"Dude, you sure can nail a hot chick," Naruto complimented, earning a red-faced Shikamaru gritting his teeth.
"Can it already!" Shikamaru defended. His compliment made him start thinking about the redhead beauty queen. "My folks are gonna choke if she comes back to my house."
They were walking to the nearest hardware store. Since Naruto didn't bring his bike to lunch, he had to hike his butt to completing his next chore. Shikamaru, coincidentally, had to go buy a new wrench to fix the deer feeder, so he decided to tag along. They both still had singing to brush up. Suddenly, Shikamaru got a brilliant idea: why not start a duo? Sure, Shikamaru can't really play any instruments other than the piano because of his mother's fond interest in the classics, but they could do ballads or something in the romantic area. Funny thing about his limited use of instruments is Shikaku loves the blues, and because Shikamaru was more connected to his father he learned how to play harmonica. Once, he thought about his parents, he thought about Tayuya. She had some guts. She gave him her phone number, email address, and house address, so he had no excuse not to contact her. Shikamaru never thought he was attractive to anyone, but somehow this redhead beauty, who was about four years older than him, was totally into him. He honestly didn't mind being attractive to her, though; he just worried about how far she would take this relationship.
"Oh, yeah... Lemme know when your mom freaks," Naruto says, in all seriousness.
"This isn't funny!" Shikamaru argued, punching Naruto in his arm.
"I wasn't laughing!" Naruto retorted, covering his arm.
"I can't believe you said that," Shikamaru said, blush beginning to lessen. "I'm gonna have nightmares about that woman."
"Hey, now that I think about it, Ms. Tayuya probably just wants to pay you back," Naruto says, running different conclusions in his head. "You told me you rescued her from some guy, right? Since she realized you're just a middle schooler who wanted to help, she might just wanna thank you for being a decent guy. I'd probably do the same if I were a woman."
"Sometimes I think you are a woman," Shikamaru commented under his breath.
"Dude, I don't look like no lady," Naruto says, thinking about a song. "Besides, I'd never date you. Tayuya has a better shot with you than I do."
"You're really a gentleman, you know?" Tayuya said, sniffing. "It's kinda cute."
"You're just saying things to embarrass me, aren't you?" Shikamaru questioned, taking a chance to glare at Naruto.
"Calm down! I was just saying," Naruto said, huffing. "I think you should let her ask your parents to take you out."
"Are you outta your mind?" Shikamaru shouted, incredulously.
"Shika-kun..." Naruto whispered, giving a genuine smile to his friend. "Why not? She's cute, she's totally into you, and she might have a lot of things in common with you. There's not a lot of women who take the initiative and chase after you, you know."
"I'd rather be the chaser..." Shikamaru mumbled. "It's more traditional."
"Tradition can only take you so far, dude," Naruto advised, grasping Shikamaru's shoulder. "Sure, Ms. Tayuya likes the way you take things slowly and that you're not some selfish prude tryin' to bang, but that's because you were being yourself. Tradition didn't tell you anything about getting a girl like that, did it?"
"I guess not," Shikamaru mumbled, smirking. "Look at you, gettin' all smart. Smart blondes really do come cheap."
"What's that supposed to mean, you ass?" Naruto questioned, flames spewing from his back.
"Nothing," Shikamaru whispered. "It's just... I don't understand what she meant by that..."
"By what?"
"She said 'It feels good to know that I found something to work for.' What did that mean?" Shikamaru questioned, looking down on the ground.
"Simple. Before she met you, she obviously wasted her life on something stupid."
"That was beyond wrong!" Shikamaru shouted, punching Naruto's head.
"What? You asked!" Naruto defended, rubbing his head. "Eh?"
Shikamaru turned around to look in the general direction that Naruto was observing. A three-story building with a drooping banner seemed to catch the boys' attention. The building's name was Ao Stadium; its sign was neon blue lettering with a hurricane passing over it. Windows lined most of the upper part of the stadium; the reflections of the windows gleamed brightly from sunlight. A sign read "Closing Soon" in bold red Arial font. The doors to the Ao Stadium were opened and people were going in and out, arguing through cell phones and passing words to other rushing folk. Naruto and Shikamaru blinked slowly as they watched everything transgress. They looked at each other, questioning the busy scene, then dared to walk over to the stadium as people kept rushing.
The box office, guarded by bulletproof plexiglass, had no workers tending to them. Instead, there were ticket roles, ticket scanners, boxes and piles of papers stacked sloppily along the walls and desk. Naruto hummed in suspicion, wondering what could have happened to Ao Stadium. It was used for graduations, concerts, sermons, speeches, and dances. There was plenty of business in the building.
"What's up, man?" Shikamaru asked, looking at Naruto's frowning face.
"I guess I'm just shocked," Naruto answered. "I thought Ao Stadium was booming. Everyone used to come here for everything really. Plays, concerts, graduations, stuff in between, everything. Can't believe it's closing down out of nowhere like this."
"We can go ask around?" Shikamaru suggested, understanding Naruto's feelings.
