There's a lot of author's notes in this chapter, I'm sorry. Part of it has to do with my way-too-long-absence, and also messages to some people.
First of all, I am so, so sorry that it took so long for me to get this chapter out. Quite frankly, I've lost count on how many months (!) it's been, and I'm sorry. So, here's the perfect recipe for absence (I don't reccomend it): School, Family stuff, combined with recurring Writer's Block, School and even more School. Last term, I had test that are very similar to Finals, which actually came to affect my grades a lot, so I had to focus a lot on my grades.
Now onto more fun topics; This is the last chapter before (at least some of) the girls meet up at the Flying Get and I can start to have fun with the concept of relationships between characters (only platonic though, I swear). And a teeny warning; I'll have to treat the characters as if they were my own. Otherwise I would not be able to develop the characters and story the way I want.
To the guest reviewer who signed as Cyborg: I have decided not to take your first OC Elena. This is because I find it hard to believe that she/he would be comfortable with being in an all-female group if she/he is mentally male, and I would have immense trouble writing her. I have nothing against Elena her/himself (they are a lovely character!), or people who feel like they were assigned the wrong gender at birth in general. I even know three IRL, and they're among my closest range of friends. As for Yumi, she has been accepted, but is part of the 199th generation~
DISCLAIMER: I do not own AKB0048, or a lot of these characters.
Chapter 2: 47 to a Nice City
Naniwastar normally was a rather calm place… Well, at least if you count out the large amount of street performers, and stand-up comedians who held shows every other evening...
Rin Kumiko had gotten a name for herself, thanks to her cooking at her family's restaurant at times, being a bit of a dandere at times, and being a big 00 fan. Plus the fact that her parents tended to, unconsciously, boast a little about her. Because of this, a lot of people recognized her when she walked the street (well, maybe not as much as if it would have been Yuihan, or Myao, or one of the other 00 successors, but still...).
"Hey Rin-san!" A girl's voice called. Kumiko turned her head, and noticed a girl from the class below hers. The younger girl ran over to the raven-haired. "I wanted to ask if it's true, I mean, you auditioning for AKB0048?"
"Um… I guess?" Kumiko asked. "How'd you kn-..?"
"Then if you get in, please allow me to be your fan!" The blonde bowed.
"Um, why shouldn't I..?" She asked, and couldn't stop the pink to colour her cheeks, and the girl rose up again, beaming.
"Is it alright if I call you Miko from here on out then?"
"I suppose, if you want..? I mean, I'm alright with it, but it's up to you…" Kumiko replied, causing an even bigger smile on the other girl's face.
"Great, bye!" The girl turned and ran.
"Wait!" Kumiko said after a second, ran after, and tripped, faceplanting. "Ow..." The girl heard her and in a second she was there holding out a hand, and helping the one who had a clumsy moment up.
"'You all right?" The blonde asked. Kumiko nodded.
"Thanks…" She said. "I just wanted to know your name..."
"Oh yeah!" The other girl exclaimed, she then giggled slightly. "This is the first time we've actually talked. I'm Aika, Himura Aika."
"I'm Rin Kumiko." Kumiko said.
"Yup. It's a pretty name." Aika said, and smiled. "Hey, I gotta' go. Some of my friends are waiting for me. Do your best at the auditions, bye!"
And she was off.
Kumiko shrugged, and continued on her way, absentmindedly rubbing her nose which still hurt a bit. A few minutes later, she got to a restaurant named "Sakura Blossom", and entered. Her mother, Rin Katsumi, who was currently taking an order from a customer smiled at her.
"Kumiko, welcome back! Did you have a nice day? What happened to your nose?"
"Hi, mom." Kumiko smiled back. "I tripped."
"Oh." Her mother smiled understandingly. "Why don't you walk to the kitchen, so I can clean it when I've served the ones waiting right now?"
"Yeah, sure."
Kumiko smiled at her mother, went past the counter, and to their private kitchen. She sat down by the kitchen table. Her mother joined her a few minutes later. Said picked up a purse from a hook on the wall, and put it on a table, before picking out a piece of medic cotton, and dipping it in a clear fluid.
"Hey mom," Kumiko asked. "Is the restaurant going to be all right with you being here?"
"Yes, your dad is currently taking care of customers, and it's not a busy day today." Katsumi held up the white fluff. "This will sting a little, but it's-..."
