Estrea's Sandbox [6/4 - Treat]

[Dreamcato]

@Dreamcato lmao sorry it was 6:40 am on my way to school. I guess my phone auto corrected it or something I did not notice Laughing Out Loud

 April day's fool... i guess
The last year, I remember a lot of he-mans everywhere 

It's a one shot based on ANOTHER Japanese fanfic...the ending was too horrifying in the original and I simply had to do something about it. This is mostly for Kuji's (and my) sanity's sake.

I loved your ending, very optimistic and hopeful for Riho.

[Shiawase_Honoo]

Even I'm against for IshiDuu and SayaDuu, I love it. 
Also sorry for didn't comment anything.

PS. I got the information from my friend who follow twitter for the report of individual hand-shake event.
He came to Maa-chan and ask her that did she want to be with Duu in Morning Musume after 10 years from now.
Then Maa-chan said yes because Duu always be by her side for helping her almost everything.
After that the reporter(?) came to Duu and ask the same question.
Duu also said yes and told that Maa-Duu is really great and Maa-chan can't do anything without her.

Too long.

[Estrea]

@H!P Shipper: Actually the original was amazing. Amazingly tragic. I just couldn't live with how amazing it was, and the sadness was heartbreaking...so I wrote my own alternate version. The original really was excellent. Haha. I just wanted my own spin on things!

@Dreamcato: Thanks for commenting both here and there. But yeah, I really wanted a happy ending. The original was so sad, I couldn't take it. Glad you liked it!

@Shiawase: I love MaaDuu too. Really I do. Haha. Thanks for the info! Glad you read and liked it despite the pairing not being your preferred one. Out of curiosity, what are your preferred new gen pairings?


Kay guys I wrote a continuation to that SayaDuuIshi: http://archiveofourown.org/works/745768
Tadaaaaaaa. Fluffity fluff to counteract all that angst. Enjoy!

[rndmnwierd]

Not my favored pairing, but still adorable. I love how you write Maa-chan, btw. I now have the image of her as a flying squirrel.

[H!PShipper]

That's good to know then, wish I read Japanese. Lol This sayashi kudo pairing his a bit of a stretch in my opinion but it was still cute ^^ nice fluff lol

[Shiawase_Honoo]

Me? I love MaaDuu. The Lover's quarrel is cute.
Also RihoKanon, their love come along with respect to each other.
Lately, I have interested in AyuMizuki too.

Thanks for your hard working, it's cute. I like it.

[Estrea]

@rndy: I adore Maachan the hyper flying squirrel. More of her again! I actually rather enjoy SayaDuu now after I write them...I convince myself of ships o_O;
@H!P Shipper: Context is important I guess. Tbh I have plans for SayaDuu in my own continuity, not so much the Japanese writer's. It was a fun pairing to explore though~
@Shiawase: MaaDuu is adorable! Though I don't really feel the RihoKanon -- best friends I see, nothing beyond that though. AyuMizuki in my head usually has Mizuki preying on the helpless Ayumi... I'm weird, don't mind me~ And thanks~

And I come bearing fic again~

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


Matching Pair


"Hmm...what hairstyle should I go with this time..."

It was a full day of photoshoots for the girls of Morning Musume that day. Riho was beginning to lose track of how many times she had had to change clothes, fix her hair, and then wait for her turn to be photographed for the official shop photos that were going to be on sale at the new Akihabara Hello! Shop. In between waiting for their turn with the camera crew, the rest of the girls happily played around, snapping shots with their own phone cameras, goofing off like the kids they were.

"You should try something different, Riho! You've got your birthday t-shirt shots today too, right? Give some fanservice with a more moe hairstyle! Like twin tails or something! I'm sure your fans will be happy!"

Eripon, otherwise known as Ikuta Erina, gave her two cents on the subject. Being a wota herself, her professional fan opinion was greatly appreciated by the rest. Next to her, Fukumura Mizuki perked up at the mention of twin tails and nodded.

