Geo: Hey folks! A bit of a break from "DANGEROUS RIVALS" with this fic...I just thought that Syaoran would be an awesome rocker! *sigh* Of course, music from 1985 isn't exactly what you'd call "rock" to today's standards but hey, what the heck.
Brooklyn: Don't you think Geo's awful? Starting one fic before she's done the other? Isn't she horrible? Flame her! Stupid author!
Geo: *whispers to readers* Don't listen to her. Power went down yesterday before she could save her video game file.
Brooklyn: STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID! ARGH! *starts to sob* I was so close! So absolutely close!
Geo: *sigh* Well, please don't flame me, unless the story REALLY sucks. So, anyways, disclaimer PLEASE!
Brooklyn: *sob* How could you make me do the disclaimer now? I'm in agony! Soul-ripping pain! *sob*
Geo: *blink* okay...um, well, I don't own any of the characters from CCS. Nope. I don't. I don't own any of the music businesses in this little ficcie and I also don't own Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams or The Dream Within by Lara Fabian or Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf.
By the way, the group is around 17, so...yeah...
So, on to the fic! Yeah! Go fanfiction! Um, Brooklyn...please stop crying...your getting the couch all..teary and...salty...ew...tear salt...
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It was a normal, summer day in the little town of Tomoeda. The day was sweltering hot but luckily it was vacation time and the students didn't have to go to the hot, sweaty school.
Most people try to stay cool during summer: go to the pool, go to an air conditioned mall or movie theatre...not try to heat it up by making hell come to earth.
However, that's exactly what Eriol and Yamazaki did - intentionally - when they signed Syaoran up for a local talent show...without his permission and knowing. And when they did tell him...Heaven help us all...
Talent Show: Summer of '01
"You did WHAT?!" Screamed Syaoran at his two friends in front of him. He had only come back from a small, one week visit to his family in Hong Kong and he comes back to this horrible confession. Eriol smiles his evil smile, used to Syaoran's outburst. Yamazaki was looking quite...worried...but he was okay, since there was absolutely nothing Syaoran would or could do to him.
"How could you sign me up in a TALENT show?!?! I mean...how?! Why?! What possessed you to do such a STUPID thing?!" Syaoran continued, pacing angrily now.
Tomoeda usually had some sort of special thing at the beginning of summer and this year it just so happened to be a talent show. Representatives were chosen from each age group and Tomoyo Daidoji had been the representative from the 13-18 year olds. She had been very efficient, with Sakura Kinomoto along to help her, with all registration and everything.
~*~*Flashback*~*~
"No way am I going to go into the talent show. I have no talent." Syaoran said stubbornly to Sakura, Tomoyo, Eriol, Chiharu and Yamazaki as they shared a pizza in a local pizza place.
"Don't say that, Syaoran, you have a lot of talent." Sakura said warmly and taking his hand. "Please, just come and do an act. I'm doing something. Chiharu is doing something." Syaoran had to look away from Sakura's eyes, since he knew the puppy dog look ALWAYS worked on him.
"No. I'm. Not. Entering. I have no talent, I told you that." He turned back to her. "Anyways, what are you doing?" Sakura blushed and looked down at her pizza.
"I'm actually singing...it's a song called The Dream Within. It's a good song so...I hope I do well." Sakura said, smiling again. "See. I don't have any talent either and I'm trying." Syaoran looked down at her, serious, his eyes warm with caring.
"You have a lot of talent, Sakura. Don't ever let yourself forget that." He said, tracing his thumb down her jaw. Noticing the debate bubbling up, he cleared his throat and looked back at his pizza.
"However, I'm not entering the show, because I don't have a talent that I could possibly perform."
"What about guitar? Your precious electric guitar?" Eriol asked slyly. Syaoran eyed him with a look that could kill.
"Shut up...shut up, Eriol." Syaoran muttered but the harm was already done.
"You play guitar, Syaoran?!" Sakura squealed in delight and surprise.
"See, I knew you had talent." Tomoyo said pleasantly. Syaoran shook his head.
"No, no...it's not like that. I'm...I'm really not that good." Yamazaki laughed.
"Whatever! You could probably compete with Jimi Hendrix himself." Syaoran shook his head.
"No, seriously, I mean..." But everyone was talking excitedly and Syaoran had to sigh. He had taken up electric guitar a few years ago and found out he had quite a hand for it. The only two people who knew were Eriol and Yamazaki...well, before they had spilled.
"This is perfect, you can go in all together. What guitar do you play?" Chiharu asked.
"Lead, of course." Yamazaki said answering before Syaoran could protest. Chiharu squealed.
