Author Note: This is the last chapter for now, until we finish writing up chapter seven. We hope you enjoy it. :3 - LJ & Rurrlock
Chapter Six
Karaoke Mayhem Part 2
Kirsty sighed with relief as she belted out the final note to her song. She stood on stage panting, sweat visible across her brow and taking in the admiring glances and applause coming her way. "Phew, I did it!"
"That's my girl!" Tiffany congratulated her, rushing up to the stage to grab her friend's arm and hoist it up in the air as a proud declaration of triumph.
Many of the members of the club clapped and cheered on a bashful Kirsty, all except for a few such as Angelique, Freddy and Chucky. But one death glare from Tiffany was all it took for them to prompt them into slow and hesitant claps, yet lack of enthusiasm was evident to all. Freddy leaned in close to whisper in Chucky's ear, hoping that the sound of the others cheering would drown out his words. "I'm sensing there's a bit of favouritism in this karaoke."
As she scanned the room, Tiffany was amused to see that Pinhead was also hesitant before clapping. She smiled knowingly at the way he was looking at Kirsty, even if her brunette friend hadn't noticed as she was too busy drinking in the deserved applause, but every now and again locking eyes with Pinhead, who seemed slightly reluctant for Kirsty to notice his stares.
Tiffany watched the scene unfold between the two former adversaries. At this point she wasn't sure as to why they were even considered adversaries. The little gestures they shared, the way they looked at one another, how they seemed in each other's presence seemed to further validate Tiffany's belief about the two. Maybe they couldn't see it, or was even aware of it on a conscious level...but Tiffany sure was aware, and she wasn't about to miss this glorious opportunity. It would be difficult, but oh so worth it in the long run.
With a gleeful grin she returned to the CD before calling out, "You know what? I think Kirsty deserves another song for that performance!"
"What?!" everyone gasped, including Kirsty.
Freddy slammed his fist on the table, his knives leaving dents on the surface. "Oh come on! That's cheating. What happened to the rules?"
"Like you would follow the rules anyway." Tiffany shot back.
"Hey! We actually have been following the rules this time...so far." Freddy muttered.
On stage, Kirsty shuffled over to Tiffany. "Tiff, I don't think I'll say this often, or ever for that matter, but I agree with Freddy. It doesn't seem fair that I get two turns. I don't mind someone else tak-"
Tiffany waved her hand dismissively and placed her arm around Kirsty, almost crushing the poor brunette with her enthusiasm. "Don't listen to them, sweetface. You've got a great voice and you deserve another go. Trust me. It's just one more song, and then we'll move on. I promise."
Although clearly not comfortable with the idea, Kirsty shrugged and decided to just go along with it. After all, when Tiffany had her mind on doing something, she was going to see it through no matter what. You could ask Chucky to testify that.
Tiffany looked through the club's CD collection, trying to find the perfect song to use to test her theory concerning Kirsty and her handsome Cenobite friend; it had to be something subtle but just enough to give her the results that she needed.
Meanwhile, Angelique had her arms folded over her chest, tapping her finger aggressively on her arm, as she was unable to hide her frustration that the human she despised would get another opportunity to sing. She almost considered leaping onto the stage and shoving the human away to steal the spotlight. But that wouldn't do. Instead, she thought best to wait. She wanted to prove herself without the need of cheating.
Her plot was interrupted as she could hear a slight but consistent drumming beside her. She turned to see Ghostface busy adjusting his banjo and muttering a tune under his breath. The devilish princess narrowed her eyes at him. "Could you make that racket elsewhere?!"
Ghostface turned to her, almost looking sheepish through the mask he wore. "Oh, my bad. I'm almost done. I can't wait for my turn. I know that everyone is going to love what I have to offer." he stated excitedly, like a kid about to enter his favourite candy-store with infinite glee.
Angelique rolled her eyes and huffed. "It matters not. Once I am up on stage and my divine voice is heard, everyone will be under my spell." she said wickedly while keeping her eyes locked on a particular individual seated a few yards in front of her. She gazed longingly at Leviathan's Favoured son, focusing in on him and only him...
...Until her stare was broken by the eager Ghostface moving his chair so that he was sitting right in front of Angelique, obstructing her line of sight on the Cenobite. "That's cool. Hey, if you need any song tips, I'm more than happy to help."
"That won't be necessary.'' Angelique sneered, though Ghostface was completely oblivious to her disdain for him and his silly antics. She would try to glance over his shoulder so that she could see her beloved Xipe, but Ghostface just kept meeting her gaze by obnoxiously pushing his head in the way to get her attention.
"Are you sure? You know, you look like you've got a bit of country girl in you!"
"How could you possibly think that given my attire?"
"I have like a sixth sense with these things. If you need help picking out a tune, I know all the classics. Plus, most of them are about ballads of love and souls, so it'll be great for you."
She eyed him curiously. "It baffles me that your favoured genre of music is known as being Country music. Shouldn't they be vocalising about landscapes and geography instead of human emotions?"
Ghostface shrugged. "Some do...actually, but it's about gathering around the campfire and letting nature fill your heart with a song and a melody. Want me to give an example?" He held up his banjo.
Leaning back in her chair, Angelique brushed him away with her hand. "I would rather you not."
After what felt like an eternity, Tiffany bolted up right and pumped her fists in excitement. "Ha, found the perfect song." Without any further hesitation, she clicked the CD in place, and awaited the intro.
As soon as Kirsty recognised it, and the song title and lyrics plastered across the screen, she turned to Tiffany with an anxious expression written on her face. "Are you sure this is the one?"
"Positive," Tiffany winked before turning to stare at a confused Pinhead. "Wouldn't you say this is a great song for her?"
Flinching at first for being randomly called out, Pinhead slowly shook his head and cleared his throat. "I'm afraid I cannot give an opinion. I'm not familiar with this song."
