"Max!" Claire yelled coming onto the balcony. Max was there taking in sunlight. In his hands, were a few gems from the ship. A few emeralds turned to powder in his grip. But a diamond floated in front. "Get back here you!" The ferret familiar jumped over to the other destroyed gems.
*Crunch! Crunch!* It started to eat merrily the remains.
"If you eat to much, then triple training later." Claire said sternly using the spell she was taught to communicate with it. The demon ferret turned to her then looked at the pile again. It slowly walked over to Claire. Crawling up her shoulder going to sleep. "Little glutton."
"How can I help you Claire?" Max stopped his cultivation and put the diamond in his pocket. Claire moved over to the other lounge chair.
"So you have a show tonight, can I come?" Claire asked with stars in her eyes. Out of them, she was the only one that remembers that Max performed. Even though he tolled her all the songs were not his own but from his original Earth. But they did not exist here at all. "I practiced my transformation technique a lot. I can hold it for 12 hours now."
"Hmm." Max thought about it for a few seconds. Her honest look made him smile. "How about you join the band? I believe you know how to play the base."
"Gladly!" Claire jumped up excitied. "I promise I will not send a single flame out by mistake."
"Right. Just remember that if anyone asks who right the songs, tell them they are Ghost written. Noting else." Max floated a mirror out and stepped inside it. "Change before you step inside."
*Fwish!* Flames danced around Claire. She turned into a brunette slightly taller than her normal self. Her eyes were now a bright green. Face completely covered in paint. Masking key face features in case the magic came undone.
.
-Central City-
.
Max was going over the lyrics for two albums with the others. Gwar: Scumdogs of the Universe for the first group. The second group which involved Claire and that would play after the first two hours went over White Zombie La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One. They would take a little longer to learn the lyrics. The general feel of the music and its tone was choreographed a week before.
"Well, 10 minutes to showtime." The manager Jack Waller said. He was hired by Max in disguise to act as the manager. "Singer is still a terrible name, we should change it to something else."
He was not Max's target but his niece Amanda Waller was. He met the young teen only a few times. She was still good and patriotic. Currently in a military academy. Older than Max by 4 years.
"As I said before Manager Jack. The answer is no." Max's voice was disguised of course. Like Claire, he wore face paint and was a little taller. He also walked differently than normal. Hands always in his pocket while he was hunched over slightly. "Keep it up, and the band is through."
"Alright alright." Jack said. He didnt puh it anymore. He would get nowhere at all. Everything was in Max's control. The pay was to good to mess p as long as he listened and booked gigs accordingly. He had no idea where the songs came from or where Max stayed. Only a phone number and a backup number. "Who is the newbie?"
Max pushed Claire forward. She stuttered a bit before looking up.
"Just Bass is all. Also what I will be playing. Cant wait to get out there and show what I got!" her enthusiasm was there and a few smiles.
"Hope she is not my replacement." The bass player for the second group said. "I know I have been slacking a little but.."
"You are fine. Just get your grades up." Max said. "Like I said, it is unacceptable with what everyone gets paid to have bad grades. Anyway, she is here to get experience and have some fun. If things go good, she might come back in the future." Claire jumped up a little. She was extremely happy. "When I get back, I will go over things a little more with you. Other than that, enjoy the concert."
"Right!" Claire walked over to the tv and watched the display of the stage. "Cannot wait."
A few of the others wondered if she knew the lines, but left it alone.
.
-Stage Time-
.
"Alright everyone, I am happy to introduce the band Fakeout!" The Manager said before running back stage. The crowd cheered as the curtain parted.
"Hello people!" Baxter the backup vocalist yelled and lead guitarist. He was a standard looking punk rocker. He did not enjoy the harder rock but went where the money called him to. Both he and the drummer, a girl by the name of Kristi bumped heads. "We have a doubleheader for you. Tonight we will play each song for you. Then a small intermission for the next group."
"Wooooo!" A bunch of the fans cheered. They were not expecting that at all. The tickets said 6 songs from both groups and a Q & A. The full album was if they rembered everything and had good enough grades. They did not.
"What the hell?!" Kristi yelled. It was drowned out by the crowd. "What do you think you are doing?!"
"Relax, they love it." Baxter said. Max was not amused like the others. He gave max a grin thinking everything would be ok. It would not be of course. But that could wait till later. "You ready Bill?"
"Yeah." Bill said shaking his head at the stunt. He was a backup vocalist as well as the bass player. 'this will not end well. I just know it.'
"Lets get it started." max smiled to the others. his eyes shining brightly getting the others pumped up. 'Time to get rid of that guy. But it can wait till afterward.'
