Ch. 12: The application
(Start Music Background: Switchfoot- Meant to live)
There was one aspect of begging that she absolutely hated. It was the begging part. She didn't think much of relying on others to keep her life in order, but begging her way through the officiating process-that didn't suit her, or her pride. She'd never lower herself like that. In any case, the leader would recognize her talent. He had to. No one else could finish the malaguena in 30 seconds, or hit a high G, or play as many instruments as she did. No one could scream as angrily. He'll recognize my credentials, she thought. If she was going to make a worthwhile occupation out of this, she had better put in her all. And that meant showing her dominance. She'd challenge someone else to a guitar duel. As she neared the music building, she tried to put her best smile on.
She tried to remember the look on her eyes the time Shinji gave her the birthday present. She remembered Rei saying that her eyes only lit up when she was with someone she really enjoyed being with. Rei had no idea. She didn't enjoy being with him. She loved being with him. That peaceful silence, the slightly parted lips, the ocean of blue in his eyes.
Shaking her head, she tried to bring her thoughts back to the task ahead of her. No more Shinji for now, she thought. I need to focus on the boy-leader. She tried to decide on how to approach him. Should she play coy? Sound confident? She remembered hearing that boys didn't like girls who sounded over-confident.
She paused. Wait, this is an elite band, for heaven's sakes. Sex doesn't matter.
"Hello," the office-lady said to her. "Auditions are that way down the stairs. Give them your name and take a seat on the far right."
"Thanks," Asuka said. "I guess I'll be seeing you alot now. Maybe we should get to know each other. My name's Asuka."
She took a look around the room, waiting for a reply. The room had a solitary decoration: a painting by Van Gogh. It was the famous chair.
"Don't get cocky. You're not a member yet. I'll give you my name when I see your name on the band roster."
Turning a shade of purple, Asuka exited the room without another word. She made her way downstairs and into the hall. At the end of the hall, she spied a sign that designated the room for auditions.
She passed two guys who were giggling about something. Whatever.
That lady, she thought. Imagine her look when I come back with the position of band leader. What look will she have on her face then?
"Hello," the tallest boy said.
He's probably the leader, Asuka thought.
"What's your name?"
"Asuka. Asuka Langley Sorhyu. I presume I'll be filling in as your new guitar soloist?"
He looked her over. "We don't know about that, but if you want to be sure you're getting a good position, I'll be delighted fill you in," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. It took her a moment to understand what he meant. He startled to chuckle, but something cut him short. Asuka, fuming, examined her stinging palm.
The leader's cronies started laughing.
Asuka pushed the ball of her right foot into his throat.
"Perhaps I should fill you in on what I think about you and your filthy group, but, really, it's not half as easy as filling in your throat with something nice and red."
"Fail," he gasped. "Fail, fail, fail."
Oh well. At least she wasn't a push-over. She'd never sacrifice her pride for a position that'd promote the same abuse, anyway. Perhaps she should stalk him and trash his house. Whatever. She stormed to the door.
"Well, we can't really blame her for getting mad, can we?" he said.
Asuka turned and eyed him curiously.
"This one's pretty feisty, George," he said, indicating her. "I think we might want to watch out for her."
Asuka raised an eyebrow.
"Alright, little lady. Come back tomorrow when you've calmed down."
Asuka smiled. What a loser.
-----
"Okay, what's the pentatonic scale in G?"
"It's, uh-"
"No, no, don't tell me what it is! Play it to me!"
"Okay."
"Rei! Sixty-fourth notes on the hi-hat!"
Her beat was like the clatter of raindrops on a tin shed. But just a bit louder.
"Asuka! 12 string guitar solo!"
Her notes were like the flavor of the air on a windy, cloudy day. But perhaps a bit faster.
"Shinji! Jazz Bass solo!"
He thumped the string, played riffs-bumpy, jumping forth-sharp-pointed like so many new-formed swords on a molten forge. But a little heavier.
"Alright! Stop! Stop!"
"What?" the group asked in unison.
Misato furrowed her brows. Apparently, she was in really deep thought.
"What's the problem?" Shinji asked.
"I don't know. I feel like I've been…liberated. No more practice today."
----
"Asuka, I saw you walk into the Music department today. What were you doing there?"
"Huh?"
That Rei. She was sharper than even Asuka had anticipated.
"Um…I was… applying for the new band competition."
Shinji perked up. "Band…competition?"
"Yes. There's a battle of the bands over at the park next Saturday," she said, recounting the poster she'd seen plastered next to the music department's doorway. "Um…but I think they didn't let me sign up because I said we had 12 members. Perhaps if someone else goes next time and signs up…um with just the four original band members."
"I'll do it," Shinji said.
