Hello all,
I know, you can put the mallets down, I KNOW it's been a long time since
I've put anything out...Gomen...
Well, this one isn't mine either! ;P
Ted Hsu wrote this...Any comments, criticisms, and other such go to
soleman1@bellsouth.net...
As far as myself, I AM working on Mythos 11...Tentatively titled 'And the
Forests Shall Echo with Laughter'...As well as The All-Americans 15...As
well as a new series (I know...Finish one first...;P) I call Bubblegum
Resurrection...
Well, on with Ted's piece...And for me, homework...'Tis hard to hold a
4.0...;P
***
Side Dish of The Anime Bar & Grille: Divas To Be Live!
Author's notes:
This takes place in an alternate fanfiction universe from the
original "Anime Bar & Grille" universe, where pairings aren't
always who you expect to be or how they came to be.
Thanks go to:
Joshua Trujillo for the "original 'Anime Bar & Grille.'" (You can
visit Joshua's site at
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/1509/abg.html)
Keichii Masaki and Joe "Chi-oh-ki" McKenzie for "Mugen Tenchi
Muyo!" (You can visit the "Mugen Tenchi Muyo!" episode index
at http://members.xoom.com/Mugen_TM/MTMindex.html)
Axel Terizaki for his Shinji-Asuka fanfics (showing a different
side to Asuka Langley Sohryu than we often see; you can visit
Axel's site at http://asuka.notebook.eu.org).
Ray Haney for "Hidden Talents 1 and 2". (You can visit Ray's site
at http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Garden/5220)
How did this come about? One late-worked shift (it didn't end
until 1 AM Saturday after starting at 12:30 PM Friday) and me on
the Internet later, reading the fanfics mentioned above and
listening to my "VH1 Divas Live" CD, things perked into my mind
as I fell to sleep. I could see, and hear the characters sing these
songs. When I woke up, I had to write this down. So I did.
The things you need to remember:
I borrowed some of the pairings from the "Mugen Tenchi Muyo!"
world, which is where this musicfic takes place. They are:
Makoto-Ifurita, Keiichi-Belldandy, Ranma-Akane, and Ryouga-
Ukyou. Tenchi is paired with Kiyone.
In Josh's "Anime Bar & Grille" Asuka suffered an "accident" that
hurt her. In mine there was no such thing (especially with child
labor laws) happening.
Note from Trujillo: Hey there all, just a note discussing
this piece. The accident Ted's referring to is in the story 'Duet',
which you can read on my site. As far as the child labor laws...No
se sabe...
I also borrowed the idea of Keiichi's playing drums on a little
"A!MG!" pic on Josh's "Anime Bar & Grille" site. This pic has
Belldandy playing keyboards, her sisters playing guitars and
Keiichi playing drums.
Hey there...Trujillo again. That pic I got off someone
else...;P
I borrowed Ryouga's ability (mentioned below) from Ray's
"Hidden Talents" series. And the others? Well, who said a cello
was the only instrument Shinji could play (even offscreen)? Not
me. And surely, with all his skills with "war machines," Makoto
would find a way to express himself musically.
In the "Mugen Tenchi Muyo!" universe (which has this particular
"Anime Bar & Grille"), this take place after Episode 13, "No Need
For Babies!" and before Episode 14, which began a whole new
chapter in the series.
I wondered what kind of thing might bring them together to
play...and a charity event seemed like the best thing. The type?
Raising money for an orphanage. Shinji, Asuka, and Ryouga
would relate to that.
I'll probably get hit with prog knives, chi blasts, goddess and war
machine whammies of many kinds with this fic, but I tried to get
something that combined two of my favorite things: fanfiction and
great music.
Hopefully, I've done something that you like. (It might be full of
warm and fuzzy feelings and romance, but then again, this is my
story and I'm sticking with it.)
********************************
Sole Brother Productions
In association with
The Anime Bar & Grille
Present:
Side Dish of The Anime Bar & Grille: Divas To Be Live!
********************************
Asuka Langley Sohryu felt nervous as she held her cello.
This was the first time she'd performed live.
It was easier, she admitted, to fight Angels than to sing in front of
an audience.
It still made Asuka nervous, knowing Rei had also put a lot of
effort into previous concerts on the "Anime Bar and Grille" stage.
Asuka and the other girls featured tonight had rehearsed before,
but this was the first time for real. Asuka wanted to give it her all,
and make Wonder Girl know she could sing from the heart as well.