"Necessary to clean the wounds, or it will get infected, I know." Kumiko sighed at her mother. "You've told me this plenty of times already."
Her mother giggled slightly.
"And I will probably keep telling you it, if you keep this up." Her mother's face turned a bit more serious. "But you ought to be more careful. There will be a time when I won't be here to take care of you."
Kumiko sighed. She would have to say it sooner or later.
"Mom?" She asked.
"Yeah?" The older woman smiled as she put a band-aid on the graze. "What is it?"
"You have always said that I'm free to do what I want, right?"
"Of course, as long as it's not overly stupid, like starting to steal things for fun." Her mother laughed, and Kumiko joined in. "Why?"
"Well, I was thinking to audition for AKB0048." Kumiko said after a moment, and looked at her mother in an almost intimidated manner. Sure, she had told her parents before about her dream of joining, and they knew from the start that she was a huge 00 fan, and were very supportive of her dream, but she still wasn't so sure about how her mother would take it, since she, if she passed, would have to move. To another planet no less.
"I know that." Her mother smiled back at her. "You've told us that ever since you first laid your eyes on them."
"No, I mean, they are holding auditions open for the 200th generation of understudies right now, and I want to join." Her mother put the bottle for the liquid back in the purse, and hung it back on it's hook, and when she returned to the table and sat down again, her face was grave.
"Kumiko, are you completely sure you shouldn't wait until next year? You are only 13 after all."
"I'm turning 14 in a few days. Besides, Acchan the 23rd was turning 13 when she first joined. Thing is, you know that 00 hasn't exactly risen in popularity these last years, and as it goes now, there might not be a next year's audition. I know that if I do not take this chance, and will be prevented from doing so next year, I will not be able to live with myself." She looked at her mother who sighed.
"You've given this a lot of thought, I see." Kumiko nodded. "Then I won't complain. As long as you are careful, and watch your steps - not only literally - then you will be all right. Your father and I love you very much, and we will always support you."
The two females hugged.
"Can you help me record my audition video?" Her mother smiled at her.
"Of course, the restaurant is closing in ten minutes. Why don't you go to your room and pick out something nice to wear, and I'll join you after we've closed?"
"Thank you!" Kumiko gave her mother another hug, and was then pushed towards the door leading to their living room, and in turn, her bedroom.
Kumiko went to her room, and looked through her wardrobe, from which she picked out a black dress with white ruffles, which her mother had made for her 13th birthday, inspired by some of the dresses women had worn during the victorian period back on Earth, but it only reached her knees, which made it easier to move in, than if she would wear an all-out ballgown. She re-braided her raven hair, and tied a white ribbon to the end of the braid (also a courtesy of her mother, though one not as time-consuming to make). She considered using make up, but decided against it. She couldn't cover up her features all the time.
After she was done, she simply sat down on her bed and waited. A few minutes later, her mother came upstairs, and was holding the family's video camera.
"Don't you look pretty." Her mother said as she opened the door.
"Ah," Kumiko replied as she rose up, "thanks."
"What song did you decide on?" The older smiled.
"I chose 109."
"Marukyuu?" Katsumi smiled. "It's a good song. Are you sure you can handle it?"
"Yep. Otherwise, why would I pick it?"
"I'm just making sure." The elder woman lifted her hands in defense.
Kumiko positioned herself in an empty part of the room (and now Katsumi realized why Kumiko had moved everything there), and Katsumi hit the record button on the camera, as well as the play button on Kumiko's phone.
A few minutes later, Kumiko struck the final pose, and her mother stopped the recording.
"That was really good!" The older woman exclaimed. "I guess I shouldn't have worried."
"Thanks."
Kumiko's mother put the camera down on Kumiko's desk. "I guess you're capable of handling the rest?"
"Yeah, thanks again, mom." Kumiko said, and Katsumi smiled, and left the room. Kumiko took the camera, sat down on her bed, and transferred the video to her phone. In less than 5 minutes, her application was on it's way to 00.
It was a rather regular day at Okuamastar, and thus a rather regular day for a certain white-haired girl. Well, scratch that, it wasn't really a regular day. It could very well decide the rest of her life, and she knew it. Ishikari Danya-Josephine, or DJ, as she preferred to be called, had a great interest in music.
As her nickname suggested, she had a part-time job at her aunt and uncle's underground club as a DJ, where she wasn't unpopular. Even if Entertainment wasn't banned at Okuamastar, it still wasn't completely accepted by the general public, and most of the practicers of the like, it was looked down upon.
