I said I'd update on a holiday, and that's what today is…White Day!
To those of you who don't know what White Day is, think of it this way. You know how in Valentine's Day in anime how girls try really hard to make chocolates and give them to their friends, family, and love interests? White Day is basically the same, except it's the guys who give out the chocolate. And it's exactly one month from Valentine's.
I know I'm late but…I really did try to get this on the appropriate day. I finished around 10:30 PM on March 14, 2009, but was riddled with errors. I couldn't edit or post up a new chapter. I feel really lame.
And, I think you all will really enjoy the scenes I've created here.
Disclaimer: Lucky Star is property of Yoshimizu Kagami and is licensed by Bandai Entertainment. Additional disclaimers are below in order to not spoil the readers. The Lucky Star OVA has been licensed, so be sure to buy it when it comes out!
"What?!" Kagami shouted as she was talking on her cell phone.
She started to impatiently tap her fingers against the wall of Animate's top floor. Everyone in the band was talking about their future concerts, with a few happening very soon. By being in the band, she had the benefit of several perks and was currently trying to give them off to her friends. However, some people had different plans in mind.
"Yeah, I'm not going to the concert." Konata plainly said.
"Why not?" She asked.
"It's simple. My online game is going to have a special event because today is White Day. Every guild has the opportunity to go on a scavenger hunt to find a very difficult boss and defeat him. The rumors are that he'll drop some extremely rare loot if you can successfully beat him."
"And that's more important than going to the concert?"
"You can only do this quest to spawn the bad guy once."
"But you've gone to every concert!" Kagami said, starting to pout.
"There will be more concerts and I'll go to them. Today is an exception."
"It's just an online game! Is it that big of a deal?"
Konata felt a little disappointed from that statement. "Why are you so concerned in having me go? I usually go to most concerts anyway, so why would you confirm this?"
The tsundere started to blush, realizing her mistake. She started to think really hard before the wave of otaku-based insinuations would come her way. "Well...I just figured that you would want to come. If any of my friends were to come, it would be best to give them the best experience possible."
"Ah...I see." Konata grinned. "Since the band is much more popular, you want to use your newly acquired power. You have the chance of giving me the best experience I can possibly have. That's so sweet, Kagamin..."
Kagami started to feel nervous from that statement. "That's what I wanted to do."
"Thank you."
"So you are going to come?"
"I must respectfully decline."
One could see Kagami's hopes shattering from that statement. "What?!"
"I have monsters to slay!"
With that proclamation, the short otaku ended the conversation. The twin-tailed girl stared at the cell phone in despair from her friend hanging up. She looked down at the floor disappointed from Konata's response. What kind of person would do that?
The tsundere walked into the meeting room with much newly-found dread. She slowly sat at the table where Meito, Ryuta, the president and Kaito were waiting. They could instantly pick up on her irritating as her hair looked messy and covered over her face. The four men in the room started to look at each other, unsure of what to do.
"Kagami-sama." Anizawa stated. "Are you feeling alright?"
"I'm okay..." She mumbled.
Ryuta wanted to speak, but Kaito shook his head in disapproval. He stayed reserved.
"Anyway..." Takahashi said. "Our plans are to do a performance today for the men of Japan. However, due to Anizawa's vocal persuasion...we may have to change things up a little."
"PRESIDENT!" Meito pleaded. "YOU CANNOT KEEP THE TIGER CAGED! HE WILL GAIN STRENGTH AND SLASH THROUGH THE BARS TO KEEP FROM BEING THE ANIMAL HE TRULY IS!"
His headstrong attitude was responded with a quick smack in the nose by the president's fist.
"FOOL! I DON'T WANT NANASHI TO FALL TO CRAZED FANS."
"Sorry..." He said, clutching his nose.
"So what does that mean?" Kaito asked.
"We are left with many different options. We could go under a long list of songs to see which will have the least effect. I am not experienced with the game that much to know what songs will affect the crowd."
"We are." Ryuta said, speaking for himself and the guitarist. "Everyone song in the game focuses on a direct theme like survival, sex, death, or anger. It's hard to find a song that doesn't have a quality like that."
"And any of the songs that do, have an Achilles heel." Kaito informed. "They are tremendously boring."
"Good reason...good reason." Meito murmured.
"DAMN!" Takahashi said, punching into the wall. "We'll have to move to Plan B then."
"Which is?"
"Someone else will have sing."
A hush came across the band hearing that response. They had a very formulaic set up with Ryuta drumming, Kaito playing guitar, Meito singing and Kagami playing bass. Everyone had a very frustrated look on their face trying to figure out what would happen. They had several things to factor in with what song to choose and how that would hinder the rest.