"Oh," Tiffany sighed disappointingly, but perked up immediately when the lyrics were about to kick in. "Well, you're about to become familiar with it. Take it away, Kirsty!"
Smothering her nerves for now, Kirsty closed her eyes and started swaying her hips to the music before she bellowed out the first lyric to the song. "You can dress me up in diamonds, you can dress me up in dirt..."
In the background, Alice began click her fingers to get the attention of half the group. "Oh, oh, I know this one. It's 'Lala' by Ashlee Simpson!"
Freddy and Chucky turned to face each other, both looking just as befuddled as the other. "Why the hell would your wife pick this song?" Freddy questioned.
"How should I know?"
"You're married to Tiff. You should know her tastes by now!"
"I know them, that doesn't mean I understand them." Chucky muttered.
Freddy snickered at his buddy's expense. "Oh, you've got a real good marriage there, doll-boy!"
"Hey, at least I've got a marriage!" Chucky fired back venomously.
The two of them bickered, completely ignoring the performance that Kirsty was putting on. All of the nerves and hesitation she displayed before were gone as she swayed her body and sung along effortlessly with great confidence. Perhaps too much confidence. Although she could read the lyrics on screen, she was so caught up in the moment that she didn't give any second thought to the implications that the lyrics had to them.
Because of this, she was putting on quite the show without realising it, and this left Pinhead utterly bewildered.
He couldn't quite explain, but there was something mesmerising about Kirsty's performance, and he couldn't tear his eyes away from the sway of her hips. Not that he wanted to.
The Cotton woman suddenly became aware of Pinhead's dumbfounded stares. Though this did nothing to distract her or defer her. In fact, she undulated more intensely than before, her hips swaying suggestive and enticing, and enough to render any man into quivering, drooling messes. She wasn't certain as to why the sight of Pinhead squirming in his seat was making her turn up the seductive dancing a notch, but she sure was enjoying it.
Her brown eyes stared ahead of the crowd before her, settling on the Cenobite who sat amongst them, and failed to tear them away when reaching the chorus...
"You make me wanna la la, in the kitchen, on the floor..."
At those suggestive lyrics, Pinhead felt a gulp slide down his throat, and his coal eyes widened.
With a puzzled face, he continued to watch Kirsty as Tiffany looked on, delighted. This was just the reaction she was looking for, and it confirmed her theory that there appeared to be some tension between the two of them that neither realised...at least not on a level they were aware, and even if they were aware they sure weren't going to act on it any time soon. Now that she knew for certain there was something there, she needed to find a way to get them together.
She was going to play Cupid for her friends.
Just as Kirsty's performance was drawing to a close, an idea came to mind.
Kirsty breathlessly finished the song and looked towards the crowd to see their reaction. Just like before, everyone gave her a well-deserved round of applause, rising to his or her feet and clapping their hands with fervour. All except for the few sourpusses such as Freddy, Chucky and Angelique, who sat in their seats and looking on unimpressed.
Pinhead remained frozen to his seat, feeling his throat go ever dry as his lips and his black heart was steadily beating faster and faster. He was suddenly aware that he was gripping the armrest of his chair tightly, and soon forced himself to let go now that the performance was over.
Next to Kirsty, Tiffany came onto the stage with a wide smile and a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Everyone! I think I have an idea on how to spice things up for this karaoke night!"
Kirsty stared at her friend nervously. "You're not going to make me sing again, are you?"
Chucky scoffed. "Yeah, it was bad enough we had soldier-boy take up everyone's time with his singing."
Not too far away, Joey - who was still sat next to Elliot - glared at the living doll with a ghastly look in her eyes. Despite not uttering a word, this was more than enough to silence Chucky, who just grumbled inaudibly as he slouched in his chair.
Tiffany cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "I thought that this time we could have everyone pair up into teams."
Elliot perked up. "Oh, you mean a duet?"
"Exactly!"
Everyone turned to each other, their reactions varying to this sudden new development. This was the last thing they expected Tiffany to announce, but it wasn't the worst idea that they had ever heard. Yet some people weren't so convinced.
"What's the deal?" Freddy called out. "I thought this was a challenge to prove who's a better singer?"
"Yeah well, now we're going to see who can work best as a team. Doesn't that sound like fun everyone?" she squealed excitedly, but it would seem not everyone shared in her enthusiasm. She noticed there was a bit of muffled groans and curses being uttered amongst the group. Most of the group didn't know each other very well, and they knew there was going to be a few odd pairings. But Tiffany was on a mission, and she wasn't going to let a few grouches ruin it for her. She bit her lip before yelling with passion and with a hint of threat in her voice, "I said, doesn't that sound like fun everyone!"
Her roars shook the club and suddenly everyone was in a much more agreeing mood as they nodded nervously, much to Tiffany's delight.
At the very back, Joey felt Elliot nudge a bit closer to her and she shuffled around to lock eyes with him, getting lost in his baby-blues. "Joey, would you do me the honour of partnering up with me?"
Hoping that her cheeks weren't flushed, Joey slowly nodded. "Of course, that sounds great."
Behind them, Freddy discreetly made a gagging noise and Chucky tittered next to him. Though they stopped when they heard snickering coming from a table nearby, and Freddy looked over to see it was Nancy and Alice smirking at the two. He huffed and flipped his middle knife at them. "And what's so funny?"
"You trying to compensate for impending defeat by mocking everyone." Nancy stated.
"Ha, defeat?!" Freddy mocked sarcastically. "No way! Besides, you already have the advantage because you two are already in a pair."
Alice smirked. "Oh, I think I see Chicken Krueger making a comeback."
He narrowed his eyes at them, desperately wanting to lunge himself at them with his knives delving into their inviting flesh. But he thought it would be more satisfying to beat them at their own game. He turned to his partner in crime. "Ready to tear this place apart, Chuckster?"