Asuka looked at him gratefully. That was a pretty close call, and Rei had no way of contradicting her story now, unless Rei had stalked her inside the building. She felt a slight twinge of guilt, but she had to look after herself, after all. The band already had enough members. If she didn't want to be lead guitar, Touji or Shinji could step up. Guitar wasn't too different from Bass. Well, it was quite different. But that wasn't the point. Shinji was a good learner. Suddenly she felt tired.
"A little sleep will do me some good," she thought.
(End Music Background: Switchfoot- Meant to live)
---
(Start Music Background: Vertical Horizon-Everything You Want)
A bird flew overhead.
Touji looked outside at the breaking dawn. He yawned. It was a while since he had seen the sunrise. He was glad to see such a sight. If he could afford another six-hour sleeping session, he'd wake himself to see another sunrise before the week was done. That was what bothered him. That he had to force himself to get up to see the sun now. He'd made it a point to come out every morning and watch the sunrise for the past two years of his life, but now that practices were so intense, and homework so lengthy and difficult, he couldn't find a single moment of peace and rest in his busy day. Perhaps he should sneak out to watch the sunset instead. He had several excuses formulated to help him achieve that end.
Behind him, Hikari sat on a rock, plucking her violin, her eyes taut and focused.
"Don't worry about that," Touji said. "Just look at that view. It's not something you'd wanna miss, is it?"
"I guess not."
"Do you know why I took you up here this morning?" Touji asked.
"No idea."
"I…I had to tell you something."
Hikari looked up into his eyes. "Go on."
"I…Don't like doing this. Seeing the sunrise. It reminds me…I had to do this…because I had to think. When my sister was hospitalized…and she still is…but when she was back in that facility, I had to move through each day like
I was a big person. Like I had someone to protect. I had…responsibility. I didn't know what to do with it. I'd come here on mornings before heading off to school, and I thought that if I just thought long and hard enough, I'd find some way to help her. You know, I-I couldn't fight off those monsters. At least I thought I couldn't until they made me one of the pilots. But I didn't want to do anything. I felt cowardly. Like fate had thrust me in the role of protector, but I…I was only angry at it for doing so. Like I didn't want to handle everything I had been entrusted with."
"I was angry at Shinji at first. Then angry at Asuka for being angry at Shinji. I never…thought through what I had to do for my sister. I visited her, but I never …helped her. I failed, and…that angel disabled me. But I think I lost something else. I never…I never felt like I could regain the…"
He stopped.
Hikari looked at him, her eyes full of sympathy.
"Regain…what?" she said softly.
"Regain…the trust of the people I love."
(End Music Background: Vertical Horizon-Everything You Want)
(Start Music Background: Switchfoot- Meant to live)
There was one aspect of begging that she absolutely hated. It was the begging part. She didn't think much of relying on others to keep her life in order, but begging her way through the officiating process-that didn't suit her, or her pride. She'd never lower herself like that. In any case, the leader would recognize her talent. He had to. No one else could finish the malaguena in 30 seconds, or hit a high G, or play as many instruments as she did. No one could scream as angrily. He'll recognize my credentials, she thought. If she was going to make a worthwhile occupation out of this, she had better put in her all. And that meant showing her dominance. She'd challenge someone else to a guitar duel. As she neared the music building, she tried to put her best smile on.
She tried to remember the look on her eyes the time Shinji gave her the birthday present. She remembered Rei saying that her eyes only lit up when she was with someone she really enjoyed being with. Rei had no idea. She didn't enjoy being with him. She loved being with him. That peaceful silence, the slightly parted lips, the ocean of blue in his eyes.
Shaking her head, she tried to bring her thoughts back to the task ahead of her. No more Shinji for now, she thought. I need to focus on the boy-leader. She tried to decide on how to approach him. Should she play coy? Sound confident? She remembered hearing that boys didn't like girls who sounded over-confident.
She paused. Wait, this is an elite band, for heaven's sakes. Sex doesn't matter.
"Hello," the office-lady said to her. "Auditions are that way down the stairs. Give them your name and take a seat on the far right."
"Thanks," Asuka said. "I guess I'll be seeing you alot now. Maybe we should get to know each other. My name's Asuka."
She took a look around the room, waiting for a reply. The room had a solitary decoration: a painting by Van Gogh. It was the famous chair.
"Don't get cocky. You're not a member yet. I'll give you my name when I see your name on the band roster."
Turning a shade of purple, Asuka exited the room without another word. She made her way downstairs and into the hall. At the end of the hall, she spied a sign that designated the room for auditions.
She passed two guys who were giggling about something. Whatever.
That lady, she thought. Imagine her look when I come back with the position of band leader. What look will she have on her face then?
"Hello," the tallest boy said.
He's probably the leader, Asuka thought.
"What's your name?"
"Asuka. Asuka Langley Sorhyu. I presume I'll be filling in as your new guitar soloist?"
He looked her over. "We don't know about that, but if you want to be sure you're getting a good position, I'll be delighted fill you in," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. It took her a moment to understand what he meant. He startled to chuckle, but something cut him short. Asuka, fuming, examined her stinging palm.