It was for a good cause, though. A local orphanage had been
damaged by an Angel-EVA battle, and it by was sheer luck that
Ryouga Hibiki had been there to help orphans who'd been trapped
and hurt. He'd used his cell phone and pager to call them together
to the Anime Bar and Grille. (Incidentally, they'd all gotten them,
so they could better catch fanfiction auditions or each other.) He'd
been the most vocal among them, arguing that they, who had so
much, should help the orphans, who had so little before and less
now, since they could. Having been practically an orphan himself,
he could relate to them.
Shinji and Asuka, both having also at times been orphans, had
agreed with Ryouga.
When asked how they could, Shinji then asked if the guys still had
"the touch." One by one, each of the guys found they still had it. It
was a while since they'd played together, but they had agreed to.
All they'd needed were the front women for this benefit concert.
It would be a mixed bag, tonight. Her, Urd, Akane Tendo, Ukyou
Kuonji, and Ifurita were lead singers. Nanami Jinnai, Kasumi
Tendo, and Skuld would be backing them up. Not to mention the
band they'd gotten on short notice. Most of the guys who'd played
had been among the best men Tenchi Masaki had had when he'd
married Kiyone Makibi. When Tenchi left "the circle" to have his
family with Kiyone, there was a void in the group. One Ryouga
had filled with Shinji. "He reminded me of myself," he had said
when the others asked why he took the young pilot from Tokyo-3
under his wing. To his credit, Shinji thought good of his "sempai,"
who helped him when times had been rough. [And oh, were they
ever rough,] thought Shinji.
The girls were amazed at how well the guys had been able to get
together, put aside their differences, and make great music. The
other two guys in the band had been choices Asuka had to admit
she wouldn't mind having by her, for musical purposes, anyway.
One she knew for sure. The other was a...pleasant surprise to say
the least.
Keiichi Masaki on drums and Kensuke Aida on percussion.
(Belldandy said Keichii had been great. Kensuke, though one of
the "Three Stooges," showed musical aptitude with many different
percussion instruments, including bongos. He'd even gone so far
as to build, with the right parts, a drum machine for Keiichi.
"What, did you think I just liked guns and military stuff all the
time? Even I like music," he said, when asked about his musical
skills, after he wangled a tryout amid skepticism.)
Shinji on cello and lead guitar. (Asuka knew there were no doubts
about his cello ability. She just didn't know when he'd learned to
play the guitar as well. His only response was "When the bow is
broken...what else can you do? I can't fight Angels and pilot EVAs
all the time, now can I?" He laughed then, saying, "The only other
thing I feel my best at is in music. If we can't pilot, we could at
least try to perform. At least now that the series and movies are
over." Asuka mulled this over, and giggled mentally at the thought
of her on stage. [Asuka Langley Sohryu, EVA pilot and idol singer!
Then again, that does have a nice ring to it...])
Ranma Saotome on bass guitar. ([Akane must have gotten him to
do 'martial-arts jamming',] Asuka mused. [Then again, the whole
"Ranma 1/2" deal is over, too. So he has the time now.])
Ryouga on keyboards. (Ukyou insisted the girls listen to him play.
Once they heard him, they all praised him, knowing he could play
rings around anybody on a keyboard. Their special guest could
also do keys as well.)
Makoto Mizuhara on the "music machine." (What the El-Hazard
'whiz kid' whipped up with the help of Dr. Shutlebaugh
was..bizarre to say the least. Still, when Nanami let them hear the
boy play, Makoto made it sound like everything between a brass
section to woodwinds to who knew what. If the song called for it,
it became just about anything they wanted. And Makoto didn't
look like he was fazed by the changes. Neither were Ifurita or
Nanami for that matter.)
It didn't help that Ukyou was the only other one besides Asuka who
could also play an instrument. All that time of using her combat
spatula got her used to an electric guitar's weight and feel. Ifurita's
experience using the Time-Key staff gave her a perfect balance as
she tested the mike stands with several moves. The one-time
Demon God had a bit of performer in her, too, it seemed.
The months before the concert, each of the main singers chose
their songs. Oddly enough, they'd all chosen "gaijin" music, each
artist chosen because that artist had best reflected their spirit.
Asuka had chosen a spirited one. Akane, a fiery dance diva. A
country singer who exuded self-confidence was chosen by the
onetime "cute fiancee" of Ranma Saotome. (It was rumored she
now liked the keyboard player a lot more.) Ifurita chose one who
was always romantic, sometimes haunting. Urd, because of her
longer lifespan and experience as a goddess, chose a Queen to
emulate.