"Perfect. Yamazaki on drums, Eriol on bass and you on lead. You'd be perfect!" Syaoran shook his head.
"No." He looked at his watch. "Look, I gotta go. I have to be at the airport at 5:00 am. I'll see you guys next week." Sakura smiled at him as she stepped out for him to pass.
"I hope you have fun, Syaoran. You'll be in time for the talent show, huh?" He nodded then, blushing, kissed her on the cheek.
"I wouldn't miss your performance for the world." He whispered then left a blushing and fainting Sakura and squealing Tomoyo and Chiharu.
"Why can't you be that charming and dashing, Yamazaki?" Chiharu sighed as she watched Syaoran pay his and Sakura's part of the bill and left.
"You know, Syaoran gives us a bad name." Yamazaki complained to Eriol, but he was just smiling.
"Oh, I wouldn't think so. Tomoyo, I need to see you. Alone." Eriol said, standing up and walking over to a secluded part of the restaurant. Tomoyo shrugged and left after him. Chiharu sighed, then punched Yamazaki in the arm.
"Syaoran AND Eriol are giving you a bad name. Why can't you be charming?!" Yamazaki frowned and cursed.
"Damn those guys...damn it all. Um...I'll pay for your pizza, Chiharu. Charming enough?" He asked. Sakura laughed at the two's antics. However, she slipped back into her own fantasy world to think of Syaoran.
~*~*End Flashback*~*~
That had been a week ago. During the week that Syaoran had left, Yamazaki and Eriol had prepared and had told Tomoyo to register all three of them but NOT to tell anyone.
"So, you want this to be a surprise? Very well. Not even Sakura will know." Tomoyo had said, happily.
And here were the three guys, four days before big performance, trying to get Syaoran to agree.
"Come on, Syaoran, you gotta do it." Yamazaki pleaded. Syaoran glared at him.
"No way. I'm not doing it. Anyways, there's four days left. How could we possibly learn something by then." Eriol smiled.
"Oh, how about one of your favourite songs? Summer of '69. Both Yamazaki and me know it so...there's nothing stopping us." Syaoran sighed.
"All right, so we all know a song and we could probably perfect it by then. But give me one good reason I should do it."
"Sakura." Eriol answered promptly. "She'll be all over you. Well, more than she already is." Syaoran blushed and was about to say something then closed his mouth. He banged the coffee table with his fist then stood up.
"Fine. I'll do it."
"All right!" Yamazaki said, standing up and did a victory dance.
The days before the concert were pretty hard for the guys, sweating bullets because of the heat and the hard work.
"So, this is a secret from everyone except Tomoyo." Syaoran asked over a glass of water during their break.
"Exactly." Yamazaki said, looking over some sheet music.
"Then, how are we getting all our amps and stuff over to the main stage without anyone seeing? How are we going to rehearse?" Syaoran asked the guys, counting the things to do on his fingers.
"Don't worry, Syaoran. We have it all figured out." Eriol said, smiling and standing up, getting his bass. "Again?"
~*~*~*~*~
"Argh...watch where you're going."
"Sorry, I can't see."
"It's pitch black out here...why'd you plan to do this at 1:00 am? You were idiots."
"Pardon me, Syaoran?"
"Not you, Tomoyo."
It was 1:00 am on the day of the big show and the guys, with the help of Tomoyo, were transporting all their stuff over to the local concert hall.
"I still don't understand how we're going to rehearse without anyone noticing us." Syaoran said.
"Oh, that's easy, Syaoran." Tomoyo said, happily, turning on the ignition to the truck she had somehow borrowed. "I have have some extra instruments. And a great little sound proof room at my house. You can go practice there." Syaoran rolled his eyes.
"Oh, yeah...easy..." Tomoyo looked over to Syaoran.
"Are you one of those people who can't practice on anyone else's instrument other than yours? Because, perhaps..."
"Oh no, it's not that it's just....never mind." Syaoran sighed as the rest continued to talk about the next day.
"I can't believe I'm going to go through with this." He muttered.
~*~*~*~*~
That day, after a few hours of sleep, the guys were up early, going over some trouble spots in their piece when Tomoyo walked in.
"Sorry to interrupt you guys but I need a fitting." She said, smiling. Syaoran's eyes went wide. How many times did he hear that with Sakura?
"Oh no...no way are you going to do that..." He said, slowly backing away. However, Eriol was already walking up the stairs and Yamazaki pulled Syaoran up with him.
"Come on, Syaoran. You have to look the part if you want to go into show business."
"I'll wear what I'm wearing." Syaoran said, pulling out of Yamazaki's grasp. Tomoyo laughed.
