Chapter Three

First Impression

Kita's heart pounded in her throat. Everything inside of her told her to run. Her knees buckled and her chest tightened. Before her was the door of her nightmares, the door of the Light Music Club.

And there was no Yui to protect her.

Yui had been absent all day. She shared three classes with Kita because the teachers had called out her name from the list. Kita had waited in the bathroom for her and she hadn't arrived, so she hurried off to the nearest teacher to ask for proper directions to her classes.

The day passed faster than she had wanted, for she was sure that Yui wasn't coming and she would have to face the club alone. She worked harder than ever before, putting her concentration into her work. She wanted to be ahead early so she could worry about life later.

She had four classes that day, but she couldn't concentrate in any of them. Her thoughts were on the club, and she made many mistakes due to the distraction such as falling off of her chair in English when she had been leaning on the back legs, and drawing a thick line through her apple in Art.

Now here she was, standing in front of the doors of doom. Yui hadn't told her what the other girls were like except for 'nice.' What did nice mean to her? What if they were heavy metal players that smiled as blood pallets bled down from their mouths? What if they didn't want her in the club in the first place? If Yui had been gone all day, then they wouldn't have been told about her.

"Oh no," she gasped, having forgotten about that fact. "Oh no, oh no, oh no..."

Inside of the room music was beginning to play. It was gentle music, definitely fitting the name of 'light' music. The drums beat in a pounding rhythm, the keyboard played in the background with a shallow melody, and the bass took the cake off the performance as it sang out under the players skilled hands.

For a moment, Kita felt completely influenced by the music. Her hands that were hiding deep in her pockets began to pluck at the invisible strings of her acoustic guitar and in her imagination she was a part of this wonderful music.

Then the imagination shattered as she pictured the people that could be inside. What if she wasn't good enough for them? What if they didn't need a violin, or a piano, or an acoustic guitar, or even a singer?

Her hand tightened on the doorknob. She had to go in. She had to be sure before she threw this opportunity away. Her new friendship was counting on this. Yui wad counting on her. She didn't want to disappoint her.

She took a breath as she opened the door.

Light spilled in front the brightly lit room and shone in her eyes. For a moment she expected them to attack her in her moment of weakness, but as she blinked and adjusted, she saw that they weren't the sort of people she had expected. They sat with their instruments, having stopped midway through playing. They looked like ordinary school girls, not scary or dangerous at all.

The drummer with long, thick bangs raised an an eyebrow as she lowered her hovering drumsticks. "Uh, who are you?" she asked not unkindly but not welcoming either.

Kita's breath caught in her throat. She had interrupted their performance. Were they mad? "S-sorry," she gasped, already stepping back towards the doorway.

The black haired bass player looked to be in charge, for she stepped a little closer to her. Her face was riddled with confusion. "Did you want something?" she asked.

Kita's mouth was too dry to spit out any words. "I was just...uhh..."

Footsteps were rushing from behind her in the hall. She turned, her heart beating fast in her chest. She couldn't deal with a surprise right now. She just wanted to crawl into a corner.

A blur appeared before her, someone clearly moving faster than light. She had only a moment to let out a startled cry before the stranger slammed into her with a force equivalent to a truck, and everything went black.

For a moment everyone in the band room was silent. Ritsu had risen from her drum set with her mouth hanging open. Mugi had jumped halfway through the roof from the surprise.

Lying on the floor next to the unconscious figure of Kita was Yui. She had run in out of nowhere and obviously hadn't anticipated that Kita would be right in the doorway. She groaned as she lifted herself up groggily.

Mio was the first to speak. "Yui, what the hell are you doing?"

Yui stared at her, blinking to regain her focus. "Huh?"

"Is... is she okay?" Azusa asked, pointing to Kita.

Yui's eyes dropped to her new friend that she had possible concussed. "Kitty!" she gasped, dropping to her knees beside her.

The band began to make their way over, but Mugi rushed passed. She was trained in every course that the girl's knew of including first aid which they were thinking could be very handy here.

Unfortunately, Mugi sometimes disappointed them.

"Oh God, what do I do, what do I do?" her head shook this way and that as she searched for something that could help. "Tea! Get me some tea!"

Ritsu raised an eyebrow as she bent over Kita. "Tea?"