When she just starting out DJ:ing, she never dared to try anything that someone else hadn't done before her, but as she gradually learned more and got more comfortable at the mixing table, she began to do her own thing. As of yet, it hadn't been badly received, and she was always trying to bring something different to each show. She wasn't always successful, but somehow, the audience still liked what she brought.
She brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face, and blinked her golden eyes. She was sitting on a fence by a road going up a hill - one of the few pieces of nature (that wasn't beaches and ocean) left on the planet - viewing her home town, and the wind was drying out her eyes, making them respond with tears. She wiped the liquid away, and jumped down from the fence. She picked up her bike, shoved her helmet on, and like that, she was on her way down the hill. In less than five minutes, she found herself at one of her favourite places; The entrance to the underground club. It was closed, but being related to the owners, as well as making frequent appearances there had earned her a pass. She held the card up against the reader, and the door clicked, signalizing that she could open it.
She went inside, and in a minute, she found herself on the dancefloor. She picked up the camera her aunt had stashed in a drawer in the "Staff Only" area, and placed it on it's stand, as well as putting her phone beside it. She started the recording, and then the music. She ran in place. Then she sang and danced to the song she had chosen, B Stars.
"All the while, as we remain here, let's believe." Danny finished, and struck the final pose. She then sat down on one of the chairs nearby, and watched through the video. She jerked when she saw heard a voice speak to her.
"So this was where you were." A woman who looked like she was between her thirties to her fifties. She noticed the camera in Danny's hand, and couldn't stop the smile from curving her lips. "And that's what you were doing?"
"Auntie Suso." Danny smiled. "How come you always seem to be the one to find me when I'm trying to avoid everyone a little while?"
"Well, I guess it's an aunt's intuition." The woman smiled back. "So you're heading for 00, huh?"
"Wha-.." Danny was dumbfounded at first. "How did you know?"
"Come on! I do actually happen to know when 00 usually opens up auditions for understudies. Besides, I find you here alone with a video-camera in hand." Suso's eyes twinkled as she laughed. "Don't worry, I won't stop you, in fact, I believe you need to get away from this planet, at least to learn about other planets. And, if you make it into 00, you'll gain a lot more fans who might even stay with you with your DJ:ing."
"Eh?" was all Danny could say at first. "You're not against it?"
"Nope. Neither is Tono, or the rest of our family. We grown-ups have suspected it for a while, and it's only Nyia who is still oblivious to it by now."
Danny thought that she was going to be sad and feel defeat at first, but she was only happy. Her family supported her, and she wouldn't have to tell them. She wouldn't have to drop the bomb on them.
"Really?"
"Really." The older woman smiled. "We will not like that we won't be able to see you face to face for a while, but we're behind you. You should get off this massive piece of concrete they call a planet. Besides, it's not like you won't be away forever. We'll pull through, don't worry. The only ones that will have major complaints are those that regularly come to the pub wanting to hear your music."
"Well, they'll still be hearing my music, won't they?" Danny couldn't help but smile. "I mean, it's not like I'm retiring from the entertainment business, I would rather say that I'm actually moving up the ranks a little… Well, provided that I pass, but..." She trailed off, not sure of what to continue with.
"But you are going to make it in." Her aunt smiled. "Now, what do you say we send that application?"
"Yeah, thanks." Danny nodded in response, and like that, a minute later the data containing her application was on it's way to 00.
Monadikόs Janus Euterpê, or Ευτερπη Jαντησ μοναδικός, depending on how one would spell it, was a rather normal girl, except for one thing that was uncommon on Hellestar. A few back, she had begun going onto the net in search for information when she finally had grown tired of the view that everyone else had of her. Surfing the net might seem completely normal, but for a Medan like Euterpê, it was almost unheard of. Technology as a whole was pretty looked down upon, and most people preferred the library over any other information source. Of course, that doesn't mean that there was no technology at all on the planet, not at all. Most people actually had phones, computers and even televisions, they just weren't used a lot.
Euterpê's family belonged to the upper class of New Athens, and consisted of her, her father, her two older sisters, as well as her younger. She would count her mother in there too, but at the moment, she was, said mother wasn't really… 'in the spotlight' at the moment, and hadn't been for a few years. If one would believe some of the the rumours that surrounded her, she would be an undercover agent for the D.G.T.O. and at the same time, a hardcore fan of entertainment - in all it's forms, not only the appreciated ones on Hellestar.
