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The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XX, 10/17]
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gracula
Blame Sayu for
Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter IX, 5/4]
God bless fanfic writers with assignment/work deadlines. Procrastination makes the best muse ever.
Good luck with RL. Hope your muse hits you hard there too.
"I'm still blaming Sayu for my lolicon tendencies now." ~Essy
Quietriot
Yankiifest 2012
do a thing make a writing
@mochi.rini: I can't ride roller coasters anymore without first being medicated. and LOL at Aichan man scream ringtone... It'd be hilarious if you used it for texts or something ahahahaha~ thank you for the support!
@risa_ai: Thank you~ <3
@gracula: unfortunately the muse only hits in the unnecessary parts of my life... T___T ah well, this is more fun anyway. thanks~
Hi, sometimes I write stuff. And then I look at that stuff and I'm like, ew no, disgusting. So then I delete the stuff that I wrote. And stare at a blank document. I ponder the benefits of being a cat with the ability to fly. I write some better stuff. Then I get a fever and a bad cough. I finish writing stuff anyway.
I've smushed this chapter together with an omake because both were too short in my opinion to stand alone. And also I do what I want. 8D Enjoy~
Chapter X: Ignorance // Omake II: Human
Sayumi was completely aware that someone had entered her apartment, despite the fact that whoever it was was obviously trying to sneak in unnoticed. The door had shut so quietly that she may have passed the sound off as her imagination, were it not for the telltale creak of the floorboards as the 'intruder' crept through the hallway. A light smile tugged at her lips as she realized who it had to be; only Ai and Eri had keys to her apartment, and the latter would have immediately made her presence known.
The guitarist continued what she was doing, preparing a late-night snack for herself, waiting for her surprise guest to approach. Relying on intuition, she whirled around suddenly, shoving a piece of cake into the open mouth of the would-be prankster, smirking at the other girl's stunned reaction.
Ai let out a strangled sort of noise as she struggled not to choke, but she eventually managed to swallow the surprise treat, carefully wiping a bit of the icing off of her face with her thumb.
"One of these days... I will figure out how to sneak up on you."
"You can keep trying, anyway." Sayumi replied, wagging her fork at her leader before turning back to her plate. She wasn't about to let a snack go to waste after all.
"No one to entertain tonight?" Ai questioned, moving up behind the bunny to rest her head on the younger girl's shoulder, peering hopefully at the rest of her cake. Sayumi shook her head, feeding another bite to the older woman, eliciting a pleased hum from her.
"Didn't feel like it. And besides, there wasn't anyone at the club cute enough around to bother."
"Hm... That's not like you." Ai mused, whining like a dog as Sayumi teased her with another bite, holding the fork just out of reach. Her leader looked so adorable like that, face scrunched up like a monkey, that she couldn't resist turning her head to kiss the girl's cheek before finally giving her what she wanted.
"Some days I wake up and I don't feel like playing the game." The bunny shrugged and Ai hummed again against her shoulder, obviously focused more on the cake in her mouth than anything else. "Anyway, what on earth have you been up to today? You didn't respond to any of my texts... Or any of Gaki-san's either, apparently, as she just sent me one a few minutes ago asking if you were here. Also, your hair is black again."
Ai finally moved away, a hand self-consciously reaching up to brush through her recently dyed locks.
"So it is. Does it not look good?" She questioned, deliberately ignoring the rest of what the rabbit had said. Sayumi noticed, but decided that Ai would tell her anything worth telling in her own time, and simply placed the now empty plate and fork into the sink before turning to face her leader.
"I prefer it this color, actually," the guitarist replied, reaching out to play with a few strands, "Though I wish you'd stop cutting it so short."
"Too much hassle when it's long." Ai quipped, and Sayumi fondly rolled her eyes.
That's just like you to say.
"I was out with Reina-chan today." The leader announced suddenly, catching the guitarist off-guard. Well, she wasn't exactly surprised, but rather, irritated, both at the mention of the singer's name and by the fact that Ai had spent time with her. Alone.
"Oh," Came the lame response, and Sayumi let her hand fall, gritting her teeth as she stalked into her living room. Why was she even angry? She flopped onto her couch, burying her face into one of the throw pillows there. Ai didn't seem to notice the sudden change in atmosphere, or if she did, she didn't comment on it, instead following after the younger girl and perching gracefully on the armrest opposite the one Sayumi's head was near.
"She's a sweet girl beneath that exterior. I see now what you meant by innocent, she's mostly bark and no bite."
The bunny grunted in response. She wasn't really all that sure this was something she wanted to talk about. Reina could go jump off a cliff for all she cared... unless she wanted to jump into bed, but that was another matter entirely, one that Sayumi hadn't figured out the plan for yet. Even then, though she would concede the kitten was attractive, her main motivation was the pleasure she'd get out of bringing the other girl down a notch.
"She even ran away from me when I kissed her on the nose... It was cute, but... She's got a lot to learn. One can't really sing about love and loss if they've never loved and lost."
"What are you planning, then?" Sayumi asked, having sat back up to face her leader. Hearing Ai sound so detached about the situation made her feel a lot less threatened by Reina, but it also sounded as though the woman intended to keep spending time with the girl.
"Well, someone has to teach her how to be a rockstar."
"Someone should teach her how to be a woman..." The rabbit mumbled, having buried her face back into the cushion.
"I'll leave that to you, then."
"Eh?"
Immediately the bunny shot back up, very nearly launching herself off the couch in her shock. Was Ai really implying... what she thought she was implying?
"Half of what makes us popular is our image, after all. She's new, and for now, that makes her interesting, but when that wears off people may start to comment that she's fake or that she doesn't fit in." The leader shrugged nonchalantly, "I plan on doing whatever I can to draw out that part of her she seems to have reserved for the stage. Otherwise, we may as well just kick her out now."
Sayumi considered this, and found that she had to agree to some extent. If Reina had what it took, she was going to have to prove it, which meant breaking her some way or another. And either they'd have to do it purposely, or the girl would bend under all the pressure that was yet to come; after all, the first major wave of interviews started... tomorrow.
"Just confirming... but you're giving me permission to sleep with her? That's what I'm hearing?"
Ai glanced back at Sayumi lazily.
"Since when have you asked my permission for that sort of thing? If anyone's gonna manage to do it, it'll be you."
It was the truth, but the rabbit found herself liking the idea less and less. Still, she could stomach the thought of being with Reina herself much more than the thought of Reina being with Ai. It was just a game, nothing more. And the kitten was playing now, whether she liked it or not.
"I'll see what I can do." Sayumi murmured before rising from the couch. She didn't want to think about this anymore, let alone talk about it. Ai was here now, that was what she wanted to focus on. Slowly, she moved towards her leader, trailing her fingers up the woman's thigh when she got close.
"Anyway, seeing as I haven't anyone to entertain tonight, it would seem as though there's a vacancy in my bed."
Ai grinned.
Subtle glances from across the room, eyes meet, a blush, then hurriedly the gaze is broken. Here, they run in different circles, and being seen together would be social suicide.
Another stolen glance finishes the unspoken conversation.
...I'm walking you home today, right?
You'd better be!
Smiles, slight, all but hidden, and then-
"Takahashi-san, what are you staring at?"
"Ugh, those weird juniors again.. Are they bothering you? Niigaki seems obsessed..."
"Not really sure how she ended up friends such a rich kid like Kamei... But she's sort of a freak too, isn't she?"
Laughter erupts at the table, and the elder of the two ducks her head low, wishing she could disappear, smile melting away. She dares to look over again, but the other is pretending to speak with her turtle friend.
The younger's cheeks are burning. Anger, embarrassment- perhaps she heard...
She definitely did. The elder pleads mentally for the other to look at her again. It's a sidelong gaze out of the corner of her eye, but that's enough to say what she needs to.
I'm sorry... Risa...
I get it. Anyway, after school then.
Arms linking, comfortable, they're side by side and even in the heat, the closeness is just fine.
"I really am sorry... About the things they said today... I just never know what to do in those situations."
"Aichan, I said it was okay. I don't really care what other people think about me."
A lie. Brave, but a lie. Still, she's happy now.
"Still..."
"Let's just enjoy today, ne? I bet mama's cooking something wonderful for dinner, that's all I really want to think about now~"
Every moment together, she enjoyed. Always.
Sirens. Yellow tape. Screaming. Risa. Where is Risa?
"Don't let go of her. She really doesn't need to see this."
She's holding Risa. Somehow. Though the girl's shrieking and sobbing and fighting tooth and nail to get out of her grasp, she won't let go.
Finally the struggle ceases as reality sets in. The body slumps back against her, too weak now to do anything but whimper.
"I've got you."
Gentle. Tender.
She cries.
"I know you've been hanging out more with Ishikawa and Fujimoto lately..."
The voice, meant to be concerned and calm, comes out in tremors, accusatory.
"And? They're just friends, Aichan."
"Friends don't let friends start disgusting habits like this-"
The cigarette is stolen and disappears out the window, still smoldering. A deep frown sets in on the younger's face.
"-nor do they force things like this-"
Fingers trace her back through fabric, brushing over still tender, freshly-marked skin.
"-onto each other. I'm not stupid, Risa... This is dangerous, what you're getting into here."
Gazes lock.
I get why you're angry...
No. You don't. You can't.
I would if you'd let me...
I can take care of myself.
"Listen... So I sort of let it slip that you can sing and play piano really well to Eri... She's starting a band and she asked me to ask you if you would be interested."
A pause.
"Only if you join too."
She really hates rehearsals.
The new kid, Michishige, gets under her skin, and Eri is really, really awful at the drums.
But she gets to watch Ai sing and listen to her play.
And somehow, because of this she's starting to heal, so she tolerates the parts she hates until one day she realizes she doesn't really hate it anymore at all.
She loves rehearsals.
Their first gig isn't all that memorable.
Or it wouldn't have been, except somewhere in that rush of post-performance excitement she walks right up to Risa and kisses her so hard she thinks the other girl might faint.
