Reader: (glares at FW)

FW: Hey, I told you I wouldn't be updating every day anymore! So, uh, sorry, but I have to pass all my classes!

Hiei: But we all know you won't.

FW: So I failed my last algebra test… I'll make it up! Somehow….

Kurama: There is only three school days left until the end of the quarter.

FW: So I'll make it up fast.

Mia: And thank you for voting ME as your favorite section leader!

FW: Not exactly. As of right now, the votes are tied between Mia and Tac. So, this is gonna be a little different, but I think I can fit them both in if I change my idea a little…. But it won't fit in this chapter, so I'll have to postpone it 'til next.

Mia: Wait, you're saying I TIED, with a girl who EATS PENCILS?

FW: Pretty much.

Tac: (eating pencils in the background)

Botan: Wow… having those two in you sections, I feel sorry for you Yusuke, Kurama.

Joane: Oh Botaaaaaaaaaan….

Botan: Not him again! (hides)

FW: This is a really weird before story thing…. I'm outa here! (runs off to write the story somewhere else)

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho

START

"SO I GOT, MYSELF A ROOSTER!"

"SO I GOT, MYSELF A ROOSTER!"

"AND I PUT, IT ON A FENCE!"

"AND I PUT, IT ON A FENCE!"

"Oh God, make it stop!" Yusuke groaned, burying his face in his hands.

It was Friday, and the band had piled into four busses and was on the way to their first competition. Some of the more rowdy sections had invented… "interesting" songs to keep them busy. One of them was a repeat song about a rooster cheering for their school, Rekat.

Kurama, sitting next to Yusuke on the overcrowded bus nodded his agreement. Most of the students, though very talented musically with their instrument, weren't musically talented in anything else. It other words, they stunk.

Botan and Kuwabara were seat buddies, and actually singing along. "Come to think of it," Yusuke thought irritably, "it's not really even a song. It's just one kid screaming a line, then about 60 kids screaming it back at him." Realizing this didn't make him feel any better.

And as for Hiei? All the seats needed to be filled, and all his "friends" had piled with each other, so he was stuck next to a chaperone. Glaring as always. Though it wasn't as effective as usual because the bus driver wasn't very good, and he bounced way too much to be thought of as deadly.

"I SAID A ROOD-A-ROOD-A-ROOD-A TOO TOO!"

"Just kill me now!"

A few hours later, and a very big headache for Yusuke and Kurama later, they arrived. Climbing out of the bus, the first thing everyone noticed was uniforms. A LOT of uniforms. There were at least a thousand high school kids from other bands, proudly holding their instruments and showing their colors.

Botan looked down at their street clothes. T-shirts, jeans, jackets, and a black cloak that Hiei still refused to not wear. "I feel like we're the only normal people at a clown convention," she said, looking around.

"If we're normal, the rest of the world's in trouble," Yusuke said.

They didn't have much more time to dwell on that, because Mr. Nesul was running their way. "Thank God I found you!" He gasped, out of breath from his run. "Here," he continued, handing them a large cardboard box. "Your uniforms. Everyone else already has his or hers. Good luck." With that, he turned and left to discuss something with another band director.

Kuwabara had taken the box, so without further ado, he set it down and opened it up. They all gasped in horror.

Yusuke took out one of the jackets, eying it in disgust. "The worst combination of blue and white they could have come up with!" He said angrily. "And I am NOT tucking in my shirt!"

Kuwabara took the jacket from Yusuke, and pulled out a button down white shirt they were supposed to wear underneath, tucked in, as Yusuke had said. "It's not THAT bad," he muttered.

"Your sixth sense if definitely not in fashion," Botan replied, looking at the tacky black shoes.

"We won't get anywhere complaining," the fox pointed out. "Let's just get this over with." He turned and three of his friends turned to follow, Kuwabara holding the box again.

"Fox?"

"Yes Hiei?"

"Where are we going to change?"

Everyone looked around, trying to figure out where all their peers were changing. Botan was the first to see it. "No…" she stared.

"What?" Yusuke asked, fearing the worst.

"We're supposed to change… on the bus!" She cried.

"…Ew…."

Eventually, they decided to grit their teeth and bear it. One by one, they piled back on the despised bus, and found three empty seats. Botan, being the only girl, naturally claimed the one that would have only one person for herself. Yusuke and Kuwabara paired up, and Kurama and Hiei took a seat. They left the band hats, shakos, in the box.

Botan finished first, having the obvious advantage, and leaned back against her seat, taking a deep breath. Kurama had his uniform ready next, and moved out of his seat to join her. The point behind that being to make it easier for Hiei. Who wasn't even starting to change.

"I'm not wearing it," he said flatly.

"You have to," Kurama groaned. Not again….

"I like black."

"Blue is close to black!"

"Not this blue."

Kurama thought for a second, then used his secret weapon. "I'll never give you any ice cream, ever again."

"…Stupid fox." But Kurama won, as Hiei slowly started to change. Smirking, the redhead turned away, letting the demon change in peace.

Or relative peace.

"GET OFF MY HAND!"

"I'M NOT ON IT!"

The other members of their group had been arguing the whole time, and were tangled in various pieces of their uniform.

And let's not forget the rest of the bus was rowdy, everyone yelling to be heard to their friend.

"Hurry up! We need to be practicing soon!" Mr. Nesul's soft voice sounded from the front of the bus.

