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The Portal of Zeta: iDOLM@STER Neo Vision

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ZetaFlare:
I've made my decision! Everyone say "ni-hao" to the mascot girl Qinyin, alias Kotone!

Ri Kotone’s Route

Kenji first meets Kotone just outside a café sampling a cup of green tea. She enjoys it, but claims it’s not nearly as great as her grandmother’s. As she notices Kenji, she wonders what business he has with her. As Kenji tries to explain, Kotone notices him looking intently at her. She immediately assumes Kenji is some kind of stalker and gets prepared to give him a quick kick to the face! Just before she can make her move, Kenji quickly tells her the news regarding her debut. Kotone drops her stance in embarrassment. “Why didn’t you tell me in the first place aru?” Still, she feels more than ready to debut. To prevent further confusion, Kotone states that her true name is Li Qinyin…she was originally from China. However, everyone who reads her kanji always pronounces it “Ri Kotone.” That’s how she got her Japanese name.

Back at the office, Kotone already shows intense distrust towards Kenji, almost as if her mood could grow hostile towards him after the slightest false move. According to the President, she appears to hate men. That was probably why she was quick to judge Kenji and almost strike him in self-defense. Kenji figures something might have happened in the past to trigger this, but he decides to keep it to himself, believing Kotone might not be in the mood to talk about it. He manages to earn her trust for now, but he worries he may have to work overtime in order to stay on her good side.

Kotone may be used to performing on her own, but she is happy to work with two more idols in a unit. However, she feels a little uneasy appealing to a male demographic. During meet-and-greets, she learns to act a little nicer towards her male fans. Most of them do have their morals despite their undying dedication for her (almost as if any of them could confess their love for her when she least expects it). However, she always exercises caution just in case one of them might want to overstep his bounds.

Little by little, Kotone slightly grows to trust her producer as she gradually gains more fans and sales. Kenji is really impressed with Kotone’s display of skill and composure during concerts and promotions. It’s almost as if she has a history as a performer. Kotone claims she actually does. She happens to be the mascot girl and entertainment chairwoman of a tea house in Nara owned by her mother and grandmother. She acquired her singing skills by holding and participating in open-mic and karaoke nights. She is quite the acrobat, able to perform stunts like one-handed handstands, cartwheels, somersaults, and backflips effortlessly. One of her favorite tricks is balancing and spinning plates on her palms and even her fingertips! She has been a roaring success as a performer for the last six years. Unfortunately, it was not enough to rake in money for her family’s financially-troubled tea house. While their special tea recipes are favorites among their customers, they still cannot seem to compete with bigger-name chain franchises. The main reason Kotone decided to become an idol is to continue to use her talents to the fullest in order to promote her tea house. She wants to prove the business can serve up not only the best tea in Japan, but the best entertainment as well. Her experience performing stage shows at the tea house have passed on magnificently to her idol activities. Kenji hopes to help her accomplish her goals, but Kotone is still not willing to accept his help just yet.

(to be continued)

ZetaFlare:
Ri Kotone's Route, cont.

On the day of the Sunny Beach Festival, Kotone’s unit is singlehandedly destroyed by Himeko. Afterwards, Himeko not only mocks Kotone’s Chinese origins but decides to play with her hatred of men. Himeko claims the real reason Kotone lost so easily is because of Kenji. He only serves to hold Kotone back. All this time he has been telling lies to earn her trust so he could stab her in the back when she least expects it. The way he looks her in the eyes—it could be a sign of lust. What if Kenji wants Kotone for more than just money in his own pocket? Kotone starts to get a little stressed, believing what Himeko told her was true. Himeko finds it hilarious how she is able to run Kotone through her fingers like putty. Kenji tries to snap Kotone out of it, but she gives him the cold shoulder. She does not even say a word to him on the drive back to the office.

Back at the office, Kotone finally exerts her frustration towards Kenji, blaming him for her unit’s loss. She feels as if he is deceiving her, just like all the other boys she has put up with. She thinks he is selfish and egotistical. She feels as though it is no longer right to trust in him. Continuing to do so would only further jeopardize the future of her family’s business. Kotone demands the President immediately find someone to replace Kenji as her producer and claims she will quit if he does not comply as soon as possible. The President and Kenji try talking some sense into Kotone, but she runs out of the office in a huff. Everyone is worried about her, including her partners. Kenji decides to take it upon himself to snap Kotone out of the trance Himeko put on her. The President tries to talk him out of it, fearing it would only make matters worse, but Kenji insists, claiming it is his responsibility as her producer.

