Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

Metal Resistance [brenda brunette and Sigr]

Moa couldn't help but dance her part to 4 no Uta. Hana had unwittingly (or perhaps with intent) made it challenging for Moa as Hana had taken Moa's part, leaving Moa to sing the part of Yui.

If it were possible, Moa's dimpled smile was even more kawaii as she recalled annoying the Babymetal crew and staff on their early bus tours with this very song.

Moa was still beaming when Hana-san asked her about a drink.

"Strawberry Ramune, kudasai," Moa requested. It was an old-fashioned drink, but one she liked. Besides, what drink wouldn't be enjoyable with a marble in the bottle?
 
"Can I make a request?" Hana asked, taking a sip of her green beverage, her eyes brightening up. "I know that it's not your part on the show but..." she fidgeted. "I'd love if you could sing Amore" she finally managed to say. "I'll sing whatever you want after it, please..." Hana smiled, making a face that was hard to resist.
 
Moa smiled another of her dimpled smiles. She adored Amore. The Flamenco-style guitar solo was one of her favorite moments in Babymetal music. And it wasn't so unusual for her to sing one of Su's solo songs. When she had her 15th birthday on tour, it was Moa, not Su, who sang the lead for Head Bangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!*, just as Yui had done a few days earlier for her birthday.

Moa cued up the song on the tablet and as it came up, she watched the countdown carefully so as not to blow the entrance.


*Head Bangeeeeerrrrr!!!!! is about a girl's 15th birthday. The official video is rich with symbolism, which includes the protection given to a child (the boxed gift of a neck brace given to Su at the beginning of the video), letting go of such protection (Su removes the neck brace and it disappears), and a child fantasizing about being an adult (concert footage appearing in black and white with splashes of red while scenes of Su singing in her bedroom are in full color).
 
As Moa started to sing Amore with her mellow voice, Hana couldn't help but silently move her lips to the lyrics. Hearing her singing about spreading love was wonderful and heartwarming, making Hana fall even more for her, if such a thing was possible. In that moment, with Moa's singing voice surrounding them, Hana didn't even care it was impossible. That little cute girl's spirit made her believe that love could reach everywhere, everyone, including someone like Hana that had never felt nothing but the unrequited kind.

"That was wonderful!" Hana cheered once the song was over. She was smiling brightly, but her eyes were teary, moved by Moa's performance. "Ah, sorry, I'm so silly..." she said when noticing, brushing her eyes dry and taking a couple sips of her melon soda. "It was so beautiful..." Hana realized what she had promised earlier. "Well, a promise is a promise, is there something you want me to sing?" she asked, feeling more relaxed.
 
"Are you okay?" Moa asked when she saw Hana's tears. "My singing isn't that good!" she joked. But she wiped a tear from her own eye. Moa was the emotional one, and more than a little empathetic.

Moa had been fighting a growing concern over Hana-chan. She seemed so lacking in self-confidence. It was easy to imagine she had been bullied because of her weight. Or for any number of reasons for that matter. Sexual preference. General nerdiness. In Moa's experience, bullies picked on the extremes: too dumb, too smart, too fat, too thin, too wealthy, too poor -- the list went on and on. Moa wished that people could be appreciated for what they are rather than ridiculed for what they are not.

"Why don't you sing Heart no Hoshi?" Moa asked, referring to a song from her Sakura Gakuin days. "I'll sing with you, if you like."
 
"Since it's a team song... I'd be glad if you joined me" Hana admitted. It was after all a song about not being alone and connecting their hearts to build a better world, at least as she understood it, so it would be strange and a bit sad singing it by herself. Moa seemed worried about her, and Hana didn't want to worry her and have a fun day, so she rushed to pick the song as soon as possible and distract the lovely girl, not wanting to be the one that made that wonderful smile disappear.

"Haato wo tsunage tara Kirakira kagayaku hoshi..." Hana started, the bubbly song soon catching on her, making her bounce and smile as she sung. It showed after a couple of verses that Hana knew the lyrics as well, as she turned to sing towards Moa, instead of looking at the screen. She blushed slightly, as it was a bit embarrassing, but she didn't avert her eyes, as Hana kept looking at Moa while they were singing.
 
Moa smiled back at Hana as the two of them sang. She really was an adorable girl, if only she weren't so...melancholy. Moa was surprised at how much of the dance that went with the song had left her memory. They weren't even dim memories, just gone entirely. But then, she had memorized a lot of dances since those days, and in any case, much of the dance would have looked silly with just one dancer.

