Community > Community works

The Portal of Zeta: iDOLM@STER Neo Vision

<< < (60/76) > >>

ZetaFlare:
Isshiki Nagisa's Route, cont.

Nagisa and the others were not alone during their conversation at the orphanage. Yamato’s agents have heard everything and immediately send their hot scoop too gossip columnists. “Not only is Nagisa half-Brazilian, but she’s the daughter of a deported illegal immigrant! Is her mother really a prostitute? Is Nagisa herself secretly a prostitute too? Are her motives impure?” Some who read the articles are disgusted and shower Nagisa with snide and even racist comments, much to her chagrin. However, she soon recalls what Kenji told her. While nuts like them do exist, she should not let them bother her at all…they are not worth her time. Besides, these gossip magazines are full of bull anyway. There are many, many more people out there who adore heer and what she has brought to the industry. For every fan she loses, she gains around ten more. Nagisa forgets ever reading those articles and happily continues her work as usual.

On the day of the IU preliminaries, Nagisa is anxious to see Maya and Hibiki again, knowing they are both bound to participate in a tournament this big. Luckily, Hibiki and the other members of the revived Project Fairy are just a couple of spots in front of ZetaPro. Nagisa gleefully says hello to her big inspiration. Hibiki finds Nagisa beyond adorable. Once she hears Nagisa’s story of the time she saw her in concert and decided to become an idol, Hibiki is so glad she became such a big influence on her. She wishes Nagisa the best of luck with IU as she heads back to her units spot in line. Takane seems to sense something special in Nagisa. She may look a bit different from the other competitors, but her spirit seems very strong, possessing skills and motives to back it up. Takane can tell Nagisa is playing for keeps. Later on after registering, ZetaPro suddenly gets placed in the same competition block as NAZO. Nagisa and Maya are overjoyed to be able to see each other again. Maya cannot wait to see just how much Nagisa has improved as an idol, especially now that she faces NAZO at its full strength. Kagura and Himeko angrily silence maya, unable to believe she is acting so nicely to the enemy. They must mercilessly destroy all enemies and teach them their place. As NAZO heads back to prepare for their audition, Maya worriedly looks back at Nagisa. Himeko tells Maya to focus and not give a care about that “dirty witch.” After the audition, Nagisa’s unit manages to pass, but they still place a distant second to NAZO. Maya is very impressed with Nagisa’s accomplishment. She can tell she has really come a long way. However, the gap between them is still pretty big. Knowing Nagisa can become even better than she is right now, Maya encourages her to keep on going and not let any biased people get in her way. She’s too good to get dragged down by such hateful comments. Himeko suddenly gets up in Nagisa’s face, telling her that a half-breed like her should not be an idol at all. How Nagisa became nationally popular is beyond Himeko. Perhaps she tricked overly soft and sympathetic pansies to be her fans. She’s a prostitute just like any full-blooded Brazilian woman who sneaks into Japan. Himeko threatens Nagisa to give up her ambitions and idol career if she knows what’s good for her. All of a sudden, who should come to Nagisa’s defense but Hibiki?! She tells Himeko to quit picking on Nagisa. She pretty much knows that Nagisa would never use dirty tactics to promote herself. Earlier in line, Hibiki saw the passion in Nagisa’s eyes. She truly is a genuine idol. Her origins had nothing to do with it. Before Himeko can retaliate, Kagura tells her they have to leave and meet with their producer. Himeko warns ZetaPro that NAZO will return to teach them the error of their ways. Nagisa thanks Hibiki for standing up to her. Hibiki tells Nagisa she has been very impressed with what she has done so far for the idol world. It’s not too often a relatively new idol trio is able to pass the IU preliminary audition. Besides, Nagisa’s differences had nothing to do with her current success. Being from Okinawa, Hibiki can relate to being a bit different, especially adjusting to life on the main islands. She can almost feel that she and Nagisa are pretty much alike in terms of talents and personality. Hibiki really has faith in Nagisa and knows her fans and especially her producer have even more faith in her. Before she sets off with the rest of Project Fairy, Hibiki wishes Nagisa the best of luck in her future endeavors. Nagisa feels so special and excited to be able to be recognized by her big inspiration. Kenji assures her that what Hibiki told her was true. It does not matter that her mother was illegal. Nagisa is truly becoming such an amazing idol. Her mother would be so proud of her, wherever she is. Nagisa hugs Kenji happibly before heading back to the office.

