Chapter 5: The Auditions

"Now, I expect we all learnt our homeroom manners yesterday, correct?" Natarle asked. "If not, we have a few dressing rooms that need painting."

Athrun couldn't help breaking a giggle.

"Now, a few announcements!" Natarle announced, ignoring Athrun's laugh. "This morning during frre period will be your chance for the musical auditions. I will be in the auditorium until noon for those brave enough to show off your creative spirit."

As Natarle continued ranting about the musical, Athrun leaned forward and whispered to Kira, "She should try doing that back on the mothership!"

Kira gave a little laugh.

After class was dismissed for free period, Athrun looked for Kira.

"Hey, so the team's hitting the gym for physical training during free period. What do you want us to do?" Athrun asked.

"Dude, I can't make it!" Kira replied. "I've got to catch up on some homework."

Athrun couldn't believe his ears. "What? It's the second day of school and I'm not even behind on homework yet!" Athrun laughed. "Y'know, I've been behind on homework since preschool!"

"That's hilarious!" Kira laughed. "I'll catch up with you later!"

Kira walked away and Athrun stared in disbelief. "Homework," Athrun repeated. "There's no way…"

Athrun tailed Kira until he reached a classroom to hang out with some people. Then, one of the team came up to Athrun and gave him a high five. The next thing Athrun knew, Kira was gone!"

Actually, Kira had escaped from Athrun's sight when Athrun was distracted. He then headed down the corridors and took a shortcut to the auditorium.

By the time Kira reached the auditorium, there were already people there getting ready for auditions. Stellar Loussier, the drama club pianist, was there to help out. For the first time, her work had been chosen for the musical.

Kira spotted Fllay and Sai in the first row. Fllay looked on in disgust as the people auditioning for supporting roles sang to 'What I've Been Looking For'.

Suddenly, Kira felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun around and saw Lacus.

"Hey!" Lacus greeted Kira.

"Hey!" Kira replied.

"So are you auditioning?" Lacus asked.

"Umm…" Kira tried to think of an answer, but couldn't find one.

"Why are you hiding behind the mop?" Lacus asked and giggled. "Your friends don't know you're here, right?"

"No…" Kira replied.

After watching how Natarle rejected a handful of students and gave them her comments, Kira said. "Miss Badgiruel is a bit… Harsh…"

"The Wildcats superstar is afraid?" Lacus asked.

"No, not afraid!" Kira replied. "Just… Scared…"

"Me too…" Lacus told Kira.

"And for the lead roles of Minnie and Arnold, we only have one couple signed up!" Natarle announced. "Fllay and Sai, I think it might be best if you give us a sense of why we gather in this hallowed hall!"

Fllay and Sai went on stage to get ready for their performance.

"What key?" Stellar asked.

"Oh, we had our rehearsal pianist do an arrangement." Sai replied.

Stellar looked disappointed as Fllay and Sai disappeared behind curtains to do vocal exercises. Moments later, they came out, ready to sing. The music started and they unleashed their voices.

"It's hard to believe," Sai sang. "That I couldn't see…"

"You were always there beside me." They chorused together. "Thought I was alone, with no one to hold, but you were always right beside me."

"This feeling's like no other…" Fllay sang.

"I want you to know!" Fllay and Sai sang together. "I've never had someone that knows me like you do… The way you do… I've never had someone as good for me as you… No one like you... So lonely before I finally found…"

"… What I've been looking for."

The couple did a little dance.

"So good to be seen…" Fllay sang. "So good to be heard…"

"Don't have to say a word!" Sai joined in.

"For so long I was lost," Sai sang. "So good to be found…"

Fllay and Sai sang together, "I'm loving having you around!"

"This feeling's like no other,"

"I want you to know…"

"I've never had someone that knows me like you do… The way you do… I've never had someone as good for me as you… No one like you… So lonely before, I finally found… what I've been looking for."

"Doo Doo DooDoo… Doo Doo DooDoo… Do Do… Woa-ah-ah-oh…"

Fllay noticed that no one was clapping, so she glared at them. The audience, fearing Fllay's glare clapped loudly while putting up fake smiles.

"Are there anymore signups?" Natarle asked, looking around the auditorium.

"Don't be discouraged, the theatre club needs more than just singers, it needs fans, too!" Sai told the students whose auditions didn't go so well in a fake encouraging tone. "Buy tickets!"

Stellar ran up to Fllay and told her, "That was brilliant! If you do the part with the song…"

"If we do the part?" Fllay asked, surprised. She patted Stellar on the shoulder and said, "Stellar, my sawed off Sondheim, I've been in seventeen school productions… And how many times have your compositions been selected?"

Stellar looked down, not daring to face Fllay. "This will be the first…"

"Which tells us what?"

"I need to write you more solos?"

"No, it means you do not give objection, subjection, or commentary!" Fllay said threateningly. "And you should be thankful that Sai and I are here to perform to your music at its obscurity! Are we clear?!"

"Yes ma'am… I mean Fllay…" Stellar replied.

"Nice talking to you!" Fllay said and flounced off.

"Any last minute signups?" Natarle asked. She looked around in the auditorium and got no response. "No… Good… Done!" Natarle mumbled and prepared to leave.

After an internal battle with herself, Lacus finally decided to come out from behind the mop and say, "I'd like to audition, Miss Badjiruel!"

Kira was shocked.

"Time means something in the world of theatre, young lady! The individual auditions are long over and there are certainly no other pairs!" Natarle responded, trying to sound apologetic.

"I'll sing with her!" Kira said, coming out from behind the mop as well.

"Kira Yamato?" Natarle asked, surprised. "Where is your military posse, or whatever its called?"

"Team…" Kira replied. "Actually, I'm here alone… I'm here to sing with her…"

"Unfortunately, we take these shows very seriously here at Heliopolis High…" Natarle responded. "I called for the auditions, and you didn't respond. Free period is now over…"

"She has an amazing voice-" Kira said, only to be cut short by the drama teacher.

"Perhaps the spring musical…" Natarle said and walked off.

Suddenly, Stellar slipped and dropped all her sheets of music. Kira and Lacus went on stage to help her.

"So you're the composer…" Kira said. "You wrote the song Fllay and Sai just sang… And the entire show?"

Stellar nodded.

"That's cool! I can't wait to see the show…" Kira said. "But why are you so afraid of Fllay and Sai. It is your show, after all!"

"It is?" Stellar asked.

"Isn't the composer sort of like the playmaker in Gundam fights?"

"Playmaker?"

"The one who makes everyone look good." Kira explained. "You're the playmaker, Stellar!"

"I am?" Stellar asked. "Do you want to hear how the duet's supposed to sound?"

Stellar went up to her piano and started playing. Unknowingly, Kira and Lacus got attracted to the music and started singing as well.

"It's hard to believe, that I couldn't see…" Kira sang. "You were always there beside me."

Lacus joined in. "Thought I was alone, with no one to hold, but you were always right beside me."

"This feeling's like no other… I want you to know…" the couple chorused. "I've never had someone that knows me like you do… The way you do… I've never had someone as good for me as you… No one like you... So lonely before I finally found…"

"Wow, it's nice!" Kira complimented.

"Yamato, Clyne, you have a callback!" Natarle came out from behind the door and announced. "Stellar, give them the duet from the second act. Work on it with them."

"What?" Kira couldn't believe his ears. This could be trouble…

To be continued