Legion Of Rockstars

“So, how did it go?” Amy asked as we stepped back into the fancy private elevator. She hit the down button and the elevator slid smoothly downward.

“Really good,” I answered, leaning back against the elevator wall. Amy rested both of her hands on the metal rail running all around the elevator, smiling over at me. “She told me what the Legion does, and who created it, that Ozzy Osbourne is the male director...And she said that she thinks I could be a director one day. But I suppose she says that to everyone.”

“No,” Amy said slowly, her smile fading a little bit. “She didn’t say that to me. I think she really sees potential in you, Asher.”

“How could she? I haven’t even started training yet,” I answered, my smile fading a little bit too. I hated trying to live up to people’s expectations, mainly because I usually tend to disappoint them. The only person I’ve seemed to fully satisfy with my life choices are my father, and honestly, his expectations are very, very low. I could’ve sold guinea pigs out of the back of my car, and he’d probably be pretty happy with my life choices.

“She’s been in this business a long time,” Amy replied, her smile brightening again. “She can tell talent the instance she sees it.”

“I hate when people expect something like that from me,” I groaned, pulling away from the elevator wall as it lurched to a stop and the doors hissed open. Amy and I stepped back out into the hallway, and I managed to get a double take in when Slash stepped into the elevator after us, still wearing his trademark top hat. “You know, when they expect me to do something well and better than everyone else. I always tend to disappoint them.”

“Oh, you’ll do just fine,” Amy assured me, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “I had my doubts, too, when I first became an agent. But I turned out just fine, and I know you will too. They wouldn’t have accepted you if you weren’t agent material. And if you ever question yourself, just go talk to Joan. She’s always available and willing to talk to any ailing agent, and she can always make you feel better.”

“Okay,” I said as we turned into the lounge. The MCR guys were gone now, but Avenged Sevenfold still hung out in the room, except now they all stood around the pool table watching Zacky kick Brian’s ass in pool. At least, it looked like that to me judging by the grin on Zacky’s face and the scowl on Brian’s. Ah, damn, Brian looked better without the scowl.

“Just relax for today,” Amy told me, slipping her hand off of my shoulder and walking towards a small bar in the corner of the lounge. I followed her, thinking maybe I needed a drink myself to help calm my nerves about training the next day. “Tomorrow your training starts, and you’ll need all the rest you can get. But, it’s only two months and if you do well—which I know you will, especially if Joan thinks you will—you’ll be officially accepted into the Legion as an agent and you’ll go on your first mission within the first two or three days.”

“What did you do for your first mission?” I asked curiously as Amy stepped behind the bar and grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniel’s off the shelf. She held up the bottle and looked questioningly around at me, and I nodded, so she grabbed two shot glasses as well and turned back towards the bar, putting everything down on the counter.

“Every first mission differs,” Amy said with a shrug. “It really depends on how well you do in training. For instance, I did average in training: I passed, but I wasn’t top of my class or anything. So my first mission was really simple: a guy went to a record company and bought a CD...by...some rock band, I can’t remember right now, but the CD turned out to be a Britney Spears CD. The poor guy put it in his car with the volume almost all the way up without realizing what it was, and nearly made his ears bleed as Britney Spears’s voice boomed out of his speakers. I was with Zacky and we just went and calmed the guy down, let him listen to some rock music to help him recover. That’s what those sneaky pop musicians do...They sneak things in where you aren’t expecting it. But I can’t tell what your first mission will be.”

She handed over one of the shot glasses. We both threw them back at the same time, and I winced as the alcohol burned the back of my throat. But the warmth soon sunk to my stomach, and I instantly felt my nerves loosen a little bit. That one shot would probably get me a little tipsy, but not very much at all. I could still think clearly; just my motor skills and grace would diminish slightly. Never have me sign an autograph after I’ve been drinking: it’ll just be a scribble on the paper that looks like something a five-year-old doodled on a piece of paper.

“I have a very low tolerance for alcohol, surprisingly enough,” I told Amy, leaning against the bar as she put Jack back up on his shelf and put the shot glasses into the sink. “Three shots of that would get me just plain hammered. One beer gets me almost drunk. I don’t know what it is.”

“That’s strange,” Amy said with a frown, stepping out from behind the bar and drifting towards the pool table to watch the guys. I followed after her, taking slow, steady steps to increase my chances of getting to my destination without tripping over my own feet, losing my balance, or just falling flat on my face for no reason.

“Damn, I was hoping maybe we’d be able to let you join in on our drinking games,” Jimmy told me with a grin. “But after four rounds, you’d be passed out.”

“Probably on me,” Amy added.

“I suppose drinking seven shots of anything would kill me,” I said, watching the white pool ball rocket towards one of the black pool balls. It hit it just right, sending the black ball right into the pocket. Zacky cheered for himself, slapping palms with Johnny before turning to Brian with a smirk. Brian scowled deeper, twirling his pool stick between his palms as he looked for a strategy to win the game.

“I know how to kill you now,” Jimmy replied.

“Yeah, thanks.”

“It’s handy to know.”

“Hey, are you really Steven Tyler’s daughter?” Matt cut into our conversation before I could respond to Jimmy.

“Yep,” I answered with a short nod. “I was born and bred to rock. Of course, one of my sisters became an actress, and another became a model, but I have to keep up with family tradition somehow.”

“One of your sisters is a model?” Johnny asked, looking around at the four of us. I nodded. “Think you can arrange a meeting?”

“Sure, but I doubt she’d agree,” I answered. “She’s really not into the whole rock thing, and you’re wrongly mistaken if you’re expecting a twig. She’s a plus-sized model, but she isn’t fat. She’s just got some meat on her bones. But I still don’t think she’d be interested.”

“Damn,” Johnny grumbled, looking back at the game.

“Asher, I think it’s getting a little late,” Amy said suddenly, glancing down at her watch. “If you want a good start in the morning, I’d suggest heading back to your room now to get ready for bed. Training starts pretty early.”

“Okay,” I replied. “Bye, guys.”

They all said good-bye, and I headed back towards my room. When I walked in, Pink was in there, sitting on her bed with an iPod in her hand. I didn’t want to disturb her, so I headed towards my side of the room.

“So, you’re Asher.”

I turned back towards her to see she’d plucked one of her headphones out of her ear. She stared at me out of critical, piercing eyes.

“Yeah,” I answered, straightening up from where I’d been hunting down my toothpaste and stuff in the chest at the foot of my bed.

“Don’t let this go to your head, but I like your music.”

“I love yours too.”

“You should also know that I think trainees barely deserve to live. It’s irrational, yes, and I was a trainee once too, but I was a good trainee and I’ve been a great agent. So, if you want my respect and acceptance, then you have to earn it. You have to prove that you belong here. Otherwise, I’m just going to be an ass to you and you’ll have to deal with it,” Pink said calmly.

“I’ll work hard, I promise.”

“Words mean nothing. Show it.”

“I will.”

“Good,” Pink replied curtly, sticking her headphone back into her ear. “Don’t prove yourself wrong.”

I nodded before bending back over my chest. I would earn her respect. I would show her I belong in this Legion.