Chapter 11

Disclaimer- I don't own nothing but my dignity! Hahaha and most of the time ppl manage to steal that! Oh and Beautiful Stranger belongs to MADONNA NOT ME! BEAUTIFUL STRANGER= MADONNA! I am just borrowing it for the time being.

Author's Notes- Okay I guess you guys deserve an explanation for my tardiness on my stories I do have multiple reasons: 1. can we say writer's block, had no clue what to do next and I needed inspiration, 2. I got sucked into different anime fics! I got so caught up in reading them I totally lost my ideas for Rurouni! Agh and finally the biggest excuse of them all 3. SCHOOL! My god for the past weeks I couldn't even find my desk under the chaos of papers!

So gomen for the delay! And on with the show.

~*~*~

Today was the day, the day on everyone's mind. Kaoru was absolutely exhausted from perfecting the song that was sure to sell them into stardom. For the past days few days everybody had one thing on their minds. The audition. In approximately 12 hours, 48 minutes and 33- wait 32 seconds Kaoru, Misao, Megumi and Kai would be in front of a small crowd of people for the first time as a band. Sano was no where in the vicinity of the apartment complex, Megumi said she caught a glimpse of him running down the hall mumbling something to himself. He was probably just as nervous as everyone else, it was his club's opening night for the summer after all and he had to run it all. Kaoru had begun to gain some knowledge of Sano's slacker-dom from Katsu the previous day.

Kaoru exhaled loudly, she wondered if Kenshin was going to be there. Anxiety and fear began to bubble in the deep recesses of her subconscious.

'What if I'm terrible? What if I faint on stage? What if he realizes the song is about him and he thinks I'm some psycho stalker and never wants to talk to me again! I'd die if that happens! Oh god and what if-'

"ITAI!" Kaoru's train of paranoia stopped at the sharp and hard tug of her hair. Kaoru turned around and glared at the person who she would soon wreak vengeance on. It was none other than Misao who was grinning like the weasel she was.

"What the hell was that for?!?!?" She demanded in a searing rage.

"You were having a panic attack." Misao retorted easily. Kaoru's fist was starting to shake with bottled fury and a vain began to pop on her forehead,

"I WAS NOT!"

"You were, I could see it on your face. Trust me I know how a panic attack looks, I have had plenty enough of them to realize when I see one." Kaoru's rage started to subside and a throb of pain from her scalp took its place.

"Mou, did you have to yank so hard?" Misao just laughed at this.

"Of course I did! If I didn't Kai would have probably slapped you, and man that hurts! Trust me on that. I get really bad panic attacks." Misao confessed jokingly.

"She does, I had to slap her silly on the night before her final exams. She was hyperventilating into a plastic bag when I found her. She kept going on about how she was going to fail and her family would disown her." Kai piped up from the kitchen table where she was soaking her fingers in cold water.

"I was not that bad!" Misao squeaked indignantly, "Besides it was a paper bag I was hyperventilating into not plastic." This led the other girls into a fit of giggles. Once they had calmed down a bit Kaoru realized she was freed of all her past tension. She looked around the room. Kai sat humming with her fingers placed in icy fluids. She said her fingertips needed to be toughen up because they were so raw from practice. Misao leaned lazily against the back of the sofa wrapping her new drumsticks with black electrical tape, she had broken about 3 pairs of sticks already and couldn't be bothered to go out and buy anymore if these ones broke. Megumi sat calmly drinking a hot cup of tea, she looked a bit nervous as well but was straining to hide it. There was a certain electricity in the air. Everyone seemed to be off in their little worlds, completely submerged in their own thoughts. The silence was stifling. Then a song began to form on Kaoru's lips

"Haven't we met?" Everyone's heads shot over in her direction. " Your some kind of beautiful stranger, You could be good for me I have a taste for danger." As Kaoru went on with the very familiar song, a gentle tapping came, it was from Misao using her drum sticks on the sofa, Megumi's fingers started to move around the porcelain cup in her hand, mimicking the chords she would make on her guitar. Kai had her fingers rubbing the edge of the glass bowl as if it was a turntable making swishes and squeaks in time with the drum beat Misao was supplying. It was almost like magic. That's how Kaoru knew they were going to blow everyone away.

