April 10, 2005

Ok, thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story, and a big sorry for the fact that I almost never work on it! Hee hee hee.

Disclaimer: It's a damn good thing I'm not getting paid for this, because then I'd have to work to a deadline. Can anyone actually see that happening? I didn't think so.

Chapter 5: The Call.

"Oh God, please, please don't hurt me! I just wanted to be in Entertainment, man, I was just trying to make enough money to go back to college in the fall, that's all, I mean, for God's sakes--"

"Shut up." Heero said succinctly.

The babbling teenager instantly stopped talking, flinching against the ropes that held him against the chair, twisting his head around to try to peer through the blindfold over his eyes. After a moment of silence, he tentatively started talking again.

"So, um, dude. Hey, what's your grudge against the Backstreet Boys, man? I'm… I'm majoring in journalism, yeah, that's it, and, uh, I could, like, tell your story to the world and… AHHH NO, DON'T KILL ME!"

Wufei froze, holding the white cowboy hat that he'd plucked from the kid's head, an act that had prompted a new wave of hysterics. He inspected the hat at arm's length, one lip curling slightly. Heero raised one eyebrow at him.

"It's inferior anyways," Wufei explained in an undertone. "Hey, Duo, you want this?"

The braided boy glanced up from the television. "Huh? Oh," his eyes narrowed as he saw what Wufei was offering to him. Leaning one arm on the back of the couch, he glared at the Chinese boy, shaking his head in disgust.

"You know what, 'Fei? I expected better of you, I really did. You of all people should know how hurtful stereotypes are."

Wufei blinked in confusion. "What the hell—?"

Duo cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand. "I don't want to hear it, all right? I see how it is! You offer me a cowboy hat, because I'm an American, is that it?"

Wufei turned helplessly to Heero, who shrugged.

"Yeah, that's…right, Duo, that is what I thought." Wufei said slowly. "So…do you want the hat?"

Duo stared at him for a long moment.

"Yeah, ok." He went back to staring at the TV

The Chinese pilot swung around to face Heero incredulously.

"Just let it go," Heero advised him, turning back to the shivering little snot, who jumped when Heero spoke to him again.

"So, you auditioned for the Backstreet's Back concert yesterday at the Oz base?"

"Dude, it's just a job, all right? I don't like, agree with Oz, or anything like that –"

Duo jumped up and stalked around the couch to face the terrified guy. "Why not? You got a problem with Oz or something, kid?" he snapped in a 'tough guy' voice, pushing the chair back sharply.

"NO! No, really I don't, I love Oz, actually, I wanted to get a job there, but I'm not bright enough…or strong enough… or…or brave enough…."

"Oh really?" Wufei murmured, flipping through the pictures in his CD booklets, trying to decide on what outfit of A.J.'s he would wear.

Heero glared at Duo until the American pilot backed off, muttering, "Yeah, well, you thought it was funny the first couple of times…"

Trowa came through the door at that moment, followed closely by Quatre. Both were sipping at fountain soft drinks, wearing complimentary Oz baseball caps, while Quatre sported a new white T-Shirt – "I 'heart' my Leo Suit."

At Heero's pointed look, the blonde pilot blushed. "I can't help it, those concession stand vendors at the end of the tour are just so desperate… I feel really bad for them."

Trowa tossed his baseball cap to the waiting Duo, who eagerly crammed it on his head, tugging his braid out the back. "We watched the auditions today." He informed Heero quietly. "They're exactly like the kid said."

"Judged by the female Oz soldiers?"

Nod.

"Can you tell they're Oz soldiers?"

Shake. "Screaming fan-girls all."

"Are they hot?"

Duo was, as usual, ignored.

"Most of the bands scored a 9 out of ten, none lower than a 6." Trowa continued.

Heero whistled quietly. This would be tougher than he expected.

The other four pilots gathered around him, expectant. All of their rehearsing (which amounted to about 5 minutes, or a lifetime, for Wufei), all of their planning (getting drunk and complaining about the mission, or almost forever for Wufei) had all come down to this moment. The third and final day to audition would begin tomorrow, the last change to be brave and noble and to make a difference in the fortunes of the war… or to go and sing.

Heero nodded at Wufei. "Make the call."

END CHAPTER!

yeah, ok, it's really short, sorry about that, but it's late and I'm tired! Hee hee hee, anyways, next chapter should be up soon, and I'll try to make it longer to compensate for this one.

Xtine