2026-05-29: Your Own Self
- Log: Your Own Self
- Cast: Lisa Silverman, Yukari Takeba
- Where: Iwatodai Station
- OOC Date: May 29, 2026
- IC Date: November 16, 2012
- Summary: Lisa and Yukari meet up in Iwatodai to hang out again! As strangely good friends, they talk recent events and also what it means to do something 'for yourself'.
(|============================= Iwatodai Station =============================|)
-================================================== Iwatodai City/Iwatodai ====-
The intersection of high speed rail along the coast of Tokyo and Tatsumi Port
Island's monorail line from the mainland across the sea to its artificial
island, Iwatodai Station is the cornerstone of daily life to the inhabitants of
this place. Even the most jaded salaryman could get lost in the experience of
looking out upon the glittering sea as they ride across it to their daily life.
A multi-story strip mall across the street from the station offers students such
selections as Wakatsu for sushi high in omega-3s to increase that brain power,
Hagakure Ramen with all the collagen you could desire for skin care, or even
Wilduck's infamous Mystery Burger for those who desire an impromptu test of
courage. Net cafes selling some of the latest releases and hole-in-the-wall
bookstores give people endless options of what to do with their evening.
With this blend of local flavor and modern convenience, Iwatodai Station truly
is the ideal option to stop by whether you're coming or going home.
BGM - Tranquility - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvvwVzA1z44
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
> Hey Yukari-chan, are you free?
That's how it started. This is how it's going: Lisa Silverman has stepped off the train into the station proper, dressed in a cute skirt with silver stars, a snug top, and a looser green jacket with boots. It's a fashionable autumn outfit, and most notably is not her uniform. She glances around, starting off towards the strip mall as she pulls her phone to see if Yukari's messaged her yet.
It's a clear but cold day, and Lisa still stands out, despite dressing like any other Japanese girl of her age might. The movie the other day Lisa recommended to Yukari was a kung fu movie, as it happens--one with a female lead! It was very cool. But today, Lisa doesn't look like she's planning any smooth moves. Instead...
She comes to a stop looking at--
"Oh!"
There's a cat! While Lisa waits for Yukari, she can look at the cat...
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
So texting is kind of a new feature for Yukari Takeba. In part because... her phone is so old it doesn't have a proper text messaging service. Instead, texts are sent to her e-mail.
She e-mails back to reply to them, and it appears like she sent a text herself just with the 'mail' tag to it so the system lets people know that they might be a little longer replying.
> Hey Lisa! Yeah I'm free today, what's up? <3
Yukari in contrast is in a pink mini-dress, faux white fur lined with laced up sides. She has a mini-skirt on, even this time of year, but leggings to compensate.
It's pretty common even in Hokkaido for girls to dress in mini-skirt in the winter, since Japan is all about fashion over personal comfort.
Yukari did watch the movie recommendation, and surprisingly found herself liking it. Perhaps it's just she's used to Kung Fu movies being sausage fests with a damsel only there to be rescued by the men fighting and- nope. Not her style.
Today though, she walks up to the station, bag on her shoulder. She watches for a moment, then smiles, "Didn't know you were a cat person. ... Hey there kitty." Beat. "I can't believe you actually beat me here. I spent wayyyy too long getting ready."
She puts effort even into her hangouts, of course!
"Was it a good trip over? Hopefully no one gave you any trouble..." She can imagine that it could be trouble, if she were recognized in public.
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
Lisa, on the other hand, has a fancy new phone that came out this year. It's a work expense! ...Right?
Lisa was happy to hear Yukari was free, and Lisa doesn't have leggings going for her this time--she just deals with the chill! It's fine.
Lisa specially picked it to show that they're not always sausage fests--and it worked! Right now though, Lisa looks adoringly at a cat--until Yukari speaks up. "Wai!" she says. The cat mews, and then pads quickly away.
"Mm! I have two," Lisa says of her cats. And then, "Haha. Well, I guess I got lucky. Or maybe I just left early because I was worried about it..."
A shake of her head. "Nah," Lisa answers. "No trouble. The trains weren't so packed that I had to worry about anybody getting handsy, and nobody recognized me to make a big deal about it..."
That could be trouble.
"But it's funny you mention--I had a sort of, interview? Pre-interview? I dunno, it was just me--the other day. It was a little weird."
"...Anyway, before I get into that. How're you? If you took extra time to get ready it super paid off, you look great!"
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
While Yukari would never admit it... she gets an allowance from her Mother monthly. She's proud, but not too proud to understand that a high schooler can't get by without financial support.