~*~*~

Sano stood sluggishly beside the bar sipping gently on a rum and coke, a light drink as was considered by the experienced boozer. He didn't plan to get hammered tonight, he had a business to run, but that didn't mean he couldn't have a little something to calm his nerves. He would never admit it but he was a little on edge, it was the first time he tried anything like this. He watched the scantily clad eye candy slip into the club with their burly idiotic boyfriends to come watch "The Seikihoutai Club's Battle of The Bands". Sano had never been more proud of his managerial skills than today, but he also knew if anything went wrong the Captain would disown him. Sano shivered violently, he would rather die then have the Captain disappointed in him again. Sano soon blanked out remembering the incident where he had lost the trust of Souzou.

Flashback

Sano's fists pounded into the collapsing face of his opponent. He couldn't hear anything at all just the deafening packing sound that his hands where making on this face. He was punching so hard that he could almost feel his knuckles rub up against the cement beneath the mouthy bastard that Sano was now unrelentingly kicking the crap out. Sano was fury, he was flame, he was all consuming wrath. He was out of control. Everything was a whirlwind when he felt too strong arms pull him back. People screaming for help or an ambulance. One voice kept on yelling "You Killed Him! You Killed Him!" Sano looked up from the blood splattered man before his feet and saw something he would never forget. There standing amongst the chaos was Captain Sagara, with a look in his eyes that was beyond any words, and once he knew Sano was looking at him, he turned and walked away. It was the day Sano would swear never to street fight again. It was the day where his hero had lost faith in him. It was the day Sanosuke would never forget.

Flash Forward

None other than his perpetually worried friend, Kenshin, shook Sano out of his gloomy thoughts.

"Are you alright?" Sano grunted and told him to stop being so concerned.

"Sano you know-" Kenshin stopped right there, he was now looking right passed Sano's rather chicken shaped head to the ladies that had just walked in. Sano looked around to see their very new neighbour and love interest of this certain redhead step through the door.

"You got it bad man." Sano put simply turning back to his drink.

"Oro! I do not!" Kenshin squeaked red as a plum tomato. Kaoru then enthusiastically waved at them. Kenshin sheepishly raised his hand. 'God damn this tiptoeing around, Himura!' Sano thought in exasperation.

"Oi! JOU-CHAN OVER HERE!" Sano shouted and Kenshin squeaked again then glared knowing all to well the game Sano was playing at. Unfortunately by beckoning Kaoru over, he had brought the Kitsune over aswell. Oh and did she ever look so god awfully good tonight, in a strapless red haltertop and black leather pants. 'Che' Sano cursed to himself.

"So tori-atama," She said smoothly as silk, "When are we up?"

"Huh?" Once again Sano was lost before the conversation had started.

"Baka Rooster. When does the band being, Kaoru, Kai, Misao and myself perform?"

"You guys are a band?"

"Yes!" Megumi cried hands on her hips.

"What's your band name on the list?"

"Band Name? Ano.Just a moment" Sano just sweated dropped as Megumi trotted over to Kaoru who was blatantly flirting with Kenshin and whispered something into her ear. Then Kaoru proceeded to go "Ano. Just a moment" then scampered over to Misao, who likewise went "Ano. Just a moment", and she skittered over to Kai, Kai seemed to answer the question, making Misao skitter over to Kaoru, then Kaoru scamper over to Megumi and Megumi trot back to Sano.

" The band's name is The Nightingales." She stated with pride and confidence.

"Took you guys long enough to find out." Sano chuckled.

"Just tell me when we're on." Megumi harped in irritation. This made Sano grin all the more,

"Why of course Kitsune Onna. Your on. Uh where's that clipboard?" Sano looked around not exactly sure what happened to it. After a minute or so of scattered search he found it on a bar stool.

"You are the second act." He said with the most dignity he could muster after a rather shameful display of his own idiocy.

"Took you long enough to find out. Ohohohoho!" Megumi smirked.

"Shut up Megitsune." He snarled in return.

"Make me, I'd like to see you try." She lifted her head in adamant defiance.

"Oh you would you? I know ways that would shut you up." He wiggled his eyes suggestively at her. Megumi recoiled in disgust and horror,

"If you dare lay a hand on me I swear I'll scream-" Sano soon cut her off still smirking at his revenge,

"Oi, Kitsune, who said I would ever WANT to put a hand on you?"

"Well then I guess you'll never get the chance to. Ohohohoho." And once again she wiggled away giving him a clear view of her rather visually appealing rump. 'Me and my big mouth' He berated himself.

~*~*~ The first band wasn't the greatest thing in the world, sounding like something horrible from the eighties, hell they probably would make Duran Duran cry. Misao took a deep breathe and began to fidget as her best friend and confidant sat beside her, eyes closed.

