Teardrops on my pointe shoes, guitar and mask

“We have the Gazette here!” Exclaimed Miyavi hyperly, as he swung his arm around Reita’s shoulder.
“Aoi-kun!” The camera looked at a blackhaired guy with a lipring.
“Aoi de su.” He made a weird pose.
“Uruha-kun.” Uruha, the blonde-brown haired guy was busy bullying a clown, who was smaller than him.
“Kai-kun!” The blackhaired drummer at least made a peace sigh before resuming to his previous activities.
“Reita-kun!”
“Un! Un!”
“And little Ruki!” Miyavi finished, as he leaned down to kiss Ruki on the cheek.
“Doh!” Ruki dodged him with a laugh.
“You…you surprised me.” Mumbled Miyavi. AS the laughter died down, a new sound came up. A guitar playing a slow, sad song.
“Maybe Tora-kun practicing?” Guessed Miyavi, as he guided them by the sound to the right dressing room. As they came closer, they heard a female’s voice singing.

“Noppe, that won’t be Tora-kun.” Said Uruha with a laugh.

Would you know my name,

If I saw you in heaven?

Would it be the same,

If I saw you in heaven?

The girl sang softly, as if singing a lullaby to a child.

“She’s good.” Mused Miyavi, as the others nodded.

“How about we take a look at her?” He suggested, but didn’t wait for an answer. He opened the door quietly, to see three girls, not one inside. There was a girl with a guitar, a girl looking in the mirror and a girl putting some bandages on her feet. Only the girl behind the mirror noticed them entering.

I must be strong and carry on
‘Cos I know I don’t belong

here in heaven

The girl singing was a blonde with sky blue eyes. Her hair was down to her shoulders and it was straight, making a halo around her face. She looked about 18 years old. She had a sorrowful look in her eyes and a sad look on her face. She fitted the song perfectly.

Would you hold my hand
If I saw you in heaven?

Would you help me stand

If I saw you in heaven?

The girl bandaging her feet was a brunette. Her hair was in a small ponytail and she had a headband in her hair, so her bangs wouldn’t fall into her face. She was singing softly with her friend, as she tended to her badly injured feet. After she finished her right foot, she started bandaging her bruised hands, too. She looked up slightly when she saw feet standing in the door. She smiled lightly, but sadly at everyone, but the gaze of her golden eyes stayed at Aoi.

I’ll find my way
Through night and day

‘Cos I know I just can’t stay

here in heaven

The last girl sitting near the mirror was a brunnette as well, but with maybe lighter and curlier hair. Her face was pale white and she had mascara smudges and tear lines on her face, as she was coloring her lips blood red. She was looking at them, not sad, non-angry. Her face was perfectly neutral and balanced, she looked like someone who was perfectly okay, if something would happen and she would die on the spot.

The guitar stopped playing and the girl hung her head and shook it, as if in disbelief. Miyavi did something any sensible person with feelings would do after hearing and seeing this. He clapped. The others followed his lead. The girl turned around, her acoustic guitar in her hand, as if she was going to hit them with it. Her face relaxed at first, but the she noticed the camera and her face grimaced.

“What, happy you can put it on youtube? Probably call it “Dominika’s last pathetic song before she crashes and burns.” She growled angrily, as she pushed past them, not leaving them time to explain. The girl bandaging herself sighed, as she put her black pointe shoes on.

“Don’t mind her. She’s nervous. Hell, we all are.” She said, as if talking to children. She stood up and walked to a desk and leaned on it. The guys stayed in the door, pretty much amused by the play of events.
”Well, if you don’t have anything better to do, you can always come in. We don’t bite. I hope.” She added with a laugh. The guys came in and sat in the free spaces on the couch and chairs.

“I’m Maggie. This is my best friend Petra,” She pointed on the girl with make-up.

“And the girl you’ve seen running past you was Dominika. Yoroshiku.” She bowed halfheartedly.

“Well, I’m Miyavi. Yoroshiku.” He imitated her bow and Maggie grinned.

“And these are my friends from the Gazette, you probably should know them. No need for me to-”

“Please don’t finish the sentence.”

“What?”

“Please don’t finish it. Petra goes crazy after that.” Maggie sighed.

“Wanna see?” She didn’t wait for them to decide if yes or no.

“Oh, you are from the GAZETTE, so there is NO NEED to introduce them to you!” She said pompiously.

“HOJ, MOR HO! Och, juj, ty pouličná vša, keď ukazuješ na psa, meno jeho povedz, bo viem, še peš to je, no jeho meno nevim, no nevim!”Petra screamed, as she stood up so passionately, her chair fell, and she looked at Miyavi with a fierce look. Everyone, except Maggie, looked shocked.

“Well, here’s a word-for-word translation.” She puffed her chest out, banged her right hand on it and looked heroic.

