If this isn't the most self-indulgent thing I've written, I don't know what is. The title totally isn't from the Spongebob Band Geeks episode, I don't know where you got that idea from. I don't know if I should continue this. I think I spent more time deciding who played what instrument than writing this...
Preface for those not in band/familiar with the terminology:
Drum major: A student conductor. Sometimes conducts from on top of a pedestal so that the entire band can look up and see them.
Section leader: Student in charge of their instrument section.
Color guard: The ones with the flags (and rifles).
Water breaks: Something that BD's need to give more.
Corrin sighed. The late summer sun weighed heavily on the field and she tied her long white hair into a high ponytail. Silently, she prayed for a water break, but with the end of summer rehearsals coming upon them, there was no way the director would be lenient.
The band director was usually nicer, but with the heat and football season rolling on the horizon, he was strict and adamant when it came to their time on the field. Corrin, his favorite among the drum majors, could usually persuade him into being kinder, but her requests died on her tongue with the shriek of a whistle.
She stood straighter on her pedestal and held herself at ready. Glancing to her left at Xander and then to her right at her brother Ryoma, they nodded and called the band to attention.
Red eyes scanned the field and fell onto the trumpets. Corrin frowned; she loved her position as drum major, but she missed her section. She could spot her younger brother Takumi, his friends Oboro and Hinata (who had insisted on playing the same instrument so they could be together), and that annoying theater kid that seemed to always talk like he came right out of a fantasy novel. "Odin Dark plays the most superior of instruments - the trumpet, of course!" echoed in her ears before she shook the thought away, knowing she had to focus on conducting.
As the opening number was the song she was responsible for initiating, she moved her hand in an oscillating motion for four beats as a prep before conducting with both hands with her fellow DMs. The band sprung into motion, backstepping into formation with a crescendo on their first note.
As the band took the form of a circle and pivoted in opposite directions within, there was a single member in the center. Raising his trumpet, Takumi began the solo. Although he was nervous, the high notes sounding shaky, he did a great job on it. Corrin was left smiling like an idiot, proud of his performance.
Typically, she was the one that got the solos. As drum major, Takumi had stepped up and even earned the position of section leader as a sophomore - something Hinata and Oboro threw him a party for at the end of the last school year.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound jumping to fortissimo and the band performing pinwheels. Color guard began to swing around to the front of the field, Camilla taking center stage as captain. Her sister Azura was next to her, and the two traded flags in a flashy motion. Laslow, as one of the senior color guard members, stepped forward and tossed his rifle, catching it with ease (and winking at his friend Xander with the catch).
The song came to a close, Xander groaning in response to Laslow's offbrand flirting. He recomposed himself as he began the next routine, giving time as percussion did stick clicks into the next song. The transition was rougher than he would have liked it to be, but there was no whistle to cease.
Color guard fell back, deferring the center of the field to the band. The members formed lines and crossed to opposite sides of the field, leaving percussion to step forward. Hinoka, the line captain, went all out on quads, leaving her section in awe. Hana, after snapping out of her stupor, followed up with her solo. It wasn't as impressive as Hinoka's, but the girl was a freshman with talent and had time to improve. Azama threw a compliment over his shoulder to her as they backstepped away towards color guard.
At the conclusion of the drum break, there was a pause. Ryoma held his head high, hands poised to conduct. He took a quick glance towards Xander, who seemed to be smiling in a silent taunt of you won't do half as good as I did. With a confident smile, he turned his attention back to the field and gave the down beat.
The low-pitched foundation of low brass filled the air, a steady driving force as the rest of the band did a pivot turn and began to file into a long straight line. The woodwinds began to play, and Ryoma found himself humming along to the melody. For the most part, the band was in step, and he turned back to Xander to smirk triumphantly.
When most of the band forgot the new routine they added earlier in rehearsal (Pinwheel backwards 24, step out 8, mark time 4, left face 4, forward 36 - it isn't that difficult, Ryoma thought in exasperation), he cringed at the harsh sound of the director's whistle. The song died out within seconds and the band groaned, knowing they would get scolded for the mistake.
"You just learned this!" The BD yelled, putting his fingers to his temples. He held an ice cold water bottle in his other hand, causing half of the band to cry out in their thirst. "And no water break until you get it right. Now try it again!"
After the tense silence that followed, Ryoma spoke up and reminded the band of the routine. He wanted to promise a quick water break but felt the BD's glare on his back. Corrin, sympathizing for the members on the field, wanted to ask if they could start with Ryoma's piece, but was afraid of the outrage that would follow. The director had a short temper, especially in marching season, so she was afraid of trying her luck. She shared a look with Ryoma and Xander before they called the band to attention and the entire field show played out before them once again.