"Oh great. Way to go Kuwabara! Not we're not gonna be ready in time!"

"This isn't MY fault!"

"Children!" Botan finally had enough. "Do I need to change you for you?"

"…Ok."

"YUSUKE!"

"I WAS KIDDING!"

With some help from Kurama, the two hopeless detectives managed to get ready. Hiei, with his speed, had been done for some time now. So they all spilled back out into the cool night air. "All that's left are these hats," Yusuke pointed out, grabbing one by the fluffy white feather on top.

"Shakos," Botan corrected.

"Whatever," he responded, putting the black head coverer on. "I think it's too small," he added, noticing how the chain didn't go under his chin, like expected, but rested ON it uncomfortably.

"No, they're supposed to be like that," Botan clarified for him.

Kuwabara and Hiei followed his example, Hiei muttering curses the whole time. Botan followed suit soon after, only taking longer because she had to put her long sapphire hair safely inside, as was custom.

Leaving Kurama with a bare head. "I… can't… do it." He mumbled.

"Vain fox."

"I'm sorry Kurama, but you don't have a choice," Botan pointed out, stepping closer to him.

"Do you have any idea how many people have worn this? Some probably with lice?"

Hiei grinned evilly, using HIS secret weapon. "If you don't, I'll tell your mother you're gay."

"But I'm NOT."

"Will she believe that?" Hiei's grin broadened as he watched Kurama, sadly, put the shako on. His revenge for the uniform wearing was complete.

Seeing Flactem in the crowd, Yusuke called him over. "Where's this "pit" we're supposed to be in?" He asked.

Flactem nodded, the usually present grin visible on his face, and started leading them away. "We're going to practice music and drill a little first. You guys just skip the drill part."

Normally, Flactem looked decent, ignoring how overweight he was, but in the band uniform, he looked hysterical. The black pants clearly only just barely fit, and the jacket ends stuck out in weird angles, moving around his fat. It was all they could do to not laugh.

Surprising though, there wasn't enough time to practice at all! Before they knew it, they were walking to the field, all 150 of them in a giant blob. Flactem was still with them, making sure they got to their place all right, but suddenly another familiar face was visible.

"BOTAN!" Joane cried, running to her.

She groaned as he reached her, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Botan, I've been looking everywhere for you!" He gasped.

"Can this wait?" Flactem asked, annoyed. "You can always ask her out AFTER the show!"

"NO! This is about the show!" He yelled, desperately. "The flute soloist, he didn't show!"

"What?" Flactem asked, eyes widening at the situation.

"We can't take out anyone in the drill, it would ruin everything! You've got to fill in!"

Botan stared, shocked. "But I'm in the pit!" She tried to reason with him.

"Soloists NEVER march, it would ruin their sound," he said urgently, "they stay in the pit for that song, then rejoin the band. So you're the only one who can do it!" Joane persisted.

She still wasn't sure, and looked to Flactem for help, hoping he'd tell Joane he was crazy. Instead, the overweight senior nodded. "It doesn't look like we have a choice," he said, accepting the truth. "You can do it though Botan. You're as good a flute as anyone else I've ever heard."

With those encouraging words, Joanetook her away, giving her the music sheets she needed to memorize in ten minutes.

Watching their friend go, they continued to follow the trumpet section leader. He led them down the front of the football field they'd be performing on, and turned to face them. "You've all worked hard, now just do your best," he said, giving each a handshake in turn. Then, he had to hurry off and rejoin his section, setting up for the show.

The rest of the pit was there soon. No one even whispered, it was perfectly quiet.

They knew better than to turn around, so they had no idea what the show looked like or how well it went. They played their parts, or at least the parts they remembered. Hiei cheated and read sousaphone minds to figure it all out. Yusuke had no clue what he was doing, and Kuwabara and Kurama did decently, well, Kuwabara did decently, considering.

As for Botan, she was an angel. Not a single mistake passed through her instrument, even though she had only just memorized it, while her companions had had all week.

From somewhere in the flute section, Yusuke was sure Joane was tripping over his own feet in pure excitement.

Once the show was over, they had to wait about an hour for the other bands to perform and the scores to be set. Botan was VERY popular during that time. The story of her filling last minute had traveled, and everyone it seemed wanted to congratulate her. Mr. Nesul told them how great they did, and a darker fat man started rambling on about God knows what too.

Finally, the scores were read over a megaphone.

"In fifth place, MARCHETON HIGH SCHOOL! In fourth place, BRIDGETOR HIGH SCHOOL! In third place, REKAT HIGH SCHOOL!"

Whoever came in second and first was lost to Rekat students' ears. They were cheering too loudly to hear.

END CHAPTER 9

FW: That is really what a show is like. And that song from the beginning, we really do sing it.

Kurama: Horrible song.

FW: Yeah, but I've still been known to lead in it….

Kuwabara: Hey, how long is this story gonna be?

FW: I don't know. I really don't. I have SO many ideas, but I don't want it to go for TOO long. I could shorten it though, should my readers ask.

Hiei: You better. (threatens with sword)

FW: You know you can't hurt me in my world. What's the point?

Hiei: Hn.

FW: Well, it's April Fool's Day, so I'm off to play tricks. If you want to review, fine, if not, fine. And if you want to flame, that'sfine too. I'll take it in stride!