club, lights and music blaring all around us, and my tension all but gone as I nursed drink number whatever up at the bar. Sayumi was coming and going as she pleased; she'd all but ignored me since we arrived, a fact that was starting to irritate me more than anything. I should have been relieved, perhaps, or I should have ditched her then and there, but I had become more than a bit tipsy by that point and my competitive, possessive nature rose to the surface. I didn't like being toyed with.

She floated back to me again, and I caught a glimpse of the sweat glittering on her neck before she leaned against the bar, grinning like a shark.

"Care to dance with me now, Reina-chan~?"

I glanced sideways at Sayumi, calmly setting my glass down on the counter.

"You're not as seductive when I'm drunk, you know."

"Oh?" She questioned, moving closer to nibble on my ear, "Is that so?"

The action caused me to flush slightly, but the alcohol had emboldened me and I turned to grab her chin, locking eyes with her.

"Yeah, that's so. I know what you're trying to do here, but I'm not gonna be one of your weird conquests just so you can have like, a matching set." I released her, growling a bit as I turned back to my drink, "I'm not like you, I don't run around having meaningless sex."

Sayumi seemed taken aback by my sudden outburst, but didn't falter, sliding her arms around my waist. One of her hands slipped beneath my shirt to draw lazy patterns on my stomach, my skin burning  everywhere she touched.

"Oh trust me, we could make it meaningful... And you're much more like me than you think."

"How?" I was disturbed to think that I could have any kind of connection with this girl, but curious enough to hear her out.

"Well, we've both been pining for someone that doesn't even know we exist," She replied, and I shuddered as she brushed her lips against my neck, "Ai will never notice you the way you want her to, and nothing you do will change that. She only has eyes for Gaki-san."

That statement settled hard in the pit of my stomach, and sober me might have gotten flustered and tried to argue with her. But Sayumi was just voicing aloud the things my inner cynic had been saying all along; that Ai was just being kind to me, like a mentor or an older sister figure, and everything she'd done up to that point was just out of friendliness. I still didn't want to believe her, though, especially the part concerning Risa.

"In fact, if she shows any interest in you at all, its only because you remind her of Gaki-san. But then you'd just be a replacement, never really filling that hole in her life."

I wanted her to shut up, and definitely wanted her to stop touching me, and yet the truth in her words kept me still. Especially after I remembered what Ai had said earlier that morning.

"You know, I find it amusing just how much you remind me of Gaki-san sometimes."

Feeling slightly numb, I quickly downed the rest of my drink, tugging a surprised but not unwilling Sayumi behind me towards the dance floor. I didn't notice the way her eyes glinted in the light or the way her grin was sharper than it should have been. I simply lost myself in the rhythm of the music and her body, not wanting to give a damn about Ai or anything else.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: kawaii beam on July 19, 2012, 07:10:36 PM
gah gang changes, nurse maasa, tough rii-chan and now riho fukuchan ayumin and kudu are in this @~@ lord must know how maachan, haruna zukki and eripon are like in ayayas gang  kyness to the max there lol
as helpful as it was for sayu to help reina ut god knows reina clearly fell for that stuff the bunny said at the club @~@

whats in dat letter????? could miki be asking for risa to come back and help again???? :panic:

kiwi needs to know~
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: darkacex99 on July 19, 2012, 08:18:13 PM
 Risako, maasa, and maimi are all part of a gang? Soo nice :twothumbs
I luv the fact that even tho maasa is a yankii she still keeps tjhe characteristic of being motherly :cathappy: so cute how she takes care of risako

Now im super curious to find out wats in that envelop dats ment for risas 8)

Sayu's devil tougne is being used to the fullest in the last part :twisted: , hopefully reina doesnt do anythng too drastic when she becomes sober  :lol:

Awesome chapter i was sad when i reached the end of it, but shall be awaiting ur next chapter patiently :peace:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: kjpop on July 20, 2012, 04:13:58 AM
My heart kind of died with the whole beatles thing  :fainted: But it's alright~ ahha

omg the gang tho LOL
Quote
"I am going to get very drunk and then probably go out and engage in various acts of debauchery until either I pass out or morning breaks, whichever comes first,"


I love you Miki, I love you so much  :lol:

Quote
The Matsuura clan did indeed have four new recruits just as green as their own

9th gen i reckon  :?

