Bates - Priorities

"Why does it matter if I don't get As?!" Hersilia growled as she took a peak at her report card once she stepped off the bus. Her grandfather made it clear, he was expecting exceptional grades. She didn't know why it was so important to him. Grades weren't everything. Hersilia had better things to do with her time. She couldn't constantly be studying. That was just boring. Life was supposed to be much more.

She stuffed the report card under a pile of bills. She'd worry about them later. Right now, her duties were to her friend Sophie. The poor girl was distraught over her appearance. Hersilia couldn't blame her. Her hair was styled in strange cups and it just looked weird. So Hersilia led her into her bedroom and sat her in front of the vanity. There, she worked hard to straighten Sophie's hair out until she was able to form a chic new style. "There!" She said triumphantly, "Now you look perfect! ...Well...not quite. Consider wearing something less...nausea-inducing."

She had to send Sophie home when her grandfather returned from work, though. He found her report card and needless to say, he was not happy. "Why can't you be more like your sister?" He asked, exhausted. Hersilia crossed her arms and shrugged. "No answer? Fine. Why don't you go do your homework? Better yet, do it in front of Melitta. That way, I know you are actually doing it." Hersilia was going to protest but clamped her mouth shut when she realized it was useless. Then she took her homework and wandered into her sister's room.

She really hated her sister. Melitta was the golden child. She always got good grades. Orion was so proud of her. He told everyone he could about her. "That's right, she got all As. Melitta is just like her mother, a smart little cookie!"
"How wonderful! Hayate got all As too. Perhaps we should introduce them?"
"Oh, that sounds good. Melitta would want friends of her own intelligence, right, dear?"
"Uh...sure, Grandpa."

And she would. While Melitta was the top of her class, she envied Hersilia for her ability to make friends. Since moving to New Lanshire, Melitta hadn't made any friends at all. She didn't know why. She was a nice enough person, right? Her only friends exsisted on the internet, so that's where she spent most of her time. It was a bit sad but it was all she had.

"Cheer up!" Hersilia would tell Melitta when she got too depressed, "You'll make friends! We just moved here. Don't worry so much." Despite having differences, the sisters really did love each other. Hersilia didn't enjoy seeing her sister so down in the dumps. So she promised to help her find friends.

Of course, most of the potential friends didn't work out. She introduced guys to Melitta, only to have them making the moves on her. She was a young girl who was just beginning to explore, so she didn't resist it. So this one guy wasn't into Melitta. Big deal. Hersilia would still find her someone...after her date.

Orion wanted to help Melitta as well. But he had other priorities. His job often had him out late. He worked very hard, though Melitta's part time job as a waterperson helped out greatly. He still had to bring in the money to pay the bills. But he missed his granddaughters. He wasn't sure they were ready to be left on their own.

They felt differently. Hersilia and Melitta proved themselves worthy by inviting the headmaster of the private school over for dinner, in hopes of entering his prestigious school. They couldn't afford the tuition but they heard that if the headmaster grew to like a family, he made exceptions. Melitta prepared a salmon dinner while Hersilia put her charismatic ability to good use. Despite their humble home, the headmaster was impressed and accepted the girls. From today on, their lives would change. They just knew it.

Loyola - Other Worldly

Life went as it always did. Despite being quite ill, Loyola continued to work. She had to, after all. It was just her and she had bills to pay. Though she was urged to take some time off to rest up, she couldn't. She didn't want to fall too behind and she was so close to a promotion. Soon, these bills would be no problem and she would be able to take off work. But for now, she had to grit her teeth and bare through it.

But her illness was very draining. She always felt so tired. She would be forced to crawl into bed early into the night. Still, sleep was the best medicine for her. A few days later, she felt normal. She supposed all the sleep helped nurse her body back to health. For that, she was grateful.

She began taking up stargazing again. It was a calm, peaceful activity. She'd spend hours on the roof, finding constellations and looking at planets. While she was watching the stars, someone was watching her. She hadn't seen them until they struck. Suddenly, she was covered in a blue light. She looked up, blinded by the brightness. In moments, she was being lifted off her feet and then everything got dark.

Next thing she knew, she was being hurled to the ground. She landed surprisingly safely. She just skid her knees. She rose to her feet and rubbed her lower back in pain. Then she looked around. There, hovering behind her...was it? No, it couldn't be. ...Right?

She thought nothing of it until the signs came. So it was! Aliens! Aliens had abducted her and impregnated her! At first, she was happy. She had always had a fascination with aliens. She also wanted children someday but knew that it was unlikely, due to her inability to attract the opposite sex. But then reality set in. Would anyone actually believe her if she told them what happened?

She was sure, though, when she was carrying a green baby that they would. The proof was in the pudding, after all. Teresita felt a change come over her. She used her saved earnings to renovate the flat, adding a nursery to accommodate the future baby. She couldn't wait to be a mother.

Derick was one of the first people she told about it. He believed her, of course. He knew there were aliens out there and he was as excited as she was. "An alien child?! How glorious!" He exclaimed and insisted upon taking Teresita out to dinner to celebrate. She knew she could trust him with this information. Derick was a kind man, he truly was.

