"Thank you. You are dismissed."
The entire orchestra, who had sat in an uncomfortable pause was now eerily silent.
Onoki, who had only a moment ago been irascibly bickering with the Maestro went in quick succession from flushed to pale to the kind of red that bordered in apoplectic. He glared at the conductor, and a second before he unleashed a tirade, Kakashi turned his attention back to the orchestra and lifted his baton.
"From rehearsal eighty-five," he announced, and Onoki soon found himself ignored among the shuffle of papers and the readying of bows. He clamped his jaw shut and began to put his things away noisily, even as Kakashi continued as if he did not even exist. He had even selected a starting point after the main oboe feature, which had been the impetus of the disagreement.
Well, of the latest disagreement.
"Uchiha," he looked to Sasuke. "If you will?"
At the maestro's downbeat, Sasuke Uchiha, concert master and first violin led his compatriots into the fray, the swell of music dropping the curtain on Onoki's ignominious dismissal and returning them to the business of an orchestral rehearsal.
2. The DiscussionWhen Shizune's call came the next morning, Sasuke was already awake and sipping on black coffee. He slid his finger across the screen and answered. "Shizune. Is there any sake left in the county?"
"Surprisingly, yes," she answered, unfazed by his sarcasm. "Turns out we were able to figure out a plan after yesterday."
"You mean yesterday when Kakashi summarily dismissed our first chair oboe with one week left in rehearsal?" Sasuke asked, reaching for his coffee. "How did Tsunade not drink the town dry?"
"We found a replacement."
Sasuke gave a 'tch' of amusement
"And what poor university prof or grad student are you springing this concert on?"
"Maestro is bringing someone in. If they mesh well, they will replace Onoki as first chair."
"Replace him?" Sasuke blinked, genuinely surprised. "You aren't just going to move the others up, and bring in the 4th? Or hold auditions?"
"Maestro feels the other three already work well together, and that asking them to shift roles at this late a date would cause more harm than good. He is certain the replacement will measure up."
"Have they performed the work before?"
"Oh, yes. Recently, in fact."
"At least that's a start," he muttered. "As long as they can hold their end and not derail the section, we should survive."
"I know this is important to you, Sasuke," she said, understanding in her voice. "This is your first season as Concert Master, but it is also Kakashi's debut as Maestro. I am certain he will not do the Kage Philharmonic – or the Senju Center - a disservice by offering them anything less than the best he is able to offer."
Sasuke blew out a sigh.
"Let's just help his best is enough."
Shizune made her goodbyes, and left Sasuke to brood over his coffee.
"Whoever this 'replacement' is," he frowned, "had better be ready to do one hell of a job."
3. The VerdictSasuke was always early to rehearsal. He'd already met with the principal second violin to review the new bowings, and fielded concerns from the cellos, violas, percussion, and brass. Woodwinds had the sense not to bother him today, given the events of the day before. Still, he couldn't help but wonder who Kakashi was planning on throwing into the hot seat.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he checked his messages.
'WTF? Heard Onoki finally bit the dust!'
Sasuke half scoffed at the message. Leave it to Naruto to find out what had happened even though he was several timezones away.
'Yes,' Sasuke typed. 'Kakashi dismissed him last night.'
'That sucks but is probably a good thing, right? Probably makes your job easier.'
'Assuming their replacement is up to par, yes.'
'I mentored under Kakashi for a while – if he has someone, they will be up to it, believe it!'
Sasuke hoped his friend was right.
'Anyway, I told the Old Man that he'd better be ready to lose his concert master once I get an orchestra all of my own. Then you'll have to do what I say!'
'Get the job first, dobe, then we'll talk.'
With that, Sasuke put his phone away.
How the dead last kid that had barely been able to play chopsticks on the piano had become an up-and-coming conductor, he'd never know. Somehow, despite not being the best at any instrument, he was amazing at bringing a work, and more importantly, the musicians, together.
When they'd gone their separate ways, Naruto had made him promise to be his concert master once he got his own assignment.
Somehow Sasuke knew it was only a matter of time – but that didn't change that he needed to focus on his job and the here and now.
"Pardon me?" a soft voice interrupted his train of thought.
He looked around, his eyes finally landing on a small woman, largely obscured by her large coat.
"Could you direct me to Maestro Hatake?
"Ah!" Shizune's voice rang echoed in the long hall. "I am sorry – I thought the driver was bringing you to the North entrance."
"I think he got turned around," the other woman laughed lightly. "A pleasure to see you again, Ms. Kato."
"Shizune," she wave away the formality. "If you would come this way, Maestro would love to speak with you."
"Of course," she bobbed her head and turned to Sasuke. "Sorry to trouble you," she flashed a quick, polite smile, and headed down the hall in Shizune's wake.
"Either that is a new recruit," he mused, "or that was the replacement."
"There you are!" another voice called down the hall. "Do you have a moment to go over the notes from yesterday? I got distracted by that little scene and may have written my bowing down wrong."
"Sure," Sasuke, turned to his fellow violinist. "Come with me."
He was similarly distracted for the rest of the evening, until rehearsal arrived. He had hoped to be seated earlier, but Shizune stopped him with several questions, and he had only a moment to take his seat before Kakashi stepped up to the podium.
"Thank you for being here," he said, and the room fell into a hush. "I am happy to announce that we have a guest with us this evening. Please welcome Hinata as our first chair oboist for this performance.
She stood when he motioned to her, and Sasuke recognized the woman from earlier. She was noticeably smaller once her monstrous coat was no longer part of the equation, and amid the tapping on stands and instruments she stood and made a polite bow before retaking her seat.
And without further ado, Kakashi began rehearsal.
What Sasuke mostly noticed was how he did not notice the oboes. Onoki had constantly stood out, often leading his section in at the wrong time, the wrong dynamic, and even the wrong note.
He fortunately had four measures rest when the first chair began its solo passage, and he glanced toward her, listening carefully.
It was not easy to see her amid the other players and over the stands, but her entrance was clean, on time, and her tone impeccable. Sasuke smiled and noted it was the first time he'd heard that passage played correctly in their rehearsals, and readied his bow for their next entrance with satisfaction.
(Later on, ((and largely courtesy of Naruto who knew everybody and who would never miss his opening concert)) he would learn that her last name was 'Hyūga,' and that she was part of the elite all-female ensemble Blanchefleur, and that her cousin was the same Neji Hyūga that he claimed to be unable to stand - but for now, he was focused on one thing and one thing only: the first concert of the season)
Now that she was here, there was an incredibly good chance their first concert of the season – and therefore his debut as Concert Master - would be a success.
When Naruto texted 'The verdict?' he smiled to himself and replied,
'She'll do.'