Princes of Rock
by Suke

Hoi, yes, finally some Tezuka, all you rabid fans out there ^_^ but, uhm, not much. Gomen but I'm having problems juggling so many characters. This is really just an out of point sidetrack. And about the voting, well, TezuAto is in the lead but I write a few chapters in advance so if it looks like a TezuFuji here, it really isn't - really. The TezuAto will come in time to come. Hints, that is, they're all hints.

^^^^^^^^^^

Sidetrack 1: 'Kunichi-san!' or 'More Bad Puns'

"You were late," he said, voice cool and distantly unfriendly.

Standing in front of Tezuka Kunimitsu, having the man's steely brown gaze trained upon his suddenly rumpled-feeling self was more than he had ever wanted to experience in his life. Sengoku Kiyosumi tangled one hand behind his head in his shockingly orange hair as he offered the stern conductor one of his famously adorable sheepish grins.

"Gomen," the boy apologized and was unable to stop himself from performing a slight bow before his unwavering disciplinarian.

Tezuka had a way of making him feel incredibly like a schoolboy before his principal. It was ridiculous in a way because Tezuka and he were the same age, Tezuka only older by slightly more than a month. That said, this was sufficient to make Sengoku the youngest member of the orchestra.

When it was let out that Tezuka Kunimitsu was actually coming back to Tokyo and coming here, to the prestigious Tokyo Classical Music Institute to conduct for their orchestra for a few years, there was a mad rush among the ambitious of the institute's members to practice and audition. Absolutely everyone knew that to play under the wand of Tezuka Kunimitsu was akin to being Michael Schumacher's car tuner or modelling for Prada. If you made it into his orchestra, you could make it into any orchestra in the world.

Eventually, only one junior member had made it into the orchestra. Sengoku had been lucky that that junior member had been a cellist and was now in England having a kidney transplant. Although Sengoku had missed the auditions, when the previous cellist had been in a car accident, Sengoku had been the next best available cellist in institute at that moment, according to Sengoku's mentor who had been sent by the institute to assist Tezuka.

"Gomen but I was having some problems with my roommate," Sengoku grimaced as he tried to explain. The reason seemed lame even to himself.

"Aa," Tezuka said, his face still that unreadable mask. "I will not tolerate any breaking of the rules."

"I'm very sorry," Sengoku could only say, again with the uncontrollable bowing.

"You will play this section by yourself a hundred times every afternoon this week. You can rejoin the orchestra next week." Tezuka meted out his punishment.

"Fuji," Tezuka now spoke across the stage to a smiling blue eyed boy. "We will not be practising your part today. Watch Sengoku-san this afternoon. He will play the section through a hundred times without any errors. If he makes a mistake, he must still finish playing through the section but it will not be considered as one of the hundred times."

Tezuka then called the rest of the orchestra back into position from their break, not watching to see if the two boys followed his instructions.

^^^^^

"At least he's not unreasonable," Fuji said comfortingly to the orange- haired boy who had laid his bow aside, cello still between his knees and was massaging the red swollen tips of his fingers.

"Akutsu was really in trouble today. Even Taichi couldn't stop him. You know I wouldn't be late unless there was a good reason." Sengoku bemoaned his fate to his smiling companion. "If he was reasonable, he would have understood!"

His fingers were sure to blister soon and he had only managed seventy-six repetitions without errors so far and it was already long past the time that practice usually ended. The music prodigy watching him had been more than generous in his concessions for the interpretation of the word 'errors' too.

"Tezuka knows about Akutsu too," Fuji told him, still smiling mildly.

"Everyone knows about that idiot!" Sengoku fumed and it was true.

Everyone in the music institute knew about the wild antics of Sengoku's roommate. Akutsu Jin was quite inarguably a musical genius. He could probably pick up any instrument and become a maestro. The main problem was that he found music incredibly boring. It was all his roommates, Sengoku and, part-time institute student, Taichi Dan, could do to make him attend his courses semi-regularly.

"Reasonable? If that statue was reasonable--"

"If he was unreasonable, he would have thrown you out of the orchestra," Fuji cut him off softly.

"Hah," Sengoku said but didn't argue. There were rumours enough to validate Fuji's assessment. It was not unknown for Tezuka to dismiss members of the orchestra on the smallest of issues. Instead, the young cellist muttered, "I don't know how you've managed to work with him for so long."

After all, the world famous tensai musician had not only often alternately sung or played for Tezuka in the past few years, he had even followed the conductor back to Japan this time and joined the institute.

^^^^^

"Doumo!" A voice called out and a face appeared in the doorway.

A body followed the face, and then another body and lastly, a shy gaze from someone hidden behind the first two bodies. It was scruffy haired Kurobane Harukaze and his constant companion, the suave looking Amane Hikaru better known as Davide. A third person, a girl much younger and unknown to them, peered into the room from behind.

"Ha! I heard you were being punished in here," Kurobane laughed mercilessly at Sengoku.

