A surprise meet 'n greet [Kari and Mariko]

"OH. MY. SENA! I AM YOUR BIGGEST FAN. PLEASE WILL YOU SIGN THIS!?"

"H-huh? Sen- Oh my goddness she really is here!"

"What? Secchan? She's here!? Were? Were!?"

"Oh, oh!! Sign my backp-pack. P-please. I have been a n-novaknight since d-day one!"

"Wha- No he isn't, I was there before she had fifty subs!"

"Neither of you are true fans! I have bought TWO copies of every single one of her merch online!"

The noise of footsteps and collective voices quickly caught the young ladies's attention. She was just about to head out of the mall, yet something seemed to be going on in a little clothing store right next to the exit. Cherry paused and got a little closer to the ever-growing mob of people. Listening to their chants and cheers as she tired her best to make out what all they were saying. She could make out a few key words such as 'Nova knight.' 'Sena.' And 'fake fans.'  The last few words confused her as she wasn't sure how one could be a 'fake fan' but the former two words did jog her memory. She could have sworn she has heard those two words before. Getting a little closer to the mob, she tired to look into the center of it. Trying her best to put a face with the name and terms as she tired to recall what little she knew about them. Then, it hit her, like a train crash!

Little Lucas! That was his favorite idol if she could recall. He would always be listening to her music or watching her video on a caregiver's phone of he got the chance and she has heard the six year old declare himself a nova knight many times in the past. Now, Cherry did not really listen to any of her music herself. She could never remember her name and she never wanted to steal Lucas's earphones when he was listening. But even with that, once she knew just who was here today the young woman was not about to pass this chance up. After all, it isn't everyday you spot a idol in the flesh and of course she just knew that little Lucas would be over the moon if she could get a gift for him that came from her or at least got her to sign something.

Out of everybody who lived in the orphanage Lucas was probably her favorite. Sure she grew to bond and enjoy most of the kids and people who lived there, other then that bitch Ashley of course, but she really did feel a special bond with the young lad. Cherry taking it upon herself to act as a 'big sister' to him. The best she could anyways.

Not one to waste time, the young girl would try to force her way through the crowd of fans to meet the bluette. Only to pause when it hits her. She has NOTHING for her to sign. Totally jack. So, with this in her mind she quickly runs over to a trash can. Shoving her hand into it as she struggled to find a piece of paper, which she did in the form of a old, drity napkin. She quickly cleaned off before spinning on her heel to enter back into the fray. Or what was left of it anyways, seeing as the time it took her to snag that napkin was enough time for things to settle down.

"Mademoiselle! W-would you sign this for a friend of mine please?" She called out, worming her way into the front and showing her the napkin.

Mariko Masuda, or rather Sena Hoshiko, her stage name now being chattered amongst the small group of people gathered around, noted the younger woman brush aside to the forefront.  While she was used to random passersby taking note of her and asking for an autograph or idle talk- Mariko wasn’t used to such a big crowd gathering so quickly in a short amount of time- let alone in this District.  Already a pair of the store’s employees had taken to her sides and were starting to manage the gathering.

Noting the used napkin, Mariko still kept a bright smile. Mostly because she knew some people wanted a signature of anything they could get their hands on- and if not- their own body parts would suffice.  Also because she approved of assertive people, even if this young lady apparently didn’t seem like a fan.  They were doing it for a friend, which made the act all the more kind and noble.

“I’m sorry, I don’t speak French~” Mariko’s smooth sing-song-like voice enunciated the last syllable, apologetically rapped a knuckle against her head and giggled.  Reaching into her purse she took a small notebook out with its pen, a handy way to sign an autograph without resorting to used napkins or the like.  

“What’s your friend’s name?  They must be important to you.  Anything you’d like me to tell them personally~?”

