2. Infamy and Fame
This was a request from Zouboss. Thanks for reviewing! Enjoy!
The strumming strings seemed to be the only way to make her heart beat with anticipation. The beat of just one simple instrument changes her. Her foot taps on the cement floor and her head nods to the angelic tune that she, one simple girl, can produce. Her father always said she had a gift. A talent that no one he ever met has possessed. Her slender fingers danced along her pride and joy, telling a story. A story about her and her life. A story that only she can tell, as the angelic waves of sound echo against the stone walls, isolating her and her sound, so only she can hear, and perhaps her father upstairs. This was her place, her place where she lived to be. A smile tugged at her pale lips as she started murmuring the words of the song of which she was playing.
Every day's the same, she fights to find her way
She hurts, she breaks, she hides and tries to pray
She wonders why…
She abruptly stopped and sighed. "Why things just aren't going my way," she said. She gently placed her guitar beside her against the couch and stood up. Running her hands through her hair she grabbed her case and placed her heart and soul inside before closing it up tight. "One day…One day you will see a real stage, a real audience besides my 1 friend, who should be here soon…" she trailed off looking at the wall clock on her basement wall.
"Annie! Would you come upstairs!? You have a visitor!" her father shouted. Annie picked herself up and placed her case on its shelf and made her way up the stairs. For months, Annie has tried to pursue the one thing she loves doing. She searched through heaven and Earth trying to find an opening of a band. A place for her to belong. A place where people understand her and her passion for music. But alas, she has overcome obstacles and has returned empty handed. Why? Hell would she know.
She turned the corner and down the hall to the front door of her small house, hidden in a quiet part of town she lived. The sight that awaits her is her father, with his usual frown, and the sight of her friend. Raven black hair and grey eyes that always seem to be glaring, but instantly soften when she sees Annie. (A/N: I know in the anime and manga these two are not supposed to get along, but I LOVE the idea of their friendship, so sue me)
"Hey," she greets with her usual soft tone. Annie waves and starts to put her Vans on. "You were doing well down there," her friend said. Annie smiled a little.
"You heard?" she asked. She nodded.
"I was actually here about ten minutes ago, but I know how much you love to play so I didn't disturb you. Also, you tend to be territorial and mean when someone interrupts you," she explained. Annie smirked. She remembers when Mikasa had come over unannounced and startled Annie so much, Annie almost beat Mikasa with the damn guitar. Lesson learned, Mikasa learned to be patient. Annie grabbed her bag, which was always hung by the door, and shouldered it.
"Make sure to be back by at least 7, Mikasa are you staying for dinner?" Annie's father asked. Mikasa shook her head.
"Thank you, Mr. Leonheart, but my guardians are out tonight so I am in charge of cooking dinner, Eren seems to think that toast with peanut butter is a nutritious meal," Mikasa said. Annie stifled a laugh, reminding herself to laugh in Eren's face later. Annie's father nearly smiled and nodded.
"Alright then, you two have fun!" he said, heading back into the family room. Annie and Mikasa exchanged glances and opened the door, heading out to the black Honda Civic parked in front of the house. They placed their bags in the back seat and climbed into the front seats, with Mikasa in the driver's seat and Annie in shotgun. Mikasa started the ignition, revved the engine and backed up into the driveway before turning onto the road and heading out. The car was silent, the radio wasn't playing, only the sound of the wheels on the road was heard.
"So, this place we're going to," Annie started. Mikasa didn't glance at her, just kept her eyes on the road.
"It's this new club that just came out, not a strip club," Mikasa immediately added when Annie opened her mouth. "It is having a grand opening tonight and it's kinda like a teenage, non-alcoholic hangout. It's a snack bar, with virgin drinks and even a stage." Annie perked up and turned to her.
"A stage?" she asked. Mikasa nodded.