"You're so much fun," Moa said when the song ended. "I bet you bring smiles to all your friends."
 
Recovering her breath after the singing and jumping, Hana could only smile and thankfully nod as Moa told her how fun she was. What she added afterwards erased that smile of her face, turning it into a sad frown. Hana let herself flop on her seat, noticing that she was still holding the microphone and leaving it besides her. "Maybe we could go elsewhere? There is still karaoke time left, but..." she tried to change topics, but failed miserably to do so and left the sentence unfinished. She didn't want to be a downer, but she didn't want to lie to Moa either, even if it was by omission.

"I don't have friends" she confessed. "I'm... quite shy, so I didn't have many to begin with, and as soon as it got known that..." Hana paused, taking a deep breath. "That I'm a le-les-les..." her stuttering returned, rendering her unable to say the word. "The girls don't want to have me close anymore..." she sighed. "I'm making a few friends in the Babymetal forum but... that's because they don't know me yet" Hana covered her face. She wasn't crying, but she couldn't dare to face Moa like that, having made the mood so weird.
 
Hana wasn't crying, but Moa was. Tears streamed uninhibited down her dimpled cheeks as she sat beside Hana-chan. She put her arm around the troubled girl.

"I don't understand why you are so shy," Moa choked out between sobs. "You have a lot to offer. And being a lesbian is no big deal. There are millions of lesbians."

And Moa wasn't belittling Hana's situation. Traditionally, there was no stigma attached to same-sex relationships, unlike in the West. In recent years that had begun to change, but for many Japanese citizens same-sex relationships nothing to be ashamed of.

Moa placed her forehead against Hana's, looking her in the eye.

"I'm your friend," she said decidedly. Almost subconsciously she switched to much more casual Japanese.* "When this 'date' is over, we'll keep in touch. You will email me, even call me from time to time. Okay?"

She extended her pinky for yubikiri. She didn't mean to punctuate her speech with a sniffle, but she was still crying.


*The Japanese language has different ways of speaking, depending on the relationship between the speakers. Very casual speech is reserved for family and close friends. By changing the way she is speaking, Moa is showing an intimacy the two have not shared until now.
 
Hana felt the warmth of Moa's proximity, her arm around the shoulder, but even if she felt better, she didn't budge. Only when the girl started to talk was when Hana noticed the cry on her voice, soon rising her head and looking at her directly. "Oh! Nonono... I'm stronger than I look, don't worry..." she said, trying to stop Moa's tears, drying them from that beautiful face. As Moa leaned her forehead on Hana's her breath cut short, unable to look away from her eyes. "O-Okay" she muttered, there was no arguing with her there, specially when she talked to her like that, dropping the keigo and behaving as they were childhood friends. "I will..." she said pausedly. "I will!" she repeated, enthusiastically. "But don't cry anymore please..." she returned to clear her tears as she saw Moa extending her pinky for a swear, an act that was both endearingly childish and incredibly heartwarming at the same time.

"I promise" Hana said, catching Moa's pinky with her own, shaking their hands up and down. After a moment to chill down and take a sip from their drinks, Hana realized something. "I guess I just watched a side of you that not many people has" she voiced. "It must be hard being happy and joyful for all your fans. Whenever you need to vent or whine, protest or cry... count on me... friend" Hana's face illuminated when she said that, also behaving casually with Moa. "So... I think our karaoke time is about to be over" Hana mentioned. "I was thinking... shopping perhaps? We already are in Shibuya after all..." she mentioned. "Then we can go lunch whenever you please and we can talk about the afternoon and such" she proposed.
 
Moa smiled even as the tears dried on her dimpled cheeks.

"Take me to your favorite shop in Shibuya!" she said.

As they left Big Echo, Moa linked her arm with Hana's. She was wearing her sunglasses again.

"As you said," she spoke in a hushed tone to Hana as she leaned toward her, "I'm not allowed to have a significant other. But we can pretend. I'm incognito today. Let anyone who sees us assume we are a couple."
 
"Deal!" Hana nodded, getting out of the karaoke with a lighter heart, ready to keep on with the date day. Once outside Moa's proximity and her proposal made her blush and smile but she said nothing and just guided the two of them back passing Hachiko towards the Shibuya Crossing. "Most people only see the 109" Hana commented about the famous store that towered over the area, "but I like a smaller spot in an alleyway down there" she added, pointing in the general direction.