"O-oh um, sorry. It means miss." She corrected, slightly embarssed for a few seconds before the idol made light of it, which helped ease her nerves. Cherry always found it easy to fall into using her mother tongue at times and when it comes to a few words, she almost always spoke in french while using them. It was a bit of a 'verbal tic' more then anything else, a habit she has yet to shake. This tic in fact maybe the one that the girl had the hardest time getting rid of, seeing as she was raised by a french woman for the first ten years and mostly picked up english from the moments her mom would speak it or from the rare people out in the wild, who also tended to speak english. At the very least now she had gotten a good, frim grasp on how to speak, when she first came here it was almost impossible to tell what in the hell she was saying, with how she said her words. It was a struggle, but she has grown to be proud of how far she has come in terms of speaking english.......... Which made it all the worse when people couldn't understand.

Making sure to keep the fact that she shouldn't be using any french words around her, her one good brown eye would go down to the pad she took out. The other eye did so aswell but due to the eyepatch she had on Sena would not be able to tell. Cherry did not expect that she would have actual paper on hand, which made the napkin rather useless now. So she just shoved the used paper in the pocket of her hoodie. Not wanting to run all the way back to s trash can or worse, litter by tossing it on the ground. "Yes, he is very important to me!" She agreed before thinking for a few seconds about what message to send Lucas.

"His name is Lucas and if you could, I'd like you to tell him to hang in there or like, keep his hopes high, or something like that at least. I think it would mean more coming from you."

“‘Miss!?’  Now I know for sure you’re not a fan, nobody calls me that~” snickered Sena as she shot a playful wink.  It was true; due to the informality of a parasocial relationship over the internet, any interaction made between the fans on her channel was rather approachable, or blunt.

“Oh no!  If you don’t mind me asking, is Lucas going through any trouble?” A genuine look of shock crossed Sena’s visage, as she placed a hand over her gasping mouth.  “And I don’t think a friend like you should look down on herself, considering what you’re doing for him.”

Cherry did not really know how to properly respond to that other then to just laugh alongside Sena like she was in the know. She didn't understand, what was so odd about calling somebody miss? Sure the blue haired lady did not seem to actually be offended by this, more surprised then anything else, still though. She could not really wrap her mind about it. Wasn't it common to call somebody by miss or mister? Or some form of it at least. After thinking on it for a couple of seconds, she just choose to drop it. After all she didn't come to waste this idol's time by asking her what she meant, she just wanted something signed.

That simple want to get something sign did not help her from smiling a little from what Sena said though. Her comment putting the younger girl in a good mood. "Why thank you mis-" She stopped herself, clearing her throat before trying again. "I, uh, mean thank you Sena. That's sweet, I like to think that he listens to me. But like I said before, I think it would be like, super special from you. He loves you! Like I don't think he listens to anybody else." She explained before moving back to answer the former question. "Well, Lucas lives at the orphange at the pop district and, I dunno how in the world he got this idea into his head, I think one of the older kids may have told him this, but he seems to think that he is never going to get adopted. Which, is like, something I can't seriously see not happening, because he is a super sweet boy. But he is still down in the dumps about it."

Sena wagged her finger and clucked her tongue in a disapproving manner clearly meant to be a joke when Cherry corrected herself.  However that playful tone soon faded upon hearing the troubles of Lucas.

“Kids can be so cruel,” Sena said with a sense of empathy.  Her mind instantly took her back to her childhood relationship with Shouhei Kagawa; the young boy took constant beratings, threats,  and beatings simply because his parents had questionable backgrounds.  

“You said the orphanage is in the pop district, right?  Tell Lucas to expect a very big surprise soon.  For now, could you spell his name, and tell me yours?  I want this autograph to mean something special too, you know~”

"Yes, they can be." She said somberly, her fingers softly tracing against the fabric of her eyepatch. It was strange how childern can be so innocent and kind, yet so mean and cruel at the same time. It was truely saddening, the worst part is that she'd probably never find out who got this idea in poor Lucas's head. She knows that a few of the kids told her that she would never get adopted before, but when she brought it up to them, or Lucas, even the staff she got nothing. The boy was also so tight liped about bullying too. She just wished that those kids could just keep their spiteful little comments to themselves, or at least go back to telling her that, Cherry already knew that nobody was going to adopt her, that was a given. Still though, all of this was a moot point. Thinking won't change their minds and really, in the end, the girl had no right to judge what childern did after some of the acts she pulled as a young lass. When asked Cherry would give a nod.