Quote
"I think she figured out that Rika's dead."

 :panic: :panic: :panic:

GAWD SO HEAVY WITH DEM GANG WARS!

Meanwhile at planet Tanashige  :fap lol

Quote
I nursed drink number whatever up at the bar

 :doh:

Quote
Ai will never notice you the way you want her to, and nothing you do will change that. She only has eyes for Gaki-san."

OH GOD RIGHT WHERE IT HURTS  :bleed eyes:

omg drunk sex with a THE HANGOVER inspired morning after?  :P Bring it on!!!!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: risa_ai on July 20, 2012, 11:56:06 AM
OHNO. RISA. RISA PLEASE. PLEASE DON'T GO. PLEASE. LATER AI'S GONNA HATE YOU. OR WORSE, WHAT IF SHE FOLLOWS YOU AND GETS HURT OR INJURED?! RISA. KEEP COOL.
And.... Sayu. XD Seductress, that girl. Reina's falling into her tr~ap!
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: Fushigidane on July 25, 2012, 12:02:24 PM
Dun dun duuun, I hope Reina didn't go at it with Sayumi. :deco: Gaki-san's better for Reina :w00t:
Well, this is very entertaining! :grin: Waiting for the next chapters. :hand: ;)
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: rokun on July 27, 2012, 05:58:43 PM
maachan, haruna zukki and eripon are like in ayayas gang  kyness to the max there lol
This made me LOL at the truth!! :lol: We almost have to see an omake with Aya and them... especially if she's anything like Miki... lol.

Back to the chapter... Now this is what I was looking forward to!! (no, not the hot TanaShige almost-action :)))
The stuff about the gang in the first part of the chapter is what I feel you write so well and I loved in HT... I wonder why that is...? Or well, I enjoy it at least XD whatever it's like.  So the gang's still going strong, huh? I hope Risa doesn't get drawn back into it. Maybe good timing with her just making that pact with Eri to set the both of them straight again? Or we'll see if it just means she'll be breaking it almost before it's started...

And as for the aforementioned TanaShige... :heart:
So hot, but so wrong... and you left it there at an interesting place :lol:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: rndmnwierd on October 19, 2012, 10:09:33 PM
I just got my Morning Days 11 dvd and it's Gaki-san's B-day in Japan already. I NEED this to be updated soon or I may explode from the lack of. >.<;
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: mochi.rini on October 19, 2012, 11:44:02 PM
^
*cue head nodding*

 :yep: :yep: :yep:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: Quietriot on October 21, 2012, 01:47:15 AM
X3 so I'm not actually dead, but I have like zero time for writing lately. I'll see what I can do around the holidays, but for now I gotta focus on school because I REALLY want to graduate next semester XD (but I miss all of you nonetheless <3)
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: darkacex99 on October 21, 2012, 09:42:58 AM
We miss u too quietriot  :mon waterworks:  but skool is definately more important so i hope u keep working hard and get to graduate next semester  :mon thumb:

I shall b patient and await ur updates on ur fanfics  :byebye:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: rndmnwierd on November 11, 2012, 07:11:05 AM
Happy birthday, yo!! :deco:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: rndmnwierd on June 23, 2013, 12:08:41 AM
....

>.>

<.<

>.>

That is all...
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: kawaii beam on July 19, 2013, 06:34:52 AM
it has literally been a yr since the last update.... :panic:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: rndmnwierd on July 19, 2013, 10:21:59 AM
I got so excited for a second, when I saw the date XD then I realized Kiwi was right T_T
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: darkacex99 on July 19, 2013, 02:05:42 PM
augh! darn it!!! i got excited too :cry:
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: rokun on July 19, 2013, 10:40:24 PM
Darn you all, me too. XD I'm gonna have to bug her more about getting back to it...... though we shouldn't get our hopes up I think, lol.