Over the next few weeks, Nagisa spends some time bonding with her partners. While learning new practice techniques and customs of the outside world (having lived in an orphanage throughout most of her life outside of school), she takes her new friends to the beach and shows them how special it is to her. Once ZetaPro is challenged by NAZO to compete at the Harvest Moon Festival, Nagisa cannot wait to show Maya everything she has learned since their previous encounter. Unfortunately, both performances are cancelled due to a pyrotechnic malfunction. Once Yamato arrives to pick up NAZO, he proceeds to mock ZetaPro. The fact they hire “dirty witches” like Nagisa is proof of how low middle-class companies will sink to make a living. Who in their right mind takes a filthy orphaned urchin off the streets and makes her into a professional idol? ZetaPro must have been easily fooled by Nagisa’s sob story. Maybe Nagisa used some kind of black magic on them and her fans. Besides, even being half-Brazilian, she is a total prostitute just like her illegal mother. Speaking of her mother, Yamato tells Nagisa she is fighting for a worthless cause. Her mother is no longer around to receive any more of her daughter’s paychecks. Nagisa gasps. Could something terrible have happened to her mother after she was sent back to Brazil? She cannot and will not believe what Yamato stated to be true! Kenji comforts her, claiming that Yamato is only trying to get her goat. Yamato warns Nagisa to stay out of NAZO’s way and give up on the IU and her idol career for the greater good of the idol industry. Nagisa is worried sick. She wants to believe that Kenji is right and Yamato really is bluffing, but the very thought of losing what little family she has left is leaving a knot in her stomach…

(to be continued)

ZetaFlare:
Wow, over 7000 views! ;D

Isshiki Nagisa's Route, conclusion

Next week, Nagisa is nowhere to be found. She does not show up to work and does not answer her phone calls. The President finds this sudden absence a little peculiar. Nagisa is normally early to arrive and overflowing with positive energy. Fearing something might have happened to her, Kenji and Kaito decide to head for the orphanage to find out what’s wrong. Once there, Kenji finds the manager and asks her if Nagisa is safe and able to talk now. The manager does not suspect Nagisa might not be in the mood after recent events impacted her life. A couple of days ago, Nagisa was mailed what little money her mother had left. Later, a tragic event was all over the international news on TV. About a week ago, a woman in Brazil was gang raped and brutally murdered by a group of thugs who have been causing all sorts of trouble around the city lately. According to one of the reporters, one of the thugs fooled the woman on the phone stating she has been hired for a high-paying job she recently applied for. Once she arrived at the location, she fell right into the thugs’ trap. They intended to rip her for tall the money she had and force her to work for them as a prostitute. While searching her wallet, one of the thugs notices that her last name had been changed fourteen years ago from a Brazilian name to a Japanese one. Angered that the woman they captured might not be a virgin, they made her fess up about her dead husband and daughter currently residing in Japan. Needless to say, the gang showed the woman no mercy. It turns out the woman was in fact Nagisa’s mother. Kenji is shocked. He cannot even imagine how Nagisa is feeling right now. Still, as her producer, he feels as though it’s up to him to set things right. According to the manager, Nagisa has not come out of her room since yesterday. She was absent from school and cheer practice. Her meals had to be delivered to her room because she would not arrive at the dining hall with everyone else. Worried, Kenji immediately heads for Nagisa’s room. He opens the door and sees Nagisa sitting in the corner in a painfully depressed state. Nagisa is surprised to see Kenji so suddenly like this. She asks him to exit her room as she is not in the mood to talk. Kenji feels like he has to talk with her. It’s not just because it’s his job to make sure his idol is safe and happy…he’s just really worried about her and instinctively wanted to cheer her up. In a rare display of tears, Nagisa tells Kenji she was nearly destroyed by the loss of her mother. Not even the money she received in her mother’s will was enough to mend the hole in her heart. The whole reason she became an idol in the first place was to be able to allow her mother to live a happier life and see her doting daughter again, especially after living such a horrible life in Brazil. Now the only real family she had left is gone. Nagisa feels so guilty, knowing there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. Kenji apologizes to Nagisa for her most unfortunate loss, but tells her to think about what she would tell her if she were still around. Nagisa suddenly looks up with a surprised look on her face. It almost feels like the spirit of her mother is talking to her. From what the image in her head tells her, sitting around and moping about it solves nothing. When she’s feeling down or scared, the things she loves will save her. They will show her that everything will be fine…that she’s never alone. Nagisa soon thinks about all the good things life offered her…her childhood friends at the orphanage…her passion for dancing and cheerleading…her friends and events during her days with the cheer club…fun times at the beach…a chance to watch Hibiki perform and later meet her in person…her idol partners…Kenji…Maya. Even without her parents around, Nagisa can still say she enjoys an overall happy life. Kenji is so pleased that Nagisa still has something precious to hold on to. Still, Nagisa wishes to take a bit of time off to mourn the death of her mother. However, she does promise to return to the office next week, knowing everyone there has been worried sick about her after they have received no word of her since the day of the Harvest Moon Festival. Nagisa hugs Kenji as she cries tears of joy, thanking him for everything. He’s so kind and precious, he’s like an older brother to her. After Kenji and Kaito head back to the office, Nagisa heads to her favorite beach. Creating a makeshift gravestone from a flat white rock she picked up earlier, she places it in the sand and lays a bouquet of white flowers next to it. She says a prayer as a tear runs down her cheek, promising her mother she will fulfill her wishes and keep doing what makes her happy.