The boy thus addressed was far from being put down however. Enlivened by the prospect of some diversion from his punishment, Sengoku grinned his infallible grin at his friends and fellow members of the institute. They hadn't made it into Tezuka's orchestra but the two were accomplished musicians, one on the flute and the other on the piccolo.

"What brings the both of you here?" Fuji asked, smiling amiably.

"This ojou-chan is looking for your conductor," Kurobane said, gently nudging the girl into Fuji and Sengoku's view. "Or at least we think she is."

"You think she is?" Sengoku repeated dubiously.

"Ano, I want to find Kunichi-san please," the girl said softly on Kurobane's prodding.

"Kunichi-san?"

"Hai," she nodded earnestly. "He's the great conductor. I'm Oishi Tae."

"Does his face look like stone, Oishi-san?" Sengoku asked, kneeling before her to be face-to-face with the girl and then pulling a stern face.

"Does he talk like he's reading the news on tv?" Kurobane joined in the questioning.

"Do his eyes look like this?" Sengoku further disfigured his face by pulling up the ends of his eyes to make them tilted.

The girl, however, only seemed to get more and more confused.

"Ma, Oishi-san," Fuji spoke, smiling at her sweetly. "Is his name Tezuka?"

"Hai!" She said, beaming at the only ni-chan who seemed to be making sense.

"I know where he is," the tensai told her. "Come with me. I'll show you. I'm sure he'll be very happy to see you, Oishi-san."

The girl beamed some more at Fuji and followed the smiling boy out of the room. The tensai stopped the others however when they made to come along as well.

"Sengoku-san, just six more times," Fuji motioned to the music sheets in front of the boy. "You two can stay here and make sure he does it properly."

Their faces fell but none of them disobeyed.

"Does Tezuka know you're coming?" The tensai could be heard asking as he walked down the hallway.

"No! But I'm going to surprise him! Kunichi-san loves surprises!"

And so did Fuji.

^^^^^

Kurobane, Davide and Sengoku left the institute some time later, Sengoku still grumbling about his sore fingers.

"And that Fuji," Kurobane said. "He went to have all the fun. I wish I could see Tezuka's face when the he sees the ojou-chan. Maybe that rock statue can move after all."

"Impossible, Bane-chan," Sengoku retorted chortling. "The rock would crack before it moves."

"Ah," Davide suddenly spoke up and his companions turned to look at him. "Maybe Tezuka-san isn't that suited for classical music after all."

"Nande, Davide-san?" Sengoku muttered. "What are you talking about now?"

"I think he is much better suited for *rock* music," and so saying, Davide broke into laughter.

"Davide-san! That's not funny at all," Bane said and promptly kicked his friend in the head.

-----------

Tezuka Kunimitsu: Immovable Rock (Dec 11, 2003, Thursday -- From the Inui files)

A powerfully talented conductor, Tezuka Kunimitsu plays his orchestra like a well-tuned instrument. Classical musicians the world over dream of playing under him because, although Tezuka is very strict about who he chooses, it is a well known fact that everyone who has been under his conducting has seen their skills improve dramatically.

His music is perfect. He will accept no less. As a conductor, he resides levels above all the conductors ever known to man, past, present and possibly future. His kind of ability is beyond human and comes probably once in forever.

As a man, it seems he is also perfect. Tezuka seems to exist beyond the pale, apart from the fallings of human beings. His life records, from his background to education to sports, are flawless. Described by the people who work with him as a cold and detached person, it is amazing how a man with seemingly no emotions can elicit such powerful ones through his music.

----------

Review please?

Okay, so this chapter is basically here because after ages of twisting my tongue around Tezu's name, i.e. 'Kunimitsu-gen', 'Kuni-gen', 'Mitsu-gen', 'Kun-gen', 'Mit-chan' (Like SD's Mitsui Hisashi ^_^), my addled and capricious mind came up with this: 'Kunichi-san', which is like big brother Kuni or something. After which, I proceeded to laugh my head off and decide that there's no way I could leave something so precious out of my fanfic. Of course, then I had to figure out who exactly would dare to call the reverend buchou something so disrespectful.

Also before anyone decides to hate poor little Oishi Tae for her familiarity with your dear Tezu, please note that she's a really, really little girl. Also, contrary to what is suggested, Tezuka hates surprises. ^_^

Next chapter: Love at First Sight -- Yes, they finally meet!! Should you be elated or apprehensive? Extra long chapter coming up!

Nya, votes are: TezuAtobe = 5, TezuFuji = 4, AtoJiroh = 1!!! Well, yes, TezuAtobe is in the lead ^_^

Arigato once again to everyone who reviewed. This uploading so often is very tiring and I can't wait for Christmas when it all ends. Icy Winds, Mew mew, Kit, Regatto, sailorstarsun, Cheeseburger of Doom, asyaloth, hikaruchi, Witty Phantom and Aishuu! Especially for all of you who review for every chapter even though they come out every two days!