"Yes, 'counting sheep' is the name of it." She never saw any other orphanage. But better safe then sorry and it looked like she wouldn't be sorry from all of this, as the idol seemed to be planning something. Her mind raced with ideas of what the surprise could be, before settling on the thought that Sena would come over and visit the orphanage! She may even sing a song or two! The look on Lucas's face would be priceless and just the thought of it made her smile wide too. Looks like talking to the idol was the right choice after was, she felt like nothing could ruin this moment!

And then seconds later something ruined the moment.

Her question made her smile turn into a more nervous one as her brown eye began to dary around a bit. She didn't know that you had to spell the name for a autograpth! "W-well my name is Cherry. And as for Lucas um." She tired her best to summon up something, anything, to get some hint at finding out the spelling of his name. Then it came to her, she remembered the chore wheel, she's seen Lucas's name get picked on it before! Now all she had to do was focused and try to recall it. "L-U-C.........." She said slowly, very slowly, almost like she was trying to think of the letter's name as she spelled it out. She soon came to a roadblock were she could not recall the last two letter, so going out on a limb she'd said. "And then you have the 'as' at the end! L-U-C '-as!' Lucas!" She said, hoping that the false air of cheer would keep Sena from thinking any was wrong.

“Ah, okay, I was wondering if it was spelled with a ‘C’ or a ‘K!’” Sheepishly laughed Sena as she somewhat overlooked Cherry’s dance around the spelling.  With that said she swiftly scrawled her thoughts onto the notepad.

Sena wrote:

Thank you for always supporting me, Lucas!  I’ll always be supporting you as well, along with Cherry!  Continue to shine bright as a member of our family, the Nova Knights, and never stop reaching for the stars!  Sincerely, Sena Hoshiko, forever your big sis.

“All right~ Remember what I told you Cherry, make sure to tell Lucas to expect a big surprise, but try not to make it obviously connected to this autograph, okay~?” winked Sena with a sincere smile, handing the autograph to Cherry.

“From one big sis to another, for their cherished little brother~”

Cherry was quite happy when Sena did not bring up how odd she acted when she was asked to spell. Spelling was always a sore spot for the black haired girl. Reading too and she was never that fond of writing either. Really words over all she did not like unless she was just speaking them. "Ah, that makes sense!" Lucas could have a K in it? Which means that some names have different ways of spelling them, that or Sena was not good at spelling either. It would kinda be nice if it was the latter, maybe Cherry would have somebody to talk about when it came to the topic of not being able to spell! But then again, the chance that was the truth was slim at best and Cherry wasn't going to be the one to ask.

The younger girl would softly take her autograpth, her eyes swiftly scanning the piece of paper, mostly as a act more then anything. But she was pretty sure she picked out her own name and Lucas's name in there. Which made her smile. "Will do! Thank you so much for doing this, I am sure that this is going to make his day!" She said happily, before carefully slipping the paper into her pocket. Making sure that it would not get crushed or risk falling out. "I have to get going now, but thank you so much again, I hope you have a great day!" She would have liked to shoot the breeze with her a little, but a crowd was started to form again and she didn't want to keep anybody waiting, plus she had other things she needed to do aswell.

So, almost skipping, she would soon leave the mall. A huge grin plastered on to her face the whole time.

EXIT

“And I hope your day’s better~!” Chirped Sena in jubilant response, waving a hand goodbye to Cherry.  It was those exact emotions she sought for and wanted others to experience and share; the main reason she chose to become an idol in the first place.

“Secchan!  Would you mind signing an autograph for me too, please?”

“I might not be an orphan but I totally support you!  I bought your duet album with Rhapsody, look!”

“One at a time, please~” Sena answered with a laugh.  So many people, so little time.