Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King
CHAPTER FOUR - Meeting
"Tamao! Hurry up and get those wires connected! I don't have all day, you know!" the manager at The Studio shouted.
"Mei, don't yell at her. She's doing her best with what she's got." one of the bass players that were auditioning spoke up softly.
"What she's got is a brain the size of a peanut, so keep your mouth shut, pretty boy!" Mei shouted at him.
"Finished!" Tamao called as she came out from behind the stage, banging her head on a pole and falling down.
"Are you okay?" she heard the bassist ask and saw a gloved hand reach out to help her up. She looked up into bright blue eyes with dark rings beneath them and purple lips twisted into a kind smile.
"Faust-sama?" she asked as he lifted her to her feet.
"It's been a while, Tamao-chan." the doctor smiled.
"Mr. Faust the Eighth, you're up!" Mei yelled. He went up and began to play the song that they were all required to play.
"Okay, pretty boy, you got yourself a job. Tamao! Use your peanut brain and take Faust to the room for Oversoul!" she barked at the shy girl when he'd finished.
"Hai, Mei-sama!" the pink-haired girl said, and led him out and into a hallway.
"Tamao-chan, why do you let her berate you like that?" he asked.
"I'm used to it. It's not so bad, and it pays really well to know how to cook and do all the technical wire stuff. This is Oversoul's room!" she announced.
"Oversoul?" he asked.
"Hai. Oversoul is the newest group they're putting together. The owner of The Studio is sending his son to be the vocalist. He probably got the job just because he's his son. Then there's you for bass. I hear a talent scout found the guitarist in Japan. Now all they need is drums! I have to go!" Tamao said and skipped off again, leaving the doctor in the room to wait.
Yoh and Anna left the plane quietly and were met with a limo that was to be their ride. They stepped in, Yoh formulating a plan for revenge in his head. "Here we are miss, sir." the driver announced when they pulled up in front of The Studio. They left the vehicle and entered the building, heading to the audition rooms.
"Mei! I got you a guitarist that'll knock the pants off your best choice for Oversoul!" Anna yelled when they entered the room.
"Good! I just got us a bass player and I got me an assistant with a brain the size of a peanut!" Mei answered.
"I'm back! Do you want me to hook up the cables for the guitarists?" Tamao hurried in.
"Speak of the devil. Yeah! Go ahead!" she answered, but the girl's attention was caught on the brunette. He smirked.
"Tamao-chan! I haven't seen you for such a long time!" he called, walking over to her. She flushed pink.
"Yoh-sama. I-I just got a job here." Tamao informed him.
"That's great! I'm about to get one, too, as an electric guitarist! And it's just Yoh, please." he said. Anna's face darkened as he flirted shamelessly with the shy girl.
"Tamao. Did you not hear her? She said hook up the cables!" she snapped at her. Yoh turned on her.
"Hey! You leave her alone! I'm catching up with my good friend, here!" he said defensively.
"Anna-sama!" Tamao jumped a few feet away from him.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I thought you weren't getting married anymore, so I just, I..." she rambled on to the blonde.
"No, no, Tamao! We aren't getting married! In fact, I was just wondering if you'd like to go out to dinner with me on Friday?" he offered.
"Oh, Yoh, I'd love to!" she said happily, and Anna's frown grew. Tamao bounced off to finish connecting cables and Yoh easily got the spot in Oversoul's band.
"Tamao! Show Asakura to Oversoul's room!" Mei shouted, and the shy girl quickly led him out, babbling about nothing in particular and causing Anna to scowl. This. Meant. War.
"Here." Ren said as he handed Horo a mug of hot chocolate at the rest stop.
"Thanks. I'd pay you back, but I'm broke." he said.
"Thus the hitchhiking, eh?" Ren smirked in amusement.
"What? What's so funny about me hitchhiking?" Horo asked.
"It just reminded me of that idiot, Ryu and his Bili friend, that's all." Ren said.
"So, what group are you a part of? I'm going to try to get into Oversoul." Horo Horo said.
