Band Geeks - Prompt Swap (for clashofdemonesense)

[subliminalcircles]

I got clashofdemonesense's prompt: "Musical Mindcrackers! A Mindcracker/group of Mindcrackers have kept it a secret that they can play an instrument. Will they go on tour? Will they just quietly practice away from everyone? Doesn't even need to be an instrument if it's so chosen that they're a singer. (It can have shipping, but it certainly doesn't need any. Go wild with this one :P)"

I squealed when I got this prompt. Band nerd for life.
I didn't choose the marching band life... The marching band life chose me...
Trumpets 4 da winnnn

“Alright everybody!” BDubs tapped his foot in rhythm as he clutched his alto-saxophone. “A one… A two… A one, two, three, four!”

The gong echoed. The base drum shook. 1… 2… The mallets slowly alternated between G concerts and C concerts in a mysterious rhythm. Two measures in, the clarinets played. 3… 4… The low brass now joined the chorus. 5… 6... The flute topped off the chords with an eery blow. 7… 8… BDubs took a big breath for his pickup. The ominous sound of the saxophone topped it all off. The trumpets started playing their pickup, louder than all the other instruments. The band held out a G concert chord. The timpani rolled, and it got louder and louder as the fermata persisted. Good… Very good… All the sudden, the rhythm picked up. The trumpets jumped up a note, and the song changed from an unsettling trance to an adrenaline-pumping song, powered by the rushing snare drum, pounding bass drum, timpani, and gong. Everything was going well, but then a trumpet disturbed the song as it played an out-of-tune A-natural. Well's Glazes!

BDubs stopped playing and jumped up from his seat. He stood up in front of the u-shaped seating arrangement and started waving his arms. “Stop, stop, stop! STOP!!” The percussionists held their up their sticks, the clarinets squeaked as they looked up, a trumpet played a last low note similar to a whoopee-cushion before setting their horn down, and a trombone played a gliss before paying attention.

BDubs facepalmed for about a minute or two before looking back up at the band. “How… Many TIMES do I have to emphasize!” He pointed at the trumpets. “We’re in A flat concert, guys.” BDubs flourished his hands about. “A… FREAKING FLAT!”

Genny rolled his eyes. “Come on, BDubs… Give a brother a break. Besides,” he gestured over to his fellow trumpet. “That was totally Zisteau.”

Zisteau gave him an accusing glare. “Pfft, says the 2nd chair. Besides, you can barely tongue with your two teeth!"

Genny balled his fists at him. "These here teeth weren't lost to candy, you know."

“Ladies, ladies. LADIES!” The bickering between the two stopped. “It doesn’t matter who sucks more…” BDubs flourished the score (which read Castle Gate, 1924). “All that matters is that we’re in A freaked-up flat. So how ‘bout we check that key signature and try that again. Kay?”

BDubs returned to his seat next to Avidya (the only flute player.) BDubs started tapping his toe once again, as did the band. “A one... a two… a one, two, three-”

The count-off was interrupted by the sound of the bell above the door. A wild Pak burst into the open space, quickly shutting the doors behind him. BDubs rolled his eyes. Can’t I get anything done ‘round here? “Pak! You’re late.”

Pak approached the seating arrangement, a case in his hands. “Sorry guys. And gal,” he added nervously. “Some of the other MindCrackers were around, and it’s difficult getting here without being… seen.” He looked over his shoulder, as if expecting a pursuer to come through the doors right now. “We can’t afford to lose our secret practice room.”

Though very annoyed by how late Pak was, BDubs knew he was right. None of the other MindCrackers could know that they could play an instrument. “Band geek” wasn’t particularly a badge of honor among those guys.

Sarcastic laughter came from the back. “Um, erhermmmm!” Aureylian clutched the tuba in her seat, careful for it not to fall. “When has practicing in the Royal Chicken in the middle of spawn town EVER been secretive?” She gestured at the surroundings. Several of the booths and tables of the diner were moved aside to make room for the metal folding chairs. The clucking of chickens was prominent, but the repetitive noise has been long since shoved in the back of all the musician’s minds.

“Have any other suggestions?” BTC set his clarinet down. “Besides, the deterrent I set up will make sure that no one comes inside.”

Millbee wanted apart of this banter. “Huh, lemme guess. You’ve put wet floor signs on all the paths around spawn?”

“Nope! Even better.” He rubbed his hands maniacally.

“Hey guys, want me to getcha a drink, maybe some snacks?” BDubs asked caustically. “Or… Do you wanna fix that A-FLAT? Now go sit down, Pak…”

Pakratt nodded took his seat to the left of BTC and started assembling his clarinet.

