Disclaimer: Don't own Digimon, Eminem, or Earth, Wind and Fire. Kay?
Yup yup… another random idea that popped up when I should've been working on the sequel to "Winter Wonder" (which is coming along great, thank you). Anyways, this isn't a songfic, this is more like a…well it's a um… well let me put it this way-
This is based on a personal experience I had involving the thing (there's no way in hell it's a song) by Eminem called "Stan". I hate that song with a strong passion and I just had to write something to show you all how downhill our music is going nowadays. Honestly, just about every song on the radio station I listen to mentions the word sex and all it's synonyms or something equally unpleasant. I know, not all music is bad, but I think I needed to get this out. I can't stress to you all how disturbing some music can really be. And since I find "Stan" very disturbing, you won't find me putting the lyrics in here. You can go find them on lyrics.com or something if you really want to know.
Okay, on with the fic!
Music to my ears
"You don't know how much fun this is going to be Daisuke! I'm so glad you, Ken and Miyako agreed to come with us!" Hikari laughed gaily she, Takeru and Mimi led them through the streets of New York.
"You guys wouldn't believe how cool this place is!" Mimi gushed, clutching her purse as they walked towards the bright lights of the teen dance club. "The drinks are half price, the food is great, and we can party all night long since it's Saturday!"
"Really? Cool!" Daisuke grinned at Ken. "Did you hear that? There's gonna be dancing!"
"I heard…" Ken flushed slightly, a small smile creeping across his lips.
"This'll be soooo much fun! Look at all the guys there are outside already!" Miyako sighed dreamily.
"Down girl!" Takeru laughed.
As they got closer, they could feel the music vibrating through the pavement. Bright lights flashed all colors of the rainbow, dancing on the skin of the people waiting in line to get in. Voice cried through the air about the latest CDs, concerts, movies and clothes. Someone kept yelping that it would be the first night they played some song there. "Woah this is crazier than the cafeteria at school in Odaiba!" Takeru joked as they got in line.
"Yeah but the boys are much cuter…" Miyako drooled. Everyone groaned.
"Oh look! There's a table right there!" Mimi dragged them all to a large table near the dance floor. "What kind of drinks should we get? There's Pepsi, Dr. Pepper… you know…"
"Yeah. I'll have a Pepsi." Daisuke said as he looked around with interest. Ken and Hikari nodded in agreement.
"I'll take Dr. Pepper." Takeru said, laughing as Miyako drifted off after a pack of boys. "You should get a leash for her Mimi."
"Ne, if I don't she'll drool on the dance floor!" Mimi chuckled.
"So Mimi, what's fun to do in here?" Hikari arched an eyebrow.
"Dancing!" Mimi jumped up. "This is a dance club afterall!"
"Kakoii! Let's go!" Daisuke jumped up. "Hikari, wanna dance?"
"Sure Daisuke! Come on Takeru!"
Takeru and Mimi got up too and joined Daisuke on the dance floor while Ken watched the table and Miyako followed around another group of boys.
"So who's this song by?" Daisuke ask as he dance with Hikari. "You know all the American artists Mimi."
"Hai, this is… Madison Avenue I think. Yeah!" Mimi smiled, bouncing to the rhythm.
"I like it!" Hikari laughed. "The words seem pretty cool too!"
"Yeah, I guess." Takeru twirled Mimi over to Daisuke. "Partner change!"
"Well, that was probably the only time I'll get dance with her for the rest of the night." Daisuke sighed.
"That's right, you still like her, don't you Daisuke?" Mimi cocked her head.
"Yeah, I guess." He looked over at the table where Ken was sipping his drink and watching them dace. He waved when Daisuke looked his way.
"I don't know Daisuke, it seems like you're slipping out of it." Mimi smiled. "Gomen, I know how much you like Hikari."
"I'm not sure anymore Mimi. This feeling just seemed to take over. I don't really feel anything when I see her anymore. Besides, I think she'll always chose Takeru no matter what. That's what you were going to say, ne?"
