Bates - A Girl Thing

Orion dreamed of relaxing on a beach somewhere, reading contently as he waited for his days to come to an end. He was done raising his children and could finally attend to himself. But unfortunately, his beloved daughter Aurelia passed away suddenly and now, he is left with her two teenage daughters. Melitta, the eldest, looked much like Orion and her mother. She was a money-minded girl, who wanted to someday be a famous athlete. Her little sister, Hersilia, was more of a fun-loving girl who wanted to have fun and meet boys. Of course, she too had dreams. She wanted to be a famous chef. Together, this family came to New Lanshire to forget their loss.

The girls kept each other occupied while their grandfather helped the movers with arranging what little furniture they owned. Hersilia proposed a game of janken. Her sister agreed. The two of them played for a bit. They mostly ended in ties. But Hersilia still held the most wins, which made Melitta a bit mad.

So she let her sister know how she was feeling. She grabbed her tightly and proceeded to mess up her hair, something Hersilia had spent hours perfecting. Hersilia finally squirmed free and was about to give Melitta a piece of her mind when their grandfather called out, "It's ready!"

The family went inside to inspect their new home, not even noticing their new neighbors coming to greet them. Finally, Orion noticed them and happily went out to greet them. The girls stayed back, laughing at one of their neighbors. Yuzuki Saito was hunched on all fours, smelling their flowers. This was something the girls found strange but amusing, especially since she rose and threw her knee out of joint.

Melitta liked cooking but her grandfather urged her to try other activites as well. So, she took up painting. It wasn't that boring. She actually liked it. It was nice to learn about different styles. She knew she could apply them to her cuisine. That would really help her win the upcoming cook-off.

Hersilia spent her free time on the phone, talking to the cute paperboy. She was making plans for later that night, plans her grandfather knew nothing about. Melitta overheard and threaten to tell but in the end, it was all too much effort. Besides, Hersilia was more than capable of getting herself in trouble.

Hersilia stayed up late, waiting for her ride into the downtown district. She was so exhausted, though. Every few seconds, she caught herself nodding off. She fixed herself a salad to keep herself occupied but she only ended up falling asleep in it, waking up fully when she felt the creamy ranch dressing on her cheeks.

Finally, he arrived and she snuck out quietly. Both Melitta and Orion were asleep when she left. She giggled, "I hope we don't get caught..." Derek looked at her with a grin and sped off once she was secure in the passenger seat.

Orion knew nothing about his granddaughter's night, only that she was surprisingly very tired going off to school the next morning. She was a bit of a sloth anyways. Melitta was a more active girl and very intelligent. He had no problems with her and never worried about her. Hersilia, on the other hand...

Secure in the knowledge that his girls could take care of themselves for a few hours, Orion got to know some of his neighbors a bit more. He was a lonely man and craved female companionship. It had been some years since his wife passed away. It took much to finally get up the courage to date again. So he hoped the ladies of New Lanshire were gentle with his heart.

Unlike Hersilia. She only hoped that the boys were rough with their hands.

Loyola - The Sky's The Limit

Teresita had come to New Lanshire alone, unlike the rest of the residents here. She had no family among her. But it was better that way. Teresita valued her solitude. She valued the tranquility it presented her, the ability to come and go as she pleased, the pleasure of living for herself. She enjoyed it. But she had to admit, she did envy her neighbors, what with their large clans. They seemed so happy in their large homes, though bare in furnishings. She couldn't help but observe them. That was what a woman of knowledge did, after all: observe.

Teresita had several dreams and now, she was able to fufill them. She had always wanted to work for the SCIA but she also wanted to own her own business. So using her extra funds, she made both dreams come true. She had her home custom built for her, the bottom floor acting as a bakery while she lived in a small loft above it. It was all fascinating. She just wished they hadn't used such horrid elevator music.