The main rules, set by the guys, which all adhered to, were "Check
your egos at the door and let your soul be in the music." She and
Urd seemed to click. Likewise, the other three seemed to bond
musically as well. There were no doubts the guys could click
musically. When Tenchi had left to raise a family with Kiyone,
Ryouga let the guys hear Shinji play. After playing his cello,
Shinji then pulled out a guitar and showed he could do more than
classical music. They might have come from different anime
worlds, but when it came to music, they were all on common
ground.
Then the flashbacks ended, and her music began as Shinji began to
play.
The strings of two cellos, Asuka's and Shinji's, played their chords,
echoed by the soulful notes from Ranma's bass. After the cello part
was over, Shinji made the transition to guitar and Asuka to lead
vocals. Ranma and Keiichi took the bridge with a slow tempo as
the song called for. Asuka launched into the first part of "My All."
"I'm thinking of you, in my sleepless solitude tonight,
if it's wrong to love you, then my heart just won't let me be right.
Cause I'm drowned in you, and I won't go through without you by
my side..."
Little did she know that would be the theme for the night.
"I'd give my all, to have just one more night with you,
I'd risk my life, to feel your body next to mine, 'cause I can't go on
living in the memory of our souls I'd give my all for your love
tonight..."
As Asuka sang the chorus, she looked back at the lead guitarist.
He might be a baka at times, but he was her "baka-Shinji." They
had faced danger against Angels together, and now they faced a
music-hungry crowd (who Kaji and Misato joked were more rabid
than Angels). As pilots, as teenagers, and now as performers, she
knew deep down she could love no other, because he loved her
first. The "Iron Maiden" had finally let the "Golden Boy of
NERV" touch her heart, and she his.
Thump-thump-thump-thump, thump-thump-thump-thump.
Keichii's drum machine worked as the second part of the song
began. (It was amazing, considering it was a Kensuke Aida
original.) The song went quick with the fast pace, ending with a
crescendo and a bang.
They applauded her, the song had gone without a hitch. Then
came a song that hit close to home, "Make It Happen," which,
when altered in some places, could have told the Asuka Langley
Sohryu story in a nutshell. Singing it had been a hard choice, but
she'd realized it was cathartic once she sang it the first time. Shinji,
oddly enough, gave her the courage to face the past. He'd said, "It
took me a long time to deal with my life instead of running from it.
If I can do it, so can you."
She loved the applause that had brought her. [Maybe this "diva"
thing isn't bad,] she thought as she left the stage. Then, the next
"diva to be" had her music start.
Kensuke began to beat his bongoes, and Keiichi his drums as
"Turn The Beat Around" began. In came Akane, her fiery martial-
arts spirit in her step and dance. As she belted out the song, one
wondered if she was from Japan...or a place called Miami.
(Ryouga said, as the resident world musician, Akane's choice of
music reminded him of Latin or Spanish music from around there.
Nobody questioned him.)
After accepting a round of applause, Akane sang a song that gave
her the same jitters "Little Date" gave her years earlier. It was a
love song, one she sang to Ranma after she admitted she loved him
and he her, "Heaven's What I Feel." This she sang, occasionally
turning to Ranma as she did. Ranma smiled, knowing that this was
true for them both.
"I was not supposed to fall in love with you,
I had someone else, someone else is loving you,
I was not supposed to let this love get through,
so let me say for real, heaven's what I feel when I'm with you..."
It had taken a long time for the proud teens to admit they loved
each other, but once they did, loving each other was a snap.
Akane's performance gave her a round of applause mixed with
whistles.
Finally, she did a medley of hits from Miami Sound Machine in
their heyday. This got the nostalgic people on their feet, letting her
exit with an avalanche of thunder.
"Let's go, girls!" Ukyou was next on the stage, playing an electric
guitar to a country beat. "Come on!" This song always let her
relax. "Man! I Feel Like A Woman!" Akane and Asuka would
think Ukyou laid the twang in her voice a little thickly later, but for
now, the song said it all. Shinji and Ranma let their guitars join
Ukyou's as it became a three-axe jam song.
One round of applause later, she heard Ryouga give her the slow
piano intro to her next song, "You're Still The One." Ukyou put all
the emotion she could into the song, turning to the lost but very
musical boy as he played.
"Looks like we made it, look how far we've come now, baby, we
mighta took the long way but we knew we'd get there someday.
They said "I bet they'll never make it."
But just look at us holding on, we're still together, still going
strong...oh...
You're still the one that I run who, the one that I belong to,
you're still the one I want for life,
you're still the one that I love, the only one I dream of,
you're still the one I kiss goodnight..."
The song was vibrant and romantic. [Just like Ukyou,] thought
Ryouga as he played on, smiling as she sang.