In Euterpê's family, she was very much the black sheep when it came to talents. No one expected her to do anything else than standing there and look pretty, much in contrast to her youngest sister, Melpomene, or Mel as she preferred to be called, the oh-so perfect child in the family. Needless to say, the two girls was much like day and night, both in appearance and personality. While Euterpê had long, peach hair and light coral eyes, Mel had short, coconut-brown hair and olive eyes. On top of that, Mel had paler skin, which only made her stand out more compared to other medans. As if her ability to master pretty much anything instantly, which was contrasted by what she called 'Euterpê's inability to do anything'. The two of them constantly found a reason to bare their fangs, so to speak, at each other.
"What are you doing here again, Vlaka?" ...Well. Speaking of her family, here was Euterpê's younger sister, Mel. "Can't you at least try to do something useful?"
"Well, I'm sorry, Mel, that I'm not perfect. Can't you just leave me alone?" the older of the two snapped.
"It's time for dinner," was Melpomene's simple answer. "Try not to spoil that too, would you?"
The brunette turned on her heel and walked out of the room. Euterpê first clenched her fists, before she closed down the screen of her computer, sending one final look at the E-mail sent by her friend, Ki-kun, before she too headed out of the room.
About half an hour later, she returned back to her room, started the screen again, and finished her reply to him. She proceeded to dig through her various drawers filled with numerous objects, before she found what she was searching for; a camera. She knew she would never be able to record the tape she wanted in her house; it was far too crowded, and she wasn't too sure if she'd ever be able to get anything done if she'd ever play music of the kind she was interested in, so she merely, as soon as mostly everyone in her household had gone back to their own activities, slipped outside, and ran through the streets as fast as she could.
Eventually, she found them; the people she owed much of her current interest to, one of the common Pro-Entertainment street gangs. She waved at them, and approached.
"Hey, Monadikós! You seem chipper!" One of the men, who went by the name Thanos, called. "What's the rush? And what's with the camera?"
"I have a favour I'd like to ask of you."
"Oh? Well what is it?"
"I'm thinking of auditioning for AKB0048." She explained, and braced herself for the impact. At first, all the present gang members simply stared at her while the news sank in.
"What?"
"Wow!"
"You're leaving this place?"
"Good girl!"
"Have you told your family?" Thanos finally asked.
"Uh.. no?" Euterpê replied. "I'm not too sure how well they'd take it. The favour I'd like to ask of you, is to help me record the audition tape."
"That's it?" Thanos asked. He looked like he would never agree to do it, before he cracked a grin. "'Course we'll help you! I even know where you could do it."
"Really?"
"Who do you take us for? DES?"
And thus, Thanos led her through several small alleyways, until they got to a relatively large, secluded area.
"Well, here we are." Thanos said. "You won't have to worry about getting caught here; We have been able to play pretty loud music here without anyone noticing." He took her camera, and picked moved a small table that could be used as a stand, swatting away her attempts to help. Realizing she would never convince him, she took out her phone, another thing that was unusual on her planet, mostly everyone left their digital devices at home, and brought up the song she had decided on, 100 Meter Conbini. Getting the OK from Thanos who handled the camera, she began.
About 3 minutes and 50 seconds later, she finished with a "It can't be helped because I love you."
"Looked good." Thanos said after stopping the camera. "You're not too bad."
"Thank you."
Only ten minutes later, Euterpê, with the help of Thanos and the others, had sent away her application. All she could do now, was hope.
Life on Canostar was… different. People were used to the odd circadian rhythm, but it still was a bit off to to most from the outside. Days were much longer than usual, and nights as well.
People had gotten used to not caring whether or not it was day or night outside. They usually followed the interstellar-clocks situated all over the cities anyway.
Currently, it was twilight. The day was just passing to night. Not that that meant that there was little time left until it was dark. Not at all. Twilight or dawn usually lasted a good 6 hours, before it ended. Because of these long periods of time, people had actually gotten accustomed to a relatively calm lifestyle. They didn't need to run around and stress. Each day-night cycle was 55 hours.
One who was not very much like everyone else on the moon (or at least, she refused to believe she was anything like everyone else) was a girl named Misumi Sakura. Over all, she looked a lot like most other Canostar inhabitants. Long, blonde hair, green eyes. The only thing that really didn't match the other people from her home, was that she was a lot paler compared to her fellow Canoians, though as to why, she had no idea.
