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Author Topic: Estrea's Sandbox [6/4 - Treat]  (Read 200641 times)

Offline Estrea

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Estrea's Sandbox [6/4 - Treat]
« on: September 12, 2007, 04:04:07 PM »
Aloha! XDD Well I have a lot of random plot bunnies that have absolutely nothing to do with the serialised stories I am working on currently (aka AA or SotN). Often, I find it easier to write short stories. Probably because they give me a chance to develop a character, or a relationship, in greater detail. I like being able to delicately handle a situation. XD

So here be my fic dump, my collection of short stories. A bit long overdue, since I've written a whole variety of unrelated short stories already. I'll just post my latest one and dribble out the rest over time. XD

So, here we go!

===========================

Layers

This isn't going to work.

This she decided after the 256th time she jerked upright on her bed, staring in panic at the blinking numerals of her clock on the dresser by her bed.

Barely 30 minutes had passed since the first time she closed her eyes at an unprecedentedly early hour, since she had decided that the cause of her having drastically overslept earlier in the day must have been due to exhaustion, so she had resolved to retire to bed as early as her schedule allowed in an attempt to ensure that a repeat incident did not occur.

Unfortunately, her innate paranoia was causing her to react too sensitively to every single sound and shift around her, jolting her awake even before she had even succeeded in falling asleep, her subconscious mind too worried that she might have accidentally overslept again, and would then have to deal with...

Miki's glare of doom, Yossi's stern-but-concerned face, Reina's impatient expression, Eri's worried glance, Sayu's surprisingly penetrating gaze, Koharu's bounciness (okay maybe not that), Aika's earnest attention that made her feel inadequate as a role model for her kouhai, and Ai-chan's disappointed and disapproving look...


Ai-chan doesn't tolerate tardiness. Risa winced at the memory of the disapproving expression from her best friend. While Ai did not say anything to her about it, her silence was somehow a lot weightier than the standard scolding that Yossi, as leader, had to deliver to her.

Silence was surprisingly a lot more eloquent than a whole chunk of words could be, and just that one disappointed look and the resulting silence from Ai-chan to her was enough to ruin her whole mood, in addition to the guilt she already felt for oversleeping and running late for rehearsals.

Risa was tried her best to expiate her feelings of guilt by working extra hard that day, and resolving never ever to be late again, so as not to be on the receiving end of the Look (TM). Of course, the latter resolution had to be carried through to the very next day as well, and so she had tried to sleep early in order to ensure that she woke up on time.

But evidently it was not working. It was probably the bed, she decided. Hotel beds were not created equal. Something had to be preventing her from sleeping well and rising early. There had to be a reason somewhere.

Risa spent another 15 minutes on a internal crusade as the many voices of reason within her mind tore at each other, trying to sort things out. It was little wonder why she tended to babble at times. With the chaos lurking inside her mind, it was surprising that she even managed to make any sense the rest of the time, much less when she lapsed into babble-reaction-queen mode.

Ai-chan always managed to translate the babbling though. It was just a random thought that popped out of nowhere into the battlefield of her mind, but it calmed the warring parties inside her. Ai-chan. Yes. Her best friend would know what to do. Cure the sleeplessness. Maybe she could sleep over with her! Yes, that would be an excellent idea.

Thus decided, Niigaki Risa, clad in teddy pajamas, ambled out of her hotel room and wandered over to the room where her best friend Ai-chan was currently residing in. Pausing outside the door, she pressed the buzzer and was rewarded with a "It's open!". Taking the invitation, Risa opened the door.

...only to see an equally surprised Ai on her own bed, holding a thick book and was apparently avidly reading until Risa's entry.

"Oh, Gaki-san! I thought Mittsi forgot something and came back for it. Did you see her?" A slight shake of Risa's head, and Ai absently closed her book after bookmarking where she stopped. Risa cursed again the luck of the draw, since Aika had ended up with Ai-chan after they drew lots to decide the rooming arrangements. Risa had ended up with Reina, who had conveniently forgotten to wake her this morning. Reina claimed that she had left the room way ahead of time and had not expected that Risa would oversleep quite that much....and Risa found it difficult to rebut that point.

Nevertheless. Ai-chan was looking at her expectantly, and Risa realised she had yet to say anything since stepping in uninvited. Sheepishly, Risa brushed her hair out of her face, blurting the first thing that came to mind.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?"

It was fleeting, but Ai's face colored slightly, her jaw clenching and her body stiffening, before she relaxed and went back to normal in a flash, blinking quite ordinarily in surprise at Risa, who was stumbling over her words trying to clarify her meaning.

"Um, well, I cannot sleep and I am scared that I cannot wake up in time for tomorrow and everyone would get upset and Mikitty would just try to eat me alive and it would be a bad influence for Mittsi and Yossi would be even more stressed as leader and I would inconvenience all the staff and..." Ai had gotten up during Risa's panicked imaginings, and shut the younger girl up by the simple expedient of a touch.

Yes, just a touch. One hand laid comfortingly on her shoulder, clear eyes looking steadily and soothingly straight at her, just the very presence, that calming aura around her best friend that managed to halt Risa's derailed babble-train. Ai was smiling at her, and that made everything better somehow.

"Of course you can. It'll be just like a sleepover and I'll make sure to wake you on time for rehearsal tomorrow." The words were rePosterioruring on their own, but what made it special was that her best friend was saying it. Risa beamed widely, radiating the simple joy that could be best described as "child-like". Not to say that she was childish, but she did revert occasionally to an innocence that was reminiscent of her younger days. It was a part of her, so it was a little difficult to stop even if she had wanted to.

"Yay~ Sleepover with Ai-chan~!" Risa cheered giddily and blasted past her best friend, flopping belly-first onto the bed that Ai had just gotten out of.

"Hey, you are taking up all the space!" Ai giggled as she pretended to take offense at how Risa was spreadeagled over her bed, but the mirth in her eyes betrayed her amusement. Risa grinned and pulled the older girl down onto the bed, the bedsprings bouncing from the impact.

"Time to sleep~" Ai raised an eyebrow at her exuberant friend. "Isn't it a bit early?"

"Early to bed, early to rise!" Risa recited the maxim confidently and nodded sagely to herself, before clinging on to Ai as if the other girl was a giant teddy bear. Ai twitched slightly, but did not break free from the position.

"Besides you shouldn't be reading in bed, it's bad for your eyesight!" Risa mock-chided Ai, who rolled her eyes, but did not protest. It was pointless to, at any rate.