Once the linked couple passed the crowded crossing, they could approach the stores around, but as they were walking there one sight seemed to startle Hana. "Ah! Hide-" she yelped, looking around, but in the middle of the street there was nowhere to go. "I hope they don't notice-" she muttered, but it didn't last long.

"Oi! What do we have here..." one girl about Hana's age but looking older, dressing in a quite colorful gal style approached them. The smirk on her face made clear that she was no friend of Hana, and escorted as she was by two similar looking ones she closed in the couple. "So the piggy got a girlfriend..." she snorted. "Careful girl, or you could get fat eating her out!" she cruelly joked, her laughs echoed by the girls behind them.

Hana was visibly trembling and looking down, but after a moment she looked the girl in the eyes and managed to start talking. "F-f-f" she stuttered, unable to continue.

"What? I cant understand squeals, pig" the girl said, still laughing.

"Fuck off Tora! Take your dogs and don't forget cleaning after them! Or is it them who clean you?" she blurted, angry from being abused in front of Moa.

"Oh, I don't care where we are, you are going to get punched for that..." Tora said, raising a fist.
 
Sigr said:
"Deal!" Hana nodded, getting out of the karaoke with a lighter heart, ready to keep on with the date day. Once outside Moa's proximity and her proposal made her blush and smile but she said nothing and just guided the two of them back passing Hachiko towards the Shibuya Crossing. "Most people only see the 109" Hana commented about the famous store that towered over the area, "but I like a smaller spot in an alleyway down there" she added, pointing in the general direction.

Once the linked couple passed the crowded crossing, they could approach the stores around, but as they were walking there one sight seemed to startle Hana. "Ah! Hide-" she yelped, looking around, but in the middle of the street there was nowhere to go. "I hope they don't notice-" she muttered, but it didn't last long.

"Oi! What do we have here..." one girl about Hana's age but looking older, dressing in a quite colorful gal style approached them. The smirk on her face made clear that she was no friend of Hana, and escorted as she was by two similar looking ones she closed in the couple. "So the piggy got a girlfriend..." she snorted. "Careful girl, or you could get fat eating her out!" she cruelly joked, her laughs echoed by the girls behind them.

Hana was visibly trembling and looking down, but after a moment she looked the girl in the eyes and managed to start talking. "F-f-f" she stuttered, unable to continue.

"What? I cant understand squeals, pig" the girl said, still laughing.

"Fuck off Tora! Take your dogs and don't forget cleaning after them! Or is it them who clean you?" she blurted, angry from being abused in front of Moa.

"Oh, I don't care where we are, you are going to get punched for that..." Tora said, raising a fist.
Click to expand...
Moa's hand caught Tora's fist. "Ijime, dame, zettai," she said solemnly, using a phrase which also served as the title of one of Babymetal's hits. "Both of you," she scolded, casting a glance toward Hana. She had no idea if this Tora would recognize her or if she even knew who Moa Kikuchi or Babymetal was, but she didn't care. No one deserved to be talked to like that.

She whipped off her sunglasses and looked to Tora again.

"For someone who claims not to like Hana-chan," Moa said, still holding Tora's fist fast (Her martial arts training had made her surprisingly strong.), you spend a lot of time and effort seeking her out. If you really didn't like her, she wouldn't be worth the effort. It's obvious to all watching that you have a crush on Hana-chan, and are simply having trouble coming to terms with that.

"As for you," Moa said, looking at Hana but still holding Tora's fist in her vice-like grip, "I assure you no one who has to belittle another to think more highly of herself is worth your effort. Don't stoop to her level, Hana. Invite her up to your own. If she refuses your invitation, that is her choice."

She glared at Tora. It was evident that her dimpled, kawaii exterior concealed a woman who could be dangerous, if the circumstances required it.
 
"Ah! I- what are you talking about?" Tora was nervous, looking with equal disbelief to both Moa's arguments and her hand firmly wrapped around her fist. "I don't... I never..." her eyes traveled from Moa to Hana to her goons, visibly flustered and embarrassed for the treatment. Who was that girl? How could she see through her like that?

"I'm sorry, Tora" Hana bowed to the girl, chastised by Moa. "I didn't mean to... things have got so weird..." she said, visibly moved. "Is it true?" she asked, looking at Moa for a moment, then turning to Tora. "Is it?" she asked again.