It could be a bit lonely, she had to admit. But at least she could do what she pleased. Her mother would get on her case if she just lounged about, drinking out of a can. She could belch in peace and even got to use her telescope without people bothering her or calling her a pervert. She couldn't help it if the lens landed on a window and she saw something.

Of course, as much as she enjoyed her solitude, she wasn't going to turn down visitors. Her new neighbors had all come to visit her and she was quite pleased with it. They all seemed nice. Lorelle was a hoot and very wild. Ryouichi was very dashing and smooth. But it was with Derick that Teresita found most in common. He was a man of science and sweet as buttons.

He even helped her find a career. He had found out where the offices for the SCIA were and gave her their number. In days, she was working as a detective's assistant. Sure, she was mostly running to get coffee or filing papers but it was a start.

She had such exciting news to tell her mother when she called. The older woman was worried about Teresita and her calls were frequent. Teresita took it in stride. She knew her mother was trying to cope with it all. Teresita was an only child, so it was hard on the older Loyola to let go.

But if only her mom could see her. She was really living the dream. She lived in a beautiful home and the sky was the limit. Teresita was hoping, though, to make the limit pass that. She took every opportunity to go up to the roof at night and stargaze. She even managed to discover a star.

But all those cold nights caught up with her, mixed in with hanging around sick people seeking her boss' services. It wasn't long before she caught herself a cold. It was awful. She felt so drained. She wondered if she should take off a few days of work but that'd only slow her down. She was determined to not let some virus keep her from fufilling her dreams.

Saito - The Small Things

Not many men would be happy about living with their parents, but Ryouichi was. His parents weren't like most. They weren't overbearing or stuck up. They accepted him and his "flaws". They understood that he was to be a free bird, unable to be held down...unlike his ex-wife. No, she thought she could change him. She thought she could turn him into a loyal, loving husband and father. She was wrong and after having enough, she left Ryouichi to take care of their son, Hayate. Luckily, the moment she left, Rokurou and Yuzuki were planning on moving to a new town and invited their son and grandson to live with them. With Hayate being watched over by his parents, Ryouichi now has time to do what he loves: flirt.

Ryouichi had always gotten along well with his parents. He'd been able to talk to them about anything. So it was no trouble striking up a conversation with his father once they had moved in. His son, however, was less social. Yuzuki tried to cuddle Hayate, wanting to soothe him since he seemed so against the move but he just shoved her. He didn't like physical connection, much.

But Yuzuki knew this, so she tried a different approach. She was more subtle, sitting beside Hayate and asking him about his book. He was less threatened in that way, but still quite shy. He would mumble his answers. Still, at least he was answering at all.

Hayate loved reading but painting was also a love of his. He was only able to draw stick figures and strange looking unicorns but it was a relaxing activity. Still, he wondered if there was something else he was good at. He wondered if there was an activity that was made for him...

While Ryouichi bunkered down and found himself a job as a dishwasher, his father was wasting what little money they had. His father had some sort of midlife crisis and felt the need to befriend as many people as he could, right down to the paper girl. She was a bit scared by this strange old man giving her money but hey...money is money.

Ryouichi distracted himself from his father's frivolous ways in the best way he knew how. He chatted up one of his next door neighbor, Eumelia Holt, when she came by to welcome the family to the neighborhood. She was a beautiful woman. He could just imagine her long red hair entangled in his fingers, sprawled out against the dark outline of his pillows...

Of course, she wasn't the only woman he was interested in. Quite the contrary, actually. Ryouichi had gotten in touch with many of the ladies in New Lanshire. He had quite the selection. He kept in touch with all of them, of course. The internet was a lothario's best friend.

Ryouichi hadn't thought about having another live-in girlfriend ever again. But it wouldn't hurt. His housekeeping skills left much to be desired. The poor boy couldn't even make a bowl of ramen without almost setting the microwave on fire. His mother was beginning to get tired of cooking for him. Perhaps he'd have to find himself a girlfriend who was handy with a stove?