But she doesn't. She kisses back.
And later after passion and sweat and they're tangled up together in her bed, she glances down at the girl she adores and all the words she's ever wanted to hear are right there in plain sight.
I love you too.
Pain. Shock. It's like the world around her is crumbling into pieces.
She reaches out for the elder, a pane of bulletproof glass stops her fingers. Ai isn't picking up the receiver, and she won't look up either.
The glass rattles as Risa pounds on it.
Anger, hurt flashes in Ai's eyes and she looks up, finally ripping the receiver from its cradle and pressing it to her face.
"Why? Can you even answer me that?"
"...I, they just asked and I didn't..."
"Didn't what? Think it would be an issue? Did you think that you wouldn't get caught and I'd just never have to know? You... You didn't think about any of us, did you? ...about me, either..."
"Aichan... Please."
"Please what? What do you want me to do? You're the one that has the power to get out of here and you're the one who's choosing to put some scum above that, above your friends and above your... girlfriend..."
They're both crying now, but Ai is burning, her tears streaming but expression staying cold, while Risa shakes like she did before, only this time the older can't and won't comfort her.
"You don't understand..."
"You're right. I don't."
Two AM. The phone call crackles with static and is punctuated by the sound of sirens and the bunny's tears.
"Takahashi-san... Can you- Oh god, Eri- Please, can you come over here?"
The scene is familiar to her, though it's Sayumi in her arms this time, and Eri's being carried off on a stretcher and not in a body bag.
"How long... Do you know how long she's been doing this?"
"Since we stopped rehearsing. That was her biggest outlet..."
Kamei...
The interviewer is ugly and all she can really focus on is his greasy mustache, wishing she were anywhere but there. The studio lights burn but the questions he's asking are far more uncomfortable.
"...so what does Wild Musume intend to do now without a bassist?"
"We're on hiatus for now."
"Until the delinquent Niigaki-san gets out of jail? How do you think your fans will respond to having a criminal in the group?"
"I didn't say-"
"I mean, we all get that the image is raw and edgy, but isn't pulling stunts like this for publicity's sake a little cheap?"
She feels lightheaded and torn between leaving the interview and punching the man right in his big fat nose.
She settles for leaving.
During one of her nights at Sayumi's place--which were becoming far more frequent--the younger girl had a surprise for her.
"I didn't know you... Um... danced..."
"Gotta make money somehow. But I like the attention too. As well as all the added benefits."
...Oh.
"Aichan..."
"Look, I'm not gonna offer again. You can stay with me. There's an extra bedroom. I'm not using it. But if you stay here, you're following all of my rules from now on or you can sleep on the streets. Do you understand?"
"...Thank you."
She grunts, nodding her head before floating off into her own room, leaving Risa to settle in at her own pace.
And in the darkness, Ai sinks to her knees and weeps softly, for Risa, for herself.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2012, 07:41:53 AM by Quietriot »
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kawaii beam
Taka+Gaki=EPIC X3
Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter X, 5/8]
oh my gah so much emotion in this crafty ai-chan is crafty! and that omake D: all my feels ;3; you can really tell when the innocence they had just broke apart ;3; too many feels~~~~
plus i totally have those kind of thoughts LOL i need some modivation too and this will help me
please visit kawaii-chan's avie's and siggies!
risa_ai
Matsui, Midget, Gaki and random breadcrumbs~
~>GET WELL SOON! <~ don't need to rush. ^^
rndmnwierd
Subleader of Tsunku's Army
What has been seen cannot be unseen.
Oh, so Takagaki was really that serious before Risa went away, huh?
You know, Gaki made a pretty stupid decision, joining the gang to do the Bad Thing, as I like to call it, but I would think that the consequences of snitching would be a bit more lasting than a 2 year stint in the pen. Even if she put away the real punks and got herself out, every other gang member would know who was responsible and make her pay. And if they couldn't get to her directly, wouldn't they go after the ones she's close to?
No matter her reasoning for staying silent, I still kinda think that Ai's the "bad guy" in their relationship. She did cheat afterall, right? Or were they officially broken up while Risa was away? Either way, Gaki's reaction to Sayu being with Ai was pretty broken-hearted.
On another note, I had a really vivid dream about this story. I dreamt that during a break in rehearsals, Risa was strumming along on her bass while Reina watched her curiously and the others were out of the room. Gaki eventually noticed Reina's gaze and invited her over to take a whack at the instrument, teaching her a few chords. They bond a bit, Risa ruffles the kittens hair, then Ai and Sayu come back in to see the scene and Ai is instantly and obviously jealous.
Then I woke up. I think it's my subconscious's way of telling me that I want more Tanagaki scenes
Sig by awesome Kawaii-chan!
Yes, it's a fanfiction blog... Updated 6/29!
So I've started doing this thing on YouTube. You should check it out!
@KB: -helps you gather up your feels- too much sadness? Well, maybe this chapter will make up for it somewhat in hilarity. Glad to have helped, as well?
@risa_ai: thank you~ I am feeling much better. :3
@rndy: -shifty eyes- are you reading my notes? Stop it! no but really it's like you know what I'm thinking... Creepy... (or maybe my ships are just starting to show ) As for Ai being the "bad guy" here, I will specify that at least, in her mind, things were officially over between her and Risa when the younger girl went to jail. Even if she still had some feelings. Even if she still has them now. More omakes to come, I promise~
Still feeling a bit under the weather, but my muse seems to be coming back to me, so hopefully I'll get around to writing more often. This chapter feels a bit filler-ish to me, but I still like it all the same. (And besides, I guess in slice-of-life type stories there is no real filler, is there? ) Enjoy~
Chapter XI: The Only Exception
Two trays settled down in front of her suddenly, jolting the young artist out of her thoughts. She recognized the girls as Natsuyaki Miyabi and Suzuki Airi, Momoko's bandmates, and bristled slightly, wondering if perhaps they'd come to seek revenge for their pint-sized friend with Koharu being absent today. All apprehension dissolved, however, when both girls sat down and simply began eating their lunches.
"We decided to sit with you," Airi started after a moment of awkward silence, noticing that Aika was staring, "Because Koharu-chan is sick today, we figured you'd be alone. And that's no good!"
When she finished she had a cheery smile on her face, and realizing that it was genuine, Aika smiled back. She wasn't one to turn down new friends after all, especially considering the reception she'd gotten after her first day. Most of the other students now thought of her as some sort of crazed delinquent after her outburst.
"Thanks... You guys aren't, uh, mad about what happened with Tsugunaga-san?"
Miyabi looked up from her food, tossing her boyish hair to the side and narrowing her eyes a bit.
"Was she asking for it?"
"Yes." Aika replied without thinking, and when her brain caught up with her mouth she kicked herself inwardly. But much to her surprise and relief, the other girl didn't seem offended at all, actually looking as though she completely expected that answer.
"Then she got what she deserved. Trust me, it's not the first time her mouth has gotten her into something, and I doubt it'll be the last." Miyabi shrugged and focused her attention back on her food, "I'm sort of glad you hit her, she needs reminders every once in a while..."
Airi choked on her drink a bit at that, though Aika couldn't tell if it was out of amusement or shock. She was starting to like these girls already.
And then it occurred to her that several people were staring in the direction of her table, expressions ranging from mild disbelief and curiosity to full on spiteful glares. She'd nearly forgotten that she was in the presence of two of the most popular girls in school. Was she supposed to be intimidated? Respectful? That definitely seemed to be the way that everyone else treated them, but the thought disgusted Aika. The Tanaka women bent to no one. They were just normal girls to her, anyway, and she resolved to treat them as such.
She couldn't help but be a bit curious, however.
"So... Buono!, is it? I've heard you guys are sort of a big deal."
"We're a really big deal." Miyabi responded almost instantly, about to say more when she received a swat to the arm and a reproachful look from her bandmate.
"You're just as bad as Momo sometimes, you know?"
"What? It's true! I'm not dissing anyone else by saying that, I'm just stating the facts. Look- er, actually, what is your name again?"
The short-haired female was getting flustered now, embarrassed that she'd forgotten the introductions earlier. Not that Aika really cared; she already knew who the other two were, after all. But she had to admit, it was sort of amusing to watch the girl who had such a cool image struggle to maintain composure.
"You can both call me Aika."
"Fine. Aika-chan, what you don't know is that Buono! has been steadily climbing the charts lately, and our music is selling more and more every day. All of our gigs sell out within the first week, and I can't even walk to the store without being swarmed by cameras. So yes," She took another bite out of her food with some degree of finality, and Aika tried very hard not to laugh, "I'd say we're a pretty big deal."
Airi rolled her eyes.
"You're pretty ridiculous. It's not all about being popular and famous, you know..."
"I'm not saying it is," Miyabi replied, eyes sparking with a hint of annoyance, "But you can't tell me that anything I've said isn't true... Sometimes I think you actually hate being popular."
"I do hate being popular." Airi stated firmly, "You and Momochi might enjoy having crowds of people fawning over your every move but I just want to sing."
The short-haired female snorted, a sharp smirk lining her lips as she leaned forward towards Aika and lowered her voice.
"She's just mad because the one person who's never noticed her still doesn't even now... Ow!!!"
Miyabi had earned another slap to the arm for that comment, and Airi left them in a whirlwind of movement, dumping her entire tray into a nearby trashcan before stalking angrily away. Aika blinked awkwardly, watching the remaining singer grumble to herself as she rubbed her shoulder.
"She seemed... pretty upset... Should we follow her?"
"Nah... I'll go apologize later. She needs to cool off first. Things will be better when she stops lying to herself though..." Miyabi trailed off, still mumbling slightly.
I wonder if being in a band just makes people super dramatic... Maybe this is the sort of thing Rei's been dealing with that's made her so stressed... Man... Seems like too much trouble to me...
"It's the captain of the track team."
Miyabi's sudden statement broke Aika from her musing and she looked up at the other girl, confused.