“Now, anyone else wanna interrupt me?” Silence. “Good. Now, a one-”

Once again the door opened. BDubs gave out an exasperated sigh, but then his heart stopped. Beef walked through the door.

“Huh, we come for chicken and we find this?” Beef gestured at the band. “Is this gig night or something?”
Vechs poked his head through the door and held up a sign. “Ha! Your CLOSED sign doesn’t fool us! MYAHAHA!”
Everybody raised an eyebrow at BTC, who muttered some curses under his breath.

Doc and Pause followed Vechs through the door. BDubs kept his gaze steady. “How’d you find us out?”
Pause shrugged. “I d’know. You guys kept disappearing, we saw Pak being shady and he had a brief-case lookin’ thing…” Pak shrunk behind his music stand. “...We were just making sure you guys weren’t up to something suspicious.” He and the others smirked.

This what I was afraid of! The four started surveying the band. Vechs burst out in laughter when he saw Aureylian and her tuba. “OH MY GOSH! You’re tuba’s so,” Vechs stretched his arm as high as he could, “AND YOU’RE SO-” his arm shrunk to the floor.

She gave him a threatening glare. "And my tuba case is big enough to hide a body."

Ignoring that, he turned to Zisteau, who cut Vechs off before he could say a word. “This trumpet doubles as a blunderbuss, you know.”

Doc was on the other side of the seating arrangement, ‘marveling’ at Anderz and his trombone. “Hey Anderpz, do the thing where your horn slurs downwards!”

Anderz glared at him threateningly. “First of all, it's called a gliss, secondly, if you don’t quit it, trombone will have a double meaning!”

The band room was a ruckus. Some yelling at the ‘intruders’, and others whispering nervously on how their secret’s been blown. This was getting out of hand. “EVERYBODY SHUT UP!!” The room got silent.

After a long pause, Pause stepped forward. “So… You the man in charge? The one who goes on jwpepper? Pays the bills?”

“‘Course I am.” Some rebellious murmurs came from the band. “And I so declare that you have no business here.”

“Wa-wa-wa-wait!” Beef raised his hand. “We haven’t even got to hear you guys playing a song.” The four smiled mischievously again.

BDubs lost all ability to speak, his mind quickly referring back to that horrid A-natural. He shuddered at the thought of messing up in front of the people he and the band tried hiding their secret from.

The four waited for an answer, but none came. “Hm, you guys must have stage-fright,” Doc mocked. “I guess you guys aren’t ready yet.”

Beef chimed in. “Naw, these band geeks probably just got no skills. Let’s just go; these guys are no fun.”

BDubs awoke from his thoughts at those words. “No skill?” He turned to the band in a shrugging gesture. “NO SKILL?” He turned back to the intruders. “I bet you to blow air through a horn and make a sound that doesn’t sound like you guys gurglin’ up fruit-cake flavored mouthwash!” What he did next, he had no idea why. “In fact, why don’t we compose a concert for to see what a ‘band geek’ means to ya’ll.” The band behind him gasped.

Their grins only grew wider. “6:00 in the town hall, a week after today.” The other three nodded in agreement. “We’ll invite all the MindCrackers, and you provide the entertainment.”

“Sounds like a date,” BDubs said confidently.

They nodded, and they left as abruptly as they came in.

BDubs sighed in bitter relief as he turned back to the band. Everyone gave him a petrified gaze. It took him about a minute or two to feel the impact of the deal he had just made. He stood rooted to his spot and stared at the door. What have I done?
~ ~ ~
It was the next day, and BDubs called up an emergency rehearsal. By now, all the other MindCrackers knew of the band, and the MindCrackers would pass by him on the streets and proceed to smirk or exchange whispers to their buddies.

The band room was full of chatter when BDubs arrived with his saxophone and his music binder. “Blah blah blah blah blah blah…” He set his case down and cleared his throat. “Everybody, everybody! Attention! Attention!” The voices did not quiet down, though a crash from the back immediately settled everybody down.
BDubs gestured towards the percussion section. “Thank you Millbee.”

Millbee nodded and set down his pair of crash cymbals.

BDubs held up a clip-board. “Alright, first order of business. Lemme call role just to make sure we’ve got everyone. Clarinets: Pakratt, BTC, and Baj. Trumpets: Genny and Zisteau. Percussionists: Millbee, Nebris, JSano, Kurt, and Arkas. Tuba: Aurey. Euphonium: Pyro. Flute: Avidya. Trombones: Anderz and MC. Did I miss anyone?” He pivoted his head around the room to make sure everyone was here. “Not bad… Now! Second order of business. Section leaders, come up and get your section’s new music.”

“Wait, what?” Nebris piped in protest. “Why are we getting new music? Castle Gate sounded perfectly fine!”

BDubs rolled his eyes. Ignorant children. “Castle Gate was a Grade 2! A GRADE 2 PEOPLE!” Nebris shrunk behind his timpani slightly. “Aka, a monkey could learn how to peel a banana longer than a band could learn how play that piece perfectly. Now, any more questions, Mr. Shmarty-shmart mouth?” Silence. “Good. Besides, they’ll love this piece of music much more. We gotta BLOW their socks off with something glorious. We can’t afford another A-natural.” He glared accusingly at Genny.

Everybody scanned over the music that the section leaders handed out to them, and a smile slowly started to grow on all of their faces, for BDubs was right. This would blow their socks off.

BDubs got his saxophone out and took his place. The band didn’t warm up, for they were ready to sightread. “Play in a one… a two… a scooly-dooly-doo!”
~ ~ ~
Concert night. Nervous? Yes. Scared? Absolutely not. Over the course of the week, the band practiced and practiced until their lips were blue (or at least it felt like that.) The band was in their concert outfits: The men wore white dress shirts complete with black ties and cumberbuns, and Aureylian wore a long, black dress that went all the way to her feet. The band was assembled in the Royal Chicken for a quick concert rehearsal. The band just finished their song, and BDubs stood up for some final words.

“Well guys, we done good. It makes me proud to see you guys go from being, well, scrubs, to full fledged musicians. Now let’s show those guys what it means to be a band geek!” Everybody cheered as they got up and started filing out of the Royal Chicken, next stop, the town hall.

The clarinets were towards the back, and Pak decided to say a few words to his two fellow clarinets. “This has been fun, and I love you guys.” Pak then abruptly added, “But you’re all idiots.”

BTC and Baj exchanged smirks and then said simultaneously, “But we’re YOUR idiots!”

Thus, the philosophy of the first chair.
~ ~ ~
The town hall was packed. Extra chairs were put aside for the band, while several other chairs were set up for the other MindCrackers. They were all there. All of them. A rare few, such as Paul and Adlington, were there for the entertainment of some good-ol’ music. Others, such as Vechs, Pause, Beef, and Doc however, were there to watch them fail miserably.

The band filed in their seats proudly, ready to show everybody what it meant to be a band nerd. BDubs could overhear Vechs whispering over to Pause something about the band going to play “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Amateurs…

After everybody was all settled, Guude stood up to the podium and tapped the mic a few times to get everyone’s attention. “Greetings, everyone, and welcome to the First-Annual Band Festival!”

Wait, First-Annual? BDubs glared over at Vechs, who winked back.

Guude continued. “Let’s give a round of applause to the ‘BDubs is Awesome Concert Band!’” BDubs and the band stood up to receive applause and mocking laughter. “These guys will be performing the theme song to Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley!"

Guude stepped down from the podium, and everyone grew silent. All BDubs had to do was count off. “A one… A two… A one, two, three, four!”

The band began their song. Etho did some sick drum beats and launched it all off. Everyone’s blood was pumped by the excited trumpets, the prominent flute, and the powerful low brass. Everything was going perfectly. Not a single note was missed, everything in perfect harmony. The drums were blazing, and it felt as if everyone was launched back into the 80's!

They ended with the rushing snare drums that left everyone at the edges of their seats. Everybody applauded. No shame for band geeks was left. The audience obliged to a standing ovation. There was no sign of trolliness left on Vechs’, Pause’s, Beef’s, or Doc’s face left. They were all amazed. BDubs and the band stood up and bowed.

All the sudden, a black limo crashed through the roof and out came Kanye West. “Yo, big B, you got the musician skills of a thousand suns! How ‘bout you and me have a contract?” BDubs eagerly agreed. “You the real MVP, my man!” They both climbed into the limo and it launched off into the sky, a trail of rainbows coming from the exhaust pipe. The MindCrackers waved a hero’s farewell as they went off to change the world.
~ ~ ~
BDubs awoke with a start in his house, the sunlight streaming through his large windows. The town hall was gone, the band was gone, and the other MindCrackers were gone. He drowsily turned over and looked at the clock. 8:54 am. He dragged himself out of bed. Over at one side of the wall was his saxophone case. He picked it up and peered out of his window. The coast seemed clear. No one could know his and the others’ secret. He trudged his way over to the steps. Another day of rehearsal, another day of secrecy.