Dust Devils - A Girls Und Panzer Story

Chapter 75

Monday, September 16th 2013

The room where Catalina's student council met and worked was busy, as it always was when a school event was fast approaching. Next Wednesday, a play that has been long in the making and near ready for its premiere. It was a tragedy, the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Though that wasn't enough for the people in charge of the play, they needed to inject more creativity. So, of course, they made the murder of a beloved president into a musical.

No one can ever say Catalina's theater department wasn't experimental.

Everything was in the final stages of readiness, though there was a slight problem concerning music. Some might say that the 'music' was the most crucial part of a musical.

"Am I to understand that with just over a week to go, we don't have a piano player?" Madison asked incredulously. She looked at all the faces at the table, and they all averted her gaze. "Like, seriously?"

Slyvia, the treasurer, cleared her throat. "It's the most curious thing, in all the music classes we have, no student has specialized in the piano. That...that has never happened before."

Madison slumped in her seat. "You've got to be kidding me! I know people who play the hurdy-gurdy, a stylophone, a theremin, and this one guy rocks with a reconstruction of a bone flute used by Neanderthals, all those exotic, weird instruments, and we don't have anyone who plays the piano? A super common instrument? Who messed up here?"

"You," replied everyone in the room, including Alice, which shocked Madison when she heard her voice.

"What do you mean, me?"

"In your first year as president, back when you were a freshman, you made changes to the music department," Effie, the council's secretary, said. "One of those changes was that the department was to buy more exotic instruments, and now, two years later, the ripples of that decision is being felt. Those exotic instruments are cool. Too cool. Incoming music students gravitate towards those, and as the years have gone by, fewer and fewer new kids are specializing in traditional instruments. Thus, no capable piano player. "

"I do know of a girl who can play the organ if that helps." suggested one of the council members.

Madison quickly shook her head. "An organ won't work for every musical number."

"Right..."

"Any other ideas to get this predicament of ours solved?"

The bell rang before any of the other student council members could utter an answer, and frankly, they were glad it did ring as they snatched their belongings and raced out to their next class. Madison, elbows on the table, pinched the bridge of her nose as she let out a sigh.

"I sure am surrounded by great problem solvers...geez."

Alice, who remained in her seat next to Madison, gave her a playful prod on her shoulder. "I may have a solution here."

"I'm open to anything."

"You know the girl now heading the costume department?"

"Heather? Yes, I do. She's got a knack for the needle and thread. The costumes she designed are gorgeous. What about her?"

"She's got a girlfriend whose bit of a musician, and from what she tells me about her, does play the piano."

Madison grabbed Alice by both her shoulders.

"I. Need. Her."

"I'll see what I can do. She might need some convincing, though."

"Are you saying we bribe her or something?"