A/N: So, this fic has finally got out of development hell! It was inspired by Tomo: Maiden for Hire by MizKTakase and Nightmares of the New Year by Anime Borat (both tales feature Tomo as an idol), but I want to do a lighter, more comedic spin on the concept, so that's where The Life and Times of Ayu Takano come in!
"OMG, I can't wait to get my tickets for Ayu-chan's debut concert!"
"Me too! I bet that she'll be cool and awesome!"
The two fangirls squeed as an army of crazed Japanese high school students stampeded into an auditorium, trying to get their tickets for the debut concert of Japan's newest pop sensation: Ayu Takano. Meanwhile, in the dressing room, Ayu herself was getting ready for her concert, brushing her short dark brown hair with blonde bangs. She was feeling a little bit nervous. After all, one day she was starting her first year of high school when a bunch of talent scouts found her, and now, she's going to sing in front of thousands of people; not even the classical trick of imagining everybody in their underwear would work for her. But then, her father, Officer Takino, and her twin sister, Tomoko, came to her.
"So Tomo," Mr. Takino said to his daughter, "Are you feeling nervous?"
"Nervous?" Ayu said in a meek voice, " I'm really nervous, dad! I going to sing in front of thousands of people!"
"Don't worry, sis!" Tomoko reassured her identical twin sister, "Me and dad and the rest of the family will support you!"
"You think so?" Ayu asked
"We know so," Tomoko answered.
"Now then, go out there and break a leg!" Mr. Takino said.
"I will, dad!" Ayu said as she puts on her white mink jacket.
Mr. Takino and Tomoko smiled as they saw Ayu go on the stage.
On the stage, the audience chanted "Ayu" as she jumps on the stage, wearing her signature shiny ruby red tube top and sparkling silver pants, and starts singing her new single. The night went on until the show was over. Ayu, her father, and her sister drove back home in a limousine, and when they get back house, they were exhausted.
"Home sweet home", Ayu sighed as she goes into her bedroom and plops herself onto her bed.
But, Ayu's phone starts ringing and she picked it up.
"Hello?" She answered.
"Tomo, where were you?" Yomi asked her childhood friend.
"Tomo? Who's she? I'm Ayu Takano!"
Soon, Yomi's worry has disappeared and was replaced with excitement, "Oh my god! I'm talking to Ayu Takano!"
"Yep, you're talking to her!"
"But, why would Ayu have my phone number?"
"Yomi, I know my fans like they are my friends!"
"That's it! I'm coming to your home!"
Yomi hung up the phone, and Ayu's in big trouble. After all, what her fans don't understand is that Ayu Takano is just a facade made by her agency to hide the truth-the truth that she's just a normal high schooler: Tomo Takino. In fact, the only people who know about this are her father and siblings, to the point that her identical twin sister has to fill in for her at school. She then decided to change back into Tomo Takino.
She replaced her shiny ruby red tube top with a plain red one, the sparkling silver pants with blue jeans, and the sleek mink jacket with a plain green jacket. Finally, she removed the short hair (for it was a wig) and combed her natural shoulder-length dark brown hair. She then got out of her bedroom and opened the door, and surprise- Yomi's there.
"Hiya, Yomi!" Tomo greeted.
"Tomo," Yomi said, "I need to talk to you about something."
"What is it, my good ol' buddy?!"
"Are you Ayu Takano?"
Tomo paused before she sighed to herself, "Yomi, come to my bedroom."
When the two childhood friends were in the bedroom, Tomo then finally told Yomi the truth:
"After the announcement letter for me getting into the same high school as you was released, a bunch of freaky talent scouts found me and they said that I would become Japan's next pop sensation. Of course, dad didn't want me to become an idol singer, so the talent agents gave him a solution: I would wear a wig and call myself 'Ayu Takano', just so my school and idol life would be separated. I didn't really want to tell you this since you'll tell it to everybody else."
Yomi then smiled and touched Tomo's left cheek, "Don't worry, Tomo. I wouldn't tell everybody at school about your secret double life."
"But, I have to give you a secret identity, so we can still be friends!" Tomo then when into her closet and found a shaggy, hot pink wig that has the same length as Yomi's hair. She puts the wig onto the bespectacled girl.
"So, a wig would conceal my real identity?"
"Yep! I've been using that method to conceal my own identity as well!"
"Tomo, you do know that a wig can't just do the trick."
"Yeah, I know that! So I'm giving you this pink sleeveless turtleneck dress with a purple jacket and matching thigh-high boots!"
"Tomo…" Yomi paused, but she shook her head, "I can't sing for the life of me."
"But can you play an instrument?!"
"Well… I can play the bass, but don't tell my mom about it."
"Then it's settled! I, Tomo Takino/ Ayu Takano, will form an all-girls rock band, and I'll be the lead singer!"
Yomi then sighed to herself, "Even if you're an idol singer, you're still your normal self."
So, the next chapter will not only introduce Yomi's stage name but also have Sakaki (and Kaorin) finding out about Tomo's secret, so look forward to that!
So read, fav, and review!
(Note: I don't own Azumanga Daioh, or Ayu Takano's name)