She wondered, how would he react if she asked him to be the father to her otherworldly offspring? Teresita wasn't sure if she could be a single mother. Derick had experience raising children. Surely, he could help her. She kept her thoughts to herself, though. As sweet as he was to her, she knew his heart belonged to Eumelia Holt. That woman didn't deserve him though.

Derick was too good a man to be wasted on someone who didn't even want him.

Saito - Approval

The Holt sisters were Ryouichi's current favorite playmates. The two of them were both gorgeous but different. Lorelle was the type of girl he could take out on the town and she'd make him dance well into the morning. Eumelia was the girl he could bring home and slink into bed with. He was driven mad by their red hair and dark blue eyes. And he knew for a fact that he drove them mad as well.

Yuzuki wished her son had a bit more respect for women. She really did, despite her silence on the subject. Didn't he want a long-lasting love like the one she shared with her husband? She couldn't bare the thought of waking up next to anyone else. Rokurou had been by her side for eternity, it had seemed. Her son's amorous ways just didn't leave way for true romance. How could he be happy with that?

Hayate didn't really mind what his father did. Or rather, he didn't have much time to. He was a very focused boy and blocked out most of what went on in the house, in an effort to keep to his studies, His mother always preached about working hard to become someone worthy of respect and he wanted to make her proud, wherever she was.

He made his grandparents proud, he knew that. He was a quiet boy who kept to himself mostly, painting or reading. But he always helped out with the chores, taking out the trash and loading the dishwasher. His grandmother boasted of his helpful deeds to her husband and to any neighbors who listened.

Hayate often wished his dad was as proud. After receiving his report card and showing it to his happy grandparents, he rushed into his father's room for his approval. But his father was preoccupied with Karl's mother. "That's nice, Hayate, now go away. Daddy is busy with Miss Holt." Hayate sighed and walked out, his tiny fingers clinging to his A+.

Yuzuki didn't need her son's approval for anything and soon, Hayate would learn that too. Yuzuki entered a cooking contest of her own desire and she won. She was proud and shared her winnings with her husband and Hayate. But Ryouichi would get none of it. He wouldn't even get a piece of the turkey that won.

While at the contest, Yuzuki met up with many of people. One of the people she met ran the art school in town and they got into a conversation about Hayate. The woman agreed to meet with him and see if he had what it took to be a true artist. She observed him for several hours before rising from her seat and giving him a membership to her school. "You'll fit in quite nicely."

Meanwhile, Yuzuki got to know her neighbors a bit more. "Did you hear? The girl in the red house is looking for aliens! Aliens!"

Collins - Hot N' Cold

Derick was happy for his son. He was getting his life where he wanted it to be. He had recieved some scholarships to college and was preparing for the big move. It was some time off, but Derick was still worried. The college was located on the mountain and he was worried. Tyreek wasn't a very good driver. Would he be able to make it up safetly?

Tyreek didn't care how he got there. He just wanted to get there. He worked hard on all his studies to ensure his place. His father and grandfather never got the chance to attend a college. He'd be the first in his family to get a higher education. He wasn't going to let this opportunity pass him by.

While he stayed home to work on homework, his father and grandfather went to South Lanshire for a little fun. They met up with a friend of Jerald's, Orion Bates, and held a little poker match. The game was made even better when Eumelia Holt took to the karaoke machine, providing a sweet soundtrack.

Derick was never a good gambling man. So he eventually folded and left the game. He approached Emuelia and listened to her sing. She paused in the middle of a song and asked him if he'd like to join her. He was never the best singer but she seemed hopeful, so he accepted. He had to admit, he had a bit of a crush on Eumelia...

After their song, he felt bold. He tried to be as subtle as possible but his motives were easily detected. "Oh...Derick, I'm not..." She tried to explain as carefully as she could. He lowered his head.
"No, it's fine. I should have known."
"I like you as a friend, a good friend. Okay?"
"Of course."

Jerald was a bit more skilled in the art of romance. He had phoned up the match maker, hoping she'd help him find the perfect woman. But after he saw her, he realized he didn't need her services. He needed her. She was surprised but flattered and the two began seeing each other casually.

Derick had been pushed by both his son and father to invite Eumelia over and talk about the previous night. He did so, reluctantly. He prepared what he was going to say. But in a moment, it was all gone from his mind. He wasn't expecting what Eumelia did. When she pulled away, he just stared and she blushed. "I...sorta just felt like it needed to be done..." She whispered as she went into the house. Derick followed loyally, not questioning it.

His life was just full of surprises. Perhaps his mind was too focused on Eumelia and their kiss. In any case, it wasn't focused on his work. As a result, he was fired. It was a devestating blow to him. He was the only source of income for the family, after all.

He was able to get his job back but he needed severe cheering up. So he called Eumelia and invited her out for a date in South Lanshire. She accepted and he treated her to dinner at the bowling alley. Seeing her gentle face made him feel so much better.