Mugi's face went bright red. She was at a complete loss of what to do now that she faced the situation. Tea had always been the solution in this club.

Yui was almost beside herself with panic. She grasped Kita's shoulders tightly and shook her like a rag-doll, her head hanging limply. "Kitty, wake up! Wake up!"

"Yui, you're going to hurt her!" Mio warned, grasping Yui's hands and dragging her back.

"But Kitty!"

"Get it together, guys!" Azusa exclaimed, standing up to look more like a force to be reckoned with. "She could be seriously hurt!"

"Wait, I think she's waking up." Ritsu was still at Kita's side, peering down at her as she twitched. Everyone instantly made a circle around the girl, waiting with baited breath.

Kita's eyes fluttered open. Her head pounded and she felt as though she had just run a marathon. She was completely drained of energy, but she could see clearly as the girls surrounded her.

"Hey, shy girl. Are you alright?" Ritsu asked, a friendly smile appearing on her face.

Kita took in all of the girls individually, noting the fear and the worry they showed. Yui looked worse than the strangers, her eyes tearing up.

"Kitty," she gasped, falling to her side. She took her hand tightly and rocked backwards and forwards. "I thought I was going to lose you!"

"Well you're the one who knocked her out," Mio pointed out to the sobbing Yui. She offered Kita a hand, giving her a warming smile. "Here, take it slowly."

Kita took her hand gratefully and allowed the others to help her stand. Mugi slung her arm around her back and supported her as she stood on trembling legs.

"Th-thanks," she muttered, going red with all of the attention she was receiving. She hated attention, even if it was considered good attention. She was led over to the blue couch that sat in the centre of the room where they sat her down gentle. A second later Mugi had pressed a steaming cup of tea into her hands, still looking flustered.

The group all sat in front of her on the floor, only Mio and Azusa remaining standing. They exchanged glances with each other, clearly wondering what to do about this strange girl.

Ritsu sat down at Kita's side on the couch and stared closely at her. "So why did you come up here... uhh... Kita, was it?"

Kita nodded, shuffling in her seat uncomfortably. Ritsu was sitting so close to her, and her nerves grated on edge. "Yes, that's right."

"Ohh, you had me so worried, Kitty!" Yui cried out, lunging at Kita and hugging her tightly. She pulled back only to tap her on the head. "Bad Kitty!"

Mio grasped Yui's shoulder. "Give her some air, Yui. She was passed out, remember?"

Yui hesitantly moved to Kita's side, watching her carefully.

"So why did you come here?" Azusa asked. She was looking at Yui, seeming to have already guessed that this was her idea.

"Oh, oh, I was meant to tell you guys!" Yui said quickly, her hands flying through the air as she explained. "I was late waking up this morning and I ended up sleeping through he whole day until a few minutes ago! I ran to school and headed up here so I could tell you guys that she was going to join and see how things went with the club, but I didn't see her in the doorway and 'smack!'" She clapped her hands together to reflect on the impact.

The group struggled to understand her speed-talking. They all stared around at each other, looking for answers.

"Wait, so Kita told you she wanted to join?" Ritsu asked, looking suddenly excited. As soon as Yui nodded, she grasped Kita's hands tightly. "That's great! Thank you so much!"

Immediately, they all began to press in on Kita, each of them asking her different questions. Kita sank further and further into the couch until she was sure that she felt it leaning backwards. She tried her best to keep up with all of the girls, but it was impossible.

"Everyone, hold it!" Yui's voice rang through the room. She moved in front of Kita defensively with her arms out as though fending off an army. "Give Kitty a minute to explain, alright? I told you guys, she's really shy."

They all remembered that Yui had mentioned the new girl the day before, and they nodded in understanding. Each of them sat back down again, and Yui turned back to Kita. "Go ahead, tell them why you're here."

Kita felt the familiar feelings of panic that she had to experience at least once everyday. She was beginning to sweat, her heart started to pound, and her stomach twisted. "I, uh... Yui and I agreed yesterday after she found me that, well, it would be good for the both of us if I joined your club."

Yui took over so Kita could breathe without fainting. "This way we have the extra member we wanted, and Kita can learn to open up to people and make some friends, right? Now I told her that all of you are nice, so you have to stay that way, alright? No turning into heartless monsters!"