"Right, khaki shorts and a green t-shirt? Give me a break, Syaoran. You are definitely NOT going like that." She said, taking his wrist and dragging him up the stairs.
"But...but...but..." Syaoran said but he never got through with it. He was trapped and that was all there was to it.
~*~*~*~*~
"No way am I going out in this." Syaoran said from inside the washroom. Eriol, Tomoyo and Yamazaki were all waiting outside for him.
"Please, Syaoran. The show is going to start in an about forty five minutes and I'm already late. Please. For me. For Sakura." There was silence, then a sigh, then Syaoran walked out.
"Yes, that is definitely you." Tomoyo said, pleased with her work. Syaoran was wearing jeans, slightly faded at the knee and ripped at the hem. He was wearing black shoes and a black shirt that showed his muscles. (A/n: Think of all the rockers at that time...1985 or so.)
"You guys owe me big time." He muttered, running his hand through his messy hair. Tomoyo suddenly pounced on him
"No! Don't fix it! Keep it messed up. It gives you the whole 'John Cougar/Tom Cocharane' look. It's very attractive. Sakura will probably be drooling in spite of herself." Syaoran blushed and said nothing, looking at his companions. Yamazaki was wearing a black muscle shirt, black jeans and black sneakers. Eriol was wearing the same sort of shirt as Syaoran but a dark blue with jeans and a jean jacket. A bandana rolled up as a headband was the different piece of the costume.
"You guys look perfect!" Tomoyo said happily, stars in her eyes as she looked over her 'masterpieces'. She checked her watch. "Well, I'd better go and see if they're holding up. You guys come along as well, but keep backstage, all right? Don't worry, Syaoran, I'll be taping Sakura's part for you to watch later. Good thing I checked up on Sakura's costume earlier this afternoon." She said then hurried out to a limo waiting for her. Syaoran glanced at the two guys then shrugged.
"Well, we'd better rock and roll, huh?" He asked sarcastically as Yamazaki laughed.
To the guy's surprise, there was a black limo waiting for them at the door.
"Please get in. We're ordered to keep you under full security from now till the end of the concert." Said one of two burly security guards.
"Um...thanks..." Syaoran said as the other two high-fived.
"All right! Talk about style!" Yamazaki said, laughing.
~*~*~*~*~
"So, what act is Sakura?" Syaoran asked Eriol, who was looking over the program.
"She's the act right before ours. You'll be able to see her, if you're lucky." Eriol commented. Syaoran nodded and looked at his watch. The show was already half way through. They could hear the songs and what not being played over the speakers in their private dressing room.
"She went all out for this, huh?" Yamazaki said, flipping channels on their TV - with satellite, of course. Syaoran nodded in agreement then stood up and started to pace nervously.
"Don't worry, Syaoran. You'll be awesome." Eriol said, looking up from the program. Syaoran glared at him then continued to pace.
~*~*~*~*~
The guys were finally out backstage. All the guards had shooed everyone else from previous acts out of the backstage as the guys walked out of their dressing room. Syaoran was quietly making sure all the strings were tuned on his guitar and trying to listen to Sakura's beautiful flowing voice sing the tragic song at the same time.
"We're almost up, man." Yamazaki said as he looked behind the curtain that hid his drum set from the audience.
"She's pretty good, huh?" Eriol asked, indicating Sakura.
Free the dream within
The stars are crying a tear
The sigh escapes from heaven
And rolls in...
"She's done." Syaoran muttered, swinging his guitar over to his back. He watched as Tomoyo walked up the stairs over to Sakura, who was taking a bow for the screaming crowd who were crying for an encore.
"Thank you very much, Sakura, it was wonderfully done! However, don't leave, ladies and gentleman, because we have one more act. A surprise act from good friends of mine..."
Yamazaki seated himself behind his drum set and took his drum sticks while Syaoran and Eriol took their places by their mics. Syaoran looked over at Eriol and Yamazaki, who nodded with encouragement.
Tomoyo had moved over to the side as Sakura had taken a seat in the front row, which was reserved for all the performers.
"Please give a big hand for Syaoran Li, Yamazaki Takashi (A/n: I don't care if I'm wrong with his name. Do I care? No...don't bother me...) and Eriol Hiirigizawa!"
The curtain raised and the lights centered on the group. Yamazaki started off with the count as Syaoran took over with lead.
I got my first real six-string
Bought it at the five-and-dime
Played it til my fingers bled
It was the summer of'69
The rush of playing live was starting to get to Syaoran. It was the kind of rush every performer got playing in front of people. He forgot his nervousness and anxiety and started to get into the music.
At the second part of the first verse, Eriol joined in with bass guitar.