Kaito decided to speak up. "I might be able to do it. It's possible for me to sing and play, but don't expect me to hit every single note. Especially since I have to focus on two different parts of the screen."
"YOU CAN'T DO THAT YASUHIRO!" Takahashi screamed. "YOU APPEAL TO THE GAMERS! IF YOU FAULTER THEN EVERYONE ELSE DOES!"
"Oi, where does that leave me...?" Ryuta grumbled.
"Then what should we do?" He responded, in a lower tone.
"...I'll sing." Everyone else gasped from the response. They even started to play out every scenario into their heads.
Kagami...singing...
All of them started to imagine the twin-tailed girl singing on stage. The crowd would be enamored from her beauty and talent. It wasn't an impossible task as Tenchou learned enough about the game to play bass well. After the vision disappeared, the two members of Animate got to their knees and bowed. Kagami was taken aback by the action.
"KAGAMI-SAMA!!!" Meito shouted. "WILL YOU PERFORM THE DUTY THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO!?"
"Yeah..." She said puzzled. "That's why I agreed to do it."
"THANK YOU!!!" They shouted with the two simultaneous begging at her feet.
"Are you sure about this?" Kaito questioned.
"I am." She started to think. "I should be doing more for this band."
Tears started to form in Meito's eyes. "Bless you, Kagami-sama."
"Just one condition." She said, raising her hand up.
"What's that?"
"I'm picking the song." She grinned.
The other band members stood with pride, knowing that they would be able to have a successful concert after all. Ryuta felt a bit hesitant though...why would Kagami do this? She felt so adamant against all this from the beginning. But now she's performing the hardest roll that anyone can do on stage. He chose to keep quiet however. Since the concert itself was going to be in a few hours.
It was the dead of night as hundreds more people gathered to watch Nanashi play. They all felt a bit anxious to what was about to happen. Just one month ago, girls were put in a complete trance due to the power of Anizawa Meito. Many were unsure what was to happen today. A large curtain was placed over the stage. Everyone was prepared to play, but they just had to make some last minute adjustments.
"ARE WE READY TO PLAY?!" The manager screamed.
"Yes, yes." The bespectacled teenager nodded. "Don't get too excited, you'll melt your bass."
Meito quickly perked up from that remark, since it was entirely possible.
"She hasn't called..." The tsundere whispered.
"You say something?" Kaito asked.
"Nah, it's nothing." She dismissed. "Hey Kaito...is this outfit too much?"
He took a quick glance at her. She was wearing a yellow shirt that was primarily covered by a black shirt. Around her legs was a matching pair of black jeans. Her most noticeable feature was the pink, puffy scarf she had wrapped around her neck along with her traditional twin-tails.
"You look fine."
"Okay then."
With that signal, everyone stood in their pre-determined areas. Kagami felt a bit nervous, being in center stage as opposed to the side. Anizawa was the opposite, feel just as pumped up as ever. Perhaps he had some untapped instrumental power that the world had not scene. Everything was ready as the song was selected and the curtain was lifted.
"H-hello Japan!" Kagami said into the microphone.
The crowd was shocked. This minor changed solicited many responses.
"Kagami-san is singing?!"
"No way!"
"Meito-sama is playing bass!"
"Kagami is so cute!"
"Sing for me Kagami!"
"Marry me, Kaito-sama!"
"I should start wearing earplugs for this stuff..." Kagami huffed.
She decided to speak honestly to the audience. "Um...I decided to sing for tonight."
"Thank you Kagami-sama!"
"Nanashi is blessing us singles for White Day!"
Kagami felt a little disturbed from the statements. Kaito hoped they could just move on to the event. The song quickly loaded up and the video game was displayed to the large crowd. There was a brief silence against the crowd as they heard the sounds of drumsticks hitting together.
The song started quickly with Ryuta hitting a moderately-sized snare roll to introduce the other instruments. Kaito played a simple melody while Meito had to pluck several different colored notes. The game provided a great service by giving of the sounds of a loud trombone. It gave off the aura of a loud brass band. The atmosphere was amplified by Ryuta's snare being converted into a steel drum and multiple crescendos being added into the mix.
Kaito played a set of chords to move onto the next part of the song. It was a bit slower, but still maintained its catchy rhythm. Ryuta had to play a very simple bass beat while Anizawa played several small sweeps from green to yellow. It made the song flow very nicely together with each additional guitar strum.
The tsundere braced the microphone as her moment was about to come up. She took a deep breath and prayed that nothing embarrassing would happen.
"You think that we connect...