The girls looked offended at the thought that they would ever become like that, but the questions they had on the tips of their tongues was too much of a distraction for them to remain angry.

"What instruments can you play?" Ritsu asked. She leaned against the back of the sofa casually, seeming to be like a laid-back tomboy to Kita.

"I play the violin, the piano, and the acoustic guitar," Kita said in a soft, quiet voice.

Yui bumped her shoulder. "And?"

Kita released a sigh. She hadn't wanted to tell them about her singing capabilities as she hated to sing in front of others. "I can do some vocals as well."

Eyebrows rose all around her and impressed murmurs made her turn a deeper shade of red.

"Did you bring any instruments?" Azusa asked next, her eyes darting keenly to Kita's bag.

"Sorry... I didn't think of that," Kita admitted guiltily.

Mugi pushed into the conversation quickly. "Would you like me to fill your tea? You still look a little ill."

Before Kita could answer, Yui's hand flew to her forehead to check her temperature. She looked closely at her pupils, then raised her wrist and felt her pulse.

Mio rolled her eyes and flicked Yui on the head. "She's not about to die, Yui. Relax."

Yui pouted as she sat back heavily on the couch. "I'm just taking care of my Kitty!"

"You've already nicknamed her, huh?" Ritsu asked, shaking her head an laughing.

Kita wondered if this was how it always was. Arguments, jokes, laughter, long-winded conversations. Would she fit in? She was already doubting herself.

"Hey, Kita." Mio was kneeling in front of her as Yui and Ritsu grappled playfully on the floor over the nickname, their harsh words already forgotten before they truly began. Mio ignored them and took Kita's hand lightly. "Are you alright now?"

"Yes," Kita lied, swallowing nervously. Everything was happening so fast. "Well... I still feel a little queasy."

Mio could relate to this girl with the fear and shyness, but she was much more emotional. Kita didn't seem the type to be able to withstand anything, and Mio felt sympathetic towards her. She sat down next to her.

"Would you like me to introduce everyone?" she asked.

Kita nodded, deciding it would be the perfect place to start. "Yes, thank you."

"Alright, I'm Mio, the bassist and vocalist," she said. She turned to stare down at the girl's grappling on the floor. "That idiot is the drummer, Ritsu, and you already know Yui."

Ritsu paused only to poke her tongue out at being called an idiot, then Yui was upon her again, pinning her to the ground as she burst out laughing, releasing a snot bubble from her nose.

"I'm Mugi, and I play the keyboard," Mugi said as she popped up at the side of the couch almost out of nowhere. She handed a refilled teacup to Kita who didn't even remember giving it to her.

"And I'm Azusa," Azusa said as she held onto a heavy guitar. It seemed she was the only one itching to play more music. It was already plugged in and ready.

Kita nodded her head as she looked at the small group, memorising their names. They were not what she had been expecting, this group of excited, musical, talented girls. They were friendly and inviting, if not a little full on in her opinion.

"So am I in the band?" she asked nervously, finding that she wasn't sure of the answer that she wanted anymore. Did she want this opportunity, or would she run again into the comfort but shadow of loneliness?

Ritsu was the one to answer. She leapt to her feet and stepped expertly out of the way, leaving Yui to run headlong into the wall. "Of course you are!" she said, giving Kita the 'thumbs up.'

Kita's heart skipped a beat and she felt a mix of joy and dread. It made her feel ill again and she sat back into the soft couch. Her mother would be proud of her. She would keep telling herself that and she would keep reminding herself that she didn't run away at the last minute, ignoring the fact that she couldn't have if she had wanted to because of the rocket Yui coming at her from behind.

"Alright then." Ritsu brushed her clothes clean. Once she was satisfied her hands went to the pair of drumsticks lying on the ground. She lifted them into the air triumphantly. "Let's go and play a welcoming song for our new member here, okay?"

Everyone agreed and hurried to gather their instruments expect for Yui who was still lying on the ground, clutching at her head. Mugi dragged her over to her space on the imaginary stage, handed her a piece of cake that she seemed to had conjured up out of thin air, then the guitar player was ready to go.

"Alright, Kitty! You ready?"