Me and some guys from school
Had a band and we tried real hard
Jimmy quit and Jody got married
I shoulda known we'd never get far
His ears ringed with a combination of Yamazaki's beat on the drums, Eriol's and his guitar and the loud roar from the crowd.
Oh when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Ya - I'd always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life
Searching the crowd, who had jumped to their feet, Syaoran caught sight of Sakura, standing in awe and admiration, the faint red glow on her beautiful cheeks. Being in the rocker mode, he smiled and winked at her. He could see the other girls arguing over who got winked at. However, Sakura knew it was solely for her and she laughed and waved back.
Ain't no use in complainin'
When you got a job to do
Spent my evenin's down at the drive-in
And that's when I met you
Sakura couldn't believe Syaoran was actually up and performing. He had said he had no talent, which she knew was an utter lie. However, she never knew that he played guitar so well. His amber eyes searched for her jade ones and she could feel herself blush. This guy singing up there on stage was Syaoran but he also wasn't. His mischievous grin and wink made her blush even redder, but his eyes were tender and loving. Sakura knew that he was still Syaoran, in and out, and knew he would never change. Jumping up and down, she did what every other young woman was doing: swooning and drooling.
Standin' on your Mama's porch
You told me that you'd wait forever
Oh and when you held my hand
I knew that it was now or never
Those were the best days of my life
Back in the summer of '69
Tomoyo looked up from her video taping over at the crowd, who were shouting and screaming. Smiling a knowing smile, she knew that the guys would need to do an encore to keep the crowd happy. She looked back at the performing guys and smiled. They had all changed: Eriol was laughing and strumming away at his guitar, Yamazaki concentrated at keeping the steady beat. However, the radical change in Syaoran was almost unbelievable. His face was tinged red and he looked spectacular in his outfit. Although he kept good eye contact with the whole crowd, he kept on facing one specific way and Tomoyo knew who he was looking at. Smiling, she resumed overseeing the video taping.
"I still don't get how that can be the gaki." Kero said, amazed at the Syaoran's change. Tomoyo smiled but shushed him.
Man we were killin' time
We were young and restless
We needed to unwind
I guess nothin' can last forever - forever
Eriol and Syaoran started doing some fancy stuff with their guitars during the instrumental part, smiling and laughing, trying to out-do the other.
And now the times are changin'
Look at everything that's come and gone
Something when I play that old six-string
I think about ya wonder what went wrong
Tomoyo looked back out to the crowd and beamed as she noticed that Syaoran, Yamazaki and Eriol had attracted more and more people to the concert hall.
Standin' on your Mama's porch
You told me it would last forever
Oh the way you held my hand
I knew that it was now or never
Those were the best days of my life
Back in the summer of '69
Syaoran, Eriol and Yamazaki ended the song and if the crowd was already loud, they became even louder with shouts and cheers. Yamazaki stood up and walked over to Eriol and high-fived him as Syaoran beamed down at Sakura, who was still wearing the white dress she had been wearing for her own number and, to Syaoran, looked beautiful. Sakura smiled back and noticed that the tinge was still there and his grin still had a mischievous edge.
Tomoyo walked up the stage in her purple flowing skirt and white tank top and took the microphone.
"Let's hear it for these awesome guys!" She shouted over the crowd, who only turned louder. Syaoran blushed as Eriol and Yamazaki patted him on the back.
"They're going to ask for an encore." Eriol shouted into Syaoran's ear. Syaoran's eyes got wide.
"Oh no...they can't...they wouldn't...we haven't practiced anything else." He said, getting nervous. Yamazaki laughed.
"Don't worry, we'll think of something." Syaoran smiled nervously, hoping that Eriol would be wrong.
"So what do you guys think?! You think these guys should give it one more go?!" Tomoyo asked the crowd, who cheered in response.
"Okay, what do we do?" Yamazaki asked. Syaoran thought for a while then turned to each of the guys.
"You guys know how to play 'Born to be Wild'?" He asked as Eriol nodded and Yamazaki laughed.
"What person who plays classic rock does not know how to play Born to be Wild?" Syaoran nodded.
"All right, let's do it."
Tomoyo smiled at them, then left the stage, putting the microphone back into its stand. Syaoran walked up to it as Yamazaki got settled.
"I'd like to dedicate this to a special group of friends. First of all, Eriol and Yamazaki. Even though you guys are jerks, you guys are still my friends...somewhat." Eriol laughed and added.
"Yeah, the feeling is mutual, Syaoran. We'd also like to say thanks to Tomoyo..."
"Chiharu..." Yamazaki added into his own mic.