"...Excuse me?"
"Yajima Maimi. Captain of the track team. Have you met her?"
The artist paused, rifling through her brain for whatever she associated with that name. It certainly was familiar, and she seemed to recall passing by the girl in question with Koharu the other day, but she didn't find much special about her other than her friend obviously considered her to be a rival. Which, to Aika, was amusing.
"I know who you're talking about but I've never actually spoken to her... Do you mean that Suzuki-chan has a thing for her?"
"I think that's pretty plain to anyone who has eyes," Miyabi replied drily, "Just watch Airin anytime Yajima's in the same room. It's actually sort of hilarious, her eyes start glazing over and she even drools a bit sometimes, heh..."
The singer was snickering like it was some really stupid joke, but Aika couldn't help but smile slightly at the thought. She was not-so-secretly a romantic, and thought crushes and people in love were cute. The only person she teased about that sort of thing was Reina, and only then because her reactions were too perfect.
"What about you, Natsuyaki-chan?"
"Do you like anyone?"
Miyabi's face slowly began to heat up and her eyes shifted, focusing intently anywhere but Aika's curious gaze.
"That's... um, of course not. I'm too busy and besides, the fans don't really like us to be attached."
Liar. But Aika wasn't one to push, especially not a person she'd only just met. It wasn't as though it really concerned her much anyway.
She caught a flash of something white, and glanced down to see that Miyabi had slid two tickets towards her before beginning to gather her things together.
"I almost forgot, Koharu suggested that I give these to you since she won't be able to make it to our next concert. See you around, then."
And with that, the cool girl was gone, and Aika was left sitting alone, feeling a bit dazed. She carefully examined the tickets, shaking her head slightly before deciding to pocket them.
Looks like you're not the only one who can make interesting friends, huh Rei?
She lazily moved to throw away her trash, when the bell sounded for class, flooding her with shock and dismay.
Oh no... Late again...
To say that I was humiliated was a bit of an understatement. There were very few instances in my life that came close to denting my pride this much, and the fact that Junjun was enjoying every moment of it made the experience that much worse.
For whatever reason, the Chinese girl had decided on a whim that Fridays were going to be cosplay days from now on. Which meant that Linlin and I had been forced into some ridiculous and somewhat revealing costumes. Jun had dressed up as well, sporting a set of panda ears for the occasion, but her outfit at least came with pants.
I on the other hand, was stuck in a very short skirt, a sleeveless top that exposed way too much of my stomach, knee high stockings, and matching cat paw gloves and boots. Of course, I was also stuck with fluffy ears and a tail to complete the ensemble, and Jun threatened to fire me if I didn't end every sentence to a customer with a cute little "nyan~". Linlin was given similar treatment, though she was supposed to be some kind of dog instead, and she actually seemed to like what was going on. It caused me to seriously wonder about the state of her mental health; how could one person be so goddamned cheerful?!
Surely this was some sort of revenge for the pranks I'd played on Jun as a child. I knew those were gonna come back to bite me someday...
"I've decided how I'm going to kill you," I started as I entered the kitchen for my final break of the day, eyes narrowing in on Junjun who was leaning against a table with a banana in hand. "I've read about this thing where the Greeks or someone had built an iron bull, and they stuck people inside of it, locking them in. Then they started a fire beneath it so that the people were slow-cooked to death. That's what I'm going to do to you. And I'll record the sounds of your agonized screams so can play them back to myself at night and sleep with a smile on my face."
She paused for a moment, struggling to translate what I'd told her in her head. When she finally got it, however, she laughed hard, very nearly dropping her precious banana.
"You're so twisted sometimes. But really, it's hard to take you seriously like that~ you're just too damn cute, Reina~ Oh, and you forgot to say 'nyan'."
I scowled fiercely at her, slowly lifting both of my paws.
"Nyan~" Injecting as much sarcasm into the sound as I could, I pawed at the air, before quickly turning both of them over to flash her a rude hand gesture involving my middle fingers. Said gesture only made Jun let out a loud guffaw, and she slapped her knees as she tried to regain her composure. Unamused, I turned on my heel to exit the kitchen, deciding that I'd much rather deal with the wandering eyes of customers than her teasing.
"Oi, Linko," I called to my coworker as I walked up to the register, "You go ahead and break first this time, Jun's being a pain in the ass."
"Hai~" She smiled cheerfully at me as she bounced past me, and I had to bite down on my tongue to keep from screaming.
Too happy... She's too happy. Man... Well, it's only an hour left now, no big deal... Almost done.
Thankfully as well, there didn't seem to be many more customers coming in, despite the fact that mine and Lin's outfits had definitely drawn in more that day than usual. I sighed, leaning against the counter as I was offered my first moment of quiet, which meant time to dwell on what had happened the day before.
I hadn't really dealt with it yet. I mean, I'd even been in the middle of thinking about what was going on between her and Risa when she up and kissed me so suddenly. Sure, it wasn't exactly on the lips or something but... How was I supposed to take that? Had yesterday actually been a date?
I mean... I do like her... She's beautiful and she's cool and she's talented... Who wouldn't like her? But...
It seemed like there was something there under the surface about Ai that I still didn't know, something powerful or dangerous and it was the part of her that made my throat go dry and made me lose all power of speech.
Of course, talking to Aika about it had done me no good. My kid sister had scolded me for being such a baby and told me that from her point of view, there was chemistry and to go for it if another opportunity came up. Though I wasn't sure that would happen either; after all, who wanted to date a weirdo who ran away from being kissed?
"Oh my god."
I jerked my head up suddenly, a sinking feeling coiling in the pit of my stomach as I realized just who was standing in front of me now at the register.
Risa and Eri were there, the former with an expression on her face that was equal parts shock, mischief, glee, and something else, and the latter taking quick snapshots of me with her camera phone. Instinctively, I lunged for the turtle over the counter, but she had seen my intent and had already slipped her phone back into her pocket with a devilish grin.
"Oh, no way, Reina-chan~ I'm keeping those forever. You look soooo cute! And kinda sexy, too~"
"Eri. You have five seconds to delete those pictures before I choke you with one of my ribbons."
"Hey, that doesn't sound like something a cute kitten would say..."
"I think you broke Gaki-san..."
Suddenly, the bassist broke out into a fit of shrieking laughter, falling to the ground and clutching at her stomach as her body convulsed with hysteria. And that was it for me, the final straw. I'd been ogled and teased and miserable all day up until that point, and while her laughter embarrassed me, I felt something inside snap. I was pissed. Beyond pissed. And my humiliation quickly morphed into white-hot fury.
I grabbed the nearest weapon, a wooden spoon, and launched myself over the counter, descending upon Risa with all the rage a tiny cat-girl could muster.
"Ow!!! Holy- Shit! Stop it! What the hell?! Eri, get her off of me!!!"
Risa had only enough time to shield her face as I assaulted her with the spoon, but I went for her hands anyway, knowing it probably hurt just as badly. She was too busy defending herself to do much else, and instead of helping, Eri simply hovered around us, taking more pictures with her phone.
"I dunno, Gaki-san, she looks like she knows how to use that thing, I'm not getting involved."
"Oh for goodness sakes- Ow!!! Tanakacchi, stop!"
I probably would have relented soon enough, given that I was already tired from working all day, and by then I think she got the point. But Risa had found an opening in my attack, managing to quickly grab both of my arms, pinning them above my head and me flat on my back. I immediately froze, reminded of just how skimpy my outfit was and instantly aware of every single place that her body brushed against my bare skin.
She seemed to quickly realize the same thing, paralyzed as well. We stayed like that until I heard the excited murmurs of the customers around us and Eri's phone made another clicking sound. That was enough to snap me out of it, and I gritted my teeth hard, hissing out my next few words.
"Let go of me."
"Right, um, sorry."
Risa rolled off of me and to her feet as if she'd touched fire, and I quickly stood as well, straightening out my costume as I tried to regain whatever shreds of dignity I had left. There weren't many.
What was that... just now?
"Oh man, you guys... That was amazing~ I'm going to make this picture my new wallpaper. Priceless..." Eri murmured cheerfully, watching both of us in case either tried to make a move for her phone again. I decided it wasn't worth it, and was too distracted anyway now by the sudden awkwardness between myself and Risa to care.
"Why are you two even here...?" I questioned tiredly, padding back to my spot behind the counter, "You know I don't get off work for another hour..."
Risa remained silent, pointedly avoiding my gaze, but that didn't seem to matter much as Eri was eager enough to talk. Fine, I was more comfortable speaking to the turtle anyway.
"Well, we decided since we usually pick you up here anyway that we might as well buy something to eat for once." She stated with a grin, eyes wandering absently over the menu board on the wall behind me. "Oh, and also I brought a surprise for you."
I choked down a groan.
"I don't know... That I can handle any more surprises today."
"Oh, trust me, you'll like it." Eri replied, waving her hand in dismissal. Still, knowing the rich girl, I had a feeling it was probably a pretty big deal... "Anyway, I want cake! What about you, Gaki-san?"
"Just coffee, I guess," The bassist grunted, still refusing to look at me. I sighed, deciding to ignore it as I began to ring up the order on the register.
Jun poked her head out of the kitchen then, clicking at me to get my attention.
"Reina..." She mimed my hand motions from before, sans flipping the bird, giving me a stern look before she disappeared back behind the door.
I resisted the urge to slam my head into the counter.
Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XI, 5/11]
omg kitty reina asulting poor risa with a spoon is hilarious totally made me feel better! and i wonder what kind of gift eri has for reina?
so we also have yajisuzu going on? hmm~~~ and waht about miya? could it be capitan? or chisa? idk h!p kids relationships so well ^^; cant wait for the next chapter and get well soon k? :3
Aika's making more friends, yay! And with the rest of Buono! no less... That is going to be quite interesting, huh...
Omg, skimpy kitty dressed Reina.... Assaulting Gaki with a spoon?! That is so lol worthy! Oo, but what is this? A little physical appreciation going on there? And after Reina was so innocently thinking about her attraction to Ai, too.