"Well, not really, but I-"
"It's okay Mimi, really. I just need to hear someone else say it, instead of myself." Daisuke looked over as a girl asked Ken to dance. He studied her for a second, then shook his head no.
"Are you sure Daisuke? I don't want you to get upset or anything." Daisuke nodded. "Okay, well it's just that, well, Takeru and Hikari have been friends since well, a long time ago. Back when we were the Chosen Children without you, Miyako, Iori and Ken. It was just a pairing that we could see coming from a mile away. Gomen nasai Daisuke."
"It's okay Mimi. Hearing that has just made me fell better actually. At least Hikari will be happy. Besides, I think my crush on her has left. It just all seemed of forced after a while and-"
"And now here's the moment ya all been waiting for!" The DJ cut off Daisuke. "I know all y'all been waitin for hours ta hear this jam, so hear we go! Off his number one record 'The Marshall Mathers LP', we're bringin you Eminem's latest jam, so get ready and give up some noise for 'Stan'!" He held up a CD in the air and the whole club screamed happily.
"Who's Eminem Mimi?" Daisuke asked, his eyes wide.
"Only the coolest white rapper there is!" Mimi squealed. "I have his CD and everything!"
"Oh." Daisuke stopped dancing to watch the DJ as he ceremoniously placed the CD into the CD player and hit play. Suddenly, a slow, hypnotic beat started up and a woman's voice started singing. Daisuke liked her voice. It was calming and quiet. Was this the song?
Suddenly, a nasal sounding voice started up, dictating the story of Stan, an obsessed fan who wrote to Eminem saying how much he idolized him. He even liked to cut himself, and his girlfriend was pregnant. "I'm your biggest fan. This is Stan." Then the woman's voice stared again. The hypnotic beat continued Suddenly, the second verse started. Yet another letter to Eminem, this one ending with "I think we should be together too." Something in Daisuke's gut started to hurt. Then, much to Daisuke's horror, but to the delight of the other club-goers, there was the sound of a girl getting locked in the trunk of her boyfriend's car. What the heck? The third verse was horribly loud, as Stan screamed into a tape recorder, telling Eminem what a bastard he was for never writing him back, for not signings his brother's hat and how they would be perfect together, but Slim had ruined it all. He had his girlfriend in the trunk of his car and he was going to drive it off a bridge so she would suffer more instead of taking the easy way out by strangling her. Daisuke's eyes got huge. How could people listen to this? The hypnotic beat droned on as Stan's car screeched off the bridge as he realized he couldn't send the tape since he was driving off to his death. Suddenly all that could be hear was the hypnotic beat of the music, then Eminem's voice as he responded to all of Stan's letters, sending him his brother's autographed hat, telling him he should get some mental help and that his girlfriend needed him and to not end up like some guy he heard about on the news. He'd locked his girlfriend in the trunk of his car and drove it off a bridge. The police found a tape but didn't know who it was. "Come to think about it, it was you. Damn."
A roar went through the crowd. "Hey give it up for Slim Shady- Eminem!" The DJ shouted. Another scream went out.
"Wasn't that great Daisuke? Daisuke?" Mimi looked at Daisuke who was standing there, very pale. "Daisuke, are you okay?"
"I- I…" He stuttered. Those words, that music… it disturbed him beyond compare. How could people listen to that? With great delight, obviously. His head started to hurt.
"I think maybe you should sit down Daisuke!" Mimi took his arm and guided him back to the table. Ken looked at him with concern.
"What happened Mimi?" he asked as he pushed Daisuke's drink towards him.
"I don't know!" Mimi said, a small panic starting in her voice. "He was fine a couple of minutes ago!"
"Daisuke, are you okay?" Ken cocked his head.
"I… I don't know." Daisuke sighed, closing his eyes and slumping back into his chair. That song- so haunting… But how could he tell them that he was frightened; frightened of a song, if that's what it was supposed to be. They would laugh. He downed his drink, trying desperately to let the words of another song, any song, replace those of the previous one.
"Why don't' you stay here and rest for a while?" Mimi suggested gently, patting his arm.
