"Ugh, Jess." Elijah groaned. "Can you BELIEVE what happened at the football game last night? The other school brought their whole marching band! They were so big and loud, they made all our fans lose heart! And it's tough to win an emotional game without the crowd's support!"
"Now that our school's getting bigger, we're going to be playing bigger schools. I think all of our opponents from now on will hand bands like that." said Jess
"That means there's only one way to keep the crowd pumped up during the doldrums of halftime... a marching band of our own! So what do you say? Will you join me on this march to victory?" Elijah asked
"Sure I like to join all kinds of activities." Jess smiled
"We can't have a band without band members, and we'll need LOTS if we're gonna be loud and be able to choreograph mindblowing formations."
"Let's ask around and see who wants in."
"Remember, marching band isn't for just anybody. We'll need impeccable rhythm, musical skill, and most important of all... killer dance moves!"
"A marching band, huh? Not really my style." said Maddie
"You think a band with one drumset is cool? What about a band with ONE HUNDRED?" Jess asked
"Whoa. That IS cool." said Maddie
"You'll get to play face-melting riffs at a volume your little amp could only dream of!" said Elijah
"I don't get what I'M doing here." said James
"Everyone at school knows you broke a million points on Guitar Hero, Joshua. And you can't do that without perfect rhythm." said Elijah
"Flattery, eh? That just might work on me." said James
Danny: "We need someone with your sense of rhythm to anchor the drumline. Just think of it like a bunch of quick-time events!"
"What do you need me for? Marching band is about music, not dancing." said Willow
"That's where you're wrong. Everyone in a marching band routine is CONSTANTLY dancing really intricate steps." said Elijah
"Not only that, the entire band is moving around in formation like the biggest dance crew you've ever seen!" said Jess
"A meta-dance?! I'm so in!" said Willow
Later on the practice field James aces a complex drumming rhythm! "Boom! High score!"
"Wow! James is killing it on the drums, Alexandra is arranging a mash-up of awesome pop songs to play, and Kate already has tons of ideas for choreography! You know what, Jess? We might just pull this off." said Elijah
"This was a pretty great turnout! Do you think we have enough members?" Jess asked
"We have a good-sized marching band for now, but it's still smaller than most. We'll just have to make up for our lack of volume with outsized creativity! I'm talking impressive formations and sophisticated musical arrangements! Speaking of... what instrument do you want to play?" Elijah asked
"Me? Uh... I want to play the snare drum." said Jess
"The whipcrack of the snare! Every band needs it! Plus, everyone likes banging on things."
Jess sling the snare drum harness over her head and play a beat but you immediately drop a drumstick!
"Here, hold it this way."
Jess adjust her grip. This time, the drumsticks crack sharply against the drumhead in a thunderous, staccato tone!
"Nice! You'll be an expert in no time! All right, everybody, we have the individual skill to go toe-to-toe with the best bands out there... But marching band isn't about the individual! It's about many coming together to play as one, just like how a song is many notes coming together in harmony! Now let's try out our first formation."
As Elijah waves a baton, Jess first march rehearsal begins!
"Jessica! You're in my spot!" James argued
"No way, this is where I'M supposed to be!" Maddie argued back
"Watch out, guys!" Willow accidentally runs into a tuba player, and everyone topples like bowling pins!
"No, no, no! How are we ever going to get all these different types of people working together in time for the game this weekend?" Elijah asked
"I know just who can help with that." Jess calls Jessica (Student Gov) for help. "So, Maddie, do you think you can help us?"
"You're in luck. I have lots of experience getting divergent personalities to work cohesively toward a common interest... After all, that's all politics is!" said Jessica
"What do you need to make it happen?" Elijah asked
"The only thing any organization needs spreadsheets!" said Jessica
"How's it coming, Jessica?" Jess asked
"Moving around rows and columns on a football field is just like moving them on a spreadsheet! I organized everyone into groups, subgroups, and sub-subgroups. Everyone has their assignments! So let's take this from the top! What do we say? Can we pull off the best marching routine of all time?!" said Jessica
"Yes! We! Can!" Elijah cheered
The band marches in perfect alignment, rows and column threading past each other in a mesmerizing pattern!
"Wow, Jessica! You did it! That was amazing!" said Elijah
"The band looks great, Elijah! I think we'll be ready for the game this weekend after all!" said Jess
"Uh oh." Elijah sighed
"Uh oh? What's uh oh?"