Kita wished she could share in the enthusiasm. Instead she simply nodded her head, trying not to provoke the sickness that swirled inside of her.

Ritsu counted the beginning on her drumsticks, then each instrument burst to life. The music was easy to listen to, a simply pop-rock song that made Kita keep in the beat with her feet. Yui and Mio sang and played their guitars as the others kept the beat roaring.

This is wonderful, Kita thought to herself. I don't think I can play that well, though.

The music flowed through the room, filling the silence and lighting up the loneliness. Kita closed her eyes to forget the fact that she was in a room full of strangers that she was terrified of, and just listened. All of the sounds ran individually through her mind, coming together to form the uplifting song. She smiled. It made her feel better.

"Alright! What did you think, Kitty?"

Kita opened her eyes to find that the song was finished. They all looked to her for her opinion, all of them beaming and pumping with the energy.

"It was really good!" Kita answered honestly, rising to clap her hands with all of the enthusiasm she felt roiling inside of her. "I wish I had brought my instruments."

"Don't worry about it," Mugi said, coming over to collect the empty teacup. She lifted her head as she collected it from the floor, a twinkle in her eyes. "So you really enjoyed it?"

Kita nodded. "Yeah, it was great."

"Than why don't you show us something?" Ritsu asked. She placed her drumsticks back in her pocket before resting them on her hips. "Well, you said that you can sing, right? Let's hear a little something."

Immediately the world began to spin and Kita had to grip the edge of the couch. "S-sing?" Already she was being thrust into the main light to embarrass herself.

Ritsu raised an eyebrow. "Well we have to try you out on all of the instruments and your voice if your coming into the band."

Yui shot the drummer a look. "Ritsu, she's shy!"

"Just one tune can't be that bad."

Mio was the one to turn and glare at her this time. "She just got knocked out some time ago, Ritsu! Maybe she needs some rest for today."

Ritsu thought about this for a moment, and then crossed her arms. "I guess I didn't think of that. Sorry, Kita."

"No," Kita said quickly. She didn't want to make them argue with each other. That was the last thing she needed. "I-I'll sing if you really want me to."

"Please try," Ritsu said kindly this time, adjusting the microphone. "If it's too much though, you can stop," she added quickly.

Kita shuffled towards the microphone as the others took her seat on the couch. Everyone watched her excitedly, waiting for something amazing as she stepped into place. Her hands trembled and she held them steady at her side. She felt light, almost as though she were flying, but she knew it was her consciousness getting ready to flee.

"It's alright, Kitty!" Yui yelled out as though at a concert.

"Just take a deep breath before you start, okay?" Mio offered, constantly concerned..

"And don't worry about us," Azusa added.

"I have some more tea," Mugi said, holding up a brimming cup.

Ristu raised an eyebrow at her. "Again with the tea?"

Kita took Mio's advice and sucked in a great breath. She let it out slowly, took in another, and then released. It made her heart slow for a second, then it sped up again as soon as she looked at the faces of these strangers, these people that she had to please.

Just calm down, she said in her mind. Calm breaths, calm thoughts. Just calm... calm...

She began to hum a tune in her head, staring at the floor instead of at these girls. She hummed, then incorporated small words. They barely made a sound in the microphone, so she sang them louder, then louder again, and soon she was lost in the words that she released, words of loss and sorrow, words of the pain that her mother's dying form brought her and the hope she held onto. She sang out her secrets, secrets that only she and her mother knew, and the girl's sucked it all in with anticipation and silent expectations.

The door slammed open, and in walked Kita's worst nightmare. A woman of her darkest imaginations burst through the door, draped in dark gothic clothes with a white masked face. Black tears had been painted rolling down her cheeks and she wore bright red contacts. Plastic fangs protruded from her mouth, her smile being transformed into something evil. Even though Kita knew it was all fake, her heart had missed twenty too many beats, and she fainted dead away on the spot.

Mr's Sawa waved a bunch of matching pairs of clothes around in the air with the unfitting smile printed on her face. "Hey girls! Look at what I've spent all afternoon... making..." Her eyes had flicked to Kita lying on the floor and she trailed off.

"Mrs Sawa, you idiot!" Ritsu gasped, rushing to Kita's side with the rest of the girls.