"They say they are having karaoke nights every Friday, but it's big enough to hold a band, which is why, a newly introduced band is the opening act," Mikasa explained. Annie nodded, looking out the window. She wished she had it that easy. To find people like her and start her own band. Sadly, she was the only one who actually played an instrument. Mikasa was more into sports and active things and Annie didn't know Eren and Armin that much to start anything this personal to her with them. She was out of luck, and she hated it.
"Hey," Mikasa said, surprisingly sympathetic. "You'll get up there, you just need to wait, your time will come," she said. Annie sighed.
"I've been waiting for almost 8 months, Mikasa. This is a small town and I bet there is so many opportunities out there, but this box is as far as I'm going. This isn't those movies where things magically work out when things go wrong and then everyone bursts into song about the magic of love and friendship and never giving up. My time won't come, because I'm starting to think I don't want it to," Annie explained. Mikasa actually looked at her this time.
"What are you saying?" she asked.
"I love the guitar as much as my own life, as much as a mother's first born child, but clearly this isn't what the Fates have decided for me." Mikasa pulled into a parking lot and found a spot right away. Turning into it and turning the car off she turns to the blonde, the sound of leather rippling as she does.
"So you're done? Just gonna give up and find something new?" she asked. Annie shrugged. Mikasa rolled her eyes. "That's not the Annie I know," she said unstrapping and opening the door, getting out. Annie followed suit and they both grabbed their bags from the backseat.
"The Annie you know must be different from the Annie there is," Annie said. Mikasa raised an eyebrow.
"We've known each other since elementary, I know you better than you know yourself," she said starting to walk away.
"Oh really? What's my middle name?"
"Jade." (A/N: Just made it up XD!)
"Favorite food?"
"You don't have a favorite, but if you had to choose, cheesecake."
"Dogs name?"
"You don't have a dog."
"But what if I did?"
"You'd name it Spot because you said it was cliché and that it wouldn't care, and neither would you."
"Favorite color?"
"Again you don't have a favorite. You think that colors are just colors and that it's childish for someone to argue over it." Annie was surprised.
"Damn, your good," she said. Mikasa smirked.
"I also know what your dream is. To become a guitarist and travel the world playing on brightly lit stages and to play till your hearts content. You want the thrill of your audience cheering you on as you play the power cord and the epic solos you hear in rock songs. That's what you want, who you want to be-no wait, that…is who you are," Mikasa explained grabbing her friends shoulders. Annie smiled faintly and they both entered the club.
The club was full of excitement and laughter. There was the sound of the band playing and drinks clashing and a lot of people. Mikasa and Annie found a seat and faced the stage. The band was in the middle of a song and to say they were awesome was an understatement. The band consisted of a female brunette on drums, a male blackette on bass and they think that the male blonde is the lead singer, but the brown haired guitarist is singing louder and always blocking the blonde. The whole band seemed to be irritated. Finally, the brunette drum player did a little cough and the guitarist whipped around, and stopped playing immediately.
"Stop! Everyone stop!" the band all stopped right in the middle of the second verse, making Mikasa and Annie raise their eyebrows. "Ymir! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" he asked the drummer. The drummer looked mildly confused.
"Excuse me?" she asked.
"You just ruined the whole song! You always ruin the song!" he accused. Ymir opened her mouth to speak, but the guitarist beat her to it. "All of you never try, you always think it's all about you! I am always doing all the work!" he said. This guy was making a real scene, catching the whole club's attention. The blonde man looked like he was on the verge of pouncing, but the bass player held up a hand.
"We apologize," he said. "We didn't know you felt that way," he said. Annie felt a hint of respect for the blackette. That's right, he has something to prove, she thought.
"Well I do! And I have had enough of this! I QUIT!" he shouted. He placed his guitar down and stormed out of the club, causing an even bigger scene. Annie looked back at the band and saw them completely stunned. She heard the blonde mutter something about an ass clown? Whatever that was, but it was enough to make the other two stifle a laugh.
"Keep playing!" someone shouted.
"Yeah, you don't need him!"
"Come on, get going!"
The band glanced around the room with concern clearly etched on their faces. Mikasa grabbed Annie's shoulder making her flinch.