Yuzuki was beginning to tire of cooking for her son. He needed to learn how to fend for himself. She wasn't going to live forever. So, she tended to make foods that didn't require more than one serving, so he would be forced to cook something himself.

Hayate was beginning to branch out and make friends. They were older than him, however but his wise attitude made it okay. He often spoke as if he were ten years older than he was, which really attractive the teenage girls. He also had a keen eye for style, helping them update their looks. One such girl, Meadow Thayer, was pleased with the new hairstyle he'd given her.

Hayate enjoyed school. He enjoyed it more than most children did. He loved learning and wasn't very disappointed when his first report card was less than great. He didn't care. He knew he was still learning, still growing and that was what was important. His cheerfulness impressed everyone, including the bus driver.

With Hayate at school and Ryouichi at work, the older Saito had little to do. Rokurou would sit down on the couch and read, Yuzuki coming soon after to cuddle up to him. She had been quite tired as of late.

Ryouichi's job kept him away most of the day but he was still an excellent father, in Hayate's eyes. Ryouichi helped him with his homework and read to him when he did have free time. It was the small things that counted, after all.

He didn't at all mind when his father wandered off to call Eumelia. She was a nice, pretty woman, after all. His father really seemed to like her. Hayate wasn't that selfish to interrupt him like that.

It was rude to interrupt, anyways.

Collins - Us Men

Tyreek never once complained about only having one parent. His mother died when he was still young, so he wasn't affected. It also helped that his father, Derick, shared many of his interests. Both were men of science. Both longed to read long books by a roaring fire, stargaze and play chess. No, what Tyreek did complain about was the fact he had to live with his grandfather as well. Grandpa Jerald never acted his age, not even when his arthritis acted up. He loved partying, jumping on couches and inappropiately groping young women. Tyreek could only hope there was a lack of females in this new town. He didn't need some scantily clad woman in his face while trying to read, garsh darnit!

Despite how he felt towards his grandfather, he didn't ignore him entirely. Sometimes, he did give in and would listen to one his grandfather's awful jokes. It was a small price to pay. If he did chose to ignore the old man, he'd get a long winded lecture and no one needs that.

Derick stayed to himself, as he always had. He mostly hung out in his room, browsing the web. That's when he came across a job advertisement that really interested him. Sure, for now it was just working at the local aquarium as a fish chummer but it was something he enjoyed. Oceanography really interested him.

Of course, there was always time for reading. Derick loved reading, especially when he did it with his son. They were usually silent but when they did speak, it was deep and full of meaning. His son was wise beyond his years, Derick knew. He was growing up to be a fine young lad.

Jerald didn't care for books. He was more interested in getting to know his neighbors. He invited one of the closer families nearby, after hearing about a particularly saucy redhead with a pechant for flirting. Sadly, Lorelle did not show up but Jerald was fine with Eumelia. She was attractive as well.

Owen was the type of son Jerald wish he had. An active boy, Owen jumped at the chance to play catch. Derick never liked sports. Jerald tried to get him to try out for sports in school but the timid boy refused. He was still that timid boy and he'd never change.

Tyreek knew he was smart. He felt he didn't deserve to be in such low-level classes. He dreamt of being in a prestigious private school. But his grades, for whatever reason, didn't show the private school level. He was rather frustrated. "How can I get a B?!"

Jerald just laughed at Tyreek's horror. The boy fussed over such little things. A B was nothing to be upset about. Why, Jerald remembered his parents praising him for at least getting a D+. No, the boy needed to learn to relax. Painting was a good way to relax. Ever since Derick bought the easel, Jerald couldn't tear himself away from it. Well, except to go to the bathroom.

And to sing a rousing folk song, of course. Derick was beginning to stress about his job and Tyreek about his grades, Jerald had to find a way to cheer them up. So he dragged them downstairs and made them listen to his song. The words were strange, "Did he just say toenail stew?" but the tune was catchy. It wasn't long before they were all dancing and singing.