"Then, good night Ai-chan!" Risa snuggled contentedly into her human pillow (aka Ai).

Ai paused for exactly the space of 5 heartbeats, before softly replying.

"Good night..."

To a Risa who was already fast on her way to dreamland. Ai smiled and shifted to get a better look at the slumbering Risa, an indulgent smile on her lips.

"Sweet dreams to you too." Turning away, she firmly shut her eyes. Out of sight, out of mind. Even if said object was practically latched onto her side. Ai let out a small sigh of frustration.

Sleep was not going to come easy for her tonight.

Next Morning...

Risa woke slowly, but the fog over her mind was clearing rapidly, so when she did open her eyes, it only took her a few moments of disorientation before she figured out where she was.

Oh, I slept over with Ai-chan last night... Blinking the last of the sleepiness out of her eyes, Risa could not help but luxuriate in the warmth and comfort of Ai-chan's presence.

Ai was still sleeping, her head somehow having Laughing Out Loudled closer in her slumber, and was currently using Risa's outstretched left arm as a pillow. Her arms and legs were curled into her own body, almost defensively if one were to look at it critically, but Risa's right arm had been flung over Ai's waist and had pulled the older girl closer, so it looked like Ai was curled up in Risa's embrace.

It was a nice feeling just lying there like that, and Risa smiled as she continued her unconscious inspection of Ai-chan's sleeping form. She was mildly, okay, very surprised when she looked into Ai's sleeping face. No, it was not that it was extremely different or anything, not like Ai had mutated in her sleep or something equally shocking like that, but Ai-chan seemed more...unguarded in her sleep.

Well, that was logical enough, theoretically. People should be more relaxed in their sleep, shouldn't they? No, Risa was simply caught off guard by the fact that there was any kind of a difference between the sleeping visage and the expression that Ai-chan usually wore when awake. The fact that there was a difference, subtle or not, was mildly disturbing. Did that mean Ai-chan never really let down her defenses even around them? Around her? The thought was somehow unsettling.

Trying to shake the niggling feeling of doubt, Risa stared at Ai's sleeping face. Definitely relaxed, almost child-like, and innocent. Almost everyone looks innocent in their sleep, probably, but it really shone through on her Ai-chan, Risa decided. There was a vulnerability there too, something she hadn't really noticed before. It just never really caught her eye, if it had been present. But it was definitely there, now that she was really looking.

Combined with the traits she had noticed earlier, the vibe that she got from a sleeping Ai-chan was definitely different from what she got when her best friend was awake. The softness, the vulnerability in her best friend that she had never consciously taken note of, evoked a desire to protect the sleeping girl. To defend that vulnerability and make sure no one could hurt her. Contrasted with how Ai-chan was usually the steady constant when they were together, the one she counted on not to change and one she could rely on, it was a rather different dynamic altogether.

Her pensive thoughts were disturbed by a soft moan from slightly parted lips, as the sleeping girl in her arms stirred slightly, eyelids fluttering lightly. A small half-yawn crept out as Ai shifted in Risa's arms, her forehead furrowing slightly as she slowly started to wake up. Risa watched the process with a kind of curious fascination, still caught in that strangely introspective mood.

She did not have to wait long, since after the shifting and yawning, Ai opened her eyes slowly, as if letting them get used to the resumption of sight. Her eyes were slightly unfocused when they were fully opened, staring straight at Risa without quite registering the other girl's presence for a moment. Then Ai blinked owlishly at her, as if trying to reaffirm that she was really there, and Risa smiled gently, greeting her best friend.

"Good morning Ai-chan."

The first thing that Ai let slip was...

"Time?"

Risa blinked and quickly raised her head to check the clock. The glowing display showed that it was about 5am. Definitely way ahead of schedule.

"It's really early." Risa murmured back, her voice low, partially because Aika was also in the room sleeping on the other bed, but mostly because she did not feel like breaking the relaxed atmosphere by making loud sounds.

"Good." Ai suppressed another small yawn, uncurling her limbs from her body and rolling onto her stomach, arching her back and stretching like a cat. Risa tentatively flexed her numb left arm, trying to get the blood flowing back into the limb.

"Did you sleep well?" Ai asked politely, titling her head to face Risa. The younger girl felt a pang of disappointment, having noted that her Ai-chan had reverted to her usual expression, friendly but completely unreadable. But she buried the emotion (for now), and smiled back.

"Yeah it was great, we should do this more often, I do not think I've ever slept more soundly." Risa replied enthusiastically, her voice rising a few decibels at first, but she was careful to bring it back down to avoid waking the third occupant of the room.

"If you want to, it's fine by me." There it was again, that warm and friendly smile that somehow managed to hide everything despite apparently revealing everything. It had never bothered Risa before, but after seeing what she had earlier, it definitely did now.

"Is something wrong?" If there was something about Risa, it was that she was fairly easy to read once you got used to her. Ai was one of those who had practically mastered the art of interpreting Risa's every move.

"No, nothing really...just that Ai-chan looks really cute when she is sleeping~" Risa blurted the first thing she could think of that would be less troubling to mention.

Ai was never more grateful for the dim lighting than at that very moment, since it conveniently hid the flush on her cheeks. Had Risa been looking at her while she was sleeping? The thought was a pleasant one.

They made some more small talk for the next few minutes, before Ai decided to shoo Risa back to her own room so that they could get ready for rehearsal. Ai was a bit anal about punctuality, so she habitually started her daily routine really early, so as not to be rushed and to be able to arrive before everything started.

A softly-protesting Risa was shown the door (in a cute, mock-serious way), and Ai sternly reminded her not to go back to sleep and end up being late for rehearsal again. Risa pretended offense at such a possibility, before they both giggled and promised to see each other later.

The soft click of the door closing seemed unusually loud in the silence of the dimmed hallway, and Risa's cheerful expression fell a little as she pondered what she had seen earlier.

Ai-chan....seemed so near, yet so far to her at the same time. As her best friend, Risa felt like she knew something about Ai-chan, but that little glimpse earlier made her wonder if she really knew Ai-chan at all.

Sighing softly, Risa rested her forehead briefly against the recently-closed door of Ai's room.

"I wish you would let me in,  .Ai-chan....when you are ready...."

I want to know who you really are...

===========================================

Set in the MM Fanclub Tour this year. XD Risa did mention that she slept over in Aichan's bed because she felt uneasy about oversleeping on the first day. So here is my expansion that I finally got down to writing. -shrug- I have a lot of ideas but no inspiration with which to set down the words into a coherent structure.

