#Kimura Ayame Sunburst Idol Unit

[ramblinganthropologist]

Fictober 21 - 10 and 11″It’s so quiet” and “It’s not normally like this.”

Original work (Sunburst Idol Unit)

Summary: Being an idol is hard work. Being an independent underground idol is even harder. Ray is more than happy to do things her way... but apparently, her stepsister didn’t get the message. Good thing she’s stubborn.

---

God, she thought school was never going to end…

Ray sighed in relief as she watched her classmates leave for the day, chatting about their after school plans or the homework they had that night. She hung back – mostly because it hurt too much to get up – and stayed at her desk, tired fingers shoving things into her bag at what felt like half speed.

This training was going to fucking kill her…

“Oww…” the word leaked out from between her clenched teeth as she stood, pulling her bag onto her back. At the very least, she was up. Now it was just way too many steps to get out of school, then the long walk home. At least today was her off day – her tired muscles just had to put up with homework.

Slowly, she limped out of her classroom. The hallways were half full of girls in blue and white uniforms, cleaning up to heading to their clubs. A few of them waved at her, and she did her best to return it. It hurt like hell, but apparently idols needed to be friendly. Since she was technically one… she at least had to try.

Speaking of idols though…

“Wait… is that?” Ray squinted to a figure up ahead. It was somewhat easy to pick them out – the idol course uniforms looked different. Their skirts were solid, and the bow they wore through their shirt collar were pink. Add in the vest and other details, and they stood out from the plain blue and white of the general studies course. Since the two courses were in different buildings, it was rare to see one in the wrong area.

Yet… there she was.

“Ray, over here!”

Ayame sounded way too chipper for someone who had sat through a day of classes and training. More importantly, she was way too loud. A number of people turned to look at Ray, and she felt her cheeks heat up as she ducked her head.

It was bad enough she had to wear the gym uniform because everything else was too small for her… she didn’t need this.

Unfortunately, her stepsister wasn’t exactly a master of body language. She moved from her spot by the open door, practically parting the crowd around her. Some of the general course students gave her strange looks, but nobody said anything. It was the way things were at their school – the courses kept to themselves, and a weird, false peace existed between them. In a way, it reminded Ray of a live wire buried deep – everyone knew it was there, but nobody was about to piss on it to see the sparks fly.

“There you are, I wasn’t sure where you would be.” Ayame smiled and slowed down to match pace. “How was class?”

Ray shifted her backpack to rub her aching shoulder. “Long and boring; how are things on your side going?”

“Busy, we’ve got a show coming up in a few weeks and the teachers are getting us ready for the selection.”

It was hard to ignore the fact people were looking at them. Ray was trying not to notice as they walked, but it was impossible. Her general course classmates were staring, whispering behind their hands or hiding behind classroom doors as they passed, eyes suspicious and guarded. No doubt they were all wondering the same thing, just nobody had the balls to say it out loud where she could hear them.

No, she wasn’t fucking transferring…

“Ray?”

She blinked – in her attempt to ignore her classmates, she had actually wound up not hearing a thing Ayame had said. At least her stepsister had the good grace to look mildly confused instead of annoyed. Maybe they were getting used to each other after all. Wouldn’t their parents be proud of that?

“Sorry, guess I spaced out.” She shook her head. “What were you saying?”

Ayame smiled again, motioning to a path Ray never took. “I asked if you wouldn’t mind following me. There’s something I wanted you to see.”

Her hand was pointing to a gate she passed every morning, one that often had harsh words and sharp glances when she passed. The idol course buildings were ones she had never been to before, just seen from the outside. In a way, it was enemy territory – one foot over the line, and she was done for.

And there was her stepsister, inviting her right into the heart of it.

“Uh, are you sure that’s a good idea?” Ray could already see someone glaring at her from a nearby classroom. “I’m not exactly… welcome… here.”

Her stepsister motioned for her to follow anyway. “Just ignore them, everyone’s on edge because of the selection.”

Easy for her to say, she wasn’t getting death glares…

Still, Ray knew Ayame well enough that she was aware she wasn’t getting out of it. So, in the end she just fell in step behind the other girl, officially entering into an unfamiliar part of the school. Much to her surprise, it didn’t look all that different. Just like the general studies, there was the entrance way for umbrellas and shoes with a noticeboard for anyone that passed by. The only difference was that the names on the lockers belonged to girls who had albums and appeared on TV…

Then again, she was halfway to an album herself, could she really talk?

They walked down a hallway lined with classrooms, allowing Ray a quick peak into the after school lives of the idol course as they passed. Here, she noted, the classrooms were different. Instead of desks and a blackboard, there was open space and large mirrors. This had to be the dance practice area Ayame spent so much time in with her unit partner – the description definitely matched.

Ugh. She couldn’t even imagine spending that much time in school…

“Aya, there you are! We need to- “

A girl in a tracksuit had been in the midst of running up to them. At the sight of Ayame’s guest, she stopped dead in her tracks. A strange emotion passed across her face, before the idol mask slid back on. At the very least, she was a second year student – the first years couldn’t exactly hide their disdain that well.

Ayame smiled at the girl, nodding her head. “Do you mind waiting for a few minutes in one of the practice rooms, Chisato? I just wanted to show Ray something before she left for the day.”

“Uh… yeah, no problem.” Chisato’s strange look returned. “The transfer forms are in the teacher’s office if you need them, you can’t miss them. I’ll be in room 3 when you’re done.”

Then she took off before Ray could give her usual argument about refusing to transfer over to the idol course. All she could do was shoot her stepsister a blank look as they continued to walk down the hallway.

If this was her attempt to convince her how much better it was on this side… well, she was doing a piss poor attempt.

“She your audition partner or something?” Ray kept an eye on her stepsister as she spoke. Normally, Ayame had her tells when she was trying to hide something. She wasn’t twitching just yet, but it wouldn’t take much.

Surprisingly, the idol was calm as she dug a key out of her skirt pocket. “We have a test coming up in our vocal classes on Thursday. Chisato and I are giving each other feedback on our technique until then.”

Singing tests? Man, there was something she would fail…

“Anyway, this was what I wanted to show you.” She motioned to the door they were quickly approaching. Above it was a sign, but it was in kanji so it might as well have been in hieroglyphs for Ray. “Nobody’s using it today.”

Ayame unlocked the door and motioned for her to follow. Cautiously, Ray stepped through. On the other side, it was dark. However, her stepsister grabbed her free hand to guide her along. Together, they fielded the darkness.

“If this is an early Halloween prank…”

Then something clicked, and the house lights went on. Ray blinked as she realized she was standing on a stage, staring out into the idol course’s main auditorium. She had been in once, back when she had been there for the entrance exam, but that had been in the audience area. This was something else entirely.

Sweat beaded on the back of her neck as she stared out towards the empty seats that looked as though they went on forever. It was probably one of the biggest rooms on the entire campus, maybe even bigger than the one in the traditional studies department. Just standing there made her mouth dry, and she swallowed hard. At least she wasn’t shaking, though that would come in good time.

“Shit, it’s huge.”

Ayame stood next to her, looking rather at home. “Yeah, it can fit a pretty decent audience inside.”

