FW: As always, I'm here! But I think I'm going to have to start updating every other day, instead of every. Stupid teachers are really piling the workload! Trying to break my back, carrying all those books around!
Kuwabara: If she breaks her back, she won't be writing for a while, right?
Botan: I don't see how she could….
Yusuke: So school's finally good for something!
FW: First off, that's IF, second off, then I'll have more free time to write!
Yusuke: Stupid school, betraying me again….
FW: And another little note, despyrit-sama, I like your "review books"!
Hiei: Review books?
FW: (ignores Hiei) Oh, and the voting for favorite section leader thing, or even Tac, can wait for next chapter, I think, so I'll write this without any disturbances. Uh, I think….
Kurama: You just said that.
FW: I did?
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho
STARTAt 12:30 for the next two days, the spirit detectives were taught by their leaders in the room Tac had "showed" them. Kurama was on more intermediate levels, Botan was amazing, Hiei had mastered holding the sousaphone, and Kuwabara was even starting to get the hang of it. And Yusuke sat back and watched.
It was currently one of their practices, and said detective was leaning against the wall, watching his friends get better.
Kurama set his trumpet down for a break and joined the dark haired teen. "Ever think about joining us?" He asked, "You need just as much practice."
"Come on," he sighed, nonchalant. "All I have to do is keep a beat. How hard can that be?"
"Harder than you think," Mia grumbled, annoyed at having to waste her precious time when her pupil wasn't even willing to learn.
"Shut it, will ya?" Yusuke said to her. They had gotten off on the wrong foot, and the past few days hadn't helped their relationship at all.
Yelling at a section leader didn't turn out to be a good idea. All the sound stopped as they turned to glare at the offender. "Uh, sorry?" He forced out an apology, not wanting to ruin things again. It worked, as the room was filled with noise again.
He'd been so caught up, he hadn't noticed Mia bringing the snare over to him, or Kurama helping her. He only realized it when it was too late, when they slipped the harness over his head, putting the drum directly on his chest.
Mia thrust a pair of drumsticks in his hand just as Flactem called the fox back over, signaling the end of his break. As he walked past, Kurama muttered, "Good luck."
"F YOU FOX BOY!"
Pointedly ignoring his word choice, his leader handed Yusuke a music sheet. "Play the rhythm," she ordered. Grumbling, he did so.
"No! You're playing dat, dat, dat. It's DOO-dat DOO-dat! She screeched, making Yusuke have to resist cleaning his ear with the stick again.
"Chill, I'll get it…" Banga-banga-banga….
"NO!"
In the meantime, "Hiei, you're holding that pretty well now."
"Hn."
"But band isn't all about looking good. You have to SOUND good too."
Hiei stared, knowing where this was going….
"It's about time you learned to play it."
Glaring, Hiei fit his mouth to the mouthpiece, and decided to imitate Kurama. He quickly realized this was impossible, seeing how Hiei's mouthpiece could fit about 30 of Kurama's inside it….
"Hn."
Taking that as a "Show me how to play it, please," Racly explained how to make a sound.
"You just blow air through your mouth hard," he explained, demonstrating without the sousaphone.
Hiei's eyebrow twitched a few times. Racly looked RIDICULOUS! There was no WAY he'd do that!
Racly blew into the brass, and a low note was summoned. "You try it," he offered. Hiei just continued to stare. "Do you get it?" No answer.
"Hiei…?"
"I'm not doing something so pathetic."
Racly had had enough. Roughly, he shoved Hiei's face into the sousaphone, making sure to get his mouth to the mouthpiece. He held his head firmly in place with one hand, the instrument with the other. "You're going to stay like this until you try."
The demon closed his eyes, willing fire to not leap from his angered body. He would like nothing more than to show this arrogant human who was in control, but then their mission would be failed for real. Slowly opening his eyes, he decided he could obey, just this once.
He blew hard, ignoring the way his lips moved annoyingly and how stupid he felt. Surprisingly, the biggest instrument played perfectly.
"Way to go, Hiei!" Yusuke called out, excited for his friend.
"Shut up and get back to playing!" Yusuke groaned, under the supervision of Mia.
Racly smirked. "Guess I'm a good teacher," he commented, cockily. Hiei's glare just intensified.
Flactem, being a born leader, so naturally being the president of this gathering, called the practice to a halt.
"Tomorrow is the competition. You're all doing great, really, but we haven't even started marching yet. You'll have to be in the pit tomorrow, and work your way out." He announced.