That evening, Kenji looks everywhere he can to find Kotone. He finally locates her in an alley cornered by a trio of thugs. She tells them she has close to nothing on her in terms of cash, but money is not quite what these guys want. Instead, they flirt with her and try to ask her out, figuring a “yummy little slut” like her could not say no. Kotone is disgusted by their advances, backs away, and turns down their offer by spitting in their leader’s face. Unfortunately, the thugs are not willing to give up on her that easily. The leader states if his boys cannot have her by reason, they will take her by force. Kenji, who has been listening in on the whole affair, rushes to the scene to protect Kotone. As soon as one of the thugs grabs Kotone’s arm, Kenji grabs the thug’s other arm and gets in between the boys and Kotone. The thugs are surprised to be interrupted by another guy, assuming he is either Kotone’s boyfriend or just a lowlife who wants her all to himself. Kenji tells Kotone to make a run for it. Kotone is confused and wonders why Kenji would be foolish enough to try to get in the way of brutes like them who will clearly do anything to have their way, no matter how dirty. Kenji claims he just had to do whatever it takes to save her. It’s not just because he is her producer, but he cannot stand seeing innocent girls get treated like that. Kotone escapes as quickly as her legs will allow. One of the thugs tries to pursue her, but Kenji trips his leg, causing him to fall flat on his face. Angered beyond belief that their “easy target” slipped out of their grasp because of Kenji’s interference, the thugs exert their rage by violently pummeling Kenji into the ground. They decide to let him live, but warn him never to cross their path again. Kenji is dazed and bruised. Aside from a bit of a sore right calf, he is not seriously hurt. He calls Kaito on his cell phone to give him a ride home. During the drive, Kenji tells Kaito what happened in the alley. Kaito figures something like this may change Kotone’s view on men—that not all of them are as evil as she believes.

As Himeko shares the news of her victory with her producer, he immediately sends a hot scoop to gossip columnists, hoping to exaggerate Kotone’s hatred of men. According to their new articles, Kotone is sick of her male fans, calling them nothing more than rabid, lustful, egotistical pigs. Some even claim she may be a lesbian who desperately wants to appeal to other girls in more ways than one.

(to be continued)

ZetaFlare:
Ri Kotone's Route, cont.

On the next day of work, Kenji limps into the office with his calf still recovering. Kotone appears before him looking pretty guilty. Just before Kenji arrived, Kaito told Kotone everything about what happened that one night. She thanks Kenji for helping her escape from those thugs, but feels sorry that he got hurt for her sake. Here she was thinking Kenji was just another one of those selfish, dishonest, loathsome boys who have been messing with her for so long. He could have just left her in the mercy of the bullies, but he risked his life to save hers…not because it was his job but because he instinctively wanted to. All this time Kenji really did care for her and she didn’t even know it because she was blind and too quick to judge. Feeling as though she is in his debt, Kotone decides to fully put her faith and trust in Kenji. It was not just Kenji either. The more she worked with Kaito and the President, the more she began to see their kindness and thoughtfulness and the more she felt as though she could trust them. “Perhaps not all men are evil after all aru…”

Kotone’s unit soon bounces back after their loss to Himeko. Later, after they reach Rank C and compete against 961/Ryuuguu Komachi in a festival, Kotone decides to invite Kenji to her family’s tea house the following day. Kenji accepts, feeling he could use a little refreshment after a long, tough festival earlier. Since Kotone really praises her grandmother’s special recipe, he figures he could try some himself.