"As always! Just don't drag me down with your burnt vocals."
"Hey, if I pull on a string in your back, will you start giving me a little tune!" Freddy teased before cackling.
Chucky was left fuming and fought back the urge to sucker-punch Freddy in the jaw. "I don't have a fucking string you-"
"I will partner with Xipe!" Angelique suddenly called out, shocking everyone.
All eyes in the room fell on her, while she had her eyes on only one person, a bewildered Pinhead who wasn't sure what to make of all this. The only one whose eyes were wider than his were Tiffany's, who tried to think of a way to get Pinhead out of his arrangement so that her Cupid plans wouldn't crumble right from the get go. "You can't!" Tiffany replied.
Angelique huffed and placed her hands on her hips. "And why not?"
"Because…because," Tiffany stammered. ''I heard Kirsty whisper she wanted to partner with him.''
Kirsty sharply turned to her. "I did?"
"Yes, you did. It was a very faint whisper, so she called dibs."
Angelique's cheeks puffed red with anger. "I did not call dibs. I called Xipe!"
"No, it's an expression. I'm sorry, but Kirsty and Pinhead are partners." As quickly as she could, Tiffany started to nudge Kirsty's back and force her off the stage and down towards a chair that was set right next to the one Pinhead was sitting on. Kirsty couldn't even fathom what was happening, and before she could say anything else, she was sitting beside Pinhead of all people.
They stared at each other, not sure how to start a conversation...and yet they were supposed to be singing together? How could this possibly work for them?
Elsewhere, Angelique looked on in anger and threw her arms about in frustration. "Then who am I to partner with?"
Right on cue, Ghostface leapt to his feet and handed her a second banjo that seemed to have magically appeared from under his chair. It was forced into her arms and she held it awkwardly, as if she had just been handed a stranger's newborn baby to cradle. Ghostface couldn't contain his excitement. "This is going to be awesome! I haven't done a duet in so long. We're going to be a great team. I've got a good feeling about this."
Tiffany smiled with both relief, and amusement. "Okay, so let's see who we have left. I'm sure that Michael and Jason will be teaming up together, correct?"
She glanced in their direction, and saw the silent masked giants give her the thumbs up approval.
"Great," Tiffany then turned to her husband. "Chucky, honey? Ready to rock everyone's socks together?"
"Sorry, babe. Me and Fred are going to do this!"
Tiffany's smile turned into a scowl as she stared at him in disbelief. "You're going to sing with Freddy before me?"
Freddy snickered. "That's the way the cookie crumbles, toots. I was going to say that's how the fat lady sings, but we already made that joke." The two high-fived and laughed gleefully.
Hardly believing what she was hearing and seeing, Tiffany was about to fly into a rage at her husband when she realised that there was still one more person in the room still without a partner besides her, and it was someone who would definitely get Chucky to notice. With a sinister grin, Tiffany marched over to the last person, who still had their head laid out on the table and was snoring away. "Andy, sweetface?"
Drowsily, Andy Barclay lifted his head and rubbed his eyes. "Huh? What did I miss?"
"ANDY!?" Chucky shrieked loud enough that he almost cracked the windows and broke everyone's eardrums. "You're going to partner with him?"
Tiffany shrugged her shoulders and looked at the flabbergasted Chucky with an unapologetic tone. "Sorry, honey. This is the way that the fat lady is singing." She winked and grabbed Andy's arm to lift him up out of his seat. "Ready to sing together."
"Uh…okay," Andy replied warily. It was bad enough that he had practically missed the whole event because he had slept through it, but now he was going to be doing a duet with the wife of his arch-nemesis? Actually, giving it some thought, it was a pretty neat idea for revenge. Especially when he glanced over and saw the dumbfounded look on Chucky's face, whose jaw was resting on the table and his hair was frizzed out in all directions.
It didn't help him when Freddy began snickering and elbowing him in the side. "Aww. Jealous that your Barbie doll has found a new Ken?"
Chucky clenched his fist and pounded it on the table. "Shut up! It's not like that."
"Now that you mention it, Tiffany always did give me a cougar vibe-"
"Shut your crispy pie hole!" Chucky rose to his feet and looked ready to attack Freddy like a rabid animal.
From the table next to them, Chucky could hear more giggling coming from Nancy and Kirsty. The doll shot them a menacing glare, showing that he wasn't afraid to lunge at anyone and everyone. Nancy lifted her hands in defence, still keeping an amused grin plastered on her face. "Relax, will you? Don't you trust your wife enough to have one song with another guy?"
Chucky sealed his lips, threatening to throw another outburst at whoever dared to taunt him. He mumbled incoherently under his breath for a moment before folding his arms and slouching back onto his chair. "Exactly! It's just one song. Nothing more than that."
Up on the stage, the first song was prepared and Andy was handed a spare microphone while Tiffany took charge. The young man stared awkwardly. "I'm not much of a singer..."
Tiffany patted his shoulder, reassuring him. "Don't be nervous. My voice is a bit out of it as well."
Freddy grinned. "You can say that again." He then yelped in pain after Chucky slyly jabbed him in the leg with his clenched fist.
Before long, a tune sung by one of the most famous singers of all time filled the silence, with Andy and Tiffany quickly getting into a rhythm as the lyrics were displayed.
"Girlfriend! I'm gonna tell your boyfriend! Yeah..."
"OH COME ON!" Chucky yelled in frustration, recognising the song as Michael Jackson's 'Girlfriend.'
Freddy leaned in close to whisper in his buddy's ear. "Still think there's nothing more?"
"Give me a reason. I swear, give me a fucking reason!" Chucky growled and shrunk further into his seat. He wanted to look away and pretend that he wasn't watching his wife and arch-enemy produce a harmonious duet. But a small part of him was afraid of what might happen if he looked away.