"Yes yes! Twin tails will look so cute on you, Riho-chan~ You should try it!"

"Ehhhh...but...it's not really me? I mean, I'm not..." Riho protested weakly, waving her comb in front of her. Her nose wrinkled into a reluctant expression as she glanced at her generation-mates.

"Well it's not like you're going to do it ALL the time! It's nice to surprise your fans with a cute image once in a while! Plus since they aren't expecting it, it'd be fun for you too! Special service, one time only~ That kind of thing!"

Eripon argued her case passionately, ending with a fist pump in the air. Mizuki nodded sagely next to her, and Riho eventually caved under peer pressure. It wasn't like it was that embarrassing or anything. It just wasn't her usual image.

It didn't take long to get done, though Riho couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious as she primped in front of the mirror. She usually preferred looking cool over looking cute, so this was a little odd for her. Never mind that a certain leader was constantly cooing over how cute she was. What she wanted to be was something else entirely, of course.

"Sayashi-saaaaaaaaaaaaaan~" An overly excited squeal interrupted the ace's thoughts. She had barely the time to brace herself when the human tornado known as Sato Masaki, or just Maa-chan, collided into her back.

"Ah, Maa-chan, you're done with your shoot?" Riho tilted her head to one side, trying to glance over her shoulder where Maa-chan was currently latched onto her back. She stood up, dragging the excitable 10th gen member with her, even as the PonPon duo laughed and made their way out for their turn with the cameras.

"Mm~! Oh, Ayumin~ Look!!! Sayashi-san and you match!"

Maa-chan waved vigorously at the just-entered Ishida Ayumi, who had just stepped in with Kudou Haruka, both of them in their red Brainstorming outfits. In contrast, Riho and Maa-chan were in blue, and Maa-chan still had her arms around the slightly taller Riho's waist. The hyper 13 year old detached herself from Riho and went straight to her generation mates, jumping around excitedly. The knot of 10th gen girls stopped next to Riho, who was busy fixing her clothes that were rumpled after Maa-chan's tackle.

"Wow Sayashi-san, that's rare! I don't remember seeing you in a hairstyle like this before!" Haruka said, circling around the suddenly shy Riho.

"Ha...Eripon suggested I try something different..." Riho shifted awkwardly, toying with a few strands of her hair. "I don't think it suits me..."

"Haha! But I think it suits you, you look cute!" Haruka grinned and laughed her trademark husky laugh, with Maa-chan by her side also agreeing that "Sayashi-san is cute!". Riho resisted the urge to hide her face and smiled wryly, trying to disguise her inner discomfort with the whole 'cute' thing.

"But really, Ayumin and Sayashi-san are a matching pair now! Hora!" Maa-chan came foward and dragged the two dancers to stand side by side. The two girls glanced at each other, and both chuckled under their breath.

"Red and blue huh...how appropriate." Riho murmured. She glanced over at Ayumi with a raised eyebrow. "You have my red though, Ishida-san~"

"And you have my blue, Sayashi-san." Ayumi shot back, also with a curve of her lips. She tugged at her own twintails, then shyly reached out to Riho's own. "We look like twins again."

"Hmm~ I wonder. Ayumi-chan has dyed hair after all. Ah~ I can't wait to be able to dye my hair too!" Riho groused, puffing her cheeks out.

Ayumi frowned. "I think dark hair suits you though, Sayashi-san."

"Really? But I really want to dye my hair too! It's like...such an adult thing to do." Riho pouted. At the look on her face, Ayumi giggled. Riho scowled.

"What?" Ayumi smiled indulgently back.

"Nothing...just that Sayashi-san doesn't always act her age...so it's nice to see you being yourself..."

"You're making fun of me, aren't you?" Riho poked her older junior in the arm, clucking her tongue disapprovingly. Ayumi giggled again.