So tell me what you think!
« Last Edit: April 06, 2015, 07:55:47 PM by Estrea »

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

Offline Sevii

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox--or Fic Dump, whatever [09/13 - Layers]
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2007, 06:37:52 PM »
Tell you what I think?

HAVE MY BABIES? PLEASE? XD

AiGaki kitaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa----------!


Wow. AiGaki is hard to write. Really. Since Takahashi is such a hard character to write about. She's just... so hard to read, I find it really hard to get into her head. She's like a blank piece of paper to me, well, half blank, there are some things one can grasp... from the surface, but the part where it's actually important, is simply out of reach.

And I think you did an awesome job portraying that part of Takahashi Ai.

Absolutely adored the last part. Even the title of this story.. great, great, great job.

Thank you for writing, and hope to see more soon. ^^


Offline JFC

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox--or Fic Dump, whatever [09/13 - Layers]
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2007, 07:15:10 PM »
Quote
Barely 30 minutes had passed since the first time she closed her eyes at an unprecedentedly early hour, since she had decided that the cause of her having drastically overslept earlier in the day must have been due to exhaustion, so she had resolved to retire to bed as early as her schedule allowed in an attempt to ensure that a repeat incident did not occur.

Unfortunately, her innate paranoia was causing her to react too sensitively to every single sound and shift around her, jolting her awake even before she had even succeeded in falling asleep, her subconscious mind too worried that she might have accidentally overslept again, and would then have to deal with...
Risa's the Reaction Queen, even when she's being quiet and trying to sleep. :lol:



Quote
Ai-chan doesn't tolerate tardiness. Risa winced at the memory of the disapproving expression from her best friend. While Ai didn't say anything to her about it, her silence was somehow a lot weightier than the standard scolding that Yossi, as leader, had to deliver to her.
A lot of times more can be said with a simple look, especially when it occurs between two people as close as Risa and Aichan.



Quote
Risa was tried her best to expiate her feelings of guilt by working extra hard that day, and resolving never ever to be late again, so as not to be on the receiving end of the Look (TM).
Trademarked. :wahaha:



Quote
Niigaki Risa, clad in teddy pajamas, ambled out of her hotel room and wandered over to the room where her best friend Ai-chan was currently residing in.
Teddy PJs? KAWAII~!!! :luvluv1:



Quote
"Can I sleep with you tonight?"

...

"Um, well, I can't sleep and I'm scared that I can't wake up in time for tomorrow and everyone would get upset and Mikitty would just try to eat me alive and it would be a bad influence for Mittsi and Yossi would be even more stressed as leader and I would inconvenience all the staff and..."
BREATHE Risa! BREATHE! :lol:



Quote
Ai had gotten up during Risa's panicked imaginings, and shut the younger girl up by the simple expedient of a touch.

Yes, just a touch. One hand laid comfortingly on her shoulder, clear eyes looking steadily and soothingly straight at her, just the very presence, that calming aura around her best friend that managed to halt Risa's derailed babble-train. Ai was smiling at her, and that made everything better somehow.

"Of course you can. It'll be just like a sleepover and I'll make sure to wake you on time for rehearsal tomorrow." The words were reassuring on their own, but what made it special was that her best friend was saying it. Risa beamed widely, radiating the simple joy that could be best described as "child-like".
Awwwwww... :love:



Quote
"Yay~ Sleepover with Ai-chan~!" Risa cheered giddily and blasted past her best friend, flopping belly-first onto the bed that Ai had just gotten out of.

"Hey, you're taking up all the space!" Ai giggled as she pretended to take offense at how Risa was spreadeagled over her bed, but the mirth in her eyes betrayed her amusement. Risa grinned and pulled the older girl down onto the bed, the bedsprings bouncing from the impact.
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww~! :hee:



Quote
Ai-chan looks really cute when she's sleeping~" Risa blurted the first thing she could think of that would be less troubling to mention.

Ai was never more grateful for the dim lighting than at that very moment, since it conveniently hid the flush on her cheeks. Had Risa been looking at her while she was sleeping? The thought was a pleasant one.
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW~! :wriggly:


TAKAGAKI RABU-RABU!!! 
:inlove: :heart: :inlove: :heart: :inlove:

JPH!P :heart:'s kuro808, Fushigidane, ChrNo, Jab & marimari. Always.

Offline inDeceit

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox--or Fic Dump, whatever [09/13 - Layers]
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2007, 03:00:02 AM »
<33333333
Read this the moment I woke up o.o
What an ending, but now I can go to work happy :D
I like how it's written, but it's too early to make a detailed comment >_>

*skips into the bathroom*

Offline stefy

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox--or Fic Dump, whatever [09/13 - Layers]
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2007, 04:36:39 AM »
Loved it loved it loved it!

How you wrote the character of Ai Takahashi was just brilliant. BRILLIANT.

Offline Estrea

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox--or Fic Dump, whatever [09/13 - Layers]
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2007, 10:24:19 AM »
Tell you what I think?

HAVE MY BABIES? PLEASE? XD

Lol. XD First time anyone asked for my contribution to the gene pool. :lol:

Quote
Wow. AiGaki is hard to write. Really. Since Takahashi is such a hard character to write about. She's just... so hard to read, I find it really hard to get into her head. She's like a blank piece of paper to me, well, half blank, there are some things one can grasp... from the surface, but the part where it's actually important, is simply out of reach.

I agree, it's like trying to describe an animal you have never seen before when you only have the vaguest details (like "4 legged animal" can be used to describe anything from a house cat to an elephant). Aichan's a lot prettier, but it doesn't make her any easier to understand. The best I could do with her is to translate my own view of her and filter it through the eyes of another character (in this case Niigaki), while letting the reader draw their own conclusions. I still don't have a good handle on Takahashi, though I try my best. Oh well.

Quote
Absolutely adored the last part. Even the title of this story.. great, great, great job.

Thank you for writing, and hope to see more soon. ^^

Thank you for reading my scribblings too. ^_^ It took me 3 hours to get the final version out. I got sidetracked halfway and had to pause many times to review what I had already written. I don't write very fast because of that, as you can expect. I'm glad you liked it though, it's nice to be appreciated.

