Rising Stars! Rise to the Top!

[Mystic Mina]

Taylor tugged at the silver hearted necklace around her neck, grimacing at how cold the metal felt against her soft, sensitive skin. She fidgeted around in her stocking-covered feet as she tried playing around with the necklace's chain to make it shorter. Alas, she could not, and the heart remained right above her bountiful chest.

"Please tell me you have some shoes that are not high heels." She sighed. "I really, really don't feel like breaking my ankles on the way back to the studio..."

---

"Handsome Bill does not know where Taylor is, and he certainly doesn't know anything about bodies! Did that terrible liar do something to you beautiful ladies? If he did, then Handsome Bill will have to exact some HANDSOME JUSTICE upon him!" Handsome Bill struck yet another patented Handsome pose, those this one looked more heroic... Only by a bit. "But that will have to wait for later! Now, we practice! Handsome Billets, to your instruments! Today, basic practice begins!"

The wooden sticks on Makino's drums didn't look very special at all, but she felt a sudden surge of energy go through her the moment she picked them up. It was as if her soul itself was burning, and the only way to release the heat was to bang the drums with her sticks with all her might and spirit!

[Ookalf]

"Handsome Bill does not know where Taylor is, and he certainly doesn't know anything about bodies! Did that terrible liar do something to you beautiful ladies? If he did, then Handsome Bill will have to exact some HANDSOME JUSTICE upon him!" Handsome Bill struck yet another patented Handsome pose, those this one looked more heroic... Only by a bit. "But that will have to wait for later! Now, we practice! Handsome Billets, to your instruments! Today, basic practice begins!"

Got it... *Jasmine walks over to the keyboard and gets ready to play.*

[Maiden Miki]

The wooden sticks on Makino's drums didn't look very special at all, but she felt a sudden surge of energy go through her the moment she picked them up. It was as if her soul itself was burning, and the only way to release the heat was to bang the drums with her sticks with all her might and spirit!

"Hmm....Worth a try I guess," said Makino as she picked up the sticks and tried to twirl them unsuccessfully. She could feel the excitement running though her body as she touched the sticks. She at once sat down in the seat for the drumset and was completely ignoring Handsome Bill as she began to bang on the drumset with all her might in an attempt to unleash the pent up energy.

[Zilla]

Joanna facepawed in embarrassment as Handsome Bill posed and strutted. "Whatever, let's rock."

Joanna threw out a few chords and built a rhythm and groove. It was different with the gloves on, and she had to be very very careful...

She dropped her pick.

It just flew out of her grasp, landing at her feet. Joanna blushed hard.... she should be showing these punks how to rock, and here she can't even hold on to her pick... She knelt down to pick it back up, and tried setting down some tunes again.

[Harri-chan]

Cherry looked reluctant to let go of Joanna, but did so in order for the girl to play her guitar. She watched the others go to their instruments, and squirmed nervously as she was left standing alone in the middle of them. Reaching one hand behind her head to toy with her hair, she thrust her other hand up into the air. "Um, Old Bill, what about me?", she asked.

"You already know the answer to that, Boss. Don't worry, you'll get used to them", she said, setting a pair of strappy black heels down on the ground which had black bows over the tops of the ankles.

[Hira Kanaki]

"Well time to get the practice started then." Chiaki said grabbing a base guitar that was near the other instruments.

[Mystic Mina]

"Not Old Bill! Handsome Bill! And your microphone is right in the front, Cherry! Take it, and SING!"

Cherry's microphone, which looked more like one of those wands used by magical girls in anime, sat in a microphone stand at the very front of the stage.

Meanwhile, Makino's drum slamming was a smashing success! Her pounding on the drums created a fast, but steady beat for everyone else in the band to follow.

---

Taylor grumbled to herself for a bit before slipping her small, dainty feet into the cute set of high heels. Unsurprisingly, she didn't like them at all once they were on. The heels were uncomfortable as hell, and it took all of her might and willpower to keep herself from toppling over on her butt.

"Get used to them... Sure I will, after I fall over and break my nose a couple of times." She mumbled as she tried to wobble over to the door. After only five very careful steps, she collapsed to the floor on her hands. "Dang it!"

[Ookalf]

And... go. *Jasmine plays a few notes on her keyboard, trying to follow along with Makino.*

[Maiden Miki]

Meanwhile, Makino's drum slamming was a smashing success! Her pounding on the drums created a fast, but steady beat for everyone else in the band to follow.

---

Makino pounded on the set and felt so energized as she did. Her beat was more then anything she could expected as she was making it easy for the others to sync with her.

[Hira Kanaki]

*Chiaki decides to go along with the beat and try to compliment the music already being played.*

[Zilla]

Finally, Joanna can feel the rhythm building, and she frosts the cake with a light, airy guitar track. It's entirely different than her usual, driving, angsty style, much more bright and melodic, but it fits the mood well.

[Harri-chan]

Cherry approached the stand, staring at the microphone in disbelief before taking it down off the stand. She glanced around at the others getting into things, her free hand rubbing at her throat. The teen paced back and forth a few times, nodding her head to the music before drawing on a deep breath and started to hum along to their improvised tune.

Esper put a hand over get mouth and giggled at Taylor's tumble. "Watch you don't split the dress, Boss, it was expensive", she smiled, "I'd love to give you some lessons in heels, but I have so much to do before lunch".

[Zilla]

"Well, how was that?" Joanna asks, a little proud of her musical flexibility.

[Mystic Mina]

((Really, really sorry for the long delay! I'm back now, though!))

The Rising Stars' first performance was... Ok. Not perfect, not terrible, just plain ol' average. Beneath all the mediocrity, however, lied great potential... Potential that Handsome Bill saw with his experienced eyes. Yes, all these girls needed was a bit more practice to bring out the super stars resting inside them!

"Good, good! Handsome Bill approves of your music! Now, play the music Handsome Bill set in front of you!" The mullet-haired man pointed to the music stands set up in front of each of the instruments. Lying on them were sheets with some kind of bubble-gummy pop song on them... Something about love and happiness and all that super sweet stuff.

---

Taylor turned her face away from Esper to hide the blush on her cheeks as she simply yanked the bothersome heels off her feet and headed right out the door. She couldn't waste her time learning how to walk now! She had a practice to attend!

[Maiden Miki]

"Umm...." said Makino as she looked at the sheet music and sounded a bit unsure. SHe didn't think that she could play such a thing. "THis sound a bit too sweet and lovey dovey for my taste."

She tries to drum the first verse.