She'd have to save for months though to afford a smart phone, which means, it'll be a long time.
"Oh hey. That's cool. What're their names? I don't have any pets really but- our dorm does have a Dog, named Koromaru. We call him Koro-chan."
Lisa indicates why she might have beat her, "So that's why... but hey it's okay to relax. It's not like you're meeting up with some boyfriend on a date or anything, right?"
There's a smile there, a soft chuckle, "It's just us girls." Luckily the trains were packed but- "Ugh- glad they weren't. I've had run ins with guys like that."
In fact, she wouldn't have noticed... if Minato hadn't been there.
"Interview?" She seems surprised, "Was it like, an audition for some movie or anything?" But-
"Oh I'm-"
There's hesitation, "-ready to have a good time. It's been kind of a bad week to be honest. One of the girls at the dorm had sort of a... medical emergency..."
That sure is a way to put it, "...so she's been resting. But hey- it's okay. She's doing way better now, so no need to let that hang over today or anything."
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
Lisa gets it mostly from her parents; a lot of her actual money from her idol work is put into a trust that she can't as easily spend out of, to ensure that she doesn't blow it on, well. Smartphones.
"Tono and Hime," Lisa answers. "They're inseperable." A dog!! "Oh, fun! Koro-chan... He sounds nice. That's kind of unusual though, having a dog in the dorms, right?"
It's cool.
Lisa can relax. She laughs then. "I guess that's true." It makes her thoughtful, though. Should she worry more when she meets...
"Me, too," Lisa sighs. "They piss me off."
But an interview! "It was by a TV guy--I think he wanted me to practice for when we go on the show together." The Muses as a whole, that is. "He made me think about movie stuff, though--asked if I wanted to do more with them. ...And I kinda do? Especially if I get to do some stunts..."
But hesitation? Oh! "Ohh," Lisa says, and looks sympathetic. "That's rough," she says. "is she--"
Resting. "Whew! I'm glad. As long as she's OK." A beat, "Um, speaking of people you know..."
"How's Minako-chan? I was..." She considers how to put it. "Thinking about her lately!"
Smooth, Lisa.
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
"Cute names! I wasn't ever allowed to have a pet growing up..." More like her Mom wasn't into the idea of paying extra rent for them to have a pet friendly apartment, but she's not going to say that. "... And uh- yeah a little bit, it was an initiative from our club to... improve morale while studying. You know- a dog just brightens everyone's day!"
It's at least a plausible explanation, she's decent at thinking on her feet.
"Yeah. Sadly the Monorail here doesn't have a women only car. We just have to make do- but it's rarely ever packed like the big cities, so we can mostly avoid creeps."
Then she mentions-!
"Ohhhhh that kind of interview! It's kind of hard to wrap my head around doing interviews in high school." She chuckles awkwardly, before then saying, "Oh yeah? Are you wanting to do like, Martial Arts action films or something? I wonder where they'd start you off... acting."
They circle back to the medical emergency though and- Yukari flinches, "Well, I was trying not to say too much if... she hadn't said anything to you yet, but it might just be she's a little out of it..."
A beat.
"... it's Minako-chan. She's just been out of it for a week. The Doctors said she inhaled too much uh- carbon monoxide-" Well, everything about Kandori does imply someone deeply toxic, "-so- she's been sleeping mostly."
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
"Thanks!" Lisa answers. "I've had them since I was younger..." But, "That's more common, I guess." Not being able to have them. But, an initiative to...? "Huh! I guess if it works it works!" She smiles.
But they have to make do. "Good," Lisa says. "Hate having to deal with those..."
"Ahah... Sorry-ia," Lisa answers. "I know it's weird but I'm still thinking over what it was like. He had all this... advice. But I wonder if I'm not in over my head." She can admit that to Yukari, anyway. Still, "But yeah! I'd love that. I dunno how it would work, but that'd be amazing."
Oh, not to say too much. "Oh, right, that..."
"Eh!?"
Lisa looks very worried all of a sudden, as if Minako's a much closer friend than Yukari might think. "Oh!! Oh, I..."
"That explains a little," Lisa answers, deflating slightly. "Well, I hope she feels better..."
Lisa bites her lip. "But right, you didn't want to dwell! So let's..."
Pause. "What's here, anyway?"
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
"Yeah. But you have a home in Rengedai, so it makes more sense to let you have them, right?"
When you live in apartments, it's far more difficult!
"Huh... what kind of advice?" She says, as she just gets this sense that it wasn't all advice Lisa was comfortable with, by that tone. "I mean, I'm happy to talk it out with you- if it helps. I know I'm not in show biz or anything but- sometimes an outside perspective is what you need?"