Nagisa keeps her promise to Kenji and returns to work the following week. Later on at the IU finals opening ceremony, Nagisa overhears a conversation between Yamato and Maya. Maya is eager to see what kind of challenge her opponents have to offer. She specifically has her eyes on Nagisa, 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 Nagisa 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. Nagisa cannot believe what she has heard and heads over to talk with her once Yamato is away. She heard everything. Maya was not the only one who had to deal with the loss of family. Nagisa tells Maya the story how she lost her father to a group of angry anti-immigration activists during her infancy and her mother to gangsters in Brazil a few weeks back. She also tells her how helping her mother was a big reason she decided to work as an idol in the first place. While Nagisa was suffering a state of depression after hearing the news of her recently departed mother, Kenji and what sounded like her mother’s spirit taught her something. While she may have no family left, all the things she loves will keep her happy. Maya knows Nagisa is right. She had almost nothing left after losing both her parents. Still, that never stopped her from continuing to hone her dancing skills, competing on a national level, and seeking out skilled rivals. This passion made her happy much like cheerleading, dancing, beach visits, and all her friends make Nagisa happy. Maya can hardly believe how alike the two of them are (aside from their origins, of course). Plus, she really admires her constantly growing talents. She’s very proud to call her perky half-Brazilian friend her rival. As Maya and Nagisa hug, she tells her, “May the best idol win.”

During the semifinals against Project Fairy, Hibiki recognizes her opponent right away. She never expected Nagisa to get this far into the IU. Hibiki has seen Nagisa’s unit perform from time to time since the IU preliminaries. She knows not to hold anything back…not with Nagisa as good as she is and her unit’s true objective (Ryuuguu Komachi) waiting in the wings. Project Fairy puts up a valiant effort, but winds up defeated. Later that night after Iori’s chat with Kenji, Hibiki catches up to Ryuuguu Komachi and tells them to keep a sharp eye on Nagisa. If there’s anyone who can defeat NAZO now, it’s her. She has come so far in such a little amount of time. Hibiki promises Nagisa she will be behind her 100%. Upon hearing Hibiki’s motivation, Nagisa becomes stoked for tomorrow’s final showdown.