"I wouldn't do that!" She paused, then linked arms with the now huffy Riho. "Ne, Sayashi-san..."

"What?"

"Take a picture with me~ Please~?"

Ayumi rested her chin on Riho's shoulder, eyes twinkling as she made her best puppy face for her recalcitrant senior (who was totally younger than her). Riho felt her resolve melt away under the cuteness assault -- was Ayumi-chan wearing lip gloss again today? -- and reluctantly agreed. Ayumi cheered up and handed her phone over to Haruka, who was grinning widely as she stepped back in a professional manner, gesturing for them to pose for the shot. Ayumi continued grinning widely as she clung on to Riho from the back, getting her senior to do a matching pose with her -- since our hairstyles match already!

It was over in a flash, and Ayumi couldn't stop smiling as she got her phone back from Haruka, who wandered away as Maa-chan hollered at her from across the dressing room. Riho shrugged, not quite understanding why her junior was so happy about the shot. Then, Ayumi looked up at her with a shy smile.

"It'll be nice if we could perform like this now, don't you think? Team Blue and Team Red's dance battle, with both of us in twintails..."

"Ah, that should be interesting..." Riho mused. Then she stopped and looked at Ayumi through narrowed eyes. "No."

"Aww, why not?"

"I'm not doing it again."

"But it'll be fun!"

"This is the first and last time."

"It'll be good though...!"

"No."

Riho folded her arms and hid a smirk at the crestfallen expression on Ayumi's face. Then suddenly, her junior brightened, hugging her phone to herself. Riho raised an eyebrow, and the 16 year old grinned.

"That means our double twintail combination is only limited to THIS PHOTO I have~ Ah, I'm so glad I took it~"

"Haaa?" Riho blinked uncomprehendingly. Ayumi giggled, skipping away as her name was called by one of the staff members. Riho stared after her, confused.

"Ayumi-chan is weird..."

That night, Sayashi Riho blogged about her special super-secret-limited-edition hairstyle (but kept said hairstyle a mystery) and went to bed early after her packed day. Barely an hour later, Ishida Ayumi went ahead and uploaded that incriminating two-shot of the double twintail pair look. It wasn't only until AFTER she posted that she checked the 9th gen blog and realized what she had done...

When Riho woke up the next morning, a whole bunch of unread messages was on her LINE messenger...all from one very apologetic kouhai. Bemused, Riho pulled up 10th gen's blog, and promptly facepalmed at the picture staring straight back at her. The following conversation then ensued on LINE:

I'm not angry, Ayumi-chan. But this isn't the first time...!

I'm so sorry Sayashi-san!!! m(_ _)m Forgive me?

Maa, what's done is done. Honestly, Ayumi-chan...

But...I was just so happy we had matching hairstyles...

...eh?

Nothing! Ah, I see your post! I really am sorry!!!

It's alright...well, if you're really sorry, you can make a public apology~

I will! Ah, I have to go now! Talk to you later!

K~~

Riho put her phone away. Ayumi-chan was being weird again. Oh well, at least it kept things interesting? She smiled as started brushing her hair again. Today, a Peaberry event, but more importantly...they had a concert at Hiroshima tomorrow! Her hometown! She couldn't wait!

And no, she wasn't going to do twintails again. Honestly!


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


Based on the blog saga between Ayumi and Riho for the last 2 days. I laughed so hard at how Riho tries to hide the fact that she did twintails, then Ayumi promptly uploads the pic of it. Next day, Riho is all "..." and posts an "oh well..." kinda post. And later that night Ayumi is all "OMG I'M SORRY SAYASHI-SAN!!!" and is like "but...I was just so happy we had matching hairstyles..."

Yup. Cuteness. There, rokun, your SayaIshi.

[rokun]

^ Yay! You finally wrote it!

Thank youuuu 

You even got me to look at Riho's last blog post whose contents I wasn't aware of, lol.

