"We're not still!
We don't fight!
We don't stop-
We just keep moving on!"

Another night, another show.
Another night, another crowd to blow away.

If a program even dared to say 'same ol', same ol',' he'd personally laugh at them. Then, maybe he'd hit them.
A male program strutted across the stage with a confident air. The heavy techno beats filled his ears to the point where they might be ringing. He wasn't too sure if he had perfect hearing anymore or not. Either way, he was belting the vocals over the harmonious melody in the background. The voice was strong, powerful – and it was met with the rest of the crowd at least attempting to sing along.

He felt a certain leap in his circuits when he saw his audience singing the lyrics. It made him feel like he was at least doing something right. They were learning his music, after all. They could be listening to the MP3 programs at the End of Line club, but they were focused on him.
Damn if he did not have the best fans in the Grid.

"Look past the lies!
See what we find!
Leave it behind-
And keep on moving on!"

As he performed the opening song, he allowed himself to get lost in the music.

It took a lot to make him nervous. Perhaps when he first started out, he would have choked upon seeing such a large crowd in front of him. The stage he currently stood on allowed him to see every single circuit in the venue. Yet, he wasn't scared.
With a bit more experience under his belt, he only felt excitement.

He eventually came back to reality. After a moment, he realized that the music had stopped and that he was dancing to no beat. There was some laughter from the sea of programs, and they were soon joined by the performer. He adjusted one of his black fingerless gloves, taking care to avoid the glowing white circuit.
Then, he sat down on the edge of the stage.

"Greetings, programs! How's everyone tonight?" A hearty cheer was his response.
Lee grinned and pushed back a few strands of his orange hair.

"All right, awesome! Thanks for coming out tonight. I know it's kind of a ways out, but hey, look at this stage!" The mp3 program gestured behind him, and the crowd gave out a few more whoops and hollers.
Lee immediately bounded to his feet and brushed off his black vest. The white circuitry on the front glowed brightly, matching well with the cut-off white shirt underneath. The circuits seemed to shine even on the line down his black pants; perhaps it was trying to illustrate how he felt.
Excitement. Excitement. Drive. This was the biggest stage he'd ever been on, and he was going to do his best to not disappoint.

"I've got a few new songs for you guys, and you'll be the first to hear them! How do all of you feel about swing dancing?"
The charged response from his audience made his blue eyes shine, and with a cue to the crew in the back, the next song began.

"No way – hey, bartender, a bit more pure power over here, please! – That's crazy! You seriously lost a Game and lived? How long ago was this?" Lee kept his eyes on the program in front of him as he sipped a bit of energy. The circuits on his outfit flushed for a brief moment, and then dimmed.
The show had come and gone so fast. It always seemed too early to end it, despite what the two crew members told him. Programs had to leave before the patrols showed up, so he reluctantly called it quits early. It seemed unfair for a show to be cut short when there were so many songs to sing.
Still, he could be careful on the way to his home. So could the programs he was talking to, apparently.

"It was before C.L.U. took over. Back then, the Games were really for fun."

"Hey, hey! The Games are still for fun!" One program to the side interjected. The small group gathered around the bar chuckled nervously.

"Yeah, for the programs watching. I don't want to imagine what it must be like to be in there and fight for your life," said the lone female in the group. Her tone seemed to have a tint of nostalgia to it, but more than anything, it was sorrow.
Lee shuddered slightly at the thoughts of the Games and finished his glass to calm his nerves. He wasn't too sure how the conversation drifted to this topic, but it was too far in to stop it now.
He really had no idea about what these 'Games' were – he didn't have time for something like that, being an mp3. From what he was hearing, they weren't exactly a good time.

Note to self: Don't let C.L.U.'s name come up in post-show conversations.

He really didn't notice the happenings in the Grid. Not when it came to politics or touchy subjects like this, anyway. His being went out to people that had been wronged, definitely, but there wasn't much he could do about it. All he could do was sing.
As long programs could enjoy that, there he was doing his job. Lee idly glanced at the clock behind the bar, and moved off of his stool with a sad smile.

"Man, it's getting really late. I have to go power down."

"Hey, you put on a good show tonight, Lee!" The girl next to him flashed a smile, and flicked her head to the side to get her long black hair out of her face. Lee turned to face the girl in front of him, and saw an outstretched hand.
Both shakes were firm. "Power's on me. Go get some rest."

"Thanks!" Lee returned the smile and winked, then began his walk to the door. The mp3 program looked back for a moment at the small crowd, and gave a hearty wave. "Night, everyone! Thanks for coming out tonight!" Then, he bolted. He'd have to move quick if he wanted to get home with no problems.
But hey, I'm good at that.

AN: Any and all song lyrics in here are property of Bentley Jones. C: I would never take credit for it. I'd appreciate a review, if you have the time – and ways to improve the story would also be appreciated!
I finally got this started! I'm excited to finally have a plot for my mp3 program, and hopefully you all will enjoy it too!
- End of Line -