Scratching - a turntablist technique of moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable to produce percussive or rhythmic sounds.

Bridge - the section of a song between a verse and chorus. The part of a song used to reflect on earlier parts of the piece.

The auditorium was filled with the wonderful chaos Sara had come to love about this little youth centre. She and the rest of the Legends were on stage, running through their routine. There were sounds of hammering from the back of the room as Rip was trying for the umpteenth time to fix the sign above the door. Scattered around the room were a dozen or so kids from Ray and Nate's classes who'd stuck around. Some were at the very front, trying to emulate the dancing going on stage. It was adorable as it was bad. They weren't keeping time at all and any time they tried to repeat one of the more complicated moves, like when Sara did a backflip it just turned into the kids doing twirls on the spot or trying to jump as high as possible.

The other kids were running through the rows of the small amphitheatre, chasing each other. One had a soccer ball he was tossing around, diving over the chairs and through the aisles in his own game of keep up. These were kids who were either waiting on someone to pick them up, or hung around to watch the Legends dance.

And then, sitting in the third row, stage left was Ava Sharpe, looking out of place and completely out of her depths. She was nervously looking at the kids running around.

"Hey, Sara, ready to do a full run through?" Zari asked, stirring Sara from her thoughts.

"What?" She looked at her, not really having been paying much attention.

"Running through the whole song?" Zari asked, speaking slowly, emphasising each word, "Or do you want to do a few more minutes of warm up?"

"You can drop the sassy tone," Sara teased. She clapped her hands, only meaning to get the attention of her team, but it had the unintentional effect of drawing all the eyes in the room to them. "Let's do this from the top. Jax on your start,"

They lined up, Ray and Nate on the ends, Zari and Amaya next and Wally and Sara in the middle. 'Sweet Dreams' started to play and for the first set of beats, they didn't move. The first boom of the base and Ray and Nate moved in sync, throwing their arms out and arcing back on their feet. They stepped to the side, as the same moment Amaya and Zari joined in, their right legs crossing behind the left. They threw their heads back, hands on top of their head. As their head snapped forward, one hand outstretched Sara and Wally came in at this point. Just as the lyrics started. They stepped forward, in time and in perfect sync.

Nate did a quarter turn and each of them in the line followed just a beat after he did. Ray turned and he leaned back dropping down onto one arm and the line followed through. Kicking one leg into the air together, they shifted so they were on their sides, anchored to the stage by one hand and foot. On their sides and facing the crowds they pushed in another consecutive wave.

Their moves were fluid, they moved around the stage and each other with grace and flow. And when the bridge came, Zari and Amaya turned to Ray and Nate, standing on the sides of the stage. With a short running hop towards them, the boys, cupped their front foot in their hands, pulling up at the same time the girls kicked off the makeshift foothold. The momentum took them both into the air, flipping back over themselves.

The kids watching burst into cheers. Moments later Wally and Sara ran towards downstage centre, and together transferred their momentum into unassisted backflips, both of them landing them. This earned another round of cheers.

By the time they finished, with Ray and Nate launching Wally forward to end in a knee slide, some of the kids were clambering, trying to get on stage. The Legends held their final poses for a few seconds then, Wally leapt to his feet, "Yes, nailed the flip!" He pumped a fist in the air. Nate jumped onto his back from behind.

"We're awesome," He cheered, whooping.

"I didn't think I'd land the last jazz steps," Zari said, doubling over for a moment.

Sara rubbed her back as she held up her other hand for Ray and Wally to high five.

"You were great," Amaya said leaning down to hug her arms around Zari's shoulders. Jax came rushing from the side of the stage, bumping fists with Wally, then holding up both hands for Nate.

"Should we run through it again?" Ray asked.

"Guys, show us how to do the flips," One girl called from the edge of the stage. She'd managed to pull her torso up onto the edge of the stage.