All eyes were on the two singers throughout most of the song. Although, Pinhead couldn't help but glance to his side and stare at Kirsty. Her performance earlier and her beautiful voice was still fresh in his mind, tormenting him. No matter how hard he tried to shake it off and focus on the new performances, there was something…bewitching about her earlier movements. He never expected it from her. It plagued him.
He cleared his throat, earning her attention as she turned to him curiously. "I must say...your...show was unexpected."
"Oh, thanks," Kirsty replied and rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm not much of a karaoke person, or involving myself in group activities. But, there's nothing wrong with having a little fun and letting out your wild side, am I right?"
"I agree, on both points. I am not usually fond of human gatherings either. I suppose different people find different ways to enjoy themselves. Your dancing seems to indicate that."
Kirsty shrugged. "I've never really danced much before. But, when I do..."She suddenly appeared quite nervous, pausing before continuing with her sentence. "I just kinda let loose. I don't get to show that side of myself to people that often."
"Well, in our past encounters, I suppose we never had many occasions to...how did you express it? Let...loose?"
Perhaps it was the strangeness of hearing him use such casual talk or the fact he was trying to strike a pleasant conversation with her, but Kirsty couldn't suppress a light laugh. "No, we haven't."
Up on stage, coming towards the end of their duet, Tiffany glanced down and saw Pinhead and Kirsty in the middle of a small conversation. While nothing major seemed to be occurring, she did catch the small laugh from Kirsty. A gleeful fire sparked inside of the Cupid mastermind. Already, it seemed like her plan was going to come to fruition. After this final note from Andy, she knew it would be their turn.
Meanwhile, Andy seemed to be quite invested in his singing, despite initial apprehension.
"You'll only be a girlfriend of mine!"
He bellowed at the top of his lungs and raised his hand in the air in dramatic fashion before rushing towards the edge of the stage and diving off, expecting the crowd to catch him. But no one was ready for it, and so the only thing to break the over-eager man's fall was one of the empty tables, which broke in half as he collapsed to the floor.
Loud gasps were heard around the club and everyone jumped to their feet to check on him. Elliot was the closest and the first to offer assistance. "Young man, are you alright?"
Andy bolted up to his feet and shook himself. "I'm okay! I'm okay! I'm A-okay."
At the back, Chucky and Freddy cackled loudly. "Whooooo! Do it again!" the doll yelled.
Tiffany got off the stage and stared intensely at her husband. "No, he won't do that again," She hurried towards Andy, placing her hands on him. "Sweetface, are you alright?"
"I think so...good thing the table broke my fall. I'm gonna go sit back down now." He shuffled back towards his seat, needing assistance to sit back down. No doubt that he was going to be sore for a few days, but at least he didn't appear to be hurt too badly. Chucky was the only one of the group who considered this a negative.
With that shock out of the way, Tiffany went back to the front to address the others. "Okay, now we move onto the next two, and I think it should be-" Her eyes were already moving towards her two targets, both unaware of her plot.
Tiffany was silenced as Joey raised her hand. "Um...can Elliot and I have our turn now?"
"W-what?" Tiffany gasped.
"I would rather get my turn over and done with," She turned to Elliot and gave him a sympathetic look. "No offence, I'm just nervous about getting up to sing."
Elliot offered her a genuine smile. "None taken. You have nothing to be nervous about. I wouldn't mind having our turn now."
"B-but, but..." Tiffany stammered, trying to figure out some excuse. "I already had the perfect song in mind for-"
"Oh, that's okay," Elliot grinned as he and Joey walked over to the stage. "We'll sing it ourselves. It's no trouble."
Tiffany opened her mouth to protest further, but Kirsty cupping both her hands around her mouth and calling out quickly drowned this out. "Go Joey! You can do it!"
Knowing that she was fighting a losing battle, Tiffany shrugged and decided to let them have their fun. She would get her chance to play Cupid after this one song.
As the song was being prepared, Elliot and Joey had a short moment to themselves. "I wonder what we're going to sing," Joey whispered.
"Whatever it is, I'll be honoured to sing it with you."
For a split-second, Joey felt her heart flutter at the kind words. She brushed those feelings aside and hoped that her cheeks were flushed as she turned to him. "Thanks, you too. You have a great voice. I didn't know you could sing."
"Well, back when I was a lad, I would find myself sneaking into this theatre house and I would observe and listen the performers."
"You learnt from just listening?" Joey gasped in amazement.
"It was just something I picked up-" He was cut off as the music started to play. "Ah, here we go. You might have to help me with this one. I'm still trying to learn all the songs that I've missed over these past few decades."
Joey smirked confidently. "I can help with that. I listen to this one all the time."
The music played with a slow, rhythmic beat, crawling like a waltz being built up between two lovers. Knowing this song off by heart, Joey didn't even need to read the lyrics while Elliot had to for reference. "Tale as old as time..."
"Beauty and the Beast?" Freddy broke into another fit of laughter.
A repulsed look flashed across Kirsty's face as she turned around to glare at the cackling manic. "What is your problem?"
"They're singing a song from a kid's film!" He chuckled and wiped away a single tear that dripped down his burnt cheek. "How can you not find this funny?"
"Because it's a good song being sung by two very good singers."
"Yeah, yeah...they'll be breaking out the Spongebob theme next." He and Chucky taunted and shared their laughter, clearly the only ones finding any of this funny while the rest of the club were entranced by Elliot and Joey's voices.
Thinking this was a battle not worth fighting, Kirsty turned back to cheer on her friend. Over her shoulder, she could see Pinhead deep in thought. "Are you okay?"
