Author's Note:
How's it goin' metalheads! What've you motherfuckers been up too since I was gone? Sorry it's taken so long for chapter 5, but I'm back now. All the quick updating earlier should make up for it. I need inspiration, and what else, it came in the form of fuckin' beautiful music man! Anyways, here's number 5.
Sunday Morning:
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Naruto slammed his fist down on the alarm clock.
"Damn thing," he said, getting up, "whatever, I've gotta be at Kakashi's in an hour anyway."
He went through his usual morning routine, shower, clean teeth, put on clothes, eat instant ramen, and grab his guitar on the way out the door.
He dropped into his 1969 Chevy Camaro and sped off towards Kakashi's. He picked up his phone and dialed Sasuke's number. He picked up just before it went to voice.
"What's up Naruto?" he asked lazily.
"Dude, you comin' to Kakashi's? Auditions are in a half hour." Naruto replied.
"I'm already there dobe. And let's just say, I know auditions are in a half hour. I know it very well."
"Whatcha mean?"
"Just wait 'til you get here. Don't speed down Kakashi's street either. Trust me," with that, Sasuke hung up.
"The hell?" Naruto thought as he rounded the corner onto Kakashi's private street. His jaw dropped.
"WHAT THE FUCK?" he shouted out. By the look of it, at least 150 people had showed up and were all crowded outside of Kakashi's house.
Naruto parked the chair, and all but fought his way up to Sasuke, the new bassist Kiba, and a very pissed looking Kakashi.
"Dude, what the hell?" Naruto asked, dumbstruck.
"You tell me! These bastards are all but rioting near my goddamn house!" Kakashi replied, a vein pulsing on his forehead.
"Look Kakashi, we told you, we'll pay for the window," Sasuke said.
"Yeah man, loosen up," Kiba unwisely chimmed in.
Kakashi glared at Kiba, causing said boy to go wide-eyed and take a few steps back.
"Kakashi, don't you fuckin' dare kill our only bassist!" Naruto shouted struggling to hold Kakashi away from Kiba.
"Ugh, fine. But you guys really fuckin' owe me!" Kakashi said, putting his face in his palm as he heard another crash of glass.
"Ok, we should go chill these people out," Kiba suggested as he and Naruto jumped up onto the stage that Kakashi always had set up, complete with a full concert cabinet of amps and mics. Kiba and Naruto both plugged in their guitars, smirked at each other, and without a word, both made their guitars produce the loudest, most annoying feedback that they could.
People shouted out as feedback screeched, assaulting their ears. Sasuke jumped up onstage, oblivious to the noise. He grabbed a mic.
"Ok people, I'm assuming you know why your here, so let's get going. Drummers, front right. Effects guys, front left, everyone else, well, we don't need a bassist anymore, so bassists, you gotta go." he said, lazily directing traffic. When he told the bassists to leave, about 50 people groaned and walked out, grumbling.
"Alright guys," Sasuke continued, " we're doin' effects first. As you know, effects are keys and any other sounds we need onstage. So effects guys, line up at the studio shack behind you."
The majority of the people began walking toward the shack, leaving three behind to flop onto the grass, pull out iPods, and wait for their turn.
Naruto looked at his bandmates, "Dudes, this is a helluva lotta people."
"I know," Kiba replied, "this is gonna take awhile."
"Well," Sasuke said, "if we sit here talkin' all day, we won't get shit done. Let's go."
He dropped off the stage and started walking calmly toward the "studio shack" as the guys called it.
"Well, we gonna let him haze all the newbies?" Naruto said, packing up his guitar as he ran after Sasuke.
"Fuck no! C'mon Akamaru!" Kiba shouted, as he ran after Sasuke too.
"Ark ark!" Akamaru barked back, following his master.
The three walked into the studio, took a seat behind the mixing boards and one-way glass, and dug in for the long haul. It was clear after about ten people that this was gonna be a long-ass day. The first five were alright, not great though. The last five were so horrible, it's like they never played before.
"Dude this is gonna take all damn day!" Naruto shouted as number 38 left, "Not one single decent guy!"
"Hell, I'd bet outta that group there are only four or five good ones," Kiba responded.
This went on for a few more hours. They three didn't find a single guy they liked.
"Number 92 was alright," Naruto said, looking exausted.
"Yeah, but he was an asshole!" Kiba said, still massaging his knuckles from where he punched 92's lights out.
"You still didn't have to knock his ass out, that was just more work for us to drag him out," Sasuke said, equally exausted.
"Whatever," Naruto cut in, "I need a fuckin' break."
The three walked outside to stretch and get some fresh air.
"Hey wait," Kiba started, "all but three tried for effects right? Out of a hundred people?"
"Yeah," the other two responded.
"Didn't only 96 try out?" Kiba asked.
The other two thought for a second, Kiba was right.
"Well where's the other guy?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke looked around, and facepalmed before talking, "Over there, sleeping."
The other two whipped around and saw a guy with a high, spiky ponytail sleeping in the shadow of a tree.
"The fuck is this?" Naruto yelled, clearly angry, not the least because this meant another lame try-out.
"Huh?" the sleeping person woke with a grunt, "who the fuck's yelling?"
Naruto growled, "Me ya dumbass! Why the hell didn't you tryout?"
"Troublesome," the guy mumbled, "Can't you see I was sleeping?"
"Sleeping!" Naruto yelled as Kiba had to hold him back from the formerly sleeping dude.
"Whatever, do you want me to play or not?" said dude asked.
"Sure, get in the booth," Sasuke replied, dragging Naruto and Kiba back to the shack.
Naruto's earlier frustration disappeared when he heard this guy play keys and throw in some sounds every now and again. Kiba's jaw was on the floor, and even Sasuke looked mildly impressed.