As if I'm one to be talking to begin with... Well, maybe I'll get more motivated if Essy stops scolding me about bad writing. :P
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XIX, 7/19]
Post by: Quietriot on October 18, 2013, 04:43:44 AM
...happy fanfic christmas <3 it only took me a year LOL

Chapter XX -- Wings

It had been a while since I'd had the privilege of waking up next to somebody else. In those first few moments of sleep-haze, its an amazing feeling, really, the comfort of a warm body beside your own. My instinct was to snuggle up closer to that warmth, but as the gears in my head started turning and it occurred to me to open my eyes, I realized that I was not in my own bed. I tried to work out where exactly I was, and my brain responded with a sharp, pulsating pain.

'Hangover...'

I groaned a bit and reached out to grab for the blanket and had every intention of resorting to a 'fuck it all' attitude to catch at least another hour of sleep, but my hand landed on something very soft and very... not a blanket.

"Oh Reina-chan, I didn't know you were so fiesty in the mornings as well~"

There laying beside me was Michishige Sayumi in all her glory, wearing nothing but a pleased smirk and a lone sheet draped across her hips. My hand was resting in a scandalous position right in the middle of her bare chest and I ripped it back like I had touched fire, tumbling out of the bed in the process. It was there on the floor, in the midst of an intensifying headache and earning a few new bruises that I realized Sayumi wasn't the only one who had lost her clothes at some point last night.

"...oh my god."

Had I slept with Michishige? I sifted frantically through my memories of the night before but I could only remember dancing at the club; everything after was too dark and muddled for me to decipher. But what else could explain how I'd ended up naked in bed with someone like her? My entire face began to heat up in shame and embarrassment as I continued to wonder, and I sunk my face into the pillow that I'd wrestled to the floor with me in defeat, muttering another muffled 'oh my god'.

I could hear the my bandmate rise from the bed, and I rolled myself up in the sheets, eliciting laughter from the older girl.

"Oh please," she snorted, bending over to pick up a long shirt off of the floor. I tried hard not to stare, feeling my face burning again with something entirely different. "I already saw much more of you than I ever expected to see last night. ...Even if I hadn't, there aren't any surprises waiting for me under there."

I attempted to glare at her once she was (partially) clothed, though I imagine it came across much weaker than I intended, as her words only made me want to bury myself. How could I have trusted Michishige, of all people? This was a girl that had been with pretty much everyone, even someone like Risa who hated her. And I had simply ignored my instincts and allowed her to lure me in for the kill, alcohol nonwithstanding.

I was an idiot.

"As amusing as the look on your face is right now..." The guitarist drawled, leaning lazily against the wall so that she could stare down at me, "I feel like I should let you know that nothing happened last night."

'...What?'

If the look on my face before Michishige's confession was amusing, the one I made following it must have been even more priceless, because she only smirked at me in return.

"Sorry to ruin your fantasies about us, but I have standards, Reina-chan, and I don't take advantage of poor drunk girls. Even if they start just stripping in front of me. You gave me quite the show before passing out in my bed~"

Oh. Well, it was still a cringeworthy way of spending my evening, and I had a feeling that Michishige would never let me hear the end of it--worse yet I shuddered to think how the others would tease me when they found out--but I could sense that she was telling the truth.

"Now... if you're done being pathetic on the floor there, you can get dressed and I'll see if I have coffee or something..."

I listened as Michishige padded out of the room and groaned as I lifted my head to make sure she was really out of sight. As I gathered my clothes off the floor and began to clumsily pull them on, I could hear a conversation going on in the other room. Michishige was bickering with someone; I couldn't quite make out about what. Adjusting my skirt, I made my way clumsily out of the room to investigate, damning every brand of alcohol known to man along the way.