The leader's cronies started laughing.
Asuka pushed the ball of her right foot into his throat.
"Perhaps I should fill you in on what I think about you and your filthy group, but, really, it's not half as easy as filling in your throat with something nice and red."
"Fail," he gasped. "Fail, fail, fail."
Oh well. At least she wasn't a push-over. She'd never sacrifice her pride for a position that'd promote the same abuse, anyway. Perhaps she should stalk him and trash his house. Whatever. She stormed to the door.
"Well, we can't really blame her for getting mad, can we?" he said.
Asuka turned and eyed him curiously.
"This one's pretty feisty, George," he said, indicating her. "I think we might want to watch out for her."
Asuka raised an eyebrow.
"Alright, little lady. Come back tomorrow when you've calmed down."
Asuka smiled. What a loser.
-----
"Okay, what's the pentatonic scale in G?"
"It's, uh-"
"No, no, don't tell me what it is! Play it to me!"
"Okay."
"Rei! Sixty-fourth notes on the hi-hat!"
Her beat was like the clatter of raindrops on a tin shed. But just a bit louder.
"Asuka! 12 string guitar solo!"
Her notes were like the flavor of the air on a windy, cloudy day. But perhaps a bit faster.
"Shinji! Jazz Bass solo!"
He thumped the string, played riffs-bumpy, jumping forth-sharp-pointed like so many new-formed swords on a molten forge. But a little heavier.
"Alright! Stop! Stop!"
"What?" the group asked in unison.
Misato furrowed her brows. Apparently, she was in really deep thought.
"What's the problem?" Shinji asked.
"I don't know. I feel like I've been…liberated. No more practice today."
----
"Asuka, I saw you walk into the Music department today. What were you doing there?"
"Huh?"
That Rei. She was sharper than even Asuka had anticipated.
"Um…I was… applying for the new band competition."
Shinji perked up. "Band…competition?"
"Yes. There's a battle of the bands over at the park next Saturday," she said, recounting the poster she'd seen plastered next to the music department's doorway. "Um…but I think they didn't let me sign up because I said we had 12 members. Perhaps if someone else goes next time and signs up…um with just the four original band members."
"I'll do it," Shinji said.
Asuka looked at him gratefully. That was a pretty close call, and Rei had no way of contradicting her story now, unless Rei had stalked her inside the building. She felt a slight twinge of guilt, but she had to look after herself, after all. The band already had enough members. If she didn't want to be lead guitar, Touji or Shinji could step up. Guitar wasn't too different from Bass. Well, it was quite different. But that wasn't the point. Shinji was a good learner. Suddenly she felt tired.
"A little sleep will do me some good," she thought.
(End Music Background: Switchfoot- Meant to live)
---
(Start Music Background: Vertical Horizon-Everything You Want)
A bird flew overhead.
Touji looked outside at the breaking dawn. He yawned. It was a while since he had seen the sunrise. He was glad to see such a sight. If he could afford another six-hour sleeping session, he'd wake himself to see another sunrise before the week was done. That was what bothered him. That he had to force himself to get up to see the sun now. He'd made it a point to come out every morning and watch the sunrise for the past two years of his life, but now that practices were so intense, and homework so lengthy and difficult, he couldn't find a single moment of peace and rest in his busy day. Perhaps he should sneak out to watch the sunset instead. He had several excuses formulated to help him achieve that end.
Behind him, Hikari sat on a rock, plucking her violin, her eyes taut and focused.
"Don't worry about that," Touji said. "Just look at that view. It's not something you'd wanna miss, is it?"
"I guess not."
"Do you know why I took you up here this morning?" Touji asked.
"No idea."
"I…I had to tell you something."
Hikari looked up into his eyes. "Go on."
"I…Don't like doing this. Seeing the sunrise. It reminds me…I had to do this…because I had to think. When my sister was hospitalized…and she still is…but when she was back in that facility, I had to move through each day like
I was a big person. Like I had someone to protect. I had…responsibility. I didn't know what to do with it. I'd come here on mornings before heading off to school, and I thought that if I just thought long and hard enough, I'd find some way to help her. You know, I-I couldn't fight off those monsters. At least I thought I couldn't until they made me one of the pilots. But I didn't want to do anything. I felt cowardly. Like fate had thrust me in the role of protector, but I…I was only angry at it for doing so. Like I didn't want to handle everything I had been entrusted with."
"I was angry at Shinji at first. Then angry at Asuka for being angry at Shinji. I never…thought through what I had to do for my sister. I visited her, but I never …helped her. I failed, and…that angel disabled me. But I think I lost something else. I never…I never felt like I could regain the…"
He stopped.
Hikari looked at him, her eyes full of sympathy.
"Regain…what?" she said softly.
"Regain…the trust of the people I love."
(End Music Background: Vertical Horizon-Everything You Want)