Silly Songs With Marky

(( Veggie Tales songs, essentially, with a Rent twist. X3 Disclaimer: I eat vegetables. I do not own them. Same goes for Rent, except without the eating part. However, Steve belongs to me, though Erin's allowed to borrow him.

Oh, and I'm fully aware the Veggie Tales did not exist when Rent takes place. However, the only thing stolen from Veggie Tales in these stories are the songs, so… it's not a crossover or anything like that.))

Song 1 – "Endangered Love"

Mark was in one of those moods.

One of those get up on the table and dance spastically to loud music moods. One of those crawling out of his shell and being crazy moods.

Yep. Mark was in one of those moods.

And Roger and Mimi were out. Collins was working. Benny was off living married yuppie life. Mark was, therefore, alone. For once in his life, the filmmaker was actually happy about this.

However, before he could really enjoy this mood for all it was worth, Mark needed to figure out something to do with his bounding energy. So, he did what any really, really bored and twitchy person might do. Mark fetched Steve, his stuffed penguin with a matching scarf. Then he came out, plopped on the couch and clicked on the television. (It was a really cheap old thing with an antennae fashioned mostly out of tin foil and coat hangers, but at least it was color and at least it got channels… sometimes.)

As it had just turned to the hour, Mark was fortunate to tune in to the beginning of a show, a soap opera of some sort entitled "Endangered Love." Immediately, it gripped Mark's attention, for reasons he couldn't explain. And then, for reasons he would have even more trouble explaining, Mark had the sudden urge to sing. (Not that this was anything particularly unusual in his world. People burst into song all the time. It was like he was in a musical or something… And strangely, he found this to be an utterly un-troubling idea about his reality.)

He began:

"Barbara Manatee,

You are the one for me,

Sent from up above,

You are the one I love!"

And while he sang this part, Mark merely swayed back and forth upon his seat, still holding Steve. However, neither one of them (filmer and penguin) was so enraptured, yet, as to lean forward, eager for more. Instead, they were yet content to see the show as it happened.

Upon the screen, the two central characters to the plot began a duet of their own:

Bill, the male, began, "Please don't cry Barbara!

You're a nice Manatee.

You've been so good to me.

But I must go into the world and do noble things for the good of all.

And you can't come because you don't speak French.

Au revoir."

Bararbara, shocked and hurt, demanded in her soprano voice, "But if you leave Bill

Who will take me to the ball?

Whose going to take me to the ball, Bill?

I have a new dress and shoes

A new Manatee Lipstick!

Who will take me to the ball?"

Swept up into the drama, Mark stood up, brandishing Steve. "I'll take you to the ball, Barbara Manatee!"

The couple on the TV continued:

"Please don't go," begged Barbara.

"I must," declared Bill.

"Don't go!"

"I must"

"Don't!"

"Must!"

"Don't, don't!"

"Must, must!"

The drama was, at this juncture, interrupted by a commercial break, and Mark took this opportunity to dance with Steve, who was also drawn inexplicably into the song and joined in the singing, in his own silent, stuffed way.

Mark began his next bout of singing (with Steve echoing):

"Barbara Manatee (Manatee, Manatee)

You are the one for me (one for me, one for me)

Sent from up above (a manatee from heaven)

You are the one I love…"

Mark proceeded to then waltz around the room with Steve during the next commercial or two. As he did this, Mark actually began to consider the benefits to having a relationship with a Manatee. There were many, many, including tax abatements… free admission to any zoos… free tours of the local lagoons…

"Barbara Manatee (Manatee, Manatee)," Mark continued (as did Steve. "I'll be your mon amie (mon amie, mon amie)

I'll take you to the ball (to the ball, to the ball)

I hope you're not too tall (we might have trouble dancing)."

And then, the commercials were over, and it was time for the second half of the thrilling day-time drama…

Barbara flopped in, smiling at Bill and informing him in an excited tone, "Bill, I've learned French!"

Bill, pleasantly surprised: "You have?"

"Mais, oui. Je suis Manatee. See?"

"Oui, oui, mon amie!

I always knew you could,

I really hoped you would.

Now can we go into the world and do noble things for the good of all?"

Barbara nodded. "Yes, but first… will you take me to the ball?

Oh, Bill, will you take me to the ball?"

Bill gulped. "… I can't dance," he said in a small voice.

Aghast, Barbara cried, "You can't!"

"No," Bill admitted.

"I must go."

"Please don't go."

"I must"

"Don't go!"

"I must."

"Don't"

"Must!"

"Don't, don't!"

"Must, must!"

And the message declaring that viewers must tune in next week flashed across the screen. While the credits were rolling, Mark and Steve once again got up and began to dancing, singing:

"Barbara Manatee (Manatee, Manatee)

You are the one –"

Mark broke off, suddenly, mid twirl with Steve as they stood atop the couch, and he stared, with great embarrassment, at Roger, who had just shoved open their door.

The musician stared back, looking profoundly disturbed and in a deep state of disbelief. "Umm…. Mark…? What the hell are you doing?"

"Er… um… J-just… watching a little TV… Roger."

"Uh, maybe you ought to stick to just reading books," suggested Roger, edging carefully to his room, as if he were afraid Mark might jump up and bite him or something.

"Yeah… Ok," said Mark, dropping back into a sitting position on the couch, looking as though he wanted to sink into the floor about now.

Roger nodded slowly and disappeared into his room with supreme haste.

Meanwhile, as Mark pulled the blanket on one of the chairs over his head in an effort to hide, perhaps, on the TV (which was still on), a brief preview of the next episode played.

"Oh Barbara," sang Bill. "I've learned to dance!"

END

A/N – This is the product of insomnia, coffee, a home made cookie, some pretzel sticks and the fact that I have a great many of the Silly Songs With Larry on my iPod. Thus its insanity.

Now, then, whether or not you guys actually like this, you ought to expect one or two more in the Silly Songs with Marky series, because I've a very twisted mind…

And I think a duet with Roger and Mark would be rather… hilarious, if done with a certain Veggie Tales song. If you can guess which Silly Song With Larry I'll be using for the next one, then… um… I'll dedicate it to you. Er… I'd give you a candy bar, except that candy bars are not transmittable across the internet. Oh well.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed that! Now please, regardless of whether you loved, hated, or were indifferent to it, PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW!

Love, Snarky