"So glad we made it, look how far we've come out, baby..."
The times from when he'd first played the baby grand for her at the
party and when she'd had him perform on Friday nights, to when
he'd recorded a live album in Ucchan's and now, showed. She'd
had a lot of affection for the boy and a lot of love for him too. It
showed in her song. This led to an extended ovation.
Urd took the stage, and on cue, said, "Shinji, Ranma, gimme a
riff!" The boys played their notes. "This is a classic sung by
musical royalty...the Queen..of Soul! But tonight, my latest
girlfriend and I are going to make it a song to remember. Play it
again, guys!" They did, and Urd said, now with brass and sass in
her voice. "It sounds like one of the Queen's hits, but it ain't the
one you're thinking. You ready to start the party?" Urd then
launched into "Chain Of Fools," then after the first verse, Asuka
joined her on stage. Makoto's music machine sounded like the
brass section of Heaven as they sang, Ryouga and Ranma
channelling their chi into the music as their spirits, with the power
of rhythm and blues, gave the others vitality for this. Urd was
feeling the spirit of the Queen in her as she put a good bit of brass
into her performance. Asuka also let her fire and talent show.
They synched perfectly. Neither of them needed any synch test to
know that.
The duet gave an ovation that was large enough for two.
Ifurita took the stage with "River Deep, Mountain High." This
showed she could rock with them. Once she'd loosened up, after
receiving the ovation from the audience, Ifurita then went to her
mike. "And now, I'd like to introduce a guest. Someone who
inspired me to trade in my staff for a microphone tonight. Ladies
and gentlemen... Belldandy Morisato!"
"Thank you, Ifurita," the goddess said as she hugged the Demon
God. They then turned to sing "The Reason," facing Makoto and
Keiichi.
"You are the reason, you are the reason I wake up every day, and
sleep through the night, you are the reason..."
Indeed, the two guys had been the girls' reasons for loving, and
loving them. One had said "I do" to him, and the other knew she
would say it to her own music man.
"You are the reason, baby you are the reason I wake up every day,
and sleep through the night, you are the reason...
"You are the reason, you are the only reason, you are the reason I
wake up every day, and sleep through the night, you are the
reason...""
This seemed to be a night of personal hits, at least one song
touching home for the girls who sang them. With a thunderous
round of applause, Ifurita hugged Belldandy as she felt the love in
the room, as well as the emotions from the man whose love helped
make her human.
With Makoto's music machine sounding like a wind section now,
Ifurita launched into a familiar song.
"Every night in my dreams, I see you, I see you, I feel you, that is
how I know you go on, far across the distance, and spaces between
us, you have come to show you go on..."
The sound she put into it had a sadness that was romantic as well,
making it emotion with hidden passion. She couldn't help but steal
looks at Makoto, as well. The boy caught her fancy big time, and
she his. Just like Rei had her "doll's heart" replaced with a human
one through Shinji (and Asuka's "hard heart," as well, with a
"loving" one), so too had Ifurita's heart been done likewise with
Makoto. Sure, they had had rocky times, and there were times she
didn't know either of them could go on without each other.
"Near, far, where ever you are, I believe that the heart does go on,
once more you open the door, and you're here in my heart and my
heart will go on and on..."
Now, she knew she could go on. [I have Makoto-kun, he has me,
and that's all we need.]
"You're here, there's nothing I fear, and I know that my heart will
go on, we'll stay forever this way, you are safe in my heart and my
heart will go on and on..."
Belldandy came out, as well as Akane and Ukyou. Ifurita joined
the three at a piano. Belldandy sat down and said, "The ultimate
piano bar. Right here. Are you ready?" to the audience. "So are
we."
Belldandy then started to play "You've Got A Friend." The guys
took a rest as the four ladies around the piano started their number.
Belldandy began when she sang,
"When you're down, and troubled, and you need some lovin' care,
and nothing, nothing is going right, oh baby."
Ifurita joined in with,
"Close your eyes and think of me, and soon I will be there,
to brighten up even your darkest night."
Then all four sang,
"You just call on my name, and you know where ever I am,
I'll come runnin'..."
Belldandy chimed in with, "Oh yes you wil and I will.." before they
all sang,
"...to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you got to do is call..."
Ifurita went on a high note and sang, "And I'll be there, yes I will,"
Belldandy ended the first part with, "You're got a friend." Taking a
beat, she said, "So good," before she played on.
Ukyou sang, with a little twang,
"If the sky above you, should turn dark and full of clouds, and that
old north wind should begin to blow..."
