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The Portal of Zeta: iDOLM@STER Neo Vision

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liza94:
I like Hikari, I wonder, what is her mystery?

ZetaFlare:
Sorry about the slight delay. I got Fairy Fencer F in the mail yesterday and it's pretty addicting!

Kasugano Hikari's Route, cont.

Hikari seems to be excited to be able to participate in the Sunny Beach Festival. She knows the event draws several well-known idols, figuring it would be the perfect opportunity to face a challenging rival. Once there, Hikari catches a glimpse of her opponent and gets chills down her spine. Kenji wonders what’s wrong, but Hikari claims she was just thinking too much about the performance. Unfortunately, her unit is blown out of the water by Maya. Hikari finds it hard to believe she is meeting the highly-successful competitive dancing prodigy face-to-face, never expecting someone like her to become an idol. When Hikari tells Maya she performs in her school’s dance squadron which competes against other schools around the nation, Maya is very surprised. She never figured she would meet a fellow dancer-turned idol. While she is still pretty disappointed from the lack of challenge Hikari provided her, Maya is rather intrigued by Hikari’s past experience. She prompts Hikari to keep improving her skills, looking forward to the day they will be able to face off again.

Back at the office, Hikari looks depressed. A blowout loss like that hurts her like nobody’s business. She does not even care that Maya is part of NAZO. A loss is a loss and Hikari is not willing to take it. She knows about Maya…every professional and competitive dancer knows her name, even school troupes. Maya has been performing at a national level for almost ten years, winning several championships and the envy of even adult competitors. Hikari immediately blames Kenji for her unit’s loss. To her, he is so incompetent as a producer, he is not even worthy of being her manager anymore…now he’s just a nuisance who only serves to impede her progress. Kenji is flabbergasted. He is doing all he can to satisfy her. He tries to tell her that losses happen and her trio can always find a way to climb out of their hole. It’s still not enough for Hikari, however. She demands the President replace him next week, then tells her partners to train like mad in the future. Hikari claims that ZetaPro cannot afford to lose again, especially to NAZO. She storms out of the office doors in a fit and can be heard bawling outside. Kenji cannot believe how ungrateful Hikari is acting now. The President tells Kenji not to worry. He is not willing to fire his trusty producer after just one loss. All she needs is a little time to calm herself down and get over her humiliating defeat. Still, Kenji is concerned. Just what caused her to fly off into a rant like that?

Meanwhile, Maya is talking to her producer, excited how she met someone who is similar interests to her in the earlier festival. The producer then snaps at her, claiming her opponents are the enemy. If she expects to become the best and master her dancing, she must destroy all enemies. Seeing how this unit was so easily defeated by Maya alone, he figures they are no longer a threat to his plans.

Hikari is still a little sore next week, but gets momentum back on her side after a couple of successful outings. Defeating 961Pro/Ryuuguu Komachi really helps her spirits going. However, a couple of days after the festival, her positive streak is about to get snapped. The captain of her school’s dance troupe has decided to let Hikari go. Hikari just cannot seem to keep up with her teammates as the gap between them steadily got wider and wider. The team’s scores have steadily decreased over the past three major competitions since she became a regular in the rotation. Combined with her occasional rude and annoying behavior, the other members have considered Hikari a burden to the team. Hikari claims she tried her best, but the decision was almost unanimous. Hikari exits the school feeling heartbroken.

