Title: Light my Candle
Author: Sailor Lyra
Part: 1
Email: miathewarrior@hotmail.com
Summary: Usagi and her best friend are excited to get good parts in the
city-wide production of RENT. But who's this playing Roger's part?

This is hard...there are so few males in SM that I had trouble casting the
male parts. This is an AU, BTW. And I felt like using the english names, for
some reason. Oh- and this is the fourth fusion of various fandowms with RENT
that I'm working on. I think we can now call it an obsession. ;)

"Auditions- Tokyo city youth drama club is putting on the play "RENT" and is
looking for young performers interested in playing the parts of the
Bohemians, as well as the minor roles. Also needed are costume designers,
set painters and designers, and stage hands. If you're interested, come to
auditions at Juuban middle school at 8:30 pm on Friday, January 13. [1]"
"Cool!" Serena Tsukino squealed to her best friend, who had just finished
reading the poster in the arcade window out loud. "I wanna do it!"
"Sure, Sere," Michiru replied, "But do you even know the play?"
"Um...no..."
"Well, I'll just teach you 'Without You,' the song girls have to sing to
audition."
"Would you?" Serena asked, taking her friend in a death hold.
"Yeah, sure, but only if you let me breathe," Michiru gasped.
January 13
"Wow, there are a lot of people here," Serena said, eyes getting big. "I'm
not so sure..."
"What have you got to lose? It can't hurt to try," Michiru encouraged. She
was trying out, too, but after hearing Serena sing 'Without You' she knew
she wouldn't land the main role of Mimi.
Michiru and Serena watched from backstage as the guys did renditions of
Collins's solo reprise of "I'll Cover You," waiting for their turn to
perform. 
Serena walked out on stage, very nervous as she felt all eyes upon her.
Michiru had just done a very good singing job, and was afraid that she'd
look stupid after her lovely performance.
The first chords started, and Serena began singing a bit hoarsely and
softly, but gained confidence as she went, and became the role of Mimi.
"Without you
The ground thaws
The rain falls
The grass grows
Without you
The seeds root
The flowers bloom
The children play
The stars gleam
The poets dream 
The eagles fly
Without you
The earth turns
The sun burns
But I die
Without you
Without you,
The breeze warms
The girl smiles
The cloud moves
Without you
The tides change
The boys run
The oceans crash
The crowds roar
The days soar
The babies cry
Without you
The moon glows
The river flows
But I die
Without you...
The music trailed off at the part where someone else (Serena wasn't sure
who) was supposed to sing.
She couldn't tell what the verdict was from the judge's polite appause, so
she backed off the stage, to collapse against Michiru. "That was
nerve-wraking," she sighed.
"You did fine, love," Michiru replied. {AN: No, this is _not_ what you're
thinking!}
Elsewhere, Rei and Chad were fighting after their respective auditions,
Seiya was preening after his own, Haruka was flirting, Minako was looking
nervous, and Makoto and Ami were volunteering to work on sets.
The next day, Michiru and Serena wandered down to the mid school again to
find out if they got a part and get a script. Girls were pointed to one
office, while guys went to another. "Hello," Serena said, nervously, poking
her head in.
"Names?" The woman behind the desk questioned.
"Serena Tsukino and Michiru Kaioh," was Serena's answer.
The woman's face lit up in a smile. "Congratulations, you both got major
roles.
"Really?" Serena squealed.
"Yup. Serena is to play Mimi, the major female role in the play, and Michiru
is to play Maureen- that is, if you don't have a problem with-"
"I don't have a problem," Michiru interrupted smoothly.
"Good! Well, then, here's your scripts! Step through that door over there
and we'll have you fitted for costumes.
"Where d I come in?" asked Serena, flipping through the first two scenes of
her script as she exited the dressing room.
"Not till the eighth song- Serena, watch out!"
Serena was so engrossed in her script that she bumped right into someone.[2]
"Watch it meatball head!" a familiar voice said.
"Oh, no! Not you!" Serena said. "What are you doing here?
"For your information, I'm playing one of the main characters. Roger. Not
like you could get a good part."
Michiru paused for a moment, wondering if she had heard right, then burst
out laughing. "You're playing Roger?" she continued laughing, as Serena
looked at her, concerned, wondering if she had grown an extra head. "Just
what is so funny?" Darien demanded.
Michiru continued laughing. "Oh, this is priceless," she snickered, tears
running down her face. She finally got enough control over her laughter to
point a finger at Serena and gasp out, "She's playing Mimi," before
convulsing back into helpless laughter.
"What?!" Darien demanded, as Serena made the intelligent sounding statement,
"Huh?"
"Roger plays _across_ from Mimi," Darien growled. "Do you know what that
means?"
Serena's eyes widened. "Oh- no-"
"Get up," she said, glaring at Michiru, who was rolling around on the floor
in laughter. "Let's go, we don't have to listen to this jerk. Even if he is
playing Roger."
[1] My birthday. Couldn't resist.
[2] Three guesses and the first two don't count. -_-;