With the situation growing more desperate, Yamato decides to hatch his ultimate plan to stop ZetaPro in their tracks. He can be seen posting a message on an online bulletin board…

The next day as the van arrives at Tokyo Dome, ZetaPro is soon swarmed by an angry mob, halting their advance. The mob is packed with racists and anti-immigration activists who have learned the truth about Nagisa’s heritage. They believe she is filthy, wild, impure, and even a demon. Some of the protestors bang on the doors demanding ZetaPro to release Nagisa. Nagisa is scared half to death. She has never seen so many people lash out at her with such bigoted remarks. Luckily, security arrives and disperses the mob, allowing ZetaPro to enter the side gate safely. Nagisa is still shaking. It was like a nightmare come true. She thought she would not have to put up with those kinds of people again, but she was wrong. Kenji notices her confidence fading. He assures her that security has the situation completely under control. Nagisa breathes a sigh of relief as she heads into the dressing room to change.

Later that night, the mob is determined not to give up. They want to get rid of Nagisa no matter what it takes. As the gates open, the guards suddenly step aside and allow the vicious mob to storm the dome. Some non-violent members protest to Nagisa’s fans, informing them they are pulling for an illegal’s daughter. They must betray her for the greater good of Japan, especially considering all the problems Brazilian immigrants brought to their country. Some members of the mob even crowd ZetaPro’s side of the stage in order to prevent Nagisa from performing. One protestor (who was involved in the deportion of Nagisa’s mother and beating of her father) swings a bat around shouting, “I’ll give you the same treatment I gave your father!” Kaito is worried. Even Hibiki is worried up in the stands. These people are not only against Nagisa, but they clearly want to do her harm in more ways than one. Fearing for her safety, Kaito warns Nagisa if the situation is not resolved before call time, she will not be permitted to go on stage. Nagisa feels upset. She badly wants to get out there and perform to her heart’s content especially after coming this far. Plus, with the looming anti-Brazilian threat, her confidence is beginning to dwindle.

The mob’s madness continues into the evening. Yamato is pretty confident that NAZO’s victory is all but assured now. Suddenly, an army of police officers show up to clean up the mess much to Hibiki’s delight. The violent group desperately tries to escape, but the cops quickly restrain and arrest a good chunk of the group. As they are carried away, they can hear Hibiki’s voice. “Serves you bigots right for picking on Nagisa-chan! If you disapprove half-Brazilian idols, I take it you hate Okinawans too, huh?” A couple of members of the mob cheer upon seeing Hibiki as they happen to be part of her fanbase. Their angel reacts in disgust, “Jeez, you guys are hypocrites! Jail’s too good for you!” Kaito is informed by the stage crew that the situation has been resolved. Kaito clears Nagisa to perform, much to her excitement. Yamato is stunned. He cannot believe his foolproof plan to stop Nagisa was shot down. Maya speaks up and tells ZetaPro what happened. Earlier last night, Yamato posted information on Nagisa to an online message board in a particular thread that deals with anti-Brazilian immigration. He knew some of the people on that page had particular violent tendencies. By gathering the mob at Tokyo Dome and rewriting the schedules of the stage crew and security guards so that his agents would take their place when the time is right, the mob would stop Nagisa from performing and give NAZO the IU championship by default. That’s where Maya came in. After overhearing a phone conversation between Yamato and his agents posing as gate guards, Maya called the police under her producer’s nose and told them to clear the mob from the dome. Yamato cannot believe one of his idols stabbed him in the back. Maya disapproves of winning by dishonest methods. These kinds of victories feel empty to her. She really wants to face Nagisa’s unit at their full potential so she can prove her strength. The rest of the conversation goes on regularly from there. As Nagisa takes the stage, she does not care how many haters are in the audience now. With the spirits of both her parents watching over her, she has found one thing that will always make her happy…being an idol! Just before the big performance, a familiar voice can be heard shouting, “You can do it Nagisa-chan! Nankurunaisa!”

