Down To Georgia

Down To Georgia
(A DoJ sidefic by JoIsBishMyoga, who is hoping this will
prod M&C into
updating... please?)

Warnings, disclaimers, present for Mel&Christy, courtesy
of my muse. Please ignore the bloodstains and bite marks, also courtesy
of her.
Takes place at some hypothetical far-or-perhaps-not-so-far-future point
in Demon of Justice, and assumes the other GBoys popped up in
Norfressa for reasons as yet unknown -- mostly "it wouldn't be any fun for
M&C if they never brought the boys back together again... I hope".
Also assumes: 1. That the other GBoys picked up "magical
Norfressan", from Fei or in a similar manner.

2. That portable, computerized keyboards can
be made from fabric. (I read about the developing technology
in a science magazine.)

3. That J was an even freakier nutcase than we
already knew, and calculated piano lessons to assist with manual dexterity,
hand-eye coordination, and improve mathematical ability on an instinctual level.

After the last notes of Quatre's violin died away, and Trowa had set his flute aside and accepted a cupful of Hurgrum's finest mead,
Duo bounced to the center of the informal 'stage' (an empty patch of space near the bonfire). In one hand, he dragged Heero; under the other, he carried the roll of Heero's keyboard.

"Stay put, Q!" he said cheerfully, plopping Heero onto the ground and unrolling the keyboard onto a bench he kicked in front of
Wing's pilot. "I've got a great idea -- you're going to love it!"

Wufei, sitting between Trowa and Cord, inwardly shivered when Duo's manic grin fell upon him. "Fei!" Duo crowed, leaping at him.

Wufei (barely) managed to stay put and suffer the choking hug Duo bestowed upon him, but when Duo tried to fall into his lap, he shoved the other pilot upright.
Has he had one too many drinks, or...? Duo's pupils were tracking correctly -- he wasn't drunk; just very, very... uh oh. Mischief. Ancestors, let Duo's target be one of us... I don't think the rest of these hradani would take very well to his pranks yet!

"Wanna call up your stalkergod, Fei?" Duo asked in Japanese. "I think he'll enjoy this."

"Maxwell..." Wufei said warningly.

"Pleeeeeeeeeease?"

Wufei stared down his nose at Duo -- a most skillful feat, since Duo was standing over him.

"Thanks, Fei!" Duo chirped, bouncing out of Wufei's grip and back to the cleared space.

As he began a furiously-whispered conversation with Heero and Quatre, Wufei leaned back and sighed. He hadn't agreed, but... Duo
wouldn't ask for no reason. ~*Krashnark?*~

=*Yes?*= the god asked, barely-restrained happiness in his voice.

~*I'm NOT relenting or interested and I still don't like you. Just keep quiet and watch.*~ He opened his eyes, focusing on Duo as
the pilot spun with a flourish, his braid swinging.

"I would like to share a little traditional song from my homeland," Duo announced cheerfully, in Hrugrumese. "This is dedicated to
my pal, 'Fei--"

"WUfei, Maxwell."

"--and the star of the song, who ain't Johnny." Duo bowed, grinning manically, and switched to English. "Ladies and gentlemen:
'The Devil Went Down To Georgia'."

Huh?

Duo switched back to Hrugrumese. "With apologies to the ladies, if one of the quirks of my native language translates fully." He
cued Quatre and Heero, and they began a bright, American-country tune. Wait, I think I recognize that... oh no. He isn't--! Wufei thought, as Duo grinned and began the song.

"Ol' Sharna went down to Georgia--"

Trowa and most of the hradani choked.

Wait. It's Duo. Of course he is.

=*He dedicated a song to my *brother*?*= Krashnark yelped in Wufei's mind.

~*Maybe he's hoping he'll listen in.*~ Because Duo WOULD do something like that.

=*What? WHY?*=

"--I guess you didn't know it," Duo sang, "but I'm a fiddle player too--"

=*SPUTTER!*=

~That would be why,~ Wufei answered unnecessarily.

