(This is a fan fic based on the "public images" of various Hello!Project artists and is no way shape or form trying to imply anything about the personal lives of the real people behind the public images.)
Club Idol Season 2 - Part 3 - An Industrial Headache
"Mari?"
"Yes, boss?"
"I'm afraid there's been a problem. That contract that you were supposed to send to the customer is now all over the internet."
"That's not possible."
"I'm afraid it is. I looked at your email records and you didn't use a strong enough encryption."
"Oh, no."
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to let you go."
"Oh, no! What am I do to?"
"And, cut! That's a wrap!"
The cast celebrates.
After thanking each member of the cast and crew individually, Risa walks back to her office, a small hole in the wall of the huge warehouse, an office just large enough to hold a desk and some bookshelves.
Erika joins her. "Great job, champ. We're definitely in the black for this month. This is going to work."
"Um, boss? This was the fifth industrial video that I've directed this month."
"Yes. Our clients are really happy with them. They are cheap to make and very profitable."
"Are we trying to hide that we do porno from these guys?"
"Well, sort of. We call ourselves a different name for the industrial videos, but the clients do know."
"If we're not trying to hide it then I'm just a little surprised that we haven't done more adult stuff."
"We did do 'The Red G-string of Fate 2', and the early sales numbers for that are right where we expected them to be."
"What about other titles?"
Erika sits on Risa's table, invading Risa's personal space. "When are you going to give us some hot ideas?"
"You shot down my first two ideas as lame."
"They were."
Risa hangs her head. "I will come up with a killer idea. I will come up with a killer idea."
"I know you will. Do your best Risa. Oh, and let's get this footage edited tomorrow morning. Okay?"
"Yes."
Erika leaves Risa alone. Risa racks her brains but comes up with nothing.
That night, Risa sits at home. Her floor is littered with crumpled up pieces of paper. She writes an idea down on a note pad, looks at it, and crumples up the page and throws it on the floor. "Lame!"
Risa grabs her phone.
"Moshi Moshi."
"Asami, you have to help me."
"Do you need me to find some muscle to scare you know who?"
"No. I can't lower myself to that level. Besides, it's not about that."
"Then what?"
"I can't think of any ideas for an adult video. The industrial videos that we're doing now are driving me up the wall."
"And, you think that I will have ideas?"
"Sure."
"Me, the girl who hasn't dated since she was dumped?"
"Sorry."
"Call Makoto. She's having a really good run nowadays."
"Really? Okay."
Risa calls up Makoto.
"Moshi Moshi."
"Mako-chan. Asami tells me that you are on a roll."
"She did? Figures."
"So, things are going good with dating?"
"Yes, but success can bring its own hassles."
"Well, the reason I called is that I have writer's block. I need some good ideas for movies, so I thought I ask around."
"My life as a movie? That will be the day."
"So, how did you get on a roll? What's the big picture?"
Makoto lets out an embarrassed giggle. "A girl changes from being a neko to being a tachi and gets tons of new girlfriends, but gets into tons of trouble due to her playboy ways."
"Oh my god! That's perfect! All I need is a title and we'll be set."
"How about 'playing for the other team?'"
Risa stares at the receiver for ten seconds before replying. "I think people would get the wrong idea. That phrase already means something else."
"Oh, oops. How about 'a new outfit'?"
Risa rubs her head. "That's getting closer. Oh, how about 'Crossing the Line'?"
"You're the director, why are you asking me?"
"Because Erika thinks my idea are lame."
"Well, it does sound a little vague."
"But, we can have a cover shot of Erika and Yui and on the left side they're dressed up in a cute outfit and on the right side they're dressed up in butch outfits and there's a dotted line down the center."
"Oh, amazing!"
"But, to make this work, you need to give me the dirt. What was it like the first time you did it?"
"I was scared out of my mind! The entire time I was worried that the girl was going to turn around and say that I was a lame tachi and I should go back to being a neko."
Risa starts laughing.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing, it's just that I would never think of something like that even though it's real."
"Why not?"
"Well, did your date say anything like that at all?"
"She did start a little bit when she showed up and I was wearing a skirt, but I shut her down pretty quickly."
Risa starts furiously taking notes. "So, you took control?"
"You're not going to ask me to give you a blow by blow of my date are you?"
"Just the important parts, the parts before you two jumped in bed. Erika and Yui can handle what comes after."
"Oh, okay."
"So, you took control over her?"
"I guess you could say so. It was more like I could tell that she wanted me to boss her around."
Risa fills up a page and starts on the next page. "So, what did it look like?"
"What? Me bossing her around?"
"No, what did she look like while you were bossing her around?"
Makoto thought hard. If anyone else had asked her a weird question like that she would not have taken it seriously, but Risa was such a keen observer and teacher of gestures and expressions that Makoto knew that she was extremely serious. "I know. She went from looking ahead to looking down."
Risa involuntarily gasps.
"Usable?"
"You're a license to print money, Makoto."
"Oh my god! I have to get there early for my job. But, I'll try to organize my thoughts and tomorrow I'll be able to give you the straight scoop."
"Sure thing."
---
"Itai!" Makoto shudders as Asami rubs an ice cube under her eye.
"I feel like an idiot."
"Oh, come on. The stage is small. I'm surprised we don't hit each other in the eye with our microphones every night."
"Okay, try it again."
Makoto tries and this time is successful in removing her contact lenses. Makoto pulls out an old looking pair of glasses from her purse.
"Look at you, the chicks are going to be all over this look."
"Hey, if they're not, I'll tell them to be."
Makoto goes upstairs.
Asami goes over to Risa. "You ready to face them tonight?"
Risa stares at a mirror, imagining how her face would look when she sees the couple. "Okay, I can do this."
Risa and Asami join the after party.
Risa looks around the club and her jaw nearly drops. On the other side of the club from Makoto stands Aibon and Eri. However, Risa can clearly see that Aibon had tried to compete with Makoto and had been burned badly. Eri is not dressed as a religious pilgrim this time, but is dressed up as a male gigolo. However, Makoto clearly had a larger crowd, probably due to the novelty of her glasses.
Risa finds a spot to hang out and is soon joined by some admiring clients.
But, before too long, this party is crashed.
"Hey baby, my name is Eric. I am a traveling salesman of love, and I can get you a good deal."
Risa doesn't even bother looking at Eri, but instead shoots daggers with her eyes at Aibon, who eventually retreats with her slave.
--
Several days later Asami gets a call.
"Moshi Moshi?"
"Asami? This is Maki."
"Hi! How is your website? Any issues?"
"Oh my god, it is running like a charm. I'm getting so much feed back that I haven't had a chance to play any online games in days."
"That's great."
"But, there's one thing that I was caught flat footed about. I've gotten over a hundred requests for some sort of a video, and they've said that they would pay top dollar for it."
"Sweet."
"But, I don't know where to get a video like that produced."
"Well, I think I might know someone who can help ..."
To Be Continued!