"What? We were friends once but that doesn't mean..." Tora mumbled. "Doesn't mean..." her raised hand started to lose strength and only Moa's grip made it remain in place, although she let her go after that. Tora was visibly troubled, looking down while wordless.

"Huh? I can't believe this!" One of the girls said. "Soooo weeeeird! Lets go!" the other echoed the sentiment, her voice full of disgust. "Don't call us!" the first one added as they hurried away, leaving Tora there.

"You two! Are you-" Hana started, but a shake of Tora's head stopped her.

"No. Let them go" Tora said. "They are petty and mean. I don't want... I never wanted..." she mumbled, it was odd seeing the once mighty and brave gal act so doubtful. "There is no excuse for what I've done, but I was... scared" Tora begrudgingly admitted. "I'm very very sorry" she deeply bowed, "and we will... we will talk about it i-if you want" she added, still bent and looking down. "I need... I need to think... we'll see each other at school" Tora said, raising straight, her eyes wet. Turning around she started to walk away, turning to them after a few steps. "You have a good friend there, I hope I can be your friend again with time" Tora finished before continuing her walk into the distance.

"Ah..." Hana was blushed crazy and a smile crept into her face. "Ah! I'm sorry for paying abuse with abuse! I wanted to be strong and I only showed my weakness" she apologized to Moa. "And thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she hugged her while she cheered. "Tora and I were childhood friends but... we ended up drifting apart, and when she learned my preferences she turned abusive... I think I may have hurt her without knowing it, holding that secret from her... You are so smart!" Hana hugged Moa once again. "Thank you!" she was so happy that forgot where they were going.
 
As the two goons turned to leave, Hiroshi was standing there, as if he had been there the whole time and no one had noticed. He could see Moa had things well in hand. Quite literally, actually. Nevertheless, he kept his intimidating bulk near.

Moa squeezed Hana tightly as she hugged her. "Do you want to invite Tora-san shopping with us?" she asked quickly, so the former bully wouldn't be too far away if they shouted for her to come back. "It's up to you. This is your date."
 
"It would be lovely..." Hana mused, looking at Tora's figure in the distance. "But I think she needs time to think, we both do" admitted, softly nodding. "It's the start of something good. I'm thankful for that. I think that we'll be able to repair our friendship and... maybe more" Hana added, blushing on the last part. She had always liked Tora as a friend since they were little, but it were those other hidden feelings the ones that created a chasm between them, turning love into hate, trust into abuse. "I'll tell you on those messages, those calls, how it goes" Hana promised, nodding.

"Now lets keep up with our wonderful day. It's not like anything I've dared to dream of" Hana confessed. "But perhaps it's even better" she added, taking Hana by her hand, guiding her into an alley where a small shop was in. "This is one of my favorite shops" she pointed. The entrance looked small and almost hidden, and the shop itself was located not at street level but in a second floor to have more space and save money on rent. Inside it was bigger than expected for a humble shop with a small English sign on it. "Hidden Corner" Hana mused, reading it. "It honors the name, right?" added with a smile.

Inside the shop it was a crazy market of hangers with clothes everywhere, almost cramped and leaving little space to move through. The selection was crazy, as it had clothes of all kinds in all sizes. You could see goth dresses in one hanger, punk pants in another and preppy suits just a few steps away. It was almost dizzying and it was no surprise that the more curvy Hana liked to have more to pick from, as many shops were quite restrictive with sizes.
 
Sigr said:
"It would be lovely..." Hana mused, looking at Tora's figure in the distance. "But I think she needs time to think, we both do" admitted, softly nodding. "It's the start of something good. I'm thankful for that. I think that we'll be able to repair our friendship and... maybe more" Hana added, blushing on the last part. She had always liked Tora as a friend since they were little, but it were those other hidden feelings the ones that created a chasm between them, turning love into hate, trust into abuse. "I'll tell you on those messages, those calls, how it goes" Hana promised, nodding.

"Now lets keep up with our wonderful day. It's not like anything I've dared to dream of" Hana confessed. "But perhaps it's even better" she added, taking Hana by her hand, guiding her into an alley where a small shop was in. "This is one of my favorite shops" she pointed. The entrance looked small and almost hidden, and the shop itself was located not at street level but in a second floor to have more space and save money on rent. Inside it was bigger than expected for a humble shop with a small English sign on it. "Hidden Corner" Hana mused, reading it. "It honors the name, right?" added with a smile.

