Chapter 12: The Dance
The city dance. A place of music turned up to the highest volume level just to see people do the 'Harlem Shake'. The courtyards of Peach's Castle turned into dance floors, as almost the entire population of the kingdom was there. The two Toads, on the other hand, were still preparing.
"Would you hurry up?" Toad asked, waiting outside the bathroom door. "I'm trying to get to the dance on time, you know." He was already in his suit, which was a blue, button-down jacket that had the exact same colors as his vest.
"This dress doesn't put on itself, Toad!" Toadette replied. After a few minutes, the door finally opened. There she stood, in a vest that was a bit shorter than usual, with a frilly gown at the bottom. Toad patted her shoulder.
"You look beautiful in that." he complimented, and Toadette blushed.
"Thanks, Toad. You do too."
"Why, thank you." They began to walk downstairs, where the dance was happening in the courtyard.
"Wait." Toadette stopped abruptly, almost making Toad trip over her. "I think I know a place where we can go." She began walking back upstairs. Toad looked at her, confused, but then quickly followed. They walked up to the balcony overlooking the courtyard. Peach was already there.
"What are you guys doing here?" she asked. Her attire was the usual dress that she wore.
"I think there's a sing-off here, right?"
"Oh, yes, there is! I was just going to announce that! Thanks for reminding me." She picked up the microphone standing next to her, and patted the head of it, causing feedback that caused everyone to turn towards her.
"Good evening, Mushroom Kingdom!" she greeted. Applause from the crowd followed. "I almost forgot about this. We are hosting our second annual Sing-Off!" More applause. "But this time, it is not a competition. Man or woman, boy or girl, experienced or not, you are all welcome! No pressure! Get out there and sing!" She turned off the mic and walked back to the main interior of the castle. Six people followed her. After a minute, Toad was the only one back out on the balcony.
"This is how I felt like today." Everyone turned in his direction. He began, with no instrumental accompaniment at first.
I've got these letters tattooed on my arm
That remind me each second of where I come from
And the long, hard road
To guide me back home...
He had a bit of a higher-pitched voice, but was still singing the correct notes. The music started. People clapped, as they knew he was singing "Home" by American Authors. After four measures of that, he began singing again.
Back to my mama who raised me up right
And back to my lady I held every night
At the second line, he gestured to Toadette, also on stage.
It's a long, hard road
Trying to get home
I've been gone, now, for too long...
The music cresendoed, as he sang the chorus.
I'm not trying to stop a hurricane
I'm not trying to shake the ground below
I'm just trying to find a way
To make it back home...
I'm not trying to part the ocean waves
I'm not trying to overthrow the throne
I'm just trying to find a way
To bring you back home...
I'm just trying to get home
People clapped again. Toadette winked at him to continue. He did.
I've got this image engraved in my mind
Of a life that I had in a whole different time
It still breathes and lives
At the end of the road
I see mountains and valleys through my missing days
But I never once parted with how you begged me to stay
I will run this long, hard, and treacherous road to get home...
I'm not trying to stop a hurricane
I'm not trying to shake the ground below
I'm just trying to find a way
To make it back home
I'm not trying to part the ocean waves
I'm not trying to overthrow the throne
I'm just trying to find a way
To bring you back home...
I'm just trying to get home
I'm just trying to get home...
He cut it off there, as he wanted to let the other people sing. The audience roared in applause, as he took a bow. He walked through the curtains and back to the interior of the castle. Toadette was there too as she hugged him.
"That was wonderful."
"Man, and I thought I was going to be nervous up there." He giggled. Let's watch the others, huh?" Toadette nodded, took his hand, and they walked back down and blended in with the audience. The next performers came up, Mario and Peach. Coldplay's "A Sky Full of Stars" was their number. Next was Luigi and Daisy, with OneRepublic's "Secrets". Toad was thinking about that one, as he wondered how Daisy got here when she was on restriction, but he shrugged it off. As the show went on, people began to become more enthusiastic. At the end, the loudest applause yet enveloped the entire castle, as the six participants took their respective bows. After that, they walked off their separate ways, Toad surprisingly breaking away from Toadette for a moment in order to get his food that Peach had laid out for the dancers.
The buffet consisted of several tables, each almost sagging under the weight of chicken, pasta, rice, soup, and the like. Toad got himself a serving of grilled chicken and spiraled pasta, where he then took a knife and cut up the chicken, stirring it into the pasta. He then walked off to find Toadette again, which was unsurprisingly difficult because of the amount of dancers he had to look through. Eventually he gave up, and sat down at a table far away, hoping that Toadette would come to him. She didn't, however, which worried him. After he finished his food, he walked out into the courtyard.
"Toadette, you here?" No answer. "Toadette, where are you?" He saw something in the sky and squinted. It was an airship. He almost shrugged and walked off, but then he stopped in his tracks and looked again. "It can't be... It is... They're here!" He rushed off after the airship, gaining speed by the second. He knew that something was about to rain on his parade.
To be continued...
Cliffhanger! Leave a review on who you think the villain is!