"Three cheerleaders inbound at three o'clock! And they don't look happy." Elijah pointed at the cheerleaders
"Hey, Elijah! What's going on here?!" Chad complained
"The marching band is practicing for our halftime show at the football game!" said Elijah
"Halftime is when the cheer squad goes on!" Sierra complained
"You can't just steal our spot like that." Sebastian pointed
"But other schools are bringing in marching bands. We've got to compete with them! Haven't you noticed that our fans are getting demoralized at halftime?" Elijah pointed
"Are you saying that's our fault?!" Chad argued
"Oh boy." Jess sighed
"Sorry, Elijah, but you can't just take over our halftime." Sebastian argued
"Yeah! The cheer squad is responsible for school spirit at the game, so halftime is ours! You can't replace us!" Sierra argued
"Wait! They don't have to replace you!" Jess shouted
"They don't?" said Chad
"What if the cheerleaders and the marching band go on at the SAME TIME? Chad, think how much better your routine will be with live music!" said Jess
"Hmm..." Chad thought
"Teaming up is a great idea! Our band is pretty small as it is, so we can use all the field presence we can get! Think of us like a backup marching band!" said Elijah
"That does sound pretty amazing... okay, we're in!" said Sierra
"Okay, Jess, we've got a full marching band that knows how to march... but we don't know what to march as! Let's pick a formation! We're a small band, so it has to be clever! Something that will really wow the home crowd!" said Elijah
"Oh! Let's march as a football!" said Jess
"Thematically appropriate! I like it! All right, let's buy some sheet music! Time to start practicing! Ready to hear the marching steps, Jess?" Elijah asked
"Umm... Tell me!"
"First, march to the LEFT. Then, spin COUNTER-CLOCKWISE. And finally, on the THIRD MEASURE of the crescendo, switch with the person next to you! Want me to repeat that?"
"I got it!"
"All right then! Let's take it from the top!"
Everyone lines up in formation and starts stepping in place in time with the drumbeat. The drum major waves the baton, and the music starts! Jess march to the left! she step left, still facing the bleachers, in perfect unison with the band!
"Looking good so far!"
The band completes its first maneuver, marches in place, and then you spin counter-clockwise! Jess spin counter-clockwise with the rest of the band, staying on rhythm!
"Perfect!"
The formation finishes revolving, and then the brass section begins a climactic crescendo! Jess count off in her head. "One... Two... Three." Jess fluidly switch positions with Elijah.
"There we go! That looked awesome!" said Elijah
The band completes the song and poses in perfect formation!
"Wow! That couldn't have been better! Great work, guys!" said Elijah
"Are we ready to practice the whole show at once?" Jess asked
"I sure think so!" said Elijah
The band arranges itself in the shape of a gigantic football, with the saxophone section lined up as the ball's stitching! Together, you all march toward the endzone, while the saxophone players run crossfield, making the illusion that the football is spinning through the air!
"Holy cow, that was amazing, guys." said Elijah
"We look pretty good!" said Jess
"And we're going to look even BETTER soon! Come with me. Marching band is all about the many working together in perfect harmony to be capable of things greater than anyone can do alone. Among those things... is intimidating the heck out of the other team!" said Elijah
"Yeah!" said Jess
"But we're not going to look like a cohesive unit if we're all wearing different clothes! We're gonna need some slick uniforms. Whoa! Thanks, Jess! We're gonna look so good out there, people will think the field is a fashion show runway!"
"I'm glad everyone likes them!"
"You bet we do! All right, Jess, the moment of truth is here. The big game is tonight. You ready?"
Dressed up in the new uniforms, the marching band heads out to the stadium. Jess pass by the football team, who are just leaving the locker room to warm up.
"Hey, Jess! Elijah! You guys look awesome!" Julian flashes a thumbs up
"Thanks, Julian!" Jess called
Julian: "The guys were just talking in the locker room. We're all really excited to have the school band perform at halftime. The team we're playing tonight is REALLY good, so we need the band and the crowd pumping us up until the final whistle! It could make the difference between winning and losing."
Skylar:"You can count on us!" Elijah called
Julian high-fives the both of them, then runs off to rejoin his team.
"Hey Jess, I just heard that the other school's marching band is performing before kickoff!" said Elijah
"Let's go check out our competition." said Jess
The school's band files into their cordoned-off section of the home bleachers as the rival marching band starts to take the field!
"There... there are so many of them!" said Elijah
A force easily three times the size of the blankets the field in a simple grid formation! Each member is dressed in a crisp, brand new uniform!
"They're... beautiful." said Elijah
The rival school's drum major raises her baton... and the band starts to play! The music is deafening! Elijah shouts something at you, but Jess can't hear it! "What?!"
"I SAID, THEY'RE TOO BIG AND TOO LOUD! WE CAN'T TOP THIS! WE'RE TOAST!" Elijah yelled
The opposing marching band ends its thunderous routine to wild cheers from the visitor bleachers! The home fans look on, intimidated into silence. From the stands, Jess can see the anxious faces of Julian and their football team. The school kicks off... and the other team returns it for a touchdown, eliciting yet another bombastic fight song from the visiting band!
"Gah! It was all for nothing!" said Elijah
"What do you mean?! We still get to perform at halftime!" Jess asked
"Are you kidding? We don't measure up to that! Going out there with our small band would be more humiliating than not performing at all! The whole point of this band was to make the school proud but if we go out there, all we'll do is make them ashamed." Skylar sets down his instrument and slumps down on the bleachers, head in his hands.