Everyone was noticeably tired, both from the hours of rehearsing and the lack of a break in the heat. Takumi looked ready to faint during his solo, Laslow failed to catch his rifle, Hinoka dropped one of her sticks, and the lines were never completely straight. Xander was usually the one to call out left, left, left when there were members out of step and the following routine, but even he was out of it.
To the surprise of the three drum majors, the band got it pretty much correct, and upon the whistle and the announcement of a five minute break, there was a loud cheer among the teens. Corrin smiled in relief; the BD had some semblance of humanity left in him.
The band rushed to the stands, sifting through their bags to find their waters and their snacks. There was still another hour and a half of practice, but they had no idea of when the next break would be (if there was another one, Corrin thought grimly).
Xander walked with Laslow and the latter continued to make jokes about their friend Peri on the bari, which the blond could only groan about.
"You know, it was funny... The first time and the first time only, Laslow," Xander's face twisted abruptly into a frown, the color guard member's pride being crushed.
Ryoma laughed upon overhearing the conversation before heading over to his friends Kagero and Saizo. Kagero commented on how the tenor sax section missed Ryoma and Xander's constant fights over who was the better musician, and Saizo muttered something about alto saxes being drama-free and better anyways. Ryoma assured Kagero that those arguments were still happening, just that they were now over who was the better drum major and whose song was better on the field.
Corrin found her friend group and drank her water greedily, only realizing she had emptied the bottle when the plastic crinkled in her hand. Kaze laughed in good nature and Jakob scolded her for "having no class". Silas smiled at her like she was his entire world, which she didn't mind until he did it everytime he looked at her, and Felicia was too busy tripping over her own feet and spilling her water all over the closest person.
She could hear Hinata and Oboro fawning over how good Takumi did, and Hinoka had gathered her section and congratulated them all the same. Camilla, although doing the same to the color guard, snuck glances at the redhead occasionally.
Elise threw her flute in the air, twirling it as if she were in color guard, and Arthur dove for it as it flew out of the freshman's reach. He tumbled over his untied shoes, tripping at her feet, and Effie, with her sousaphone still weighing her down, caught it with practiced ease. She stepped over Arthur and handed the instrument back to Elise, commenting something about Arthur's seemingly never-ending bad luck streak.
Leo, already burning to a crisp despite his countless layers of sunscreen, approached Sakura and sat beside her. In a terrible attempt at flirting, he asked if she wanted to share his tomato juice (as he had three extra cans in his bag), which she politely declined. She reluctantly pointed out his shirt being inside out, to which he flushed red in embarrassment. He ran off to the bathroom to fix it, nearly dropping his clarinet in his haste. Sakura giggled; Leo wasn't as smooth as he thought he was, but she appreciated the effort.
The flutes had gathered into a circle - were they a cult? No one knew - and began complaining about how no matter how loud they played, no one could hear them over the trumpets and percussion. Selena crossed her arms, huffing that being primarily back field did nothing to help their case, to which Subaki agreed. Niles made some sexual innuedo about the importance of back field, to which all of the flutes groaned.
The whistle pierced through the air and the commotion died down; five minutes had passed in an instant and groans filled the field.
"You're lucky you even got a break, especially when our first game is against Ylisse High," the band director narrowed his eyes at the mention of their rival school. He made eye contact with Corrin, Ryoma, and Xander before continuing. "I want the full show. If it's without any noticeable flaws, run it one more time and we can adjourn early."
The band gasped. Getting out early?
"Has the goddess of fortune smiled upon us?" Odin inquired loudly, blue eyes shining in awe.
The BD sighed. "Just for that, make it three more run throughs."
The entire band erupted in outrage, only being silenced upon his whistle. "Fine, do the show one more time to the best of your ability and we'll call it a day."
The teens cheered and nearly ran to their starting positions. Corrin, Ryoma, and Xander shared a look before making their way up their respective steps to their podiums. They called the band to attention, and with renewed vigor, they conducted.
The show went well with very little mistakes. The drum majors prepared to hear that dastardly whistle at every wrong turn, but were pleasantly surprised to make it all the way to the finishing sforzando crescendo into a fortissimo.
Corrin jumped with joy, a grin on her face, and the entire band cheered. Xander was smiling, not as openly as her of course, and Ryoma was beaming with pride.
This was going to be a great season.