"And of course, my own angel, Sakura. Okay, let's rock and roll!" Syaoran shouted and looked back at Yamazaki and Eriol. As they all nodded, Yamazaki hit the starting beat as Syaoran strummed the first chord. The crowd went back into its hysterical screaming.
Syaoran started to smile as the adrenaline rush came back.
Get your motor running
Head out on the highway
Looking for adventure
In whatever comes our way
Yeah I got to go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns at once and
Explode into space
I like smoking lightning
Heavy metal thunder
Racing with the wind
And the feeling that I'm under
Yeah I got to go make it happen
Take the world in a love embrace
Fire all of your guns and once and
Explode into space
Like a true natures child
We were born, born to be wild
We can climb so high
I never wanna die
Born to be wild
Born to be wild
......
~*~*~*~*~
It was about midnight until everyone actually left for home. The security guards let no one pass into backstage, since most of them were young teenage girls trying to get to the guys. Syaoran, however many times he had saved Sakura from certain doom, however many times he had been in training, felt somewhat more secure. It was one thing to be facing a Clow Card. It was another thing to be swarmed with girls and, to be honest, Syaoran was quite scared. He was busy helping out with all the electrical chords and putting his guitar away. (A/n: Ooh...Syaoran's a rocker and a techie...*sigh*)
Tomoyo and Sakura walked backstage, the security guard letting them through.
"So, Sakura. What did you think of Syaoran's number?" Sakura blushed and sighed.
"He was so hot...I mean!" Sakura said, his eyes going wide. "Um, I meant...um..."
"The thing they said before Born to be Wild was sweet, wasn't it, Sakura?" Tomoyo asked, smiling innocently. Sakura nodded, blushing again. She saw him on stage, carefully putting his guitar away, ignoring Yamazaki's crazy antics. He looked up and smiled softly. He stood up and brushed himself off. She laughed and ran to him, flinging her arms around his neck.
"You were so awesome, Syaoran! And you say you have no talent! I knew you were lying!" She said, happily. Syaoran put his arms around her waist and blushed.
"Well, really...um...it really wasn't...I mean...uh..." He said, faltering. He chuckled and then whispered, "You look beautiful, Sakura." It was her turn to blush as she let go of him.
"Well, thanks...um...well, I'd better get going. My dad and Touya are waiting for me." She went up on tip-toes and kissed him. Surprised yet happy, he kissed her back, surprised how this day that he had been treading for the past four had turned out to be such a success. Breaking the kiss, Sakura smiled her sweet smile.
"See you tomorrow." She whispered then turned and ran, waving and calling good-byes to Yamazaki, Eriol and Tomoyo.
Tomoyo had her video camera out. At Eriol's amused look she giggled.
"A bit of an 'after the show' video." She said and shrugged.
Syaoran picked up his guitar case, then waved.
"I'd better go, too. I'll see you guys later." Tomoyo and Eriol watched as the young man walked out the concert hall.
"He seemed to be enjoying himself tonight, huh?" Eriol commented. "Are we going to let him get away with just that?" Tomoyo smiled her usual innocent smile, which usually meant she was planning something evil.
~*~*A few weeks later*~*~
"What do you mean A SPECIAL CONCERT AND WE'RE THE MAIN ACT?!" Syaoran yelled at Eriol and Yamazaki as they were over for tea at Tomoyo's house.
"Here we go again..." Chiharu said as Tomoyo giggled as she took out her video camera and Sakura sighed, staring at Syaoran.
"He really does look quite cute when he's angry, huh?" She asked, leaning her head in her hand.
"I can't believe you did this WITHOUT ASKING ME! How STUPID! WHAT POSSESSED YOU TO DO SUCH A STUPID THING?"
Fin
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Geo: Heh heh...sorry, bad ending but *shrug* whatever. This wasn't supposed to be a big really good fic. Oh well. *shrug* Hoped some of you liked it. I liked imagining it...*sigh* Syaoran as a rocker and a techie...in my DANGEROUS RIVALS fic he's a secret agent and a skateboarder...*sigh* What a guy...
Brooklyn: Yeah, too bad he's SAKURA'S!
Geo: Shut up...that's okay cuz Sakura's cool and I would do NOTHING to hurt her...not like I would hurt Millerna...(sorry Millerna fans...I just...really don't like her...Allen's MINE!) I'll just think of Keanu Reeves and Ethan Hawke and...ooh, the guy who plays Leo in The Planet of the Apes (the new one, folks)...ooh, he's hot....
Brooklyn: *blink* okay...that's weird...um, anyways, yeah...
Geo: *comes out of dreamland* Oh! Well, hope you liked the fic. Thanks for reading!