Inside the shop it was a crazy market of hangers with clothes everywhere, almost cramped and leaving little space to move through. The selection was crazy, as it had clothes of all kinds in all sizes. You could see goth dresses in one hanger, punk pants in another and preppy suits just a few steps away. It was almost dizzying and it was no surprise that the more curvy Hana liked to have more to pick from, as many shops were quite restrictive with sizes.
Click to expand...
"You'd look cute in this," Moa said, holding up an outfit. It was red and black, about Hana's size, with a skirt and a sequined top. It hinted of Babymetal, and yet managed to look nothing like their costumes. "What do you think?" she asked, turning to the contest winner.
 
"Would I?" Hana wondered. "It seems my size, let me try it!" she said, taking the outfit to one of the changing rooms. After a few minutes of struggle trying not to mess with the hair too much getting disrobed and putting the outfit on, Hana was back out, showing off. Moa had indeed good eye for what would look cute on Hana, as the outfit brought out some of the best features of her. The sequined top made her waist look a bit thinner and also made her ample breasts look cuter and less lewd. The skirt made good use of her ample hips and bottoms, and since it was quite short it made her legs look longer.

"So... what do you think? It's not too bad, right?" Hana asked, not knowing what to make of the brief moment of silence. "Should I get it? I think I like it" added, twirling around happy in her new outfit.
 
"Yes! Yes! Absolutely yes!" Moa said, clapping her hands. She wrapped her arms around Hana and gave her a squeeze. "And I'll bet Tora-san will like it, too," she added, her voice almost a whisper.

"What else catches your eye?" Moa asked, looking around the shop.
 
Hana blushed at the mention of Tora. "I hope that it's not the only thing she likes, but she has to start with herself..." she nodded with a little smile. "I think I'm fine with this, although don't hesitate if you see something for yourself" Hana said, walking to the changing room to be soon back on her white sundress with yellow flowers. "I'm loving this, but with all the excitement... maybe it's lunch time?" Hana wondered, starting to feel hungry now that the time approached and the nervousness of the date and the unforeseen events was fading off.
 
"Where do you like to eat in Shibuya?" Moa asked. "Or maybe you'd like to try someplace you've never been before?"

She smiled at her new friend, and her dimples never looked more kawaii.
 
"Oh, there are many places!" Hana cheered. "From a quick ramen place to a family restaurant, perhaps some curry..." she considered, tapping her chin with a finger. Returning Moa's ultra cute smile with a broad one of her own, Hana frowned for a moment. "That sounded mysterious, did you have somewhere in mind?" she asked. "Because I'm always game to try new stuff!" she added, happy. "It's our date after all, not just mine" she added with a small laugh.
 
Hana's laugh was contagious, and Moa's eyes sparkled and her dimples deepened as she gave herself over to it.

"I didn't have any particular place in mind," Moa confessed, "but I have always wanted to try Kaikaya by the Sea.


Meanwhile, Su-metal was just responding to an incoming alert on the Komyunikēita. An unidentified vessel was approaching Earth fast. The GPA had sent out numerous hails, but the vessel had not responded. It might be a robot-controlled probe. Then again, it might not.
 
"Oh, sounds like an interesting place, seafood and such I guess with that name" Hana commented. "I never heard of it I think, so many places around..." she nodded. "If it's not far we can go on a walk, and if not... I guess that we can get the car" she smiled, there certainly were advantages when dating someone that had her own bodyguard/chauffeur. Hana, of course, was completely oblivious to whatever trouble the rest of Babymetal could be getting into, as she was happy having started to repair her relationship with Tora, perhaps shaping into something more, and being with Moa was a delight.
 
"Hai, it's a great seafood restaurant," Moa replied. She looked around at the busy streets. "The limo is more private," she said, "but if we'll miss more of the Shibuya experience in the car."

Moa looked at Hana. She couldn't help but smile. Smiling or crying, that was pretty much Moa. She knew Hana had a crush on her, and while she wasn't planning on making out with her or anything, she thought she'd offer the privacy of the limo.

"Of course," she added, "you won't have to carry your bags if we take the car," she added.

Moa herself was unaware of what Su and Yui were doing. If things got nasty, and they needed Moa's help, Su could always call Hiroshi, of course. But for now there was no such need. After all, the unidentified vessel wasn't threatening, merely approaching.

Su and Yui teleported aboard the Kitsune dressed in the red and black outfits which looked so much like some of the costumes they performed in. Su took the controls and pulled the tiny starship out of orbit.

If this vessel was a threat, it would be best to intercept it outside the solar system.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom