The screen came to life once more after the crowd had talked for a bit. "This is a continuation from the slice of life universe. It's a talent show, so have fun with it." Orb said as the lights dimmed again.
Jaune was standing on the wings of a stage with Neon and Coal. they had grown close with their musical interest and the fact that Jaune was just likeable. Jaune watched Reese do skating tricks on stage. The judges clapped at here frankly rather scary board flipping off of a chair and table.
It was the night of the school talent show. Ozpin and Goodwitch and Torchwick sat as the judges in front of the stage.
'"Wait, i'm a teacher?" Torchwick asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You're in charge of the theater department." Orb explained as Adam gave a snort. How fitting for Roman. A theater director
"You ready, J man?" Coal asked, cleaning his trumpet. Jaune looked at the two drums and piano on wheels. Jaune was unsure where the nickname came from, but stuck.
Jaune sighed. "As i'll ever be. Are you sure you want me to do this? What if i-" Neon shushed him with a strong pat to the back.
Ren took a breath in. "We've got to do something about his confidence levels." the monk noted. Sun tilted his head.
"You don't say?" he asked. Hell, even Scarlet was more confident then this dude.
"Don't worry, you'll do fine." Neon said as Reese took a bow.
Ilia nodded. "You've been practicing for this for weeks, Jaune. You'll do fine." She comforted before meeting her girlfriend as she exited the stage. A quick peck was exchanged between the lesbians.
Adam growled. "Ilia, kissing a human? Disgusting." He said, filled with hate for the species that took his eye. Sienna took a deep, deep breath in. Gods save her from her subordinate.
Ironwood gripped his chair, wishing he could smite the red headed bastard.
Ozpin called up the next act. "Would "A Three Man Band" please do their act?" he called as Coal and Neon took the stage. Jaune stood frozen on the wings as the two motioned for him to come on stage. Jaune took a deep breath in, before pushing on stage the piano. Ilia was kind enough to move the second drum set.
Ozpin leaned forward, lacing his fingers. "And what will you three be playing for us today?"
Coal leaned into the stage as Jaune set up his own. "We've got three songs for all y'all wonderful folks, one for each of us. We'll start with mine."
Jaune nodded, starting a soft piano bit. It went on for almost a minute before it ended on a heavy and strong deep note.
There was a crash from the drums as Coal started to play his notes. It was an uptown, energetic improvisational trumpet section.
Ozpin nodded, closing his eyes. "It's similar to the modern Jazz genre we have on remnant today, isn't it?"
Qrow nodded. "Yeah. reminds me of lower Mantle and Harlem." the huntsman thought as his head drifted to homeless men playing cheap horns on the corner for a dollar a song.
Eventually, coal runs out of breath and pauses. "Hit it, J-man!" he calls behind him. Jaune gives him a shocked and exasperated look before running his hands all the way down the keyboard. Jaune made that face where one is very much over his head, where the neck muscles flex, pulling one's jaw into a square face as his jaw set. He let his fingers fly down the keys, doing his best to mimic what Coal had played.
Wiess looked at the screen. "Huh, i didn't know he could play the piano." she said, impressed with the improvisation
"Yours can't," Orb answered. "Yours picked up the guitar instead. Just another small difference."
This would only go on for about thirty seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Coal joined in on another high note, saving jaune from his improvised section. He ended his section with a deep, deep breath and a bow.
Neon leaned forward into the mic. "This next song is called wipe out." she said simply, in a happy but very un-Neon fashion. Flynt put up his trumpet and sat at the other drumset
Jaune laughed into the mic "Wipe Out! Ahahahahaaa~" then the drums started. Coal and Neon beat against the tight stretched pleather? Plastic? Leather? Jaune was unsure what drums were made out of. He simply did his little ditty on the piano. It was originally on the electric guitar, but Jaune couldn't play guitar. Not well, anyway.
Yang swallowed as her eyebrows raised. "That… thats a lot of drumming." She said dryly as the duo's hands flew. Neo clapped quietly at the display.
You could see the sweat on the two drummers faces as Jaune tapped away on the piano. While the last number was good, this one got some raised eyebrows out of Torchwick and Port. as jaune ended the last note, he looked at the panting drummer duo.
'Do you want to do the third?' Jaune mouthed to them. They gave the pianist a wide smile, still somewhat high off of music endorphins and adrenaline.
"Of course!" Neon said a little loudly, a face splitting grin stretching from ear to ear accompanied the words.
Jaune nodded. "Alright." He turned to the microphone. "This next song is called… this next song is called ``Telephone line.""
Ilia's face dropped to surprise. Neon and Coal gave their pianist a concerned look of confirmation.
"Jaune, you sure you're jake? We don't gotta do that one, we can play something different, ya know."
Jaune nodded. "I'm sure."
Pyrrha looked a little worried. "What's up with this song in particular? It seems important." The Champion asked
"It's for Ruby." Orb said curtly.
Ruby's face fell at that. "Oh…"
Just about everyone knew what that meant.
Jaune started, playing a sound effect of a ringing phone on his scroll.
BRRRRRR. BRRRRR. BRRRRR went into the microphone. Jaune started his piano part. Coal blew softly into his trumpet, replacing the parts jaune had written for violin and flute.