They played the songs expertly and well-choreographed. The energy from the crowd creating a wild Spiritual energy that flooded across the stage into a formation. The light sit up was completely done by Max's company. Same company that he hired himself from former convicts. All honest ones of course. Two demons in charge to make sure nothing goes wrong.
Sick Of You 3:08
The Salaminizer 3:33
Maggots 4:05
Vlad The Impaler 3:14
Black And Huge 3:09
Love Surgery 4:55
Slaughterama 5:02
King Queen 4:51
Horror Of Yig 5:24
Sexecutioner 3:58
As each song ended. A small pause was done before the next started. At the peak of the spiritual energy gathering, Max extended the song by 10 seconds. it was done by signaling the drummer to play just a little riff at the end.
"Thank you everyone!" The manager Rick came out at the end. The crowd was pumped took a little to settle down. The good news about starting on actual time, it gave room for bathroom breaks more. Better intermission control. "See you in 30 minutes people!"
.
-Backstage-
.
"That was so intense!" Bill said. he pushed his glasses up as he was sweating like crazy. So much so his make was coming off a little from how hard he wiped. "Need a drink."
Kristi was already drinking some water herself. The next group brought it over to help. Claire's eyes were lit up in happiness. it was quite exhilarating seeing her care so much about something. Max tucked it away for later.
"You played the full album, that was not the plan." The lead guitarist Sam said. He was a very straight laced teen. Reminded Max of a bank teller. The band was an outlet for him and a way to raise money for college. "Are we suppose to do the same?"
"If you wannabees have the talent." Baxter said. this caused a frown out of most of them in the room. Sam almost clocked him. If it wasn't for the others holding him back, he would have. "tch whatever. The crowd loved it."
"Enough." Max voice cut through the room. They turned to him waiting for what he had to say. "Settle down. No reason to get riled up before going on stage. Now, if you all know the words then we can. No reason to create problems."
"But I failed my last chem test. Is that ok?" Marcell asked. He was a short little Latino.
"But your overall grades are good. We can share a few emails later to go over it." Max walked over rubbing the boys head. "If everyone is agreement we will." They nodded and went back over the words. Max went to talk with the manager.
"Everything is going good. Security has not spotted anything wrong. A few people picked up for drug peddling, but good other than that." jack hated to bring it up again, but he had to. "If you cut back a little on security we might have more people."
"Pass. The only people getting sent back are wastoids and gangbangers. The security will only increase in the future if our shows get bigger. As well as the facilities for restrooms." Max said firmly. "I am not going to be responsible for any kidnappings, rapes, or overdoses. What they do after they leave here, is not on me."
"Yeah yeah." Jack shook his head and focused back on work. coordinating with security to make sure things run smoothly. 'Money is to good to mess up.'
"Hey Bill, what the hell is that?" Kristi asked. She was pointing at the pill bottle in his pocket. Bill pulled it out and tossed it to her. "A sleep aid?"
"Yeah, I am usually to charged after a show. I can never fall asleep even when i get home. My mom takes the time to tutor me instead. But the doctor said I should be out like a light after one of these." Bill took half for now and would take the other half later. He put the bottle in his bag and locked it with a small padlock.
The first group settled in. Some doing homework, some just watching the show. A large amount of the demons were marking people with dangerous thoughts. they would be tailed and dealt with later. The third reason for the concerts. Training the demons who were good at feeling negative emotions.
.
-Back on stage-
.
"Everyone ready?!" Jacks hyped them up. The crowd cheered. Some were really excited. Drinks fell and dissapeared in the crowd. No one was stupid enough to try an pick things up. One thing that was drilled into their heads before the show started. "Then let's get started!"
The group said nothing as they came out. They just started playing as normal. The other group was the more volatile one.
The next songs had a more mellow feel to it. The psychedelic feel was completely removed as words were replaced with more calming ones. A good bit of the drug-related phrases had to be changed and created a weird flow. But it promotes the exploration of the mind via meditation.
Welcome to Planet Motherfucker/Psychoholic Slag" 6:21
Knuckle Duster (Radio 1-A)" 0:21
Thunder Kiss '65" 3:54
Black Sunshine" (featuring Iggy Pop) 4:49
Soul-Crusher" (featuring Iggy Pop) 5:07
Cosmic Monsters Inc." 5:13
Spiderbaby (Yeah-Yeah-Yeah)" 5:01
I Am Legend" 5:08
Knuckle Duster (Radio 2-B)" 0:25
Thrust!" 5:04
One Big Crunch" 0:21
Grindhouse (A Go-Go)" 4:05
Starface" 5:02
Warp Asylum" 6:44
After the last song was played. they said a few words as the stage was broken down a little. The fog machines were turned off completely. And lights were turned on out in the crowd. The first group came back as the second group went to rest for a bit.
