Mello ran into the room holding a flyer, "Guys! Look at this!" He threw the flyer at Beyond who snatched it up and eyed it.

"Talent show?" He raised an eyebrow skeptically.

Mello nodded and pointed at the paper, "Read the prize for winning."

Beyond scanned down the page, "First place gets off campus liberty."

Light scoffed, "Oh, that's worth it." He rolled over and pulled his blanket over him on his bed, "Not."

Mello smirked as Beyond continued to stare at the flyer, "Now, hang on, Light." Beyond glanced up to him, "I'd say at the very least we're all musically inclined, yes?"

Light never moved, L stared at him computer, Nate was sketching and Matt was playing his video game. Matt looked up, "I could use a break from this campus."

Nate rolled his eyes and L seemed to refuse to acknowledge the conversation. "Come on! I know you guys can play." Mello frowned a little.

Beyond sat next to Light, "Come on, do it for the kid."

Light peeked out of his blanket, "We're all the same age." He narrowed his eyes slightly at Beyond's innocent smile.

"I bet we could make a wicked tune together." Beyond smiled. Light sighed and nodded. "That's my man! L? Nate? L, I know, you're an accomplished violinist."

L glared at him from his computer, "How could you have possibly deduced that?"

Beyond stood up and held his hand out, "Calluses." L looked down and eyed his hands.

He hung his head, "Would saying I'm not interested even matter?"

Beyond shook his head quickly and gave a bright smile. Nate sighed, "Well, I don't want to be left out. I am able to play the cello proficiently."

Mello hopped in excitement, "And, I play bass!"

Matt smiled, "Percussion."

Beyond grinned, "Perfect. Let's put our freaky brains together and write a song!"


Light sighed and lifted the paper, "What are all the rules? No more than eight members in a group, no fire, or anything that could cause bodily harm… Seems straight forward enough." He scanned the paper and widened his eyes, "When were you going to tell us we'd be going up against the girls school?"

Mello shrugged and unwrapped a chocolate bar, "That's only for the grand finale. The winner of the boys school heads up against the winners of the girls school, the prize is classified." Mello wiggled his fingers in front of him, "Woo, mysterious!"

Gathering their instruments, Beyond reached under his bed and pulled out another case that contained a stranger looking violin. He turned to L and handed him the case, "Treat her well… She's special." L opened the case to be met with a deep sapphire violin with steel strings versus the traditional, at the bottom was a place for an aux cable. L looked up, lost for wards, "She's an electric, I trust you have the skill to use her." He gave L a wink and walked out.

L trailed behind the group studying the case and thinking of its contents. "Beyond. An electric violin is incredibly temperamental. You have to borderline be an expert to use one."

Beyond smirked, "Afraid of her?" As they set up in a music room, he pulled the oddly shaped violin from its case and pulled the extra long bow from its cover. He plugged the violin and played an haunting tune, 'Nothing Else Matters.' With no other accompanying instruments. Expertly plucking the strings to create a different sound and strumming his bow, each string he pulled made a different sound when struck with the bow. The group watched in awe. He looked up after finishing the chorus, "You wouldn't be backing down from a challenge… Would you?"

L gave Beyond a devious smirk, "No. It's just my first time ever seeing one in person." Beyond gently handed him the violin, and nodded to him as he fiddled with the instrument attempting to solve all its mysteries.

Mello handed out the sheet music they had all spent a couple of days fine tuning, only to bring it to the instruments for more tuning.

Matt placed himself at the large drum set and measured and weighed the sticks accompanying it, "These won't do. I'll be right back." The group watched him jog out and to their room. Light stood silently tuning his guitar to the music notes, Nate tuned the cello and Mello was stringing the bass. Matt ran back in and held up his own set of sticks. Beyond smiled at him as he sound tested each drum and cymbal.

"Count us down, percussion, L, run your nail along the second thickest sting, give us a melody to follow." Beyond snapped his fingers and they began their entanglement that seemed to draw a small crowd at the door and in the hallway.


"Ever hear anything like that before?"

"No way. But it's sick! And, kind of creepy."

The group paused often to tune so certain aspects of the song or instrument. They finally played the song all the way through, six times, flawlessly, before they accepted their piece to be perfection.

Mello walked up to the sign in table and waited in line for the music talent. The others slowly approached him and waited with him.

"Well. Well. Well. If it isn't the Geek Squad! Come to get your asses handed to you?" Paul grinned deviously.

L stared forward, "Like Mrs. Yagami did to you, verbally?"

Matt and Nate snickered as Beyond leaned in and put a hand on Light's and Mello's shoulders, "Geek Squad… I like it. They'll never know what hit 'em with a name like that!"

Light smiled and rolled his eyes folding his arms, Mello smirked, "So, that's our name? Good, we needed one." Beyond smiled just as deviously back at Paul and held his knuckles out for Mello who promptly returned the gesture by bumping fists.

They all stood at the sign up desk, "Yep! Six of us! Instrumental piece." L signed the page as Mello talked with the official and slinked off. Beyond signed below L's name and ran to catch up with him.

"You'll do fine, L. You're great with an electric violin. I told Mello to sign us up last."

L gave him a dead stare, "That's a terrible idea."

Beyond smiled and headed outside popping a cigarette in his mouth, "Hell no, we're kick ass!"


The crowd cheered loudly for each musical act as they finished. Some louder than others. Beyond grinned as Paul's group didn't seem to get the reaction they were hoping for. "Alright guys, just like we practiced, L don't look out, Mello, you've got the piano key back up?" Mello nodded enthusiastically. Beyond smiled as their name was called, "Showtime boys, let's show this shithole what real music sounds like."

Beyond and L stood back to back, Light readied his guitar standing stage right to L, Matt placed himself at the drums, Mello next to him with the bass and a basic piano keyboard next to him. And Nate stage left to Beyond.

L ran his finger along the string silencing the audience with the eerie sound. Beyond readied himself and gave a strong burst of sound which, L echoed, Matt supported the beat while Mello and Nate started back up. After a short burst of music, they all went silent before the previously battling violins joined in harmony as Mello's bass could be heard above the rest, leading the tempo. Mello's tempo slowed and quieted as they two violins resumed their musical battle and through the sounds, Light's guitar made a quiet but distinct electric guitar scream. The violins resumed in harmony allowing Light to lead both of them. Before an abrupt but strong end with the bass drum from Matt. Causing him to grin widely.

The crowd sat stunned for a moment before cheering loudly. "That was incredible!"


Hey guys! To hear the piece that inspired their talent entry see, "Rock Prelude" by David Garrett! Available on iTunes or viewable on YouTube!