Lisa reacts to Minako though, and Yukari flinches- before, "No no it's alright- if you want to talk about it. You didn't know- and she's a friend to both of us, right? It's not like it wasn't some selfish impulse on my part or anything..."
Looking at the Strip Mall she considers the prospect, "Wellllll... are you hungry after the train ride? There's plenty of nice places to stop by here."
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
"Right," Lisa answers. That's just how it is. A house makes certain things easier when your parents actually own it!
"Stuff like... managing my image. Like he wanted to know what 'role' I thought I played in the group, and he said I should think about choosing my own, instead of just... sort of letting people describe it."
"It was weirder since I'm used to doing interviews with the three of us, not just me--but Mee-ho had a family thing and Sheba's been really busy with extra work with our manager..."
Yukari flinches though. "Oh, I mean--" Lisa bites her lip. "...Nah," she says. "It's not like she and I are super best friends or anything, it makes sense. I'll just ask her about it when I get to talk to her next!" Some selfish impulse...
"It wouldn't be fair to ask you to go between anyway, right?"
"I feel like i'm always hungry lately..." A beat, "So yeah! Let's get something! You can pick, I'm good for whatever."
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
Yukari's family used to have a house- it wasn't that far from here, actually. It's just... they don't any longer.
"Uhhhh..." She gives Lisa a sort of unusual look at that one, "... I guess that makes a kind of sense. Managing how people see you, but- like- I dunno, I wonder if it's kinda typecasting yourself, kind of?"
It's not that she thinks he meant harm based on that, but- it sure sounds like an older man saying that she needs to be 'the cute one' or 'smile more' in a weird sense to distinguish herself.
"Well, if it's a solo interview in the future, you might like- ask if they'll send you some of the questions they'll ask? Like- it doesn't have to all be scripted or something, but if you're nervous, maybe that'd help not to just be put entirely on the spot?"
She makes a small gesture with her hand, before sighing, "I guess that might not always be reasonable depending on what kind of interview it is, but- it could work sometimes?"
Lisa obviously cares, but- downplays their relationship. They are pretty brand new friends but...
"Okay, sure. But if you want, I don't mind passing a message along or something?"
It feels like a good compromise, to let her give well wishes but without the whole hang out being about that. "Hmmm, well, it's a hangout day, so I'll try not to think about dieting... how about Hagakure Ramen?"
She's not exactly a ramen fanatic or anything, but she likes it well enough. Better that than always eating fast food at Wild Duck for hangouts, "We can stop by Azuki Arai if we're in the mood for sweets after. How's that sound to you?"
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
Ichika's got one, too. ...Some people came out better from back then than others.
But Lisa is vindicated by that look. "Yeah!" Lisa answers. "It just feels... kind of dishonest, too. I mean, there's putting your best foot forward and all, but..." She gestures.
She doesn't want to be that dishonest.
"Oh, huh. I guess that's a nice idea?" A beat, "Well, whatever. He got me thinking about acting and stuff... and about what it all means to 'me'. I want to think about things like that. I don't want to just be along for the ride, I think."
It could work.
"...Okay," Lisa says. "Just tell her Lisa wants to see her soon. I mean, I'll text her, but..." Still.
But no dieting! "Good rule."
"That sounds great! I'm not a super fan or whatever but I do like ramen. It's kind of a fun thing to eat with friends, right?"
"...And I'll totally save some room for sweets."
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
"I mean I get it if you were acting. It's just... do you really need a stage persona?"
That comment strikes her as odd in retrospect, using the word persona feels natural- the masks people wear, after all.
"I really think you're great as is... but then again I'm biased too?"
She at least doesn't want to pretend she's an expert or anything, especially when it comes to someone she's friends with.
"Well... did you come up with what it means to you? I mean- I don't think it always has to mean anything- to me it'd be more like, 'why' do you want to act, rather than what it means that you do?"
There's a shrug of her partially bare shoulders, like she's trying to figure it out, when it's obvious to her.
"Will do. Promise! And she is doing way better, so it wouldn't be like it's disturbing her or something to direct her back your way."
There's a light chuckle, "Oh yeah? I'm not really either, but one of my senpais treated me recently, so it's on my mind."
Inside the Ramen place, it's pretty dead this time of day, letting them get the counter basically all to themselves, "Hey there." She says as she places her purse down on the counter, "I'll take one Special." Yukari says as she orders.