The Legends looked at Sara. She laughed, "That was a pretty clean run through. And we still enough time before the showcase to get in enough practice," She gestured at the kids as if saying, 'why not?'

Ray grinned and Nate jumped off Wally. They both headed to the edge of the stage, grabbing kids by their hands, or under the shoulders to pull them up, onto the stage. Jax started to play another song, while the rest of the Legends danced around the kids, showing them some of the moves.

Sara pulled two of the boys on to the stage before hopping down to the floor herself. She walked to Ava, dropping into the seat next to her, "So… what do you think?"

"It was well executed. From a technical standpoint," She said.

Sara snorted, rolled her eyes, "Can't you just admit you liked it?"

"At least the song is good,"

Sara huffed, "I don't know why I bothered,"

"I don't know why you care if I'm the showcase or not,"

Sara exhaled, "Can't I be nice to the new girl?"

"Is this part of some hazing prank?" Ana narrowed her eyes.

"Do you really think that little of us?"

Ava shook her head a non-committal manner, "I didn't say it. You did,"

Sara's jaw dropped and a fleeting flash of hurt passed over her expression. So poignant Ava felt a flicker of regret. But then Sara was schooling her features and the mask of smug indifference was back. It all happened so fast Ava doubts she even saw it.

"Good to know where we stand," She said, "So I was going to ask you if wanted to learn a few moves, but I guess that answer is a no,"

Ava clenched her jaw, trying to get a read on Sara's tone, "It's not like you'd ever be interested in learning a few cords on the violin,"

"Only if it wasn't something a hundred years old,"

Ava groaned, "You just don't have an appreciation for the classics,"

"I appreciate them. I appreciate that music evolved past them for a reason,"

"Why did I agree to stay?" Ava stood, grabbing her bag and violin case.

"Sorry I asked you," She stood as well, about to get out of Ava's away when there was sudden 'thud' and an instant flare of pain hit the back of her shoulder. It took her brain a moment to process what had happened, but the soccer ball bouncing at her feet gave her a good indication.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," The little kid said in a rush, running over to them. Sara picked up the ball before he got there and he stopped short, fear in his eyes. He held his hands up, flinching away, "Please don't hurt me,"

Sara heard a soft snicker and looked at Ava who was covering her mouth with a hand. It was obvious she was restraining her laughter.

"Oh real mature Sharpe," Sara drawled. She turned back to the kid, "This is mine now,"

"Wait," He looked stricken.

"Yep, that's your punishment," She tossed it up in the air, catching it with one hand. He tried to jump for it but she held it out of his reach. She had no intentions of really keeping it, but that didn't mean she couldn't suffer him a little first. She whistled in the direction of the stage, "Jax! Show this little twig what you can really do with this,"

She tossed the ball onto the stage at Jax.

"Hey, come on!" The kid chased after it.

On stage, Jax caught the ball. He dropped and on the bounce he caught it against his instep, balancing it there for a few seconds before he started to do keep ups, dribbling from one foot to the next. After a few rounds of this, he kicked up and caught behind his head, balancing it between his shoulders.

Everyone stage had stopped their own thing to watch him at this point. He rolled the ball down on his shoulder, flicking up into the air from his elbow.

"I got it," Wally shouted, running into Jax's space. Jax jumped back. Wally caught the ball with his knees. He juggled the ball between his knees. He kicked it high towards the ceiling and twisted as it came back down, catching it with his the back of his heels.

"Wow!" There were gleeful cheers from the room. Ray whooped, Amaya and Zari whistling.

Wally had the widest smile as she bounced the ball on the back of heels. Then with another high kick, he caught on his forehead, balancing it there. Everyone cheered louder as he did.

"Do you all just spend your days finding ways to make impractical things look impressive?"

Sara grinned, looking at Ava, "Oh, so you are impressed,"

Ava's cheeks flushed because of her unintentional admission. On stage, Wally had passed the ball along. Nate and Zari were passing it back and forth between each other, their kicks getting a bit more elaborate each time. First an instep kick, then knee kicking it into the air and send over with a headbutt. Zari caught on her head, balancing it for a moment before dropping into her knee and then back behind her head, kicking it up with the back of her foot.

