I'm pretty sure I saw that Mike's girlfriend's name is Nancy but I'm not positive. This is for my shipper heart.
"Alright kiddies listen up. The era of rehearsal starts now this new show WILL be breathtaking, Buster sin't here today so Eddie is supervising and I'M picking the songs." Mike bellowed, looking like a well dressed drill sergeant. Rosita, Gunter, and Ash were all skeptical. Mike didn't really care.
"Ash, I've been given specific instructions to let you do whatever you want. Write another hit or whatever." Ash looked surprisingly pleased.
"Whatever." She went off to her rehearsal room, wheels already turning in her head.
"Rosita, Gunter, front and center. Buster left me a list of songs, so I'm thinking Stronger by Kelly Clarkson. You did well leas t time, nearly brought down the house I guess, but you could definitely do better." He said, trying hard to give the closest thing he could to a compliment.
"I'm not really comfortable singing that song Mike, it's not really my style-" Rosita argued, but by that point he'd turned around.
"Meena! Johnny!" Get over here!" The elephant and the gorilla came over, looking confused.
"Meena, let me just say, your voice is..." Mike trailed off for as second, once again struggling with complimenting.
"Well it's good. Okay, really good, whatever. And you were okay too Johnny. So you two will be doing a duet. Why don't you try The best things happen while dancing from White Christmas, Okay?" They looked at each other. Johnny shrugged good naturedly.
"If Meena wants to." He decided. Meena retreated behind her ears.
"O-okay."
"Great, go rehearse." The two went off and Mike scurried over to Eddie.
"Eddie, you're on the list." Inwardly, he was cackling.
"What?" The confused ship asked, running a hand through his wool. He had just learned how to work all the buttons on the light and sound board, and now he was on a list? What?
"The list of singers, obviously. Buster wanted to thank you for your help so he put you on the list. I don't know what your talents are but I'm definitely getting an I fight dragons vibe from you." Eddie's eyes grew wide, half panicked and half really really intrigued. Wouldn't his life coach want him to take on a new challenge?
"Okay. If Buster thinks I can sing... He's never been wrong before."
"Oh yes. Have fun picking your song! I'll supervise." Mike climbed atop the light and sound board and smiled convincingly. He had a card up his sleeve of course, but it was awfully fun to play director.
"I haven't seen that movie in forever..." Johnny grumbled a little, as he looked up the song on his phone.
"My family watches it every year." Meena admitted, still tucked away behind her ears.
"Then you'll probably do really well at this song." He encouraged, still fumbling with his smartphone.
"P-probably?" She mumbled. He looked up and saw her nervousness, gently assessing it.
"Still have a bit of stage fright?" He asked kindly.
"A little um..." She admitted, trying to phrase it the best way possible,
"Well now I've sung in front of people but I've never sung with anyone else and... I really just don't want to mess this up for you." He blinked, surprised that she was so concerned about him and how he felt.
"You couldn't! You're so much better of a of a singer than I am." Now she blushed, surprised, and pressed play on the video he'd found, ending that conversation.
The theater was filled with sounds of squealing electric guitar, halfhearted attempts by Rosita at Kelly Clarkson, and a low murmured chant of, "has anyone seen m glass eye?" But Meena and Johnny's attention was on the song and corresponding dance number.
"Wow, that was elaborate." Johnny said, after their fifth rewatch.
"We don't have to do all of that." Meena blurted quickly. Johnny looked down at his shoes.
"Well, no, I guess not. But... It would be fun to try. Why don't we go practice on the stage, where there's more room for elaborate." She seemed about to protest, then sighed.
"Okay." Johnny grinned, grabbed her hand, and headed for the stage.
Nancy had joined Mike on the sound and light board when Meena and Johnny walked out on stage. He'd promised Nancy that she could pick his song, and so she came armed with a list of songs, about half of them were a joke.
"What are you up to Mikey?" She asked, nudging him lovingly. She was the only person ever allowed to call him Mikey.
"I'm the director. Look at those two up there, they're going to do a duet." Nancy smiled knowingly and watched, pretending she didn't hear her Mikey say the next bit,
"and they're going to be spectacular..."
Johnny looked at Meena and offered her a smile.
"Can you put on the music for The best things happen while your dancing?" He called over to Mike.
"Uh huh, hold up." The music started. Meena, who had agreed hesitantly to start the song since she arguably knew it a lot better than Johnny, did not start singing. She was tucked away behind her ears.
"Wait stop the music please!" Johnny called over. HE peered at Meena, studying her carefully.
"Hey, look at me okay?" He urged, and she slowly took away her shield.
"If you odn't want to do this that's okay. But if you're just afraid of messing up in front of me, don't be. Even if we do mess up it's okay. What does Mr. Moon say... Something like the best way to get over fear is by doing what you're afraid of?" She looked at him, eyes wide and shining, nearly smiling, but then she retreated again, hiding shyly.
"Johnny, what... W-what do you know about fear?" He sighed, and tried to meet her eyes again.
"I used to wake up every day terrified of not being who my dad wanted me to be. I've never told that to anyone Meena. But now I wake up knowing that with the help of my friends I don't have to be afraid. Let's help each other. Let's dance." He took her hands, and, encouraged by his presence, she nodded.
"Alright Johnny, let's dance."
Buster Brandon Moon came in just as Meena and Johnny had begun the song. It was by no means perfect, but it was stunning. He started clapping and whistling as soon as it was over, causing their concentration to break and Johnny to drop Meena mid dip.
"Wow! Just- WOW! Keep doing that, ABSOLUTELY keep doing that! I need to check on everyone else but let's talk about that right after alright?" Johnny smiled and nodded as Meena picked herself up the ground. Then Johnny and Meena highfived, both secretly blushing.
First Buster took care of Eddie, who was pouring his entire soul into a pretty terrible performance and had been straight up lied to by Mike, which was quickly explained.
"But hey, if you want a place in the show-"
"No, oh pleas no. I'm awful."
"Well, that's true, but good song choice. The geek shall inherit the earth by I fight dragons, right?"
"Yeah, Mike suggested the band."
"Huh, Mike..." Buster muttered, thinking carefully. Then he checked up on Ash, who was frustratedly working through writer's block. He threw out a few pieces of advice and then headed over to an upset Gunter and Rosita.
"What's the problem guys?"
"This song choice is not for us. Stronger by Kelly Clarkson does not give the image I want to send out as a MARRIED WOMAN." She seemed ready to punch Moon in the face. He face palmed.
"I'm so sorry with whatever Mike told you, he literally gave you the only song scratched off of my list. Here's the real list, deep breaths for all, Here's the real list." He handed over the list and they seemed to be more relaxed.
"Talk to that mouse why don't you?" Rosita called, still a little cross.
"Oh I will." He went over then to Mike and Nancy on the light and sound board.
"Well Mike, you have a bit of a knack for directing. You're a pain and a trouble maker, but you did a lot right even if you didn't do it all honestly. And as for your idea to put Johnny and Meena together was the most brilliant thing I've ever seen. I don't know if I would have ever thought about it. I don't even know how you thought of it. But I never want it to stop. I would take you on as an assistant director if you wanted." Mike grinned and thought about it for a moment, his heart really racing, then mumbled,
"No, no, I'd rather steal the spotlight." Maybe some other time...?
"Yeah, good luck doing that with Meena and Johnny together." Buster said, though not rudely, as he went off to talk to the two stars, and Mike grinned.
"You knew they'd be the ones to steal the spotlight didn't you?" Nancy accused. He didn't say anything.
"You ship them don't you." She continued, grinning at her boyfriend.
"Shut up and help me pick a song." He muttered, but she wasn't wrong.