[H!PShipper]

I love sayaishi! somehow I'm really getting into Ayumi lately. Lol PonPon interactions are always fun too. This is awesome, no excuse me while I go check the blogs that I neglect far too often ^^

[rndmnwierd]

I knew it! As soon as I saw the SayaIshi twin tails pic, with the blog posts about such, I knew there would be fanfic material from you! I was like "I wonder if Essy has seen this?" You don't disappoint.

[Shiawase_Honoo]

HAHAHAHAHA   
I know you won't miss any cracks in members' blogs, eh?

PS. For RihoKanon, just be there together, love without any kind of romantic action.

[Estrea]

Technically a continuation of the Sayu x Eripon, but can be read as a standalone. I think I'm having way too much fun with this ship.


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


Chocolate and Cream


"I'll have a dark mocha, grande size, with whip cream."

Riho ordered fluently without missing a beat, then turned to her companion, who was eyeing the menu owlishly.

"What about you, Duu?"

"Ehhhh...I'm not sure...um, I'll have that green tea drink?"

Riho looked up at where Haruka was pointing. "Oh, the green tea frappe?" She turned to the barista and ordered. "Do you want whip cream?"

"Um, ok I guess." Haruka scratched at her head awkwardly as Riho paid up for both their drinks, and they walked over to the other end of the counter to wait.

"You come to Starbucks often, Sayashi-san?" Haruka asked as they waited. The boyish girl fiddled with her cap restlessly, one hand jammed in a pocket. Riho had a mask on as usual, since they were out in public and didn't want to run the risk of being recognized.

"Mm, I often get Manager-san to get drinks from me. I get sleepy..." Riho chuckled to herself awkwardly, tugging at the strands of her own long hair. "The cheesecake here is nice too."

"I see..." Haruka scratched at her chin thoughtfully as she studied the milling crowd. "Sayashi-san often goes out alone, right?"

"Haha, how did you know?" Riho quirked an eyebrow at her junior. "Does it show?"

Haruka grinned. "Just that Sayashi-san is so confident ordering and all. Plus you wrote about going out on your own a few times on your blog."

"Oh no no no, you should see me in a restaurant, I can never decide what I want." Riho waved her hands in front of her rapidly. "I'm a regular at Starbucks, so I know what I like already...it does make ordering a little easier." Riho admitted, shoving her hands into her coat pockets.

"Still! You can go out on your own. Haru can't really do that yet...I usually go out with my mama or my friends..." Haruka leaned against the counter with a rueful expression. "Sayashi-san is really awesome, I think..."

"That's not true...! I'm just..." Riho paused, struggling to put her thoughts into words. "I'm...not very good with asking people out...I usually wait for people to ask me out...so I end up going out alone all the time?"

"Oh? In that case...if Haru asks you out next time, you'll go out with me?"

Riho blinked once, suddenly glad that her face mask covered the small 'o' of surprise on her lips. The gears in her mind whirred to life, but she shushed them with a few well placed swats, reassuring herself that Kuduu was just being friendly. Yes, just friendly.

Still, she couldn't help the urge to tease. It would be good revenge for the last time the younger girl tripped her up verbally in front of cameras. Riho could be a bit vindictive like that.

"Are you coming on to me, Kudou-san?" Riho asked haughtily, her eyes twinkling with mirth. She giggled when Haruka actually lost her balance as her elbow slipped off the counter. The younger girl swore softly under her breath when the same elbow banged against the solid wood, wincing as she cradled it close to her body. Riho winced in sympathy, reaching out automatically to steady her junior. Their eyes met when contact was initiated, and Riho felt a strange feeling run up her fingers where they were in contact with Haruka's. Ignoring it, she let go when Haruka straightened, stepping back as the younger girl adjusted her cap on reflex.

"Sorry if I overdid it..." Riho apologized. Haruka shook her head, her cap shadowing most of her face so that Riho could only really see the lower half of her face.