What did that even sound like? Ray couldn’t even imagine it, even though she had experience being at live shows. Of course, none of the ones she had performed in had ever been this big. The stages underground idols had were often that – underground. At best, the most packed audience she had ever seen would fill maybe a quarter of the auditorium.

Yep, her knees were quivering.

“It’s uh… it’s really quiet up here.”

Her stepsister was looking out, though at what Ray had no clue. Was she imagining an audience there? Could she hear what it sounded like? She’d performed there for two years… no doubt this was routine for her.

Would she ever get like that?

“It’s not normally like this. I’m surprised you can’t hear the audience over in the general studies department when this place fills up.” Ayame offered her a smile. “Then again, I’m pretty sure they sound proofed it, so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised…”

She took a step forward, a little closer to the front row. It wasn’t hard to imagine a spotlight on her right then from how she was standing. Even out of costume, her stepsister had a stage presence about her. It was something Ray didn’t have – and probably never would. They were two completely different types of idols after all. One of them was above ground, and the other was in the basement.

And she was kind of wanting to go back there…

“You don’t normally perform for an audience this big, right?” A set of brown eyes were looking back at her. “How does it feel, standing here and looking out?”

Fucking terrifying…

Ray swallowed hard so she could speak. “Dunno… little overwhelming, I guess. This place is huge.”

“And it’s small compared to the one at Seiza Academy. I performed there once in a class exchange, it was like double the size of this one.” Ayame was still smiling. “And of course, both of those are tiny compared to the arenas top idols sell out…”

Yep, her knees were officially shaking now. Would running away and hiding in the bathroom be seen as a cop out at this point?

Ray couldn’t even count how many people that had to be. Thousands, tens of thousands, maybe – all there to see their favorite idol. The roar of the crowd would have been deafening. Yet for top idols, it was just an average day.

They were in completely different worlds…

“Here’s a good start to getting used to bigger crowds though.” Ayame had dropped her bag to the floor and dug something out of it. Thanks to the light, Ray could see it – the black print on white paper proclaimed it to be a transfer of class form. “I think it wouldn’t be too hard for you to transfer over. Maybe in a year you could be up here on your own, you’ve already got fans and all…”

Her stepsister walked over, form in hand. “I know you want to do it your way… but it’s almost unheard of for underground idols to get to the bigger arenas. You need training and someone to help you out. The idol department could help you with that, and then you could help Vaughan too…”

Right then, her mind was empty. She heard Ayame’s words but processing them was something else altogether. Even holding the paper did nothing as her brain just shut off. Empty, she stared out at the empty auditorium.

They weren’t even playing something a quarter of this size yet…

Yet, they were getting that themselves.

Ray’s fist tightened around the paper, and the crinkling brought her back to reality. Something was bubbling inside her as she glanced down at the form in her hand. At least Ayame hadn’t filled it out for her. That made it easy to crumple it up into a ball and toss it as far as she could into the empty audience.

“What…”

Ray shot her stepsister a dirty look as she felt more like herself. “I thought I said I wasn’t fucking transferring?”

Ayame held up her hands in the classic defensive position. “I-I know, but…”

“But nothing. We already told you, we’re doing it ourselves. I make my own shit, and nobody tells me what to do or where to go. If that means I’m stuck underground until I give out, then I’ll die knowing I was my own idol.”

Ray took one step forward, and then another. Then it was run, and off the stage she went, landing in the center aisle below with a thump. Ok… maybe she should have checked if there was an orchestra pit before trying that… but sometimes she just went with her gut.

Briefly, she turned around. Ayame was still on stage, looking as though someone had just slapped her in the face. Somehow, she looked rather small and lonely under the bright stage lights. Idols weren’t supposed to look like that, or at least that’s what she heard.

“You do it your way, Ayame. I’m doing it mine.” She bent down, at last finding her form. Then she was walking towards the exit, depositing it in the recycle bin. “I’ll see you at home. I’m heading to Vaughan’s school now. We have a show to plan.”

Then she was gone, out the door and heading towards the exit. Now that she was alone, it was open season. The idol course students glared as she passed, looking at her as if she was something smelly someone had stepped in. Maybe they had been trying to be nice in the hopes she would transfer?

Fat chance in that.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fucking going. I don’t wanna be on this side anyway.” With that, and a flipped bird for luck, Ray pushed the door open. Outside, there was nothing but courtyard and bright sun to meet her as the door slammed shut behind her.

She was never going back there again. Fuck that.

“Fuck that shit…” Shaking her head, she left the school behind. Hopefully along the way she would be able to get in contact with her partner and let him know she was coming. If he wasn’t at school… well, she knew where he lived.

He didn’t need to know about this, though. This was going to be their little secret. That way, one day she could enjoy making her stepsister eat her fucking words.

If she got her way… a lot of people were going to be eating crow. But first, she had to put a lot more work in. At this rate, she might as well just get used to sore muscles and early mornings. Just the thought of it made her wince as she walked.

Oh well… that was what she signed up for. And at least nobody was telling her to do it. That right there was worth it all. In the end, that was why she was in the underground… well, that and a so-called authority problem.

Ok, maybe it wasn’t so-called… but, whatever. She had a school to get to and a friend to find. She could think about her terrible personality later.

[gnawingaikatsugremlin]

January 2019/January 2020. 

I think we can call that progress, kids.

[ramblinganthropologist]

Hooray, it’s done.

This is because we decided to make Sunburst OC content. I had to design uniforms, it was a shit time...

But here. Have some pre-Sunburst. Ayame was tasked with walking Ray to school cause she got lost so easily. When you have a new, pretty much silent stepsister... sometimes  you get a little nervous.

And sometimes your giant stepsister isn’t paying attention at all and sees a kitty. 

Yep.

I’m tired, I’m gonna lie down.

[ramblinganthropologist]

This is the face of a girl who has yet to realize her giant, scary looking stepsister is actually a complete dork who is 100% not paying attention to her because she saw something in a tree.

Poor Ayame. She’s trying her best. Ganbatte, Ayame-chan!

[ramblinganthropologist]

I couldn’t fit the text in properly, so have a little story from Dai, Lila, Vaughan, Ray, and AI. Aka, SUNBURST IDOL UNIT. 

~

Vaughan: Enjoying the view? ~__^ Lila: As always <3 Dai: Like, you’re totally in my spot ^^U *nudge nudge* Ray: >< Someone get him OFF. THE. FUCKING. FLOOR. Ai: ^^U Ray, calm down... Dai, help? (Ayame, off camera: Why are they always like this... just a photo they said.) (Ray: I gotta fucking piss so bad right now...)

~

Anyway, happy pride from the idiots at Sunburst Idol Unit. Sunburst: nobody is straight and we don’t give a fuck if you do. Also introducing the last three core members Kurosawa “Dai” Daichi, Lilavati “Lila” Majeswaran, an AI.Doru. They round our total out to five idiots! Heck yeah!

Look forward to seeing everyone more now that they have actual designs *casts a glance at my writing partner.)

[ramblinganthropologist]

Writober 2020 - 11 (Indecision)

Summary: Ayame should be happy, she’s about to perform for the perspective students. But she just can’t seem to get her head into the game. Why is she even doing this? 

Idol angst. It’s a thing.

(Sunburst Idol Unit)

---

Ray-chan: Hey, good luck today.