So... What part of your notes do I have down, huh?
As for Takagaki, did Risa know Ai thought they were over? ...Did Ai even visit her in jail? I can imagine Eri going, but if Ai was really that mad... Even if she's not cruel enough to leave Risa on the streets, would she have given the girl that pleasure? Answered in Omake form?
Feel better!
I reread the previous chapter thrice. I didn't get what it was about at first, then I realised it was takagaki's history. T.T so they used to be lovers, then risa being put to jail ended it all. OHGAWD. The sad history. *cries*
Then the newest update~! Hilarious Reina with a wooden spoon. xD THERE'S A SURPRISE TO REINA~! ^^
Oh, i've been wanting to ask, what's omake? ... Hehe...
mochi.rini
lover of all TakaGaki and food :D
nomnomnomnom
my oh my~ Our little kitten is just get friendly with everyone isn't she? I wonder who's next Nyan~
Present for Eri? Is it a car too!? I'll gladly take it if Reina doesn't want it!
I'm glad Aika is making friends with 2/3 of Buono Though I don't think there will be this good of a friendship with Momo, not that I'd blame Mittsi. Girl needs to be kicked a few more times
I can't wait for the next chapter~ I hope you did well on your finals ^_^ And I hope you get to feeling better~
P.S. The TakaGaki + co. historical omake...it was so sad~ Man...they're all screwed up, except for Aichan! Though I do agree that if Risa had snitched, she would've gotten is some serious trouble, or maybe Aichan would've been in some serious trouble as a consequence I wonder why Risa turned herself in though...there's more history to be discovered I hope
Hi~iiya!~ (>^_^)>
I support T a k a G a k i ❤
Tumblr/blog \(^ - ^)/
@KB: Glad to have made you feel better. :3 And I wonder what kind of surprise indeed... Read on to find out~
As for Miya, both options you suggested are pretty canon so I'd say you know the kids well enough. ^^ of course, the answer will come later, as always. Thanks for the well wishes~
@rndy: youuu crack me up but I sincerely appreciate all your analysis both here and on the podcast. I love watching people speculate... And torturing them... By making them wait... So really you're just adding fuel to the fire~
As for Takagaki, the only question I'll answer is the first: no, Risa most certainly did not know they were over. Sort of a case of Ai making that decision in her head, expecting it to be obvious to Risa, all the while Risa is thinking, "Well, she never said we were done, so I still have a chance." I shall reveal more soon~
@risa_ai: so sorry if it was confusing! I meant to add a note in to kind of explain that it was a stream of consciousness sort of thing but I totally forgot. and omake, to the best of my knowledge, means extra. In this case, it's everything that's still canon but outside of Reina's little running narrative so I can shed light on some things she didn't personally experience.
@mochi.rini: indeed she is, though none of it's completely voluntary on her part... yet. virtual cookie for you for guessing the surprise~ And we certainly haven't seen the last of Buono, so perhaps more Momo-kicking to come in the future... Maybe Aika can kick her into friendship I won't address your P.S. there as its pretty much questions to be answered soon but thanks for the well wishes~ I haven't the slightest idea how I did on my finals but they're over now and that's all that matters heheh
Hey guys! Sorry bout the extended absence, I have been incredibly busy these past few weeks. I just returned to the states last Wednesday, went to a wedding Friday, went to the doctor today (for a bone thing, no worries, I'm totally fine!) and all of this while trying to adjust to a new home and city. x___x But! I think I'm settled enough to get back on track with this, hopefully. Been trying to take inventory of what needs to happen to get where I want it to go, and I've changed my mind about a few things... So, the next chapter! Enjoy~
Chapter XII - Not Coming Home
After ditching the terrible cat costume for a much more appropriate outfit, I followed Eri and Risa out to the latter's car, where my surprise was supposedly waiting. I half-expected the rich girl to dump the keys to a new sports car in my hands, and so was fairly stunned when she deposited a warm, fluffy animal into my arms instead.
"This... is a puppy."
"Yep. His name is Charles." Eri replied, voice muffled as she was digging around in her car for something. Risa was leaning against the side of it, attempting to light a cigarette, her usual fuck-the-world attitude apparently restored. Charles was desperately trying to lick my face.
"Eri... I can't keep a puppy. Even if I liked dogs, our apartment complex doesn't allow pets." The puppy doubled his efforts, squirming in my arms so that I had to cling tighter just to make sure I didn't drop him. Cute as... Chuck was, I wasn't a big fan of his breath or slobber.
Eri backed out of the car to look at me, smiling and shaking her head.
"Oh, he isn't for you, he's my new pet, I just needed you to hold him while I looked for these."
The drummer held up a set of keys, and I nearly lost my grip on the dog in shock, even though I'd been expecting such a gift. Eri moved forward to swap the puppy for the keys and I held them in my hands for a moment, unsure of what to say. I realized then that the car Risa was leaning on wasn't one I'd seen either of them drive before; it was sleek, bright red, obviously brand new, and obviously worth more than I would ever make in my life.
"I... can't accept this either..." I started, rolling the keys between my fingers as if I couldn't believe they were real. Tempting as it was, I couldn't take something so expensive for nothing.
"Why not, I've given one to all the other members. It's not like I need it, and my father doesn't care." Eri replied reassuringly, paying more attention to the puppy in her arms than to me. Risa on the other hand was watching me carefully, in stark contrast to how she'd been purposely avoiding my gaze only minutes earlier. She seemed to be amused by something again, and I glared at her as I could only figure that something had to be me.
"Maybe Tanakacchi has more expensive tastes than this," the bassist suggested through a puff of smoke. I glared harder, but Eri didn't seem to register the sarcasm in our bandmate's voice.
"Eh? Really? I mean if that's the case, there are other cars you can choose from..."
"It's not that," I insisted, trying to keep annoyance out of my tone. I must not have succeeded, because the smirk on Risa's face only grew wider. It was obvious that saying the gift was too much wouldn't convince Eri to take it back, so I let out a sigh and tried something else. "I don't know how to drive."
"Oh, well, if that's all..." The drummer shot Risa a look, the kind that was mischievous and plotting something and made me immediately regret saying anything. "How long do we have before the interview, Gaki-san?"
"Oh... a little over an hour," Risa responded while stomping her cigarette out, "Plenty of time to teach a princess how to drive."
She was really pushing her luck for someone I just beat up with a spoon. In fact, I was half tempted to punch her in the face, but I settled for gritting my teeth, silently resolving not to let her keep getting under my skin.
"I was actually hoping to head home first to see my sister for a bit, so, thanks, but no thanks." I replied, brushing past Eri to hop into the passenger seat.
The other two shared another look, the grins never leaving their faces. Risa gripped the doorframe and leaned in, and I felt the urge to slap her rising again.
"That's alright, the kid can just tag along."
Why I allowed it, I don't know. I think it had something to do with the way Aika's face lit up when she saw us that made me feel guilty for having not spent as much time with her lately. And as much as my instinct told me to keep her separate from this new world I'd recently stepped into--especially considering I didn't fully understand it yet myself--I knew she was excited to meet the other band members and see what it was like. So I reluctantly agreed to let her come along, provided Eri watched her when I couldn't, and that she stayed out of trouble.
That's how I found myself alone in the car with Risa. We drove out to a mostly empty parking lot on the edge of town, and as soon as we arrived both Eri and my sister bailed with the puppy to go sit on the sidewalk. Something about not wanting to die with me behind the wheel.
Though I should have probably been relieved that Risa was my teacher here--because, after all, I knew her as a careful driver and I'd never seen Eri once get behind the wheel herself--she wasn't exactly making me feel confident or encouraged.
"Easy there, jeez..." She hissed beside me as I slammed the brakes a bit too hard, jerking both of us forward, "And here I was thinking the problem would be getting you to go, not getting you to stop..."
"Well, you're not really helping," I snapped back, frustrated, "I've literally never done this before, and it would help if you got off my back a little bit. I didn't even want to do this in the first place."
A charged silence fell between us, and I set my jaw, glaring ahead because I didn't feel like looking at her anymore. She let out a loud, drawn-out sigh beside me, and I could hear a muffled thump as she forcefully leaned back in her seat.
"Fine. Just- let's sit here for a minute while I think of some better way to do this..." She muttered quietly. I rolled my eyes.
As if continuing like this is something I actually want to do... Idiot.
My eyes settled on Aika and Eri in the distance, and I watched the two talk for a moment. It seemed like they were easily becoming friends, though in my mind both were the type of person that could befriend anyone, so I wasn't all too surprised. Eri appeared to be completely at ease for once, something I'd picked up on back at the cafe but it seemed more prominent here. Perhaps I was just seeing things, but it was nice to spot a more genuine smile on her face.
Risa made a weird half-grunt, half-chuckling noise, drawing me out of my thoughts and causing me to shoot her a glance. She was watching the same thing I was, but I doubted her mind was in the same place.
"They kinda make a cute couple. A weird one, of course, but still cute."
I blinked, my expression quickly souring.
"Does your mouth get you into trouble a lot? Because honestly..." I let my sentence trail off with a growl, feeling my fists instinctively grip the steering wheel tighter. "Besides, nobody goes near my baby sister. I'd kill them. Even if it was Eri. But that'd be ridiculous."
"Alright tiger, calm down, it was just a thought is all," Risa responded, completely unapologetic, "Note to self... Little Tanakacchi is off-limits."
I really did take a swing at her then, which the bassist dodged with a laugh by quickly exiting the vehicle. I struggled with my seatbelt in an attempt to pursue her, but before I could free myself she appeared at my door, opening it.
"Come on, get out, I came up with an idea. Though I bet you won't like it."
This time I regarded her curiously, stopping my assault only because I wanted to see what she would do. I did as I was told and watched as Risa slid into the driver's seat, adjusting it to where it was much too far back. I nearly made a comment that my feet wouldn't reach the pedals that way, but then I realized what she intended. The bassist sat with her legs apart, leaning back and motioning for me to sit in her lap.