Startled at being dragged out of his thoughts, Pinhead looked at her. "Yes, yes, I'm fine. Admittedly...it's bewildering to listen to my other half perform. It's like having a thorn in my side that cannot be removed."
"Is it really that awkward? He has a great voice. That has to mean you have a great voice too."
"The verdict on his voice matters little when-" He froze and stared at her. "You think I have a good voice?"
"Uh..." Kirsty stuttered and tried to play it cool. "I'm speaking logically, of course. You two are one in the same, kinda. It would make sense for your voice to sound similar to his."
Not catching onto her flustered nature, Pinhead slowly nodded. "I must begrudgingly agree. As much as it pains me to ever have to be compared to my human half."
"Is being compared to your human half really that bad?"
"In my eyes, yes."
The two sat in silence for what felt like an eternity. They watched and listened to the reporter and good Captain performing, with Joey even helping Elliot learn the dance. She took his hand in hers and placed his hand on her waist as they danced. It was shy and awkward at first, but they let the music sweep them up in the moment. While this might not have been Tiffany's plan, she couldn't help but sigh sweetly at the scene before her. Kirsty felt the same way, although something did come to her attention. "You know something? We might have been close to getting this song."
Pinhead released a nervous laugh. "Yes...that would have been...something."
He cursed himself for his poor articulation. He didn't want his nerves to get the better of him. On the one hand, he couldn't stand seeing his human half receiving such adoration, but on the other, it meant having to prove himself better by doing a duet with Kirsty. Yet why did the thought of that leave him with sweaty palms and a steadily rising heartbeat?
"Beauty and the Beast!"
Elliot and Joey finished the song together, earning a loud round of applause from almost everyone in the club. Even Pinhead forced himself to clap, though mostly for Joey's efforts rather than giving any kind of acknowledgement to Elliot.
Joey sighed with relief. "That was fun."
"Indeed," Elliot agreed. "We should do this again sometime. If you like."
The two of them locked eyes, and in that brief moment, everything else from the outside world was forgotten. It felt like they were the only two people that mattered. Before they stared for too long, they walked off the stage and returned to their seats. The club felt warmer and more pleasant in that little moment.
Tiffany rose to her feet. "Okay, now it's time for-"
"It's our turn, babe!" Chucky called out as he and Freddy were already strutting towards the stage.
"Chucky! You can't just interrupt me like that!"
"I'm tired of hearing all these sappy-crappy songs. It's time we really got some good beats pumping."
"Yeah," Freddy sneered. "Besides, knowing you lot, you'll probably have us singing 'Hakuna Matata', or something like that."
Nancy snickered. "I was thinking 'Make a Man Out of You', that sounds more beneficial for you."
"Haha, fuck you too, bitch!" Freddy shot them the middle claw.
Chucky groaned. "I'm afraid that this is one day going to lead us to a Disney marathon."
Andy immediately perked up. "I like the sound of that."
"Of course you would. Never really had a proper childhood, did ya, Andy?" Chucky grinned sadistically.
"Yeah, I wonder whose fault that was?" Andy replied sarcastically.
Swiftly, Alice raised her hands. "I'm bringing Little Mermaid."
"I call Mulan!" Nancy followed up.
Ghostface was the next to join in. "I'll bring Home on the Range!" He stared around at the confused expressions that everyone shot him. He wallowed in the silence. "What? No one remembers that film? With the cows? Maybe if I sing a song that'll remind-"
Suddenly, he felt Angelique grip his banjo tightly, preventing him from playing. "Don't even think about it." she hissed.
Oblivious, Ghostface nodded. "Right, I got ya. Don't want to ruin my voice before it's our turn, good thinking partner."
Before another word could be uttered, everyone's ears were pierced by the sound of knives scraping against the wall. It persisted for a few seconds, far too long for anyone to want to endure. Freddy removed his knives from the wall and looked out towards the others. "Are you done? Because it's time for the talent to talk!"
"Then why are you speaking?" Chucky mumbled.
"Shut up and start the song."
Chucky rolled his eyes and walked over to find them an appropriate song to play. With a kick, he slid back over to Freddy as the two prepared themselves, almost like they've rehearsed this routine multiple times. "Guess who just got back today? Them wild-eyed that have been away..."
Thin Lizzy's 'Boys Are Back in Town' blasted across the room as the duo let rip with their vocal cords.
Nancy grimaced. "You know? I almost want to listen to the knives scraping against the wall again?"
Alice nodded. "The bromance is through the roof. I think if anyone has to be careful in their marriage, it's Tiffany."
Hearing this banter, Tiffany scoffed and waved her hand dismissively. "Please, if those two wanted to hitch, they wouldn't last five minutes before killing each other on the way to the honeymoon."
"The scary part is I can't tell if you're joking or not." Nancy retorted.
Freddy and Chucky sang their hearts out, believing that they sounded better than how they actually were, and enjoying themselves even if no one else really was. Although, Tiffany smiled joyfully seeing her husband having so much fun. But, she was still on a mission. She was certain that after this song, she would get Pinhead and Kirsty to perform their duet.
Belting out their last few notes, Freddy and Chucky raised their arms and waited to be drowned with applause. All they got were a few half-hearted sprinkles that fluttered in their direction. Tiffany bolted up about to speak when Freddy pointed towards Nancy and Alice. "Your turn, ladies! Let's see you beat that!"
Tiffany's eyes widened and she smashed her balled fists on the table. "No!" she shrieked.
Everyone turned to her and stared at her, bewildered by the sudden outburst. Not wanting to let her plan be revealed and potentially be ruined, she sat back down. "Okay."
While Nancy and Alice prepared themselves, Kirsty glanced over her shoulder at Tiffany. "Is everything okay, Tiff?"
Tiffany forced a jubilant smile and spoke through gritted teeth. "Swell."