"I am the vocalist of that group." Ren told him.
"Really? Did you really try or did you just get in because of your father?" Horo asked.
"I have refused my father's financial or reputable help since I turned sixteen. I figured I was old enough to start seeing what it's like to live on my own two feet." Ren answered.
"So this limo is yours?" Horo asked in disbelief. Ren nodded.
"Get out of here! How? What have you been doing?" Horo asked. Ren opened a compartment in the seat in front of him and tossed an array of magazines at him. Horo stared down at the perfectly modeled pictures in every kind of magazine imaginable. Body Builders, Teen Idols, The Rich and Glamorous, Life, and just about every other kind.
"Holy crap, Ren! What'd you do?" he asked as he flipped through articles.
"Well, it mostly got real public when some reporters found out the heir to the Tao fortune was roughing it on his own. Some modelers saw my photo and turned me into this." Ren said, pointing first to some newspaper clippings about him leaving his riches, then to a magazine cover that featured a picture of him dressed in some pretty skimpy clothes with the title, "Hot, Sexy, and Available."
"That's when the fan club started and got me more publicity than I originally intended. Now I'm in about every newspaper and magazine, have people looking to blackmail me, and have to beat off fan girls, guys, and I think some animals with a stick if I want to go anywhere. I've even gotten a few letters from people threatening to rape me. Where has humanity gone?" he asked.
"God, Ren, even I have to admit you look hot in these articles!" Horo exclaimed, causing a faint redness to appear on Ren's cheeks.
"Sir, we have arrived." the driver said as they pulled up to the large building. The two friends got out and were met with flashing bulbs. Horo was confused and bewildered, so Ren grabbed his wrist and dragged him in as quickly as possible, shutting the door behind him.
"I told you they're vicious." Ren muttered, dropped his hand and walking briskly through halls.
He opened a door and called, "Mei! Get that freakish ass off its seat and listen to this!" Mei jumped up and began to fawn over Ren.
"Horo Horo, can you play that?" he asked, pointing to the drum set on stage.
"Sure." he answered.
"Then do it. You! Get your ass off my stage and go home!" he snapped at the drummer already on stage, who hurried off like a wounded deer. Horo sat down and tested the tones of the drums before starting up a complicated beat, his drumsticks flying over the instrument.
When he finished, Mei said, "You got the job." He pumped his fists in the air.
"Yes!" he gave a triumphant whoop.
"C'mon, numbskull." Ren ordered and Horo followed him out like a puppy.
"Ren, how come you act different in front of other people?" he asked when they were walking through lonely halls.
"There are too many people who would use my words and feelings against me, Horo. Remember that well." he replied and they stepped through the door into Oversoul's room to find Yoh, Faust, Tamao, and Anna waiting there.
"Huh?" they all said in unison. Yoh was standing a bit close to Tamao in a corner and Anna was glaring at them from the other side of the room. Faust sat on a sofa but stood at the new arrivals. Horo just stood there in shock and Ren and Yoh were the only ones that didn't look surprised.
"Hmm... So all the shamans seem to have musical talent. Seems the name fits us, ne? Alright, people! Let's get to work! Let me see what I'm working with, here!" Ren started, and then turned to Anna.
"Anna, go do your job." he said, and she reluctantly obeyed. In the meantime, Tamao was busy setting up electronics and the others were setting up their instruments.
"Horo, go test those drums out for a beat." Ren said, and the ice shaman rushed over to a brand new, shiny drum set, all his own.
When everything was ready, Ren ordered again, "Okay, Horo, give us a beat." it was done.
"Good, now stop and let Faust give us some bass." he said, once again he was obeyed without question.
"Now Yoh, some guitar." he said, and Yoh strummed the strings.
"Okay. We have a good team here. We start practice in two days at seven. Don't be late. In the meantime, all of you have rooms here at The Studio and you can all relax. Tomorrow we all meet here for measuring at three pm. Got it?" he asked. Everyone nodded.
"Tamao, you are now our official technician, so you have to be here at practice, too. I'll inform Mei." he added as an afterthought.