“Oh, plague on you! Oh, my, you street lay, when pointing on a dog, tell thy dog’s name, because I knoweth it is a dog, but thy dog’s name I knoweth not, knoweth not!” Her chest slowly fell, and she grinned at their shocked, but amused faces.

“She didn’t mean the “plague on you” or “you street lay”, she’s practicing for her acting role. Plus, she’s bonkers. So just introduce yourself, so we have it over with.” She smiled and winked at them, while they laughed.

“So, I’m Aoi.” Aoi stated.

“I’m Uruha!” Uruha smiled at both of them.

“Kai dee su.” Kai smiled, while Maggie laughed and pinched his cheeks, squealing “kawai”.

“Reita desu.” Reita said with an amused smile.

“And I’m Ruki.” Finished Ruki.

“So, wow. Capital W. Miyavi and the Gazette here?”

“And Alice Nine.” Said Petra quietly, as she examined her face.

“How did you know that?” Asked Maggie.

“I had a feeling they would be here. Plus, I’m a peeping Tom.” Everyone laughed, while Maggie slapped her back.

“So, why are you all so nervous? Guy problems?” Asked Miyavi with a cheeky giggle. Petra and Maggie looked at each other and started laughing.

“What?! Why are you laughing?” Yelled Miyavi, so they could hear him.

“Guy problems? In this school?! Hah!” Petra managed to squeak. Maggie nodded and wiped a tear of her face.

“Yeaah. But no, it’s not GUY PROBLEMS.” She chuckled again.

“It’s our talent-showcase today. We’ve been here for a year, that means we should show what we’re good at, so we won’t get sent back to Slovakia.” Maggie explained.

“And frankly, it’s pretty hard. Everybody’s crazy. It’s like everybody’s your enemy day. I bumped into a fellow dancer with whom I was dancing a few times, and she called me a bitch. Horrible.”

“You don’t have to worry. You’re a major.” Said Petra, as she closed her make-up kit.

“Major?” Asked the little clown. Maggie opened her mouth to explain, but then she noticed the camera was on.

“Guys, I don’t want to be bad, but it’s kinda secret school stuff. We’re kinda paranoid with the camera on.” The guys glared at the cameraman and he turned it off.

“Well, our university of art in Slovakia has a sister school here in Japan. Third graders get sent here, so they could try out the working thing. The length of your stay depends on how big of a hole you make here, or how much money you make. People, who made something great and awesome, are also called ‘majors’, since they made up most of the money. Or fame. I just got lucky, because I was on the right time in the right spot.” Maggie shrugged.

“What was your hole-making experience?” Asked Reita.

“Rock Musical Bleach. I was the choreographer.” She smiled at them.

“Sugoi!”

“Well, whatever.” She said, but her face showed she was pleased.

“Petra won’t have it hard either, since there are so little actors here, and she’s perfect. She has a stable job in a theatre, where they record a show for a weekly TV showing.” Maggie sighed.

“Bud Dominika’s a minor. She’s absolutely terrific, but she isn’t as aggressive as she should be. She almost has a great job in the bag, but someone else comes along and takes it away from her. She would say “they were better.” Argh!” Petra looked at the clock on the wall.

“It’s time.” She said gravely.

“Wanna tag along?” Maggie asked with a grin, as she stood up on her pointe shoes. She was as tall as Miyavi with them.

“Sure. We’re after the concert, anyway.” Said Ruki, returning the grin.

“Let’s roll, then. I’ll lead the way.” She said importantly, as she skipped out of the room first. Aoi followed her.

“So, how was the concert?” She asked him with a smile.

“It was awesome. The fans are great.”

“Did you play Cassis?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah.” She sighed. “That’s my favourite song. If Dominika’s in a good mood, she plays your beginning part for me.” She said with an embarrassed smile, as she hooked her hands behind her back.

“Sou?” He asked her. She nodded and he laughed.

“That’s cute.”

“I know, right?” She asked incredibly and they both laughed.

“It’s here.” She announced them, as she opened the door to a big stage. In the middle of it were Dominika and the principal. The principal was an elderly man with a wig on his head. Dominika was looking somewhere else and her hold on her guitar was so strong, Maggie was afraid she would break it. There were others standing nearby. Maggie went over to a redheaded girl.

“How’s she doing?” She asked her.

“He’s giving her the talented speech.”

“What an asshole.” She muttered.

“Thanks, Steph.”

“No prob.”

“What’s it about?” Petra asked.

“The talented speech.”

“Oh, my…what an ass-…jerks.” She corrected herself quickly.

“Now, Dominika.” They heard the voice of the principal.

“You are an talented, beautiful singer. But maybe Japan isn’t suited for you. Maybe something softer, like Austria?”

“The jackass.” Maggie hissed poisonously.