The next day, Kenji arrives at the tea house. He really enjoys the peach tea—a specialty of Kotone’s mother. Kotone introduces Kenji to her mother and grandmother. They are both very pleased to meet him and thank him for all the help and kindness he has given their little girl during her idol career. Still, they find it interesting that Kotone has grown to trust him after so many years of her talk of how much she hated men. Feeling curious upon hearing the words “so many years,” Kenji wonders what caused Kotone to distrust men so much. Kotone is unsure if she wants to tell him the truth, but her mother insists she do so. If she really does trust Kenji, she should let him know how she truly feels. When Kotone was just a baby and lived in China, she had to put up with one of the worst possible fathers she could ever have. He was a drunkard and an intense pervert. He constantly abused her mother physically, verbally, and sexually. Even worse, he considered Kotone a pain and would abuse her every time she cried or misbehaved. Unable to put up with the man’s harsh treatment any longer, Kotone’s mother and grandmother took Kotone, snuck out of the house while her father slept, and fled to Japan to begin their life anew. There, they reestablished the family’s tea house in the town of Nara. According to Chinese authorities, the father went insane after he found out that his wife, daughter, and mother-in-law ditched him. He began trashing the house, drinking even more heavily, and sexually assaulting women in their mid to late teens. Authorities finally captured him in his home after he kidnapped a prostitute and attempted to rape her. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for his crimes. Kotone’s mother was relieved to finally get her former husband out of her hair forever. However, once Kotone began to go to school in Japan, some boys would always bully her because of her origins, often mocking her clothing, accent, and use of the suffix “aru”. Some even consider her an S-L-U-T, believing Chinese girls are like prostitutes. The more Kotone was tormented by male bullies, heard news of dirty men on the news (i.e. sex offenders and domestic violence), and eventually learned the truth about her father, Kotone began to develop prejudice and hatred towards all men. While she showed hostility even towards boys with good intentions, she did show respect for her male teachers and authoritative figures…she knew better and believes they are much more mature than pretty much all the other guys she knew. Once Kotone began working with Kenji, though, her views began to change. She learned to accept the good with the bad in terms of men. Kotone’s mother tells her daughter that for every creepy man like her father, there is at least one honest man, maybe even more. She also thanks Kenji for being so kind to her daughter and keeping her safe, especially after the incident in the alley (which Kotone had told her mother about the night before). Now she can rest easy, knowing Kotone is in good hands…hands that helped Kotone open her eyes to the truth that was once blind to her. Kotone thanks Kenji for spending some time at the tea house and then gives him a taste of her signature plate-spinning act. Everyone admires it, especially Kenji. As Kenji leaves, he wishes the best for the success of the tea house. With their mascot girl’s success as an idol, their future looks pretty bright.

Before ZetaPro heads off to the venue where the IU preliminaries are being held, Kotone gives her partners some of her tea house cookies for good luck. She figures they will need it, knowing Himeko will definitely participate in a tournament this big. Preparing for the worst, Kotone expects and is ready to face Himeko again upon discovering that ZetaPro and NAZO have been placed in the same competition block. Once Himeko arrives with the rest of NAZO, Kotone tells Himeko she will not be psyched out by her lies anymore. On the contrary, Kenji really has been a great help on her path to success. Himeko laughs at her statement, claiming her producer is taking full advantage of her kindness and continues to deceive her. Perhaps a good thrashing here worse than the one she got at the Sunny Beach Festival will teach Kotone her place. Both Kotone and Himeko are surprised that ZetaPro managed to pass the audition. However, the distance in scores between them and the first-place NAZO is immense. Kotone proudly claims to her rival this is the ability she gained after her time with Kenji led her to trust him and stop prejudging all men. Himeko, beginning to feel a little desperate, claims she will not lose to a foreigner with flawed morals. Why bother using your idol status to try to promote a family-owned tea house that will eventually be run into the ground? The more big chain companies that arrive near a small business, the more the smaller one will succumb to the competition. Himeko makes it a high priority to run Kotone’s family out of business. Kotone decides to psyche Himeko out and claims she is just bluffing and/or does not like her tea. Himeko tries to put on a poker face and say she has no time to listen to peasants, but deep down, she feels a little anxious.

Back at the office, Kotone is not willing to let what Himeko told her get into her head again. She has been doing her very best to invest some of her sales into her family’s tea house to help keep it afloat despite the harsh competition. Even if it still isn’t enough, it is her family’s heart and soul…she, her mother, and her grandmother would never want to sell it and succumb to the will of greedy chain tea house and café franchises. The President soon arrives with bad news for Kotone. While Kenji and the others were away, she got an urgent email from her mother. Recently, a new tea house from a big chain recently opened down the street and has been drawing customers away from her business. It has grown so bad they had to put a mortgage on the tea house. Unless Kotone earns enough to pay it off soon, her business will be forced to shut down. Kotone feels horrible. She wants to prove once and for all that Himeko is wrong, but it is becoming more of a challenge considering the current state of her family’s business. Kotone asks for a favor from Kenji—help her become more successful as an idol so she can earn enough sales to pay off the mortgage and keep her family’s pride and joy standing. Kenji promises her he will do whatever it takes to help her. The tea house is just too special to him, Kotone, and the Ri family. He is not at all willing to let it succumb to big businesses.

