"Nice picks for names, but the last one is out, you're right. 'Disharmonic Convergence' was a name, which came to my mind, also Symphonic Metal but mixed with death shouts." Thank you! I like those names a lot too. I could see painted faces for Kyoshi Power Fists lol. If you don't mind, I'd love to add the into the fic somewhere (with credit to you of course)! "WOW. You really tried doing that? Just wow. That's really cool." Thank you again. I've also tried opera, I feel like I'm better at that. Right now I'm trying to make an electronic song lol. "But doing shouts like this is really hard. You could shredder your voice badly, when you doing it wrong." Exactly lol, that's why I don't do it much. My brother and I might try to make a song together but, it'd just be for fun, nothing that would go online or anything lol. "It's such an awesome and unique feeling, you're right. I had such an experience with Korn. Best concert, I've been so far." Korn always nails it in their live performances. "I hope so. I'll see, what opportunities and bands maybe around this year, so thank you :)" You're welcome, you'll have to let me know which ones you end up seeing.
"So, that the big scandal, FoA and Azula has created. Shocking indeed and definitely a one, which would draw much attention. It'll keep the focus on them for a while, but like I said, it might loose the effect sooner or later." I mean they already pulled an on-stage kiss twice, so that'll lose its luster pretty quick. And then it becomes a matter of how far Azula and Zuko are willing to take it. "And its a kind of action, which Azula feels very uncomfortable, for obvious reasons. But she did it anyway. And she will keep on doing it. Success is all what counts for her and she is willing to push herself and the others beyond their limits." Exactly, it leaves a bad taste in her mouth figuratively and literally but she's the type to go very far for glory and success. There's a reason that she's willing to take things so far and it will be reveled. "Only two chapters for FoA and you could already feel, how this life tries to burn her out." It's not an easy lifestyle, that's for sure. "Kuriva had warned her, but it's Azula. Warnings like this, especially from the band she wants to kick down from the throne to take the place, aren't the best way to reach her." Yes. At this point in time, she sees Kuvira as past her prime and therefore inferior. And so she won't be taking advice from her. "But she has started to loose herself. She doesn't really notice, but the progess has already begun." She and Zuko are on two dangerous paths.
Kuvira unfolds another letter. Mostly she has sorted through a stack of fanmail, with an occasional sprinkle of more hateful messages. She discards those, but not without a degree of thinking. Most of them aren't worth much thought, but every now and again a hate message will come by that actually has some merit or a point buried beneath harsh words. She holds one such letter in her hand. The paper is crumpled and torn, its sender seeming rather careless-not that she expected he or she to put much effort into his or her hate. She stares at it for a good while. It stings like hell, but this person has a point. 'So thats wat getting old sounds like.' Raava, she is only in her forties, she doesn't think that she is that old. The only thing that keeps her from taking it truly to heart is the writer's apparent hatred of apostrophes. She may be old, but at least she remembers to add 'h's' to her 'what's'. 'I remember when you guys used to keep me on the edge of my chair. Your music is borring. P.S. I used to lke you guys.'
Kuvira nearly laughs. Short, to the point, and blunt. The letter's writer had to be in his or her teens. She almost tosses it alongside the other hatemail but, Raava if this person didn't have a point. It takes a moment for it to set in, for her to gauge the underlying meaning. "Your music is boring." She mutters to herself, translating it in her own mind. Exactly what makes a song boring?
The same old thing rehashed, she decides.
It is hard to swallow, but the more she thinks about it, the more she knows that it is true. She has fallen into a comfort zone. A cozy spot in terms of lyrical themes and in beats and riffs.
She isn't taking risks, the kind that kept people on the edges of their chairs. Her mind elopes to Fire Of Agni. And it begins to make sense why they are so popular. For better or for worse-she thinks unfondly of incest invading the tabloids-they keep things interesting. Hell, their tracks are highly experimental. They always seem to have something new. And that girl, she has a presence. The boy too. He has fight in him.
She admires them as much as she resents them.
She folds the letter back up and tosses it into the trash. Perhaps she should mix things up like they used to. She pulls another letter from the stack as she mulls it over. This one looks more official. A cascade style microphone sprouting from a temple tower; Kuvira recognizes the seal. She breaks it and unfurls the letter tucked within.