"Cap!" She called when the ball soared off the stage. Sara's eyes trained on it and she back peddled fast to keep up, intercepting with her chest. There was a cheer as she pulled it off, dribbling it in her insteps a few time. She hooked her foot around her, balancing in behind her on the sole of her foot. She did a little hop so keep her balance on one foot.

"Get ready on stage," She called out. She knocked up and forward, rolling on her shoulder. Just as the ball started to arc down Sara's legs swung over her head and lined up with its arc. She kicked with both feet, sending it rocketing towards the stage.

"I got it," Nate called, running to the edge of the stage. But he missed averaged where the ball was dropping. It was coming right for his face. He threw his hands up instinctively to protect himself. The ball ricocheted off his forearms, sailing right towards the ceiling. There's a loud and oddly metallic impact and the ball bounced back down, a drizzle of dust accompanying it. There a beat of silence and then laughter.

"Sara, the hell was that," Nate shouted down at her.

Sara was picking herself from the floor. She smirks at him, "You're the one who ran in for it. I was aiming to get it upstage,"

"Guys, guys," Zari held up her hands, "Do you hear that?"

"Here what?" one of the kids asked and Zari covered her mouth, shushing her.

Ever so faintly there's a hiss. Low, sounding like it's coming from above them. Sara walked closer to the stage, glaring at the spot where the ball impacted. It's hard to make out anything without the house light on.

"Is dust still falling?" Nate asked, holding out his hand. He was squinting upwards as well. Amaya, Wally and Ray move next to him.

"I'm hearing the noise but I can't tell what it is," Amaya said.

"What did you idiots do?" Ava huffed, moving next to Sara, "Someone get the lights on so we can see what happened,"

Jax jogged backstage, but he got halfway there when the hissing turns to a whistle. There's a crack, a snap and suddenly they're all being soaked. The kids scream, running from the sudden shower of water cascading down. The water is shooting out like a heavy mist, coming down the stage and part of the front rows.

"Oh fudge," Nate said, covering his head with his hands.

"Crap, Rip is going to be livid," Sara groans.

"No, no," Ava hisses, shoving her violin case into her bag, spiriting away from the water. She nearly knocked down Rip as he's coming in.

"What's all the screaming ab… ah… oh no," His eyes go wide and he takes in the massive shower the stage's turned into. His attention shifts from the ceiling to the Legends, looking at him with a mixture of sheepishness, guilt and remorse.

"Rip there's a bright side to this," Wally says quickly.

"What… How could you possibly see a bright side to this?"

"We can recreate that scene from Flashdance now," He said, giving a shy grin.

"Or Tom Hollan's lip sync dance," Ray said, nudging Wally, who nods eagerly.

Rip doesn't look amused at all.

"Too soon for jokes," Ray realises, "We… we should get mops," He said pushing his friends.

"And rags!" Nate agrees and they're all scrambling to get out of there.

"Oh, my," Martin said as he and Gideon come into the room.

"I'm going to turn off the water main to the building," Gideon said, already turning back to leave.

"I'm going to call a plumber," Martin said.

The depth of Rip's sigh was akin to someone's soul leaving their body.

Two hours later Sara, Amaya, Zari and Ava are lugging the damp curtains from the stage up to the roof. The stage was mostly dry at this point, but the centre would have to cancel all their activities until they got the broken waterline fixed. For now, the solution was to the turn off the main water valve for the whole building.

"You don't think this will affect the showcase," Zari asked from the head of their line, grunting as she hefted the damp cloth on her shoulder. The curtains were a heavy fabric normally. Being wet they felt like they weighed an extra hundred pounds. Amaya and Zari were sharing the weight of one, the length of cloth looped around both their shoulders. Sara and Ava were bringing up the rear with the second curtain piled into their arms.