@JFC: Ah, my regular commenter. ^_^ One of the practitioners of the art of block quoting. XD Glad you enjoyed the Takagaki. <3 Aichan's my muse now, so I sort of write lots of random shorts focusing on her (since AA doesn't figure her as a major character, and she hasn't appeared in SotN yet). Glad you enjoyed it. ;)

@inDeceit: Good to know that it cheered you up. ;) I expect that detailed comment eventually. >D XDDDD

@stefy: Sankyuu. ^_^ Considering how I barely even elaborated on how Aichan was like, merely describing her actions in relation to Risa, for you to say that I portrayed "brilliantly" is a bit of an overstatement....but it makes me feel good about myself anyway. XD; Thanks for reading~!

To everyone else, I have a couple more ideas that I'm putting on hold for the moment due to school work (all the essays due next week starting to breathe down my neck...), so you won't get any new stuff yet unless I suddenly decide to sit down and type my ideas out.

I'm open to suggestion too, so if there's really anything you would like to see, I'll take a look and see if I can do something about it. No guarantees though, but it was just a good way to get some more plot bunnies out in the open for me to seize on. So basically, scenarios, relationships (romantic or any kind really), character development (I'm mostly focusing on Takahashi currently, but you're free to try and ignite my interest in others)...anything you guys can think of.

I look forward to seeing anything you can throw at me. XD

...except rotten vegetables of course. ^_^;;;


Your (un)loving author,
Estrea

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

Offline Estrea

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox--or Fic Dump, whatever [09/13 - Layers]
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2007, 11:04:43 AM »
Ok an old short I wrote and posted on my LJ and renairev, but never got round to posting here. XDD; If the date on my LJ post can be trusted, it's dated August 18, almost a whole month ago. XD Some of you might have seen it either at my LJ or at renairev already, but here it is for those who haven't seen it anyway. ^_^

==================================

Waltz

Dancing was usually more a chore, a part of the job, than something for actual enjoyment.

That was her opinion, even though she enjoyed dancing. She did take ballet in her youth after all.

Now and then and again, dance routines for this song and that, for their own group or those of others. Part of being in the Project probably entailed learning the songs and dances of most other artistes under the label. She didn't know how the Eggs managed to pick up and remember every single routine, but it was part of their job description, so they had to do it, like it or not.

The choreography of the various songs usually weren't particularly complicated, for which she was grateful. The only real issue was that of coordination. When you put over half a dozen girls on the same stage and expected them to dance in unison, you had better make sure you coordinate their movements, or risk having them running into each other during the performance. A mistake by one person would be counted as a mistake for all. It left very little room for error.

As you can probably surmise by now, dancing could be a stressful business for them. It was very difficult to truly enjoy doing something when you're trying to make sure nothing goes wrong while continuing to sing and smile for the camera..

She herself had almost forgotten what it was like to truly lose oneself in a dance for nothing more than one's own enjoyment. Far too long, since entering the business, where every performance was for the sake of others, not truly for herself and herself alone. To be lost in the music, letting the body meld and merge with the rhythm...indeed, it had been far too long since.

It had been just another ordinary day, having arrived early at the studio for dance practice. She was alone, having arrived a little too early after setting her alarm a whole hour before that which was necessary. The studio was large and spacious, with a wide mirror covering an entire wall on one side.

Her soft steps made tiny echoes on the wood flooring, as she paced over to where someone had left a CD player plugged in near the wall. Since it was still far too early and she being somewhat bored, curiosity took over and prompted her to check the player.

Surprisingly, whoever was last using the place had left their CD in that player. Curiosity egged her on and she crouched down, pressing 'play', while wondering what exactly was in the player without actually looking at the CD to see.

She had been expecting one of the Project's songs, frankly. After all, the other girls from the other groups did use this place once in a while too. It wouldn't be too surprising if they had forgotten to take their CD with them after practice or something.

But no, it was not a song from the Project. It wasn't even a "song", strictly speaking, to begin with. It was music, certainly, but when the classical strains first rippled through the air, she had known well enough that it was not something she had ever heard of before.

Closing her eyes, she let herself drift with the instruments, shutting out the physical world around her as she simply listened to the music. No movement, no thought, no extraneous sound. Just her, and the music.

Perhaps it was the type of tune it was, but whatever it was, it certainly managed to spirit off her imagination.

"May I have this dance?"

A dark silhouette before her, extending a hand to her.

Wordless, the reply. Only, her slender hand tentatively placed in that of the stranger's. It was warm.

A light pull, and she was up on her feet, dazed and light in body and spirit. Silently, the partners assumed their starting positions, that of the waltz. It didn't even occur to her that she didn't know how to waltz, but it didn't seem to matter right now.

Her partner was smiling, a gesture she felt more than saw, and it occurred to her that she could see nothing of her partner's features, only that the other was just a little taller. The rest was merely a blur of shadow, an outline of a person with no revealing clues as to their identity.

Somewhere in that little world, the music started again, and as if responding to some unseen cue, they began to move along with it.

It only just occurred to her that she didn't know how to waltz when they began to move, but her insecurities faded away almost as soon as they arose. Her partner was moving confidently, guiding her to move in perfect synchronization, in perfect harmony as they twirled as if of one flesh across the ballroom.

Trust, not usually so easily given, was salient in their fluid steps. She did not hesitate to let the other lead, letting herself be guided and literally swept off into the clouds along with the music. There was nothing but pure unity between the two as they glided effortless across the empty floor, one with the music.

To lose oneself in the dance, in the music.......it was almost a sensation long forgotten. Or had never been experienced, never to this extent. It was perfection in itself.

She felt like it could go on forever, dancing with this mysterious stranger to this lilting tune that enraptured them both.

If only...


"Aichan! Aichan!"

She was broken out of her reverie, or should I say daydream, by a very familiar voice. Disoriented, and slightly disgruntled to have that perfect illusion shatter and dissolve so quickly, Takahashi Ai turned her head to face one Niigaki Risa, who had a concerned expression on her face.

"Are you alright? You were spacing out again when I got here." Ai nodded, and Risa shrugged. "Oh well, it's almost time for practice. Here." The younger girl extended a hand, ready to help the older off the floor.

Absently, Ai took the hand, and with a light tug, she was once again on her feet, still feeling strangely disoriented and dislocated from reality. Something felt awfully familiar about this whole situation somehow...

"Aichan? Are you sure you're fine?" Their hands were still interlocked, and the shared warmth was comforting. Ai smiled at her erstwhile best friend, about to reply in the affirmative when it struck her just what exactly had been bothering her all along.

Thus the words that did spill out were completely on the spur of the moment, with no further thought attached beyond it. A question that had no meaning to anyone else save herself..

"Can you waltz?

===============================

XDDD I wrote this on a whim a few weeks ago. Made a few edits from the original version some of you might have seen already. Very minor ones though, just to satisfy my fastidiousness and yearnings for perfection. Still far from being a finished product, but it'll do for now.

