Fifteen students glared at the script they were handed.
"Now, let's break out some of that youthful spirit!" Gai shouted, giving them all the thumbs up. "Read the script and let your passion flow!"
The class sat in a big group, some glancing through while others threw it away in disgust.
"Can you believe this?" Naruto said furiously. "Baa-chan is such an evil witch."
"She probably chose this because you keep calling her Baa-chan!" Sakura yelled, hitting him over the head with the script.
Hinata was once of the few actually reading her way through the script.
"So, what's it like?" Ino asked in spite of herself.
"I-It's not to bad. It's sort of like one of those inter-school productions." she said quietly, looking up from the script. "It's just a lot of scene changes and songs. T-there doesn't really seem to be a story."
"Good." Shikamaru grumbled, using his script as a pillow. "If there's no story it won't be long."
"Says the guy with one of the longest songs." Naruto snickered, earning himself another whack over the head.
"Maybe it won't be too bad." Chouji said, flicking through the pages. "I mean we all grew up on this stuff, right?" he looked up to see various shrugs and blushes. "I think Tsunade-sama is right - this could be fun. We just have to look at this in the right frame of mind."
"You can't be serious." Sasuke sulked.
"Maybe he's right." this came surprisingly from Ino."I mean, Disney is Disney - it's corny, but it still has a special place inside us."
"Didn't expect that from you, Ino-pig." Sakura said, but the smile on her face showed there was no insult intended.
"I'm not ashamed to admit that I like something, Forehead girl." Ino replied, poking out her tongue.
"Ok, maybe this won't be as bad as we thought." Kankurou interjected. "But seriously, can anyone here actually sing?"
"Hinata's in the school choir." Shino piped up. "As is Temari-san."
The two girls glared at the quiet boy.
"There's a big difference between singing in a group and singing alone." Temari snarled. "I can use the other students to hide my horrible voice."
"B-but you have a beautiful voice, Temari-san." Hinata said quietly.
"Hinata, you're too sweet sometimes." the older girl managed, flushing brightly.
"You are too modest." Gaara's voice surprised everyone. He didn't normally participate in conversations. Temari's entire face turned red.
"Look, as long as some of us can sing, that'll make up for those of us who can't." Kankurou pointed out.
"We just need to ... try." Shikamaru sighed heavily. "Damn this is going to be humiliating. My mother must not find out about this."
"SO, are you feeling full of fiery passion, my rival?" Lee shouted, looking way too excited. Neji glared at the other boy.
"Look on the bright side, Neji." Tenten muttered. "It's better than last year."
"We didn't have to sing last year." Neji growled, then rubbed the bridge of his nose. "My uncle is never going to let me live this down."
"At least you got stuck with me as your partner, hehe." Tenten giggled madly. "I just got a weird vision of you singing with Sasuke."
This received a death glare from the Uchiha and the Hyuuga, while the others (except Gaara) started chuckling.
"Attention, my youthful student!" Gai suddenly yelled. "We shall now read through the script together! Can't you just feel the passionate fires burning within."
"I can feel something burning." Naruto growled.
They read through the script. Hinata had been right - the whole show was more like a Rock Eisteddfod than a play. There wasn't so much a plot as a series of songs. The songs even had an order of sorts.
"The younger students will be taking care of the props, and Kurenai-sensei has kindly agreed to take care of the costumes while on maternity leave." Gai sensei continued on happily.
"Costumes?" Sasuke managed weakly. Costumes hadn't even occured to the prodigy.
"As homework, you are expected to practise by yourself nightly, and with your partner as often as possible. I will not allow your fires to be dampened by slack behaviour! Dismissed!"
Thankfully, drama class was the last for the day, so the students were able to head home and forget the horror of their day.
"N-neji?"
The teen turned to see Tenten fiddling with her script nervously.
"I-I live alone, so if you want to practise at my place..." she trailed off, seeing the blank look he was giving her.
"That does sound less awkward." Neji muttered, surprising her. "Is this afternoon good?"
"What? Oh, yes, of course!" Tenten babbled, unable to believe that Neji, Neji, had agreed to come to her house.
"Hey Sakura-chan, wanna come over-"
"Like I'll come to that pig sty you call a house!"
"Ino, you can come whenever."
"Thanks Chouji."
"Hey, what are you doing, you crazy woman?!"
"If you think I'm practising at your place with your mother listening at the door, you got another thing coming."
"You don't have to drag me, I can walk!"
"You walk to slow."
Shino, Lee, Kankuro, Sasuke and Gaara followed behind, all looking pissed.