The following work day, the President, Kenji, and the other two idols are surprised to discover that Hikari has not shown up yet. She is usually very punctual. Kenji tries calling her on his cell phone, but there is no answer. Worried, Kenji decides to go outside and search for her. He finds Hikari in a depressed state on one of the picnic tables outside. Kenji asks Hikari what’s bothering her, but she claims she’s fine and that she hasn’t had much sleep last night after practicing so much. Kenji is not falling for her lies. He can pretty much tell something is wrong. Everyone else is worried about her, especially seeing how normally punctual she is when it comes to her idol work. Hikari snaps at Kenji, thinking he is sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. She suddenly stops, realizing the jig is up. Hikari then tells Kenji what happened with her dance squadron. It wasn’t just that on her mind either. For a while now, Hikari always thought she was being left in the dust of her peers when it comes to her abilities. Every time she would take one step forward, everyone else would take two or even three. Her grades at school aren’t as high as she would like them to be either. No matter how hard she tries, she just can’t seem to catch up. This complex eventually carried over into her idol career. She fears that while her partners have gotten much stronger, she remained the same since her debut. Facing Maya did not help in the slightest. While she really does enjoy the thrill of the competition, the real reason Hikari became an idol was to prove to everyone that she’s better than they give her credit for. This is why she said she never wanted to lose anymore. Kenji understands now…a classic inferiority complex. Still, he tells Hikari he never saw her as a weakling at all. She’s quite the spectacular dancer and her vocal and visual skills are constantly improving. She makes a spectacular idol. Besides, Hikari does not have to be absolutely perfect in order to prove her true strength. Losses happen. Rather than mope about it, all she has to do is shake it off, get angry, and go after the next challenge. Hikari apologizes for causing Kenji and her partners so much trouble, especially after the Sunny Beach Festival incident. Kenji tells her she shouldn’t let that bother her anymore…use the past to shape the future. Not wishing to embarrass herself, she makes Kenji promise her never to tell anyone about this conversation. She will never forgive him if he did. Kenji does agree to her promise as long as she gets straight back to work. Hikari arrives back at the office much to everyone’s delight.

(to be continued)

ZetaFlare:
Kasugano Hikari's Route, cont.

While Kenji did keep his promise, Hikari’s chat does wind up reaching the ears of RyuuseiPro’s spies who immediately send their hot scoop to gossip columnists. Hikari reads the slander (claiming she got thrown out due to her lack of talent and violent misconduct towards the captain) and immediately assumes Kenji squealed on her and broke his promise. She yells at her producer and even slaps him hard in the face. The President defends Kenji, claiming he is always true to his word…he would never break a promise like that. It’s more likely someone overheard her conversation and sent it to gossipers. They would usually do anything to make a buck. Kenji adds those magazines are usually full of bull anyway. They usually say things like that just to get people to read their articles. Besides, Kenji crossed his heart when he made his promise to her. Hikari trusts him…but only because the President says so.

On the day of the IU prelims, Hikari tries her best to hide her lack of confidence, claiming she is stoked about being able to compete against so many well-known idols. However, once she discovers her unit has been placed in the same block as NAZO, her anxiety clearly begins to show. Maya, however, is looking forward to be able to face Hikari again. She has been paying attention to her recent performances and is quite impressed with the improvements she has made since their previous encounter. Maya can really tell Hikari has come a long way. Now that she faces all three members of NAZO, Maya hopes Hikari shows off everything she has learned so far and performs with absolutely no holds barred. Kagura interrupts and bashes Maya for trying to encourage Hikari. Kagura can see the fear in Hikari’s eyes. Not only is Hikari the enemy, she is also a helpless weakling who cannot do anything without her partners’ help. If anything, NAZO should be teaching Hikari her place. Hikari tells Kagura, “I-I’m not scared! Can’t you see I’m…e-excited to be able to compete against the biggest unit in the nation right now?” Himeko laughs at Hikari’s lies, then tells her not to cry once she beats her unit (and her dreams) to a pulp in the preliminaries. As Kagura and Himeko head out to practice, Maya tells Hikari not to listen to them and give everything she’s got. ZetaPro manages to pass the audition, but wind up placing a distant second to NAZO. Kagura and Himeko are surprised that Hikari is able to pass, but Maya knows she had it in her all this time. Still, Maya knows Hikari can get even better, especially since the gap between them is still pretty wide. Himeko claims Hikari only passed because her partners have grown skilled enough to save her weak hide. Hikari does not stand a chance. She’s already far behind nearly everyone else competing in the preliminaries…so far behind, in fact, that she is starting to become a burden to her unit. All Hikari has done was dig a hole for herself that has gotten so deep she cannot get back out. Hikari is quick to snap back. “S-shut up! You don’t know me! I am not a burden! I’m a better idol than you think!” During her display of temper, a tear rolls down her cheek. Kagura cannot believe how immature Hikari is acting right now. She can tell Hikari is pretty much terrified of NAZO right now, knowing they are way out of her league. Hikari should give up now before she embarrasses herself, her unit, and her company. As NAZO exits the venus, Maya looks back at Hikari with slight concern. Was fear really holding Hikari back? Still, she wishes Hikari the best, looking forward to their next showdown.