"Ne, I think I will." Daisuke sighed. He threw his head back and started at the ceiling, each beat of his racing heart seeming to fall into the beat of that thing… that thing…
Vaguely, he heard Ken's soft voice, "Daisuke-chan, are you all right?" but it was suddenly lost as the DJ's voice suddenly boomed out-
"Al'ite yo'! Since I just got so many requests, I'm gonna play that jam for ya'all again! So give it up!" The hypnotic beat started up again; the woman's voice, the- the…
"Nani?" Daisuke squeaked, almost screamed. His eyes grew wide as that feeling from a few minutes ago suddenly came back.
"Daisuke! Daisuke-chan what's-" Daisuke didn't' hear Ken as he jumped up from his chair, his heart pounding wildly as he ran out into the night, desperately trying to escape the beat of it pounding in his ears.
Desperately, he yanked the key to his hotel room from his pocket and ran to the hotel that he, Ken, Takeru and Hikari were staying at while Miyako stayed with Mimi. He threw himself onto the bed, inhaling it's strange hotel fragrance. Only then did he notice the tears streaming from his eyes. "I'm…" He touched his fingers to his wet cheek. "…crying!" He threw himself up, looking wearily in the mirror. "I'm crying from a stupid song- no… thing!" He slammed his fist against the dresser. "I'm crying from a damn thing! I'm… I'm…" He fell to his knees, lowering his head as his shaky breath made his eyes close. Something in him hurt… hurt so much.
"Sleep!" He exclaimed out loud. Sleep would help… and calm music! He shakily climbed out of his clothes and pulled on his pajamas (sky blue with little soccerballs if you must know). Then he walked over to the radio and fiddled with the radio station until he heard some nice calming music. The DJ said something about it being the nighttime dedications segment. Perfect, no loud beats, no rap, no… things. Rubbing at his tears, Daisuke crawled into his bed and fell into an uneasy sleep as the radio crooned about true love.
"Hi Daisuke!" Hikari waved as she let him inside Mimi's house. "I'm so glad you and the others didn't' get lost! Come on in! We're just going to wait for Mimi to finish getting ready, then we can go!"
"Okay!" Daisuke said happily, sitting next to Ken on the couch. "I can't wait to go out today can you?"
"Hai," Ken nodded, smiling. "I can't wait. It sounds fun." Something between them stirred… something… what was it?
"Maybe we'll get to go to the zoo! I heard the koalas are something else." Daisuke felt himself moving closer to Ken. I have to stay close to him…
"I'd like to see the pandas, personally." …Why?
"We could see both if you like." Their faces were close, so close. Suddenly, Hikari walked in with Takeru, humming softly… humming, humming that- "No!" Daisuke suddenly whimpered, tears welling in his eyes. That hypnotic beat, the music. "No please stop! Ken, make them stop!"
Ken only smiled at him gently, touching his face lightly. "Ken, someone! Make them stop! Please stop! Please… please… stop…" Tears streamed down Daisuke's cheeks. "Stop!" He cried. "No! Please you don't understand, stop!" Hikari and Takeru ignored him. "Stop! Please!" He pounded his fist against the coffee table. "Kuso! Stop it now!!!! Please!!!!-
"Please! Stop!" Daisuke shot up in bed, his pillow soaked with tears as more streamed down his face. It was a dream… "It was a…" He stopped and looked around; darkness with the soft sound of Takeru snoring on the sofa and-
It was playing on the radio. Daisuke's eyes widened in horror as he slammed his hand down and threw the radio off of the dresser. It came unplugged and landed on the ground with a loud thud. "It was a dream…" Daisuke lowered his head into his knees, crying. "Why wouldn't they stop?" His tears ran down his face, onto his arms. "Oh…" He was afraid. He hurt so much in his heart. Something just felt so… so… there was no adjective to describe it.