Ray-chan: You and Honkers are going to knock it out of the park.

Ayame smiled at the text on her phone as she turned it off and placed it in the special pocket of her yukata. The mirror in front of her showed she was ready to go – hair and makeup perfect, outfit just right. If anyone had peaked in, they would've seen an idol getting ready to take the stage with her unit partner.

It was only her head that wasn't cooperating.

“We're on in five.”

Honoka was standing, dressed in a similar yukata done up in shades of white and pink. She had a white bow knotted into her ponytail – Ayame's was pink – and she was gripping her phone so tightly it was a miracle it didn't break. Maybe that was why she had such a thick cover on it.

“I'm guessing your parents-”

Her partner clicked off her phone and shoved it into her pocket. Then she carefully rearranged everything so the bump couldn't be seen. Her hands were shaking, knuckles white as she gripped at the hem.

“I'm fine.”

She took a deep breath. The shaking didn't stop completely, but it went down to a manageable level. Then Honoka finished smoothing down her costume and started making her final checks in the mirror. Her smile would look good from the audience, but from where she was standing Ayame could tell the difference. Her heart wasn't in it today.

It hadn't been there for a while.

“So, we're performing for the potential first years today. Our class picked us, so we really need to show up for these girls to get them to come.” Honoka's smile was at least genuine there, but it didn't last long. “After all, we can't get beat by those dance girls.”

Ayame offered her a smile she didn't really feel at that point. “No way that's happening. You heard what song they were using, I'd be amazed if half the crowd wasn't asleep by the time we got up there.”

“Well, we can be one heck of a wake-up call then.” Honoka stuck out her hand, waiting. “Sakura Sensation on 3?”

There was something about her motions that just seemed so stiff to Ayame as she lowered her hand. Why did this feel like she was just going through the motions of what they had been up to for the last three years? Maybe she was just tired...

Maybe it was just getting old.

“Sakura Sensation!”

Up went the hands, and the pair left the dressing room. They had a short walk from there to the stage, where a few techs in the production class waived them on. Most of them were busy handling their side of the performance, but Ayame always liked to wave to them. After all, even she knew not to piss off the techs.

They waited behind stage the student council president introduced them. This one was also dance class, but she was a recent transfer. That made her slightly less annoying than her predecessors. At least she tried to care about someone other than the dance and song classes.

“Next up we have our class representatives from the idol training program. Please give a warm welcome to the ladies of Sakura Sensation!”

The crowd sounded like they were just waking up as Ayame and Honoka took the stage. Already, she could see some pink and white glow sticks coming to life from prepared 6th graders who were probably planning to come to the perspective student meeting that the idol program had for them. She smiled, but...

God, she wanted to tell them to run.

When it came down to it, Harunokaze really promoted its traditional classes more than anything. They were the ones who got top billing, the most national titles – it was from them that the most student council members were drawn from. While the idol program wasn't as ignored as the tech class or pushed to the side as the general education groups, the fact remained they weren't as acknowledged as the school's heavy hitters. If there were any actual perspective idols in the crowd, they would do far better to wait a year and transfer into Seiza Academy or some other actually idol-focused school.

But she couldn't say that. Not when she had to perform.

The lights hit as they always did, and they performed in sync. The glow sticks flashed in the auditorium space as some of their fans chanted out calls and responses. Most of the group caught on pretty quickly – they always did. Normally that made Ayame happy.

But it wasn't.

She was still doing her best to perform, never letting her smile fall. Honoka looked to be doing the same – her hands had stopped shaking as she gripped at her fans. Her smile wasn't as fragile as it had been before. Maybe the few moments before stage had helped her arrange herself.

Ayame should have been happy though... why wasn't she?

She didn't get long to think about it, though. The song ended and they took their final poses. A rush of applause came from the audience as they began to cheer their hearts out. Someone was chanting their group name, demanding an encore. There would be none that day – the schedule was too tight for that, and it wouldn't be fair to the tech class presentation afterwards.

Still, she waved. “Sorry, everyone, we can't give an encore. Everyone deserves their five minutes today!”

“But we do have a spot in the school show in a couple weeks if you want to come see us! Tickets will be on sale next Friday!” Honoka was always good at remembering the dates. She waved off the disappointed groans with a smile. “Thank you, though. Remember, the idol information session is in the training classroom! Just look for the signs and we hope to see you there.”

They both bowed as the curtain closed. Then once it was over, they straightened up. There was an hour until then, and they needed to get out of their costumes and back into their uniforms in order to help organize the talk.

Ayame's feet felt heavy as lead as they walked back to the dressing room. “They sound excited.”

“Well after dance class' performance, who wouldn't?” Honoka chuckled as she fixed a stray hair. “That reminds me, when's the high school info session?”

She stopped walking. Details flashed in her mind. One of the high school idols had come to their class earlier in the week about it. She had the date written down in her calendar on her phone, but it was a little hard to get to then, what with being tucked into the false pocket behind her fake obi and all. At least they would be changing soon.

“I can check when we get back...but didn't your parents want you to transfer to dance class in high school?”

There was a grin on Honoka's face as they walked. “That's if we don't make any progress this year. I think we can manage to get into the final show if we work at it. Then they'll have to accept it, right? Besides, me as a dance class member? I think I'd be bored stiff.”

She laughed, but there was tension there as they entered the dressing room. The last two years they had failed to make the finals, or even far in the prelims. They had practiced plenty, but... would it be enough?

Ayame shook her head to get rid of those thoughts as she started to change back into her uniform. “Yeah, I think you'd start a fight the first day.”

“Heck, I'd be pulling your stepsister's moves off if they made me transfer.” Honoka chuckled as she switched out of her contacts for her regular glasses. “Do you think Ray can teach me some stuff just in case?”

The young idol felt her eye twitch as she adjusted her uniform socks. “I think you're a little too small to pull off the looming kabedon.”

That got her partner laughing once again, which help the uneasy feeling in the pit of Ayame's stomach as she turned her phone back on. Her lock screen was the two of them from a poster they had been on a few months ago, during the summer idol festival. They had been the opening act. It felt like a lifetime ago, but it had only been one season.

Why did she feel like this now?

“So, when's the info session?”

Honoka was peeking over her shoulder, adjusting her glasses. Ayame tilted her phone screen so her friend could see. The date was pretty clear – next Saturday, the same time this one was at. There'd be a performance before, and then the talk.

Harunokaze rarely liked to shake things up. People were still talking about how they had added an idol program, and that was almost 7 years ago.

“Alright, I think I'm free that day.” Honoka fixed her uniform ribbon  as she stepped back. “See you there?”

Ayame's mind was elsewhere. She could already picture the conversation that would go on – that even though they were a young program, they were just as good as any of the other idol academies out thee. That this would be the year they showed the dance program that they belonged there. It would just take a lot of sweat, but it would pay off.

Had it paid off in the 7 years since they had started?

“Ayame?”

She shook her head. “What?”

Her partner frowned at the reaction. “Are you feeling ok? You've been spacing out a lot lately. Something going on at home?”

Ayame ran a hand through her hair as she sighed. “No, just tired I guess. I didn't sleep very well last night.”

She managed a smile. “Yeah, I'll see you next Saturday for the talk. Are you parents going to be ok with it, though?”