That the chemistry's correct...
Your words walk right through my ears,
Presuming I like what I hear..."
A great amount of cheers erupted from the crowd from the girl's presence. The band started to smile as Meito and Kaito put their backs together, while playing their guitars. The song moved up to a climax with the guitarist playing chords, the bassist play regular notes, and drums finally utilizing the tom-toms.
"And now I'm stuck in the,
The web you're spinning,
You've got me for you prey..."
Kagami closed her eyes as the sound shifted again. Drums were louder than ever, while the game introduced a harmony with the vocals. Everything had been sailing smooth so far. The lyrics moved by much faster this time.
"Sorry, I'm not home right now, I'm walking into spiderwebs.
So leave a message, and I'll call you back.
A likely story, but...
Leave a message and I'll call you back."
The singer opened her eyes as the band returned to its original, slow sound. She realized that the fans were still cheering on even though this was her first time. They didn't care how she sounded or what she did, they were just happy to be entertained. Kagami started to smile from the reaction, even far enough to grin when the next verse came up. She put her lips to the microphone.
"You're intruding on what's mine...
And you're taking up my time...
Don't have the courage inside me,
To tell you pleeeeease let me be"
At Ryuta's quick snare roll, Kagami decided to put a little more into her performance. She started to move around and put more emphasis into the lyrics.
"Communication,
A telephonic invasion...
I'm planning my escape..."
Moving up to that memorable chorus, the older Hiiragi twin bent her head down, to let the audience see her long hair flow.
"Sorry, I'm not home right now, I'm walking into spiderwebs.
So leave a message, and I'll call you back.
A likely story, but...
Leave a message and I'll call you back."
Everyone accelerated with the new set of lyrics. Kagami put a little more emotion into singing as she closed her eyes. Ryuta had to press some more bass than usual, and Meito and Kaito started to mouth the words.
"And it-----------'s all your fault.
I screeeeeeen my phone calls.
No maaaaaaatter who calls,
I gotta scree-ee-ee-een my phone calls."
Kagami took a much needed rest as the instruments took command. Kaito was playing a very delicate and light solo that would make a small electrical hiss at the audience. Its subtle tone still made the steel drum an important part to the melody. Meito stayed concentrated on the bass, as it stayed constant throughout the whole song. He started to think when he gazed at the fans.
"I can't believe it. Hiiragi's an incredible singer."
Once the solo ended, the guitar stuck with sustained notes when the vocals entered. The game greatly put emphasis on the singer, as it would provide back-up singing to the next set of lyrics. It was almost played at a hypnotic tone.
"Now it's gone to deep...
You wake me in my sleep..."
"My dreams become nightmares..."
Kaito put his head next's to Kagami's, to sing the last line together.
"'Cause you're ringing in my ears..."
The band all activated their overdrive to illuminate the audience in gold light. The speed picked up again in speed as they moved to the chorus.
"Sorry, I'm not home right now, I'm walking into spiderwebs.
So leave a message, and I'll call you back."
Nanashi started to perform tricks as the chorus played again. Anizawa jumping around in circles while Kaito gave a classic power slide in the audience's direction.
"A likely story, but...
Leave a message and I'll call you back."
Kagami stared deeper at the crowd while she sang, really getting into the song.
"And it's all your fault.
I scree-ee-ee-een my phone calls,
No matter-matter-matter-matter who calls.
I gotta scree-ee-ee-een my phone calls."
Everyone got more into the song as the instrument picked up again. Kaito was riddled with chords while Anizawa's side was getting filled with fast double strums. Ryuta made a light snare roll and incorporated more bass into the song. Kagami puckered her lips against the microphone while sticking a different part of her body into the air.
"Ooooooh, a spiderwebs,
Leave a message and I'll call you back.
I'm walking into spiderwebs.
So, leave a message and I'll call you back."
The tsundere stated the next set of lines more factually.
"It's all your fault.
I screen my phone calls."
Kagami performed a classic technique for the next set of lyrics. She placed her pointer finger forward and started to wag it at the audience, while moving it to the left. People were starting to cheer for the band at a new peak.
"No matter-matter-matter-matter who calls,
I gotta scree-ee-ee-een my phone calls.
It's all your fault.
It's all your fault.
No matter who calls."
The band unexpectedly slowed their rhythm when Kagami spoke her last, fast-paced line.
"No matter who calls..."
Sound returned to its normal speed from the beginning as the instruments started to move slower. The bass kept its beat, but didn't overpower the sound. Ryuta started to play only a very few number of notes, as did Kaito. No one playing cared though, as they still kept up their energy.