Then arms slowly encircled him, pulling him against something, someone. Arms gently held him close, rocking him slowly, comfortingly. He looked up, "Ken…"
Ken smiled comfortingly. "I heard you crying in your sleep Daisuke-chan." Daisuke…chan? Since when was he Daisuke-chan? "Daisuke-chan, tell me what's wrong, please?" Ken reached out and wiped away Daisuke's tears, holding him closer.
"Ken, it's hard for me to talk about." Daisuke sighed shakily. "And even if I told you, you'd think I was insane. It's just so…" He shivered violently as unwillingly burrowed closer to Ken.
"Daisuke-chan, try me. Besides, you need someone to talk to right now. You need a friend, a solace from what's bothering you. I'm here for you Daisuke. Please tell me what's made you so upset."
Daisuke choked back his tears and suddenly, it all came pouring out, that thing, how it frightened him so much, his dream, everything. Several times, tears broke out, and his voice would fade away in sobs. Ken listened patiently, holding him tightly, comfortingly in his arms.
"I guess you think I'm pretty nuts, ne?" Daisuke whispered when he had finished.
"No, Daisuke, I don't." Ken shifted his grip on Daisuke. " It's perfectly understandable. It disturbed me too, but I only heard part of it, so I just blew it off. But Daisuke, knowing something like that frightens you isn't something to be ashamed of. I don't think of you as a lesser person Daisuke, in fact, it makes me hold an even greater affection towards you. Daisuke-chan, it takes a good-hearted person to be disturbed, frightened and hurt so much by something like that." Ken suddenly pressed his lips against Daisuke's forehead then held him closer, rubbing his cheek against Daisuke's. "To tell you the truth, I knew it bothered you the minute they played that thing. I just didn't realize how much it affected you until you ran out of the club. I thought maybe you'd come back in a few minutes, but you didn't, so I went to check the hotel. You were in bed when I came in, so I decided to leave you alone. Then I woke up to hear you crying for something to stop and you bolted up and unplugged the radio. Daisuke…" Ken let him go and looked him in the eye. "I want to help you. Let me, please? I can't stand to see you so hurt like this."
"You don't think I'm insane?" Daisuke sniffled, suddenly aching to have Ken's arms around him again.
"No, Daisuke-chan. You're perfect." Ken brushed his fingers against Daisuke's cheek.
"Help me Ken." Daisuke threw his arms around Ken's waits, new tears streaming down his cheeks. "Help me please… Ken-chan."
Ken smiled at the return of his gentle affection, a few tears shimmering in his eyes. "Hai Daisuke, I will."
"Now come on Daisuke, it's right over here." Ken took Daisuke's hand and lead him down the street. "Mimi told me about this place a few days ago. I think this will help you." He lead Daisuke into a music store. The walls were lined with album covers, a sign flashed in the corner, reading "Motown forever!" Ken lead Daisuke to the back where a few men sat near a piano, drinking beers and talking . "Excuse me, I'm Ken. I called earlier today, remember?"
"Oh yeah! You're the guy who's friends with the friend of Michael's!" the men rose and shook ken and Daisuke's hands.
"Daisuke, These are friends of Michael's dad. Mimi told me about them a few days ago. I called them this morning and told them what happened. I'd like you to meet Doug, Jesse, Erik and Logan."
"Hey man, we hear you've got some music problems!" Erik, the one sitting at the piano, punched Daisuke in the arm lightly.
"That's cool though! We're glad some of you kids are realizing what's in your music today." Jesse, the tallest with a beer in his hand, nodded.
"Ken here said you needed something to help you out! And that's where we come in!" Doug, the one holding a guitar, smiled.
"He seems like a great friend to have cared so much about you to do this." Logan, the one with perfect teeth, smiled at the two of them.
"Yeah, he is." Daisuke blushed a little.
"Come and sit down Daisuke-chan. The guys are going to help you feel better!" Ken pulled a chair out for Daisuke who sat down quickly. Ken joined him.
"Well I guess we'll just get our point out right off!" The four men huddled together, whispering. Then they broke apart, Erik manning his piano, Doug positioning his guitar and Jesse and Logan turning on two microphones.