"Get up there!" she whispered. Annie's eyes widened.
"What?" she asked. Mikasa nodded.
"This is your chance to prove that this small box can actually be the whole world in disguise. Show them what you got!" she said. Annie nodded and hopped on stage taking the guitar, before the band could even utter a word. She started the song from where they left off and tapped her foot to the beat, like she did in her basement. The whole club got silent and stared at her, and suddenly Annie didn't feel so confident, she slowed down. The whole crowd seemed to go on forever in her eyes, but when her eyes landed on Mikasa, Mikasa gave a thumbs up and Annie gulped and took a step forward to the microphone. And softly sang.
I love the way that your heart breaks…
She began, strumming the guitar lightly.
With every injustice and deadly fate
Praying it all be new
And living like it all depends on you
She sped up the guitar and sang a little louder and started to smile as she got into it and she began to sing the chorus.
Here you are, down on your knees again
Trying to find air to breathe again
And only surrender will help you now
I love you please see and believe again
As the second verse came, she heard the drums start and she looked back at Ymir who nodded as she started to play.
I love that you're never satisfied
With face value wisdom and happy lies
You take what they say, go back and cry
You're so close to me that you nearly died, whoa
At this point the bass joined in and Annie finally started ramming the guitar to the chorus again.
Here you are down on your knees again
Trying to find air to breathe again
And only surrender will help you know
I love you please see and believe again
The club started dancing and moving to the beat as the bridge was next.
They don't have to understand you, be still
Wait and know I understand you, be still
Be still!
As Annie belted out that part the crowd cheered and Mikasa was smiling like a lunatic making Annie smile more.
Here you are down on your knees again
Trying to find air to breathe again
And only surrender will help you now
The flood gates are breaking I'm pouring out
Here you are down on your knees
Trying to find air to breathe
Right where I want you to be again
I love you please see and believe again
Here you are down on your knees again
Trying to find air to breathe again
Right where I want you to be again
See and believe!
The crowd went wild as Annie held the last note and the music faded out. Annie started to breathe heavily and she placed the guitar down and saw that the band gathered around her, she instantly felt the rush of adrenaline fade.
"Sorry, I saw the opportunity and I took it I should-," she began but the bass player shook his head.
"No, no, you got it all wrong, you were amazing!" he praised. Annie's face flushed.
"Thanks…" she mumbled.
"Say, since our other guitarist quit, how would you like to be part of our band?" Ymir asked. Annie's eyes lit up, but before Annie could say anything, she was shoved to the side and Mikasa appeared.
"Hello, I am Mikasa Ackerman, Annie's manager," she said. Annie looked at her confused.
"What? But-," she started.
"Hush now, my client!" Mikasa said, covering her mouth. Annie was at a loss for words.
"Now, Annie here is a very skilled musician and needs to be treated as an equal, and be trusted with great passion, do you agree to these terms?" Mikasa asked. The band all quickly nodded and Mikasa smiled. "Annie I give you my permission to join this band of hooligans," she said. Annie just smiled and rolled her eyes.
"Thanks ma'am!" Annie said, playing along. Mikasa winked and the band smiled.
"Right, so Annie, welcome to the band! I'm Reiner, that's Bertoldt and Ymir," the lead singer said. Annie shook hands with all of them. When Annie shook hands with Bertoldt their hands lingered a bit longer.
"It's nice to meet you, Annie," Bertoldt said. Annie nodded.
"Likewise," she said. Mikasa was stifling her snicker and Ymir looked at her before doing the same.
"I don't think I can trust them being alone together," Mikasa whispered to Ymir.
"I agree," Ymir whispered back. Reiner rolled his eyes.
"Dear God, what have I gotten myself into?"
I don't know whether or not I will be making a second part to this. It depends how I go with it. Also, sorry for the late update, school has been hell and I honestly have also been gathering inspiration. Thanks for the patience and also, I am so glad to be hearing ideas from you guys! Thanks
-Lexi Heartfilia