"I'm walking into spiderwebs...
So, leave a message and I'll call you back, ha ha.
I'm walking into spiderwebs...
Leave a message and I'll call you back. "
Kagami took center stage again, putting in as much emotion as she did during the chorus. She kept the spirit of the band like Meito always did, smiling during the performance, despite the lyrics.
"Oooh...It's all your fault.
No matter who calls.
I gotta screen my phone calls."
The three of them couldn't keep from swaying to the rhythm. Even though no one was playing the trombone, it really improved the feeling of the music.
"It's all your fault,
No matter-matter-matter-matter who calls.
I screen my phone calls.
I'm walking into spiderwebs...
Leave a message and I'll call you back."
Almost everyone came to an immediate stop from that last lyric. Kaito had played his last, strong sustained notes while the dulcet tones from Meito's bass kept the scenery. Ryuta only needed to focus on his hi-hat, so that the focus could be placed onto Kagami.
"I'm walking into spiderwebs...
Leave a message and I'll call you back
I'm walking into spiderwebs..."
The band drifted into the end of the song with everyone having their final moments. Kaito played a few final chords while Ryuta did a last outro that touched every part of his drum kid. As the electric sounds toned down and the beat settle...only one last thing followed when the curtain come to a close.
Applause.
"And...done!" An otaku cheered.
On a different side of town, Konata felt very relaxed. After a long day of slaying and triumph, she had a pretty nice day of playing her interactive drug. She started to stretch her arm and put all of the garbage from her desk into her trash bin. Looking down at her keyboard, she put her hand over the mouse ready to close the program. Until...
Nanakon: Hey! Hey!
The sound perked Konata's ears. She started to type.
Konakona: What's up sensei?
Nanakon: Did you go to the message boards yet?
Konakona: Oh, I'll check tomorrow.
Nanakon: *w* You need to check. Now.
Konata tilted her head, deciding to go along with Kuroi-sensei petty request. She had gone to the forum several times; as it was focused on her guild and all of the events they had planned. But they did have a section specifically for real life events. She grinned, seeing that there were several new posts in the section.
One thread in the section was particularly about the trend sweeping Japan, Nanashi. Many guild members would read in amazement about Konata's posts to her history with the band. She didn't go today, but didn't think much of it. She had tons of fun hanging out with everyone after slaying that big, white demon with the collar. Once she opened the thread however...
Her eyes bulged looking at the newly posted pictures from tonight's performance. It was such a different experience compared to the normal events...she couldn't believe it.
Konata started to deeply think about what had happened over the holiday. A rare occurrence for her.
A few days later, at high school, students started rushing to the top floor. It wasn't too long until the bell was about to ring so people started to head into class. A few select people were actually napping from the long weekend they had. With a few minutes left, things were getting prepared for the rest of the day. But someone wanted to start it on a good note.
"Hey, Kagamin!" Konata asked.
"Hello..." Kagami muttered, making a glance at her.
"How's it going."
"Fine." She said in a ho-hum manner.
"Uh...I wanted to talk to you about something." The otaku said.
"What's that?" The tsundere said with a snarky tone.
"I just wanted to say...I'm sorry."
"Really?"
"I shouldn't have skipped out on your band. It was White Day and I knew something cool was going to happen...but I was silly and wanted to play games."
"Yes, yes you were." Kagami said, as if she were hitting Konata with a squeaky hammer.
"I've learned that it's important to spend time with real life friends since they are the ones you hang out with the closest."
"Closest?" She responded, surprised.
"I always hang around with you compared to my online friends. It's, to be honest, rude to ignore what you feel just for them."
"I-I guess..."
"And I like spending time with Kagamin." Konata sweetly said, nuzzling her head against her shoulder.
"Hey! I think that's a bit much!" Kagami worried.
Konata started to giggle from her remark, knowing her embarrassed deredere form was showing.
"So do you accept my apology?"
Kagami couldn't deny that smiling cat face Konata made. She almost responded by putting her head next to her's.
"Yeah."
Before the bell rang...Konata had to mention one last thing.
"But it wasn't all bad missing the concert. I actually got the rare drop from the beast from that night. It increases my stamina by twofold!"
"You," Kagami started to sweat drop. "You didn't need to tell me that."
There's some yuri for you all who enjoy it. I hope it kept you guys satisfied.
To anyone wondering about my Haruhi fic, don't worry. The newest chapter is finished, but it currently being proofread.
Disclaimer Again: Rock Band 2 is property of Harmonix Studios. Spiderwebs was written by Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal. Produced by Matthew Wilder and No Doubt; Labeled by Interscope Records.