Unconvinced, Kirsty wanted to probe further but thought it best to leave well enough alone. She turned back around and was left pondering at the actress's sudden odd behaviour. "I wonder what's up with her."
"Indeed." Pinhead rubbed his chin. "She appeared very eager to start this duet challenge, and yet seems to be disheartened whenever someone new takes the challenge. It's an enigma."
The two stared at Tiffany, the woman impatiently drumming her fingers against her table, almost creating a musical rhythm of her own. Kirsty thought about checking on her, knowing that something was troubling her friend. But she thought it best to leave things as they were and chose to remain seated...next to him. That sudden thought crept up on her and she shook her head to brush that stray realisation away. What did it matter if she was sitting next to Pinhead? They were just sitting next to each other. There was nothing major about that, right?
Thankfully for her, any other tricks her mind wanted to play on her would have to wait as Alice and Nancy immediately began belting out the lyrics of the song by Porcelain Black's 'One Woman Army.'
"I'm on the battlefield like, oh my God! Ooh, la la..."
They sang wonderfully in unison, and danced in a fist-pumping fashion, matching the energetic beat of the music, and getting all the other members of the club jazzed up...except for one grouch sitting at the back.
Freddy scoffed at his adversaries. "Typical girl power crap. We get it! You're strong independent women who don't need no man!" he mocked sarcastically.
Rolling her eyes, Kirsty glanced over her shoulder and smirked at Freddy. "What's the matter? Can't handle seeing women feeling empowered? Not surprising coming from a guy who uses the word bitch like it's going out of fashion!"
Freddy pointed an accusing finger at her. "Hey, I don't say bitch all the time!"
"I think you do."
"Listen here, you bitch, I..." With his mouth running wildly before he had a chance to think his words through carefully, Freddy then froze at the realisation he had proven Kirsty right. After beat, he waved his arm dismissively and pouted. "That was a slip of the tongue."
"Sure it was."
Despite Kirsty being the dominate player in this argument, Pinhead couldn't stop himself from turning around to defend her honour and throwing a menacing glare at the Dream Demon. "Krueger, that is hardly the appropriate manner to conduct yourself when talking with a guest."
"I'd hardly call them guests. They just strolled in like they own the place."
"You do not own this place either," Pinhead stated before grinning. "Shall we go and speak with the people who do own this place? Perhaps even the one who initiated our membership?"
A sense of dread crawled up Freddy's spine. He folded his arms over his chest and turned away, silently admitting defeat.
Feeling satisfied, Pinhead turned around to fix his eyes back on the performance on stage. Next to him, Kirsty threw an amused smile his way. "That was cool."
Feeling Kirsty's amused and impressed eyes fixed on him, Pinhead shifted in his seat. "Yes, well, it isn't proper behaviour, especially towards a lady. There has to be discipline."
"Amen, and thanks." Kirsty nodded, finding it increasingly difficult to tear her eyes away from the Cenobite sat next to her. Soon, she managed to focus all her attention back on the stage. The two of them almost looked back at each other but decided against it.
Behind them, Freddy leaned closer to Chucky. "I don't say bitch all the time, do I?"
Chucky snickered. "If I had a dollar for every time you said bitch, I could take Tiff on our second, third and fourth honeymoons, with enough to pay for our kids' college funds."
Nancy and Alice jumped in sync with the music and landed on their feet with a hard slam, signalling the end of their song. Everyone, bar Freddy, jumped up and applauded the two. The two ladies hugged each other, and with their arms wrapped around their waist, Nancy stared into Freddy's eyes and held the microphone as far as she could before dropping it to the ground. Her head tilted as gave her arch-enemy a smug look. All Freddy could do to respond was give her the middle finger.
Before they had even gotten off the stage, Tiffany bolted to the front frantically. "Okay, okay, that's that done! Now it's time for-"
"Us!" Ghostface leapt to his feet while holding Angelique's arm, hoisting it up and leaving the Hellish Queen baffled by his antics.
"Why?" Tiffany screamed.
Oblivious to her hysterical tone, Ghostface tapped his finger against his temple. "When a musician is in the zone, you can't delay. Are you ready, partner?" He turned to Angelique.
"I do not feel that I am in this zone you speak of..."
"Don't worry. You just need to work towards it. Come on!" Without her having time to reply, he dragged her along, ignoring or most likely unaware of Tiffany's exasperated cries of despair and frustration.
She searched the room, probably looking for a pillow to scream into. How could such a seemingly simple task of getting Pinhead and Kirsty to sing together prove to be so difficult?
Ghostface rushed around on stage, making sure that everything was prepared and the right song was chosen. Meanwhile, Angelique stood rooted to the spot, looking lost and confused. "What are we doing?" she questioned.
"You're a newbie, so it's okay if you make a few slip-ups," Ghostface encouraged. He brought out his banjo and from seemingly out of nowhere, handed another one to Angelique, shoving it into her arms. "Are you ready, partner?"
"No..."
"That's the spirit!"
Even from right at the back of the seated crowd, Freddy and Chucky were already thrusting their fingers into their ears. "Here it comes."
Joey glanced at them. "Why are you being mean to him like this? He just wants to sing."
"That's what we're trying to protect ourselves from, toots!" Chucky replied.
The music began, and Ghostface began singing along while tapping his foot on the floor. "You're drivin' back home down 246, you almost hit a deer and you end up in a ditch..."
Tyler Farr's 'Damn Good Friends' blasted across the room, and accompanied by Ghostface's enthusiastic but unbearably out-of-tune voice. It was so bad it caused Freddy and Chucky groan painfully while planting their faces on the table.
The rest of the club wasn't sure how to feel. Ghostface certainly was tone deaf all said and done. Joey forced a smile, trying to be pleasant, but feeling a part of her cringe inside. "Country music? That's...different." She scrunched her face when Ghostface tried to reach a particular note, but it sounded more like a screech.
