Princes of Rock
by Suke

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Well, it's the concert at last. A bit short because I so need to go to sleep now. Includes short cameos by our favourite Fudomine boys ^_^

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Chapter 9: Merry Christmas

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"Ho, ho, ho, merry Christmas."

It was a fat man in a red suit. Despite his outlandish dress, behind the fluffy white beard, he was obviously Japanese. On closer inspection, it became quite obvious that the man in the suit wasn't really fat either. In fact, he was skinny and tall and his hair was a glossy black.

"You know, I don't really see what's so merry about it. And why does it have to be me dressed up like this? This sucks. I'm nothing like this Santa guy. Do they think I am? Is that way they made me dress this way? That sucks," the supposed Santa continued to mutter under his breath.

Tezuka stared mutely for a moment at the character standing at the café entrance, obviously set there to draw more customers during the festive season. Suddenly he wasn't feeling all that hungry anymore.

"Hey! What's with that look? We've got to make a living, okay?" A redheaded elf beside the Santa snarled at Tezuka's retreating back.

"And Shinji, you have to be far more jolly than that," the boy in green cap and suit and pointed shoes directed Santa. "You're going to scare the children. And you don't have to be embarrassed about it or anything."

This last bit referred to the faint blush dusting Santa's cheekbones all of a sudden. Santa's eyes were focused somewhere else and when the elf turned to look, he found himself turning similarly rosy cheeked.

The reindeer came out of the café with the most serious look on his face, frowning slightly as he adjusted his antlers. He brushed off his furry brown suit, tugged at the red ribbon and bell around his neck and looked quizzically at the two other boys staring at him.

"Let's work hard today," the reindeer said in a low voice, brown eyes meeting theirs gravely. "I know it's difficult but we must do this for our dreams by ourselves. The café owner will only let us perform our music in his shop if we also advertise for him like this."

"Buchou," the elf whispered, unable to make a more intelligent comment.

More voluble, however, was jolly old St. Nick who was busy talking to himself again: "Aa, that's unexpected. Tachibana looks so cute. And he's still so serious too but that makes him even cuter."

"Gambatte!" The reindeer encouraged them. "We'll show the world that we're not just an average boyband."

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"Ne, Tezuka, have you had your dinner?" The tensai classical musician asked when they met.

"Hn," Tezuka said flatly. He didn't want to talk about it.

Tezuka didn't like rock concerts. In general, he didn't like rock music. Most of it felt overly manufactured and although there were the minimal number of music geniuses, too often, technique was sacrificed for novelty. He wouldn't have gone if not for the combined control Fuji and Oishi over him.

There were few things he could mention about the concert that Christmas night.

Firstly, it was very loud. Mostly, it was the fans who had come for the concert as well as those who had come to just stand outside the concert hall before, during and after the concert. In classical music, it would have been considered rude to make any noise during a performance. People needed to experience the music. Apparently, this was different.

Secondly, talent, or any real skill for that matter, was at a premium. While it was true that melody was essential and stage presence, the honesty of the lyrics and visual effects all lent to the experience, Tezuka was of the opinion that singing or playing off-pitch was completely unforgivable.

Fuji's younger brother was classically trained so he had an amount of technical superiority to the rest. The two other guys that Tezuka didn't know were okay, both showing formidable charisma.

And of course, there was the rock star Oishi. Oishi was, well, different. He was certainly dressed differently enough that Tezuka might not have recognized him on the streets. And although Oishi was still nice and polite, when he sang, he was like a completely different person. His voice was emotive and powerful, his songs were earnest and personal but mostly, it was the overwhelming stage presence he exuded.

Oishi's music was real without being cynical, touching without being cheesy, and ambitious while managing to remain accessible. Not once did he slip across that hallowed line that separated the emotional from the excessive but he came closer to it than anyone else would have dared. If possible, it could be said that he might have exactly hit the line.

The third opinion that Tezuka had of the concert was that had it been his own concert, he wouldn't even allow himself the last grace of honourable suicide.

The rock stars tripped over one another, completely unsynchronised in their movements and singing. The background dancers seemed hardly aware of the concept of rhythm and came out at wrong times in wrong costumes. And the snow machine, at one point, shot chunks of ice into the audience. Tezuka wasn't sure if anyone was hit. It was also undeniable that all four singers were mortal enemies.

However, it seemed that Tezuka's sentiments were not shared by anyone, if the continuously ecstatically screaming fans were anything to go by. No one seemed to notice or care that the concert was either badly planned or the plans were badly followed.

Even Fuji smiled throughout the performance, although Tezuka wasn't sure how much of an indication that was. Kikumaru, Fuji's redheaded friend who had come with them, was excessively happy as well, growing stars in his eyes whenever Oishi came onto stage. Tezuka wasn't sure how to deal with someone so infatuated with his best friend.

Despite everything though, Tezuka was glad that he had gone to the concert. It was, in a way, a new experience and, strangely with the smiling blue- eyed boy beside him, quite merry enough for Christmas.

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The Concert at Last! (Dec 25, 2003, Thursday -- By Great Reporter Inui)

It was amazing. It was wonderful. It was an absolute, entire success! Not a moment was out of time, and not a minute lacked that overwhelming sense of singularity, never to be repeated again in history.

The stage began in silence and darkness, the darkness seeping away slowly to leave four silhouettes. Our four rock stars, togged in black from head to toe, sang a set together. This was followed by individual sets by each singer consisting of a range of their top hits, and three costume changes and terrific sets.

Highlights included the grand finale which returned the four singers to their original black clothes singing an acoustic version of Atobe Keigo's sad ballad, 'Rondo to Destruction'. The song shifted into faster saucy tempo where the rock stars stripped off their black clothes to reveal white ensembles beneath, closing the show with a rousing medley of popular Christmas songs.

The concert was the stage both Oishi and Yuuta had chosen for the premiere of a new song each to the wild approval of their fans. The stars, in particular Wakato and Atobe, also took the opportunity to showcase talents beyond singing in a plot intertwined throughout the concert where they teased each other, got into mock arguments and even acted out a few fight scenes. So good was their acting that although it has only been a few hours after the concert, rumours are already flying about Atobe and Wakato receiving offers for starring roles in movies.

In short, it was amazing. It was wonderful. It was an absolute, entire success!

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Review kudasai!! Gomen, I'm all out of puns and stuff. No, (don't rejoice yet) it's not the end. Give Suke-san a day or two of rest. I know there's lots still left hanging and I'll try fix it in the epilogue ^_^ Expect some golden pair, some Tezu-Fuji and stuff.

To all past reviewers, arigato gozaimasu! Ooh yes, I haven't yet made a fuss of this: One Hundred Reviews!!! I'm totally blown away. I'm so touched!!! Listen. Do you hear that distant squeal? That's me.

Bhex! Cheeseburger of Doom! Regatto-san! Kusanagiluv! Burnein! Squidgykid! Ju! Thank you so much!

Regatto: Hee, how I love you. Thank you so much for your picture of Kaidoh as Ikebana club president! It made me giggle madly.

burnein: Gomen if Oishi seemed OOC. I just have an obsession with Oishi snapping from the time in the anime where he pushed Eiji onto the ground for being insensitive towards Momo ^_^

Squidgykid: Thank you for reading again! And prefer cherry ponta. Red is so my colour heh.