"S'ok..." There was a pause, then Haruka started chuckling lowly as she placed a hand on the back of her neck. "I...didn't expect Sayashi-san to get in one over me."

"I can't let Duu lord it over me all the time." Riho grinned in relief. "I do have some pride as a senpai too, you know."

"Heh, remind me not to underestimate you next time. You really are amazing, aren't you, Sayashi-san?" Haruka looked up, and Riho wondered if it was the lighting that made the girl's cheeks seem a bit more flushed than usual. Probably the lighting, she decided.

"Dark mocha and green tea frappe!" The barista called out, and Riho turned towards the counter.

"Ah, our drinks!" She went forward and collected both cups, handing the green tea frappe over to Haruka. Their fingers brushed over each other's as the cup changed hands, a pleasantly warm sensation over the cold shock of the cup itself. Neither of them said a word as they collected napkins and straws before making an exit from the store.

"This is good!" Haruka exclaimed as she took a tentative sip from her drink. "It tastes like ice cream! Sayashi-san! You should try too!"

Riho turned as Haruka shoved the cup towards her, momentarily forgetting that she still had her mask on, and the straw bumped clumsily against her masked lips and up against her nose, making her splutter. This made Haruka laugh heartily as Riho slid the mask down from her face with a pout, puffing her cheeks out indignantly as Haruka continued to guffaw.

"It's not that funny!" Riho protested, putting one hand against her waist and scowling at her junior. Haruka managed to get herself under control, took one look at Riho's face, and then burst out laughing again. She had to reach out to steady herself on Riho's shoulder as she regained her breath, heaving huge quantities of air in an attempt to re-inflate her lungs.

"Mou..." Riho pouted. Haruka grinned as she straightened, her free hand lifting from Riho's shoulder and moving towards her face. Riho flinched away from the hand on instinct, only to have her junior tell her to hold still.

"There." After a moment, Haruka's thumb swiped across the tip of Riho's nose, making the ace wrinkle it instinctively as she squinted, balling up in a defensive gesture. Had a certain leader been around, she would have squealed over how hamster-like Riho was being. Then it was Riho's turn to flush slightly as Haruka licked her thumb free of the cream she had swiped off her senior's nose.

"Ice cream." Haruka nodded sagely at the taste. Her cheeks were still flushed from the cold and all that laughing from earlier, and she offered her cup again, this time at a respectable distance. Riho rolled her eyes and leaned in to take a sip. It did taste like ice cream...

"It's good..." Riho admitted. Haruka puffed up proudly.

"Right? Ha, Haru has good taste!"

Riho snorted at the confidence, rolling her eyes heavenward as she took a sip of her own dream. Ah, chocolate and coffee~

"Ne, Sayashi-san~ Can Haru try yours too?"

And suddenly Haruka was right next to her, almost wheedling as she zeroed in on the drink Riho was holding. Riho held it away defensively.

"Why?"

"I let you try mine, now let me try yours!"

"What for?"

"Haru is curious!"

Riho sighed and reluctantly held out her cup. Haruka leaned down...only to have Riho yank it away at the last moment with an evil grin on her face. Befuddled, Haruka wondered why Riho had taken to her heels a beat later until it registered what Riho was yelling at her.

"Catch me if you want a taste!"

Haruka barked a laugh out of surprise, then grinned competitively as she started chasing after her suddenly playful senior. She wouldn't lose to anyone at sports, that's for sure! Not even if it's Sayashi-san! She sped up.

She would have a taste or die trying!

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


The ending was a bit of a surprise for me. Riho is usually so mature, but she DOES have her playful side. I enjoy letting it out to play sometimes. :3

SayaDuu cuteness. :3 Hope you like it, Kuji!

[rndmnwierd]

It's so cute >.< Damn you, I won't like this pairing!