"Different from what I'm used to, most certainly." Elliot tried to sound as polite as possible.
Near the front, Kirsty turned to a face-palming Pinhead. "Does he sing like this all the time?"
"It is all that he sings, sans the talent unfortunately." he sighed.
Ghostface couldn't be happier, doing the thing he loved most, unaware of the awkward and pained looks he was earning. As for Angelique, she remained standing still and unresponsive. In her mind, this was as far removed from music as what she could possibly imagine. To her, this was nonsensical, and her 'partner' was a talent-less fool. Not to mention the fact that her eyes were constantly drifting towards a particular pinheaded individual sitting near the front...the one whose attention was being stolen by that...brown-haired human. How could the Princess become invested in this foolish activity when her chosen consort was being stolen away from right under her nose by a human of all things?
Before long, the song had reached its merciful end, at which point, Freddy and Chucky breathed a heavy sigh of relief and removed everything they had inserted into their ears to drown out the noise. Ghostface bowed, anticipating his rapturous applause. Although, all he received were a few half-hearted claps from those not wanting to appear mean-spirited. It didn't matter to the masked singer, they were still praise to his ears.
He turned sharply to Angelique. "Okay, nice work, partner. Couldn't really hear you much during the music, but that can be something to work on for the future."
"That was music?" she gasped. "It was nothing more than incoherent slurs that sounded like it passed the lips of grizzled men with facial hair covering their mouths!"
"See, you're already understanding the appeal of country music!" He turned to his crowd. "How about an encore?"
"No!" everyone screamed in desperation.
Not wanting to lose this opportunity again, Tiffany leapt up. "Okay, that is it! I will announce who is singing next. It will be Pinhead and-"
"...I!" Angelique declared.
"Huh?" Tiffany shook her head in confusion.
Angelique had already shuffled off the stage and was already advancing towards Pinhead. The Leader of Cenobites stared around confused while remaining in his chair. "You and me?" he asked.
"Yes," she breathed seductively. "We shall make such sweet music together, don't you think?"
Something prickled inside of Kirsty, seeing the way this woman was preying upon Pinhead in such a way. She couldn't stop herself from slamming her hands on the table and leaning towards the demon-woman. "Hold it! You already sang! You can't go again with someone else."
Not one to be deterred, especially when trying to seduce a potential mate, Angelique sneered at the human. "Technically, I didn't sing. Therefore, I am still allowed to engage in this competition. And I choose the only partner I believe to be...fit enough for the task." She stared at the confounded Pinhead intensely.
He swallowed hard as he rose to his feet slowly. "Angelique, while your offer is flattering, I must decline. You have already had your turn. It is only fair-"
"Fair?!" she yelled and then pointed a finger towards Ghostface. "You think that it is fair being saddled with this...this...insufferable buffoon?!"
Ghostface shuffled. "Does this mean I need a new partner too?" He looked towards the back of the club. "Hey, Freddy? You want to-"
Before he even finished his query, Freddy dived under the table and hid out of sight. Not long after, Chucky mimicked his actions, fearful of being chosen as well.
Tiffany stepped between Pinhead and Angelique, glaring at the mutilated woman. "No, no. We've set the rules. You can't choose a new partner. It has to be Pinhead and Kirsty."
"Why? They are not a good match in the slightest." She regarded Kirsty with an air of disgust.
"Well, Princess, I think they are a cute match. GOOD MATCH! I meant to say good match!" She cleared her throat and turned to Kirsty for support. "Don't you think so?"
"I...what?" Kirsty's cheeks reddened and she stared around, feeling uncomfortable and being thrown on the spot like that. Her eyes locked with Pinhead's, feeling a warm spark from inside her. "Well...I wouldn't be opposed to the idea."
"Too bad!" Angelique shrieked and grabbed Pinhead's arm, almost about to drag him over the table towards her. "He is singing with me."
Reacting instinctively, and without thinking, Kirsty reached out to take a hold of Pinhead's other arm and was soon tugging him in her direction. "Hang on! Tiffany's right, you've had a turn."
Pinhead being yanked violently in Kirsty's opposing direction showed Angelique's desperation. "Well, I want another! He's mine!"
"No, he's mine!" Kirsty tugged on Pinhead's arm, then paused and quickly re-thought her words. "I mean in a partner way...erm...a singing partner way!"
The two women were in an eternal struggle on either side of poor Pinhead, pulling him back and forth as they fought over him, while the Dark Prince was helpless to do anything whilst being pulled to and fro. The club-goers were too shocked to do anything but watch two adult women fight over this one Cenobite. The only people who seemed to take any enjoyment from this fight were Freddy and Chucky. The two lounged back and grinned inanely, having the time of their lives watching Pinhead being fought over like a new toy between two children.
Tiffany ran her hands through her hair and panicked. Everything was getting out of control and she wasn't sure what to do anymore. She suddenly felt someone tap her on the shoulder. Turning around, she saw Michael and Jason standing there, one of them holding up a cue card. 'Can we have our turn now?'
"Now? Really? Okay, fine. I don't care anymore. Go for it." She shooed them away and turned her attention back to the struggle, with Pinhead looking like he was going to go green and vomit up whatever he had for breakfast. If Cenobites even have breakfast to begin with.
As this went on, Michael and Jason set everything up and prepared for their duet, even though no one was facing them by this point. Psy's 'Gangnam Style' began playing. The cheerful, catchy beat filled the ears of everyone present, the base pounding the walls of the club, with the two masked giants throwing their arms about to match. Even if they could speak, they'd most likely struggle with the foreign lyrics. But it was when it got to the main chorus that they put their plans into motion.
They bounced around, slamming onto the stage with enough force that it was like a mini earthquake had erupted. Everyone was thrown about, flying off their seats and onto the floor, including the struggling trio of Pinhead, Kirsty, and Angelique.