"Damn man," Kiba started, "that's pretty good!"
"Yeah," Naruto replied, awestruck.
"Not bad," Sasuke said calmly.
"Glad you like it," the keys guy said lazily, "so am I in?"
The three looked at each other. This guy was phenomenol, and he sure as hell beat everyone else that day. It was unanimous.
"You're in man," Sasuke stated.
"Cool," the guy said, looking like he couldn't care less, "my names Shikamaru by the way."
"Well lazy-ass," Kiba said, "welcome to Strike Package."
And with that, the four walked out into the sun, and looked for the three trying out for drums. Only problem is, there was only one left. One with pale eyes and long, dark hair.
"Neji Hyuuga." Sasuke said coldly.
"Uchiha?" the Hyuuga replied suprised.
"Why're you suprised? You must've known I was the singer here, I jumped onstage to tell everyone where to go."
"I showed up an hour ago, I had a previous engagement."
"Well whatever, where's the rest of the drummers."
"As I said, I'm not sure. Maybe they left out of boredom. It seems you only finished a few minutes ago with the keys."
"So you're it?" Sasuke asked, glaring.
"Listen Sasuke," the Neji started, clearly trying to keep his cool, but dropping the formal attitude, "I'm sorry about that incident all those years ago. I know you won't believe me, but it wasn't me who ratted you out."
"How'm I supposed to believe that!" Sasuke shouted angrily.
"I swear to you Sasuke, I didn't do it!" Neji replied, heatedly.
"Guys, guys!" Naruto shouted, causing the two to look at him, "I know you've got a history, but Neji here's the only drummer who's left. We need one if we're gonna be taken seriously, and today's the only day we have to do this, so Neji needs to try out."
Sasuke could only stare, Naruto had just had one of his rare moments of clarity and intelligence. He straightened out.
"Fine," he said, "Hyuuga can try out."
With that, the four current members of Strike Package took a seat behind the one-way glass as Neji prepared to audition on Kakashi's studio drums. Once he started playing, all four members of Strike Package were visibly impressed. Well, three were, Sasuke was impressed, but he'd never show it.
"Wow," Shikamaru said, sitting up in his chair, " he's pretty damn good."
"Dude, Shika, did you just sit up?" Naruto asked laughing.
"Oh damn, he did!" Kiba shouted as he, Naruto, and Sasuke sat up to stare at Shikamaru in shock.
"Don't get used to it, but this Neji's pretty good. I say he's in," Shikamaru replied, leaning back in his chair again and starting to fall asleep again.
"Man, he could sleep through a damn tornado!" Naruto shouted as Neji began a very tricky, and loud, drum solo, "Anyway, I agree with him."
"Me too, Neji's got the skills we need," Kiba responded.
The duo looked at Sasuke, waiting for a verdict.
"What? You know my answer. I don't like Neji, but damn if he isn't good, and we need good. I don't like it, but he's in."
Naruto and Kiba cheered loudly, waking Shikamaru.
"Troublesome. I'm guessing he's in?"
"Yeah," Sasuke answered.
"Ok, let's tell him he's in."
Shikamaru keyed the studio mic and told Neji that was ok, he could stop. Only, Neji couldn't hear him. He was busy bangin' away at the drums like a true artist, a combo of concentration and precise skill unrivaled by anyone the four had ever met. Shikamaru sighed, nudged Naruto, and whispered something in his ear.
Naruto jumped onto the studio mic and shouted , "Ok dude! Enough, you're in for Chrissake!"
Neji stopped, looked confused for a second, and seemed to realize where he was. He smirked at the four, which is difficult to pull off considering they were all behind a one-way window. He stood up, and calmy walked out.
The four followed him, all digging earwax out of their ears from Neji's extremely loud drum solo. They'd have to get used to this.
"So, I'm in?" Neji asked, a calm, confident look on his face.
"Uh, yeah!" Naruto shouted, "I've never met a person with better fuckin' drumming! You'd give Lar Ulrich a run for his money!"
"He's my favorite drummer. I feel I take inspiration from his work, especially his earlier stuff, and translate it into a style all my own."
"Uhhhhh, what?" Kiba and Naruto both asked, confused looks on their faces.
"He said Lars is his inspiration, and he uses techniques and forms Lars generally uses in his drumming. Only, he adds his own flare." Shikamaru replied, looking at the dou with disinterest.
"Ok, that was a little better," Naruto said, Kiba nodding beside him, "all I know for sure, is that this balances out our band. Guys, we're in business!"
The five looked at each other, all had smirks and confidence written on their faces. They didn't say anything. Anything until Naruto and Kiba let out whoops and hollers that would piss off Kakashi's neighbors for sure. To top it off, the two started a mini mosh-pit against each other.
"So this is what I'll be dealing with from now on?" Shikamaru asked, staring at the two and sighing.
"Yep," Sasuke replied, staring at the two with a grin on his face.
"Well, if you can't beat them, join them correct?" Neji asked, smirking at Shikamaru and Sasuke.
"Yeah, why the hell not?" Shikamaru replied, a smirk of his own creeping on his face.
With that, both Shika and Neji rushed the moshing dou and joined in on the fun. Sasuke could only smirk.
'What the hell,' he thought, 'I'm in this band too.'
With that, the black-haired singer rushed into the fray going on, enjoying the comradery that he'd been looking for his entire life.
Author's Note:
There ya go. Chapter 5 is live! I thought about making this the end, and having this as a prequel to a bigger and longer sequel. I decided against it, as I feel it leaves too many questions unanswered, but lemme hear your opinions on the matter. You get the drill by now.
"Hush little baby, don't say a word. And never mind that noise you heard. It's just the beast under your bed! In your closet, in your head!" -Metallica \m/