"...just saying, its really gross when you have people over when I'm here...."

"Excuse me, but you stay here out of the goodness of my heart, you punk; I don't have to change what I do just because you're here."

"Nobody wants to think about their sister getting it on with weird people every night..."

"Hey do you wanna go home? Is that what you want?"

"..."

"I thought not. Just shut up and eat your goddamned cereal."

"...Tanaka-san?"

As I entered the living room, I was surprised to see Koharu sprawled out on the couch, and by the look of her mouth hanging open, it was pretty obvious she was equally surprised to see me. I could almost see the question forming in her mind through her eyes and I felt the heat rising in my cheeks as I rushed to answer before she could even vocalize it.

"No!"

Michishige and I shot her down at the same time, my cheeks continuing to burn as Koharu closed her mouth and squinted at me, suspicious.

"...well I didn't HEAR anything last night but that doesn't mean..." She muttered, trailing off as she stuffed another spoonful of cereal into her mouth. "What are you doing here then, Tanaka-san?" Koharu asked, her voice muffled between bites.

"We had an interview last night, I needed a place to crash..." I replied, still a bit flustered, and leaving out most of the details. What Koharu didn't know, she didn't need to know. I knew she'd go blabbing right to Aika and I wanted the chance to explain myself first before the story got distorted. "...Anyway I could ask you the same question. What would your parents think if they found you were hanging out with someone like Michishige here?"

The high school girl snorted and began to laugh, echoed by snickering from Michishige, who was approaching me now with a hot cup of coffee. This I readily accepted, though not without confusion. There was something I had obviously missed.

"Let's just say..." Michishige started, flopping on the couch next to Koharu, not seeming to care that her shirt only barely covered her lower half, "That I can guarantee that her parents couldn't give two shits that she's here with me; in fact, they should probably be grateful, even."

"And why is that?"

The guitarist smirked at me, and I watched as Koharu's entire demeanor changed. She was the most defeated-looking person I had ever seen, though she didn't look like she was going to volunteer to speak any time soon.

"Her dad's a deadbeat and her mom's quite the piece of work. Probably too smashed to even know she's been here for a couple of days now."

Oh. The silence that filled the room was thick enough to suffocate on, and that was understandable. I glanced at Koharu again, viewing her in a different light, taking note of the faint bruise on her cheek. It was barely there now but it was obvious that whatever happened to her was no accident. Before I could say anything, though, the girl shot up off the couch and darted out the front door, leaving me alone with Michishige.

"...You couldn't have been more... gentle?" I asked, watching quietly as Michishige nonchalantly took a sip of her own cup of coffee. She rolled her eyes at me.

"Why? The world isn't gentle. Besides, she needs to stop feeling sympathy for our bitch of a mother."

"Our?" I replied, taking a swig of the coffee I'd been handed earlier. To my surprise, it wasn't as awful as I'd expected it to be. "Koharu is your sister?"

"Half," She corrected, giving me a look that plainly said the conversation was to end there. Fine by me, I didn't need to know all the sad details of Michishige's life. Koharu on the other hand, I worried about; she was a sweet girl and had been a good friend to Aika. Maybe mentioning something to my sister later would help.

In any event I felt like I'd been around the guitarist long enough, and I finished my cup of coffee, setting it down on the counter. I turned back to Michishige to say something about leaving, when I noticed she was staring at me with thoughtful eyes.

"What?"

"What exactly do you get out of being here with us, Reina-chan?" The question caught me somewhat off guard, and I could only stare back at her as she continued, "Why did you come here to this city of all places? What's in it for a girl like you, who, practically still has her whole life ahead of her, to throw her chips in with a bunch of losers like us?"

"...I don't think you're losers, Michishige-san."

"But you don't really fit in with us either, do you?" She hardly missed a beat, and I didn't like how her eyes seemed to be staring through me instead of at me. "I guess that hardly matters when fame is your goal, though."