"The pit?" Kuwabara asked.
Flactem nodded seriously. "It's what we call the players up in front. Behind them, the rest of the band marches around, doing a field show. The pit doesn't move because they're handicapped, or their instrument isn't light enough for them to carry. We'll squeeze you in there tomorrow, and as you learn the drill, you'll be put with the rest of the band."
Kurama nodded, seeing the sense of all this. "This field show, what is it like?" He asked, wanting to get an idea of what they were in for.
"Chaos," the trumpeter answered simply. "Clarinets running this way, flutes running that way, all marching the same way, all in step, and then all of a sudden, they make a huge shape, and then come back together to form a giant block," he grinned, seeing their mass look of confusion. "It's just something you have to experience. And whatever you do, don't trip."
"Why?"
He grinned even broader, "Because everyone will run you over!"
Tsoy entered the conversation here. "We've been talking, and if you guys are allowed back, we've got to get it ok'ed by Mr. Nesul. So after school, we're going to have you… "try out"."
Botan nodded at once, confident of her skills. Joane slinked up to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "If he doesn't let you in, I'm sure I could convince him for you…."
She slapped him.
Botan turned away, huffing in rage. She didn't care at all for the blonde boy who had been hitting on her 24/7. There wasn't really anything she could do though, he WAS in charge….
Once school let out, the section leaders led their students to the band room, where they were surprised to find, who else, but Tac.
"Don't you EVER go home?" Racly groaned.
"Well, yeah, but I wanted to see how the new kids do!" She laughed, happy as usual.
"How'd you know about that?" Flactem raised an eyebrow, curious.
"Mr. What's-his-name threw me out," she said, indicating her economics teacher, "so I spied on you guys!"
"…."
Mia gently knocked on Mr. Nesul's office door. "Mr. Nesul," she called softly, almost sounding timid.
"Yes Mia?"
"The new kids, they, well, they want another chance, if you don't mind…."
Yusuke snickered. She was acting completely different around their teacher! Guess she was shy around those greater in power. He stored this information for later use.
"Come in, everyone who was involved in this."
The five pupils walked in first, followed by their section leaders. Tac started to follow, but Flactem stopped her. "You weren't really a partof this."
"Oh come ON!"
Flactem shook his head, indicating he wasn't going to fight her in this matter. "You didn't really do anything. You're NOT going to get yourself kicked out if we do."
"Kicked out?" She asked, shocked at how serious the matter was.
"Yeah, Mr. Nesul's not a happy camper about all this, so go home." Flactem turned and walked into the office, closing the door behind him, leaving the brunette staring after him.
"But all the busses left…."
Inside the office, the gathered players waited for their teacher's next move. They'd all noticed the trumpet leader's tardiness, but decided not to ask. Mr. Nesul took a deep breath, and finally spoke. "What's going on?"
"We taught these students, and want them back in the band," Joane said, getting everything out in the open. "They've gotten good. Give them a try if you want. I think I've taught Botan all right." Said girl fumed. She knew he was trying to take credit for her work!
Mr. Nesul bought it though. "Fine. Let's see what you can do, then I'll decide." He obviously didn't think they'd be much better, and was shocked when Botan played a perfect melody.
Kurama gave it a try next. He stumbled on a few notes, but managed to play almost as well as some of the less experienced freshmen.
Kuwabara, well, he wasn't very good, but he'd improved infinitely from when he started. The gang held their breath, but Mr. Nesul nodded his acceptance of the mediocre performance.
Yusuke still hadn't mastered the concept of DOO-dat, but he made his own rhythm, and tricked the teacher into thinking he had a clue what he was doing.
Hiei hadn't learned to play much yet, but placed the sousaphone on his shoulder, ready. The middle-aged man was clearly impressed with his new ability to hold the sousaphone, and Hiei felt that strange pride again. Forcing it aside, he quickly read Racly's mind using the jagon, picking up fingerings. He played the song well, surprising his peers.
Anxiously, the ten waited for Mr. Nesul's decision. He smiled warmly at them all. "Good work, all of you." He quickly crossed something out of a small black book on his desk before turning to them all again.
"Welcome back."
END CHAPTER 8FW: (wipes sweat away) Done!
Botan: Why is Joane so interested in me?
FW: Still working that out…. But I've got a TON of homework, so this has got to be short-
All the Yu Yu characters: YES!
FW: -So please vote for your favorite section leader, or even Tac, I guess, during reviews, if you decide to. Flames are accepted. I'll take it in stride.