Back at the office, Hikari’s partners are showing intense concern for her. Hikari tries to defend her embarrassment by claiming she’s just fine, but everyone (even the President) know that is not what her tears are trying to convey. How are they supposed to help her if they don’t know what’s wrong? Hikari, faced with the inevitability of the situation, decides to spill the beans. Not only does she suffer from an inferiority complex, but she’s scared of Maya, believing she is way out of her league. No matter how hard Hikari trains and no matter how much her talents continue to improve, she feels as though there is just no way she can catch up to Maya. She believes what Kagura told her to be true—that she’s weak and completely helpless without her partners backing her up. It reminded Hikari of what her dance troupe’s captain told her when she let her go. Plus, Hikari is kind of jealous of the other two idols. She feels as though they have come so far while she remained the same person she had always been. She feels the only way to become strong is to defeat Maya, which seems almost impossible. Kenji speaks up, telling Hikari her beliefs are not true. She really has become so much stronger since her idol debut and she can only get stronger still from here. She does not need to win every single time to prove her true strength—all the effort she puts into her work, lessons, and performances is proof enough. Besides, she has everyone at ZetaPro there to support her all the way. All she needs to do now is have confidence in herself. Whatever happened to her enjoyment of the thrill of the competition? She came into the idol world knowing how competitive it is…shouldn’t more skilled idols inspire her to work harder and keep improving her skills? Hikari thanks everyone for the pep talk, but warns never to tell anyone about what she told them…it would be so embarrassing to show any sort of weakness.

Hikari decides to spend some time with her partners in order to bond with them and learn some new techniques and tactics in how to continuously improve her abilities. “I-I just felt like it, okay?”

On the day NAZO challenges ZetaPro to a showdown at the Harvest Moon Festival, Hikari still feels a little unsure about her new and improved skills. She knows she will have to bring her A game and then some if she wants to have any chance of defeating Maya. At the festival, Kenji is impressed that Hikari is able to perform at a level almost equal to Hikari, but the performance is cancelled due to a pyrotechnic malfunction. As Yamato arrives to pick up NAZO, he stops by ZetaPro to mock them. The fact they promote someone like Hikari is proof that low-class companies would do anything possible to make a buck. To him, Hikari is nothing more than a talentless hack and a cowardly weakling. Feeling sympathetic for such a poor and unfortunate soul, they let her become an idol and spoiled her with a false sense of strength. As she continues to get popular, she begins to think she is stronger than anyone else. The foolish staff is just making her avoid the inevitable truth. Once a weakling, always a weakling…nothing Hikari can say or do will change her fate. Kenji tries to defend her, but his words fall on deaf ears. As Yamato prepares to take his leave, he boldly reminds ZetaPro that the elite upper-class unit NAZO is destined to win the IU. Hikari and the others should just give up and accept their fate because of their cheap business practices.

Back at the office, Kenji tells Hikari that she put on her best performance so far until it got disrupted. It was almost as if she was performing at Maya’s level…it’s the truth. Hikari feels pretty proud of herself. While she replies, “Naturally,” she thinks to herself, “Wow, have I really gotten that better? SQUEE!” Truth be told, she is not afraid of Maya or even Yamato now. If she is able to perform at NAZO’s level, she can really prove her strength to not only her peers, but to the entire nation! Maybe she can change her fate!