"No. Hell no."
"Told you you wouldn't like it. But I think it might work. Besides, I just want to get this over with faster, I don't really fancy the idea of being so close to you but you're not really getting it with me just telling you what to do."
No, you're the one who doesn't get it... There's no way in hell I'm putting myself in that kind of position.
I crossed my arms and glared at her, eliciting a shrug from the other girl.
"Hey, it really is not my problem if you can't drive. Eri's the one who'll be hurt if you don't use the gift she's given you, not me."
Ouch. Low blow. She was playing the guilt card and it was working. I really didn't want to see the disappointment on the drummer's face if I rejected her present. With a sigh, I climbed back into the car, settling gingerly into the seat. Risa's legs were on either side of mine and I was completely aware of her behind me, trying my hardest not to touch her any more than was necessary.
She reached to pull the door shut and then leaned forward, pressing her front to my back and guiding my hands once more to the steering wheel.
"Okay, first off, you need to relax."
"I'm not really a fan of being touched," I muttered, trying not to squirm.
"Yeah, uh, shockingly I managed to figure that one out. But if it calms you down any, the only pleasure I'm getting out of this is the fact it irritates you."
She chuckled, and I felt the noise rumble against my back, not unpleasantly. Strangely, I found my tension easing a bit, and I concentrated on the task at hand, allowing her to lead me. Much to my surprise, her weird method was working; I understood better how to handle the wheel with her arms next to mine to demonstrate correctly, and every time I was tempted to slam on the breaks she kicked me a bit with her foot. Okay, so that part was annoying, but I couldn't deny its effectiveness.
After a few minutes she had relinquished control to me and I was taking us in a successful, albeit slow and careful lap around the parking lot. When I finished, I brought the car to a stop and let out a satisfied cheer, momentarily forgetting myself and leaning back against her.
"I did it~"
"Yes, you managed to drive us in a circle around a parking lot, you're now ready to take on the world." She replied, though I could tell she was satisfied through her tone.
"Hey, it's the little things in life, okay."
"Fine, fine. I maintain that you had an excellent teacher, though."
"True, I did," I conceded, "Thank you for helping me."
"...You're welcome." The response was quiet, as though she hadn't expected thanks. I smiled, feeling comfortable after my tiny victory, so much that I didn't particularly mind the closeness or the fact that her arms had some point come to circle loosely around my waist.
But it was then that my mind began to wander a bit... thinking about how she smelled... Like cigarette smoke--which I didn't care for--and of flowers, which surprised me, but I certainly wasn't opposed... And then how she felt...
I sat forward suddenly with a jolt, cutting off my thoughts and startling her.
"Eh? What is it?"
"Oh- it's nothing, just wondering how much time we had before the interview."
I lied, but my senses had returned to me and I was definitely no longer okay with the situation. It was confusing and, quite frankly I had plenty of things already on my mind to be confused about.
I didn't give her a chance to answer before hopping out of the car and moving around to the passenger seat, earning a bewildered look for my actions, one that I ignored while I tried to steel myself enough to put up a wall.
"Uh... Well, if you're done being weird, we have like, twenty minutes until the interview... So I guess we should probably head over there now..." she stated slowly, still looking at me as though I was a freak. I heard a faint buzz and watched as Risa dug in her pocket to retrieve her phone, flipping it open to check her messages.
My awkwardness disappeared as I watched the look on her face morph into irritation. Whatever she was reading pissed her off, and she hammered out a furious response with her thumbs before slapping the phone shut.
"...What is it?"
"Well, forget the interview, Aichan just told me she's handling this one alone again. So yeah, guess we have the afternoon off."
Somehow I sensed that was only part of the story, as I was personally relieved to not have to go through the stress just yet. Before I had been hesitant to push Risa for her thoughts; now curiosity fueled my actions.
"Did she say why?"
"She doesn't think we're ready yet."
"We? I mean, I can understand me, but everyone else has done this before, right?"
Her lip curled slightly in a sneer, preceding a short huff of disgust.
"Yeah, but don't forget, we also only recently got back together. So its been a while since anyone but her has talked. Aichan says she's trying to protect me from the press... But I think she actually just doesn't want me screwing up our image any more." As I processed this, she turned to look at me, and I saw something hesitant in her eyes, "And then there's you..."
She trailed off, though, as if she thought better of what she might say and decided against it. I studied her carefully for a moment, making up my mind.
I rolled down my window and stuck my head out to shout at Eri and Aika.
"Hey, the interview isn't happening! We'll be right back, okay?"
Despite a strange look from Aika, I got two shouts of "okay!" in response, and I ducked back into the car, turning to Risa. The bassist was watching me wearing a similar expression as my sister.
"What was that about?"
"Drive. Anywhere. And on the way, you're going to tell me what really happened with you and Takahashi-san and with you and Junjun."
Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Chapter XII, 5/30]
Ahhh~! Will edit later!
EDIT: Well, it seems as though I'm not the only one who's excited for this update, if all the caps in here is any indication.
I'm intending to make this a long reply...
Yeah, I try I love this story and I love to speculate... I know I'm probably wrong about Risa's parents, but I hold to my "Snitches get stitches" thing.
You answering one of my Takagaki questions just makes the whole thing a little bit more sad. I imagine Risa sitting in jail, thoughts on Ai, not even suspecting that her now ex is now her ex and hopping into bed with another woman.
....Then I imagine her clocking someone in the mess hall with a tray and starting a riot, but that's just me with my badass fantasies again.
Onto the story!
First, Eri's surprise.
I don't know why I didn't think she was about to get a car... Maybe it was because I was also thinking, "Naw, Reina can't drive." Forgetting that people are capable of learning these things... Then again, I got a bit confused when I scrolled down and the first thing I lay eyes on is:
I was like lolwhut?
THEN Eri gave her keys and I lol'd.
I really love Risa here, have I mentioned that?
Risa on the other hand was watching me carefully, in stark contrast to how she'd been purposely avoiding my gaze only minutes earlier. She seemed to be amused by something again, and I glared at her as I could only figure that something had to be me.
"Maybe Tanakacchi has more expensive tastes than this," the bassist suggested through a puff of smoke.
So cool~!
And I'm really loving the Tanagaki interaction, too.
And the whole driving scene, omg lols. Their bickering is so cute.
Foreshadowing?
then I realized what she intended. The bassist sat with her legs apart, leaning back and motioning for me to sit in her lap.
Risa guilting her into it, too!
Much to my surprise, her weird method was working; I understood better how to handle the wheel with her arms next to mine to demonstrate correctly, and every time I was tempted to slam on the breaks she kicked me a bit with her foot. Okay, so that part was annoying, but I couldn't deny its effectiveness.
And it's working~!
Aww, bonding~
...More than bonding?
Hmm, more friction between the Takagaki pair, I guess. It raises my curiosity, too.
Lol, Reina really trusts Eri to watch her sister? That's cute.
Oooo, she wants answers!
I guess it's a good sign that she's getting more comfortable with the members, being so assertive with Risa and trusting Eri with Aika. Ai-chan is still on that brink, though and I certainly wouldn't trust her, knowing what I know. Even more, Reina hasn't even interacted one on one with Sayu yet and that is a terrifying prospect, considering Ai has planted the suggestion that the bunny should bed the kitty. I think this may be the first story in a while where I'm totally not ok with Tanashige... But actually see Tanagaki brewing!
Even though I know you've got a lot going on life, unlike me stuffs, I can't help but be impatient waiting for the next chapter to come out. Especially since you've left it on such a cliffhanger-y note there. I promise I won't spam your thread unless you're gone for a month, though
« Last Edit: May 30, 2012, 06:21:30 PM by rndmnwierd »
It's 1 AM here...and I was about to go to bed...AND THEN YOU DECIDED TO UPDATE!~ Yeah...I can just take a nap tomorrow~ :3 This > Sleep <3
Haha, I don't know if Risa's purposely trying to be all touchy touchy with Reina, or if she's just....stupidly smart? :3 Yeah, stupidly smart lol. If this is how bad drivers learn to drive...I'll take a snarky + lovable Risa to teach me in the same method~ ^_^
so curious about the next chapter~ I can't wait to discover the TRUE HISTORY! -bumbumBU~UUUUUUUM!-
take it easy okay? And now, I fade back into obscurity ^_^
HECK. HANDS UP TO RISA'S FUCK-THE-WORLD ATTITUDE. Shitz, I SO LOVE THAT GIRL. Ain't she just... OHGAWDCRY.
kjpop
DAT ASS!
OH MY GOD I HAVE YET TO READ THIS BUT I HEAR FROM AMAZING SOURCES THIS IS AWESOME.
SO BRB WHILE I SPILL MORNING COFFEE ALL OVER MYSELF <3 I shall be back to cry and fangirl T_T
Twitter | Formspring | Tumblr | My Blog:
UPDATED 6/21 - "Morning Musume Release Full One Two Three MV!"
omg stuff's getting serious, cute puppies with eri and aika, tanagaki bonding with cars, and now reina wants risa to spill the beans?! *shot*
more more more~~~!
since I had freetime/procrastinating study time, I decided to go photoshop crazy (> 3 <) I was re-reading your fic again...so forgive my weak photoshop skills :3 I couldn't help it though~ I made three different versions. The first one was okay...but it wasn't "massive" enough
First attempt via clicky since it sucked hardcore
Third try was slightly darker...
But I liked the second try the best
-fades away again-
P.S. Here's the original image of the tiger. I couldn't find a good enough colored tiger~
« Last Edit: May 31, 2012, 02:35:24 AM by mochi.rini »
Ohhhhhh myyyyyy goodnesssss. That's asdfhjkadbka- freakin amazing! Holy shit, that's like, exactly how it is in my mind!
Excuse me while I spaz out a bit. And also I might love you now, just sayin.