As Kotone bonds with her partners, some of them (depending on who they are, especially Shiori) start to become regular customers at her tea house to continue to support her. With her trust in Kenji growing stronger and stronger, Kotone feels ready to take on NAZO again once they challenge ZetaPro to a competition at the Harvest Moon Festival. Unfortunately, both performances are cancelled due to a pyrotechnic malfunction. As Yamato shows up to pick up NAZO, he swings by ZetaPro to mock Kotone. According to him, the real reason why Kotone and her unit are so weak compared to NAZO is not because their producer is a man, but because he is of the middle class. Both male and female commoners are cheap, selfish, greedy, dishonest, and all-around filthy creatures. Yamato is a high-quality producer of the elite upper class, destined by fate to succeed. The same logic is true for businesses. Small businesses shell out cheap products that rip off the bigger companies. In due time, they will eventually fail or sell themselves to a bigger company. In the end, money is power. Kotone is a fool to continue to fight for a run-down family-owned tea house. All she is doing is delaying the inevitable. Kenji soon takes a stand for Kotone. Her tea house is special. It does not rip off chain restaurants…it instead depends on special family recipes that have been passed down through generations. It still might not be doing as well as it should be, but at least the staff (Kotone’s mother and grandmother) is free from the tyranny of big business CEOs. Yamato scoffs at Kenji’s defense. Not only will he lead NAZO to victory at the IU, but he and his idols will be sure to run the Ri family out of business. Yamato laughs as he and NAZO head back to his limo. Kotone cannot believe how horrible Yamato is. Still, she knows not all men are like that. There are guys like Kenji who really care for her and her dreams. Besides, she has two other idols/friends in her unit who have always been by her side. Kotone is not worried about the situation at all.

One week later, the entire unit has earned enough to pay off the mortgage on the Ri family tea house! The other two idols pitch in with some of their sales to help Kotone add the necessary funds and then some. The tea house is back in service! Yamato hears the news and is infuriated. If Kotone’s unit advances further into the IU, Yamato decides to hatch an ultimate plan that will forever ruin Kotone.

(to be continued)

ZetaFlare:
Ri Kotone's Route, conclusion

On the day of the IU finals opening ceremonies, Kotone overhears a conversation between Himeko and Yamato. While her rival still claims to be perfect, she feels a little insecure being fully British. She fears that if word gets out (especially about her real name), all the fame and fortune she has will be destroyed and she will have absolutely no chance of winning the IU. Yamato angrily makes her snap out of it. He made her a regal princess idol because she is the definition of pure perfection and proof that the upper class is superior in every way. Her competition will bow to her like the goddess she is. Kotone is surprised. For a while now, she figured there was something a little different about Himeko than the other idols she met, but she never expected her to be a full-blooded foreigner too. As soon as Himeko swings by, Kotone catches her attention, calling her by her true name “Alice.” It just so happens both of their families are involved in businesses in some way…the Ri family has their tea house while Himeko’s parents are both big-time entrepreneurs. In a way, Himeko does not seem to have any respect for men either. To her, they are all mindless insects that she can easily manipulate into her loyal servants. All it took was a little money and a little “service.” Kotone, however, once thought all men were as pitiful as her father. However, Kenji helped her change her views for the better. Kotone claims Himeko is just as vulnerable as her fans she holds in such low regard. While she manipulates them, she has no idea that Yamato is manipulating her like putty in his hands. Himeko angrily silences Kotone, claiming Yamato knows what he is doing and knows what’s best for her. She owes him everything. Unlike Kotone, Himeko does not have to worry about her family’s business collapsing. Being multimillionaires, her parents are guaranteed lifelong success, unlike Kotone’s mother and grandmother with their “cheap” family-owned shack. Himeko warns Kotone that if she ever publicizes the name Alice Treyton, she will make Kotone and her family suffer in the worst possible way. Himeko runs back to Yamato’s limo and can be heard slightly sobbing. Kotone sighs, claiming she might never be able to understand what a haughty princess wannabe may be thinking.

After Namco Angel loses to NAZO in the quarterfinals, Yukiho recognizes Kotone as soon as she cheers up. Yukiho was once a customer at the Ri family tea house where she watched Kotone perform one of her stage shows during her days as a mascot girl. The green tea she had there was phenomenal. She tells Kotone she would definitely recommend the shop to all of her friends and anyone else who enjoys tea. Kotone is so glad that a highly successful idol like Yukiho approves of her family’s business. Who knows…perhaps this could this lead to more publicity?

With the situation getting more and more out of hand, Yamato decides to hatch his grand master plan. The following day at Tokyo Dome, ZetaPro receives an ominous red letter with a dragon motif. It reads, “Silly little girl! You and your family never learn! Your mother could have done the right thing and accepted the big chain café’s offer to sell their tea house. However, she foolishly persisted, claiming her business is priceless and too special to sell. When will you ever learn that family values do not make a small business succeed? In the end, even if you try to raise money for the establishment by working as an idol, it’s still useless. Small, family-owned businesses are fated to crumble before big businesses. If you will be that stubborn about it, I have friends in high places. Let me ask you something…is your family’s tea house more valuable than your idol career and the love of your doting fans? Therefore, I will make you an offer you simply cannot refuse. Drop out of the IU finals and give up your idol career, or I will have no choice but to order your precious family treasure demolished. Either way, you will have to give up something. That’s the way life goes sometimes. I await your decision at the stage at 6:00 PM sharp. Do not be late or else.”