[Shiawase_Honoo]

Awwwww
But!!! Agh!! You kill me with SayaDuu

川# ｀_〉´)＜No!! Duu is mine!! Only Maa-chan's.

Just kidding
I read almost everything, even not my favoured pairing cracks in 2ch.

[MsSmigge]

Though once again, I don't know much about these girls (expect Riho), this was extremely cute 

Yes, the ending was a bit surprise, but it doesn't make it any less cute~

Reading these makes me want to learn more about "the newest" generations!

[H!PShipper]

I can get used to this pairing. Definitely cute! Lol

[Estrea]

Lalala. I should be writing more. But well...

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

The Same View


"Sayashi-san."

Sayashi Riho turned away from the glass windows in response to her name. They were in rehearsals for Yaon that day, and she was frankly lathered in sweat after their instructor put them through their paces. The ace wiped her face with a towel as she faced the person who called her.

"Duu? Is there something I can do for you?

Riho eyed her junior, who had by now far outstripped her in height. It was a tad annoying in a way, but it did her no good to pout over it. It wasn't like she was going to get any taller that way...

Not that she wouldn't keep trying to, though. She just wasn't going to talk about it. Yup.

Kudo Haruka was sweating buckets just like her, but where Riho's long hair was plastered against her face and neck (how annoying!), Haruka's short hair was spiky and dripping at the ends, as if she just had a bucket of water tipped over her head. The 13 year old was holding out a bottle of Mitsuya cider to her.

"Here. I thought you'd like some, Sayashi-san."

Riho hesitated. She had been trying to cut down on the soda ever since her manager yelled at her to watch her weight more carefully. 3kg in such a short time...how fearsome...but Mitsuya cider...

The conflict must have shown on her face, and Haruka also hesitated, as if concerned that she had done something wrong. A weird atmosphere rolled in, and it suddenly felt oddly awkward.

"Um...thank you!" Riho said a bit loudly, quickly grabbing the bottle before Duu could withdraw her hand. She felt bad for making things feel odd. It was just one bottle. She just wouldn't have any more that day. Yes. One wouldn't hurt. After all they just had rehearsals...she had burned a lot of calories. It should be fine right?

Haruka looked a tad more relieved after Riho broke the stalemate, and the 10th gen girl brought her own bottle of Mitsuya cider before her and twisted it open. The bottle cap released with a hiss, bubbles frothing at the neck. Riho giggled as she did the same. The two looked at each other, then chimed together:

"Shuwa shuwa pon~"

They clinked bottles. Riho took a swig, and then sighed in contentment. Nothing beat a cold cider after rehearsals!

Opposite her, Haruka was chugging away at the 500ml bottle without taking a breath, and to Riho's amazement, the self proclaimed shounen of the group finished it all in one go, ending with a satisfied "fuwaaahhhh!" as the bottle left her lips.

"You must be really thirsty." Riho commented, her eyes running up and down her junior's figure with a certain envy. It must be nice to have a growth spurt like that, and the fact that Duu never seemed to put on weight...Riho kind of wished she had her legs.

"Ehehehe...maaa, I sweated a lot!" Haruka grinned, her fangs showing prominently. The taller 13 year old shook her head, beads of sweat flying about as she did so. "Ahhh, I need a shower!"

"So do I..." Riho mourned, picking up her hair that had stuck to her face. Most of it had been gathered into her usual side ponytail, but the tail of it was sticking to her neck, and her fringe looked like it had been glued to her forehead. Fortunately she had gotten her fringe trimmed the other day, otherwise she would have been blinded by her own hair.

"Ah...I want to cut it..." Riho mumbled as she swept her hair off her neck.

"You can't do that, Sayashi-san." Haruka blurted out suddenly. Riho blinked.

"Why not?" Then she remembered what the younger girl said the other time. "Ah, Duu would cut her hair even shorter if I did...that would be bad, your hair is short enough as it is!"

"Nn...long hair suits you better, Sayashi-san." Haruka mumbled. Riho chuckled softly.