@rndy: wow, long reply~ so happy~ it deserves a long(ish) response
I hold to my "Snitches get stitches" thing.
Law of the streets, bro~
You're giving me ideas for MEGA-sad omakes...
I'm surprised people aren't more worried about this
Even more, Reina hasn't even interacted one on one with Sayu yet and that is a terrifying prospect
Indeed it is, and unfortunately for Reina, it's an event that will occur rather soon...
I think this may be the first story in a while where I'm totally not ok with Tanashige... But actually see Tanagaki brewing!
Heheheh Rokun just told me he really hopes Tanagaki doesn't happen and that Tanashige would be hot. Good thing I've set the final pairings from the beginning~ Though I have to admit I'm fond of both for different reasons~
Heheh, I don't actually mind the pestering at all, I think it's what helped motivate me to finish up the last chapter. Feel free to give me a good kick if I go that long without updating... Though hopefully that won't happen!
@mochi.rini: heheh~ I'm a pretty nocturnal creature and now that I'm back in the states, anyone around a similar timezone can expect nighttime updates <3 I have to say I'm not sorry for keeping you up~
If this is how bad drivers learn to drive...I'll take a snarky + lovable Risa to teach me in the same method~ ^_^
...hm... Too bad I already know how to drive... T___T
Thanks for your constant positivity and encouragement in your comments! Means a lot to me. :3 and once more, the photoshop thing with the tattoo... So amazing!
@risa_ai: She's very much Risa and we all love her <3
@kjpop: :0 new reader get?! Haha what sources? I'm sure they're all lying~ anyway, I hope you enjoy, I'd love to hear what you think when you catch up~ <3 (ahaha, morning coffee)
@KB: I see... what you did there... beans... no worries, I come to deliver more!
Whoa two updates so fast?! Is it possible? Yes indeed I began furiously working on this omake right after the last update and voila, already finished. Within lie a lot of the answers you've been waiting for! (no of course not all of them, pfft, you should know better by now) Also a warning for anyone who cares that this gets a tiny bit violent, though I don't think it's that bad. Enjoy~
Omake III: Little Lion Man
"Look, it's just one last job, okay? And you don't even have to get your hands dirty, just babysit the new kids until they've taken care of business and you're outta there."
"I'm telling you no, Mikitty." Risa replied firmly, watching the gang's second-in-command settle down on an overturned trashcan. Miki had summoned her after the afternoon rehearsal, and the bassist came out of curiosity; it really had been quite some time since the gang bothered her at all. They weren't really the type to care about deserters, just as long as said individuals kept their mouths shut and didn't cause trouble. At least, she thought that was the case...
The older woman puffed out a sigh, slipping a hand inside her jacket to search for what Risa assumed was a box of cigarettes. She was right, and Miki offered one of the white sticks to her, which the bean accepted and lit before leaning forward to do the same for her gang mate. Calmed by the smoke, Miki gave her a level look.
"Listen... I like you, Gaki-san. You've had some tough stuff happen to you, but for the most part you're still one of those kids that really doesn't belong out here on the streets," Risa attempted to protest that she wasn't a kid, but Miki held up a hand so she could continue.
"So, because I like you, I'm gonna shoot straight with you here. Things aren't how they used to be. The gang's getting bigger and Rika's more ruthless. If she finds out you won't help, and I assure you she will whether I tell her or not, she'll come after you."
"Why? She's never done that before, why now?" Risa pressed, not as certain about her decision to stay out of it as before.
"Control. You're the most experienced member under me, so her rep as a leader would be more than a little dented if she just let you do whatever the hell you want."
Miki stomped out her cigarette, rising lazily from her perch on the trashcan.
"If nothing else persuades you, then realize that Rika also has the option of hurting you in other ways... Ways that don't even involve you. She knows who your friends are..." She paused a moment, then with more emphasis: "...who your friends are."
Risa felt her whole body run cold at the implication. Not Ai. Not her Aichan. She would die first. She clenched her hands into fists, unaware that she was even doing so until her nails dug painfully into skin.
The older woman offered her an apologetic look.
"You don't really have a choice, I'm afraid. But I'm glad you understand that. I would not enjoy hurting you or that girl of yours. I'll send the recruits your way."
Miki sauntered away, leaving the bean alone in the alleyway with a smoldering cigarette and her thoughts. She couldn't be angry with the woman, knowing how it was that Rika pulled her strings; without the leverage, Risa was sure Miki would have likely killed the gang leader a long time ago. But she couldn't help the overwhelming sense of dread settling over her at what was to come later tonight.
...Like Mikitty said, it's just babysitting... If we're careful, nothing will go wrong... Right?
And then there was Ai. Risa knew if her girlfriend found out about her plans, she'd be beyond pissed. But putting her in danger was absolutely out of the question.
I'd much rather risk her being angry with me for a while...
She grunted, kicking over the trashcan Miki had been sitting on out of frustration before exiting the alley, heading nowhere in particular.
The new recruits were very green. In fact, Risa doubted that either had been on the streets long at all, if ever before. Miki hadn't told her much about them, though.
The tall one, Yajima Maimi, was still in school and apparently Rika planned on using her to recruit younger members from the inside. She looked intimidating enough, but when she spoke, Risa got the impression that she had a mild disposition and was likely a bit of an airhead.
The other, a nervous girl named Mano Erina, was a recent drop-out and almost immediately the bean realized she was a junkie. Where Maimi looked to be at least somewhat useful, Erina seemed like a liability, but it wasn't really Risa's place to question Rika's choices.
And in an hour or so it would no longer be her problem anyway.
The trio had met up after midnight in the same place as before, and were now heading towards their target; the cafe where Risa had once worked a part-time job. She felt somewhat guilty for choosing this location, considering the owner and his daughter had always been kind to her, but it was an easy hit as she knew all the tricks to getting inside the building.
She would not risk failure here, not with bigger things at stake.
"Hey, boss... It looks like the lights are still on?"
Risa looked up from where they were camped out, a frown etching it's way onto her lips. It was much too late for the cafe to still be open, and she felt her suspicion growing. Still, it remained the easiest option for the new kids, and she decided to investigate before sending them in.
A rustling noise beside her briefly caught her attention, and in the darkness she could see that Maimi was rubbing gingerly at her back.
"Ah... New ink?" Risa questioned softly, remembering how it felt and feeling sympathetic. The younger female nodded, offering her a bright grin nonetheless.
"It's a bear. Or it will be. What's yours?"
"A tiger." The bean replied, slowly rising to her feet, "You two stay put until I call for you. ...or if there's trouble."
The subordinates grunted in response and Risa moved, quickly, catlike across the street until she was able to take cover around the side of the building. She made a beeline for the cafe's back door, completely slowing to a halt when she realized it had been tampered with.
Someone had taken the time to break the thing off its hinges; with what, she didn't know, but the door hung loosely on the now bent scraps of metal, completely open. Confused, she cautiously poked her head inside, picking up sounds of a loud argument going on in the main room. Perhaps, out of some lingering concern for the family that had helped her out with a job in the past, she continued forward to see what was going on.
Making sure she was out of sight, Risa peered into the cafe's main room, spotting two large thugs ransacking anything they could get their hands on, while a third, a woman, stood over a motionless figure. She recognized the victim as the owner of the cafe; he was bloody and battered and very unconscious, but she thought--hoped--he was still alive.
Risa knew who the others were too; she registered the thugs as belonging to Matsuura's gang, as well as the woman, who she knew only as "Nacchi". Boiling anger coiled up within her, but she willed herself to stay put.
Steady, Risa... You gave up the idea of revenge, remember?
"This guy had a nice place... Kind of him to leave so much money in the register." She heard one of the grunts saying as he flipped over a table.
"Too bad the daughter wasn't here... Can't always get what you want, I suppose."
The men snickered darkly at that, and Nacchi regarded them with a disinterested look, wiping her knife off on her pants.
"I think he's been thoroughly educated about not setting up another shop on our end of town. Which means it's time to leave. Take what you can carry."
"I can't let you do that." The words left her mouth before she could really think about what she was doing, and Risa stepped forward, brandishing her switchblade with a snap. It was a bold but stupid, stupid move. One of the men leered at her.
"Well, well, if it ain't Ishikawa's little brat. How's mom and pops, kid?"
Risa trembled with fury, still managing to hold her ground. Before she could respond, the other man spoke up as well.
"Doesn't look so little anymore to me... Maybe we'll have some fun tonight after all."
"Don't count on it." Maimi and Erina appeared at Risa's sides, the former wielding a knife of her own, while the latter gripped a smiley loosely in her hands. The taller girl acknowledged Risa with a nod. "You were taking too long."
"I'm glad you're impatient, then." The bean responded, confidence restored with the recruits at her back. The men, however, seemed unphased, and Nacchi remained emotionless.
"If you'd rather fight, that's fine with me, baby."
The thugs looked to the woman for approval, and she waved her hand tiredly, moving away to let them do all the dirty work for her. One of them produced a knife from his pocket; the other got creative and snapped the leg off the nearest table, wielding it like a club.
Club guy charged at Erina, who shrieked and attempted to dodge blows while trading a few of her own with the smiley. Maimi went to her aid, leaving the guy with the knife to Risa. She supposed it was an even enough match; despite his obvious height advantage, she could tell instantly that she was faster.
She fought him the way Miki had taught her to fight anyone stronger; when the thug dove for her with his blade, she dodged and then struck quickly at anything within reach like a cobra. She wouldn't hit anything vital that way, but after a good ten minutes, she was still unharmed while her attacker was bleeding profusely from shallow gashes that peppered his forearms and legs. Risa noticed he was getting sloppier due to pain and frustration, and was waiting for the right moment to strike, when a shot suddenly rang out in the room.
Against all she had been taught, she turned to look, watching as the other thug collapsed to the ground. Maimi was frozen where she stood, the gun in her hands still smoking, blood dripping down her face from a cut above her eye. Erina was on the ground, shaken, but otherwise okay.