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

Offline Sevii

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox--or Fic Dump, whatever [09/13 - Layers]
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2007, 12:43:32 PM »
I agree, it's like trying to describe an animal you have never seen before when you only have the vaguest details (like "4 legged animal" can be used to describe anything from a house cat to an elephant). Aichan's a lot prettier, but it doesn't make her any easier to understand. The best I could do with her is to translate my own view of her and filter it through the eyes of another character (in this case Niigaki), while letting the reader draw their own conclusions. I still don't have a good handle on Takahashi, though I try my best. Oh well.

I think you did a wonderful job, really.
As we both agreed, she IS difficult to grasp after all.
And I'm not at all surprised that you decided to write her through someone else's eyes, I almost think writing Takahashi in first person is suicidal. At least for me. LOL.

Waltz -

Again, fabulously written.
I can see Takahashi, sitting on the floor, her back rested against the wall, her eyes foggy with the idealistic self-losing dance going through her mind. :D

As much as I think Takahashi actually has the most fun during lives, I agree that she may be unsatisfied with the routines they go through, especially when they have to repeat dances and such all the time for an entire tour, almost every weekend. Then to go through that during practice. It's been six years since she joined, things have to get old somehow.

Good observation. :D I hadn't thought about that at all.



An idea.. kek. Nouveau(Gaki)&Sapphire(Takahashi).

Offline Estrea

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox--or Fic Dump, whatever [09/13 - Waltz]
« Reply #8 on: September 13, 2007, 01:21:27 PM »
I almost think writing Takahashi in first person is suicidal.

I did. :X As in, I did try writing her in first person, well, something close anyway. It came out really emo. o_o I kinda imprinted part of my own personality into her because, well, I sense a kind of similarity somewhere. Hmm. Will post it soon and then you can judge for yourself. XD;

Quote
As much as I think Takahashi actually has the most fun during lives, I agree that she may be unsatisfied with the routines they go through, especially when they have to repeat dances and such all the time for an entire tour, almost every weekend. Then to go through that during practice. It's been six years since she joined, things have to get old somehow.

Good observation. :D I hadn't thought about that at all.

It's one thing to get pumped up during concerts and lives in general (adrenaline and all), but like you noted, the routine does get old after a while. Haha, I think too much about Takahashi nowadays, she kinda took over my brain and just walked me through my imagined recreation of her life. I can't help it that I find her so damn fascinating. An enigma, a cipher I would like to unlock. So you can expect to see lots of introspective stuff from me about her. ;)

Quote
An idea.. kek. Nouveau(Gaki)&Sapphire(Takahashi).
Oh my. XD That is interesting. I can think of two ways to approach the subject, either in context (using Nouveau and Sapphire only), or writing the people behind the characters (focusing on Niigaki and Takahashi who are playing those characters). Which would you prefer? I could amalgamate both (sort of), creating a layered impression of their relationship...hmm...good plot bunny you have given me. XD I'll work on it when I have time. Since right now I really have to start on my political science essay or risk being slaughtered in class.

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

Offline Sevii

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox--or Fic Dump, whatever [09/13 - Waltz]
« Reply #9 on: September 13, 2007, 02:44:25 PM »
I am not saying ANYTHING until you finish your papers. Good luck with them.



20 minutes until Takahashi's 21st birthday. <3

Offline JFC

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox--or Fic Dump, whatever [09/13 - Waltz]
« Reply #10 on: September 14, 2007, 06:35:40 AM »
Quote
Dancing was usually more a chore, a part of the job, than something for actual enjoyment.

That was her opinion, even though she enjoyed dancing. She did take ballet in her youth after all.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY MORE AICHAN!  :w00t:



Quote
She herself had almost forgotten what it was like to truly lose oneself in a dance for nothing more than one's own enjoyment. Far too long, since entering the business, where every performance was for the sake of others, not truly for herself and herself alone. To be lost in the music, letting the body meld and merge with the rhythm...indeed, it had been far too long since.
Awwwwwwwwwww...:(



Quote
*daydream sequence*
Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayum I could TOTALLY visualize that as I read it. :O  Wickedly cool, and yet kinda creepy at the same time. :P



Quote
"Aichan! Aichan!"

She was broken out of her reverie, or should I say daydream, by a very familiar voice. Disoriented, and slightly disgruntled to have that perfect illusion shatter and dissolve so quickly, Takahashi Ai turned her head to face one Niigaki Risa, who had a concerned expression on her face.

"Are you alright? You were spacing out again when I got here." Ai nodded, and Risa shrugged.

...

Their hands were still interlocked, and the shared warmth was comforting. Ai smiled at her erstwhile best friend, about to reply in the affirmative when it struck her just what exactly had been bothering her all along.

Thus the words that did spill out were completely on the spur of the moment, with no further thought attached beyond it. A question that had no meaning to anyone else save herself..

"Can you waltz?
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! :wriggly:



I'd write more but it's 1:30AM for me as I type this and I gotta sleep.   :oops:

JPH!P :heart:'s kuro808, Fushigidane, ChrNo, Jab & marimari. Always.

Offline Estrea

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox--or Fic Dump, whatever [09/13 - Waltz]
« Reply #11 on: September 14, 2007, 03:47:04 PM »
Birthday fic for Ai-chan! <3 I'm totally skiving from work but this means something to me and I had to write it. XD

Happy 21, Ai-chan! XDD

===============================

21


"Happy birthday Leader~~!!!" Reina sang out drunkenly to the wall she was facing, raising her glass in some kind of tipsy salute before downing the suspicious liquid in a single gulp.

Yes, drunk. No, they didn't give the underage girl any alcohol. Considering the fact that most of the girls in Morning Musume were currently under 20, that meant that alcohol was a strict no-no...well, legally speaking anyway. What the public (and the law) didn't know wouldn't hurt them in the least though.

The birthday girl was the only one of legal age to drink though, but said birthday girl, the "leader" to which a somehow dead drunk Reina was toasting (to the wall, but we acknowledge her spirit anyway. Thought counts, right?). one Takahashi Ai, was definitely not drunk, even though she was the only one legally allowed to.

She was getting there though. As leader, she had tried not to include any alcohol within the immediate vicinity of the impromptu party her minions girls were throwing for her. Unfortunately, as you can see, her efforts were pointless to begin with, considering how Reina was currently singing a very drunken version of Shabondama in a pitch several higher than her usual.