ENDING

A couple of weeks later, Nagisa comes in with some big news. A fisherman from Hiroshima (does this sound familiar?) arrived at the orphanage one day, found Nagisa, thought she was very cute despite her different looks and origins, and decided to adopt her! Kenji and the others are so proud of her. What’s surprising is that her new foster father has no idea that she is an idol. She will unfortunately have to move away from her old life. She made so many new friends in the orphanage and at school. However, she knows she will go to a new school, make new friends, find new beaches to visit, enter another cheer club, and maybe even take up fishing like the man who adopted her…so many new things she loves that will make her happy. She still wants to continue her idol career just because she loves being an idol! Who knows, maybe she can take her foster father to one of her concerts in the future when he’s not at work? Plus, her original parents will always be around looking after her…wherever they may be. While she may have a new, happier life to look forward to, Nagisa will never forget the times she spent (and will continue to spend) with the one who she’s happiest around…Kenji.


Shiori will be next. I recently came up with a couple of ideas on how she became so quiet and emotionless.

ZetaFlare:
"...it appears to be my turn..."

Himi Shiori’s Route

Kenji first meets Shiori in a nearby library. She is currently reading books on poetry and traditional Japanese art. Kenji then notices a stack of papers next to her. They are poems she herself wrote using near perfect calligraphy. Kenji can tell the President was right when he told him Shiori is a very artsy girl. When he tries to get Shiori’s attention, she turns around with an almost expressionless look on her face. Kenji suddenly gets chills down his spine. Her piercing eyes seem as cold as ice. Kenji does not get much of a response either. She talks very monotonously, sometimes in broken sentences. Even after Kenji tells Shiori the news, she does not appear to be excited for her upcoming debut. While she means better, her blank emotions make it look like she does not even care. Kenji wonders. Can an icy artist like her really become an idol?

While Shiori may appear to be cold at times, almost to the point where others may think she’s heartless, she really does care for her friends and welcomes her new partners with open arms…theoretically. During her first lessons, she surprisingly displays a wispy yet decent quality singing voice and a rather impressive sense of rhythm. While her expression remains blank, she is well aware of emotions expressed in writing. Lyrics feel like a poem to her. Being an avid poet herself, she can almost sense the heart of the author (or lyricist) as she reads through her song.

Shiori proves herself to be a solid performer. Every live concert feels like visually expressing a poem to her. Later on after competing in her first festival, she feels much more comfortable on stage with larger audiences. The next day, Kenji happens to run into Shiori on her way to the library…a quiet reading room where it is almost absolutely silent with the door closed. The chairs are comfortable and there is even a small round desk for Shiori to work her magic. The peaceful atmosphere allows her to relax and concentrate. Once Shiori and Kenji arrive and close the door, she opens her sketchbook and flips through the pages, showing off her recent drawings and poems. They all have a very traditional style to them almost as if they have been made four or five centuries ago. Kenji is highly impressed and commends her for her outstanding display of artistic skill. Shiori did not expect such an amazed response. Almost no one has ever praised her work like this before, even her family. Coming from a heavily traditional Japanese household, her works were heavily inspired by her older art styles. She became a master calligrapher at the age of seven after only a few months of experience. When she is not dabbling in art and poetry, Shiori often spends her time reading books. To her, books are art too. She can almost seem to sense the true feelings of the author as she reads the text. The reason Shiori loves the library so much is because it houses several forms of art, allowing her to admire other great masterpieces in a peaceful setting she is comfortable with. Kenji curiously asks Shiori how a heavily traditional artist decided to become an idol. Shiori claims her works have often been criticized by her peers for being “old-fashioned” and “out of date.” One day, she noticed the library recently added a stock of CDs. Then she thought…music is art too. When she saw idols perform for the first time, she was fascinated by the outfits, songs, and choreography, almost as if they are telling a story or poem. Shiori decided to become an idol in order to broaden her horizons and dabble in a more modern form of art. If seems to have fared well for her so far as people admire her new audible and visual art. Kenji finds her story interesting and is proud of the fact she is still finding new ways to kindle her artist’s spirit. Kenji spends a bit of time watching Shiori write a new poem. This one seems to be more of a modern love poem similar to the songs she has been working on recently. Kenji admires Shiori’s creativity. He has to go soon, but Shiori thanks him for spending some extra time with her. While her expression says otherwise, her new memories with her new friends are very special to her. As Kenji leaves, he cannot help but wonder what made Shiori so quiet and emotionless. Could art be the only way she can express herself and her true feelings?