Both Kenji and Kotone are shocked. To think Yamato would sink this low. Kotone contacts her mother on her smart phone to see what’s going on. According to Kotone’s mother and grandmother, the tea house is surrounded by three trucks from a demolition squad. The drivers have told them they are there for an important job across the street. One even said he would inform the authorities if Kotone’s mother or grandmother would interfere with their assignment. Kotone’s mother wonders why they would have trucks surround the house and put men on constant surveillance. Kotone tells her it was all a ruse set up by their rival unit’s producer. He wants to have the tea house wrecked unless she surrenders to NAZO and drops out of the idol industry. Kotone takes a picture of Yamato’s letter on her smartphone, sends it to her mother’s smartphone, and has her grandmother inform authorities on what’s happening. Luckily, Kotone’s grandmother knows a secret back exit so she can escape the watchful eyes of the demolition squad. After she escapes their sights, she manages to find a police officer taking his lunch break at a nearby fast food restaurant. Kotone’s grandmother excuses the cop for interrupting his break and explains the situation, showing the picture of the letter written by the man who hired the demolition team. He thanks her for the information. Once the officer’s break is over, he and his team immediately head for the tea house. Kotone’s grandmother manages to sneak back into the tea house through the same back door as before. The cops order the wreckers to disperse. They have not been authorized to work in this area. Plus, this was all a ruse by their boss in order to lock the tea house owner’s daughter into an ultimatum. The cops also tell the crew to warn their boss they will take matters over to him if a situation like this happens again. Kotone’s mother and grandmother are glad that everything is safe now, but two of the cops stay behind to make sure nothing else happens.

Later that evening, Kotone gets a call from her mother, informing her that the wrecking crew sent by Yamato has been cleared. She, Kotone’s grandmother, and the tea house are all safe and sound. Kotone and Kenji are relieved. The cops later arrested a boy who tried to hit the tea house with a Molotov cocktail. Kotone gasps and think the boy was sent by Yamato, but it turns out he was just a common prankster. Kotone giggles a bit, then calms down. She remembers what Kenji told her earlier…there are the creepy men that she has known throughout the years and then there are guys like Kenji, Kaito, and the President…kind and generous gentlemen. While all her male fans may seem like stalkers, close to none of them would overstep their bounds. They love her for her passion about being an idol. Now that Yamato’s ultimatum has been shut down, Kotone feels ready to show NAZO (especially Himeko) what she can do.

As ZetaPro faces NAZO on stage before the final showdown, Yamato is surprised to see Kotone looking so confident. He soon gets a call on his cell phone. It’s the leader of the wrecking crew he sent. They failed. The girl’s grandmother somehow got crafty and managed to squeal on them. They tried to resist but the authorities were just too much for them. Yamato is flabbergasted. He thought his company was able to bribe the police. Apparently, he missed a couple. Yamato flips his lid and tells Kotone he will destroy the tea house himself if NAZO wins. Kenji grabs him and demands him to give up his charades and fight fairly. The rest of the conversation goes on regularly from there…

ENDING

Kotone’s big sales and status as top idol really help her family’s business rise to a stable success. The tea house receives more customers and more revenue than ever before not just because of its mascot girl’s success, but because its genuine products are to die for! Sometimes when she gets the chance, Kotone will return to the tea house to put on one of her classic stage shows as a mascot girl. At school, Kotone begins to make more and more male friends. She is truly friendly towards everyone at meet-and-greets, even towards her dedicated male fans who are devoted yet kind. One day, Kotone decides to invite Kenji over to the Ri family tea house to celebrate their recent success. She, her mother, and grandmother all thank Kenji for all the support he has given her throughout her career. Kotone tells him her dreams may have been fulfilled, but that will not stop her. Being an idol is so much fun to her…it’s like being a mascot girl and so much more! This is why she has recently decided to continue her idol career. Kotone is proud to call Kenji her first true guy friend (no…not boyfriend…that’s something completely different). To thank him for all he has done for her, she offers him a cup of her mother’s peach tea on the house, which Kenji gladly accepts.

ZetaFlare:
I've got it! I finally found some inspiration for Emi's route! However...you guys might hate me for what I'm about to put her through at such a tender age... (don't worry, it's not THAT bad! I don't swing that way!)

With that in mind, who should I do next? Emi or Nagisa?

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