Before Risa could really process the scene, sharp, white-hot pain ripped through her side and she staggered, strangled hurt escaping her lips as she looked down at the knife that was buried in her hip. The remaining thug sneered at her, still gripping the handle as though about to twist it.
"Ready to scream?"
Something more powerful than pain surged through her as she met his gaze then; the rage from before returned, and she clutched her own knife so hard her knuckles turned white. She managed a smirk that was mostly grimace.
"Are you?"
Like lightning, her blade struck his face, tearing through his eyes and the bridge of his nose like butter, causing the thug to backpedal and howl in agony. Of course, the effort hurt her like hell, but there was something satisfying about watching the man roll around on the floor like a pitiful animal. She expected and feared that Nacchi would now intervene, but the sounds of approaching sirens caught everyone's attention.
The rival female quickly darted to her blinded gangmate, pushing him to his feet and barking at him to grab his fallen brother so they could quickly make their exit. They managed to disappear, and as the sirens got louder, Risa sank to her knees, the corners of her vision beginning to fade as unconsciousness threatened to take over.
The recruits seemed petrified, and unsure of what to do, and with what remained of her energy, the bassist shouted at them.
"Go! Run! Get the hell out of here!"
Maimi hesitated, taking a step forward as though to help the fallen girl. But Risa wasn't having any of it. She knew very well they'd get pegged for the robbery and assault of the store owner, and she wasn't about to let a couple of kids go to jail if she could help it.
"I'm serious! Out, now! Leave me, I'm dead weight and I can handle the consequences."
The other girls lingered a moment longer, then both fled the scene as they were told. Risa let out a shuddering sigh, pulling the knife from her side before completely passing out.
I'm sorry, Aichan.
Re: The Rockstar's Guide to Growing Up [Omake III, 5/31]
Holy crap! Omake so soon!?
And why shouldn't I be? It's a pretty sad situation there... And it makes for good drama. Now I'm wondering if Ai even visited Risa much at all...
Worried? That the flighty junkie will corrupt Aika? I kinda thought the kid would have a stronger will than that...
Ah~ Now I really wanna know what the final pairings will be~ Either way, I'm sure it will be well worth the wait and drama!
"I'm telling you no, Mikitty." Risa replied firmly,
Risa omake!
Risa felt her whole body run cold at the implication. Not Ai. Not her Aichan. She would die first.
I knew it! No way she would ruin something so good for stupid reasons.
Btw, I really like the Fujigaki relationship here.
The tall one, Yajima Maimi, was still in school and apparently Rika planned on using her to recruit younger members from the inside.
Waaait a minute... Maimi? Hasn't she been mentioned somewhere before...? As Airi's crush?
The other, a nervous girl named Mano Erina, was a recent drop-out and almost immediately the bean realized she was a junkie.
Dang, poor Mano.
the cafe where Risa had once worked a part-time job. She felt somewhat guilty for choosing this location, considering the owner and his daughter had always been kind to her, but it was an easy hit as she knew all the tricks to getting inside the building.
Ah, makes sense now...
Wait, are they...?
Risa trembled with fury, still managing to hold her ground.
*narrows eyes* Is this...? Did they...? Accident...?
*fight scene*
Does it make me weird if I say Risa being so vicious in her attack makes me swoon a bit? I think I just have a terrible Badass!Risa complex. Badass, and yet compassionate, too. Taking the fall for those kids instead of trying to drag them down... But why not try to take Matsuura's gang down instead?
Ah~ So much explained in that little omake. I can rest easy tonight


text:
Buddy Bench helps beat bullying at school
School has child council that helps to combat problem.
Tamara Khoury, left, Cynthia Stephan, centre, and Afra Al Ali take bullying problems at school very seriously. Silvia Razgova / The National
Roberta Pennington
ABU DHABI // When nine-year-old Tamara Khoury sees a fellow pupil sitting alone on a bench during break time, she and her friends spring into action.
Tamara, along with her fifth-grade colleagues Cynthia Stephan and Afra Al Ali, are members of Al Mushrif's Private School's anti-bullying council. Their job is to promote inclusion and extend a helping hand to any student who may feel left out, lonely or bullied.
"We have this bench and whenever anybody like, they're sad or something, they sit on this bench and one of the anti-bullying people comes and they let them be friends and fix the problem," said Afra, a 10-year-old Emirati.
"Yeah, it really helped a lot," said Tamara, a Jordanian in Year 5. "It's called Buddy Bench. There was a big sign. It really helped."
The Buddy Bench is one of a number of strategies developed by the school community over the years to tackle bullying from a grassroots level.
The school also makes an effort to keep the children busy and well supervised during break times, when bad behaviour is more likely to surface.
"To me, bullying doesn't happen at Al Mushrif because if the children have a falling out and either hurt someone by pushing them if they're angry or using a bad word or hurtful word, we're really quick to respond so it doesn't escalate into a bullying scenario," said Emma Shanahan, the school's principal.
"One of our key priorities this year is to have very active and positive playtimes for everyone. So we've invested a lot of money and time in organising resources – there's more staff on duty to engage children in lots of different physical activities.
"There are more adults there who can coordinate play and we've got our anti-bullying council and we've got play leaders as well in Year 6.
"So, they really are very happy, positive times." The school also hosts an anti-bullying week once a year that encourages students to design posters and reenact scenarios in class that promote making the right choices when it comes to bad behaviour.
"We really care about one another here at Al Mushrif and that's very evident in what we say and what we do," Mrs Shanahan said. "But we explicitly teach it as well."
The school's behavioural policy is centred around teaching the four Cs – courtesy, cooperation, common sense and consideration.
"It's quite easy for everyone to remember, and actually everyone is demonstrating that," Mrs Shanahan said.
"Every single person in school – the staff, the pupils – they demonstrate it, we're reinforcing it, so it's implicit in everything we do."
rpennington@thenational.ae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
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Charlottesville Through the Eyes of an Ex-White Supremacist
As I read reports of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, between white supremacists and their opponents, it brought back memories of my own battle-scarred past. As an angry young man in my native England, I had joined a white supremacist party and was involved in many bruising battles on the streets. I had rejoiced when a counterdemonstrator was killed at one of our meetings and mourned when a friend of mine, a neo-Nazi colleague, had died after being hit on the head at another riotous demonstration.
In those days, I relished the violence, hoping for a full-blown race war. As the editor of a white supremacist magazine, I sought to incite racial hatred and was sentenced to prison twice, spending my 21st and 25th birthdays in prison. It was, therefore, with an unsettling sense of déjà vu that I watched the events in Charlottesville unfold. I had seen it all before, not merely as a passive spectator watching it happen on television, but as an active participant, feeling the rage and the anger and experiencing the violence firsthand.
Having once been in the same place and the same psychological space as today's white supremacists, and having experienced their sense of outrage and alienated anger, I hope that I can offer some insights into why such people feel the way that they do and what we can do to heal the wounds of our broken culture. In order to do so, I will need to retrace my own steps, recalling how I ended up in a world of racism and bigotry — although, in all honesty, I learned much of my racism at my father's knee. It was nurtured in the culture of relativism at the public high school I attended. There was no suggestion that young men and women should be taught virtue; no suggestion that the real meaning of love was not self-gratification, but the laying down of one's life for another; no suggestion that there was a God or, if there was, that he was relevant to our lives.
Christianity, if it was mentioned at all in the classroom, was sneered at by the teachers, almost all of whom seemed to be agnostics or atheists, and several of whom were avowed Marxists. This secularized education is not that dissimilar to the education that many young people receive today in the United States. In public schools laboring under the demands of the dictatorship of relativism, there is no room for an education in virtue. Indeed, "virtue" as a word is effectively banished from the classroom, and specific virtues, such as chastity and humility, are actively frowned upon or ridiculed.
What is taught is a spirit of rebellion against traditional concepts of goodness, truth and beauty. In this vicious and vacuous environment, it is inevitable that vice will fill the virtue-free void. If we will not teach goodness, truth and beauty, we cannot avoid breeding viciousness, falsehood and ugliness, and this will include the rise of pride in all its ugly manifestations, including pride in one's own perceived racial identity.
The problem is that relativism elevates feeling over reason. If it's all about me and my feelings and not about my place in an objective reality of which I am only a small part, I am "free" to pick and choose the "self" that I selfishly desire. For some, a small minority, this might be rooted in something to do with "sexuality"; for others, and potentially a much larger number of people, this will be rooted in a sense of tribal or racial identity. It is in this atmosphere of relativism, in which reality is narcissistically self-defined, that pride runs rampant, not least of which is racial pride, the hateful, often violent type of which we saw in Charlottesville.
In my own case, the pride that was ruling and ruining my life was challenged by its engagement with objective reality, with authentic reason. Discovering the works of G.K. Chesterton, Hilaire Belloc, C.S. Lewis, Blessed John Henry Newman and, eventually, during my second prison sentence, the works of Thomas Aquinas, I began to perceive reality as something much bigger than the pathetic world of racist ideology that I had self-constructed.
It is for this reason that I believe strongly, with St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI, that the Church can only effectively evangelize a culture dominated by relativism with the power of fides et ratio, of a faith which is indissolubly wedded to reason. The narcissism of relativism imprisons the self within the prison of the self itself; reason liberates the self, enabling it to stretch into the glorious cosmos that exists beyond itself.
In short and in sum, racism and other manifestations of pride need to be countered by an encounter with reason. There is, however, one other force that helped me overcome my pride — and that is the power of love.
In my days of pride, I hated my enemies, and I expected my enemies to hate me. It was the old law of: an eye for an eye. You hurt me and I hurt you. You hate me and I hate you. Hate breeding hatred. Picture the scenes of demonstrators and counterdemonstrators at Charlottesville, venting their spleens against each other, screaming their hatred at each other, each feeding off the other's frenzy.