=*My idiot brother can't carry a tune in a bucket!*=

~*Somehow, I don't think that's relevant.*~

"The boy said, 'My name's Johnny, and it might be a sin, but I'll take your bet and you're gonna regret 'coz I'm the best that's
ever been!'--"

=*...... this 'Johnny' is a cocky brat. I don't know if I want him to win or lose.*=

Wufei mentally smirked at Krashnark, and carefully hid any thought of the outcome of the song's story.

"--and if you win, you get this shiny fiddle made of gold; but if you lose, ol' Sharna will get your so~o~o~ul..."

=*What EVER made your friend's people think it's that easy?*=

~*Be quiet. You're a bad audience.*~

Duo twisted closer to the bonfire as Quatre played a a few quick bridge measures. He offered the audience a wicked grin, the light
casting half his face into shadow, his eyes gleaming violet-bright as the music darkened.

"Ol' Sharna opened up his case and he said, 'I'll start this show,' and fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow. He pulled the
bow across the strings and it made a evil hiss, then a band of demons joined in and it sounded somethin' like this--"

=*Hey! He didn't say a damn thing about accompaniment!*=

~*You're DARK gods. You expected him not to cheat?*~

=*Er...*=

~*You should talk to Duo about MiSTing. You're a natural.*~

=*Huh?*=

"When Sharna finished, Johnny said, 'Well, you're pretty good, old son, but sit down in that chair right there and lemme show you how
it's done!'"

=*... definitely cocky. When does Sharna start throwing tantrums?*=

~*In the song, not at all. In reality... if he's listening, about five minutes ago.*~

=*... they haven't even been playing for three.*=

"Ol' Sharna bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat,"

=*HA!*=

"And he lay that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet. Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back if you ever want to try again, coz I done told you once you sonofabitch, I'm the best that's ever been!"

=*Did he just insult my mother?*=

~*That's a lingual quirk, and he already apologized for it.*~

=*He shouldn't.*=

Quatre and Heero finished the song with a sharp rat-tat, and Duo bowed grandly. A half-second of startled silence passed, then the
largest of the hradani grinned.

"Now THAT is a good song," he boomed. He stepped into the cleared space and clapped Duo on the shoulder, nearly toppling the pilot, as the rest of the crowd cheered agreement.

=*I agree,*= Krashnark murmured into Wufei's mind.

~*There's a surprise,*~ Wufei replied sarcastically.

=*I recorded it.*= Wufei blinked, as Krashnark continued, =*I think Hirahim would like to see it.*=

~*Oh, that's JUST what we need, another god 'liking' one of us.*~

The sense of Krashnark vanished, leaving a slightly miffed silence echoing in Wufei's mind.

END

The Devil Went Down To Georgia (modifed by Duo to: Ol' Sharna
Went Down To
Georgia):

The devil went down to Georgia,
He was lookin' for a soul to steal;
He was in a bind, 'coz he was way behind,
So he was willin' to make a deal;
When he came upon a young man sawin' a fiddle and playin' it
hot
And the devil jumped up on a hickory stump and said,
"Boy, lemme tell you what.
I guess you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player too,
and if you care to take a dare I'll make a bet with you.
Now you play a pretty good fiddle, boy, but give the devil
his due.
I bet a fiddle of gold against your soul coz I think I'm
better than you."
The boy said, "My name's Johnny, and it may be a sin,
But I'll take your bet and you're gonna regret 'coz I'm the
best that's ever
been."
Johnny, rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard,
Coz hell's broke loose in Georgia and the devil deals the
cards.
And if you win you get this shiny fiddle made of gold,
But if you lose, the devil will get your soul.
The devil opened up his case and said, "I'll start this
show,"
And fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow.
He pulled the bow across the strings and it made a evil hiss,
Then a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like
this:
(music)
When the devil finished, Johnny said, "Well, you're pretty
good, old son,
But sit down in that chair right there and lemme show you how
it's done!"
(chorus:
Fire on the mountain; run boys run
The devil's in the house of the rising sun
Chicken in a breadpan pickin' at dough
Granny will your dog bite no child no)
The devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been
beat,
And he lay that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet.
Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back if you ever want to
try again,
Coz I done told you once you sonofabitch,
I'm the best that's ever been!"
(chorus)

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