Here was where Honoka's smile turned a little devious. “What they don't know won't hurt them. Now, come on. We've got to prepare for the elementary school girls coming through.”

Ayame wished she had her friend's energy as she watched the girl take off. This was probably where she should run too, but it just wasn't in her. The afternoon was going to be a tiring one, trying to convince a bunch of elementary school girls to come to their school. How was she going to pull it off when she wasn't even sure if she wanted to go to the high school at all?

…

And since when had that been a choice she had been mulling over?

“Ayame?”

Honoka was waiting for her. So she sped up into a jog so they could make it to their classroom. She let the thoughts go for the moment, back at the auditorium she used to love so much. Her head was full of bees anymore, and none of them were very happy.

Why now? Why couldn't she make her mind up?

It didn't matter. She had a talk to give. She could worry about it later.

[ramblinganthropologist]

Writober 9 and 10 - Hoax and Lucky Charm

Summary: Ray’s got a big gig, but she’s getting flop sweat beforehand. Luckily, her sister has a special lucky charm waiting for her. Ok, maybe it’s a fake one - but it’s the thought that counts, right? 

---

Nope. No way in fuck she was going out there.

“Ray? Are you in there?”

Fuck.

Her eyes darted to the door – it was locked. That was kind of the thing you did when you went into a bathroom stall. She had hoped if she sat on the toilet and pulled up her legs nobody would see her, but apparently fate had other plans. They had found her, after all.

“Ray?”

The voice belonged to her stepsister, Ayame. She could practically picture the girl's face – eyebrows knitted in concern, mouth in a concerned frown, eyes sincere. She'd be the picture of a worried friend, trying to convince her to get out on the stage. This probably wasn't her first rodeo comforting a nervous idol kohai before she jumped out in front of the crowd.

So she should be used to being told to fuck off, right?

Sweat dripped down Ray's brow as she hugged her knees. “I'm not coming out, so you can go off and cover for me!”

“I haven't prepared anything, and neither has anyone else.” Ayame probably crossed her arms over her chest. She did that a lot. “So, unless you come out we're going to have a gap in the schedule we're going to have to fill with MC.”

Oh fuck, not MC. That was worse than pulling teeth.

Really, this shouldn't have been a big deal. Ray had been on stage before as an idol more than a few times. She even had the beginning of a fan club, small as it was at the moment. To say she had experience under her belt was putting it mildly. This shouldn't have been a problem for her.

But... it was Harunokaze.

Yep, Ray had somehow wound up in the lineup for Harunokaze Girl's Academy fall show. Normally, this was only for members of the school's music and dance programs. The Idol division had their own show a week later, or they had in years past. This was the first year the programs had combined for a two day show.

Which... didn't explain how a gen ed had even gotten a spot. Maybe someone really hated her.

Ray peered through the gap in the door, not letting the lock go. “I'm not even supposed to be here, though. I'm not in the music or idol programs.”

“You were added on overwhelming student demand.” Ayame looked way too innocent in all this as she counted on her fingers. “Something about a vote initiated by the general education track. You haven't noticed, but you're something like a hero to your classmates.”

Ray almost slipped off the toilet from the shock, but the door caught her before she landed face first on the bathroom floor. Her mind was absolutely blank as she ran through the details. Maybe once during lunch she had caught her classmates whispering over papers and trying to hide it from her, but she had never paid attention to it. The gen ed class always had a chip on their shoulder about something, so it hadn't surprised her.

But this one had gotten the entire class... and it had gone through.

“They really want me to perform?”

Ayame nodded. “I saw the petition to add you, pretty much every gen ed student signed it. The student council couldn't say no without risking an incident.”

Well... she hated that bitch. It was nice to know she was a thorn in somebody's side.

Of course, that didn't help the pounding in her heart. Ray's mouth had gone dry. She leaned her forehead against the door as her mind raced. The entire gen ed class had signed their name to getting her up on stage. She had become their sword against the school's other programs that flaunted their numbers and ability, their way to prove they had value too. If she messed up...

Well... nobody would give a shit about the gen ed program. They'd permanently become the joke of Harunokaze. Their petitions would wind up in the trash, their pleas ignored. All because she fucked up on stage.

No pressure... fuck.

“Ray? Can you open the door?”

Ray shook her head, finding it hard to speak. “I'm leaning against it.”

“How about you sit back on the toilet then? We can't have you landing on this floor, it's kind of gross.”

Despite everything, Ray laughed as she sat back on the toilet. “You think this is gross? Man, you would not survive back home.”

Ayame giggled on the other side of the door. Something about her laughter gave Ray something to focus on her. Her heart was still pounding, and her palms under her black finger-less gloves were all sweaty. Thinking was easier, but the worries still stabbed at her as she sat there on the toilet, trying to reign it all in.

A few seconds later, a shaky hand unlocked the door and nudged it open. Her stepsister was standing on the other side, still wearing her performance outfit. She had been on stage ten minutes earlier. Her makeup still looked pretty good, and the towel she had used to dry off was still hanging from around her neck. Talk about being the picture of an idol after a successful live.

No doubt Ray looked like shit next to her.

“At least your eyeliner still looks ok.” She held out her hand. “Why don't you come out and at least take a few deep breaths? I've got something for you to help with the jitters.”

Ray took her hand and returned to the bathroom proper. She caught sight of herself in the mirror – she was also dressed to perform, though her outfit was night and day from the frilly pink and white yukata Ayame was wearing. She preferred darker colors and harsher fabrics when it came to what she wore on stage, accented by metal jewelry that glinted under the harsh lights. Apart from her panicked expression and wide eyes, she could've been any rocker ready to go on.

But no. She was a scared idol in the bathroom.

“There we go.” Ayame was digging into a hidden pocket of her yukata. She drew out a small key chain with a star on the end. It was pink, with a lighter pink center in a sunburst pattern that created a sort of ombre. Honestly, it was pretty. “Here. It's a lucky charm to help you do well on stage.”

She hooked it onto a loop of Ray's jeans, turning it around so the sunburst pattern would face the audience. Honestly, it went really well with the rest of her outfit even if luck was out of the question. Were you supposed to feel better with something like this?

At least it looked cool...

“A lucky charm?” Ray cocked an eyebrow. “When'd you pick this up?”

Ayame offered her a grin as she adjusted her stepsister's vest so it hung better on her broad shoulders. “Saw it in a shop. The clerk said it promoted luck in whatever you did as long as you had it on you.”

“Well, then I think you used it up if you had it in your pocket during your performance.”

Her stepsister's cheeks puffed out slightly as she turned away. “I had one of the stage techs hold on to it for me, thank you very much.”

Ray found herself laughing again, much more relaxed this time. She had no doubt in her mind the so-called charm was a hoax, but it was the thought that counted most. Ayame had her back, even if they weren't on stage together.

Maybe she could do this after all.

“Kimura-senpai? Is Ray-kun going to go on stage soon?”

A nervous looking first year with an obnoxiously pink hair ribbon poked her head in. Ray recognized her – they were in the same class. Her name was currently escaping her, but the girl sat a few rows ahead of her. She was good in science class.

Wonder where her name was on the form...

Ayame turned to answer her smiling. “Thanks for letting me know she was in here, Hana-chan.”