After skimming it over she stands up. "Baatar!" The man jumps and she apologizes. "Gather the other three for me, I have some news."
Baatar rolls his eyes muttering a question about why she can't just do it herself.
"Should I get you a microphone? I didn't quite catch that."
He rolls his eyes again. "Nothing."
P'Li is the first to join them at the table, with Ming following shortly after. She give Gazhan a solid five minutes before beginning, if the man wants to take his time then she will leave it to him to acquire the news himself.
Kuvira sets the letter at the center of the table. "We've been invited to join battle of the bands."
"Which one?" P'Li asks.
"Southern Air Sounds." Kuvira answers.
"The S.A.S…" P'Li trails off quietly. Kuvira watches it sink in. "We were invited to the S.A.S."
There is the reaction she had been hoping for. The Southern Air Temples only open their doors to music only once every ten years, via invite only. The last time Wrought Iron Machine set foot in there was when they had been in their prime. At which point they had been around for only a half of a year. She recalls, fondly, walking amid the legends; from the traditional symphonic band, Tui & La to country/folk stars, Chong and the Nomads to the suave jazz band, Wong Shi Ton's Waltz. Iron Wrought Machine was a new face, a new sound. They came at a time before screeching guitars and harsher vocals. They opened a door.
No.
They created a door.
Even so, starstruck and overwhelmed, they hadn't had a chance. They didn't know their way about the industry enough to win. The exposure had been nice, the opportunity every bit as amazing as it should have been, but Kuvira still wishes that S.A.S would have taken place even a month or two later.
It came as a horrible smack in the face to not receive an invite a decade later. She supposes that, that was when she had truly realized that they weren't what they used to be. Now they have a chance, a real chance to break back into the scene.
"We have approximately four months to prepare." Kuvira announces.
"Prepare for what?" Ghazan asks.
"S.A.S!" Ming-Hua answers. "We're going to S.A.S." It is the most chipper she has heard the woman in a very long time.
Kuvira doesn't wait for Ghazan to take it in, he'd missed his window to do that. "We have four months to prepare, which means that we will finish out our Fire Nation tour and head back to Zaofu." She pauses. "Once we are home we will begin the song writing process. Southern Air Sounds expects at least three new songs. We will make four."
"Four?" Ghazan asks. "Raava's tendrils, you're nuts."
Kuvira shrugs, as far as she is concerned he wavered his rights to a valuable opinon when he decided to show up late and scraggly looking. "After that, we will discuss costuming, stage props, and a music mover…"
"I hear that they are making those in color now." Baatar points out.
Kuvira lets the interruption slide. "Southern Air Sounds also expects that we have at least one music mover, so the making of one isn't up for debate." This elicits a groan from Ghazan.
"You fuckkin' kidding me?" P'Li grumbles. "We have an opportunity and you're looking at it like it's a burden."
"It is a burden, do you know how much work it takes to…"
"For you it takes just as much effort to roll your ass outta bed as it does to make one video." P'Li scowled.
"He works hard." Ming-Hua puts in. "You just don't see it."
P'Li laughs. "Wan Shi Tong himself, wouldn't be able to see it."
Kuvira pinches the bridge of her nose. "Enough!" She lowers her voice. "If we are going to win S.A.S this time around, we are going to have to put these kinds of trivial disputes to the side. Resume them after the competition, if you must."
Ming opens her mouth but Kuvira raises from her chair and lifts a hand. It isn't up for debate this time. "I have been working with you all for around thirty years. Believe it or not, I still have high expectations for all of you." She clasps her hands behind her back and gives a pointed stare to Baatar, "and you don't get a pass just because you put a ring on my finger."
Baatar chuckles. "I figured."
She wanders over to the fridge and pulls out a bottle. The reserved for special occasions only. "I know it's still early, but I think we've earned it." She puts the bottle on the table.
"Hell yes." Ghazan whispers to himself, she allows him the pleasure of popping the bottle as she sets out the glasses. "Can I?"
"You may." Kuvira nods.
She watches Ghazan pour the champagne. It has been a grand few days. "To a chance at a real comeback."
"To a chance at a real comeback." They echo.
Kuvira turns away from her bandmates and wipes a tear from her eye. It would seem that they weren't fading into obscurity just yet. Wrought Iron Machine will have a place among the legends. She owes it to herself, to that little girl who was left abandoned in the streets.