(to be continued)

ZetaFlare:
Kasugano Hikari's Route, cont.

After the opening ceremonies of the IU finals, Hikari overhears a conversation between Maya and Yamato. Maya is eager to see what kind of challenge her opponents have to offer. She specifically has her eyes on fellow dancer Hikari, who has come such a long way since she made her idol debut. Yamato, however, is disgusted with her upbeat attitude, believing that her time with Hikari has made her too soft. According to him, if Maya ever expects to master her dancing and become even stronger, she must show no mercy to her enemies (especially low-lives like ZetaPro) and squash them like the insects they are. Let’s not forget that it was these low-class dogs that killed her parents in that brutal gang war she was caught in so many years ago. Yamato really does not want to fire Maya after she was able to use her earnings to settle in a nice quiet home away from that crime-infested dump full of painful memories. Hikari can hardly believe that Maya had to put up with such a tragic past despite her incredible success. Maya notices Hikari and decides to talk with her. Hikari tells Maya she heard everything. It almost sounds as though she feels as though she has to win in order to save herself. Hikari says she pretty much felt the same way when she debuted as an idol…as if she had to win in order to show her peers just how capable she really is. Still, they both really enjoy the thrill of the competition the idol world provides (or, at least Maya really does). It was their skill and determination that led their respective units this far already. Who knows? They might be able to face off for the championship. Maya is proud to call Hikari her rival.

EDIT: Never mind. I think I've got an idea.

ZetaFlare:
Kasugano Hikari's Route, conclusion

Hikari manages to keep her cool against tough odds and advance to the finals. Getting desperate, Yamato decides to pay a visit to Hikari’s former dance squadron’s Twitter page for his next plan. In his post, he claims Hikari became an idol as an act of revenge for getting rid of her. Apparently, she got angry and jealous with how much the other members were progressing so she decided to show them she is better than them. She is so determined to be the absolute best she is willing to pull any trick in the book (no matter how dishonest) and make all her rivals suffer. Her company’s management only made matters worse by spoiling her and giving her a false sense of strength. Yamato wonders if part of the reason Hikari was let go from the squad was due to her rude behavior. To finish his post, he asks the squad to convince Hikari’s fanbase to betray her…that they are following a snobby, rude, violent, incompetent weakling who does not deserve their adoration.

On the way to Tokyo Dome the following day, Kenji gets a call from a member of the stage crew. Apparently, a group of people outside the dome are protesting against Hikari. Some are looking pretty unruly as if they want to have a piece of her. Hikari gasps. So many fans betraying her…how could this happen so soon? As soon as ZetaPro arrives at the dome and Hikari exits the van, some members of the mob toss garbage at her shouting, “Weakling!” “You are no idol!” “Go home!” “You’re just jealous of NAZO!” The guards are forced to restrain the mob while ZetaPro heads inside. Kenji tells the idols to ignore what happened outside and just focus on the performance later on. He is pretty much convinced the staff will not let creeps like them inside the gates. While the other members head to the dressing room to prepare for the finals, Hikari is scared stiff and falls to her knees next to the exit door.

Yamato soon gets a call from one of the dome’s staff members. From what he hears, his plan is coming together perfectly. Hikari’s spirits are dampened. Once it comes time to open the gates, he can lay the coup de grace. Little does he know someone is eavesdropping on him…