"Uh oh. If our band leader thinks it's hopeless, then the crowd will too! I better get Skylar's morale back up, quick!" Jess tries to convince Elijah
"Don't waste your breath trying to convince me, Jess."
"Fine then. Looks like we'll just have to have a big hole in the formation where you would have been."
"Don't do that! That's look terrible."
"Exactly! You're the one who told us that marching band was about everyone coming together as one! And we can't do that without all the parts! Just like how music is about how every single not in the piece works with the others."
The rest of the band shouts in agreement. Elijah looks around at all the encouraging faces.
"You're right, Jess. I guess I was just thinking about myself, when I need to be thinking about what the band needs." said Elijah
"So are you back in?" Jess asked
"You bet. But this doesn't change the fact that we're still too small and quiet a band to upstage our opponent."
"That just means we have to get even MORE creative. We have to take the spectacle to the next level!" said Jess
"It'll take an utter mastermind to pull that off." said Elijah
Soon, the entire marching band waits anxiously in the stadium tunnel while Tommy works feverishly on a set of strange contraptions. "Are you sure this will work, Tommy?"
"I'd bet my life on it... well, yours anyway." said Tommy
Just then, Jess hear the ref's whistle echo down the tunnel! The football team comes jogging past, heading to the locker room for halftime, looking demoralized.
"Man, these guys are TOUGH. The crowd sure could use some spirit... and so could we." said Julian
"By the time you guys take the field again, the crowd will be back in it. We guarantee it." said Jess
Elijah barks at the band, pacing back and forth like a revered general. "Listen up, everyone! I know we made some last-minute changes, but if we stay focused and trust our fellow members, we will win the day! None of us would be here if it weren't for the people standing next to us... So let's go out there and play as one! Because together, we can do anything! Tommy is it ready?"
"The device hasn't gone through preliminary test trials but yes. It's ready." said Tommy
"Then let's go make some noise!" said Jess
The band cheers, a deafening roar that echoes in the tunnel! The band runs out onto the field!
Their school's band lines up in formation facing the home bleachers while the cheerleaders take up position by the sideline. The crowd politely applauds, clearly quieted by the game's score.
"Our fans don't look too excited!" said Jess
"Well, it's our job to excite them, isn't it?!" Elijah pointed
The visitor bleachers behind you erupt in a chorus of boos, filling the night air with derisive laughter. Jess turn to see the stands filled with the rival band, pointing and heckling.
"Forget them! Ready, guys? Let's do our thing! A one, and a two, and a..." Elijah counted
Jess commence a graceful roll on your snare drum, gradually getting louder And their band launches into the opening chord of a hit song, everyone's perfectly intoned notes melding in a beautiful arrangement! In the home bleachers, some smiles appear! The fans start to perk up.
"I think it's working!" said Elijah
From the middle of the field, Jess see Julian leading the football team back to the sideline. Their faces light up at your music.
"Come on, guys, we have to help pump up the crowd too!" said Julian
The football team starts jumping and dancing along with the song! The cheerleaders shimmy, kick, and twirl to the beat! Jess drowning out the opposing fans... but they fight back, redoubling their obnoxious shouting!
"It's working! We just need a little bit more energy!" said Jess
"It's time to break out the secret weapon, Jess." Elijah called
Jess shoot a thumbs-up to a shadowy figure up in the press box... and Tommy shoots one back!
"This oughta drop a few jaws." Tommy turns to a control panel littered with dials and switches and jams a button! The football formation keeps spinning as Jess march toward the opposing end zone, but now the tubaists wheel several carts with them! Then the carts shoot out pyrotechnic flares! From the stands, it looks like the football is moving so fast, it caught fire!
""It's even more beautiful than I imagined!" said Tommy
The home crowd cheers wildly, fans of all ages leaping up from their seats and dancing! Meanwhile, in the visitors bleachers, the rival band finally shuts up, their mouths hanging open in awe.
"Now that's more like it!" Elijah smiled
Jess, Elijah and the entire bleachers cheer and chant like crazy as the football teams take th field for the second half!
"Let's go, team!" Elijah cheered
"Come on, Julian! Run!" Jess shouted
The team roars back with score after score!
"Woohoo! Touchdown, baby!" Tommy cheered
The clock hits all zeroes, and the red blows the whistle!
"I can't believe it! We won! Comeback of the century!" said Elijah
The fans storm the field, celebrating on the turf with the team! Julian high-fives Jess and Elijah!
"You did it, Julian!" said Jess
"WE did it. Your band made the team... made the whole school believe that we could achieve something great!" said Julian
"Well, of course! That's because, together, anything's possible!" said Elijah
"That crazy special effect you had at the halftime show? That totally blew everyone's minds! Marching band seems pretty fun. You know you've got me thinking... I might have some ideas for next week's formations." said Julian
"I'm all ears."
As players and fans hug each other in celebration on the field, the band spontaneously starts up a stirring rendition of the school alma mater... and the whole crowd sings along!
"We didn't do too shabby, Jess... Not too shabby at all." Elijah smiled at Jess