Of course, when the singing was over, the boys went their seperate ways. Tyreek worked on his homework and Jerald jumped on the couch. Finally alone, Derick got the chance to use his telescope to get a better look at a single woman who just moved down the street...

Holt - Nothing Changes

New Lanshire promised change and Eumelia hoped it wasn't simply a lie. Things needed to change for the better. She was a young woman who simply wanted to settle down and have a family but her aspirations were put on hold when her younger sibling came to her in need. Lorelle suddenly found herself alone with her son Karl, the result of a drunken escapade and has no want to change her wild lifestyle. Luckily, brother Owen is along for the ride as well and shares Eumelia's hope for a family of his own. Between them, hopefully little Karl can grow to be a well-adjusted child.

Eumelia had always gotten along with Owen more than she had Lorelle. Both of them had similar goals in life and he understood why she was sometimes hostile towards their wild little sister. Owen made sure that Eumelia didn't suffer a mental breakdown during the move. She was so worried, due to the family's lack of funds but he assured her that this was the beginning a new life for them and everything would be fine.

He decided to be the one to get a job and support the family. It was clear Lorelle didn't want to work and Eumelia wanted to be home in order to care for Karl. There wasn't much thought into what Owen wanted to do, as far as his career was concerned. But the military did seem to be the best option. It paid well and the honor that came with it was something that the ladies enjoyed.

While she would have much rather been checking out her new neighbors, Lorelle did find time to care for her son. She did love him, despite her hands-off approach to parenting. It's just that he put a bit of a damper on her usual routine of going out and partying. It was hard to adjust. Still, he was the most adorable little thing when he waddled happily towards her.

Of course, Karl had a mind of his own and Lorelle was glad for that. When he wandered off to play with his toys, she focused on finding new playmates of her own. The local matchmaker soon became a good friend, despite Lorelle's lack of funds for a good match.

Owen knew that to find a good match, one shouldn't have to have a third party involved. No, a simple meeting between two strangers on complete accident was enough. A nice group of women came to greet the Holt to the neighborhood some time after they moved in. One particular woman, Marylena, was very friendly.

She was also quite beautiful. Owen was immediately smitten. He tried to flirt subtly, not wanting to frighten her away. But she wasn't scared one bit. In fact, she was flattered by his romanticism.

Owen's job had him leaving well before the sun rose. Despite trying to leave quietly, he always seemed to wake everyone up as he left. Eumelia grudgingly began making breakfast while Lorelle played with Karl. At least she was keeping the little one away from the stove.

Of course, Lorelle was easily distracted. She'd get random urges, plopping her son down on the ground just to juggle a bunch of water bottles. Eumelia had to admit, she was good.

Eumelia had little time to unwind like Lorelle did. Karl was growing and still didn't know the basics of life, such as talking or using the big boy toilet. She tried to keep his attention, reciting the alphabet to him but he would get frustrated and throw a tantrum.

The boy had anger issues. When left alone, he'd thrash about in his room. He'd slam down his talking rabbit toy, nearly breaking it in two. Eumelia had a pretty good idea where he got that attitude from.

Lorelle liked to break things when she was mad too. Unfortunately, a toy rabbit was easier to fix than a computer. Eumelia had been reading when she heard a scream and a loud bang. She ran to Lorelle's room and saw her beating the smoking computer furiously. After pulling her sister away, she made sure to give her a long firm lecture.

Her siblings were like children sometimes. She always found something to fuss over. Whether it be Lorelle's inability to be responsible or Owen's lack of hygiene, Eumelia was always doing something. For once, she'd just like to relax.

Owen didn't know why she didn't, though. Life was going good. Karl was growing up well, they lived in a relatively nice house and Owen was knee-deep in romance. Eumelia really needed to lighten up. Didn't she know guys don't like uptight girls?