Once things had settled, and everyone lay in the wreckage of the battered room, rubbing their heads and staring around in a daze, Michael and Jason high-fived each other for a successful mission accomplished. Though, this didn't stop Freddy from throwing another snide comment. "Had to ruin the fun for us, didn't ya? You son of a bit-...wow, I do say bitch a lot."
Tiffany lifted herself up and the instant that she saw Pinhead was free from Angelique's grasp, she rushed over to grab him and then quickly found Kirsty, forcing the two of them together. "That's it! There's no one else left. It has to be you two. Yes, finally!" she screeched excitedly, shoving microphones in their hands.
Probably too excitedly, as everyone stared at her, wondering why she would be more excited for them singing than anyone else. Restraining her enthusiasm a tad, Tiffany cleared her throat and turned to the two. "If you two are fine with it. I'm not that interested."
Pinhead turned to Kirsty, just as she looked up at him, her lovely eyes meeting his. "It appears it is our turn now."
Kirsty nodded, unable to tear her gaze from his. "Yeah, I guess so."
They grasped the microphones they held, not once looking away from one another and ready to sing their hearts out...with Tiffany standing close by clenching her fists together in anticipation...
"WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE?"
A new voice bellowed from the entrance of the club, shattering Tiffany's glee. Everyone turned and were shocked to find a young woman standing by the entrance a furious look plastered over her face as she examined the carnage in her wake. "I leave you alone with this club for just a few days, and I come back to find it looking like a tornado made itself at home."
Kirsty leaned towards Pinhead. "Who is that?"
"I introduce you to Miss LJ, the owner of this club, and the one who struck a deal with Leviathan in founding this establishment for wayward souls."
"Oh," Kirsty quickly looked around the room, seeing the fallen chairs, tables and bits of the broken stage that Michael and Jason laid waste to. "Uh oh."
LJ finally crossed the threshold of the club doors. "Everyone who is a member of this club, grab a broom and start cleaning. The rest of you, go home!"
Tiffany felt her heart drop. "No, but the karaoke. I was so close...I mean, they were...I-"
Chucky tapped his hand on his wife's leg, grabbing her attention. "Trust me, ya don't want to argue with her, Tiff. Whatever she says goes, no matter how much of a pain in the ass she is."
"What was that?" LJ hissed at the doll.
Chucky laughed awkwardly and walked in the other direction. "I said where did I leave that dustpan and brush? Oh, there it is. I'll go get it right now." He quickly scarpered off.
Meanwhile, everyone else who wasn't part of the club was already heading for the doors, including Angelique. She didn't get very far before Ghostface leapt out and blocked her way. "This was fun, Angie. We should partner up again sometime."
"If you ever talk to me again, I will cut out your tongue and boil it until it shrivels into nothingness. Then I will happily watch as every bit of skin is carved from your body while I blissfully listen to your agonising screams till the end of time."
She couldn't read his reaction with the mask covering his face, but his body remained still, giving her the impression that he was finally fearful of her. That was until Ghostface clicked his fingers and offered her a thumbs-up. "Awesome! Working on some lyrics for an original tune. Nice job, partner."
"AHHHHH!" Angelique screamed and clenched her fists before storming out of the club, but not before her eyes wandered in Pinhead's direction, staring at him as she left. "You will be mine, Favoured Son. One day, you will be mine."
Amongst the people that were scrambling to leave, Freddy thought that he could sneak past, blending into the crowd and avoid becoming part of the cleanup crew. He grinned gleefully and cackled as he stepped out of the door...until he felt a hand grab him by the collar of his shirt and pull him back inside. "Oh no you don't," LJ scolded. "You're helping to clean this place up too."
"Damn it!" Freddy mumbled.
Elsewhere, Kirsty felt complied to walk out as well, but she felt empty leaving without giving some departing words to Pinhead, especially after they did seem to share some nice conversations during this chaotic night of karaoke. "Today was...fun. Even if we didn't get to sing together."
The Cenobite straightened his posture. "I agree. It was a missed opportunity to sing alongside you."
"Really?" she smiled coyly.
Seeing her bashful look suddenly had Pinhead feeling flustered. He brushed that aside and remained as stoic as ever. "Yes, you have a nice voice. It would have been enjoyable to share the stage with you."
"Well, who knows? Maybe one day we'll have another karaoke. I...I might stop by again some time."
Pinhead's eyes widened. "You will?"
"Yeah. Who knows? Maybe this might be the chance for us to start over and become more than acquaintances."
"Yes, that sounds reasonable. Bury the hatchet, as they say."
The two remained silent for the longest time...at least as long as they had before Kirsty realised she was now the last one to leave. She turned heel and started to slowly walk towards the door, glancing over her shoulder and waving towards Pinhead again. Whether it was deliberate or an accidental reflex, he was sure, Pinhead ended up repeating her action and waving back.
Their interactions didn't go unnoticed by Tiffany, who was waiting outside the door for Kirsty and smiling to herself. "There's still a chance." she muttered to herself.
"Still a chance for what?'' Kirsty asked, hearing her friend.
"Oh, nothing, sweetface. Nothing you have to worry about." she responded, hiding a knowing smirk from Kirsty, who looked back once more at the building.
This club was unlike any other Kirsty had ever known. It was no wonder that it attracted the most unusual people. Or, maybe it was the unusual people that made it so attractive...
To Be Continued...
Next time...Kirsty returns to the club where Pinhead is more than happy to welcome her; in the meanwhile Tiffany continues on trying to play matchmaker for her sudden OTP and suffers for her efforts, Freddy and Chucky continue to make nuisances of themselves, we get to know more about LJ, and so much more.
We hope you enjoyed this new chapter. More to come soon. Thanks for reading. :D