"Yeah," Naruto agreed, walking away from the box office.
The stadium looked like it was being renovated from the inside. The carpet that used to lead down the main hall's entrance at the far side of the water fountain was ripped off and rolled into a large tube. There were about six men trying to wrap the carpet into plastic covering. The water fountain that was in the center of the auditorium's atrium was empty and drained. There were a few men and women trying to decide whether to tear it down or simply undo the piping. The lighting in the entrance hall, disregarding the window ceiling that lit the atrium with the sun's warm beams, was being taken down and unscrewed. All the chandeliers and adjustable spotlights were coming down in sequences. Women were placing the lights into wrappers, and men were placing the wrapped lights into boxes. Every door imaginable was opened, and banners about upcoming events or calendars were coming down. The stadium wasn't being renovated; it was being torn down.
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow in more confusion. He scratched his scalp, careful to avoid the sore from yesterday's fight, and pulled out a navy blue bandana from his pocket of his green pants. Naruto turned to Shikamaru, noticing the garment, then turned to all the people moving things around. A man with a clipboard stepped out of a room and flipped through the pages. He wore a spandex, sleeveless red shirt and blue denim jeans. His arms and upper torso were well-built for his pale complexion. Although the shirt was sleeveless, his hood covered his spiky gray hair, which also covered his eyes. He was silently reading the information on the clipboard as he eased his way through the hustle and bustle of the workers.
"Hey," Naruto called, walking up to the man. He seemed to know something. "Hey, mister? Excuse me, I have a question. Hello? Yo, scarecrow!"
The man turned to Naruto's voice and hummed in question. He looked into the boy's blue eyes then to Shikamaru's brown eyes. There was something about these two that piqued his interest. Of course, they could just be regular volunteer workers. Their clothes kind of matched the working feel.
"Were you referring to me?" the man asked.
"Yeah," Naruto answered, smirking a bit. "Me and my buddy wanted to know why everything was being packed up. We saw the closing sign and all, but we could've swore Ao Stadium had phenomenal business. Why is the place shutting down all of sudden? I mean, there was no warning, no ads in the paper, nothing! All I see is the sign while we're out on lunch break."
The man raised both eyebrows, impressed by the boys' concern for the city's stadium, and placed his left hand on his hip while holding the clipboard in his other hand. He said, "Did you work in this stadium?"
"Uh, no," Shikamaru answered, wanting to reply since Naruto addressed the issue. "We usually come here for concerts and school dances if we can scrap up the money. We're kinda young to be working here."
"How old are you?" the man asked, tilting his head.
"We're both thirteen," Shikamaru answered.
"Really?" the man responded, showing genuine surprise at this. "Well, I don't see much use in telling children what's going on here. You hardly make use of the stadium as it is."
"Children are the ones who change things," Naruto commented, giving the man a somber look. "We, children, revolutionize what adults have made, and we show concern for things just as adults do. If a child wants to know something important, would you honestly turn your back on him when he might be the answer to your problems in the future? You would actually hinder a child's fighting chance to help someone?"
Wow, this kid is something else, the man thought. I'd like to see what he can do in the future some day.
"Come on, Naruto, the guy's not 'fessing up about anything," Shikamaru said, tugging Naruto's arm. "Let's ask someone more cooperative with children."
"Hmph," the man grunted, smirking. "All right if you insist. Ao Stadium, while seeming very profitable for the events it holds every year, has been losing a tremendous amount of sales and funding to keep this place running. For instance, though I have no idea what you'll be doing with this information besides tell your parents, the bill for air conditioning hasn't been paid since its last due date, and several events were cancelled because of the heat surgence in the building. Ao Stadium owes several thousand dollars in debt for air conditioning and repairs for the generator itself."
"Shit," Naruto hissed, wondering how many guitars he could buy with several thousand dollars. "That's probably worth twenty guitars from the sounds of it, if not more."
"Either that or twenty food bills," Shikamaru remarked, making Naruto chuckle.
"You play guitar, blondie?" the man asked.
"Yeah," Naruto said, proudly. "I got a ways to go before I master the damned thing, but I'm gettin' there. My bud sings."
"Tch!" Shikamaru spat. "Only when I'm grounded."
"Join the party, prison boy," Naruto joked, making Shikamaru smile. "Anyway, we'll probably be discussing songs and stuff once we leave here. Maybe after we plan a riot not to tear down the stadium. I mean, come on, the Sannin Three performed here back in their prime. The classic foundations of rock started here. Why bring it down without a shot to bring it back?"
"Yeah, man," Shikamaru said, supportively. "Bring out the jams, motherfuckers! That's a sacred anthem to rockers and headbangers everywhere."
"What do you two know about that?" the man asked, smiling and crossing his arms in acknowledgement. "That's old school!"
"Gotta know your history when you're going for the music biz," Shikamaru stated, lightly punching Naruto in the arm. "Besides, Orochimaru is like the biggest name in the industry. He's on every rock station that has data on him since the dawn of computer usage."
"So you two are aspiring musicians?" the man questioned, pointing to the boys.