Ai winced, and downed another glass of punch. It tasted funny. She had her suspicions about the punch. Especially after how Nakazawa-san, after having wished her "Lovely" a happy 21, had been lurking around the table where the punch was. And where Nakazawa was, the alcohol followed. Ai wouldn't have been too surprised if the first leader, the original yankii, had spontaneously decided to spike the punch. As if in silent testament towards that possibility, Reina had already had more than 10 glasses of the stuff, and look what she was doing now (current status: slurring Rika's spoken lines in Shabondama in front of a red-faced Eri, who also had had one too many glasses of the suspicious liquid).

"隊長!生日快樂!" (1) The two Chinese girls, also far gone in drink, had started lapsing into their native tongue. Ai smiled faintly. The traditional singing of the birthday song at the beginning had been very interesting this year. There was the usual version in Japanese, the Chinese version from the two foreigners, and lastly, an extremely badly rendered version in English from them all that would have made a native speaker break down in tears or laughter, or both. Of course, it was all in good fun, and nobody knew any better, so no harm was done. Theoretically speaking, of course.

Feeling slightly trapped as the Chinese pair started rambling in their own native tongue, Ai tried to slip off, but her escape routes were already blocked off. She was starting to feel horribly stuck when a very welcome voice broke in.

"Ai-chan~~~" That greeting was followed by a tackle-hug that threw her off her chair and onto the floor, resulting in a tangle of limbs and a lot of disorientation (aided by the helpful unknown substance Yuko must have slipped into the punch earlier).

The foreign duo, seeing their leader assaulted, was about to help when they were distracted by shiny things dangled their way by the currently extremely hyper Rainbow Pink duo. Thus diverted, the four girls wandered off, leaving their leader and subleader to their own devices (if they remembered at all that they were still there).

"Mou, Gaki-san, you're heavy!" Takahashi protested gamely, her face somewhere between pouting and wincing from the very impact on the ground that had resulted from Risa tackling her out of nowhere.

"Ai-chan is mean!" Risa, also obviously tipsy, appeared to have mentally regressed to age three, and was currently pouting and scuffing at the floor with her one free leg, all while clinging on to Ai like her life depended on it. Ai sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Okay you're not heavy, but will you please let go of me?"

"Nuh-uh, Ai-chan is all soft and huggy!" As if emphasizing her point, Risa tightened her grip and nuzzled her face into Ai's shoulder, eliciting a strangled noise from the older woman in her grasp. If you could paint a thought bubble over Ai's head now, you would be able to see a lot of ellipses stretching off infinitely.

Ai made a mental note to stay away from parties involving alcohol in the future. Crazy things happened under the influence of the stuff. Like how Koharu was currently dancing some spastic tribal-looking dance that might be distantly related to the routine for Balalaika. Or how Sayumi was doing an excellent impression of one Fujimoto Miki...aka, she was groping a dazed Eri (who herself was currently caught in an imagined reality where everyone was out to give her atomic wedgies, but an observer wouldn't know, would they?).

No, alcohol was bad news. As exemplified by how Risa, for lack of a better word, was now glomping her. Bad idea...maybe.

"Why did you cut your hair? I liked your long hair..." Risa whined while still latched tightly onto Ai, who had since given up trying to make an escape from Risa's clutches. The leader was about to reply, but Risa rambled right on, completely ignoring her.

"Maa~ It's not so bad, Ai-chan is still Ai-chan. Mhm." Risa nodded to herself, her eyes lidded and lips curled in an affirmative grin. Ai couldn't help but field an answering smile back tentatively, while still discreetly trying to dislodge her subleader.

"And Ai-chan looks cool in short hair too. Kind of like Yossi." Risa giggled weirdly to herself. "Nuh-uh, Yossi was a different kind of cool. Ai-chan is just pretty. Different. Mhm." It looked as if the drunk subleader was having a conversation with herself out loud.

"You think I'm pretty?" Ai asked quietly, mostly to herself, with a touch of amusement coloring her voice. Risa was sort of cute like that.

"Yeah Ai-chan is pretty. Mhm." Risa buried her face in the crook of Ai's neck. "And Ai-chan smells nice too." The younger girl mumbled incoherently, nuzzling gently at the older's neck. Ai suppressed a shiver at the action.

"Ne, Gaki-san, get off me, please?" Ai asked softly, feeling like she really had to get out of the place as soon as possible.

"Nuh-uh, if I let go, Ai-chan will run away again. Ai-chan is always so far away. Doesn't Ai-chan love Risa anymore?" Risa somehow managed to sound like a petulant child, minus the annoying factor. Instead, she sounded a lot more forlorn, making it look like Ai had abandoned her or something.

Takahashi stiffened at the underlying accusation. How could Risa even imply that she had left her behind? Wasn't Risa the one who was always off with the Rokkies? Ai didn't think it was fair at all.

Risa was still rambling onwards. "Ai-chan doesn't tell me anything......I know I'm not like Konkon or Mako-chan, and everyone calls me Brat, but I'm grown up! I'm almost 19!" She sounded distressed and agitated, before sinking back into her whimsical monologue.

"Ai-chan always keeps everything to herself. It's not fair. I'm subleader now, and subleaders are supposed to support the leader right? I even asked Mikitty about it, and she said so too. I want to help Ai-chan too. Not only because I'm subleader, but because we're best friends. I want to know when Ai-chan's worried, when she's happy or sad or whatever. But she won't tell me!"  Risa frowned groggily at the stone-silent Ai. "Do you know why Ai-chan won't tell me? Does she hate me?"

"That's the last thing she would do." Ai whispered back, her eyes stormy and conflicted. Was this what Risa really thought? Had she really been pushing the younger girl away?

Yes, she supposed she did. She didn't mean to though. It just...happened. Or not.

Takahashi Ai knew exactly what was wrong with herself, even if she never spoke of it. It was her weakness, that fear of weakness feeding upon her own feelings of inadequacy. She always pushed herself so hard, trying to compensate for that inherent unreliability that she perceived within her own character, that need to rely on someone stronger. But she didn't want to impose on anyone. Being a burden to anyone, especially if she cared and was cared for, was something she could not allow. She just couldn't let it go. Afraid of relying on others, because they would leave eventually. She didn't want to trust people because she was afraid of getting hurt.

Even more so when she cared about someone. She couldn't impose herself on them. The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt them because she was so inherently weak. She would drag them down. She couldn't do it to someone she cared about. She just couldn't.