Then she was looking at Ray. “Well? You doing this or what?”

Ah. So this was the backup manipulation if the lucky charm pep talk hadn't worked. Talk about having a backup plan for a backup plan. Ray felt her eye twitch as she looked from her stepsister to the girl standing by the door. She looked so damn nervous that it was kind of pathetic. Honestly, it was a miracle she wasn't digging a hole in the door frame with those fingers.

And this is who the gen ed class sent as their representative? Damn, they really were worried she wasn't going to do it.

The rocker responded by cracking her knuckles. The popping sound reverberated through the small room, making the other two girls jump. That put a slight smirk on her face as she peeled off her gloves to wash her hands in the sink.

“Yeah, just gotta wash up. You head back to your seat, Hana, I'll be on in a minute.”

Her classmate's nervous expression turned to pure joy as she nodded so hard she almost lost her bow -a ribbon in the exact same shade as her image color, Ray noted. “Right! I'll let everyone know! Can't wait to see you on stage!”

And then she was gone, sprinting down the hallway back to the auditorium. This left Ayame and Ray alone in the bathroom as the girl finished washing her hands. She dried them off without saying anything, and then pulled her gloves back on.

“You should head back too. I don't want you to miss it.”

Ayame smiled at her as she nodded. “Not going to take your lucky charm off?”

“It works with my aesthetic.”

Together, the pair left the bathroom. Though there was no one in the hallway, she heard the fast feet of fellow first years running back to the auditorium. She even caught a skirt hem as it turned the corner, disappearing from view. Just how many people had been gathered in the hallway waiting for her to come out?

How had she not heard them?

She shook her head – it didn't matter then. Ray was shifting into performance mode. Her heart rate slowed and it was easier to think as she watched Ayame disappear into the auditorium door. Now she was heading to the stage entrance, where the techs were waiting for her.

One sighed in relief as she checked a name off. “Good to see you, Jones. I just won 1000 yen off Tsumori-san in 3rd year.”

“Glad to help somebody make some money.” She could hear the student council president announcing her. There was resentment there. “Man, she's eating shit right now.”

The tech practically cackled. “And that is really why I'm glad you're here.”

Said president soon appeared, severe as always. She blew past both girls without saying a word, or even glancing back. Ray could practically feel the hostility leaking off her, blanketing her like an aura as she stormed back to wherever she hung out between sets.

Oh well. She'd peek in soon enough. Ray was about to blow off the roof.

“Well, that's my cue. Enjoy the show, pres!”

What, she was a shithead. And with her so-called lucky charm clinking against her her belt as she hit the stage, Ray had never felt better. Her body worked for her, striking her beginning pose as she flipped her mic up in the air, catching it as the song began in proper.

It was time to show them what happened when someone motivated by spite got the chance to fuck up somebody's day.

“Y'all ready for this?”

And the world dissolved into an overhead spotlight and a sea of pink glow sticks as Ray launched into her act. Later, she would complain about the sore muscles or the sweat sticking her clothes to her body. That was the furthest thing from her mind then.

Right then, she was an idol sticking it to the (wo)man. And that felt pretty damn good. Maybe it was just her, but her fake lucky charm sure looked shiny under the spotlight. That thought alone kept her going as she launched into her chorus.

Now, hopefully her voice would hold for the next part. She had been meaning to test out if the speakers in the auditorium could handle a little screaming.

[ramblinganthropologist]

Just working on ideas for my idol’s new look in AiParade. She had long hair but then I googled the cute idols in Aikatsu and noticed a weird trend among all of them... 

Not many short haired cute type idols besides like... Sakura and Akari for like... half a season. And I’m talking major idols, not the background ones. So you know, see a problem, fix a problem.

Anyway, Ayame has short hair now. Something something, new start with Sunburst? IDK.

[ramblinganthropologist]

Page 1 < You are here > Page 3

Page 3 is in the works, but have page 2 as we suffer from the end of the tournament. Fuck you PP.  Also I realize this is kinda hard to read because Ray’s blush isn’t super obvious. But that’s what she’s doing... I might need to redesign this later when I have time. We’ll see. Anyway, I’m gonna get back to Page 3. 

[ramblinganthropologist]

Page 2 < You are Here > Page 4

There we go. Without the typo this time.

Red is no longer the color of rage. It’s pink now, Ray says so. Also I had a lot of fun writing that background... not as much fun drawing the PP logo. Ugh. I free handed that next time I’m copying it and y’all will just deal.

I’m gonna go work on page 4 now because LINE OF ACTION. Laters.

[ramblinganthropologist]

Page 3 > You are here 

THERE. IT’S DONE. FUCK YEAH.

Anyway, it’s great to have an idiot stepsister who can cheer you up about the bullshit results of the biggest competition of the year. Ray’s great for helping you forget dumb plot. Now Ayame can go on and try to be a diamond friend next year and the year after because timeskips are a thing.

Good luck in two years, girls. 

[ramblinganthropologist]

Writober Day 6 - Bromance

Summary: Ayame likes trashy TV and forgot an important detail about her stepsister. Ray just wants to take a fucking nap. Just another day in the Kimura-Hiroshi household.

---

“Hi, everyone! Welcome to another Idol Watch! I'm your eye on the idols, Murasaki Junko!”

Really... Ayame should have been doing anything except watching trashy gossip TV. But damn if she didn't love to hear about what outsiders thought of her fellow idols when her brain needed a break. And oh, did it need a break – her brand had an upcoming show, which meant she had plenty of routines to work through. It would be bad if she strained anything, right?

Right?

So there she was, sitting on the couch with a cup of tea in hand. She had the house to herself, and the TV was still showing the bright opening credits of Idol Watch. Junko soon appeared back on screen, microphone in hand and a brilliant smile on her face. She had the dirt for sure.

“I hope you've all had a lovely week! The idols of Tokyo sure did! It was another smash hit weekend for Diamond Friends Love Me Tear as they played to a sold out show at the city's biggest arena! We were able to get in and catch some exclusive footage!”

Ayame took a sip of her tea and added dryly, “exclusive footage that got on the internet about a half hour after it showed.”

Not that she watched for that sort of thing because she hadn't been able to get tickets... that was rude, after all.

The screen switched to a sold out arena, packed with screaming Love Me Tear fans. Up on stage, the two idols sang their way through their newest song. Pride was burning up the charts, and Ayame could hear why as her foot tapped along. Their singing, combined with their auras and outfits, were a strong contender for the cup that year.

“Almost makes me glad we didn't qualify for the cup. I would not want to be Reflect Moon right now.” She took another sip of tea. “No way they're beating that.”

Junko was back on stage as she spoke. “What a powerful performance! They're going to be the team to beat for sure at this winter's Diamond Friends cup! Whoever goes up against them is going to need to bring their A game!”

She was still smiling as the screen changed. “Moving away from our top idols, it's time for everyone's favorite segment, fresh idol watch! What have our young idols been up to this week? We'll start off first with Pure Palette-”

“Who were probably off spreading smiles and giving somebody a headache.”

A deep voice sounded off to Ayame's side and a heavy weight landed on the cushion next to her, nearly making the young idol jump. She managed not to spill her tea as she processed just what the hell was going on. There was a girl sitting next to her, looking rather bored by the images in front of them both of Pure Palette doing what they did best around the town. Well, not bored – pissed off might have been the right term.