The owner at least doesn't seem to recognize Lisa. He's middle-aged after all, so he probabllyyyy doesn't follow the latest idol groups. Probably.
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
Persona...
"He said it was a way to feel better about your career--get a little more control. I think he meant well by it. I'm just not sure I get it."
She smiles back. "Hoisamuro!" she reports cheerfully, in the tone of 'yay'. "If you think I'm great, then I'm in pretty good shape."
She is pretty happy. Still, "Mm. Yeah. For me... it's kind of about sharing?" she says. "Like, when it was just me and Sheba and Mee-ho, it was a way for us to do something together. And it still feels like we can..." She considers. How did she put it before? "It's about sharing that feeling of connecting with people you care about. Together, we can reach more people too. It's the sort of feeling... Like dancing in a club. You're all part of something, even if you're doing your own thing."
"Anyway I put it a lot better at the time. I guess he was a good interviewer. He got me talking about inspirations and stuff..."
But since Minako's doing better, Lisa is obviously relieved. "Hai," she answers. "That's great."
But, "Haha, I see. Well, that's cool then."
It is pretty dead... but that's nice, too! Lisa puts her purse down too. "Another special, please!" she reports cheerfully.
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
"Hmmm..." She hums. "... well so long as you're the one who gets to decide who you are, I guess there's no issue."
She's not certain why it raised her alarm bells, it just did. Maybe she's just skeptical of adults in general advising kids...
... she's discarded a lot of adult advice. "Haha-" She laughs, "-I mean, if you say so. I'm your friend first, before being your fan though."
Which means she's not representative of a great deal of her fanbase. Before she considers the crisis of sharing...
"Hmmm. So- do you think you'll be able to act then, if they're not there? Since it sounds like a lot of the reason why you're doing this is- them, you know?"
Yukari asks, not necessarily looking down on it, but asking just to keep things realistic in her head, where Lisa is at. "It's great to do things with your friends and all- it's just, what happens when you're called upon to do more stuff solo? You think you can keep sharing without the people you went on stage to share with?"
For Yukari, she's only beginning to understand that kind of shared solidarity that's that intense. But it's worth trying for her- it's been worth it...
... even during the bad times.
"It's also that, it's different hanging out with you! If I put that rule for people who I hang out with every week- I'd put on too many kilos too fast. But you're only in town every so often right?"
As she explains her thinking some more.
The owner starts preparing, and Yukari asks only once things are well underway, "So how's everything otherwise, with the other two- figuring out where you're going next as a group, you know? It's gotta be exciting-"
Before there's a downswing of her tone as she notes the other side of that, "-also a little terrifying."
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
"Yeah... Deciding for myself, huh?"
It's something she has to think about--something she wasn't really prepared for. Still, Lisa grins. "Yeah, but because you're my friend I'm in better shape if you like me!" ...But it is worth considering the fanbase as a whole. She... thinks it's okay??? It's probably fine. Probably.
"Hmm... That's why I started performing," Lisa says, "But I've found I kinda like it? Connecting to the audience is nice, too. It makes me feel good. And sort of, like... accomplished? I dunno. But I've loved kung fu stuff forever. So that'd be easy to do if I could get in."
Solo... "Hm. I think so, but..."
"I'm not sure. I wonder, you know? Because... we're already showing a few different directions. Mee-ho wants to write more lyrics; Sheba's been working extra hard. I guess part of me wasn't prepared for the question because between them, I'm kind of... the 'other' one."
But she laughs. "Okay, okay, fair. If I weren't so active all the time I'd have to care a lot more about that all the time..."
She is only there so often. "True."
But, once it's underway... "Hm! Well... good! Really good. Like..."
"I dunno, I feel like I'm getting the hang of things. But it is pretty scary," she laughs. "I never expected... all this. But let's see.... Well, like I said, Sheba's been really busy lately, I'm a little worried she's working too hard. But overall we're only doing better, right?"
"...It must be weird to hear about this stuff. I know it's like... I'm not supposed to have much more to say than 'it's great', but..."
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
It's probably fine! Probably. It's not like Japanese culture is defined by the tastes of a bunch of male fans and the weird parasocial projections they place upon their female celebrities.
It might be fine.
"Well okay! I'm not about to argue with that one." She says with a smile, for some reason Lisa's able to win her over pretty easy, even when she's getting a little down on herself.
"Whoa really? Easy? I didn't realize you were that good at it." She says, startled. Like she knew Lisa loved it, she didn't realize she was that good at it. "Well hey, if that's the case then- sure! I think you should go for it."