"Thank you...it's really inconvenient though...it sticks all over the place when I sweat. It's so much easier with short hair like yours, Duu."

"Meh, the sweat drips all over the place like this. I feel like a tap." Haruka grumbled, running one hand through her hair with a grimace. Riho laughed at that, turning back to look out of the window into an already darkening sky.

"What are you looking at? You've been here since rehearsals ended." Haruka asked, joining her senior by the window. Everyone else was talking and playing around and generally making a lot of noise. Riho had been standing on her own, lost in thought until Haruka had approached her with cider. It was unusual, but not unwelcome, and Riho appreciated the gesture as much as she was mildly surprised by it. She would have thought that Duu would be spending more time with her gen-mates or sticking close by Tanaka-san. After all, it wasn't all that long before Tanaka-san would be graduating, and everyone knew Duu adored their cat-like senior.

"Just thinking how near yet so far we are from the people around us." Riho gestured with her bottle, vaguely, towards the blinking lights of the city below them. Blinking neon ads and the fierce halogens of packed traffic competed for dominance in the dying twilight, whilst smudged shadows of people-figures crabbed ant-like across the barely visible landscape, so many stories up.

"I don't understand." Haruka said frankly. Riho smiled, a little gloom creeping into her eyes, or was that the light? Haruka could not be sure.

"I want everyone out there to know of us. To look up and be able to see us. To recognize us. I want Morning Musume to be great again, Duu. We have so much to do to live up to our seniors."

Haruka stared wordlessly at the smaller Riho, who was looking out fiercely at the creeping night, chin lifted in defiance at the task ahead of her. It was at times like this that she felt like, here was the ace of Morning Musume. This was the Sayashi Riho that stood proudly at their head, determined to reclaim glory for the group. It was like a completely different version of the Riho who, when left with her 9th generation mates, laughed and played like the 14 year old girl she was.

Haruka remembered when she first joined almost 2 years ago. Her first impression of Riho had been...unremarkable. Then again, all she saw was the Riho who was with her favourite Kanon-chan, and they had been silly and giggly and nothing at all like the admirable Tanaka-san who always had this palpable aura around her that befitted that of a star. It was only after joining and watching the Sayashi who was a completely different creature the moment it came to work that she slowly came to respect her as a senior and someone to learn from.

2 years on, they had all gelled together as a group. Generation bonds meant that 10th gen tended to stay within themselves (though they sort of adopted Sakura thanks to Maachan), and 9th gen lounged about in pairs or trios or as a full set when work put them together. Yet, Haruka noticed this.

Sayashi Riho always stood apart. By choice or by incident, the girl hovered on the fringe of things, joining in occasionally and staying out just as often. Always watching, always observing. The girl relaxed only around her Kanon-chan, but otherwise she simply sat on the sidelines and bided her time. Time and again when Haruka attempted to make conversation, they would talk seriously about work, but the younger girl always felt a sense of helplessness the moment Riho got introspective. She simply couldn't follow where the older girl went when that happened. It was frustrating to be left behind. More than frustrating, it was almost painful to know that she wasn't at that level.

"Too bad we can't see the stars overhead in Tokyo. It would be pretty, wouldn't it?" Riho mused aloud as she looked up. Then she smiled wryly.

"Maybe we can be the stars that people look up to in this city. Wouldn't it be great, Duu?"

Haruka returned the smile with a grin of her own, ignoring the sudden flutter she felt in that moment. It was so easy to be caught in a moment, and when they both gazed out of the window once more, Haruka felt like she could almost see the same scenery as Riho did.

And it was beautiful.


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


Yeahhhh I feel like I'm saving up material to use in between one shots. Took a lot of stuff from various sources.