Akane added, "Keep your head together," and hit a high note as she
sung with emotion
"...call my name out loud.
And soon I'll be knocking upon your door..."
They all sang again, with Belldandy echoing parts of the song at
times.
"You just call on my name (on my name), and you know where
ever I am (where ever I am), I'll come runnin' (runnin', runnin') to
see you again (to see you again). Winter, spring, summer or fall, all
you got to do is call..."
It was Ukyou's turn as she sang, "And I'll be there, yes I will."
Belldandy said, "Hey now," before singing,
"Now ain't it good to know that you've got a friend, when people
can be so cold?"
Akane added, "They'll hurt you, they'll desert you..."
They all sang, "They'll take your soul if you let them..."
Ukyou's cue came, and she sang, "Oh, now, but don't you let
them..."
They all sang the chorus again.
"You just call on my name, and you know where ever I am,
I'll come runnin' to see you again. Winter, spring, summer or fall,
all you got to do is call..."
Ifurita for the last time went, "And I'll be there...yes I will..."
Belldandy sang, "You've got a friend, (as the others echoed "you've
got a friend"), you've got a friend, (you've got a friend),
Akane's turn. "Ain't it good to know you got a friend, (you've got a
friend),"
Ukyou added "You've got a friend, (you've got a friend)..."
They all ended with them singing as one, "You've got a friend..."
Then Asuka and Urd came back for the finale. The guys played
the intro to "A Natural Woman" as Urd felt her brassiness return.
She felt she could sing the song the way that befit the Queen.
Urd began by singing, "Would you forgive me, if I didn't sing this
song tonight?" After a beat, she sang, "I don't think so..." before
going into "A Natural Woman."
"Looking out on the morning rain, (a-ooh), I used to feel so
inspired, (a-ooh-ohh) but when I knew I had to face another day (a-
ooh), Lord, it made me feel so tired..."
Ifurita took her cue.
"Before the day I met you, life was so unkind, so the key to my
piece of mind..."
They all turned to the guys as the girls all sang, with Urd doing the
"selective echo" bit Belldandy used in the previous song.
"...Is you make me feel (you make me feel), you make me feel (you
make me feel), you make me feel like a natural woman..."
Ukyou picked up her cue, and sang.
"Now when my soul was in the lost and found, you came along to
claim it..."
Akane let her voice show with emotion again.
"I didn't know just what was wrong with me, but your kiss helped
me name it..."
Asuka's turn came, and she sang, keeping the feelings of Shinji in
her heart.
"I'm no longer doubtful of what I'm living for and if I make you
happy I don't need to do more..."
Turning to the guys, again, they sang familiar words that said it all.
"'Cause you make me feel, you make me feel, you make me feel,
you make me feel, like a natural woman..."
This made the guys smile.
Urd sang, now feeling the Queen all through her.
"Ah...what you've done to me, you've made me feel so good
inside..."
Ifurita sang, remembering when Makoto showed her love and she
got to show some back to him.
"Oh, yeah, I wanna be close to you because you make me feel so
alive."
All of them sang as one.
"You make me feel, you make me feel, you make me feel like a
natural woman, You make me feel, you make me feel, you make
me feel like a natural woman...you make me feel, you make me
feel..."
They all began to ad-lib just then before Urd closed by singing,
"You make me feel, you make me feel, you make me feel
like...a...nat...ur...al...wo-man...!"
All of them ended with a final "Ah-ooh...ah, ah,
aaaaaaaaaahhh....." as the guys finished with more riffs.
The thundering claps of the audience rained down lots of praise to
the singers.
[Those orphans are gonna love what we did tonight.] Ryouga
thought with a smile.
One REAL big check to the orphanage a week later would show
how right he was.
**************************
Songs with their lyrics quoted in this fic:
"My All" (M.Carey-W.Afanasieff)
"Heaven's What I Feel" (K.Santander)
"Man! I Feel Like A Woman!" and "You're Still The One" (both
S.Twain-R.J Lange)
"The Reason" (C.King-M.Hudson-G.Wells)
"My Heart Will Go On" (W.Jennings-J.Horner)
"You've Got a Friend" (C.King)
"A Natural Woman" (C.King-G.Goffin-J.Wexler)
Copyright 1999 Sole Brother Productions, in association with The
Anime Bar & Grille
***
Joshua "Gargoyle" Trujillo
"Stone Cold Protector of the Righteous"
"Owner of The Anime Bar and Grille - Ribs served for HER pleasure..."
Come on down!
Visit The Anime Bar and Grille!
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/1509
We Bake Our Stories Fresh Daily!