One thing she did have in common with them, though, was her love for singing. And, if she could say so herself, she was good at it. But she wasn't arrogant. Just aware of her abilities. This is why she, as soon as she found out, rushed home, ran around the medium-large villa, searching the rooms for her parents, only to find that they weren't home. Of course they had to be away when she needed them.
So, she did the only logical thing and plugged a pair of earphones to her phone, before she made the call.
"Hello, darling," the male voice at the other end answered. "What seems to be the matter?"
"I want to audition for AKB0048," she replied. "And I'd like to do it this time around."
"Darling, are you sure that's the best choi-.."
"I've made up my mind, dad."
"Then you should know by now that whatever I or your mother think won't matter." She could hear the smile on his face.
"I still want to make it seem like I've asked for permission," she grinned.
"Consider it asked."
"Also, do you think you could do me a favour?" Her father made an approving noise, telling her to continue. "Do you think you could maybe… not tell mother right away?"
"Why would you not want her to know? She'd be thrilled."
Sakura sighed, for once letting uncertainty slip into her voice. "That's the thing, dad. She'd be so thrilled that I wouldn't bear letting her down. What if I wouldn't make it through the first round?"
"Sakura," her father said, "you'll do great. But if you truly wish for me not to tell her, then I won't. It's a father-daughter secret?"
"Father-daughter secret," Sakura smiled. "Thanks, dad."
"Just a question before we close here," her father said.
"Mmhmm?"
"What song have you decided on?"
"I picked 47 no Suteki na Machi he."
"Doesn't tell me anything," her father laughed. "So promise you'll let me watch the video, okay?"
"..." Sakura stayed quiet. "No."
"But..." came the answer. "Okay, fine, sweetheart. Good luck. Blow'em away!"
Beep.
Sakura breathed in. She breathed out. A smile creeped it's way onto her face, and she instantly took out her portable computer, placed it onto her bed, and started a recording software using the built-in camera. Then she opened up her music folder, and pulled up the song in question. She started the recording, before introducing herself to the "camera", starting the music, and leaping into position for the song.
A few minutes later, she struck the final pose. She held it for a few seconds, simply trying to regain her breath, before she bowed and shut the recording off. Then, she sent it away, thanking her lucky star that Canostar was within the Entertainment Protection Sphere, and that she didn't need to bother with encryption.
Himura Aika might be important to future chapters (also, she's one of mine~)
Note: Kumiko's song, 109, is actually named "109", not Marukyuu. Kyuu means Nine, but I'm frankly not sure what Maru means. (It's neither 10 (which is Juu for those who don't know), nor 100 (which is Hyaku)) Hmm…
Note #2: Vlaka, is Greek, and means Fool. It was Etsuko's creator, Shimmer-White-Mermaid, who came up with it (Seriously, Etsuko/Euterpê is the most filled out character I've ever gotten on a thing like this).
I'm sorry that it kinda feels like some of the characters in this chapter got a lot more screentime than others, but that's frankly because of a little something known as "dialogue". I'm sorry. Dialogue is so much fun to write!
And the theme for this chapter's songs was numbers^^ (The song B Stars has also been recorded as 4 Stars with team 4^^) And guess what the theme was for the last chapter!
Regarding some of the names, which are frankly so long (or weird in spelling), that I simply can't write their names out every single time they're mentioned, I've checked with their creators, and the following characters are from here on out going to be written as:
**Danya-Josephine: Danny
**Euterpê: Etsuko
Seriously, Danya-Josephine is so long, and I frankly have no idea how to make the triangle-looking thing over the final E in Euterpê XD
Additional characters in this chapter:
Himura Aika - Girl from Naniwastar; Rin Kumiko's fan
Katsumi - Rin Kumiko's mother
Suso - Ishikari Danny's aunt; Owns the underground club where Danny performs
Tono - Ishikari Danny's uncle; Owns the underground club where Danny performs
Nyia - Ishikari Danny's younger sister
Mel (Melpomene) - Monadikos Etsuko's younger sister; Prodigy at most things
Ki-kun - Cyber-Friend of Monadikos Etsuko
Thanos - A member of a pro-entertainment gang on Hellestar, Monadikos Etsuko's home planet
Misumi Kyoku - Misumi Sakura's father (unnamed in the chapter)