"Hello." Jaune sang into the mic, leaning away to give it a distant effect. "How are you? Have you been alright?" He swallowed, glancing into the crowd. The camera shifts to look at Ruby and Yang, sitting side by side. It looked like Ruby didn't get the meaning behind it
"Come on! Why is other me such a dum dum!" Ruby cried out, pouting and almost crying. Yang gave her a comforting pat on the back. Qrow felt that he should get involved somehow, but was both too drunk and too bad at life to feel that he had good advice to give.
Jaune continued to play Telephone Line. "through all those lonely
Lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely nights?
That's what I'd say, I'd tell you everything
If you pick up that telephone" Jaune sang, his voice warbling slightly
"yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, how you feelin'?
Are you still the same, don't you realize the things we did, we did were all for real, not a dream. I just can't believe they've all faded out
Of view," Jaune at this point made a humming sound in tune
"This is really a depressing song." Sienna said, giving a small hum.
"It's supposed to be a melancholy one. It is about not being able to communicate with someone important." Orb nodded
Yang gave a gulp, thinking back to her own mother. How would that even work out? Would she be able to forgive her own mother for what she did?
"Blue days, black nights. Is there no other way? I look into the sky" Jaune sang as Neon back him up
"the love you need ain't gonna see you through." She sang softly.
"And I wonder why."
"the little things you planned ain't comin' true"
Jaune played his piano, tossing his head back for the chorus.
"Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight…" Jaune hit his scroll again, the ringing happening once more as Jaune mimicked the intro.
"Okay, so no one's answering
Well, can't you just let it ring a little longer, longer" jaune had started to toss his body and soul into the song, his chest bobbing with the song.
"Longer, longer, longer oh, I'll just sit tight. Through shadows of the night
Let it ring forever more, oh"
Ruby was openly crying at the scene, as the song was for her. Yang was doing her best to comfort her sister, only slightly uncomfortable that this was her fault. Or, this version's fault.
"It's a pretty song." Winter said awkwardly. Qrow laughed at that, offering her some advice. "Don't try to ease the mood, kid. It won't happen."
Jaune took a deep breath in, starting the next verse. Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight. Hey, can you hear me?
I can't tell if there's been a disconnect.
Does it matter? Just let it keep on ringing
Let me cling to whatever hope I have left.
Hoping you'll pick up the telephone~" He said, glancing at the stadium. The camera focused on Ruby, who was almost entranced by the music. There had been a disconnect to her. Jaune closed his eyes, hoping to hold back tears.
"Blue days, black nights, Sitting at the telephone line
I look into the sky (the love you need ain't gonna see you through)
And I wonder why (the little things you planned ain't comin' true)
Oh, oh, telephone line, give me some time, I'm living in twilight" jaune sang, glancing at the clock. It read 9:42. He would have to wrap up soon.
"Goodbye, I'll be leaving
I guess you're busy, but we both know that's a lie
There's been a disconnect, some misunderstanding
I'll be here, sitting at the telephone line." Jaune said, ending with a somber note. Letting a small breath loose, he turned to the crowd.
Ruby sniffled. "Wait, what did he mean by those lines? He's not giving up, is he? He can't give up! I still need him!" Ruby cried. Orb came up behind her, resting a comforting aura on her.
"You may need him, Ruby. But this Ruby doesn't think she does, so he was pushed away." Orb explained, as though one may do to a child.
Ruby looked up at him. "Why are you showing me this?"
"Because I must. There are lesions in everything I show, even if they are small ones. Dry your tears little one, the show's ending." Orb said with a bittersweet tone.
Jaune gave a swallow, looking out on the crowd. Almost a hundred people sat there in silence, waiting for what was next. "We are three man band, and thank you for coming out tonight!" Jaune said, projecting his voice with a triumphant tone. He bowed to the crowd before turning to push the piano off stage. Rheese and Ilia were on the wings.
"That was, wow. Just wow." Rheese said, giving Jaune a supporting pat on the back. Jaune gave a tired laugh. "Yeah yeah. I believe I said I would get milkshakes?"
"Only if you don't place podium, J man!" Flynt said. "And I think we did a damned good gig, don't ya think?"
Neon raised an eyebrow at the brown boy, before giving a giggle. "Welp, we'll just have to see." The group walked off into the well light hallway. The extreme back lighting made it seem as though the group of friends was walking into a wall of light. Jaune stopped before walking though, looking back at the dark stadium. At Ruby. "Jaune, you coming?" Ilia asked, reaching her hand out.
"Yeah yeah, i'm coming." Jaune smiled, walking to meet his friends. The camera walked with them, blinding itself to the end of the scene.
Neptune sat back, rubbing his eyes. "That was oddly depressing." he said flatly, cracking his back.
Roman puffed on a cigar. "You don't say. Kid put his heart and soul into that song." Neo signed something to Roman. The thief looked over at the caped redhead, who was still recovering. "Nah, give her some time before messing with her." he said.
Orb looked around, nodding. "Alright, take five. I'll start up the next viewing soon."
The groups dissolved into conversation.