1) Mitsuya cider. Duu talked about it on a blog post, implication that she had cider with Riho.
2) Riho worrying about her weight. It came up somewhere on radio I think. Dunno if she got scolded about it, but she declared that she was going to cut down on cider because it was making her fat. Yeah. Let's see how long that lasts.
3) The hair thing. Riho said on dvd mag 51 that she wanted to cut her hair but Duu was like "if you cut your hair I'll cut mine even shorter!", so she gave up on that LOL. though, just yesterday, she cut 10cm of her hair...hmm... a follow up to this one shot may be necessary!
4) Duu not getting Riho. DVD mag 47 or 48, I cannot remember. They're talking in one scene, and Riho says something really deep, but Duu was like "I don't get it ._." in this really blunt way. I felt bad for Riho. lol. I feel like this happens a lot.

Anyway, yay SayaDuu~ Aghh I hate the fact that DuuIshi is the more obvious ship and it's hard to be flying a lonely flag....but! I get scraps and I'm happy! ;w; Plus, I create my own canon muahahaha.

Enjoy!

[H!PShipper]

I'll get on the ship with you. SayaDuu!!! Yeeeeaaahhhh!
This was cute and deep lol
About the hair thing I wish eripon, ayumi and  Fuku-chan would dye their hair a different shade of brown, a more obvious shade, you know? But I think the number of members with short hair is just right lol

[Shiawase_Honoo]

Oi~~~~ Oi~~~~ I'm still around here.
Deep talk with a kid is not help, Riho.
It's kind of a teenage drama.

Well, actually it's observable. (for me)
After they become the last year of junior-high school student.
Riho shows more interest in Kanon-chan (but Kanon-chan is so dense to notice it. )
I also gets the report from the fan that Riho even show her emotion toward Maa-chan when Maa-chan is around 'her' Kanon-chan.

[gracula]

Whoo. What a roller coaster ride to be able to take in all of these at once. Your Sandbox often reminds me of a theme park with all sorts of different rides centered around Momusu. Lol. Essy's Sandbox: the Disneyland of MM fanfic.

As you know, I hardly have had any leisure time for any sort of pleasure reading, much less for a fandom I hold a waning interest for (there, I admit it). Don't get me wrong, I still love MM- it's just that I haven't had the opportunity to acquaint myself with this reset of characters that now make up this group that I love so well.

But halfway into reading here, wow. Newkies, amirite?

Anyhow, I was halfway writing about how I found the concept of Riho as a horse breeder hilarious and full of sexy potential. Then I scroll up and remember reading Still a while ago and how it made a great impression on me. Something as obviously personal as this, while largely appreciated by us readers, tends to get glossed over for something easier to respond to and comment on. Unless you're Rndy, or me of course.

It may have been word vomit to purge a writers block for you, but as is with every piece you craft, carries a large part of yourself that I find fascinating.

Do the words come easier with emo pieces like Still or with the ones you construct with the elaborate back stories? How much of Still did you delete, thinking it possibly unfit for public consumption?

Why do idols hold our fascination so? I've been trawling through different idol groups of late via tumblr because it's faster to look at pretty pictures. Even more so than actors or other kinds of celebrity, we are able to empathise best with the Idol. We may not know what it's like to stand in the center facing forward alone as the Ace, but we certainly know of loneliness. Spotlight and glitter aside, being an idol is just another job and we know what that's like. From what we know of them, it is easy to conjecture what they may be going through and put ourselves into their shoes.

This too will pass, the teeny voice of bitter experience whispered. Hold your head up, keep your dignity to the end. You always have yourself. You only have yourself. Last one standing. Always, with you.

This is me. At 14, at 24 and perhaps even now, occasionally. And I realize that while the process of gaining experience was "bitter"- this statement is often laced with pride and self-satisfaction. It feels good to be able to say it. Not that sad after all, really.

And so here ends my self-indulgent rant of questionable maturity, largely due to the presence of pedobear.

If anything else stands out upon re-reading, you can be sure that I will tell you.

PS- I really like the period pieces.