The way out of this deadly spiral is to go beyond the love of neighbor, as necessary as that is, and to begin to love our enemies. This is not simply good for us, freeing us from the bondage of hatred; it is good for our enemies also.
In my book Race With the Devil: My Journey From Racial Hatred to Rational Love, I recall three separate occasions when I confronted an enemy with hatred and enmity and received in return love and friendship. In each case, the receiving of love when I was expecting hatred sowed seeds of healing in my hate-battered heart.
Make no mistake about it, love is a powerful weapon against our enemies. Hatred hurts our enemies, but it doesn't stop them from being enemies; on the contrary, it enflames their hatred and increases their enmity. Love, on the other hand, does not hurt our enemies; it only hurts their hatred. And in hurting their hatred, it heals their hearts, turning the enemy into a friend.
This is the challenge we face in the wake of the horrors of Charlottesville. It is to love our enemies. We should not demonize the white supremacist or the abortionist, but should love them into submission. We should not prey on them but should pray for them, hoping that, in the future, by the grace of God, we can pray with them.
As for James Alex Fields, the angry and hate-filled young man who has been accused of driving his car into counterdemonstrators in Charlottesville, I know all too well that he is what I was. He is not beyond the love of God, nor should he be beyond the love of his neighbors or his enemies. We should pray for him as we pray for his victims.
Joseph Pearce is a senior editor with the Augustine Institute.
His book, Race With the Devil: My Journey from Racial Hatred to Rational Love,
is available from Saint Benedict Press.
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In Houses leadership theory________refers to know a leaderinfluences subordinates perceptions of both work goals and personalgoals and the links found between these two sets of goals.
Please provide a tutorial for the attached discussions.Thanks.
(b) Find a 99% lower one-sided confidence interval on mean compressive strength.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of self-servingbiases? Also provide two examples of self-serving bias and explainhow the examples are adaptive or maladaptive.


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New officers in El Cajon making a difference reducing crime in city parks
Maurice Hooper (left) and Christopher Betancourt are the two officers working as park rangers for the city of El Cajon and the Police department. Hired last year, the two are charged with keeping an eye on things in city parks as well as helping out at special events and for other public safety needs in El Cajon.
(Karen Pearlman / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The City Council created the new positions in July 2018 in part to deal with issues related to homelessness
By Karen Pearlman
EL CAJON —
Two officers hired by the El Cajon Police Department in July 2018 to patrol city parks are having a clear effect citywide one year into the job, said City Manager Graham Mitchell and the officers' supervisor, Nicholas Sprecco.
"Chris Betancourt and Maurice Hooper filled the two positions and have adapted quite well to their roles and responsibilities," Sprecco said. "Their primary focus is the city parks, where they spend a considerable amount of time. I think that's what makes them so effective. They have become familiar to many people who regularly visit the area. They also have great personalities, and people like that."
In an Aug. 21 memo sent to Mayor Bill Wells and the City Council, Mitchell reported that the non-sworn officers have helped reduce calls for service from police officers and that their duties have made them "a tremendous asset" to the Police Department and to the city as a whole.
Calls for service have dropped by 56 percent in four parks -- Wells Park, Prescott Promenade, Tuttle Park and Renette Park, Mitchell said. They patrol all the parks seven days a week, their shifts overlapping on Wednesday.
Calls for service typically range from issues involving the homeless to substance abuse to gang activity. Officers monitor parks on foot and also make crime reports, issue warnings or citations for municipal code violations, write parking citations, look into and impound abandoned vehicles, and investigate inhumane treatment of animals.
Mitchell said the calls for police service in the four parks have declined from 400 calls a month from January 2018 through June 2018, to 316 calls from July 2018 to December 2018, to 176 calls from January 2019 through June 2019.
Mitchell said city staff "is encouraged by the reduction in calls for service over time" and believe a primary reason for the drop in calls is that the officers are initiating calls instead of residents.
Between Jan. 1 and June 30 of this year, the non-sworn officers made 344 calls for service from sworn police officers for Wells Park, 114 for Prescott Promenade, 108 for Renette Park and 82 for Tuttle Park, a total of 648 for the six-month period.
Non-sworn means the officers can carry out basic police work and write citations, but cannot make arrests or carry firearms.
El Cajon Park Rangers Maurice Hooper (left) and Christopher Betancourt take some time to play with Loki (in cart) and Bella last week at the dog park in Wells Park. The two men were hired last year by the El Cajon Police department to keep an eye on the goings-on in parks, including seeing to the safety of animals.
Sprecco said Betancourt and Hooper have worked to have positive interactions through open communication with those they interact with in parks.
"They tend to get compliance with requests versus enforcement because of their professional relationships," Sprecco said.
The officers were each hired at a salary between $50,000 and $61,000 annually to enforce rules in the city's 17 parks, to make them safer and more inviting for families as well as help with animal control.
The positions also call for the contacting of sworn police officers when needed for penal code violations as well as for possible suspicious activities in and around parks. Sprecco said the officers have been proactive with the enforcement of El Cajon Municipal Codes.
"They have to be," he said. "If you want clean parks, people need to be held accountable. Part of this is enforcing laws."
The council gave its OK in February 2018 to hire the officers after Police Chief Jeff Davis had expressed a need for extra enforcement to better respond to an increase of calls for service over the last several years.
At that time, Davis said that since 2013, the department's volume of calls had increased by more than 17 percent, and that many were related to homeless issues and not necessarily crime.
Mitchell said the officers had four months of extensive training and were exposed to many of the divisions within the Police Department.
He said that since late last year, the officers helped the department's Special Enforcement Unit with homelessness, provided assistance during city events, such as Movies in the Park, and provided coverage as animal control officers.
"Chris and Maurice do interact with homeless individuals," Sprecco said. "Sometimes they are enforcing laws but at the same time we are very proactive with our outreach efforts. Chris and Maurice work very closely with many of the homeless resources and social service groups. It's a collaborative effort and we do what we can to connect individuals with the services they need. "
East CountyLatestEl CajonLocal
Karen Pearlman
El Cajon seeking new planning commissioner, two personnel commissioners
Planning Commission pays $300 to attend two meetings per month
Healthcare district doles out $1.1 million in grants in 2019-20
Four groups each awarded $100K or more
Newsom joins volunteers for San Diego homeless count
Gov. Gavin Newsom joined other elected officials and volunteers at Golden Hall in the San Diego Concourse shortly before 4 a.m. Thursday for what was known as the 'VIP' event in the annual count
Massage business in El Cajon cited for violations to remain closed
City Council denies appeal from Cajon Massage citing police sting operation
History of Helix Water District on tap Jan. 25
District holding tour of administration building, with chances to view historical photos
East County looking for ways to deal with homelessness in 2020
El Cajon pledges continued help, looks to La Mesa, Santee, Lemon Grove to step up
Santa Ana winds could affect traffic late Wednesday on Interstate 8
A high wind advisory has been issued for the San Diego County mountains
For Mackenzie Curtis, it's game on
El Capitan junior means business on the basketball court
Santee man killed when pickup rolls down steep embankment in Granite Hills
The Dodge Ram was headed east on La Cresta when it veered off the road and rolled about 8:50 am.
San Diego temperatures to climb back into the 70s following cool, gray weekend
Santa Ana winds are expected to arrive in the county on Wednesday
Deputies arrest 29 in East County warrant sweep
Violators were arrested for everything from skipping court dates to assault with a deadly weapon
La Mesa man formally charged in media attack
The La Mesa clothing store owner who was arrested following an altercation with members of the media last weekend has been formally charged.
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Lanes to change for Interstate 5 construction
Traffic will be rerouted across San Elijo Lagoon
The future of the Del Mar fairgrounds? No guns, less racing, and more concerts
As horse racing revenue declines and fair attendance levels off, the search begins for new ways to make money
Famed Christmas store, Canterbury Gardens, closing after 36 years
Second-generation owner plans to redevelop the Escondido property, most likely for apartments
Two measures could decide future of rural San Diego County growth
Measures A & B on March ballot deal with housing development in county's unincorporated areas
San Diego's infrastructure funding gap climbs past $2B despite record spending
Gap shrinks to $1.3B when list limited to 'priority' projects
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Officials say fire along popular trail was started by a juvenile
From our community papers
Crosby Club completes clubhouse renovation, other upgrades
The Crosby Club at Rancho Santa Fe is on an upswing and has been busy renovating the property and clubhouse, improving the golf course and boosting its membership and social calendar.
La Jolla News Nuggets
UC San Diego on alert for students infected with Coronavirus In the wake of the first U.S. case of a pneumonia-like virus that has killed at least 81 people in China, UC San Diego told its students by e-mail to report to a student clinic if they've visited Wuhan, China in the past 14 days and develop a fever with cough or difficulty breathing.
HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS: Masterpieces you can see in La Jolla right now
If you want to view masterpieces from tomorrow's Picassos to Kahlos, there's no need to leave La Jolla.
Interstate 5 drivers will see a shift in traffic beginning in February when they cross the bridge being built over the San Elijo Lagoon at the border of Encinitas and Solana Beach.
Del Mar Schools to purchase property for ninth school in Pacific Highlands Ranch
At its Jan. 22 meeting the Del Mar Union School District board approved the purchased of the 10.5-acre property in Pacific Highlands Ranch from Pardee Homes as they prepare to begin construction on the district's ninth school this year.
Carmel Valley board to write letter in support of curbing activity at Surf Sports Park
The Carmel Valley Community Planning Board agreed to write a letter to the city in support of a local coalition that is committed to reducing what they believe to be "intensified" use at Surf Cup Sports Park.
Del Mar Heights School plan adjusted to add more green space
The Del Mar Union School District continues to work with architects to improve the design for the Del Mar Heights School rebuild, making refinements such as increasing the size of the field and adding a new pedestrian connection onto the campus from the Mira Montana Drive cul-de-sac.
Del Mar Art Center Gallery holds closing reception
The Del Mar Art Center Gallery recently closed its non-profit organization after 20 years in Del Mar.