Chapter 3 of Band Verse: contains Proving and Show.

I hope you enjoy, I do not own 'Somewhere over the Rainbow' or Naruto.

Edit 5-18-11 Thank you Geniusly-Unique the names have been corrected.

z.z

Proving

Perhaps it was because the woman hadn't fallen for him on first sight or because she only had eyes for his little brother; but Itachi soon found she'd taken up all of his thoughts, awake and asleep.

Awake, his mind would replay her grouchy anger and clumsy mistakes. But in his sleep, she sang. There was no sound, at least none that he could remember, nor a clear picture of a face, just flashes of pink; but he knew it was her and the dreams stirred in him a desire to hear her for real. Ever since he learned she sang for Lightening Fox, for his brother, he wanted to ask her to sing. They were not close though, and though there were some things he might fool around with (mostly due to being influenced by Shisui his entire childhood), but singing was something on a different level. Out of respect for her, he withheld his questions even though the thoughts never left his mind.

He smiled as the woman realized his starring. He wanted to hear, but a voice was like peering into one's soul and such nakedness usually had a high price, trust.

"You were just thinking of something perverted weren't you?"

Itachi smiled wider. In a way he had. The odd, troubling longing was like love; but so very different at the same time. Perhaps it was just him who had troubling dreams about pink masses singing.

She hit him on the shoulder before setting her glare on the model castle parts before her. Itachi's eyes scanned over the pieces, already he could see the formulation they were to go in. He didn't need her help; but it was an excuse to be near her, with her, hear her and to gain her trust. And then imagine the voice singing, just for him.

"Part Ti to A5," Sakura muttered as she continued to brush back her pink hair that kept falling in her eyes.

He wondered how long her patience would last. Not long, by his recollection.

Her eyes flickered back to him. "Are you going to help me?"

He leaned in to look at the instruction manual and she leaned away. "A5 to Mp."

"Mp…" She scanned the four seating table that was full of metal pieces.

"The right end of the drawbridge you just finished."

"Oh."

Itachi watched her petite hands shake as they held the tweezers and soldering iron.

"A steam-punk castle… Who the heck comes up with such ideas? Did you get this off the internet?"

Itachi grinned, "No. I create blueprints and sent them to a friend who works as a metalsmith, he creates the parts and sends them back to me. When I finish I sell it and send a third to him."

Sakura put down the tweezers and soldering iron. "You're going to sell it?" it was more of a demand then a question.

"Yes."

Her eyes brows went up mischievously, "How much?"

He leaned in, "Not enough for it to be more than a hobby."

Her lips pursed to the side and her eyebrows furrowed in thought, "Why am I helping you then?"

Itachi gave a slight smile before replying, "I thought this would be an excellent opportunity for a bonding experience between the two of us."

Her upper lip pulled up as if she was a wolf protecting a kill, "No, you just want to make money off a poor girl."

It was anything but that. He could have finished building it by now with a lot less effort. "I'll pay you."

He now had her interest and full attention.

"How much?"

"I'll give you all of my share if—" Itachi wondered if now would be a good time, nothing had changed in their relationship, but a deal was always a prosperous option.

"If—"

"I get to hear you sing."

She stared at him slightly stunned with surprise. "You want me to sing?" suspicion made her eyes narrow.

"Yes." He wanted nothing more than for her to sing. He half hoped for it to be awful so his dreams would be left in peace. He half hoped for it to be glorious, he hated to be wrong even subconsciously.

"Why?"

"I'm curious as to how good you sound."

"I'm ok," she said with pride as if he meant to belittle her. But he was a singer of The Red Clouds which had a fan base of over three million.

"Prove it."

She glared but grinned at the challenge. "Somewhere over the rainbow, somewhere far." She closed her mouth and held onto a smug expression.

She was amazing. Her soprano was gentle but pure as she held key.

"You've a very beautiful voice, Sakura."

Her expression softened to a sad smile, "Thanks, I'm glad you think so."

Itachi squeezed her hand, "Maybe you should sing with us."