“You're not supposed to jump on the couch, Ray-chan. I could've spilled my tea.” Ayame put it to the side just in case. “How was training?”

Her younger step sister yawned and stretched out – at least she had remembered to take her shoes off before coming in. “Long and annoying. Vaughan's planning another video to go out around the DF cup, so we're getting ready for that. AI's working her tech wizardry on some new outfits. I mostly just make sure to remember anything.”

She nodded to the screen. “And here I thought you said Idol Watch was trash?”

Her bored expression had changed into a playful smirk that made Ayame's face burn. The idol sought her tea, eyes low, as she heard the laughter behind her. No way to deny the fact she had been caught in that one. Damn perceptive newbie idol...

Pure Palette's music faded out and Junko's voice replaced it. “They'll of course be competing in the Diamond Cup finals, so be sure to cheer them on! But let's not forget there are plenty of idols to follow, and a certain pair of newbies have caught our eye!”

There was a tone to her voice that made Ayame's head rise. It was a good thing she had finished drinking her tea, or she would have spat it out at the sight of her sister on screen with her unit partner.  Vaughan and Ray were the subject of a still image, looking rather close. Judging from the distance, someone with a very long lens had taken it from quite a distance away.

She could only hope it was from another city, judging from the temper of one of the subjects.

“We've all been entertained by the antics of Sunburst's very own Vaughan McDouglass and Ray Jones. The pair enjoy breaking every rule known to idol kind and then some.” Junko chuckled as she kept her gaze on the image. “Looks like they might just be breaking a big one here, folks. Our source said the two were rather close all afternoon. I think we should expect to see a status relationship change any-”

The TV clicked off as Ayame dived for the remote. Sweat trickled down the back of her neck as she glanced over her shoulder, half hidden by her hair. Ray was still sitting on the couch, but her posture was hard to tell. Was she upset? Were they about to see a spectacular rage?

“Hey... I think you sat on the remote.”

Her voice was calm as she stretched. “Didn't think those assholes would want to follow me and Vaughan around, but I guess it was a slow news day.”

Ayame's heart skipped a beat as she glanced over at her sister. “You mean-”

It wasn't as though she hadn't thought about it. She knew boys and girls could be friends, but those two... they were a little too close sometimes. If they had been hiding a secret relationship... she blushed at the thought. It was all so... romantic in a way.

But still, it wasn't like they were beholden to any idol agency who would forbid that sort of thing. Why hide it?

Ray shrugged her large shoulders. “I pulled his dumb ass out of the road when he tripped. He was almost road pizza.”

Her heart stopped beating so fast. “Oh... he tripped?”

Damn Idol Watch – they had done it on purpose to stir up drama! Even worse, she had fallen for it. Now Ayame's face burned for another reason as she willed her heart to calm down before her stepsister noticed. She probably wasn't the only one – Kirakiratter was no doubt full of people speculating about the story and adding details. It wasn't a scandal, but it was pretty close to one.

Not that Sunburst would care – it wasn't their thing.

Next to her, Ray nodded as she laced her fingers behind her head. “Yeah. And by the way, you forgot I was a lesbian again.”

…

“I-”

“You're not slick, Ayame. I saw your face.” At least Ray didn't sound mad as she closed her eyes to rest. “He's my idiot bro, nothing more. So if you want to date him... get better taste in men I guess.”

She rolled over to nap, leaving an embarrassed idol alone on the couch, TV remote in hand. All Ayame could do was scowl as she turned it back on and flipped to another channel. That was the last time she'd let Murasaki Junko steer her wrong.

…

This week, anyway. It was a hard habit to break.

[ramblinganthropologist]

Inktober Day 28 - Gift

Summary: Ayame has a gift to help Ray and Vaughan do proper idol activities. It’s hard to get your own Aikatsu pass when you’re indy.

---

Monday; even in Japan, it was the worst day of the week.

“Stand! Bow!”

From her seat in the back of the room, Ray's back threatened to crack in two. She still wasn't too sure about this whole bowing thing – it seemed dumb to her. But it was Japan, and she wasn't a total asshole. When the class rep barked orders at the end of class, even she listened.

Class was over for the day inside the general education wing of Star Harmony Academy. Girls in green dresses with blue collars filtered out of their classrooms, heading to club activities or other obligations. Class 1-3 was no different. Once they were free to go, out they went.

Ray was the last among them. She took her time gathering up her books, grimacing at the day's attempt. Between her awkward hiragana – kanji was beyond her still – and doodles when she had lost focus, not a whole lot was going on there.

“Guess I might need to look at Mei's notes again.” The girl in front of her was no doubt being polite to the dumb ass foreigner, but her notes were a godsend. It wasn't as if she wanted to rely on them, but it was just so damn hard to pay attention in class, especially in her heavy uniform as spring warmed up around them. It be a miracle if she stayed awake at all come summer.

Really, though, she was stalling. The last thing Ray wanted right then was to go out into the hallway and expose herself to the girls of the general track. After what had happened on Saturday... she winced at the thought. No thanks.

That had been beyond a shit show.

Sighing, she eventually threw her backpack over her shoulders and left the classroom, entering the corridor that would lead her outside the school gates. Maybe it was just her imagination, but a few of the students whispered as she passed.

If it wasn't them, it was her goddamn teacher asking if she was going to transfer. No.

“Ray.”

It wasn't the voice that drew her attention. Rather, the person speaking hadn't tacked anything onto it. That was rare, especially at school. So, Ray broke out of her mini pity party and looked in the direction it was coming from.

Ok, clearly the whispers weren't for her at all. Good to know.

“I think you're on the wrong side of school, Ayame.”

Her stepsister's school shoes and the bright pink bow made that more than obvious. She stuck out like a sore thumb on this side of the campus. Among her idol classmates no one would have batted an eye but this was an entirely different country practically. One with more practical shoes, for that matter.

Then again what did Ray know about that, her street shoes were combat boots.

Ayame had been standing by the classroom door, no doubt creating quite a scene. Really, it was a wonder Ray hadn't noticed her. Maybe it was the warm weather. Either way, her stepsister wasn't in the practice room, and that was weird.

She normally didn't leave that on school days til practically 7 unless she had a job in town. What gives?

“I needed to talk to you about something. Could you come with me?”

Oh... shit.

If this was about transferring, Ray didn't want to hear it. Still, she fell in line behind Ayame as the older girl started walking. Together, the pair went from the general education side of the school towards where the idols had their classes. There was no official line in the sand to mark them off, but even so. It felt different.

It kind of felt like she was invading as she crossed over.

“How was class today?” Ayame's tone was polite as they walked through the corridors of the idol section. As Ray looked in the door, she saw girls in track suits practicing their moves or going through other lessons in the practice areas. There was nothing like that on her side of the school – they didn't really need it. “Is it getting easier to write in hiragana?”

“Yeah... kanji's still kind of hard though. I don't get stroke order for shit.” She looked around frowning. “Ayame, if this is about transferring classes, I already said I wasn't interested. Besides, I'd break my neck in those shoes.”

Seriously, who made heels part of a school uniform? It had to be idol hazing – everyone else got nice, normal shoes that slid on easy. Those looked like torture devices, especially since the idols had to wear them all day. Forget about it.