“Patience, Maggie. You want to catch out the right moment.” Advised Petra.

“Which is now. Look, she’s crying.” Dominika’s head was up high, but they could still notice big balls of water rolling down her cheeks.

“Dio Mio!” Said Maggie in a fake voice, as she danced her way to the principal. Petra laughed.

“Master, why did you make her cry? I hope you didn’t say anything bad.”

“Oh, Ms. Johnes. I didn’t see you here.” Said the principal surprised.

“Please answer my question.” Behind the polite statement, Petra could feel the intimidating dangerous tone.

“Well…Dominika here is thinking about moving to Austria.” Maggie gasped.

“Is he right, Dominika?” Dominika looked at Maggie desperately, but then at the principal, who was nodding. Dominika had no other choice but to nod too. Maggie sighed.

“And I thought you liked Japan. Because I’m afraid you’ll have to endure it a bit longer. I cannot allow that.”

“What?!” Asked the principal, shocked. Nobody ever went against his words.

“She’s my guitarist, and I need her here. It breaks the wild femine look, when a guy would play the guitar. I’m afraid I can’t let her go.”

“And who are you to tell me who should I let here and who should I send back, miss Important?” He screamed at her. Maggie dropped the fake politeness.

“I’m one of your biggest majors here and I earn this school the most money. And I need my guitarist, or I will go back with her. And I can assure you, the school wouldn’t be happy about that.”
”The most earning dancer? Don’t make me laugh! You didn’t have a contract since…”

“Last week, I know.” Maggie interrupted him.

“Maestre!” Called out Petra and Maggie chuckled, as she came over to them.

“I just heard the news. Is it true you want to send back Dominika?”

“And what if yes?!” He screamed at her.

“But who will play music for my plays and sketches?! Maybe she is not an outstanding singer, which I highly doubt, but she is an perfect musician, and I have to have her here!” Petra screamed back at him.

“You can get another female guitarist, and you can have another perfect musician! Why do you want Dominika?” He asked the both angrily.

“Because it’s not going to be the same without her.”

“ANOOU! SHITSUREISHIMAASU!” Yelled a girl near the stage.

“Is Maggie here?”

“Yes, Jenny, comon.” Maggie smiled at the 16-year-old girl.

“You got another contract from Rock Musical Bleach. The All.” Maggie looked at the principal with an important look and then she looked through the papers.

“Oh, I don’t know if I should sign it. It is, after all, 1 000 000 yen, but I don’t know if I’m going to be here. I’m going back to Slovakia, you know.” The principal’s eyes popped out on Maggie’s check, and he looked shocked after Maggie said she’s going back to Slovakia.

“Oh, mmm…then…well…” Jenny looked lost.

“I have a contract for Petra, too. From Rock Musical.”

“Me?” Petra asked, shocked, as she took the other contract. She sighed.

“The same? 1 000 000? Well, if Maggie and Dominika are leaving, what am I going to do here?” She looked at the principal too. He looked as if he was about to explode.

“Okay!” He roared after a minute.

“She can stay! But if she won’t have a contract in two weeks, she will fly back to Slovakia faster, than you can say flap!”

“Aw, Master, we knew you would decide well!” Maggie squealed as she hugged the principal. Petra sneaked behind him, took out a cigarette, lighted it and placed it lightly in his hair. Maggie stepped away from the principal, saw the smoke coming from behind his head and grinned. The principal started walking away and Maggie slapped Dominika and pointed at his head. Dominika laughed through the tears.

“Maeste, you can say your head is on FIRE with ideas!” Yelled Petra after him, and everybody roared with laughter. The principal didn’t turn around, just left.

“You’re idiots. Why did you put yourselves in danger for two weeks of being with me?” Dominika accused them.

“Why? Because you won’t be here two weeks.” Petra stated.

“How can you know that?”
”Because the GazettE wants to sign up a contract with you.”

“We do?” Asked Aoi surprised.

“Yeah. If you weren’t flirting with Maggie, you would hear me and Petra talking.” Said Ruki. Maggie’s cheeks reddened.

“You’re staying with us, and I don’t give a damn if you want to or not!” Said Maggie with a smile. Dominika looked shocked, as she stumbled and fell on her knees.

“Vy ste naozaj debili.” She cried and burried her face into her hands. Maggie fell on her knees too and hugged her.

“Comon. The contract states we’re going to be the GazettE’s new add, as in, we have to move in with them. Sign, sign, sign!” Petra made a crazy look as she gave the papers to Maggie.

“What about the Rock Musical?” Asked Uruha.

“It’s only for two last weeks in this year. That means your contract starts from new year. In the beginning of the year 2006, the GazettE has a new help on lives called…

…

…

…

“We’ll think about that later.” Said Petra, while everyone made a facepalm.

“Idiot!”