Sakura raised an eyebrow before yanking her arm away as if he burned her. "I get enough hate just being the person to introduce you on stage," she said but she turned her head hiding a blush. She scrutinized the pieces missing the extra guest who had shared Itachi's smile.

Itachi gave a nod to Sasori, who stood in the doorway. She hadn't given a definite 'no'.

Show

She'd forgotten how good it felt to demand the attention of the crowd, to feel the high of being in the center spot light, to have an ice metal microphone warming in her hands. This was her zone and no primal fangirl was going to ruin her night.

Snarling orders at the crowd; with the threat that the band wouldn't come out in play if they didn't do as they were told, gave her the feeling of power she had long forgotten. By the end of her rant (of cuss words) the crowd had fallen silent.

"Good job," Konan's voice said from her earpiece. Sakura nodded holding out her hand signifying the crowd should continue to hold their breath.

Her light turned blue but she could still be seen. Then it started. The violin solo could actually be heard echoing throughout the stadium (as well as some whispers but obviously a lot better than normal.) Two more seconds then she would let them go wild. The violin solo stopped. There was silence.

Then she dropped her hand and her light blinked off. The crowd exploded as did two electric guitars. The effect was ground rumbling, like a small earthquake, and deafening in Sakura's ears. She bolted off stage, making sure not to knock over an amp (like she had in practice.)

With a sigh of relief Sakura closed the inner door, which only dampened the sound slightly (that or the crowd had gotten loud as the band had been highlighted with spotlights.) She made her way up the stair case and into the light studio room. There it was quiet.

Deidara and Konan worked simultaneously at the computers and electronic instruments that looked important to Sakura. They were double checking sound, working the lights and flipping between camera angles as Itachi did a backflip from a raised box while playing a solo. But Sakura had complete admiration for their work, the lights especially, it turned out the computer program failed to work during rehearsal; so everything she saw was being manually done, and it looked better than the simulation. It probably would have been easier to get someone else to do the work, but they were a small crew and they didn't like to have new people come in.

Sakura sat back in a side seat and watched everything pull together. It was awe striking and it had taken a lot of effort to pull off. She'd been surprised; she'd only done gigs. Before her were professionals. In the back of her mind she could see why Lighting Fox was behind The Red Clouds; none of their shows were like what was before her.

The crowd loved everything and Sakura could only hear their cheer from the studio even though she could see Kisame cracking a joke on the screen. Others in the room were wearing headphones, enabling them to hear the same sound that came from the speakers.

Near the end of the performance, Pein stopped by. He filled Sakura in on the types of clothing, gear and cds that were in the multiple booths; she knew almost all of them by heart but she was still learning. He also gave her a couple of the items for 'show' only. Throwing them into the crowd was not an option. They wouldn't be allowed back into a roofed location if more than one paramedic vehicle needed to be called.

"Get them out of the auditorium," was his only command. They needed to take down their equipment and with fangirls, and that became impossible because all the band members were part of the moving crew too. It gave them more profit, according to Pein.

Sakura nodded and slipped on the sweatshirt that bore several red clouds on the front and walked out of the room.

It was their last song and as soon as they left the stage she'd need to be up there.

"Encore! Encore!" the crowd cheered but the sound seemed to literally shake the building. She could already tell it was going to be chaos.

The band members emerged on the stair case in retreat. Immediately the smell of sweat filled her senses, thank goodness she had every intention of taking a separate cab to the hotel. She stood to the side as the soaked men drank from water bottles.

"Encore?" Sakura asked, most of them were like gaping fish as they tried to gulp water and breath.

"No," Sasori said. He was the only member that didn't seem to be sweating.

So she waltzed up and onto center of the stage and the 'booing' initiated.

She smiled sweetly; this was going to be good. She turned on her microphone.

"If you don't shut your traps I have permission to shut down the sales booths." She didn't, but empty threats worked well because the fans wouldn't risk it.

An angry whisper silence fell over the crowd.