"Well let us start the questions. We have.." Jack looked at his watch. "2 hours. Good job on staying organized everyone." The concert wise they had an hour. Another hour for clean up and the like. Microphones were passed out to the crowd. "When it lights up, you have the chance to ask a question."
"Keep in mind, be civil." Max said serious. His thumb pointed at the creen that kept a watchful eye on each microphone as well as the crowd in general.
The questions went on and on for an hour in a half. Mostly about what the bands felt about the song and getting on stage. it was till the last 20 minutes they started to ask about personal things and what inspired the music.
"Hi! My name is Chloe Sullivan from Smallville. I have to ask Bill, how do you stay so focus and who designed your glasses?" The little blond girl asked. Next to her was another girl who was a brunette. Lois Lane her cousin.
"Umm well.. I do not know. Just stay in the grove." Bill said embarrassed. It was his first time getting asked a question. "As for the glasses, well I got them from.. well my mom.. got them.. from Walmart."
The crowd chuckled a little. But not in a mean way but still it embarrassed Bill even more. His face lit up completely red.
"Way to embarrass the guy cuz." Lois elbowed her cousin. It was heard over the microphone since it didnt switch to the next person yet. Chloe passed her the mic and smiled. "I do not know what to ask?"
"You can ask anything." Baxter said. The others shook their heads at him. That was really not in the program. "Well you can ask anything cutie." Baxter did a finger gun at her.
"Ok then." Lois said enamored. "Question for..." She looked them all over and stopped on Claire. "A question for the newbie Bass. How did you get up there?"
"I showed intrest and my .. I mean Singer let me come out." Claire corrected herself. She almost called Max her Teacher. "It was really fun and something I always wanted to do since I was young. So a dream was fulfilled today."
"Nice." Lois was about to ask another question before it moved to someone else. "Drat!"
"Hey, J'onn J'onzz here," A young man with red hair said. max focused on him intently. This was the martian manhunter. Seeing him hear let Max know he was not the one locked away in a government facility. "Since she was able to get in the band, are you looking for any new people?"
"Yes." Max said shocking everyone. "How about you come back stage and we talk about it after?" The crowd started cheering loudly and pushed him up. "next person."
The questionnaire went on for a little longer. But easy enough. At the time point Max left the stage with mostly eveyone. Baxter kept answering questions until the mics were cut.
.
-Backstage-
.
"Man we should have kept going." Baxter said coming in. He looked around and saw everyone's serious face. "What?"
"You are out of the band. Effective immediately.
"What!?"
"I told you the rules before hand and you refused to listen. If you want to be the kind of guy, go for it. But not here." Max said looking at him. The Manager jack tried to change his mind but that did not work at all. max stopped him the moment he started. "To many rule-breaking and your grades are a 1.5. The tutor even told me you canceled by getting sick."
"So what! I am a rock star! Who needs school?" Baxter said arrogantly/ everyone just shook their heads at him. Max, when he hired them, told them graves were above anything. That is what mattered most. "What about the rest of the shows!?"
"We will find someone." Max signaled security to escort him out. Baxter did not go quietly. "So everyone, I hope you understand what I said before. This will not last forever, you understand?" They nodded. "Good. You all did great. Security will make sure you get home safely. make sure you do not take things from granted. And Bill, sorry about your pills."
"It is fine. I report it to security that some were missing. They pull the camera showing he took some from my jacket. They built a case beforehand from other footage and was waiting for the tour to end." Bill shook his head sadly. Baxter was a friend of his. But they were just to different it seemed.
As the group left, Claire and J'onn were the only ones n the room.
"First, you are amongest friends J'onn." Max said. He moved a glass of water over to the young man shocking him. "I am just trying to help you is all. How is Mars as of late?"
"Mars is basically gone." J'onn changed into his martian formed then turned back to the young man image. Destoyed by the white matians that escaped from the Phantom Zone."
"Aww fuck." Max cursed.
"Holds a certain meaning?" Claire asked.
"Yeah, that means it is the Imperium. Wait a moment.. they should still be asleep on mars right?" Max asked.
"Yes. I came to Earth when my Hybernation pod ruptured a few years ago." J'onn said suprised Max knew of them.
"Great wiping them out!" Max said happily. J'onn had a frown on his face. "What bad news do you have now?"
"Parts of them have escaped. The rest are frozen. The Nerve gas did not kill them as we first thought. One of the reasons I am on earth. trying to build a better compound for when they return."
"Haaa, why can things not be easy. I have a plan do not worry about that." Max sent a signal to the demons and instructed them to started grabbing the white martians bodies on Mars. The were to through them into Hell. Not eat them. "In the meantime, want to earn money as a Singer?"
J'onn gave a broad smile. He was liking earth more and more. But first he needed to sign a contract. This would make sure he was really him. And not a one in disguise or brain washed.