Her stepsister didn't break stride as they kept walking. “First off, you'd be surprised how quickly you can adapt to them if you wear them all the time.”

She would rather not.

Ayame wasn't finished though. “Wait here, I'll be right out.”

They stopped not at some administrator's office, but at a small room that Ayame entered after briefly making herself known. It was hard to hear what she was talking about through the thick wood, but the glass gave a pretty good view. She was talking with some adult who was at a whiteboard covered in multicolored writing. Something about Sakura Sensation maybe?

“Guess that's her manager.” Ray had never met the woman, though she had heard about her over dinner. She was pretty sure that was Suzuki, but it wasn't like she was being introduced to her or anything. “Wonder what's up?”

She froze briefly when the woman looked straight at her through the glass, back snapping ramrod straight with such a ferocity she swore they'd be able to hear it crack all the way back in Amarillo. Luckily, nothing was broken – just her pride was a bit bruised.

Ayame came out a few moments after that, closing the door behind her. From the looks of things, they weren't stopping to chat. That was fine by Ray as she fell in step behind her stepsister – introductions could lead to other things, like pink bows and heeled school shoes. Besides, she had once been told she had a problem with authority.

No idea where they got that from.

“Something up?” Ray asked when they got away from the production room. They had stopped at the small outside area where the fountain could be accessed by both classes. There was a free bench, so that's where they wound up. Much to her surprise, she swore she could feel a tension in the air.

Her stepsister didn't answer at first – she was too busy sorting through small cards, dividing them up into two neat piles to her right. Whatever she was working with, it was like she handling some holy book. There was love in her touch, almost outright devotion.

… Well, shit. What the fuck had she done now?

Ray had never been good at waiting for things. Twitchy, her grade school teacher had said when they were being polite. Outright asshole was what the less polite ones had gone for. She wasn't a patient person, and it was showing now. It took everything in her not to get up and look, and even as she remained seated the urge was there. But somewhere a teacher got its wings as she stayed in her seat and for once in her goddamn life, didn't open her mouth.

Wouldn't her mother be proud?

When Ayame had finished, she scooped up one of the piles and sorted it again. Then she turned to face Ray. Finally, she handed the small stack over, a smile flitting across her face. The second pile she kept in her hands, probably for safe keeping against the wind.

“What's this?” Ray glanced down and blinked in surprise. At the top of the pile was a shiny pink card with a diamond to the left and her name in katakana to the right. It was held in a little pink carrier, much like the one Ayame kept on her schoolbag. “Wait, this looks like your-”

Aikatsu Pass. It was an Aikatsu Pass – hers.

Wordlessly, Ray put the pass and holder aside. Underneath were four cards, each of them depicting an article of clothing. Unlike Ayame's, they weren't branded with anything other than a spade for the cool type, but she didn't need that. After all, she had worn the exact same outfit on stage, give or take a few modifications by whoever had seen fit to make it.

Seeing her stepsister's face, Ayame filled in the details. “Suzuki-san helped me make the coord cards and fill out the information for your pass. Vaughan's stuff is over here. I hope he doesn't mind his pass is pink – we only have that kind here.”

She kept on, still smiling. “You have the Aikatsu app on your phone, right? If you scan the QR code you can put your coord in there so you can keep your cards in a binder.”

“Uh... yeah.” Ray swallowed hard, suddenly finding it a little hard to do so. Allergies, maybe? “I mean... thanks. You didn't have to do this.”

With her own pass and cards, she technically had all she needed to be an official idol. Unlike the last time, now she and her partner could access the Aikatsu system and the illusion stage. There would be no more standing in front of a blank screen in front of an audience used to that sort of thing. If they chose to, they could work the system the same as any other idol.

Because... well... they were technically idols now, weren't they?

Ayame shook her head at the gratitude. “I did, really. You two didn't stand half a chance against Pure Palette without passes or coords. It's amazing you scored as well as you did.”

She handed Ray Vaughan's pass and cards and the two shared a gaze. For the first time, Ayame didn't look annoyed with her. Rather, there was something almost like pride. Was she proud of her? That wasn't exactly something the younger girl was used to, and she quickly averted her eyes as her face heated up. So much for being a tough guy.

“Yeah, I know it was a shit show. You don't have to bring it up.”

Her stepsister giggled at the reaction. “Sorry, didn't mean to bring up any bad feelings. You'll get them next time.”

She stood, looking towards the practice room. “I have to get back to my lessons, but I'll see you tonight at home. Tomorrow I'll show you and Vaughan how to use the system.”

Great, because it made no fucking sense to Ray – bunch of buttons and weird light shit that popped up out of nowhere. If someone who understood it was willing to show them the ropes, they'd take it. Besides, they had practice at her school tomorrow anyway.

Before she left, Ayame ha one last remark. “Put them away before you lose them.”

“Yes, mom.” Ray's voice was thick was sarcasm as she slid both the cards and one of the passes into the front pocket of her schoolbag, zipping it tight. “They're in my front pocket.”

Well, that fuzzy moment was over – her sister disappeared, leaving her alone with her thoughts and pass. In her hands, it looked so small. Yet as it reflected the light and showed her name spelled out so neatly in katakana  -neater than she could ever write it – a funny feeling took her over.

Instead of shoving it into the pocket of her backpack, Ray threaded it through the zipper. Then it was on her back as she headed not for home, but for her partner's school. They had practice planned for that afternoon, though it was scheduled to be more of a performance overview.

Maybe the cards would brighten their moods. After all, it wasn't every day you got a gift like that.

[ramblinganthropologist]

Inktober Day 24 - Chop

Summary: Ayame’s still down with a busted ankle on a day where she wishes she could be training. However, in comes Ray to brighten her day with some surprising news. Who knew she was such a big influence on her stepsister? Not her, but no way she’s going to let her live it down.

---

There was nothing worse than a free Saturday when there was nothing good on TV.

Ayame sighed as she hugged the pillow in front of her. The leg stretched out on the table was still bandaged, but it was getting better. She still wasn't supposed to do much on it, but the doctor told her she'd be back on her feet soon. With any luck, she wouldn't have lost much progress compared to her partner and the other units. There was a reminder in her AiMobile that tournaments were coming soon, and she needed to be at her best.

But until walking was cleared, there she was on the couch.

Outside, a soft rain was falling. It had set in over the last couple of days and had yet to let up. No doubt at school they would all be training inside, with maybe a few brave ones risking colds to run outside. Even close to summer, it wasn't something she would do. It was just too easy to slip that way.

“Is there really nothing on?”

She sighed again and clicked it off. Then Ayame made a grab for her AiMobile and flipped it open. “Hello, Coco?”

The little AI popped up in front of her, chipper as always despite the rain. Well, it wasn't raining where Coco lived in the computer programming, but still. It was always sunny in her little world, and only part of it came from her personality.

“Coco here!”

Ayame smiled as she nodded to the program. “Could you pull up that song Honoka sent me? I can at least listen to it while I'm down.”

“As you Cocommand!”

And then the AI was gone, replaced by the music player that started in on Sakura Sensation's latest music. It was much slower than their last one, and leaned harder on traditional instruments. Since their last try hadn't worked, it was time for something new.