But once again, she was sending him mixed signals. It was as if she didn't even recall the kiss happening. Why was she acting like this? One minute, she was saying they were only friends and that she didn't feel that way. The next, she was sliding her tongue down his throat. Women were so difficult. It had been a long time since his wife passed away. Had he really forgotten how easily a woman's mind changed?

Jerald had seen it all. He had come to the bowling alley as well and he overheard the discussion. He had a good idea as to why she was so resistant. Talk on the street was she was seeing someone else. He had heard she was seeing one of their neighbors, a man named Ryouichi. He wasn't sure what to tell Derick. For now, he'd say nothing.

But he was still very worried about his son. Very worried indeed.

Holt - Connections

It was almost Karl's birthday. He was just growing so fast. It wasn't in their budget to throw a huge party, but Lorelle still wanted to give him something nice. She opted for clothes. No son of hers was going to be caught in hideous rags. So she wandered down to the local salon. She was pleased to find it was a male-owned shop. All the stylists were single men who were giving her the eye. After flirting with the cashier to lower her price down, she made sure to get all their numbers.

Karl grew up well and was an active child. He would run from room to room, despite his aunt's warnings. He'd wait for her to turn her back, then he'd continue on his way. He loved his aunt dearly but really, she was so prim and proper sometimes. She wasn't like Mama at all.

But she was helpful. Whenever Karl had homework, he always went to his aunt. His mother was often too busy on the internet and even when she wasn't, she wasn't much help. She couldn't answer his questions at all, and was amazed when he answered them.

Uncle Owen was nice too. Karl loved reading with him. The two made time every evening to just relax and read. It was the only time they had together. Owen worked long hours and Karl, of course, had school. Owen tried to be in Karl's life as much as he could. The boy needed a postivie male role model.

He knew for a fact that none of Lorelle's boyfriends fit that mold. They were all the same: shallow dogs. Yet she kept falling for them, one after the other. But it wasn't nothing serious for her, Owen knew that. Men were a game to her, a game she loved to play.

But sometimes, they played her. She had been talking to this one guy for a while and thought it was ready to advance the relationship. However, the man was merely fooling her and left her in a puddle of embarressment.

To make things worse, he rubbed it in. He sent her letters that reaked of a mix between deer urine and rotten radishes. It was horrible, reaching into the mailbox and never knowing if you'd grab the bills or a stink bomb.

Lorelle really needed a night out to get herself back into the groove. She figured Eumelia would enjoy it as well, so the two girls got dressed in their best gowns and went to South Lanshire to check out the clubs and bars.

Eumelia immediately gravitated towards the piano. She had taken lessons in her youth but she knew she was rusty. Still, she sat down and started playing a few keys. To her surprise, a bar patron came by and left her a tip. "I really enjoy that sort of music...keep playing!" She urged. And Eumelia did, with a wide grin on her face.

She eventually did stop when her fingers began to hurt, though. So she joined her sister at a poker table. Lorelle had hooked two men into playing with them. The men thought, "What beautiful women...probably dumb, though." But they were taken for a loop when Eumelia walked away with most of their cash.

Owen was glad his sisters had a nice time. But he wasn't happy when they returned and left him with a difficult task: fixing the computer. Eumelia went straight to bed but Lorelle decided to surf the net a bit and somehow, with her wonderful luck, managed to send the modem into a flury of smoke. "Can you handle that for me, Owie? Thaaanks!" Lorelle called girlishly as she went off to take a bath. Owen grumbled but pulled out his screw driver and began to work.

With Owen at work and free from his complaining, the girls arranged for a little tea time with their neighbor, Teresita Loyola. Lorelle found her pretty but utterly plain, but Eumelia made sure to keep Lorelle in line. Eumelia didn't have many friends and she wasn't going to let her sister ruin her chances.

Unfortunately, as nice as Teresita was, she had a few problems. She was sick. Eumelia was usually good at fighting off illness but this particular flu was strong and in no time, she was coughing and sneezing. Needless to say, she was not happy whatsoever. She hated having to sit in bed and do nothing.

She refused to be a victim to her illness and through her adamant requests, the family took a trip to the local culinary club. Eumelia had been wanting to enter the cooking contest. Owen and Lorelle just joined out of spite. They were expecting Eumelia to win but to all their surprise, it was Lorelle's dish of grilled cheese that impressed the judges. Eumelia was horrified.

Karl was tired of the adults. He wanted to have friends his own age. Luckily, the male friend of his mother and aunt had a son. His name was Hayate and though he was more low matienence, he and Karl got along.

They got along quite well, in fact. They were fast friends. Hayate really balanced Karl out. He kept him on track in school and began rubbing off on him. Eumelia was glad. Hayate was a polite little boy. Karl could really benefit from him.

Eumelia had to applaud Ryouichi's parenting. And she did, just without her hands. Ryouichi was such an amazing man. The way he touched her and spoke to her was irresistable. No man made her feel this way before. He was like a romance novel, come to life. And he was all hers.

And Lorelle's. It was just a fling, the two knew. Eumelia wouldn't understand. Lorelle knew that Ryouichi wasn't the type of guy who settled down, despite his role as a father. That had been a mere fluke. She knew what he wanted and she was sure to give it to him, as long as he kept wanting it.