"This right here, is a song by Earth, Wind and Fire, called 'Singasong'. We hope it helps." Jesse said, signaling Erik and Doug to start playing. Then he and Logan started singing.
"When you feel down and out
Sing a song, it'll make your day
Here's a time to shout
Sing a song, it'll make a way
Sometimes it's hard to care
Sing a song, it'll make your day
A smile so hard to bear
Sing a song, it'll make a way
Singasong
Singasong
Singasong
Singasong
Bring your heart to believing
Sing a song, it'll make your day
Life ain't about no retrieving
Sing a song, it'll make a way
Give yourself what you need
Sing a song, it'll make your day
Smile, smile, smile and believe
Sing a song, it'll make a way.
Singasong
Singasong
Singasong
Singasong
Singasong."
The piano and guitar faded out, along with Jesse and Logan.
"Well Daisuke?" Ken smiled, looking at him as he sat thoughtfully.
The words danced through Daisuke's mind, the words to happy, so encouraging. They chipped away at the scars of his previous music encounter. Bring your heart to believing… He smiled. "Yes, arigato- I mean, thank you. That helped a lot."
"Isn't that music great?" Erik smiled. "It's so full of meaning. It was written to mean something to people, to help people through anything. I'm not saying all music today isn't like that though."
"True." Jesse nodded.
"Well thank you so much!" Daisuke smiled broadly. "That helped me, it really did. And Ken-chan?" He turned and touched their fingertips together. "Arigato."
"You're welcome Daisuke-chan." Ken smiled warmly. "And thank you guys!"
"Hey how about one more before you go, huh?" Doug suggested.
"Sure!" Ken agreed, squeezing his grip on Daisuke's hand.
"Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away
Our hearts were ringing
On the key that our souls were singing
As we danced through the night
Remember how the stars stole the night away.
Ba de ya- Say do you remember
Ba de ya- Dancing in September
Ba de ya- never was a cloudy day
My thoughts are with you
Holding hands with your heart to see you
Only blue talk and love
Remember how we knew love was here to stay
Now December found the love that we shared in September
Only blue talk and love
Remember that true love we share today
Ba de ya- Say do you remember
Ba de ya- Dancing in September
Ba de ya- Golden dreams were shiny days."
THE END
Hah, I coulda made it go longer, but it would've totally turned Kensuke and then it would've taken away from the point I was trying to make. *blushes and hide behind Wufei* Yeah, so "Stan" made me have nightmares, so what? The only difference between mine and Daisuke's was that I was in my English class and some guy that I kind of liked was singing it.
Wufei: Onna! I thought I was your boyfriend!
Shoush! You're my 2-D boyfriend silly! Besides, I don't like him anymore. He shaves his legs…
Wufei: @_@ What's wrong with that???
^_^* *snirk* Nothing… nothing at all… but anyways… so yeah, this was based on a true story, 'cept for the fact that I first heard that damn thing on the radio and the stupid DJ played it twice in a row cause it was soooooo popular (*gags*). It totally freaked me out! I had that weirdo nightmare and-
Wufei: Hah! Having nightmares over a thing on the radio!
Shut up! *kicks Wufei* You should be sorry! When I woke up crying, there was no one there to hug me, Mr. 'I have a bet with Duo to see if he can go for 2 days without pizza and I have to make sure he doesn't cheat'! I was all scared and traumatized and you weren't there! =*(
Wufei: G-gomen nasai… *hugs hugs*
So y'see peoples, Eminem is scary! It scared poor Emilia. What is our music coming to today, eh? Lucky me, since Wufei *glares at Wufei* wasn't here, I had my Earth, Wind, and Fire to turn to! Viva oldies! Motwon baby! (Emilia grew up on motown.)
Wufei: -_-v
Ja minna! Go listen to some good music instead of that other crap! I would've had Daisuke listen to some Digimon stuff, but I hadn't made a Digimon CD off Napster at the time, and I don't think I would actually take the time to try and type out the lyrics to "Itsumo Itsudemo" or "Zettai alright"… gah but look at me! I'm supposed to be ending this..
Ja minna!