"Kai what are you trying to do." Misao probed curiously. A single eyelid rose in her direction and Kai smirked,

"I'm trying to block out this horrible wailing called music so it doesn't affect my playing." Misao snickered then nodded in agreement. Then all returned to the tensioned silence between them. Misao knew that Kai was nervous, even as the seasoned musician she was. Her thoughts soon turned to Aoshi and how she longed for him to be here standing off in a corner somewhere like the wallflower he was, giving her support every time she looked at him.

". Now introducing 4 very lovely ladies, The Nightingales!" She heard the speakers roar. Kai stood slowly and looked at Misao, giving one of her 'Don't Worry Be Happy' smiles. Feeling lost energy boil back up inside her, Misao then started to run infront of Megumi and Kaoru to go on stage, before taking the first step on to the stage she looked back at her three friends and said,

"You only live once!"

~*~*~

The lights turned up and there they stood. Kaoru pulled her head towards the mike and said with a smirk,

"Misao care to give us a beat?"

Misao pushed her arms above her head and clicked her sticks above her head shouting

"1 2 3"

Soon the club was immersed in a roar of music.

Kaoru moved the mike out of the stand, took a deep breath and began to sing.

' Haven't we met Your some kind of beautiful stranger You could be good for me

I have a taste for danger

Kaoru feeling her apprehension fly out the window decided to give a real show, she began bend down and sing to the audience.

If I'm smart then I'll run away But I'm not so I guess I'll stay Heaven forbid I'll take my chance on a beautiful Stranger

Kaoru had finally manage to spot Kenshin in massive crowd and stood straight looking right at him.

I looked into your eyes

And my world came tumbling down

You're the devil in disguise

That's why I'm singing this song

Kaoru almost couldn't contain the giggle of glee she got as she watched the man turn as red as his hair

To know you is to love you

You're everywhere I go

And everybody knows

To love you is to be part of you

I've paid for you with tears

And swallowed all my pride

Kai, Megumi and Kaoru jumped up and down to the chorus.

Da-da-da-dum da-dum da-dum da da da-da dum

Beautiful stranger

Da-da-da-dum da-dum da-dum da da da-da dum

Beautiful stranger'

Yet again Kaoru found herself strutting around the stage, she came face to face with Kai then began to lean forward as Kai leaned back, still playing in perfect time. Then Kai began to go forward and Kaoru back.

If I'm smart then I'll run away

But I'm not so I guess I'll stay

Haven't you heard

I fell in love with a beautiful stranger

I looked into your face

My heart was dancing all over the place

I'd like to change my point of view

If I could just forget about you

Kaoru bounded across the stage and stood beside Megumi, and they began to sing sharing the mike

To know you is to love you

You're everywhere I go

And everybody knows

To love you is to be part of you

I've paid for you with tears

And swallowed all my pride

I looked into your eyes

And my world came tumbling down

You're the devil in disguise

That's why I'm singing this song to you

To know you is to love you

You're everywhere I go

And everybody knows

I've paid for you with tears

And swallowed all my pride

Even Misao managed to hop up a down on her stool when reaching the chorus along with others.

Da-da-da-dum da-dum da-dum da da da-da dum

Beautiful stranger

Da-da-da-dum da-dum da-dum da da da-da dum

Beautiful stranger'

The song was done and all any of the girls could hear was the roar of appreciation. They did a quick bow and ran off stage.

~*~*~

Sano turned to his friend Kenshin in awe of what he had just seen from these four everyday average girls,

"That was something, eh Kenshin?"

Kenshin gulped deeply and could only manage a reply of

"Hai"

TBC

~*~*~ A.N - BEAUTIFUL STRANGER IS FROM AUSTIN POWERS AND IS PERFORMED BY MADONNA. Kaoru did not write, I did not write it. I take no credit for its creation. I just merely borrowed it.

Okies that took a while! Phew I was actually nervous while I was writing the little bit when they got on stage! I definitely had a bit of a laboured time with the Sano and Megumi stuff, ugh. The next chapter: The performance Aftermath, plenty of KxK moments and I think I can weasel in some AxM.

MUCHO IMPORTANTE! Okay I can't speak Spanish, but for creative purposes I give out this survey of : Would you prefer me give you songs I've tried write by myself OR written by various talented artist that we know today. The choice is yours I'm eager to hear it.

Love it, Hate it, Just review it!

It's good karma and much appreciated

Til' Next Time!