"Yep!" Naruto answered.
"I tell you what, let's make a deal," the man said. "Now, if you're going to be musicians, you have to think seriously on this, okay? With that said, I'll tell you more about the stadium and what's happening to it if you guys agree to keep practicing your music in the sky box as your studio. It has air conditioning, hasn't been tampered with, and the only things that are there are probably a few desks and chairs. All the equipment was moved out except a few microphones and amplifiers for the stage. We're not shutting down the electricity for the whole building until everything is moved out, and we don't work after five. I'll check up on you every now and then to make sure you're holding up your end of the deal. You never know. I might just reward you for your hard work."
"Dude..." Naruto started, feeling Shikamaru push him back and forth in excitement. "Are you serious?"
"Any man who knows me will tell you I'm as serious as they come," the man responded, nodding as an answer.
"Oh my god!" Naruto said, hopping up and down.
"Dude, we can start working on our stuff," Shikamaru said, envisioning piles of music sheets and pencils.
"So, we gotta deal then?" the man asked.
"Yes," Naruto and Shikamaru answered, determination in their voices and eyes.
"Good," the man said, smiling. "Now, as part of the deal, I'll tell you what's going on. Ao Stadium has been losing money for the past ten years not only because of its debts but the owner's case of embezzlement. Companies from just about all over have been trying to buy it out. Only one man was able to purchase the stadium to keep it running: Hizashi Hyuuga. However, his untimely death passed the stadium to his son, Neji, as part of his inheritance. Because Neji Hyuuga was too young, and still is too young, to handle the business, Hizashi's brother, Hiashi, took control of the stadium. Orochimaru has been trying to gain control of the stadium recently, so Hiashi decided to tear it down instead of take care of it."
"How's that logical?" Naruto questioned. "He didn't even ask if the people wanted it torn down. At least Orochimaru could have used it!"
"Well, that's what went down," the man said, nodding in agreement to Naruto. "Kinda sad, actually. But, if the stadium gets more popularity within the summer season, I hear Hiashi may change his mind about tearing it down. Right now, we're just moving stuff out. Once fall hits, this place is gone. If there's a way to save this old place, I'd like to hear a few ideas."
"Let's hold a charity event for the place," Shikamaru suggested. "We might not be pro musicians, but we can certainly try something out."
"I'm for it," Naruto agreed. "We'll have hell to pay for this, but I don't want to see this stadium go down. I wanna perform in this building one day. Make headlines and stuff like the heroes before us. Plus, this place is great for political speaking."
"Lemme know how law school works in your favor if you don't make it in the music biz," Shikamaru said, patting Naruto's back. He smiled, knowing Naruto could make it and will with his voice. "We're supposed to be going to the same high school and college."
"Where'd you apply for high school?" the man asked.
"Gakuen Konoha," the boys answered.
"Uwoah!" the man shouted, scaring everyone around him. "I work there!"
"Eh?" Naruto and Shikamaru questioned.
"I'm an English teacher at Gakuen Konoha," the man said, pointing to himself, "and a woodshop elective instructor. I have a part-time job as a music instructor for the summer camp, too."
"Eh?" Naruto and Shikamaru questioned.
"B-b-b-b-b-but," Naruto stuttered. "If you're a teacher there, why are you tearing down the Ao Stadium?"
"I'm not," the man said. "The principal asked me to reserve some rooms for camp. No one was going to use the sky box, so I gave it to you guys. I didn't think you two were going to be at the same school!"
"Eh?" Naruto and Shikamaru questioned.
"Wait a minute," Shikamaru said. "Does that mean the deal's still off?"
"Well, we already had an agreement," the man said, placing a curved finger on his chin. "And...since I held up my end of the deal, and you agreed to hold up yours before this coincidence. I can't change my mind now. You already got your studio. Consider yourselves the luckiest dogs of the pack. It'd be a shame to just change up the deal on you like that. All things considered, though, we might have to make a different bargain. I get the feeling we'll be seeing each other a lot more often than a few practices. What middle school are you guys graduating from?"
"Rozen Maiden Academy," they answered.
"Get out!" the man said. "I went there when I was a kid! This must be fate..."
"Either that or god's way of punishing us," Naruto remarked, staring incredulously at the man. "This is so unreal."
"Wow, then how about this," the man started, digging in his jeans pocket. He took out a business card and pen to scribble something on his clipboard and said, "I'll call your parents to reserve a few sessions before graduation. Day of will be your first performance."
"You mean the day of graduation?" Naruto questioned, mouth gaping.
"That's right."
"Well, wait, you haven't even heard us yet," Shikamaru said. "How d'ye know we're not terrible singers or performers?"
"That's the point of practicing, right?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow. "Don't worry so much. You only need to perform one song, and I only need to talk to one person to make sure this is approved. Do good, and you'll be a part of the biz in no time. Do bad, at least you'll have a day to remember. Music is meant to be memorable, and, if you want to make it, make every note count as a memory. Words of wisdom provided by Hatake Kakashi-sensei."