"There wasn't any serious damage," Amaya reassured her.

"If I were Rip I'd have banned you from the showcase," Ava voiced. Zari and Sara both turned to glare at her. Amaya nudged Zari, getting her to continue walking.

"What? Am I wrong? It is your fault," Ava challenged, not backing down from Sara's gaze.

"We didn't mean to do it," Sara shot back, "We were just having fun,"

"There's a difference from having fun and being idiots,"

"Oh, and I'm sure you're just dying to tell me what that is," Sara huffed, continuing to trudge up the steps. Zari pushed the roof door open, nudging a brick in place to keep it open. There were laundry lines set up. She and Amaya started to pull the curtain over them, dragging them to hang across several lines so they wouldn't drag.

"I'm just saying if you didn't feel compelled to show off every ten seconds that wouldn't have happened,"

"You think we were showing off?" Sara turned fully around this time. Ava almost walked into her.

"What would you call it?"

"I'd call it not having a stick up my ass,"

"I'd call it shameless irresponsibility,"

"Hey," Amaya placed herself between the two, "Let's all take a breath, shall we?"

Sara and Ava were still glaring at each other.

"We need more clothespins. If Z and I go for them are you going to attempt to push one another off the roof?"

"I'm smart enough to know the centre doesn't need any more trouble right now," Ava said evenly.

Sara snorted, harshly tugging the curtain in her hands, pulling her end across the laundry lines. The sudden tug took Ava by surprise and she was stumbling behind Sara. Her steps were wide and haphazard as she avoided trampling on the cloth.

"You're such a child," Ava snapped at her.

"We'll be right back," Amaya said, "Please don't kill each other," She and Zari disappeared down the stairs.

"I don't even get why you're so upset," Sara said, "It's not like you even care about the center,"

"Excuse me," Ava's hands stilled, from where she'd been tugging a kink out of the curtain.

"Yeah, I just don't get you, Sharpe. Why are you even here? You live in the northside, in some swanky apartment building, don't you?" Sara gestures in a vague northward direction, "You could probably afford the best violin tutors in the city. Hell, probably in the country,"

"You don't know me, Lance," Ava shot back, "And I don't owe you anything. How do you even know where I live?"

"People talk," Sara said simply.

"People don't know shit,"

They fell into a tense silence, adjusting the curtains and mostly avoiding each other. Finally, Sara with a long exhale broke the silence with a question, "Your violin wasn't damaged by the water, was it?"

"It… no," Some of the anger deflated from Ava at the question, "No, just the outside of the case got wet. Everything inside was fine,"

"Good,"

"Why do you care?"

"I don't. I just can't afford to replace a violin for you. I'm sure it's a stupidly expensive one too,"

"It' Strand,"

"See, even sounds stupidly expensive,"

"I won't have asked you to replace my instrument anyway. I wouldn't expect anything from someone as irresponsible as you,"

"What do you want from me, Sharpe? I already feel like shit because of the fire sprinklers breaking,"

"What I want from you? What do you want from me? The only reason you were off the stage to get hit by that ball was because you invited me to watch. I didn't ask you to do that,"

"Yeah, well Rip did!"

"What?" Ava took a step back.

"I mean," Sara hesitated, "Rip wanted me to talk to you,"

"About what?"

"Why you don't want to play in the showcase,"

"Of course," Ava rolled her eyes, "You'd never actually be nice to me of your own violation. Did you actually do ballet or was that just a stupid story to get me to open up?"

"That was real,"

"We're back, is everyone still alive?" Amaya called out, coming up the steps.

"Did we interrupt something?" Zari asked, poking from around Amaya's shoulder.

"Just me leaving," Ava said, turning on her heels and storming past Amaya and Zari. Sara growled when she was gone, choking the air.

"So… what did you two talk about?" Zari asked conversationally.

Nardragon~ until the next page.