Something in me bristled at her tone.

"How would you know what my goals are? You don't know the first thing about me."

Michishige rose from the couch, leaving her mug behind on the coffee table.

"I know everything about everyone." She started, taking a step towards me, "I know that Aichan is clinging so desperately to a past she barely remembers because she feels somewhat responsible for the way that Gaki-san's turned out and she spends every day punishing herself with guilt because she can't figure out how to put the puzzle pieces back together. If they were even meant to be together in the first place..."

Another step.

"I know that Gaki-san doesn't know what she wants. She's not got much of anything to call her own to begin with, and what she lost she replaced with anger. On top of all of that, she's got the guilt too; that she's not good enough, that she fucked up too much to make anything right."

She was a bit close now.

"I know that Eri is probably the most sane one of us all, and she cares the most, but until she fights her own personal demons it'll never amount to anything. Life will continue to pass her by until the day she dies."

Uncomfortably close. Michishige tilted her head down slightly so that our lips were almost touching and I could feel her breath on mine.

"You are nothing. You want to be something, and you don't mind seizing the opportunities that come your way, regardless of any possible setbacks, because you haven't really done anything to screw up your life yet. You want to make a name for yourself as a singer. And there's nothing inherently wrong with any of those things except for the way you're going about it, involving yourself with four very screwed-up human beings."

I felt like I was a target, Michishige's words having hit me square on in the bulls-eye. She wasn't wrong about me, other than I had no intention of hurting any of them. Some of them, like Eri, and... maybe even Risa, I considered to be my friends.

"I won't let you use us as your stepping stone to glory, Reina-chan." Her voice was a dangerous whisper, "I promise you I would destroy any chance of a career you had if you try."

I bristled again, holding my ground. I wasn't going to let Michishige intimidate me anymore.

"I haven't done anything wrong here. You picked me remember? Not the other way around."

"Aichan picked you. I don't trust you."

"Yeah well I don't trust you either, but we're going to have to work together from now on so you might as well deal with it." I gave her a slight shove, putting some inches between us. "And for the record, I don't give two shits about your past lives. I don't care what happened before, and if I did, I wouldn't still be here, working just as hard as everyone else."

Michishige sized me up carefully, as if examining the weight of my words.

She didn't trust me; it would take more than just talk to win her over. Not that I even cared about doing that, but I saw something like possibly-respect flicker across the guitarist's eyes for a brief moment. A very brief moment.

"Maybe. I'm keeping an eye on you either way."

"Fine, whatever." I stepped around Michishige and started towards the door, ready to be out of there and away from her. It was only once I was out of the apartment that I realized what time it was; I was going to be late to work.

Junjun's gonna kill me...

----------

Risa felt significantly grumpier than usual, and had to keep fighting the urge to run to the nearest convenience store. She had promised Eri she would kick this habit, and it had seemed easy enough last night since she had only just finished smoking when the turtle chucked her packs into the trash.

But today was a new day, and she became particularly aware of how deep her addiction ran with every passing moment.

And then there was the fact that she was heading home; Aichan was there, and Risa wasn't really sure she was ready to face the other woman yet. She knew she had about 20 unread messages and just about as many missed calls on her phone... but she wouldn't give in. It hurt to hear Ai talk to her the way she had done yesterday, and she figured the older woman deserved the cold shoulder for at least a little bit longer.

She didn't even give me a chance to explain what happened... and then I bet she probably took Sayumi's side right afterwards...

The ex-con balled her hands into fists, adjusting her duffel bag angrily as she continued to stomp her way down the sidewalk, jealousy burning in her chest. This was quickly replaced with a quiet sense of helplessness and Risa felt her self-confidence dropping. What could she do to beat Sayumi for Ai's affections anyway; it hadn't taken the guitarist long to work her way into the other girl's bed, and Ai kept Risa instead constantly at arm's length.