Risa was still speaking. "I never left, Ai-chan. I was always there. Why didn't you ever look to me? You're so unfair Ai-chan. Always off in your own world and leaving us behind. I want to help you Ai-chan. Why won't you let me in?"

Tears brimming up in her eyes, Ai bit her lip, her heart tightening within her chest. Shades of guilt hung over her like the Furies waiting to strike.

"I'm sorry...so sorry...Ga--Risa..."

Risa had fallen silent after her last statement, closing her eyes and resting her head on Ai's shoulder, as if in sleep. So it was rather unexpected when Ai heard the next words.

"I'm glad you still remember my name, Ai-chan."

Startled eyes locked in on the suddenly clear orbs of the younger girl, who looked far more alert than she had a few moments ago.

"I meant every single word, you know." Risa said conversationally, raising her head and looking straight at the stricken Ai's face.

"Gaki-san...you..." Caught off-guard, Ai had no response to this turn of events.

"Happy 21, Ai-chan." Risa smiled and quickly kissed Ai's forehead, before sliding off the shocked leader's still form. The younger girl got off her knees and straightened up, turning to look at the state of the drunken girls behind her. Ai somehow managed to find it in herself to sit up, not sure what to think or feel, eying her subleader with a wary glance, like a trapped fox in a pit.

"I guess we should break up the party before it gets crazier." Risa said conversationally, as if everything that happened within the last few minutes had never occurred. Ai blinked, before nodding slowly, still not trusting herself to speak. Risa smiled brilliantly and extended a hand to help the older girl up. Ai took it, rising shakily to her feet. She noted that Risa didn't let go of it after she had already gotten up. Not that she minded. The hand was warm, after all. Comforting.

She was broken out of her inner contemplation when Risa suddenly made eye contact with her. Friendly, yet intense. She shivered involuntarily. Risa smiled benignly (or as benignly as a shark could).

"What happened to calling me Risa anyway?"

Ai's lips twitched. She had expected that, sort of. She had it coming after all.

"...Risa..."

21 was her first full year as an adult. 21 was also the first time she acknowledged that the girl was no longer a child.

Such were the rites of passage for life.

========================================

(1): Translates as "Leader! Happy Birthday!".


Clearly, I need to be committed to an insane asylum and left to rave there for the rest of my life. How could I be so evil with a birthday fic?! >_>; Sigh. Oh well.

Happy birthday Ai-chan! XDDD
« Last Edit: September 14, 2007, 03:47:48 PM by Estrea »

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

Offline Estrea

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Guess what, I'm back again because I can't sleep while being gripped in the midst of a creative frenzy. I blame listening to Yume Kara Samete. XD

==========================

Switch

Cheers. Lights. A stage.

A crowd going wild for her. Just for her.

In silence respectful, the better to imbibe of the ambrosia that is her voice.

Like the coals that flare anew, she is lit with a fire that burns within and without. The sense of her presence flares, like that of a beacon on a moonless night, sole guide in the midst of false apostles.

Her voice like manna from on high, the medium that heals, that lifts the spirit and captures the soul. Look not too deeply into her eyes, or you will be ensnared. Compelling, captivating, that is her charm.

The instrumental winds down, the lights fade dim. The press of a button, the flick of a switch.

So she is similarly transformed, from the ethereal to the earthly, the commander to the commanded. Meek and docile, as sheep guided by the shepherd must.

No queen she was, a slave she may yet be, but one could not see that performance and not acknowledge that she owned all within her sights, blazing in greatest glory, bedecked in the jewels of Charisma.

And then we see that wide, defenseless gaze, pure and innocent, like a newborn lamb, and we wonder. Oh how we wonder.

How could they be one and the same?

All too, within the flick of a switch.

==========================================


Yes I love Aichan. Yes, I idealise her a lot. Yes, I'm probably obsessive.

And maybe I should just change the title and name it "How Estrea Worships Aichan by Writing About Her". XDDD

Another idea lurking in my head. Gosh, I'm a roll.

Even when it's 2am. Especially when it's 2am. I'm a night owl. XDD

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

Offline inDeceit

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox [09/15 - Switch]
« Reply #13 on: September 14, 2007, 06:59:44 PM »
You're on a roll, aren't you? XD

wait, nevermind. You are... *didn't read the whole post, yet* :x

Heh, loved the birthday fic :D I worship your language skills ;_;

Offline Estrea

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox [09/15 - Switch]
« Reply #14 on: September 14, 2007, 07:01:59 PM »
I said I was on a roll. I meant it. XDDD

================================

Voice

It wasn't that she felt too little, but that she felt too much.

So much that she couldn't process it all.

Like a dam waiting to be burst, the rivers of emotion yearned to overflow its banks.

And like the prudent manager, she sought to mediate its flow.

A serene front for the masses, the seething torrent hidden behind the mask. All waiting for the right moment to be unleashed.

The spotlight flared, like some great signal. The harsh glare flooding in like an omen. She took that as an auspice.

The floodgates were released, the restraints loosened. Like a charging stallion, it leaped out of the gates, as if Terror himself were hot on its heels.

But not with complete freedom did it spring free; for like the jockey on a racehorse, she kept it tethered under her check, letting the storm of energy blow itself out, but never allowing it spiral out of control.

Her emotions soared on the wind like an eagle in flight, majestic and powerful; and like the kite on a string, delicately maneuvered in skilled hands.

The instrument was the voice, the voice was her instrument. Every note carried with it that endless, ceaseless stampede of emotion, artfully concealed within the power of the message invoked and delivered.

She sang her heart out, and that was no exaggeration, for she really did.

There was no other way, perhaps, except to let her voice tell the story.

======================================


I felt inspired. One line was all it took, basically, the first line about how it wasn't that she "felt too little, but that she felt too much". I wanted to work that in somehow, and here's how it manifested. Go me, eh?

Possibly sleeping now. Depends.

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

Offline Yuuyami

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox [09/15 - Switch, Voice]
« Reply #15 on: September 14, 2007, 07:20:57 PM »
OH MAH GAHH FLUFF -attacks and latches- :3

Layers was adorable <3 Risa is so oblivious to Ai being amorous at times, eh? Oh well, it was meant to be fluffy and innocent, so <3

I've already read Waltz (coughTANGOcough) at the Renai Rev, so uh xD Oh well, I thought I could picture Yossie as her dance partner at first, but then Risa fits too <3 Just give her heels taller than Ai and it'll work <3 I love how you described the dance, it was hauntingly mesmerizing <3

21 was cuuuute xD Reina's a funny drunk :] I've always though Eri would be like an emo drunk or something xD You had me fooled into thinking Gaki-san was drunk and made me laugh when it turns out that she wasn't just so she could probe into Ai's mind a bit xD I like that one :]

Voice and Switch have a poetic sense to it xD It makes me think you're trying to base it off of that Yume Kara Samete performance in Hawaii, but then thought that this could just apply to anything xD Love the vagueness <3

Write more~! <3

Offline Sevii

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Ouch.