(to be continued)

ZetaFlare:
Himi Shiori's Route, cont.

Shiori progresses very well in her lessons. Her newly awakening talents are really beginning to show. Unfortunately, they are not enough during the Sunny Beach Festival as her unit is crushed singlehandedly by Himeko. Himeko appears before ZetaPro and proceeds to rub her victory in their faces. However, once she looks into Shiori’s eyes, her icy stare makes Himeko’s body shiver with fear. Himeko can hardly believe a “monster” like Shiori could become an idol. That blank expression…those cold, piercing eyes…that hair like evening snow…it’s almost as if she isn’t even human. Shiori suddenly looks away from Himeko and folds her hands in front of her. Kenji thinks Himeko is trying to offend Shiori and asks her to stop. Himeko trembles as she warns Kenji to get rid of Shiori as soon as possible. She felt like she was staring death straight in the eyes. Shiori hardly even responds to Himeko’s comments. All she can do is say to herself, “…monster…” Himeko looks back at Shiori in disgust as she quickly runs away, telling her she will return to destroy her again if she does not submit to her demands.

Back at the office, Kenji cannot help but worry about Shiori. She does not seem to mind losing to a member of NAZO at all. However, she has been muttering the word “monster” to herself during the drive back to the office. Shiori then asks her partners and Kenji if they think she’s a monster too. Some people often say she reminds them of a yuki-onna with her natural beauty, sapphire eyes, and lavender-colored hair. However, her constantly expressionless face and icy glare have startled most of her peers over time, causing them to spread rumors and stray away from her. Not only did people think she was not human, but they also considered her a sociopath, almost as if she’s trying to scare people away. While she may appear antisocial on the outside, she really does care for her friends and loved ones. Everyone tells Shiori they never for a second saw her as a monster. She should just ignore the people who are not willing to get to know her just because of some false superstitions. Besides, she is an amazing artist and an even more amazing idol. Shiori thanks her friends for their support, but she still believes she is a monster. Kenji is not willing to let someone as talented as Shiori badmouth herself like that. While Shiori understands Kenji’s feelings it’s just a sad fact she had to live with for the longest time. Not wanting to worry the others, Shiori decides not to talk any further about this particular topic. She really wants to get back to her sketchbook and get her mind off of whatever is bothering her. Kenji and the others understand as the group takes their leave for the evening.

Later, Himeko is seen taking with her producer. While she was able to claim an easy victory, she claims her opponent was scary. Her producer, however, is not the least bit afraid. In fact, these whole superstitions about this “monster” idol will eventually ruin her. To him, Shiori is absolutely no threat to his plans.

Meanwhile as Shiori arrives at home, she is greeted by some shady figures. Knowing Shiori received her paycheck that day, the head of the household demands she hand over the whole sum to him…not a single yen less. After taking a drink from his bottle of sake, the man immediately sends Shiori outside to take care of the chores she missed out on due to her idol career. Unless Shiori completes all her tasks before nightfall, she will have to sleep outside…again. Shiori goes straight to work without a word. The man’s wife is disgusted by Shiori’s blank expression…it’s almost as if she could strike back without warning as soon as the family has their backs turned. The man tells her not to worry. Shiori has no voice and no future. Besides, given the man's treatment of Shiori in the past, she knows better…

(to be continued)

liza94:

--- Quote from: ZetaFlare on October 30, 2014, 04:23:19 am ---Meanwhile as Shiori arrives at home, she is greeted by some shady figures. Knowing Shiori received her paycheck that day, the head of the household demands she hand over the whole sum to him…not a single yen less. After taking a drink from his bottle of sake, the man immediately sends Shiori outside to take care of the chores she missed out on due to her idol career. Unless Shiori completes all her tasks before nightfall, she will have to sleep outside…again. Shiori goes straight to work without a word. The man’s younger sister is disgusted by Shiori’s blank expression…it’s almost as if she could strike back without warning as soon as the family has their backs turned. The man tells her not to worry. Shiori has no voice and no future. Besides, given the man's treatment of Shiori in the past, she knows better…

--- End quote ---

I didn't expect anything like that! Shiori's story may become even better than Reika's! :o

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page