"Good, now listen up." Sakura took a deep breath and walked towards the edge of the stage. Hopefully, no one had come with tomatoes like last time.

"A new sweatshirt design for those of you who collect, the tour only sweatshirt," she emphasized. She held out one arm and turned showing the back of the sweatshirt she was wearing so everyone could see the members, Barbie sized, casted in red hue light. The photography was pretty bad but—

The crowd cheered.

– nobody could care less.

"Now, there are pre-signed cd covers and autographs at the booths—"

Darn she was losing her crowd.

"I guess nobody will get to know the new cd release date…" Sakura said looking off in the distance like a dejected child.

Everything froze as their ears pricked up with delight.

Sakura smiled. She prattled off the date and then the room cleared within five minutes with the threat that "everything is limited quantity" (which was true, but they'd only run out if everyone bought three of everything, which was a possibility.)

She slipped off the stage dodging some of the workers that had come to take down the technology and wires. After the Tobi-snake-incident the main band members only dealt with objects that were theirs or non-electrical equipment.

Sakura took off the sweatshirt and set it on the table, then went to go to the makeup room to start packing up things.

Turning the corner Sakura ran into something. Sakura looked down at a little girl.

At first she was about to bark at someone for leaving their children around when she noticed something odd about the girl. The little one was wearing a Lighting Fox fandom shirt, the one that Sakura had designed several years ago, when they first started out. It was definitely looked better than The Red Cloud's in her opinion. There had only been limited quantity, they hadn't had many fans… It could only be one person…

"President Akumi88," Sakura bowed. The girl was her replacement.

Akumi88 smiled," It's good to meet you in person, founder Blossom293." Then the girls smile dropped, "I didn't realize you had become a fan of," her tone sneered, "The Red Clouds."

Sakura tilted her head to the side, "They gave me a job, that doesn't mean I'm a fan. Although I have to admit, they're really professional."

"Oh." The president tilted her head too, mirroring Sakura. "It must require a lot of time."

"Yes," Sakura blushed straightening, "I didn't know or realize Lightening Fox was getting a new female singer… It was time for me to give up my position."

The little girl nodded, sympathizing by reaching up on her tip toes and patting Sakura's head.

The girl glanced to the side, noticing she grabbed the attention of a growing audience which included the Red Cloud members.

"Even though you resigned your position I was hoping you would consider reinstating yourself as the lead website designer."

"Lead website designer of what?" Konan asked suspiciously eyeing the fanclub shirt the little girl was wearing.

"Lightening Fox's official fan site, of course," the little girl looked up at Konan with mild irritation.

"What happened to the president?"

"I am the president," The little girl's green, hazel eyes narrowed.

"You're Blossom293?"

"No," the little girl rolled her eyes, "I am the current president Akumi88. Blossom293 was the previous president and founder, who you stole with the exchange of profits. You should be grateful you are standing in her presence."

Akumi88 turned her attention back to Sakura, "Please consider it. Although you are busy, as I now see, I hope you can find some time. You have been missed, as well as your talent in the art of design." The girl turned to leave, flicking her right, orange pigtail over her shoulder.

"A—Akumi how did you find me?" Sakura asked.

The girl turned and smiled with a gleam in her eye. "I tracked your credit cards, silly. Although I don't know why anybody would want to buy elephant pajamas in Las Vegas... I noticed your track record coincided with the Red Clouds tour spots. When I checked the enemies blog sites they said there was a new, 'horrendous, ugly, pink, freak announcer'. It wasn't that hard to figure out where I could meet you."

"Ug—"

"Shh," the little girl put her index finger to her lips. "Don't worry; we'll keep in touch, dear Blossom." The girl winked and continued on.

Stunned, Sakura stared off at her departure.

"Tobi saw a dark aura around him; he did, he did," the masked man whined as the exit door made 'chute' sound as it closed.

Konan's eyes narrowed as if challenged.

She turned her back and slipped out of the room and into the 'manager's lair: only disturb if you wish to die' room to speak with Pein. Deidara stomped in behind her.

Kisame sighed, so much for not finding out.