Lisa discusses solo work versus the directions others are going in and- "But... you're the lead singer." She suggests at first before, "But I guess you're also a little more casual about the whole thing, given what you've told me. Huh. It makes sense. Just I never thought about how that could be a little isolating..."
Yukari chuckles, "Is that so? Maybe I need to make my own idol group as a dieting program... eat whatever I want, just because I'm running all the time." There's a sigh, a sheepish smile, "Yeah like it's that easy."
She wouldn't want to be an idol anyway, she enjoys dancing - she likes singing in private, but she knows she's not some great talent at singing. She wants to be a model instead.
"Hmmm... well. It doesn't sound like you dislike it or anything- just that you're a little along for the ride? And that's okay so long as- you're not doing anything you don't want to."
Before she looks surprised at her words, "Oh! No, if you're not fine, I'd rather you not just say 'I'm fine'. You know. It's not like just because you're an idol all your problems are solved."
A beat.
"If anything, it sounds like you have a lot of new problems..."
The owner puts out both their bowls in front of them, telling them, "Enjoy." As Yukari cracks her chopsticks and says, "Itadakimasu. Oof- smells so good, remember what I said about not being a ramen fanatic? It feels like these places are always trying to get me to change my mind...!"
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
Lisa smiles back, cheerful. "Good!"
"I mean, it'd still be work," Lisa's quick to say, since she realizes that probably sounded a little arrogant, "But it's the kind of work I'm good at. My manager set us up with a real sifu and everything, instead of just practicing from the movies like I was doing before. I've had to unlearn some habits, but it's really worth it!" She relents after a moment, "But it's totally different from other kinds of performing. ...And I'm not sure how good I'd be at the acting part," she admits. "It was a lot of fun to be in the movie but we just had to be ourselves..."
The lead singer? "Well... Yeah, but I feel way too big-headed going 'I'm the leader'. That's something someone else says about you, not something you say about yourself."
Which may be part of her problem.
"I guesss... I feel like I'm casual about most things," Lisa sighs. "But maybe this is my chance to get serious."
She grins at Yukari. "If it were just all the practice and dancing, maybe it would be!"
Along for the ride... Hmm. "I do like it," she says. "It's nice to know we're reaching people, making them happy or connecting with them."
"...But that's true," she admits. "We kinda do..."
Lisa brightens when she gets the bowl. "Itadakimasu!" Lisa says in chorus, cracking her chopsticks too. "Mmmm. Totally!"
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
"Whoa- really? I'm surprised he's so supportive of it that he set you up!"
And it's not like Yukari is down on it, she's just surprised a manager was okay with the idea of Lisa working Kung Fu movies enough to seriously support her, not just wave it off as 'we'll see'.
"Ah, yeah. That is the problem. I mean- you could always sign up for some acting classes, see how it goes? Maybe your school drama club even?"
Too big headed?
She gets this pensive look, then nods after a time, "Yeahhhhh, that's true. I guess it's just whether they push for you all to say there is one, or something. Then- how you all answer that. There are gonna be people who think of one of you as the leader no matter what..."
Yukari thinks it's fine if they're all coequal herself, but she sure knows how fans, including herself - might think about that.
Casual about most things...
... Yukari thinks of how easily it was for Lisa to get thrown off by her friends - by that guy Eikichi, the Death Boss of Cuss High.
"Well, don't push yourself to take on more than you can handle trying to get serious, okay? You've still gotta pace yourself."
Lisa's got a big heart, it's so easily hurt- she worries what might happen to it if it keeps getting hurt from her trying to push herself to the limit.
As she slurps up some of the noodles carefully with the chopsticks, she then asks Lisa, "You know- I'm not sure we've got shopping yet together. After all this, wanna head on over to Paulownia Mall? We definitely need to fix that."
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
"Yeah! I mean, he knows that's a big passion for me. Sheba practices, too, but she mostly started so I'd have someone to practice with, eheh..."
Of course, whether Ginji would let anything come of it is another matter; as it stands, it's good exercise to keep her in shape, and quirky enough for the white girl idol.
"I dunno if I've got time for clubs, but... That is a nice idea. Especially the classes, maybe."
Yukari sees what she means, Lisa thinks. "...Mmm, yeah," Lisa says. "Because I'm the one who stands out the most. I know that. Maybe that's why I'm reluctant..."
To think of herself that way.
But Lisa does get thrown off. "...Pace myself, huh? I guess that's true. But I feel like... I have to take advantage of the opportunities, right?"
But she slurps up noodles too, and for a while that's enough--but suddenly--
"! You know, we totally haven't!! Let's super go. It'll be fun!"