It was obvious that Ai still cared about her at least, but it wasn't the same as it had been once before.

...Maybe I just... need to let go.

The thought stopped Risa on the steps up to Ai's apartment complex. What if it was that simple? Ai would probably be happier... And even though it hurt to think that she could find someone better--she shuddered to think that Sayumi would be better--it was almost a relief in a way, to know that Ai could be happy.

She gripped the strap to her bag tightly, gathering her resolve. They needed to talk about this and deal with it anyway. Today was a good a day to do it as any.

Risa was tired of the space in between them; even if Ai decided she wasn't in love with her, she missed the closeness they had had as simply friends.

Determined, the bassist continued her way up the steps. She fumbled through her pockets for the familiar key, and when she reached the door to Ai's apartment, she took a deep breath before finding the strength to enter.

"...Aichan? I'm home..."

The place was quieter than normal, and Risa tossed her bag into her open bedroom, shutting the main door behind her. Hearing no response, the ex-con made her way into the kitchen, thinking that a snack would help calm her nerves as she waited for Ai to return.

Instead she found the older woman waiting for her inside, leaning silently against the countertop opposite the entrance, and Risa paused there in the doorway, the two of them regarding each other quietly.

Risa decided that she was going to have to be the one to speak first, but as she cleared her throat, Ai moved silently towards her, and before she could even utter a sound she registered the feeling of soft, familiar lips claiming her own. There was a beat of confusion at first, but Risa began to kiss the older woman back instinctively, as if that simple act said all that needed to be said between them.

She stopped thinking, and held and let herself be held, closing her eyes and reveling in the moment that she had been waiting for for so long.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XX, 10/17]
Post by: kawaii beam on October 18, 2013, 05:06:36 AM
OH MY GOD THIS IS THE BEST EARLY BDAY PRESENT I COULD WISH FOR!!!!

I don't even know where to start but I am soooooooooooooooooooooooo happy you're back!!! and back with a fisty and great filled chapter such as this XD

I did a ubber "OH SNAP" at sayu's all knowingness and an ever louder one at the end of this chapter and I really cant wait for the next one ;3;
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XX, 10/17]
Post by: rndmnwierd on October 18, 2013, 05:30:34 AM
*strained tea kettle noises*

This update! This story! asdsafdgf!

 :farofflook: I've been waiting so long... So long~

This whole time, I've been wondering if Reina and Sayu got it on, but I'm glad to see that Sayu's not a total heartless whore. Just mostly heartless. To be fair, I didn't realize how far her mistrust of Reina went until she said so here. Glad they got all that straightened out.

And nooo~ Risa~ You were gonna let Ai go! Risa was gonna let her go~ but it seems like they're doomed to walk into the same trap. Especially since there's no way their problems are even remotely solved. Maybe one moment of passion, but can Ai ever let go of her own bad feelings enough to let Risa back into her heart? Somehow, I would be angry if it were that simple. I'm still counting on Tanagaki...

I really hope you continue to feel inspired for this cuz I truly adore this story.
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XX, 10/17]
Post by: H!PShipper on November 12, 2013, 02:20:56 AM
/sobs/ A-An update! Omg
Title: Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XX, 10/17]
Post by: yunagi on November 17, 2013, 04:40:01 PM
Finally… Finally~ I’ve reached the last chapter.

I’m definitely intrigued. Just when I thought I figured out how it would come out- bam! The drama. The angst. It took me longer than I expected to finish, but that’s cause I took my sweet time playing it out in my head- and I had a lot of other things to do but that's beside the point

It’s crazy… I mean out of all the possible pairings, aside from AikaxEri, I can’t get myself to pick out one. Heck I can’t even stick to my favourite pairings.

I like how screwed up their lives are...- and though my sister would point out that the devil is coming out again that’s not the case, at least not entirely-
it makes them a bit surreal and yet realistic. Would it be bad of me to wish for more confusion and broken hearts? Especially the latter.