Yui still hadn't learned the difference from unconscious and dead. She gripped Kita's shoulders and hugged her tightly. "Kitty!" she moaned.

Mio pushed Yui away and freed Kita from a death of suffocation. She gripped her shoulders and shook her lightly as Mugi appeared beside her with a cup of tea steaming.

"Uh, Mrs Sawa, we could really use your held here," Mio said as her attempt to shake consciousness back into the girl failed. Mugi placed the tea beside Kita and waited with her hands clasped together and Ritsu had to wrestle Yui back with Azusa's help so she wouldn't throw herself onto their new band member.

Mrs Sawa draped her clothes over the side of the couch and moved the rest of the girls out of the way as she examined the unconscious Kita. "Geez, what did you guys do to her to scare her this badly?" she asked as she tapped Kita lightly in the face.

"What did we do to her?" Ritsu gasped, stumbling back in shock as she released Yui. "You're the one who walked in dressed like a psychopathic vampire axe woman!"

Mrs Sawa glanced up from Kita with a frown on her face. "That's not the look I was going for," she whined, pouting.

"Umm, should we get her onto the couch or something?" Azusa suggested as Yui crumbled to her knees.

With all of the band members pitching in apart from a bawling Yui, they lifted Kita from the ground and heaved her onto the couch. Once she was calm again and assured by Azusa that 'Kitty' was breathing, Yui used her bag as a pillow and Mrs Sawa found a spare blanket in the closet to throw over Kita. Mugi had discarded her cup of tea idea and instead laid a wet cloth over her forehead.

Yui was in hysterics, but no longer was she planning an burial. "I can't believe how badly this has gone!" she cried out. "I didn't realise how easily she fainted!"

"Can you blame her?" Mio asked as she stood some metres away from Mrs Sawa, watching her fearfully with a trembling body.
"Always the scared-y-cat!" Ritsu laughed.

"Shut up!"

"Girls, girls, please," Mrs Sawa sighed, pulling up a chair at the side of the couch. "All she'll need when she wakes up is quiet."

"I don't think she wants to wake up to a vampire again," Azusa pointed out, making a valid point.

"Oh yeah, this stuff." Mr's Sawa ran a finger through her thick makeup, leaving a normal line of pink. "I guess I had better disappear for now and wash this stuff off. Come and get me if anything goes wrong, alright?" With one last glance at Kita she left her to the very capable hands of the band (excluding Mugi and Yui).

Yui immediately took the seat and grasped Kita's hands in her own. "Oh Kitty, please, please, please don't die on me!"

Mio stared at the scene with scarce belief at how badly it had all gone. She slapped a hand to her forehead as the other girl's though the same thing as her. "This is a disaster."

Kita awoke to a whining voice begging her to hold on to life and stay away from the selfish light. It sounded familiar and fresh in her mind.

"Yui?"

Gasps of relief came from all around her, and she opened her eyes to find the entire band surrounding her like earlier. The first face she noticed was Yui's, tear streaked and pale.

"Than God, Kitty!" she moaned, throwing herself onto the weak girl.

"Remember, Yui, take it easy with her," Mio warned, bewildered that Yui still had the energy to act so heartbroken.

Ritsu shook her head in disbelief. "Kita, fainting twice in one day can't be good for you, seriously." She was relaxed now that Kita was awake though, and sat back on her hands on the floor.

Before Kita could even react to the new attention that she was receiving yet again, Mugi had a cup of tea hovering near her.

"I put some sugar in it to try and wake you up a little," she said. She helped Kita sit up with a gentle hold and pressed it to her lips. "Here, drink some."

She certainly had added some sugar. The tea was pulsing with sweetness on Kita's tongue, yet it worked wonders immediately. Her strength returned with her first swallow, and she drowned it, desperate for more before she was overcome by her frightened nature again.

Kita was not used to being nurtured, yet these girls whom were little more than strangers were taking care of her as though she were one of their own in the group. She thought about it for a second and realised that she was one of them. She was in the band now. How did she feel? Nervous enough to almost vomit up the tea again.

"Sorry about Mrs Sawa," Azusa apologised, standing at the side of the couch and leaning over she back. "She scared me when I first joined the club too. I saw the old photo of her and screamed."