A little heart throbbing there with the guilt tripping from Gaki-san. :(
Awwww.

But.. awww. Heart melting at the same time. :)


Edit: Just read the other two shorts.
Ai-chan on stage really is something, ain't she? Amazingly different from the Takahashi Ai off stage.
But the ... difference is so.. attractive? My my.
« Last Edit: September 14, 2007, 07:46:32 PM by Sevii »

Offline Estrea

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox [09/15 - Switch, Voice]
« Reply #17 on: September 14, 2007, 07:58:39 PM »
I was going to sleep. Then I realised I forgot something. So I'm back again.

Pure crack ahead. Tread with caution.

=================

MISSING SCENE for 21

A distinctive ringtone blared for all of half a second before being swiftly silenced by a small hand.

Due to an inability to sneak any closer to said individual in question, we shall have to eavesdrop from a distance. An inconvenience at times.

"...-sama....ed...pour...odka........pai....drunk....ader....yes...understood. Yes. Yes."

A click. The phone tucked away. A head sticking out into the hallway. A very shiny digital camera in her hands.

Mitsui Aika smirked and walked out of the side passage, humming a familiar tune that had a part sounding suspiciously like "love revolution". Incidentally, the ringtone was the same.

Armed and ready, Mittsi was ready to carry out her mission.

"Let's go baby!"

================

I wonder who she was on the phone with. Obvious enough though. I think. Hm. XDDD

Had to make the joke because I could. I might be out of my mind. Don't kill me. XD

永遠に咲き続ける花なんていない、すべてはいずれ枯れて朽ち果てしまう。

Currently writing:
- Lilium-related things. God save my soul.

On Hold:
- Everything Else. Too many to list.

I'm also on AO3!
http://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrea

Offline JFC

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox [09/15 - Switch, Voice]
« Reply #18 on: September 14, 2007, 11:52:22 PM »
I WANNA KNOW WHAT'S AIKA'S MISSION!!! :wahaha:

All of this was abso-fan-fuckin'-tastic!!! It's gold! GOLD I SAY! :rockon: :rockon: :rockon:

JPH!P :heart:'s kuro808, Fushigidane, ChrNo, Jab & marimari. Always.

Offline lil_hamz

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Re: Estrea's Sandbox [09/15 - Switch, Voice]
« Reply #19 on: September 15, 2007, 04:57:26 AM »
Layers

I love how you turned something as simple as Risa not being able to fall asleep into this...this really "deep" masterpiece :w00t: I've always wanted to know more about their sleeping arrangements after Risa mentioned crashing with Ai in the Hawaii trip. And now you've made that wish come true :)

Quote
Sighing softly, Risa rested her forehead briefly against the recently-closed door of Ai's room.

"I wish you would let me in,  .Ai-chan....when you're ready...."

I want to know who you really are...

Awwww......... :oops:


Waltz

It's funny that Ai would find a music player lying on the floor with a CD that they could dance to the waltz with in a H!P rehearsal room :lol:

Quote
Her partner was smiling, a gesture she felt more than saw, and it occurred to her that she could see nothing of her partner's features, only that the other was just a little taller. The rest was merely a blur of shadow, an outline of a person with no revealing clues as to their identity.

GAKI! It's GAKI! Immediately came to mind  XD

Quote
"Can you waltz?

 :lol: Priceless.


21

Quote
"Ai-chan is mean!" Risa, also obviously tipsy, appeared to have mentally regressed to age three, and was currently pouting and scuffing at the floor with her one free leg, all while clinging on to Ai like her life depended on it. Ai sighed and rolled her eyes.

For some reason I found this scene really adorable. If I ever saw Risa like that I would hug her to death  :P

Quote
"You think I'm pretty?" Ai asked quietly, mostly to herself, with a touch of amusement coloring
her voice. Risa was sort of cute like that.

"Yeah Ai-chan is pretty. Mhm." Risa buried her face in the crook of Ai's neck. "And Ai-chan
smells nice too." The younger girl mumbled incoherently, nuzzling gently at the older's neck. Ai
suppressed a shiver at the action.

Fluff!! Me loves fluff :wub: This is the only stuff I'd be happy to drown in  :P

Quote
"Nuh-uh, if I let go, Ai-chan will run away again. Ai-chan is always so far away. Doesn't Ai-chan  love Risa anymore?" Risa somehow managed to sound like a petulant child, minus the annoying factor. Instead, she sounded a lot more forlorn, making it look like Ai had abandoned her or something.

This made me sniff. Poor Risa :cry:

Quote
"Ai-chan always keeps everything to herself. It's not fair. I'm subleader now, and subleaders are  supposed to support the leader right? I even asked Mikitty about it, and she said so too. I want to help Ai-chan too. Not only because I'm subleader, but because we're best friends. I want to know when Ai-chan's worried, when she's happy or sad or whatever. But she won't tell me!" 

Risa frowned groggily at the stone-silent Ai. "Do you know why Ai-chan won't tell me? Does she hate me?"

The floodgates kinda burst open here  :cry: :cry: :cry:

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Risa was still speaking. "I never left, Ai-chan. I was always there. Why didn't you ever look to me? You're so unfair Ai-chan. Always off in your own world and leaving us behind. I want to help you Ai-chan. Why won't you let me in?"

Yeah, Ai-chan. Let Risa in. We love TakaGaki!! :heart:

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"I'm glad you still remember my name, Ai-chan."

This sentence carries so many meanings.

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21 was her first full year as an adult. 21 was also the first time she acknowledged that the girl was no longer a child.

OMG  :w00t:


Switch

Ai-chan, the ever professional performer.


Voice


This is proof of your incredible writing skills. Not like any proof is needed though. You are the one I worship *bows*


MISSING SCENE for 21

Perhaps Aika was the one who spiked the punch? The little devil :D


Ribon No Kishi makes a good plot. It has always been a secret fantasy of mine to have TakaGaki in the leading roles of Sapphire and Franz but Nouveau would be satisfying as well. Somehow Risa has the ability to pull off the whole "boy" image. To me anyway XD I'll be waiting eagerly for this :)

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