Ayame let the music play as she read over the lyrics her partner had sent her. At times she tapped her finger along, trying to get a hang of it. However, in parts it felt choppy and caused her to frown. Something was off.

“Maybe I should try it again.”

Rewinding it and starting from beginning made no difference – the rough parts were still off. Her frown deepened and a few moments later, she paused the music. Coco reappeared, still wearing her happy little smile. This time Ayame ignored her in favor of the messenger app.

Aya to Honk, reMusic:

Hey, the part near the second chorus sounds off. Is it a problem with the music or the lyrics?

Though, who knew when Honoka would answer? Right then she would probably be training or in an extra lesson. In the end the young idol just gave up and closed up her AiMobile. Then she sunk back into the couch and closed her eyes.

Was it her? Was it the lack of practice that was making her rusty? Maybe it was just her not being able to do it right. The thought made her stomach turn and mind race, but there was nothing she could do until her ankle healed. Most of all, there was nothing to distract her.

At least, not until the door opened.

Ayame peeked over the top of the couch to the entry way. Someone in a very dirty hoodie and shorts was in the process of stripping their mud covered sneakers off. Only one person in the Kimura house was that tall, and it wasn't her stepfather.

“Welcome home, Ray.”

The other girl responded with a nod of her head as she entered the house without shoes on. “Just gonna change out of this shit real fast. Be right down.”

And up she went, taking the steps two at a time. Ayame watched her go, half marveling in how fast she could go. If she tried to do that, she'd wind up flat on her face. Ray just made it look easy when she did it. Of course, it was probably because of her long legs and general lack of tact that she did it. So, that solved that.

Ray came down about ten minutes later, slightly damp but clean. She hopped onto the couch opposite her sister, phone in hand. Unlike Ayame, she wasn't using the AiMobile. At first the idol had thought it was because the school wouldn't give a GenEd one, but she realized all too quickly that her stepsister just liked her own phone better. Besides, Coco and the AiSytem came as apps. In technically, anyone could do it. The AiMobiles just made it easier to handle.

“Were you out training?” Ayame began, wincing. Obviously – she had been covered in mud. There weren't many ways to wind up like that.

Her stepsister nodded her head. “Yeah, with Vaughan and AI. She kicked our asses. I'm beginning to think Aikatsu is a slang term for masochism here.”

That caused Ayame to chuckle lightly. The wording may have been different, but she had heard plenty of the same complaint from the first year idols still adjusting to the training routine. She had been in the same place the prior year as well. Eventually the body aches would go down, and they would probably stop noticing them. It just took time and repetition.

“Now you sound like a real idol.”

“I'd prefer not to feel like I got smacked back first into a wall.” From her tone of voice, Ray sounded like she knew all about that.

Ayame would've responded, but it was then she noticed something that even weirded her out. Her stepsister was smiling as she looked down at her phone. She had smiled maybe twice since moving to Japan, or at least that other people had seen. The sight of it made her stomach turn for a second. How else to respond to a cryptid sighting?

Not that she knew anything about that – cryptids were more Honoka's thing that hers. She just went along sometime to hold the camera.

A sister  would ask about that, right? Ayame still wasn't so used to being someone's stepsister, especially since Ray had only been there for barely a year. Plus with Aikatsu, they didn't see each other much. Lately school was the only time they interacted, and even that was a stretch.

Still... worth a shot, right?

“Something good happen?”

Ray's head popped up and the smile faded. Was she blushing? Her face definitely darkened a little. However, instead of hiding the evidence she kept it out and tilted it towards Ayame's field of view. Then the phone was nudged over to her.

“Met a fan today.”

Ayame could see that. Someone had posted a photo of Ray and a small girl throwing up the horns – her sister had called it – at the nearby shopping center. She would have been worried about the elementary schooler, but the little girl was smiling so much that it was no doubt intentional. Plus she was wearing an awful lot of pink. It didn't take much to put the pieces together.

She smiled and handed the phone back. “Was that your first time?”

Ray nodded as she slipped it back into her pocket. “Yeah... she asked for my autograph and my mind went blank as hell.”

Oh, that one Ayame knew all too well too. She had frozen the same time someone had first asked her for her signature as a first year. By now she was used to it, but she still got flashes of the same sensation whenever a book or paper was presented to her. Maybe that was a good thing? It kept her on her toes.

Though...

“Did you give it to her?”

Ray's cheeks darkened. “Yes! God, I'm not evil...”

She paused, cheeks still dark. Then her head tilted as she looked to the side. “I thought what you would do and went with it.”

…

Well, shit, as her sister would put it.

It was now Ayame that was smiling as she watched the younger girl continue to blush. “Oh? Really?”

“Shut up.”

Her grin widened as she leaned over to pat Ray on the head. “Good to know I'm being such a great influence on you.”

Ayame was chuckling as her hand was pushed away by an embarrassed idol who sounded more like a squawking chicken. Suddenly, her mood was so much better, and even her ankle didn't hurt as much. It still hurt, but not much.

“I hate you.” Ray settled down with burning cheeks, looking away. A brief moment passed, then “Thanks.”

“You're welcome.” Ayame beamed back, her worries forgotten for the moment. Though, the light bulb moment hit her as she reached for her AiMobile. “Actually, could you take a look at this? I think this part is a little choppy.”

And that's how their afternoon turned back to idol activities. Maybe with both their heads together they could manage to figure it out. Even if not, Ayame still had plenty to teach her stepsister about being an idol. After all, she was a good influence on her.

Oh, she was going to hang on to that one for sure.

[ramblinganthropologist]

Pink Party mini bios

Primary OCs: Ray Jones and Ayame Kimura

Stepsisters, friends, occasional idol unit. Regular division Ray and idol class Ayame never expected to have a sister, but their parents’ marriage have brought them together as a new family. With Ray coming to Japan for some -ahem- discipline problems, the two girls find themselves attending the same school. And, to their surprise, they both like to sing. Ayame eventually convinces Ray to join her, and so their idol activities begin. East meets West and it’s gonna be more than just cultures clashing. But man, what a show it’s going to be.

Ray Jones Age: 13 Birthday: July 4  Height: 5′6″ Weight: unmeasured  Hair color: Black/dyed pink Eye color: Green Idol type: Cool Image color: hot pink  Texas born Ray’s the half Japanese daughter of an American sailor. Because of her mom’s job, she’s grown up in multiple places. Her last school was in Mexico, so coming to Japan is a whole new world. Her sarcastic, overly forward personality will do her no favors. What might is the natural athleticism created from years on various baseball teams and her natural rhythm. Not much else, though. Still, do your best Ray!* *Ray’s main unit is Sunburst. 

Ayame Kumura Age: 13 Birthday: July 7 Height: 5′0″ Weight: unmeasured Hair color: Brown Eye color: Brown Idol Type: Cute Image Color: Baby pink  Schooled in traditional dance from a young age, Ayame’s well equipped to become an idol. Her mother’s recent marriage led to both a new home and new school, so she’s taking both in stride. She still missed Kyoto, and hopes to return one day. She’s sweet and somewhat soft spoken, which makes her a natural cute idol. While she doesn’t have many fans yet, she’s hopeful that will change. Do your best, Ayame!*

*Ayame’s main unit is Sakura Sensation.