"Photo?" Kita's stomach lurched. How could anything be worse than what she had seen? The teacher had been the most gothic, frightening woman her eyes had ever set upon in her sheltered life.

Yui was holding something in front of her face, and as Kita's eyes focused, she leapt back hard into the arm of the chair with a yelp. It was an image of the woman with streaked hair, piercings, black leather clothes, and that smile of evil.

Mio snatched the photo from Yui's hands. "Don't show her that!"

"Sorry, Kitty," Yui said, yet she looked amused. "She used to be in this club, and we found out last year with this as evidence."

"She used to be in this club?" Kita repeated, shaking. Did that mean that a part of the club description was to be exactly like her?

"That's an old photo, don't worry." Mrs Sawa stepped through the door again without an invitation. Kita recognised the voice and stuffed her face into the cushions on the couch. She couldn't stand to see her again. She wouldn't be able to handle another scare.

"Don't worry, Kita. I look normal now, okay? Goddess-like, wouldn't you say?"

Kita managed to lift her eyes and glance at the woman, shocked to see that she was no longer hiding behind the makeup. She was quiet pretty without it, even beautiful, and her cocky opinion of goddess-like wasn't far off either. Kita stared at her with her mouth hanging open. With her long, flowing brown hair, innocent glasses, sparkling eyes, and slim body, she was unlike any teacher she had imagined.

"Quiet a transformation, huh?" Yui asked.

That was an understatement, Kita wanted to say. Instead she sat back up and nodded, keeping her eyes down. She was still afraid of her. She was unpredictable and could easily change back. Besides, she was older than the other girls, and authority was enough to keep Kita's head down.

Everyone gathered on the couch again, Mrs Sawa left to sit on the floor and Kita squeezed painfully in the middle of her new band members. All in all the first impression had been pretty terrible. Kita had fainted twice, she was sure that she had let them down with her weak personality, and she was terrified of the woman that was teaching them, Mrs Sawa.

It was only about to get worse.

"Your voice, Kita," Mrs Sawa began. "It's a little low when I was listening in so I thought it was Mio for a second. If you want, I could teach you to turn it up a little." She tilted her head to the side, smiling sweetly.

Kita wasn't sure how to tell her that she was afraid to be taught by someone who could easily transform herself into a demon of sorts. There was no way she could say that, so she nodded her head lightly. "O-okay."

"I'll give you time until you're ready, of course," Mrs Sawa added. She got to her feet and stretched out her arms lazily. "Alright girl's, you'd all better go on home. You've been here for ages, and I have to clean up before tomorrow. You don't want to stick around for that."

"You're letting us off?" Ritsu asked in shock, her mouth hanging open.

Mrs Sawa shrugged her shoulders. "Go and take out the new girl for some ice-cream of something. Show her how awesome the Light Music Club really is."

Kita's hand shot up as though she were in class. She went bright red, but she felt it was the only way to speak up in this group of girls. "Uhh, actually, I have to get home. Right now. I'm, uh... really busy."

She could tell by the looks on the other girl's faces that they didn't buy her lie, and she felt her heart clench. She knew they were trying to make her feel welcome, but she had had enough for the day.

"I'll take you home," Yui said, getting to her feet.

"No, no, I'll be okay," Kita said, getting up quickly with her bag. Though she would have loved for Yui to walk with her, she was stopping by the hospital, and she wasn't ready to tell these people, not even her first friend, about her mother.

The girl's pressed.

"Are you sure you'll be alright, Kita?" Mio asked, her motherly side showing.

"Yeah, you passed out twice," Ritsu added, lifting two fingers.

Kita was already out of the door though, saying, "I'll be fine," over her shoulder before she disappeared into the hall.

Silence ensued, only to be broken by Mugi.

"I wonder if I should have given her more tea..."

Author's Note – I know it's a tad long, and I am really sorry! Not all of them will drag on like this, but I felt it was a really important part of the story to kick it off. Please keep reading! :)

By the way, I know I am focusing on the dialogue in this a lot. I am not used to writing based on the dialogue, but seeing as the group is large with seven members including Mrs Sawa and Kita, I have focused on the speech as it would make more sense. Not every chapter will be focused on that so much, so don't worry if you don't like it.

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