During practice, Kenji notices a familiar voice wailing in the background. He checks outside and notices Hikari crying her eyes out. It turns out the mob of traitors outside really got to Hikari’s head. Now she is starting to feel incompetent. It does not really help they are facing NAZO, with not just one, but three sensational idols who have gained national acclaim since they were children. Hikari believes if ZetaPro loses here, it will be all her fault. No matter how strong Hikari may have become, she fears she is still no match for Maya. Kaito arrives with even worse news. Some members of the mob have managed to make their way past the guards and are vandalizing Hikari’s fans’ banners, signs, etc. The staff is doing their best to hold them back but they are willing to do whatever it takes to keep Hikari from performing. Even worse, a group of dancers in black and green warm-ups appear to have been leading the charge. Hikari recognizes those colors—that’s her school’s dance squadron! They haven’t done anything objectionable yet but they have been convincing some of the crowd that Hikari is incompetent and detestable. Hikari is so bummed out that she has lost the will to perform. Kenji tries to cheer her up, but she is still not swayed by his inspirational words. Suddenly, who should show up but Maya? Hikari is a little embarrassed to have Maya see her like this. “Moron! I-I am not crying! *sniff* I-I just have something in my eye, that’s all! Jeez!” Maya laughs, figuring she would react like that. She knows Hikari is a lot better than what all those people claim. After she has gotten so much better and come so far in her career, Maya is not willing to let Hikari give up everything now…not while they are able to perform at an almost equal level. The mob and the numerous betrayals were all set up to get Hikari’s goat and keep her from performing. Earlier, Maya overheard a phone conversation with Yamato. Some of the guards at the front gate were working for RyuuseiPro and allowed the restless traitors through to wreak havoc on Hikari’s performance. Besides, look how many true blue fans she has acquired! All those cheering people who have always been dedicated to her know her true strength…not from winning, but from her effort and determination. That’s what makes a fantastic idol…as well as dancer and rhythmic gymnast for that matter. Hikari has a big concert to perform in tonight. If she quits now, she would be letting her fans, her partners, her producer, and especially Maya down. Besides, Maya wants to be able to face Hikari’s unit at their full strength. Maya gives Hikari a hand and helps her stand back up. Kenji knows that Maya is right. Hikari is only weak if she lets herself think she is weak. Now is the time to get out there and show everyone what she can really do. Hikari wipes her tears. “Okay. I’ll go…but only because Maya told me to! I’m not gonna let her show me up again!” Kenji gets a call from Kaito. The stage crew and the real guards worked together to clear the dome of the mobsters. It’s safe for Hikari and the others to perform now. Kenji and the idols are glad to hear the news as they head for the stage.

Yamato is surprised to see Hikari back on her feet ready to face NAZO. Kenji can hardly believe that Yamato would stoop so low as to take advantage of Hikari’s inferiority complex. Yamato claims it was for her own good. She really is inferior, but his nut of a father instilled a false sense of strength in her. Yamato is willing to make NAZO slap her silly with a reality check. Maya tells her producer to stop his cowardly charades. She helped out Hikari so they could play on an even field—so they can both go all-out. Before she performs, her dance captain walks up to her. Earlier, Maya came up to the team and they were fooled by Yamato’s lies. She apologizes for giving Hikari so much trouble, worrying she probably will not be able to forgive her. Hikari does forgive her…but only because Maya set things straight, baka! With everything straightened out and her fans cheering for her all the way, Hikari is ready to prove her true strength!

ENDING

Hikari feels so much more confident in her natural skills now. She meets Kenji one night to tell him some exciting news. Hikari was unanimously invited back into her dance squadron! Earlier, Maya convinced the squad they gave up too soon on a late bloomer. She might not have been as skilled as many of her other members, but her effort and determination were what truly made her a strong performer. Ever since she became an idol, she has gotten over her complex and continues to get better and better. Hikari may have her quirks (especially during her tsundere moments), but Maya is proud to find a good rival in her. Hikari is embarrassed to tell Kenji this…but she really has him to thank for helping her realize her true strength. It looks like Kenji has finally earned Hikari’s respect and right to be treated as her producer. She may be back in her squad, but she will continue to perform as an idol to find even more skilled rivals. Now Hikari can feel as though she is telling the truth when she says she enjoys the thrill of the competition!

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